About Hagadone Media Group

Industry: Media & Advertising
Services: 360 Leadership Coaching, Sales Leadership Development

Hagadone Media Group, based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, delivers critical local news to communities in Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho, Western Montana, and Hawaii. Like many media organizations, strong sales leadership plays a critical role in driving revenue performance while navigating a fast-paced and evolving market.

Sales leaders operate in a high-pressure environment with significant responsibility for team performance, revenue outcomes, and organizational culture.

Industry Context

Media organizations operate in competitive markets where revenue performance depends heavily on the effectiveness of sales teams. Sales leaders are responsible not only for driving results but also for maintaining accountability, developing talent, and navigating constant pressure across multiple markets.

In this environment, leadership consistency and coaching effectiveness directly influence sales culture and long-term performance. Strengthening sales leadership is often the first step toward building a more resilient and future-ready organization.

THE CHALLENGE

Many leaders at Hagadone had spent years in leadership roles with minimal formal leadership development, relying largely on experience and instinct. Senior leadership recognized that building a high-performing sales organization equipped for the future would require a focused investment in leadership capability.

Several core challenges emerged:

• Leaders needed help understanding how to effectively hold their teams accountable
• Outside expertise was needed to jumpstart change
• Building a high performing sales organization that was equipped for the future needed to start with an investment in sales leaders
• Consistent and effective coaching from sales leaders was needed
• A desire to strengthen leadership from within

The organization believed that investing in leadership development could pay long-term dividends by helping managers become better coaches, stronger leaders, and more effective developers of talent.

THE SOLUTION

Hagadone Media Group implemented 360 Leadership Coaching for multiple sales leaders, using a strengths-based approach designed to create sustainable behavior change.

The program helped leaders:

• Identify their innate leadership strengths
• Receive objective feedback on how their leadership behaviors were experienced by direct reports
• Navigate challenging conversations with greater confidence and clarity
• Effectively hold their teams accountable
• Leverage one-on-one coaching to create customized strategies for individuals on their team

Rather than focusing on fixing weaknesses, the coaching emphasized maximizing strengths and reinforcing effective habits — even for leaders with decades of experience.

The impact was felt by multiple leaders who completed the program, their respective teams, senior leadership, and the company at large. Leaders demonstrated stronger decision-making, greater confidence in holding teams accountable, and improved coaching effectiveness — contributing to a healthier and more resilient sales culture.

Key Outcomes

• Confident, consistent accountability
• More thoughtful decision-making
• Stronger coaching and salesperson development
• Improved morale and resilience
• Leaders willing and able to change
• A healthier, more sustainable sales culture

Hagadone Media Group’s investment demonstrated that experienced leaders can still grow significantly when development is strengths-based, objective, and supported by coaching.