Invite the other person’s perspective
A preregistered experiment with 2,032 people found that political Facebook posts signalling openness to other perspectives produced less resistance and counterargument. They did not increase likes or replies.
For sales practice: Offer an assessment as something to check and invite the other perspective: “How do you see this in your organisation?”
Evidence and limitations: Political text and a single exposure do not establish higher appointment rates. Applying this to prospecting is a hypothesis to test.
Combine capability development with outcome direction
A survey of 307 B2B salespeople linked outcome and capability control positively with job meaningfulness. Activity control was negatively associated with it. Meaningfulness was in turn linked to resilience and performance.
For sales practice: Develop specific skills in coaching and explain how they contribute to customer outcomes. Assess activity figures alongside conversation quality.
Evidence and limitations: Survey data show associations, not a proven causal chain.
Use AI role plays with focus and realism
Thirty-seven students and researchers practised two dialogues with an AI simulator. After feedback, rated aspects of content, rapport and perspective-taking improved. Intellectual humility did not improve significantly.
For sales practice: Practise a narrow conversation goal, review focused feedback and repeat the passage. Check transfer through human coaching.
Evidence and limitations: A small science-communication study without a control group. The simulator often responded too enthusiastically and with unrealistic expertise; real prospecting outcomes were not measured.