I want to tell you about the proposal I did not send.

A question I get asked a lot these days is: can an AI be your coach?

In a survey published in May 2026, Gartner found that 69% of B2B buyers now turn to sales reps to validate AI-generated insights. (Gartner, 20 May 2026)

Aflac’s Dan Amos has run the same company since 1990, growing it from $2.7 billion to $17.2 billion in revenue. He is the longest-serving CEO in the Fortune 250. Harvard Business Review profiled him in May 2026, and one phrase has stayed with me since. (HBR Executive Agenda, 20 May 2026)

In May 2026, Luis Velasquez wrote in Harvard Business Review about a leader he called Anna. She had been performing well for years. Then a feedback round told her she was a blind spot in the team. She had not seen it.

At any given moment, only about 5% of B2B buyers are actively in market. The other 95% are not buying anything right now. And of those who eventually do buy, around 80% already have a preferred vendor in mind before they begin formal research. (McKinsey, How B2B decision makers are driving growth)

For years I've described myself, slightly imprecisely, as a consultant. The work has been varied (strategy, transformation, leadership advisory), but what I’ve been paid for is roughly the same: I think alongside leaders about hard problems, and I help them choose well.

In this article, I'll discuss a number of areas where - I believe - there is potential to improve communication. Whether it's via emails, talking directly with people (groups or individually), or on the phone, good communication pays off. We arrive at mutually agreed conclusions more quickly, and...

All of us in sales need a pipeline. It is our lifeline, our oxygen supply, if you will. Weak pipelines are the first warning signs that business is going badly, and that things need to change. Quickly. So, how can we identify a weak pipeline? Do warning signs exist? The short answer is: yes,...

‘Hi, I’m just checking in on you since the last time we spoke…’. All too often, this is how some salespeople shoot themselves in the foot. But, wait, I hear you think… What’s wrong with checking in on a prospect? Let’s take a look. Your call is an interruption. It’s always an interruption unless...