Melissa Campbell Of SmartBear On Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective CRO

An Interview With Rachel Kline

Results-oriented: I have to start with being results-oriented for both your team and your customers. This focus contributes to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and positive referrals, all of which are critical for long-term success. Being results-oriented promotes accountability. Sales teams are held responsible for the outcomes in which they commit. This accountability fosters a culture of delivering on commitments and fulfilling promises made to customers, building trust and credibility.

A CRO’s role is essential for a company’s growth, taking on the responsibility for all aspects of driving revenue to the company. What makes someone an effective CRO? For a woman considering a role as a CRO, what does it take to create a highly successful career in this position? To address these questions, in this interview series, we are talking to women CROs about “What It Takes To Be A Highly Effective CRO.” As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Melissa Campbell.

Melissa Campbell is Chief Revenue Officer at SmartBear, a leading provider of software development and visibility tools. She has 30 years of experience in enterprise software sales for companies ranging from early-stage venture backed to large public organizations. Previously, she served as CRO and General Manager at Tamr, Inc., leader in data products. Melissa has also served as Group Vice President for Oracle’s Service Automation business and has held sales leadership roles at BMC Software, BEA Systems, and IBM/Lotus. With a robust track record in cultivating and maintaining customer relationships, Melissa is known for keen talent acquisition and nurturing sales talent and teams, while emphasizing the importance of delivering value for long-term customer success.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I started in procurement at Texas Instruments and then moved to Lotus Development as a procurement specialist for software license agreements. Due to my extroverted personality, one of their lawyers thought I would be great in sales and introduced me to the Business Development team who was responsible for all special bids and negotiations in sales. From there, I moved to renewals and then made the jump into field sales. After Lotus was acquired by IBM in 1995, I had various opportunities that put me on a successful career path. I went on to earn IBM Rep of the Year, and as a result, was promoted into sales management at IBM. My experience as a buyer early in my career allowed me to understand and develop good negotiation skills as I understand the buyer’s perspective. I have always believed in bringing cross-functional teams together to solve problems. At the end of the day, it’s all about delivering for the customer.

Who could have guessed my career would unfold like it did? But I would not change a thing. I found my calling in sales by following my natural curiosity and desire to help others succeed, being motivated to sell, and broadening my network and skills over the years. There is nothing more rewarding than that.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you first started? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Very early in my career, I recall a situation where I let frustration get the better of me during a challenging customer negotiation. We had presented what I believed were reasonable business terms, but the customer’s lawyer disagreed. I became visibly perturbed when it seemed we had reached an impasse and hastily left the meeting. In my frustration, I had forgotten a personal item in the room. When I returned moments later, the lawyer was waiting with a smile and my forgotten item. It was a humbling moment. Looking back, I realized I should have handled the situation with more patience and perseverance. My dramatic exit didn’t help matters. But we can always learn from a negative experience. For me, it underscored the importance of maintaining a productive dialogue, which is ultimately focused on understanding the customer’s needs and constraints.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Yes, my first manager at IBM, Mark McNamara, was one of my favorite people and helped to ignite my career. We also worked together years later at Oracle. We teamed up very well as we both escalated our careers in those early years. He was always there to coach and mentor me and was an advocate for me as I was promoted into leadership positions. He had a tremendous track record of success while being one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I will always be grateful for how he championed me in those early years, but also throughout my career.

Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion about creating a successful career as a woman CRO. According to global research, the percentage of women in c-suite executive roles is woefully low. So how did you climb to your position, and what was that experience like for you?

Earning Rep of the Year was a career highlight for sure. But what came next was truly groundbreaking. I was promoted to sales management — the only woman leading an all-male team, all of whom were previously my peers.

Back in those days, female enterprise software sales leaders were few and far between. I was fortunate that my career was taking off just as companies like IBM were making a concerted effort to get more women into executive roles. Don’t get me wrong — I got the job because I had proven myself and overachieved on results, but IBM also recognized the value of diversity in leadership. I was mentored and coached very well at IBM, which afforded me various opportunities at other companies that allowed me to continue my career growth.

Funny story — as Director of Sales at BEA Systems (acquired by Oracle in 2008), I took 15 executives from a top-tier financial services client to our headquarters office in California for an executive briefing. There were various product people and leadership executives from BEA in the room with the customer. At one point, one of the customer execs said, “We’ve talked to so many people today and heard many presentations, and Melissa is the only woman we’ve seen in this room from your company.” My boss replied, “Yes, but we all know who wears the pants in the room.” It was a funny moment, but I was used to being the only woman in the room and didn’t really pay attention to that detail. It was the norm. It was clear back then that it was important to many of our customers who were typically large enterprises to see diversity from their suppliers. Things have changed and it’s exciting to see so many female technology and sales executives today.

I have always made it a goal to promote capable women and am proud to have hired many women into sales roles as well as sales leadership positions over the years. I am happy to now be part of the leadership team at SmartBear, where over half of our C-suite executives are women. SmartBear has made huge strides in its gender diversity over the past couple of years and supports the promotion of women into STEM roles at the company.

This might be intuitive to you, but it is helpful to articulate it expressly. What impact can placing women in executive roles have on a company? What might be the struggles, and what are the benefits?

You will get a much more diverse and well-rounded perspective on key decisions and directions in which to take a business. Have I struggled as a woman leader? Sure, there are always challenges, but mostly I have seen the benefits. Many of the top performers I have worked with have been women. We bring tremendous focus, organization, and attention to detail. I have witnessed some women leaders absolutely crush goals thanks to those strengths. But ultimately, it’s about balance. The most effective leaders are able to adapt — being visionary, decisive, and empathetic as the situation demands. My advice? Surround yourself with leaders who think differently than you. Get that diversity of thought. Listen and learn from each other. You will make choices that elevate your whole organization. In my experience, women leaders boost that diversity. We offer perspectives that others may not. And when you combine our talents on a balanced team? That’s when the magic happens.

In your personal experience, have female leaders (including yourself) done things differently from their male counterparts? What was the result? Can you please explain?

Women can be very empathetic as leaders as well as very nurturing to young talent. In my experience, I have seen where women have been able to help address and successfully resolve many issues in the organization, taking a different approach than a more traditional one. Leadership styles are influenced by a variety of factors — personality, upbringing, culture, experiences — as well as gender. In my experience, I have found many women leaders to be collaborative and inclusive, relationship-oriented, inclined to seek consensus and build agreement within the team before making decisions, and foster open dialogue and active listening, which can be quite effective. Men tend to be more confident in their leadership strategies and better at delegating tasks and responsibilities to team members. Neither is better or right or wrong. Having all styles of leadership to lead a wide range of diverse team members is key.

Can you tell us about a project, person, or a team you led where you successfully made a big impact? What secrets can you share with us?

In enterprise technology sales, I have always made a big impact in helping companies to negotiate large, complex transactions while developing strong executive relationships with customers. My goal is to continuously demonstrate my value through performance, making sure I always go to extra lengths to achieve my goals and objectives. I have always been results-oriented and focused on performance, overdelivering, and overachieving. Results — both sales results and results for the customer that lead to value, ROI, and improved productivity — always speak for themselves.

What advice would you give to other women climbing the corporate ladder? In what areas would you encourage them to leave their mark?

I encourage other women to be true to themselves. Balancing authenticity with corporate demands can be challenging but ultimately rewarding. Build a reputation based on trust, fostering strong relationships with peers and clients. It can set you apart in a competitive field, making you a trusted advisor. Focusing on your work and cultivating professional relationships creates a productive and harmonious work environment. I think we all want to be part of a positive, efficient, and productive work atmosphere. I also encourage others to stay focused on the task at hand and the desired results. Results are proof that your strategies are working, or not working.

Based on your experience and success, what are your “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective CRO?”

In my experience, here are my top five:

1 . Results-oriented: I have to start with being results-oriented for both your team and your customers. This focus contributes to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and positive referrals, all of which are critical for long-term success. Being results-oriented promotes accountability. Sales teams are held responsible for the outcomes in which they commit. This accountability fosters a culture of delivering on commitments and fulfilling promises made to customers, building trust and credibility.

2 . Empathetic leadership with high expectations: Being an empathetic leader with high expectations combines understanding and support with a commitment to excellence. This approach can inspire and motivate individuals and teams to achieve their best while acknowledging their unique needs, emotions, and life’s challenges. Hear their concerns while providing emotional support when necessary and demonstrating a genuine interest in their well-being. At the same time, I believe in high expectations and setting ambitious goals and standards, grounded in the belief that people can achieve more when encouraged and supported.

3 . Customer obsessed: This means advocating for the customer at every turn, while achieving your own business goals. I have continued a relationship with many customers from company to company because I have developed their trust over the years — whether that’s helping to negotiate and execute a mutually beneficial deal or helping with a product support issue. Building relationships with customers is an investment in time and energy, but those relationships are key in sales. Understanding and addressing your customer’s specific pain points, business challenges, and goals are paramount.

4 . Strong communicator: Express your thoughts, concerns, and ideas candidly, allowing for open and constructive dialogue. Effective communication is vital for building and maintaining strong relationships. This includes being transparent. Being open and honest about intentions, capabilities, and limitations establishes credibility and fosters cooperation. It’s also crucial to embrace diversity as peers and clients come from various backgrounds. Understanding and respecting different perspectives and cultures enables you to connect and communicate effectively with a wide range of people to ultimately deliver results for both parties.

5 . Data driven: It’s essential to use data to be able to focus on your productivity. A results-focused approach relies on data and metrics to evaluate performance and make informed decisions. Data is the best way to measure results and make necessary adjustments. Data analytics can help refine sales strategies, track progress, and ensure you are delivering the expected results. It also allows for real-time adjustments to maximize outcomes along the way. The tech industry is known for its rapid and continuous change with technology advancements, changes to buyer behavior, the competition, and this list goes on. Data helps businesses keep pace with it all.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

In my position of leadership, I love to help those in the underdog position, those who have extra challenges in this already challenging world. I have enjoyed helping others who have struggled to get into the tech industry. I am a big advocate of supporting children, animals, veterans, and those with disabilities. Across the board — there are so many groups today that struggle. Any movement where the “underdogs” get needed support in order to soar in this world is the type of movement I would like to inspire. We need to bring far-reaching support — whether that’s mentorship, education, training, access to technology, or counseling — to the underserved.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkcampbell1022/

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.