What kind of pilot are you?

This past summer I co-trained a Sure Step class with Ross Allen from Salesworks.  I learned a lot from the experience, but there was one analogy that Ross used that has really stuck with me.
Those of us who work as application consultants, project managers, and business analysts often complain of being left out of the pre-sales process (the Diagnostic phase in Sure Step).  We complain about salespeople not communicating requirements, minimizing scope inappropriately, or worse.  But have we ever stopped to wonder why salespeople keep us away from their process?  Maybe, if we are willing to look at ourselves critically, we might find that we contribute to the lack of cooperation.
When I ask students in Sure Step classes why they want to be involved in the pre-sales process, inevitably they respond with a variety of reasons-

• to “inject” reality in the process
• to advise the prospect of the complexity/risks involved
• ensure that the prospect understand the danger

But is this appropriate during pre-sales?  ERP implementation inherently have risks and complexities.  Isn’t the point more that we know how to manage these?  Yes, it is complex and there are dangers, but aren’t we the experts?
So, to use Ross’ metaphor, what kind of pilot do you want to be?  Imagine you are boarding a flight.  The weather is  stormy out, and there is some nervousness amongst the passengers (not unlike the customer as they are trying to choose an ERP solution).  Which of the following scenarios would make you feel better?

1. As the plane taxis to the runway, the pilot gets on the intercom and says “Wow, it looks rough out there.  I have flown in a lot of bad storms, but I think this may just be the worst.  I will try my best, but I really can’t guarantee anything at this point.”
2. As you are boarding the plane, the salesperson who sold the plane to the airline says “This plane can survive anything, you will be fine!”
3. As you settle in to your seat, the pilot comes over the intercom and says “Your copilot and I are well prepared to deal with storms like this.  Control is working with us to route around the storms out there, so we can avoid the worst bumps.  So relax, enjoy the flight, and we will get you to your destination safely.”

Okay, so #1 is not comforting…agree?  And brings in to doubt the pilot’s qualifications and professionalism.  And #2 is not who we want to assure us, as he is not the expert in flying the plane (like implementing the software).  But #3 hopefully does provide some level of comfort.  Customers (and airline passengers) don’t always recognize the risks of what they are undertaking.  But with us at the helm, we can help reduce those risks by applying our implementation experience as well as product and industry knowledge.
When Ross first used this metaphor it was an “A-ha” moment for me, and really changed my perspective when I am asked to participate in the pre-sales Diagnostic phase.  Keeping this in mind, as well as the goal of pre-sales (to close the sale!), I think I am a much more effective asset to the sales team.
And this news story from the past week drove home for me how a pilot’s demeanor can affect the experience for the passengers.  This is the sort of pilot I want to be!
So, sit down with your sales folks, and figure out how as a team you can increase prospect confidence in your solution while decreasing risk to both you and the prospect by being a confident pilot.  It’s a win/win.