INTERVIEW | Make Money by Rethinking Leadership, Turning Rejection Into Results, and Building Better Teams with Larry Coval

Larry Coval is a veteran technology and telecommunications executive who spent nearly four decades leading sales organizations, business units, and billion-dollar operations at companies including AT&T, Telligent Telecom, Epoch Internet, Global Crossing, and Cox Business. Throughout his career, he turned around underperforming teams, drove business growth, and helped develop future executives. Now, he's sharing the lessons he learned from both his successes and failures in his book, Misled: Why Almost Everything You Learn About Leadership Is Wrong and How to Fix It. In this episode, Larry explains why effective leadership requires more than emotional intelligence, how door-to-door sales shaped his approach to business, and why developing practical skills, embracing feedback, and helping employees succeed are essential to becoming a great leader.

On this episode we talk about:

How Larry went from an uncertain college graduate to a nearly 40-year career in technology and telecommunications leadership.

Why combining complementary skills, understanding your strengths, and being honest about your weaknesses can help you stand out professionally.

How door-to-door sales taught Larry to handle rejection, improve through repetition, and help teams push through challenges.

Why Larry believes leadership development has focused too heavily on emotional traits instead of the practical skills employees need from their managers.

How employee-centered leadership, accountability, and actionable feedback can build stronger teams and create a lasting organizational legacy.

Top 3 Takeaways

Treat rejection as practice, not failure. Every “no” is an opportunity to learn, refine your approach, and get closer to a “yes.” Larry even rewarded salespeople for the number of rejections they worked through, turning a frustrating part of the job into a motivating challenge.

Great leaders need competence, not just good intentions. Empathy and vulnerability matter, but employees also need managers who can teach them, solve problems, provide direction, and help them perform better. Leadership is a set of skills that can be developed with deliberate effort.

Build a legacy by developing people. Business results matter, but Larry believes one of the most meaningful measures of leadership is the people you help grow. Investing in employees' careers and modeling effective leadership can create a lasting impact on an organization's culture.

Notable Quotes