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Why change sticks in some organisations and stalls in others

By / / Coaching, Leadership, Learning and Development, Sales Coaching, Sales Training

In 30 seconds

Problem: Most training never survives contact with the daily job. Organisations invest in workshops, then wonder why behaviour reverts within weeks, assuming the fault lies with the training content or the learner’s motivation.

The Shift: Research points elsewhere. The single biggest predictor of whether learning sticks isn’t the course, it’s whether the immediate manager reinforces it afterwards. Call centres already run on a rhythm built for this, continuous coaching, clear standards, short distance between leader and work, which is why change takes there without a push.

The Solution: Involve managers before learners, build a recurring rhythm rather than a one-off event, and measure behaviour change instead of course completion.

Why change sticks in some organisations and stalls in others Read Post »

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The Sales Veteran’s Dilemma: Why the Best Keep Raising Their Game

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Sales Psychology, Sales Skills, Sales Training

In 30 seconds

The Problem: Seasoned sales professionals with decades of results, relationships, and reputation often stall when new methodologies arrive – not from stubbornness, but from the very real psychological weight of unlearning deeply ingrained habits while protecting the trust they have spent years building.

The Shift: The market has moved permanently from transactional selling to value-based, solution-focused selling. Staying relevant means adding commercial language, digital fluency, and business acumen to an already formidable toolkit – not to replace what works, but to build higher on top of it.

The Solution: Map your instincts to the new structure rather than abandoning them. Adopt changes in digestible chunks. Segment clients by readiness. Be transparent when your approach shifts. The professionals who make this transition do not just protect what they have built – they earn a seat at a different table entirely.

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Is your tech stack full but your calendar empty? Let’s talk about the Conversation Gap

By / / AI & Data, Communication, CRM, Sales Growth, Sales Skills, Sales Training, Selling Better

In 30 seconds

The Problem:  B2B sales teams have world-class CRM systems and cutting-edge AI tools, yet pipelines are stalling. Research shows technology usage alone explains less than 1% of sales performance variation. Only 37% of reps believe their organisations fully leverage CRM tools, while 75% say their sales training is ineffective. Teams are drowning in data but starving for strategic conversations.

The Shift:  From measuring CRM logins to measuring conversation quality. From activity metrics to access rates with economic buyers. From feature discussions to business outcome articulation. The gap isn’t your tech stack – it’s your conversation stack: the human capability to navigate stakeholder dynamics, build trust, and differentiate on value rather than price.

The Solution: Build systematic frameworks for human conversations first. Then integrate AI for research and administration. AI handles the data; humans handle the dynamics. Stop measuring only activity. Start measuring access to decision-makers, stakeholder coverage, conversation quality, and trust indicators. Your tech stack should amplify human capability, not replace it.

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Deep Practice – The Path to Soft Skills & Sales Mastery

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Brain Science, Coaching, Education in Sales, Emotional Intelligence, Learning and Development, Sales Coaching, Sales Skills, Sales Training, Selling Better, Soft skills

In 30 seconds

Mastering soft skills, such as empathy, emotional intelligence, and active listening, is key to success in sales and service. These skills foster strong customer connections and help create value-driven solutions. Deep practice, a focused approach to skill-building, involves breaking down complex tasks outside of a person’s comfort zone into manageable steps and practising them intentionally and repeatedly. Sales and service professionals can refine their techniques through purposeful practice and immediate feedback. Leaders and coaches play a crucial role by guiding their teams through actionable steps, providing feedback, and fostering continuous improvement that translates into better performance.

In 2.5 minutes

Mastering …

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The Stock Trader’s Approach for Sales Success

By / / Blog, Business Growth, Sales Growth, Sales Results, Sales Strategy, Sales Training, Selling Better, Success

In 30 seconds

The sluggish Australian economy is causing businesses to be cautious. We are noticing longer sales cycles and tighter budgets. But downturns are opportunities. Just like savvy investors buy low, smart businesses prepare for growth during slow times. This is a perfect time to train your sales team and refine strategies. You might not only dominate the recovery but also improve your sales results now. Don’t wait for the upswing – take action now to win the downturn and secure a bigger market share.

In 1.5 minutes

The Australian economy all but stalled in the first three months of this year. …

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Sales Trend 6 – External Sales Training AND Internal Knowledge

By / / Blog, Education in Sales, Learning and Development, Sales Training, Sales Trends

This is Sales Trend 6 from Barrett’s 12 Business and Sales Trends for 2024. You can download the full report here.

In 30 seconds

Combining external sales training with internal knowledge transfer is a trend for optimal sales team development. It’s a key factor to shift from just providing training to creating real change. External programs, whether off-the-shelf or customised, offer proven methodologies, efficiency, and broad industry insights. Internal knowledge contributes company-specific expertise, cultural alignment, product insights, and best practice. The synergy of both ensures well-rounded, tailored and relevant training programs with relevant and targeted content, equipping sales teams with a …

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Striking Balance – Barrett’s 12 Sales & Business Trends for 2024

By / / Blog, Business Growth, Collaboration, Communication, Customer experience, Customer Service, Customer-centric, Digital credentials, Education in Sales, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Hybrid Selling, Leadership, Learning and Development, Opportunity, Sales Consulting, Sales Culture, Sales Driven Organisations, Sales Growth, Sales Leadership, Sales Management, Sales Methodology, Sales Operations, Sales Results, Sales Skills, Sales Strategy, Sales Tips, Sales Training, Sales Trends, Selling Better, Soft skills, Solution Selling, Strategy, Success, Value Based Selling

In December 2023 we published Barrett’s 12 Sales & Business Trends for 2024. This is a summary of that report, in case you missed it.

For decades, the business world has been dominated by what looked like opposites to choose from. You could be a hunter or a gatherer, a manager or a leader.

These concepts have been pitched to the business community as opposing and mutually exclusive choices, forcing a binary mindset. These polarisations don’t apply to modern businesses and sales operations – and they haven’t served us well for some time now.

In 2023 we’ve worked with businesses across industries and …

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Barrett Sales Trends 2023 Humans at the Centre

Mastering Human-Centred Learning

By / / Blog, Education in Sales, Human-centred, Learning and Development, Sales Skills, Sales Training, Sales Trends, Selling Better

Sales Trend 11 from the Barrett 12 Sales Trends for 2023 is about Learning and Development.

By Jens Hartmann // Head of Learning and Development at Barrett

In 30 seconds

In the corporate world, the focus of learning and development (L&D) initiatives is shifting. Traditionally outcome-driven, organisations are now emphasising human-centred learning. With the advent of technology, training methodologies have diversified, offering online and remote options. While online learning can be effective, challenges like “online fatigue” and isolation persist. Human interaction remains vital, particularly for topics like communication skills. Studies show that a blend of online and in-person elements fosters …

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The Ever-Evolving Path to Sales Mastery

By / / Blog, Education in Sales, Sales Results, Sales Skills, Sales Tips, Sales Training, Success, Uncategorized

In 30 seconds

The road to sales mastery is a dynamic process that involves continuous learning, practice, and adaptation. In the ever-evolving selling profession, this means embracing change and honing skills. Salespeople need to master action-oriented strategies to uncover valuable business opportunities, they require self-discipline, prospecting, account planning, etc. and the ability to build human-centred client relationships to deliver value-based solutions. Accountability is key, and teamwork is vital for success. Sales is a profession driven by curiosity, helpfulness, and fairness. Sales mastery is not a destination; it’s an ongoing journey, a relentless pursuit of excellence in an ever-changing landscape.

In 2 minutes

The …

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