Use Call Openings to Diagnose a Discovery Problem

A leader who says sellers need discovery training may be describing several different behaviors. Some sellers open with a long company story. Others ask questions without a reason for asking. A consultant can make the problem visible by reviewing openings before recommending an exercise.

Lena tells the sales director, “Could we compare three first minutes from recent calls?” He says, “They all pitch too soon.” Lena plays one opening and asks, “What did the seller learn before describing the product?” The director says, “Nothing.” On a second call, the seller asks about priorities but never explains the agenda. Lena replies, “These may need different practice. Let’s identify the move each seller skipped.”

Look for observable choices: setting an agenda, naming a relevant hypothesis, asking a question, listening to the answer, and agreeing on the purpose of the next part of the conversation. A single score can conceal the difference between a rushed opener and an unfocused question. The manager should select examples that resemble the calls sellers actually make, including calls with time pressure.

For a workshop rehearsal, bring one anonymized opening and ask managers to name the first useful choice they hear. Then have each manager roleplay a new opening using a customer situation from their team. End the practice by asking what evidence would show the move in a future call. That gives managers a specific behavior to coach in their next one to one.