Akamai Wins Best Sales Leadership Development Program from Brandon Hall

We proudly announce that Akamai has been honored with the prestigious Gold Award for Best Sales Leadership Development Program at the 2024 Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards. 

Each year, the Excellence Awards recognize “the best organizations that have successfully deployed programs, strategies, modalities, processes, systems, and tools that have achieved measurable results.” At Akamai, we’re proud to have won several awards over the years. 

Our most recent recognition was for the Akamai Sales Manager as Coach (SMAC) program, which is a testament to our commitment to developing top-tier sales leadership that champions Akamai’s innovative cybersecurity and cloud computing solutions.

Gallup research shows that at least 50% of employees don’t leave jobs — they leave poor manager relationships. Instead of a traditional boss, they want to work for coaches who support and encourage them to succeed. 

Armed with that knowledge, the SMAC program was formed in 2022 to empower frontline sales managers with the skills and mindset they need to think about employee relationships differently. “We aim to foster an environment where employees feel engaged in a different way,” says Jennifer Maddalena, Sales Enablement Principal at Akamai. “A way that allows them to believe in themselves and their ability to do great work.”

SMAC is a six-month, immersive learning journey focused on "leading self" and "leading others" by equipping sales managers with tools for personal leadership, coaching excellence, and effective team engagement. Through structured coaching sessions, peer learning, and real-world applications, participants emerge as self-aware sales management leaders capable of driving team performance and fostering a culture of growth.

SMAC is a tailor-made program designed to address relevant challenges faced by Akamai’s sales managers. It includes consistent practice and coaching assessments — not to create a pass/fail environment but to provide accountability, feedback, and continued mastery.

As a result, it’s become far more than a one-time training course. Instead, it’s a developmental journey that extends far beyond the formal scope of the program.

In line with the coaching philosophy of “asking instead of telling,” participants are invited to enter the program, but participation is voluntary. This approach has increased engagement and ensured that participants are genuinely motivated to embrace the program’s growth journey.

At Akamai, there are three training levels that are tailored to each role within the sales organization, and the levels grow with employees throughout their careers. The training begins with the Next Generation Leaders (NGL) program, continues with SMAC, and then culminates with the This Generation’s Leader (TGL) program for senior leadership development. 

The SMAC program is a crucial second step in preparing sales leadership to fuel lasting impact. Unlike traditional sales training, which tends to be performance-based and focused on skills, processes, and product knowledge, the SMAC coaching program is developmental — a benefit to both the manager and the team they support.

“Coaching is not about becoming more skillful at teaching or telling others what to do,” said Jennifer. “Instead, it’s about cultivating curiosity and learning to ask powerful questions that empower others to discover their own answers.”

All three program levels present leadership in a collaborative way. “True leadership goes beyond managing,” said Jennifer. “It’s about empowering others and inspiring growth. Through SMAC, our sales managers become more self-aware and skilled individuals, driving team performance and strategic results. This journey enhances personal growth and our collective ability to achieve impactful business success.”

Ultimately, the SMAC program supports the Akamai mission of empowering businesses with innovative cybersecurity and cloud computing solutions. The stronger our sales leadership, the more people we can help with our technology — and the greater impact we can have across the globe.

The SMAC program's success stems from its comprehensive design, which includes professional executive coaching and hands-on learning experiences. 

Participants reported significant growth in coaching skills, self-awareness, and team leadership, contributing to improved morale and measurable business outcomes. In turn, sales teams are better able to serve Akamai users — by providing excellent customer experiences when sharing our leading cybersecurity and cloud computing solutions with the world.

Overall, the program's reception was outstanding, with participants describing it as the best development initiative in their professional careers.

One SMAC participant reflected on the profound personal and professional impact of the program by sharing, “I learned so much about myself and my abilities, which has really helped with my confidence and self-belief. My ability to coach my team has already produced some noticeable positive differences.” 

Another participant mentioned, “SMAC produced something rare — an immediate and tangible change in my way of managing the team.” 

These testimonials highlight real, meaningful transformations in leadership style and team performance as direct results of the SMAC program.

Building on this recognition, Akamai will continue to expand the SMAC program globally and reinforce our holistic approach to leadership development. This award from Brandon Hall fuels our vision of creating a workplace in which leaders are not just managers, but coaches who inspire, develop, and lead their teams to success.

We extend heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the SMAC program’s development and implementation, especially Jennifer Maddalena from the Akamai Sales Enablement team and Brian Newman from our external partner, Terma. Your hard work, commitment, and belief in the power of coaching have made this achievement possible.