64: This SVP Built a Winning Culture and High-Performing Team at the Atlanta Braves | Paul Adams
Release Date:
January 14, 2025
Release Date: Sep 19
What if the key to long-term success wasn't just about winning games or closing deals but about building a culture that naturally fosters collaboration, trust, and growth?
If you’re a leader struggling to retain top talent or build a high-performing team in an increasingly competitive market, this episode of “The Learn-It-All Podcast” is for you.
Host Damon Lembi speaks with Paul Adams, Senior VP of Ticket Sales for the Atlanta Braves, who shares his 35 years of insights on cultivating a high-performing, enduring team in both sports and business. Paul reveals the secret to building teams that excel beyond individual talent—through creating a minor league-style development system and focusing on long-term employee growth and collaboration.
This episode isn't just theory; it’s a deep dive into practical, actionable steps Paul has used with the Atlanta Braves to create a thriving sales team. Business leaders will discover how to apply these same principles to create high-performance cultures in any organization. Tune in to learn actionable strategies that can transform your team's culture and performance, regardless of industry.
What You’ll Learn:
How to build a “farm system” that develops talent from the ground up
Why athletes thrive in sales environments (and how you can build similar discipline in your team)
The importance of trust, communication, and personal growth in a successful workplace culture
Real-life examples of Paul’s leadership, including tough decisions that improved team performance How to build a winning sales culture from the ground up
The importance of hiring for potential and investing in continuous training
Why focusing on strengths is more effective than fixing weaknesses
How to adapt and evolve leadership in response to change
In This Episode:
(00:00) Introduction to Paul Adams – Damon introduces Paul Adams, SVP of Ticket Sales for the Atlanta Braves, and sets the stage for a discussion on leadership and building a winning culture.
(02:00) Building and Sustaining a High-Performing Sales Culture – Paul shares how the Atlanta Braves have built a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous learning within the ticket sales team.
(05:46) Hiring for Potential – Paul explains why the Braves hire based on potential and how their minor league-style training system helps develop future leaders.
(09:00) Focusing on Strengths Over Weaknesses – Paul discusses why he believes in leveraging employees' strengths rather than spending too much time fixing their weaknesses.
(12:33) Leadership by Example – Paul emphasizes the importance of leading by example and building trust through open communication and hands-on leadership.
(17:42) Navigating Challenges and Change – Paul reflects on how the Braves’ leadership team adapted during the pandemic, using communication and relationship-building to stay connected with their fans.
(21:30) The Role of Values in Leadership – Paul talks about how the Braves’ core values—commitment, trust, professionalism, and diversity—shape the team’s culture and guide their decision-making.
(33:18) Leadership Advice for the Future – Paul offers his final thoughts on how leaders can leave a lasting impact on their teams by investing in people and maintaining a culture of continuous growth.
About Our Guest:
Paul Adams is the Senior Vice President of Ticket Sales for the Atlanta Braves, where he has worked for over 35 years. Paul has been instrumental in creating and maintaining a high-performing sales culture within the Braves organization, focusing on collaboration, trust, and continuous development. He is passionate about building teams that excel both on and off the field.
