Managers in the spotlight as Enablement leaders gather to discuss 2024 plans
Xero’s Rob Pearce, Sarah Wagner from Verra Mobility and Mubina Arnautalic from Telnyx were some of the latest Enablement Pros to join a group of their peers to discuss the challenges they need to tackle to stay ahead of the curve and achieve success.
Here are some of the topics that the group believed were pivotal in shaping their priorities for the coming year…
Aligning Learning With Strategy
One standout theme from our discussions focused on aligning the intended outcomes of enablement with the organisation’s strategic goals. Gartner and Forrester both agree that successful organisations will be those that have the ability to directly correlate Enablement with outcomes that influence business goals. Gone are the days of basic activity metrics tracking completed training courses etc, Enablement leaders now must be able to measure its direct impact on business goals and revenue. The benefit of this is clear as it ensures Enablement efforts are focused on the right areas and maximum impact is achieved but our group discussed that this was not always easy to achieve. There is no shortage of data in sales teams but often the meaningful analysis of this disparate data can make it hard to tell a complete story. (Take a look at our blog if this is also an area that interests you).
Navigating Stakeholders and Achieving Senior Leader Buy-In
Another theme highlighted during our roundtable was the necessity of securing senior leader buy-in to help to promote enablement activity and enhance uptake and engagement. As with many areas of business, success is significantly helped by the commitment of top leadership. Getting senior leaders on board is not just about securing budgets; it's about creating a culture that champions continuous learning and proactively supports enablement efforts. This has been made increasingly challenging as stakeholder groups within organisations have grown in recent years - Sales Directors, VPs of Sales, Chief Revenue Officers, Revenue Operations - these are all part of a growing group that Enablement teams need to engage with and gain support from and the group acknowledged that this is connected to the point above regarding the ability to measure the value of Enablement to these stakeholders. (You can read more about how to go about this here)
Evolving Role of Managers
The role of a manager is undergoing a significant transformation, and Rob in particular emphasised the need to incentivise and champion enablement at this level. We know by now the power of a competency framework and a coaching culture within a business and managers are pivotal to this. They play a key role in the development of their reps but are often over-looked themselves when it comes to their own competencies as managers. The group felt that this was an area that needed to be addressed - there are some helpful pointers here for anyone for whom this feels familiar.
The Stretched Thin Enablement Manager
The challenges faced by enablement managers in balancing competing priorities were also a focal point of our discussions. Getting senior leaders to buy into enablement is key to easing the burden on enablement managers. But how can they do this? Being able to demonstrate value, measure impact over time and leverage data to trailblaze their efforts into materialised revenue success will be a huge win for enablement but alongside their day to day job of delivering their current enablement plan, this is stretching their resources.
Essential Tools and Prioritization
Our roundtable also explored the world of sales enablement tools. Gartner and Forrester emphasise the importance of choosing tools wisely and that this is a growing part of an Enabler’s remit. Understanding what tools are essential and which are not is critical for efficiency and effectiveness can be a minefield but getting the tech stack right can streamline processes, enhance collaboration, and contribute significantly to the success of enablement initiatives. The group felt that this was high on their priority list heading into 2024.
As we look ahead to 2024, the future of sales enablement promises exciting developments. By aligning learning with strategy, securing senior leader buy-in, championing the evolving role of managers, and prioritising essential tools, organisations can position themselves for success in the rapidly changing sales landscape. These insights from leaders at our roundtable, as well as the points raised at our previous event, are useful pointers for staying ahead of the curve and achieving maximum Enablement impact.
Our next roundtable is on 15th February at 3pm GMT/10am ET. If you would like to request a place then drop your details in the form below and we’ll be in touch.