Enablement Transformation: From Reactive to Strategic

From Order Takers to Strategic Partners: Transforming Enablement at Scale

In the rapidly evolving world of revenue enablement, it is easy to fall into the trap of being "scrappy." For many teams, success is measured by the number of decks produced or the smiles on stakeholders' faces after a training session. But as the team at The Knot Worldwide discovered, being a "well-liked" support function isn't the same as being a strategic business driver.

In a recent webinar, Amy McClain, Ashley Downey, and Cassandra Edwards shared the blueprint they used to transform their function from a reactive "order taker" model to a globally scalable, data-driven strategic partner.

The "Oh Wow" Moment: Breaking the Order-Taker Cycle

Before their transformation, the team was a group of 11 "scrappy and agile" professionals. While they were highly valued, they had fallen into a transactional rhythm. "Leaders would come to us with a list of things they wanted," Ashley recalled. "They said jump, and we said, 'How high?'"

The team realized they were living in "content chaos" with no version control and running exhausting, manual onboarding programs that consumed nearly all their "calories". To move forward, they had to stop focusing on "pretty slides" and start focusing on the actual seller experience.

Tangible Best Practices for Strategic Enablement

The panel outlined several core shifts that allowed them to scale across 16 countries and four continents.

Adopt a Scalable, Predictable, Repeatable Mantra

To move away from manual, one-off tasks, the team anchored everything they did to these three pillars:

• Scalable: Build frameworks that work across different teams and geographies rather than siloed programs.

• Predictable: Ground training in a consistent learning model. The team adopted a 1/3 Presentation, 1/3 Application, 1/3 Feedback framework.

• Repeatable: Invest in asynchronous learning to free up the team for high-impact coaching rather than repeating the same classroom sessions.

Move from Training to Diagnostic Performance Consulting

Instead of saying "yes" to every training request, the team adopted the Seven Factors Diagnostic Framework. They socialized this change with stakeholders so it wouldn't cause friction.

• Best Practice: When a leader asks for training, stop and ask: Is this a capacity issue? A tool issue? A coaching gap? Or a knowledge gap?

• The Shift: Many training requests are actually coaching gaps or unclear standards. By diagnosing first, you ensure you aren't just reporting the news in a live session.

Quiz for Resources, Not Memorization

In the old model, reps were expected to memorize complex steps. The new model focused on "Just-in-Time" prompts.

• Best Practice: Instead of testing a rep on "Step 4 of the process," quiz them on their ability to find the resource when they are stuck. This shifts the focus from rote memorization to resourcefulness and behavioral change.

Align Goals Directly with Revenue Metrics

The most critical shift was moving away from enablement metrics (like hours of training) to business metrics (like quota attainment).

• The Outcome: Using tools like Gemini and Gong, the team proved that reps who followed their discovery methodology were significantly more likely to hit their numbers—achieving 112% of quota versus 68% for those who didn't.

• Best Practice: "Your goal is my goal," Ashley emphasized. Enablement should not have separate OKRs from the sales leadership; they should be "marching towards that same end goal.”

Next Steps for Enablement Professionals

If you are currently feeling like an "order taker," here is how you can begin your own transformation:

• Map Your Maturity: Use a maturity model to identify what is currently working, what needs optimization, and what simply doesn't exist yet.

• Organize for Efficiency: Evaluate if your team is too siloed. Consider creating a Programs team to handle horizontal initiatives (like onboarding or KM) and a GTM team to handle specific business unit needs.

• Get Certified: Standardize your team’s language. The Knot team had everyone certified in Instructional Design and Performance Consulting to ensure everyone approached problems with the same diagnostic rigor.

• Implement a "Wait and See" Policy: When a stakeholder comes with a rush request, don't say yes immediately. Use the "Give us a week" approach to look at the data and ensure you are solving the root cause, not just a symptom.

By shifting the focus from artifacts to outcomes, enablement can earn a seat at the table as a true strategic partner. As Amy concluded, "What got us to this point wasn't going to get us to global scale." It’s time to lift the hood and start driving.