When Just-in-Time Beats Just-in-Case

Imagine a seller we'll call Jack. Jack just sat through a week-long sales boot camp (in person or otherwise) – in person or even worse on seemingly endless, soul destroying (but cheap) zoom calls. By Friday, his brain is like a sponge that's been left under a running faucet—dripping with excess information and incapable of soaking up another drop. Jack, like so many in his field, is a victim not just of bad timing in training, but also of the corporate belief that when it comes to training, more is always better. Spoiler alert: It's not.

When Just-in-Time Beats Just-in-Case

Traditional sales training operates on a "just-in-case" model. It's the equivalent of learning how to fix a tire before you even know how to drive—sure, it might come in handy someday, but by the time you need it, you'll probably have forgotten which tool does what. Contrast this with the "just-in-time" model, which is like having a mechanic show you the ropes when you're roadside with a flat. This method ensures that learning is immediately relevant and applicable.

The benefits of just-in-time learning aren't just anecdotal. The Forgetting Curve—a concept first introduced by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus—demonstrates that without reinforcement, we start losing the memory of learned knowledge in a matter of days. In fact, research suggests that within one hour, people will have forgotten an average of 50 percent of the information presented. Within 24 hours, this number rises to 70 percent, and if a week passes without that knowledge being applied, up to 90 percent could be lost. That’s not just a curve; it’s a cliff.

Imagine we plot Jack's training retention on a graph. It wouldn't be a slow, gentle slope but a steep dive, like a rollercoaster when you've just reached the peak and are bracing for the drop. Now, that’s the type of adrenaline rush you want your sales team to avoid - right?

Cognitive Overload: When More is Less

Then there’s the information overload. It’s the age of big data, but bigger isn't always better, especially when it comes to learning. Cognitive load theory tells us that our working memory has limits. Bombard it with too much information, and you'll jam the gears. Sales training is full of too much information, and crammed with complexity.

In our age of multitasking myths, cognitive overload is the supervillain. It swoops in when we pile up the sales techniques, sales methods, strategies & tactics, industry insights, political know-how, psychology, neuroscience, expecting sellers (veterans, rookies & everyone in-between) to switch gears at lightning speed. But here's the kicker: A study published in the journal 'Computers in Human Behavior' found that participants who multitasked during cognitive tasks experienced significant performance drops. In terms of sales training, this means that the more we dump on our trainees at once, the less they’re actually learning. It's like expecting Jack to learn to juggle while riding a unicycle. Entertaining, yes. Effective? Not so much. And as our window of opportunity to spend time with prospects continues to close – we have to be at our best when these opportunities present. 

It's complicated…and expensive

There's a peculiar badge of honor that sales training seems to pursue—complexity. Somewhere along the line, we started to measure the effectiveness of a training program by how intricate it could become. Instead of sticking to the core principles of sales we've entangled the process with a labyrinth of techniques, acronyms, and processes and the modern affliction of “cleverness.” This convoluted approach may have succeeded in making sales training seem like an arcane art only accessible to the few with a Rosetta Stone, but in reality, it has done a disservice to many sales professionals. They're often left with a toolbox so overstocked and disorganized it's nearly impossible to find the right tool when the moment of truth arrives in front of a prospect. Simplicity is the soul of efficiency, but sales training has forgotten this, opting instead for a complex system where more is less.

The sales training response to this has been the deployment of the “invaluable” “deal coach.” This is a  more recent phenomenon (compared to the much older one of getting bent over by the sales method & training experts). This is where company leaders seem to admit that they are unwilling or incapable of quarterbacking their sellers through more convoluted deals, and bring in expensive, fraudulent “experts” – deal coaches. Once again the actions of the leadership come into question. Clearly the question should then be “well if you can’t guide & coach your team through the more challenging deal cycles and sales motions (another fabulous BS phrase), what are you doing?”

Shining the light

So, what’s the takeaway? The old approach to sales training needs to be put out to pasture. And this idea of needing the modern version (the deal coach) is an admission of defeat.

Instead, it's time to accept the weaknesses of training & take a new approach. —use targeted, timely, readiness thinking, ideas and tools. Provision advice, insights and ideas as close to the prospect engagement point as possible, getting  sellers better prepared, faster and with less effort. Let's give Jack and his colleagues what they need when they need it, so that information is a tool they use, not a flood they feel will drown them.

All I Want for Xmas is Sales Serenity

Introduction As this year winds down, we’re all prone to contemplate the coming year.  Some things will change, some won’t. One of the latter being how companies are increasingly looking towards roles traditionally not associated with revenue generation, such as Project Managers and service delivery professionals, to contribute to sales targets. This shift raises important questions about the implications for these professionals.

The 'Why' Behind the Trend Two primary factors are driving this trend. Firstly, ever present cost savings – by leveraging existing staff in revenue-generation roles, companies can potentially reduce the need for a larger sales force. Secondly, there's always been a healthy sentiment of skepticism towards traditional sales roles in the consulting and technical services fields. There's a perception that non-sales professionals, due to their closer involvement with the product or service, offer more subject matter expertise and an authentic and less 'salesy' approach to clients.

The Argument Against Expecting non-revenue staff to take on sales responsibilities can be seen as unfair for several reasons:

1. Skill Mismatch: These individuals are hired for their expertise in areas other than sales. Asking them to perform tasks they weren't trained for can lead to stress and job dissatisfaction.

2. Divided Attention: Their primary role, which is crucial to the business, might suffer if they are also focusing on revenue generation.

3. Potential Conflict of Interest: A project manager's goal is to deliver the project efficiently, which might conflict with the aim of maximizing revenue.

The Argument For Conversely, involving these professionals in sales makes sense due to:

1. Deep Product or Service Knowledge: They often have a better understanding of the product, service, and the associated resources skills and tasks which can translate into more natural selling.

2. Established Client Relationships: Their existing relationships with clients inspires more organic and trusted sales interactions.

3. Business Acumen: Their supposed understanding of the business can enable them to identify and exploit revenue-generating opportunities that pure sales roles might miss.

The Gap in Sales Skills The crux of the issue is that while these professionals have the potential to contribute to revenue generation, they typically lack sales “know how”. While that know how might not be magic, it plays a role. You can try to bridge the gap by implementing sales training for this group, providing more tools and resources and orchestrating greater collaboration across the organization. The first and third alternatives here have been done before. The first, training, has been done to death with limited success. Obviously, people look at technology these days, but not just technology in its broadest sense - but artificial intelligence of course!

Leveraging Technology to Bridge the Gap In the era of a.i. traditional approaches to equipping non-sales staff with sales skills are no longer the only, or preferred, solution. a.i. driven tools can help in several ways. Currently, these tend to be focused on areas like Automated Lead Scoring and Qualification, Predictive Sales Analytics, Sales Assistance and Customized Learning Paths.

AI-Powered Sales Assistance: There’s a bunch of labels emerging, or being re-used, to categorize this collection of tools and software products: sales enablement, sales readiness, sales effectiveness. This space will get more crowded and noisier. Companies big and small are already appointing people to look at a.i. We’ll see more companies using a.i. as the first lens they look through as they contemplate their strategies. When it comes to a.i. for sellers, company leaders need to firstly decide what their view of sellers and the selling world really is, and what role does it play in their business. Then they can tool up accordingly.

This is particularly relevant to those leaders of services companies – consulting, professional services, technology consulting, etc. These companies have demonstrated indifference to the need for sellers but not the need for revenue! Hence, they park that problem with the partners and service delivery leaders. Often, when they do recruit dedicated sales teams, the support provided is weak – no training, little support, no respect – “figure it out yourselves, that’s why we hired you” type of attitude and a smirk when it fails. But the wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth continues. It’s ok to decide sales teams are not your answer while remembering that revenue always is! If this is the case, then you have to sales enable your “non-sellers” accordingly.

Sales training isn’t the answer. It’s overcomplicated, clumsy, and poorly delivered. AI-powered sales assistance is a more promising area – sales co-pilots and sidekicks. This technology can significantly bolster the capabilities of non-sales professionals in revenue-generating roles. It can deliver at, or just before, the point of prospect engagement (not three months ago), thereby maximizing retention, while allowing people to maintain a sense of autonomy and self-reliance.

Conclusion As businesses continue to blur the lines between sales and non-sales roles, the key to success lies in empowering all these professionals better. Relieve the burden of sales leaders with the right tools to help revenue generators attain situational fluency. In an age where a.i. and technology are more capable than ever, it's possible to plug any sales skill gap, and elevate performance in innovative and efficient ways. This approach not only leverages the unique strengths of non-sales staff but also ensures that the core quality of service delivery remains uncompromised, and sales behaviors become more intentional and consistent.  Ultimately, it's about admitting your opinions and confronting the weaknesses (even if it looks unfashionable to do this) and thereby finding the balance required for more serenity in sales! 

Happy Holidays from us at ShadowSellerai.

The real price of the excess baggage of cognitive overload

In the late hours of May 31, 2009, Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330, embarked on a fateful journey from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. Little did its passengers and crew know that this flight would tragically demonstrate the profound and perilous impacts of cognitive overload. As the aircraft cruised over the Atlantic Ocean, it encountered a series of minor technical failures and environmental challenges that accumulated and severely tested the pilots' cognitive capacities. The subsequent investigation revealed that the overwhelmed pilots, inundated with conflicting data and alarms, made critical errors. This disaster, resulting in the loss of 228 lives, starkly underscores the dangers of cognitive overload, defined as "a state where an individual's working memory is overwhelmed with information or tasks to the point that their performance and decision-making abilities are impaired." This is a phenomenon not just confined to the high-stakes environment of aviation but prevalent in various facets of our daily lives.

In response to this aviation disaster, significant changes were made in airline procedures, particularly in the way information is presented to flight crews. Enhanced clarity and reliability of data, along with improved cockpit interface designs, were implemented to prevent overload and ensure pilots could make better decisions more easily. We’re doing the same for sellers and sales leaders.

Cognitive Overload in Everyday Scenarios

Cognitive overload isn't just a high-stakes issue; it manifests in everyday situations. Modern workplaces drown employees in a deluge of emails, meetings, and multitasking demands. This constant bombardment of information and tasks leads to reduced focus, increased stress, and burnout. In education, for example, students transitioning to digital learning environments struggle with a plethora of platforms and resources, leading to confusion and decreased learning efficacy. Sound familiar? Sellers are asked to juggle multiple demands and priorities as well as multiple roles – business consultant, thought leader, trusted advisor, solution expert, industry authority and entertainer! Sellers are poster children for cognitive overload. They’re also the poster child for its denial!

Why the Hesitation to Confront Cognitive Overload?

Admitting to or confronting cognitive overload is hindered by various societal and personal factors. In professional settings, there's a pervasive belief that admitting to feeling overwhelmed is a sign of weakness or incompetence. This is compounded by the glorification of 'busyness' as a symbol of status and commitment. Additionally, there's a general lack of awareness about cognitive overload, with many mistaking it for general stress or a temporary phase. Personal pride and the fear of appearing inadequate in a competitive environment further discourage individuals from seeking help or acknowledging the issue. This reluctance to confront cognitive overload often exacerbates its effects, leading to a vicious cycle of stress and decreased effectiveness. In other words you can't be crushing it and living the dream AND be overwhelmed at the same time!

Shining the Light

It seems counter intuitive to promote another technology as a cure for all these other demands (many of which are actually caused by the addition of technologies), but nevertheless we will. Why? Because Shadow addresses the essence of cognitive overload in sales. We’re not saying you don’t need some other technologies. But in the case of cognitive overload, the first thing to disappear is “order” – you succumb to mental chaos. This is followed by quickly forgetting the basics, you’re "floundering." Then you’re just "scrambling" to survive – getting through the meeting or the presentation, realizing you’re now in "salvage" mode. And the irony? The very people who put you in this situation will be the same ones that will hang you for it. So, you can either shrug you shoulders and let it happen OR …get some help.

This is why we built Shadow - a finely tuned, specialized, generative AI to provide fast, contextually cogent, reliable insights & advice for sellers. Shadow is the result of recognizing the burden of cognitive overload.

Shadow's great strength lies in three main areas:

• First, Shadow's advice is based on our unique abilities to combine generally accepted selling best practices with our latest modern neurological, social and psychological sales thinking to create uniquely nuanced insights & advice.

• Second, Shadow is fast - if you only have fifteen minutes before a call, you can get Shadow on the case and Shadow will give you concise, salient advice in the nick of time - so you're always ready.

• Third, Shadow makes things simple - Shadow is taking a lot of complex information and contextual input. Shadow is combining that in a few seconds to give you straight forward advice and action that helps you achieve situational fluency. You're better prepared, with less effort, faster. You can use Shadow to help when time is short or you can “discuss” an account, sales strategies & tactics or specific aspects of selling over a cup of coffee!

Management & Leadership will continue to demand more. If you just try to work “harder’ you’ll end up like the flight crew of Flight 447 - overwhelmed. While the consequences might not be as tragic as Flight 447, there is no good outcome unless you recognize and confront this problem of cognitive overload.

We’re not arrogant enough to believe that Shadow is the only solution for this…but it’s certainly in the top one!