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 - AI-powered sales readiness software, that provides 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!

Something Else to Chew on Over Thanksgiving

Just for gigs I recently went on Chat GPT and asked a question about how many “things” B2B sellers are supposed to do and be these days. I gave Chat 5 categories, as follows - the prospect company, the prospect industry, the prospect stakeholders, all their individual agendas (both personal and professional) the seller's company and solutions, the sellers thought leadership, POV and views on the prospect company and industry. I told Chat to stop when he got to 25 items within those categories. Chat came up with 25 in about 3 seconds!

Today, sellers are expected to be part strategist, part industry analyst, and part relationship manager, all while keeping pace with the changes in their industry and within their own solution lines. However, this multifaceted demand on sellers has reached a point where it's unfeasible. Recent data indicates a worrying trend in the industry. According to a survey by CSO Insights, only 53% of sales representatives are meeting or exceeding their quotas, a decline from previous years. This statistic starkly highlights the growing disconnect between what is expected of sellers and what they can feasibly achieve.

Acknowledging the Unrealistic Expectations

The first step in addressing the challenges faced by modern B2B sellers is to admit that the current expectations are unrealistic. The breadth and depth of knowledge required, coupled with the need to stay agile and responsive places an immense cognitive load on sellers. This overload not only hampers their effectiveness but also leads to burnout and decreased job satisfaction. And just to let you know – the Sales Enablement team is often referred to as Sales Disablement and often just provides another ball for sellers to juggle. Sellers just cannot remember everything – the result? Sellers forget things, even the basics. Add to this that buyers devote less time to sellers, meaning sellers have to be on top of their game all the time, every time.

The Burden of Carrying Team Quotas

This decline in quota attainment isn't just a problem for individual sellers; it has significant implications for companies, sales teams and leaders. With a smaller proportion of the team meeting their targets, the pressure mounts on top performers. In many organizations, it’s a small percentage of the salesforce – often referred to as the 'top 20%' – who end up carrying number. This imbalance not only creates a stressful environment for the top performers but also demotivates the rest of the team, leading to a cycle of underperformance and high turnover.

The Double-Edged Sword of Internal Responsibilities

In addition to external selling activities, B2B sellers also face a mountain of internal responsibilities. They are required to meticulously consider, plan and document their account strategies, presenting them to their managers to demonstrate a clear, coherent approach to each account – and defend them when inspected! This process, while crucial for ensuring strategic alignment, resources and accountability, adds another layer of complexity to the seller’s role. Balancing client-facing activities with internal strategizing and reporting is a tightrope walk, often leading to burnout and reduced effectiveness in both areas.

Conclusion - Shedding the light –

• More training never worked and never will

Traditional sales training is yesterday’s news. It fails to address the complexities of modern sales roles and lacks the immediacy required in real-world selling scenarios. Traditional training methods are not available at the point of engagement with prospects, where sellers need support the most. This is where AI-powered sales coaching tools shine. By offering on-the-spot guidance and information, it ensures that sellers have access to the knowledge they need exactly when they need it, thus enhancing their ability to engage effectively with prospects.

• The Role of Technology in Alleviating Cognitive Overload

Sellers are also faced with the paradox of choice when looking for tools to help them. A few tools are fabulous, most are disappointing. Enter ShadowSeller, an AI-powered sales readiness software which combats the issue of cognitive overload. Even the most experienced sellers are prone to forgetting crucial information or steps in the sales process, a problem that Shadow addresses effectively. By providing real-time, context-specific advice and insights, Shadow helps sellers navigate through the complex web of their responsibilities. Shadow gives them ideas, a road map, account plans, strategies, and tactics, all of which can be re-tasked to present to internal management. Shadow acts as an AI sales coaching tool, reminding them of what they already know (in some cases) and sharing new ideas in others.

With all the information out there and a growing list of responsibilities – we all need some help. The first stage is to admit it – and that’s ok, it’s part of life. The real problem is with the refusal to admit it or admitting it but doing nothing about it. In that way think of Shadow as as not just dealing with cognitive overload, but turning Cognitive dissonance into cognitive “offload.”

Listless with the lingo? Yea...you, me ...and him!

Humans love to categorize things - Categorization drives the use of labels & lingo, and has reached epidemic proportions. We end up looking as confused, bemused and unamused as this guy (although we don't know whether giraffes share our passion for categorization.)

The Sales Lingo Labyrinth

Navigating the world of sales terminology & technology can sometimes feel like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube blindfolded. Every week, new buzzwords and concepts are thrown into the mix, lots of them mean the same things, and all of them promise to revolutionize selling. We've seen the emergence of everything from RevOps, Sales Engagement Platforms, and Conversational Intelligence, to Social Selling Tools, Predictive Sales Analytics, and Sales Ops Tech. It's a smorgasbord of terms that can leave even the most seasoned seller scratching their head.

But let's cut through the jargon. The crux of all these fancy terms is pretty simple: helping salespeople sell better. And that's where Sales Enablement comes in. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife in the salesperson’s toolkit. It's about arming your team with the right tools, info, and skills to win that sales battle.

Unpacking Sales Enablement

Sales Enablement isn’t (or shouldn't be) just a buzzword to throw around in meetings to sound smart. It's about equipping sales teams with everything they need to engage customers more effectively. This includes content, tools, knowledge, and insights. You need have your own company definition, and it's less important what that definition is, as its is that you actually have one and have agreed upon it!

However, with the advent of AI, we’re witnessing a new king of the jungle: Sales Enablement AI. This isn't your run-of-the-mill robot trying to sell you a used car. It's about using AI to make sense of the increasing demands, and the vast amounts of data & insights to provide actionable, practical advice to sales teams.

Shadow Seller come on down!

Imagine Shadow Seller as that wise-cracking sidekick in a buddy-cop movie – always ready with a witty comeback, but also with the smarts to back it up. Shadow Seller takes the chaos of the sales process and turns it into a walk in the park.

Shadow Seller is more than just another tool in the toolbox; it’s the tool that makes all the other tools look good. It’s your personal sales Yoda, offering advice, strategies, and even drafting your meeting agendas. It’s like having your own personal coach who's read every sales book ever written, and delivers the advice at the point you engage with the prospect - not 3 months ago (you do know that human beings forget 75% of what they learn within 24 hours!).

Cutting Through the Noise

The sales world is often guilty of overcomplication. We've all been there – sitting through endless sales training, nodding along while instructors talk about ideas we already know, using words we don't understand. Shadow Seller says, “Enough of that!” It’s not about piling more and more onto the salesperson’s plate; it’s about serving up just what’s needed, when it’s needed - "concise advice in the right amounts, right place, right time."

Shadow Seller takes a stand against the “more is better” mantra. It’s like having a filter that sifts through the endless sand of information and finds those few golden nuggets that can actually make a difference in your sales approach.

The AI Advantage

So, what makes Shadow Seller stand out?

• First, it's all about speed and relevance. The platform uses AI to deliver fast, contextually accurate insights. It’s like having a crystal ball, but instead of vague predictions, you get precise, actionable advice.

• Second, Shadow Seller AI uses existing AI models (like the renowned GPT-4) to provide nuanced advice. This isn’t just a robot regurgitating facts; it’s a platform that understands the subtleties and complexities of the sales process, enabling you to create preference from the "get-go."

The Bottom Line

In a world where salespeople are expected to be part-superhero, part-mind reader, and part-entertainer, Shadow Seller brings a sense of sanity. It’s a tool that acknowledges the absurdity of expecting sales teams to juggle a dozen roles while still hitting their targets.

Shadow Seller is about getting back to basics. It’s a no-nonsense approach in an industry often bogged down by its own cleverness. With Shadow Seller, you’re not just getting another sales tool; you’re getting a revolution in how sales is done.

Shining the light

In the end, Shadow Seller isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s more like it’s putting those fancy, high-tech tires on the wheel to make the ride smoother. In the ever-evolving circus of sales technology, Shadow Seller stands out as a beacon of simplicity and efficiency. It’s a reminder that sometimes, less really is more.

So, if you’re tired of navigating the labyrinth of sales technology, maybe it’s time to let Shadow Seller AI take the wheel. After all, in the world of sales, who couldn’t use a wise-cracking, AI-powered sidekick?