How do you take “the classroom” and convert it to “real world experiences?” What’s the best way to do this at scale across a sales org?

I very much understand how this is difficult, especially if you have a distributed workforce and if budget constraints don't give you the ability to get folks into one place. I'll share a common approach that my peers from across the industry use (since I focus mostly on content) that can help set this up for success:

• When: Try trying these real-world experience workshops during times when you do have some sort of gathering. Perhaps that's SKO or a bi-annual regional meetup. Work with leads to ensure this is expected programming when they gather in a centralized office.
• How: Identify how some key skills (whether this is discovery, negotiation, driving urgency) and teach on strategies and frameworks. Then identify some moments in non-work environments when we use these. For example, when you do discovery, can you challenge them to approach an acquaintance, or even stranger, and give them the 3x Question exercise? 
• Next Steps: Follow up with their reflections and experiences in another session or post-session reinforcement training. Whether that's a module they can add their experience to, or gather some of the real-life scenarios straight from them and do a follow-up async training that would challenge other team members to try that 3x questions. You can even roll these out with managers with facilitation guides and do some kind of improv exercise session for their teams.

Really, at the end of the day, you need them to practice with a framework in a controlled environment, take it out in an uncontrolled environment, and reinforce in a controlled environment.

In-office, remote, and virtual training is all part of corporate learning, post-pandemic. Enablers need to think about, and design, learning that is effective across learning environment & geography. For this to be effective and for the skills to translate out into the 'real world', enablers need to:

• Balance knowledge transfer (theory) with hands-on practice (application)
• Provide learning 'in the flow of work' - when the employee needs or requires it the most
• Inject small, consumable learning moments throughout the learners career
• Focus on outcomes
• Ask themselves, 'did this learning help: close a deal, speed up the cycle, create a new opportunity?'

How to convert ClassRoom Enablement into 'real world' experiences

Effective account discovery can be the subject matter to be trained on.

Normally these enablement sessions would use case studies based on potential experiences that could happen during the account discovery steps, giving insight but no "real world" examples. To convert your training you can do this in five simple steps.

1. Use an example case study - this is to expand on techniques for effective discovery.

2. Get each attendee come prepared with three accounts they can work on during the workshop.
Create exercises that allow time for them to work on their own account discovery during the
workshop. This will allow them to apply what they learned directly to their own accounts.

3. Get feedback from each group. What did they uncover during the exercise? Encourage feedback.

4. During their discussion allow the class to share their own approach to discovery expanding on their
experience with the "own account" exercise.

5. Make sure you have a note of all the accounts they have worked on during the sessions to prove the
value of these workshops. 

How to scale this across an organization in 3 simple steps.

1. After running a few sessions you should be able to prove the value of the workshop. Build documentation outlining the number of accounts that were worked on during the session and quantify the pipeline value.

2. Once you have secured agreement from stakeholders to run this workshop at scale get volunteers from the Sales community, you can then train them to assist in the roll out globally.

3. It is critical to schedule sessions in advance as well as having back up trainers ready just in case. Measure the success of the program and keep your stakeholders informed of the success of your program.

Theory provides the groundwork and techniques in an ideal setting, while practice applies these concepts to the unpredictable real world, especially in fields like sales. To bridge theory with real-world experience, break down classroom-taught skills into practical applications for daily interactions.

What is the skill that's being taught in the classroom and where else can it be used, outside of the sales process? Negotiation, executive presence, conducting discovery, etc. are all skills that can be applied to other ares of work/life. Where and how can you provide an opportunity to practice building this skill besides with your customer?

Then, consider the amount of effort/scale the skill can be practiced to gain more experience:

• Large scale/low touch: Use tools like AI simulations and roleplays for controlled practice. This is best leveraged when learning a new framework or skill.

• Med scale/touch: Offer chances for individuals to apply skills in internal meetings and conversations where the skill can be demonstrated with others in a safe space.

• One-to One/high touch: Encourage leaders/trainers to provide feedback through reviews of recorded calls or shadowing in-person meetings for timely coaching to the individual and the skill.