As learning professionals, you are tasked with developing and expanding the knowledge base of entire organizations. But along the way, you probably learn a thing or two yourself. More »

Learning & Development , Sales Enablement

Business Impact , Innovation , Trends

I am reluctant to admit this, but I learned about the importance of the "so what" mindset the hard way: A client made me realize I needed help. After years of training salespeople as a professional speaker and facilitator, I felt extremely confident that I was at the to... More »

Learning & Development , Sales Enablement

Business Impact , Delivering Training , Human Performance Improvement , Selling Skills , Training and Development - General

The results of the most recent ASTD research study, "State of Sales Training," reveal the absence of a clear, comprehensive definition of many sales training topics that may be contributing to the sales skills gap facing many organizations. This sales skills gap, if not... More »

Learning & Development , Sales Enablement

Competencies , Delivering Training , Selling Skills , Skills Gap , Training and Development - General

During the big recession of the 1980s, McKinsey - the management consulting company I was working for - gave some great advice to their clients: pare back almost every corporate function except sales and marketing. General business opinion was on their side; Thomas Wats... More »

Sales Enablement

Change Management , Economy , Innovation , Selling Skills , Trends

In early 2006, IBM senior executives made a commitment to hire additional sales professionals around the world to fuel company growth. The company's sales learning team was charged with redesigning the Global Sales School (GSS) - the foundational sales training program ... More »

Learning & Development , Learning Technologies , Sales Enablement

Business Impact , Curriculum Alignment , Designing Learning , Human Performance Improvement , Measuring and Evaluating , Selling Skills