Melissa Murray Bailey ─ Global sales leader delivering growth opportunities through high-performing teams…
September 23, 2021 • 3 Minute Read
Melissa Murray Bailey
Chief Revenue Officer
Hootsuite
Are you looking to learn from a global sales leader with a talent for identifying growth opportunities and building high-performing teams? We know the person—Melissa Murray Bailey!
Melissa is the newly appointed Chief Revenue Officer for Hootsuite. Her talent lies in leading and scaling sales organizations through her unique approach to maximizing success. As a strategic risk taker, Melissa leverages her dynamic cultural agility to build and lead high performing teams to attain potent execution. She is also passionate about supporting organizations that help children.
Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman™, Melissa Murray Bailey!
Our 10 Questions for this IT Wondrous Woman.
Fun Facts
1. What’s the one thing about you that your business colleagues don’t know about you?
A lot of people know that I enjoy rock climbing, but they may not know why I got into rock climbing. I was looking for a hobby to do with my daughter, and I thought it was a great way to have fun together but also to build her ability to problem solve.
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you flying annually?
Close to 200,000.
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
At a fish restaurant in Malaysia,we ordered a whole fish, and we were told it was very lucky to eat the eyes.There were only two eyes though, so my daughter had one and my husband had the other.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
When I moved to Australia to start the Corporate Executive Board’s Australia business, I had to start selling before I could hire anyone. I started calling potential customers, had coffees, talked with them, and had to figure out what our go-to-market plan was going to be. It was just critical to be able to listen to the market first, and help them take us along with them instead of deciding as an outsider how best to approach the market.
5. Did you have a mentor in the early part of your career and, if so, what is the biggest lesson you learned from your mentor or influencer?
My boss’ boss was so different in how he approached product, markets and strategy. He was calm and deliberate and sometimes it could seem slow, but it was the slow pieces that came together for the magical outcome. It really helped me to rethink how I lead and how I bring organizations on journeys. I am constantly learning in every interaction that I have with him.
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to have confidence. It’s important to share what I think and feel confident about that—not second guessing, not worrying about what other people are going to think or how they might judge me.
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
I still spend a lot of my time mentoring others. There is not a person who asks me for help that I can say no to. Because so many people helped me to get where I am, if I can help people along the way, that is part of my responsibility. I love helping people. I love watching people grow and blossom, and if I can be a small part of that, that is really fulfilling for me as well.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
Across the past several years, I have been helping customers on their digital journey. I like to think of the projects that help customers transform the way they sell from always being in-person to thinking about how to do that online through social networks and video. Before, we would fly and we would talk with them. Now, we can send them a video and they can send us an email back—we don’t always have to figure out when we can connect live because of the asynchronous way that sales is moving.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
I’ve spent a lot of time focusing on how to create more inclusive environments. I’m constantly thinking about ways that we can create connectedness and a feeling of belonging when we’re all actually isolated.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
The greatest business challenge for me right now is simplification. There is so much noise and so many things that people could be doing that we really need to challenge ourselves to simplify.
