After 14 years of stability, this aerospace market leader faced a wave of change driven by a renewed push for innovation from their new CEO. Internally, that meant updates to contract language and price shifts—changes that weren’t easy for long-standing sales team members to accept or communicate. Externally, clients were also feeling fatigued. Ongoing market volatility, inflation, political shifts, and the lasting effects of COVID had already taken a toll. The new contract terms only added to their frustration and led to a spike in escalations. Sales leaders were caught in the middle, tasked with navigating both internal resistance and external pushback. A first attempt at negotiation training had failed to equip the team with practical tools to adapt to change, leaving them skeptical, disengaged and struggling with work-life balance and retention.
In November 2025, the company brought its sales team together for KickstartChange™, a 2-hour applied workshop designed to build individual change resiliency and capability. Using real challenges, 22 sales members explored a simple, structured framework to navigate resistance. Tools like the “Hallway Huddle” proved especially impactful, helping reps confidently explain change, reduce conflict and reframe their role as change leaders in a speak-up culture.
Participants left feeling more empowered to manage change and own difficult conversations with clients. Many committed to refining how they communicate change—adjusting timing and delivery to better resonate with stakeholders. Others planned to lead more productive discovery conversations, validate internal options before presenting to clients and invite feedback to strengthen buy-in. The session served as a catalyst—equipping participants to become more persuasive, confident and aligned in how they support both their clients and the company’s goals.
