Velocity Spring 2025

FUTURE-READY SAM

Insight-Led, Emotionally Intelligent, Tech-Empowered

Publisher: Gordon Galzerano

Editor-in-Chief: Nic Halverson

Editor: Harvey Dunham

Creative Director: Aimee Waddell

Advertising: Ashley Davis

VELOCIT Y ®

The Strategic Account Management Association is a global knowledge-sharing and networking organization devoted to developing, promoting, and advancing strategic customer-supplier value, collaboration, and learning.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission. Copyright © 2025 by the Strategic Account

Management Association (SAMA). The SAMA ® logo is a registered trademark of the Strategic Account Management Association.

Velocity ® is published three times a year. An annual subscription is free.

For membership information or to join SAMA, contact Lisa Maggiore at 312-2513131 x141 or maggiore@strategicaccounts. org

Changes of address, suggested articles, and requests for extra copies of this publication should be directed to:

ABM Industries Inc.

Advanced Industrial Devices

Agilent Technologies Inc.

Air Liquide

Airbus Defence and Space

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Amgen Canada

Arcadis Consulting UK Ltd

Astellas Pharma Inc.

AVI-SPL

Axis Communications Inc.

Bellevue University

bioMérieux

Black & Veatch

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota

Boehringer Ingelheim

Carlisle Construction Materials

CAS

Ceva Santé Animale

CH Robinson

ChemTreat

Cisco Systems, Inc.

CPC Worldwide

Day & Zimmermann

DHL

Diversified Company

Donaldson Company, Inc.

Ecolab

Elanco Animal Health

Endress + Hauser

Expeditors International

Freeman

GE HealthCare

Genmab US, Inc.

Geotab Inc.

Greene, Tweed & Co.

GSK

Hilton Worldwide

Hovione Farmaciência, S.A.

Hyatt

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.

John Deere

Johnson & Johnson

Liberty Mutual

Lilly USA, LLC

LP Building Solutions

Lubrizol

Medtronic

Merck/MSD

Michelin

New York Power Authority Inc.

Nilfisk

Novo Nordisk Inc.

O-I

Owens Corning

Pfizer, Inc.

Philips

Premier Inc.

Pure Storage

Saint-Gobain

Sanofi Pasteur Inc.

Siemens

Solecta, Inc.

Sonoco

Southworth Products Corporation

supplyFORCE

Terumo Europe N.V.

Thales

The AAK Group

The Sherwin-Williams Company

TreviPay

TÜV SÜD

UL Solutions

Vallourec

Valneva

Veolia WTS USA Inc.

Wajax Corporation

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

Xylem Inc.

Zurich Insurance Group

SAMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dr. Michael Ahearne

Professor of Marketing and C.T. Bauer Chair, Bauer College of Business, EMEA University of Houston

Steve Andersen President and Founder PMI

Dino Bertani Vice President, Head of Alliance Management Zealand Pharma

Anju Birdy Vice President, Strategic Account Management Excellence

Schneider Electric

Noel Capon

R.C. Kopf Professor of International Marketing Columbia Business School

Jim Ford Chief Executive Officer Solecta, Inc. Chairman of the SAMA Board

Gordon Galzerano President and CEO SAMA

*Dominique Côté CEO and Founder Cosawi

Eric Gantier

President, Global Engineering, Manufacturing & Energy DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation (CSI)

Denise Juliano Group Vice President, Life Sciences Premier Inc.

Renae Leary Chief Commercial Officer –Americas Ansell

Christine Marsh Senior Vice President Boehringer Ingelheim

Mike Moorman

Managing Principal, Sales Solutions ZS

Shawn Parker Executive Director, Strategic Account Management & Corporate Group Sales Hilton

Namita Powers Principal ZS Associates

*Ron Davis

Executive Vice President, Head of Customer Management Zurich Insurance Group

*Distinguished Board Advisors (lifetime contributors; non-voting members)

SPECIAL THANKS TO SAMA’S PROVIDERS

Dr. Hajo Rapp SVP, Strategic Account Management & Sales Excellence TÜV SÜD AG

Mary V. Ruiz CEO & Co-Founder MHAYA.ai

Jennifer Stanley Partner McKinsey & Company

Sara Theis

Program Manager, Regional Growth Americas Owens Corning

Max Walker Director, Strategic Account Management EMEA Medtronic

Brad Weintraub

Senior Vice President, Global Strategic Accounts Program AVI SPL

*Rosemary Heneghan Retired - Director, International Sales & Operations, Worldwide IBM

Publisher: Gordon Galzerano

Editor-in-Chief: Nic Halverson

Editor: Harvey Dunham

Creative Director: Aimee Waddell

Advertising: Ashley Davis

Executive

President & CEO: Gordon Galzerano

Finance/Operations/Meetings

Director of Finance, Meetings and Operations: Fran Schwartz

Operations and Meetings Manager: Tracy Cundari

Finance Manager: Christina Ponstein

Creative Director: Aimee Waddell

Salesforce Administrator/IT Manager: Erin Pallesen

Customer Success

Director, Customer Success & Business Development: Lisa Maggiore

Senior Manager, Customer Success: Michael Johnson

Customer Success Manager: Chris Cain

Customer Success Manager: Michelle Ward

Customer Success Manager: Brad Maloney

Knowledge, Certification & Training

Director, Knowledge, Certification & Training: Libby Souder

Assistant Director, Knowledge & Training: David Schweizer

Assistant Director, Certification & Training: Stephanie Fahey

Knowledge, Training & Certification Coordinator: Steven Allen

Research

Research Manager & Customer Experience: Joel Schaafsma

Research Services Manager: Christine Army

Strategy, Marketing & Communications

Managing Director, Strategy: Harvey Dunham

Fractional CMO: Jodi Schwartz

Editor-in-Chief: Nic Halverson

Marketing Manager & Sponsorship: Ashley Davis

SAMA 2025 EVENTS

SAVE THE DATE

EDITOR’S CORNER

Nic Halverson Editor-in-Chief

Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA)

Boy howdy, the economic headwinds sure feel like they’re blowing at gale force, don’t they? Geopolitical tensions, market volatility, slashed budgets, supply chain strains…it’s a bumpy, turbulent ride to say the least, and we’re all gripping the armrest a bit tighter these days.

But let’s not forget that collaboration can help us weather this storm. We can navigate this uncertainty together. During times of instability, our global SAMA community can really lean in and rely on our human network to mitigate challenges and share solutions. In fact, humanity is the common thread stitched throughout this entire issue. Look for it. When you find it, I hope it provides some answers and alleviates some anxiety.

In our first feature, “The Dawn of the Commercial Insight Strategist,” Dave Irwin and Brooke Spatz of Polaris I/O understand how you’re feeling, and they propose adding a novel new role to your SAM program as a solution. “SAMs are overwhelmed — not by a lack of information, but by the sheer volume of it,” they write. “Without a way to stay ahead of shifting customer priorities, teams are left reacting instead of leading. Enter the commercial insight strategist (CIS).”

Didn’t four lads from Liverpool talk about getting by with “a little help” from our friends? Now that we find ourselves “in times of trouble,” it’s good to listen to those “speaking words of wisdom.” And that’s exactly what you’ll find in our next feature, “Relationship Equity: Stakeholder Management to Minimize Risk in Turbulent Times,” the final installment of a conversation between our friends Hervé Debaecker, Chief Methodologist and COO at Perfluence, and Dino Bertani, Vice President and Head of Alliance Management at Zealand Pharma.

Speaking of old friends, Javier Marcos, Professor of Strategic Sales Management and Negotiation at Cranfield School of Management, is a longtime Velocity contributor

whose popular series on high-performing SAMs struck a chord with readers and remains a chart-topper. This issue features a summary chapter from his upcoming book, “The High-Performing Key Account Manager: Creating Sustained Value with Strategic Customers.”

For answers to life’s big questions, it’s often thought that one should look within. No need to go to an ashram (as the Fab Four did), because our next feature, “The Science of Success,” seeks our true potential. Authors Ceynur Nak and Henrik Meyer-Hoeven of Pawlik Consultants International describe the Action Control Model, “which provides a thorough and detailed understanding of how the various psychological systems of a person’s personality work together” as they “examine the cognitive processes required to move from intentions to actions.”

“Tomorrow never knows” feels like an appropriate phrase these days, so “relax and float downstream” to our next feature, “Exercising Your Heart and Mind for Strategic Account Management.” Authors Keshini Masani and Janti Masani of CXO IMPACT are bursting with words of wisdom about how “yesterday’s transactional relationships have evolved into today’s transformational partnerships.” They enlighten us by teaching that “for this evolution to happen, there needs to be a foundation built on holistic engagement that touches both the heart and the mind.”

Dominique Côté, CEO & Founder of Cosawi, also has evolution and transformation on her mind. Check out her article “Is Your SAM Journey Stalled?” for answers to that big question and more, as she details how a Center of Excellence (CoE) “plays a critical role in embedding SAM within the organization by driving vision, ensuring alignment, enabling consistency, and fostering continuous improvement.”

Now zoom out and take look from the 30,000-foot view. You see that? That’s exactly why SAMA exists — to drive vision, ensure alignment, enable consistency, and foster continuous improvement — especially in turbulent times. Investing in SAMA membership and attending our SAMA Annual Conference are the best ways to connect with our human network. If you haven’t already, I hope someday you’ll join us. n

QUICK TAKES

BEYOND INNOVATION: THE MANAGEMENT REINVENTION

IMPERATIVE

FOR SAMS

Uncertainty is a given in today’s marketplace. However, one insight is gaining traction across industries and finding solid ground around the world, as author Mark Greeven pointed out in a recent piece for the World Economic Forum.

Greeven, Professor of Management Innovation and Dean of Asia at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), asks, “Why do some companies thrive in an era of relentless change while others struggle — even as they invest heavily in digital transformation?”

He adds: “The answer lies not just in what they produce, but in how they are managed. The world’s most innovative organizations are challenging outdated structures, redesigning decision-making processes, and embracing management models that fuel adaptability.”

This rings especially true for those of us at the front lines of strategic account management, where the quality of your team’s insight, agility, and stakeholder relationships defines enterprise growth. For SAMs and customer-centric organizations, the article emphasizes a fundamental principle: management innovation is your best bet to navigate the choppy waves of change.

Case in point: Haier. In 2025, the Chinese manufacturing giant ditched hierarchical systems in favor of a decentralized model of “autonomous microenterprises.” This move empowered internal teams to operate like startups that connected through shared platforms and leveraged digital resources. As Greeven put it, Haier found “greater agility, faster innovation and a competitive edge that rivals struggled to replicate.”

Sound familiar? It should. It’s a move straight out of the strategic account management playbook.

Haier’s transformation echoes what SAMA champions

daily: we enable SAMs to operate independently but connect them to a central ecosystem that shares intelligence, best practices, and resources. In essence, Haier turned its entire company into a platform of value co-creators — just like SAMs who strive to do the same within their own customer ecosystems.

For SAM teams, adaptability isn’t just a helpful suggestion — it’s an existential imperative. Markets evolve. Buying centers shift. C-suite stakeholders churn. Old playbooks don’t work. That’s why management innovation is more than a trend — it’s a shift in mindset that needs to be at the forefront of SAM programs.

Need more examples? In Europe, Bayer removed “layers of bureaucracy,” which allowed teams to take ownership of strategic decisions. In the US, Mastercard restructured its organization to enhance its agility in the ever-evolving payments industry.

“Each of these cases underscores a deeper truth: companies that innovate in how they are managed gain a competitive edge that rivals cannot easily replicate,” Greeven states. “Unlike product or technological innovations — which can be copied — management innovation reshapes an organization’s ability to evolve, making it more resilient to disruption.”

Plain and simple: forward-thinking companies are asking tough questions. Are we organized for speed? Can our teams act without waiting for permission? Do we have safe spaces to test new approaches? The same questions apply to SAM leadership.

Strategic account management is often hampered by overly centralized decisions, complex internal approvals, and misaligned incentives. SAMA’s own model stresses collaboration, customer-centricity, and cross-functional alignment — none

QUICK TAKES

of which thrive in hierarchal environments.

“Breakthroughs in management practices rarely happen by accident,” Greeven writes. “They emerge when leaders recognize the limits of traditional structures and create environments where new ways of working can take root and evolve over time.”

He adds: “But internal vision alone is rarely enough. The most transformative management innovations emerge when companies engage with external business ecosystems — learning from startups, industry partners, and even competitors.” (A good reminder that transformation doesn’t happen in isolation.)

So, what’s the call to action? These enablers stood out:

1. Flexible Structures — Break rigid hierarchies. Adopt SAM teams with clear customer missions and shared success metrics. Think fluid resource alignment, not static org charts.

2. Innovation Pathways — Build feedback loops that capture, test, and scale new ways of working. Let SAMs cocreate solutions with customers. Make failure a feature of

learning, not a stigma.

3. Cultural Foundations — Shift from compliance to commitment, from reporting to ownership. This means redefining what excellence looks like in a customer-driven organization.

Let’s be real: reengineering how we work sounds daunting. But this article reminds us that reinvention doesn’t mean hurling moonshots. It starts by cultivating new behaviors, rewarding curiosity, and building new pathways for continuous experimentation.

Fortunately, SAMA occupies this exact space. Our global community is more than a repository of frameworks and best practices. It’s a living ecosystem for management innovation — a place where bold thinking, tested playbooks, and lived experience collide. Make no mistake — SAMA is a catalyst for the management reinvention that this article calls for. n

Adapted from “Why the best companies don’t just innovate — they reinvent how they manage,” by Mark Greeven, published March 14, 2025, by the World Economic Forum.

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INSIGHTS FROM SAMA’S PROGRAM ASSESSMENT

SAMA’s program assessment tool measures the maturity and competitiveness of strategic account management organizations around the world. SAMA uses it to provide organizations with a comprehensive view of where they stand based on internal perceptions, how they compare to external benchmarks, and where to invest for stronger outcomes. We’ve analyzed the results including 2,100 responses from 80 organizations and have highlighted a few initial high-level trends we see in that data.

The SAM program model assesses performance across nine organizational elements critical to success. These include:

✓ Strategic Customer Alignment and Relationship Management

✓ Systemic Enablement of Strategic Account Management

✓ Account Selection/Deselection and Segmentation

✓ C-Level Support and Executive Sponsorship

✓ Value Co-Creation, Capture, and Realization

✓ SAM Program Roles and Talent Management

✓ Internal Design, Structure, and Alignment

✓ Strategic Account Planning and Execution

✓ Strategic Customer and Program Metrics

A DEDICATED SAM PROGRAM OFFICE SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCES PERFORMANCE IN GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS

Organizations with a dedicated SAM program office showed notably stronger performance, especially those operating across multiple geographies. Centralizing strategy, best practices, and resources in a formal office supports consistency, improves execution, and strengthens global coordination.

INTERNAL DESIGN, STRUCTURE, AND ALIGNMENT SHOWED THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION TO OVERALL PROGRAM MATURITY

Companies with a clear, customer-centered organizational structure and strong alignment between SAM strategy and broader business goals will show organizational strength across the critical elements.

HIGHEST OPPORTUNITY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Value Co-Creation: Many organizations take time to evolve from a sales-driven mindset. It is imperative to develop a true culture of collaboration both internally and with the strategic customers to co-create the value areas that bring the desired results.

System Enablement: Relationships with customers are dynamic and ever shifting. Therefore, the ways we interact with customers, create value for them, measure our success, and track metrics must be managed and enhanced by leveraging technology systems that are specific to the strategic accounts.

FOCUSED ATTENTION ON FEWER ACCOUNTS YIELDS HIGHER SCORES

The data revealed that companies focusing on a smaller number of strategic accounts — typically around 10 — tended to score higher than those with larger portfolios. While many firms evolve into selecting more accounts, starting small enables organizations to build a strong foundation and develop their SAM capabilities more effectively before scaling to additional strategic customers.

Program Metrics: Internally focused metrics tend to score relatively stronger when compared to customer-focused metrics, but both areas are often a missed opportunity. Co-developing metrics with customers helps strengthen the relationship and ensures value is visible to both sides.

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THE DAWN OF THE COMMERCIAL INSIGHT STRATEGIST

An enterprise sales evolution long in the making

By Dave Irwin Founder and CEO

Polaris

I/O

Brooke Spatz Leader, GTC Programs

Polaris I/O

For years, strategic account managers (SAMs) have navigated an increasingly complex sales landscape. Digital transformation, AI, and shifting customer expectations about what they value and need from vendors have rewritten the rules of engagement.

Yet, despite an abundance of data, SAMs continue to face one fundamental challenge: converting account intelligence into actionable insight that enables them to be relevant to executive buyers.

SAMs are overwhelmed — not by a lack of information, but by the sheer volume of it. News alerts, competitive insights, executive shifts, earnings reports, customer sentiment data — it’s all there, waiting to be harnessed. The challenge? There’s no scalable way to filter, contextualize, and act on this information at the speed of business in the context of the very complex relationship-management role they play, both internally and externally.

The role of the SAM has never been more demanding. Without a way to stay ahead of shifting customer priorities, teams are left reacting instead of leading.

Enter the commercial insight strategist (CIS).

The catalyst: The SAM overload and the hidden opportunity

Two years ago, while we were working with large enterprise account teams, a reoccurring frustration surfaced: “We know there are opportunities hidden in all this data, but we don’t have time to find them, let alone activate them.”

Despite being inundated with reports, market trends, and stakeholder insights, SAMs lacked a structured way to uncover, prioritize, monitor, and convert these data points into actionable growth strategies. Rather than using intelligence to proactively shape conversations, account teams found themselves scrambling to keep up.

The unspoken challenges holding SAMs back

1. Misalignment between internal capabilities and customer needs.

2. Over-reliance on product-first selling instead of insightled engagement.

3. A struggle to engage key decision-makers at the right altitude.

Even with AI-powered tools at their disposal, teams still lacked the right data and a cohesive, repeatable method to transform intelligence into high-value engagements efficiently week in and week out.

That’s when the opportunity became clear: the most successful account teams had a human in the loop — someone who could bridge the gap between the data and the output.

Someone who could extract the right insights at the right time, align the appropriate stakeholders, and equip SAMs to lead conversations before the customer even recognized the need.

That was the moment the commercial insight strategist was born.

Defining the role: The CIS as the AI-enabled, human-in-the-loop insight engine

The commercial insight strategist is not just another research role, nor a traditional sales function. The CIS is a hybrid: a detective, a reporter, and an interpreter, blending investigative analysis with strategic storytelling.

• Like a detective, the CIS uncovers hidden patterns and untapped opportunities within complex customer data.

• Like a reporter, they synthesize scattered intelligence into a compelling, digestible narrative.

• Like an interpreter, they translate insights into actionable strategies tailored to the SAM and the broader account team.

The key differentiator? AI can surface data, but it takes human intelligence to recognize the patterns, connect the dots, and drive action.

The AI-enabled, human-in-the-loop process

• AI accelerates research, detects patterns, and organizes findings.

• The CIS applies judgment, creativity, and strategic storytelling to make sure that the insights are meaningful and actionable as well as ensuring the data sources feeding AI

are comprehensive and continuously updated.

The results were immediate: SAMs were empowered to engage with the right intelligence at the right time. With every customer-focused insight being timely, relevant, and aligned to the customer’s evolving priorities, account teams were no longer reacting; they were leading.

The strategic account team’s secret weapon

B2B buyers now expect more than just solutions — they expect partners who understand their world and can help them address their challenges when they happen. While strategic account teams have long recognized the need to engage customers with insight, the reality is stark: too many sales conversations fail to resonate. Research shows that 79% of buyers prioritize vendors who demonstrate a deep understanding of their business, yet only 11% of sales conversations are considered relevant by executive decisionmakers. According to Gartner, 83% of sales leaders say their teams can’t keep up with changing buyer needs and expectations.

The gap is clear — most account teams are still struggling to make their insights actionable and timely.

Without the right intelligence at the right moment, SAMs risk becoming just another vendor competing for attention, which often results in a lost investment in wasted time and effort. The CIS shifts this dynamic by equipping account teams with intelligence that’s not only relevant but also strategically timed and aligned with what truly matters to the customer.

Traditional methods for identifying customer needs — scouring CRM records, reviewing analyst reports, and piecing together insights from various departments — are no longer sufficient in today’s fast-moving business environment. Customers don’t announce their priorities in clear terms; they reveal them through fragmented signals, such as leadership shifts, regulatory changes, competitive investments, and emerging market trends. A CIS’s ability to identify and synthesize these signals at the speed of business and monitor the changing conditions associated with these situations over time makes them indispensable.

Embedding the CIS into the strategic account teams delivers a measurable impact. When insights drive customer conversations, win rates increase by 22%. Engaging the right stakeholders earlier in the buying process speeds up sales cycles by 31%. Most importantly, integrating CIS-led

intelligence into account planning expands the customer-driven pipeline, ensuring teams aren’t just chasing what’s in the CRM but uncovering entirely new growth opportunities.

The CIS is more than just a support function for SAMs — it enables them to lead. Instead of relying on outdated insights, they have realtime intelligence. Instead of struggling to differentiate, they enter executive conversations with a clear, strategic point of view.

In an environment where relevance determines success, a commercial insight strategist is the key to unlocking a competitive advantage.

The CIS in action: Real-world impact

The value of the CIS role becomes evident in real-world scenarios where traditional sales methods fall short.

Case Study #1: Securing a competitive win in a multi-year contract renewal

By framing the renewal conversation around the customer’s strategic goals, not just contract terms, the account team repositioned themselves as a long-term partner, securing a multi-million-dollar win at a higher value than the previous term.

A strategic account team faced a critical contract renewal. The challenge? A complete turnover in the customer’s executive leadership team just months before the renewal decision. The account team had longstanding relationships with the previous decision-makers, but with the shift in leadership, those connections were irrelevant. The new executives had different priorities, different pressures, and little familiarity with the incumbent vendor.

The CIS went to work immediately: mapping the new executive landscape, identifying each leader’s priorities, and uncovering key business initiatives that would drive their renewal decision.

They analyzed leadership interviews, earnings call transcripts, and industry reports to understand the new team’s objectives and pinpointed the key decision-makers and influencers beyond just procurement.

By framing the renewal conversation around the customer’s strategic goals, not just contract terms, the account team repositioned themselves as a long-term partner, securing a multi-million-dollar win at a higher value than the previous term.

Case Study #2: Turning a federal funding crisis into a growth opportunity

A telecommunications company faced a sudden revenue

gap when a federal funding program that subsidized key customer accounts was abruptly canceled. Without this funding, dozens of high-value customers were at risk of churning.

Instead of reacting with a short-term solution, the CIS took a broader view of the situation, identifying how the funding change impacted not just the client but the entire industry.

• They conducted a deep analysis of regulatory shifts and alternative funding mechanisms that could replace the lost subsidies.

• They mapped the extent of exposure across multiple customers, allowing the company to proactively engage accounts before they churned.

• They positioned the SAM team to offer an alternative, fee-based model, not just as a reaction to lost funding but as a strategic transition plan that aligned with broader industry trends.

The result?

What could have been a devastating loss became a growth opportunity. Not only did the CIS help retain high-risk accounts, but the insights were also used to inform industrywide discussions, feeding intelligence into marketing, risk,

and finance teams. This proactive approach transformed a retention challenge into the company’s highest growth account of the year.

Clarifying the role: How the CIS fits into a strategic account team

A commercial insight strategist is a complementary role to a strategic account manager. While a SAM owns the customer relationship and revenue strategy, a CIS enables insight-driven engagement, ensuring every interaction is strategically informed.

In large enterprise sales, information overload is a serious risk. Teams often get caught up in reactive motions, chasing urgent tasks rather than focusing on long-term, strategic account growth.

The CIS helps filter the noise, curates intelligence, and ensures that the SAM team leads with insight, not just products.

For companies with a structured SAM program, the CIS works alongside account leaders to provide research-driven insights that shape customer conversations.

For companies without a formal key account program, the CIS can act as a strategic intelligence hub, supporting sales, marketing, and customer success teams with data-driven account growth strategies.

The impact is undeniable: when companies embed the CIS role into their account teams, win rates improve, sales cycles

For too long, high-value sales opportunities have remained hidden beneath mountains of untapped intelligence.

accelerate, and hidden opportunities emerge that would otherwise have been missed.

The future: Why every enterprise sales team needs a CIS

AI is reshaping the way sales teams operate, but AI alone is not the solution. The companies that will thrive are the ones that recognize a simple truth: technology is only as powerful as the people who use it.

The CIS represents the next evolution in strategic account management — the human intelligence needed to complement AI-driven insights. Without this role, account teams will continue to struggle with too much information and too little clarity.

Companies that embrace the CIS role will see stronger customer relationships, larger deal sizes, and faster growth. Account teams that fail to adapt will fall behind in a market that increasingly demands precision, insight, and relevance.

The question isn’t whether organizations need a CIS — the question is how long they can afford to wait before making it a standard part of their sales strategy.

The

invisible pipeline becomes visible

For too long, high-value sales opportunities have remained hidden beneath mountains of untapped intelligence.

With AI-powered tools, account teams now have access to more data than ever, but without a dedicated human in the loop to translate that data into action, its value remains unrealized.

The commercial insight strategist plays that crucial role, curating intelligence, identifying emerging opportunities, and ensuring strategic conversations happen at the right time.

Companies that have already implemented the CIS role are seeing measurable impacts. In just a few months, organizations have surfaced 300-600 new qualified opportunities, many of which would have gone unnoticed using

traditional research methods. Some account teams have seen their pipeline grow by 5x simply by applying the right insights to the right conversations.

Amanda McBride, Vice President of Enterprise Account Strategy & Enablement at Vaco Holdings, shared how the right intelligence surfaced at the right moment enabled her team to act decisively on a key opportunity.

“Just last week we actually had an insight delivered in our inbox,” she said. “We hadn’t seen it yet in the platform. We sent it to one another, and we have some internal strategy sessions this week for an upcoming meeting with one of the senior-level stakeholders. That’s actually an account that is not yet in our relationship mix under contract. The CIS saw something big in the market, and saw it first, which enabled us to begin to act. We probably wouldn’t have seen it until 48 to 72 hours later.”

This kind of real-time intelligence sharing is what makes a commercial insight strategist indispensable. They focus on delivering the right actionable insights at the right time to move the business forward.

The future of strategic account management isn’t just about managing relationships — it’s about leading them. For those embracing the commercial insight strategist, the invisible pipeline of untapped growth is no longer out of reach — it’s finally in focus. n

Dave Irwin is Founder and CEO of Polaris I/O. Connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/ in/irwindave. Brooke Spatz is Leader of GTC Programs at Polaris I/O. Connect with her on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/brookespatz.

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RELATIONSHIP EQUITY: STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT TO MINIMIZE RISK IN TURBULENT TIMES

Part three: In conversation with Hervé Debaecker and Dino Bertani

By Nic Halverson Velocity Editor-in-Chief SAMA and Harvey Dunham Managing Director, Strategy SAMA

In the previous two issues of Velocity, we published the first two installments of a conversation between SAM thought leaders Hervé Debaecker, Chief Methodologist and COO at Perfluence, and Dino Bertani, Vice President and Head of Alliance Management at Zealand Pharma. Along with Harvey Dunham, SAMA’s Managing Director of Strategy, they discussed critical strategies modern SAMs must utilize to be proactive, be adaptive, and minimize the risk of losing the relationship equity they have built and maintained with their strategic accounts. Below, in the final installment, the conversation continues with how to preserve relationships when things change and concludes with relevant insights for modern SAMs on the future of strategic account management.

Harvey Dunham: What about your retirement or taking on a new responsibility, internally or externally? For those top executives who you have befriended, how do you put yourself in a position where you can suggest who should replace you?

Hervé Debaecker: My company must continue the connection. Who’s going to do that if I’m no longer in the position? This is an important question inside. The entire company — the entire world — should all have a succession plan that covers accounts and partnerships. Very often companies don’t take this simple step.

I have a number for you: nearly 85% of connections are lost when someone changes positions, even staying inside the company. It’s an estimation — I can’t prove it. I could by doing a survey. But in my experience, when I’ve asked customers to estimate the lost contacts when people move from one position to another, very often it’s above 80%. It’s a huge number. I was surprised that it could be so high. Plus, it doesn’t encompass the missing part — the gray area — where nobody knows anybody. We even don’t know who we should know.

Of course, it varies from one company to another. But the rocket wisdom is necessary because, of course, we cannot exceed a given number of possible contacts per capita because we don’t have the bandwidth for that. You can manage 100 or 150 contacts per year, not 1,000.

Harvey Dunham: If you get into a private equity buyout situation or a big company suddenly swoops in, the game completely changes. It’s a huge problem to, first, understand the culture of whomever is now in charge and to what extent. Then, you have to rebuild those relationships and start over. Dino, we’ve discussed this before. It’s not so easy, is it?

Dino Bertani: Absolutely. No, it is not easy. You have to plan for everything. Implementing a successful succession plan really requires overcoming potential challenges early, such as resistance from your own top account executives from engaging with anybody else other than you, because you were the point person for them — maybe for years — and the only one that they engaged with, which is, again, very risky.

This requires you, as a SAM, to be proactive — to think about your own replacement and to bring in potential successors early enough so that they can benefit from the strong relationships that you have by building their own relationships across the account executives. You need to empower them and let your potential successors take over more and more responsibilities from you, providing them ample opportunities for exposure with your top account executives. That way, you can endorse the relationships they start to build.

This usually works best if you bring them in gradually. That way, it doesn’t feel too harsh or you don’t have this cut, which can be like a bandage that you need to rip off — and your top accounts won’t like that. It’s a more transitional, plannable event as such.

Let’s go back to a previous question about how you should you manage an executive who restricts your access to other executives who could help both the customer and the SAM’s company. This happens occasionally, on an individual basis. First of all, you really need to try and overcome stakeholder resistance by listening to them. Not on the superficial level but reconnect on a deeper level.

Try to suspend your own judgment. It’s not always that easy to understand the reason behind the blocking executive. But, by acknowledging all their different viewpoints, you might understand why they’re restricting access to other executives in their own organizations.

Do they want there to be only one gatekeeper? Are they afraid of losing influence or power? Maybe they value the collaboration enough that they want to protect their colleague’s time? Once you start to understand the root cause

of their behavior, you can restart and act on it. By doing so, they become your ally because they see you valuing their own position and role within their organization.

This approach facilitates much more collaboration between both companies, which opens doors. Once you get there — over time, not overnight — you can try to neutralize some of these blockers by just understanding what exactly drives them.

Hervé Debaecker: Yes, absolutely. There is also another trend that shouldn’t be ignored: the new rookies coming in — people in their 30s or early 40s who’ve been raised in a world where relationships are oversimplified because they use, let’s say, Snapchat or WhatsApp or whatever. They’re used to talking to people over video, and they lack experience with relationship building in real life. In them, I see a deficit in understanding the nuances of culture — nuances that could help them decipher what’s really happening in the mind of the people they’re talking to.

They are naïve, and the problem is that they underestimate the importance of relationship building. We have a bunch of people arriving to the C-level who lack the subtlety and knowledge that was once there. They don’t see the importance of monitoring relationships. They only see the importance of numbers.

The trend is the bad news. The good news is that there are tools today that offer a solution and re-emphasize the importance of relationship building to a younger generation. Like our methodology — basically what we do with relationship intelligence and influence management, we can help people who are 25 years old be as efficient in managing influence as people in their 60s, because they are using methods and descriptions that help.

Of course, when you show the graduated relationship metric to your management, you might have to explain what it is used for, what it is, and why it’s efficient. But that will lead to the relationship governance charter.

Say you have a new guy on the board who’s 45 and never really been in strategic sales. He’s now a CFO. He doesn’t understand what the sales can be. But if he identifies a connection, I’ll show him a graph where the influence is mapped over rank. Here, he can see the people — who the heavyweights are — and he will understand. Now, he should be more willing to cooperate because he can clearly see not only the advantage of knowing the network, but also the risk in ignoring it. You see? He will be receptive to this scientific approach of relationship building. My conclusion

While AI may help with certain aspects of account management, such as analyzing data or automating routine tasks, it cannot replicate these nuanced and subtle human interactions that are ultimately necessary for successful partnerships.

is to put some science and some rocket wisdom on relationship mapping and relationship management.

Harvey Dunham: Excellent — very insightful and interesting. There’s a huge shift coming. Dino, what are your thought on this?

Dino Bertani: I love the conversation and wanted to build on the great comments. This also brings me back to the value of relationship building and relationship management — or lack of understanding how important this is. It makes me very comfortable that technology — AI specifically — brings many new strategies and tools to relationship building. Alliance managers and strategic account managers won’t be replaced by AI anytime soon, since account management, as we all know, really involves complex relationship building and negotiation skills that require empathy, human creativity, and strategic thinking.

While AI may help with certain aspects of account management, such as analyzing data or automating routine tasks, it cannot replicate these nuanced and subtle human interactions that are ultimately necessary for successful partnerships. We should also remember that customer relationship measurement is more than just measuring customer satisfaction, which you know many companies do. But satisfied customers can still defect. However, customers who have strong relationships rarely do.

Many firms have the opportunity to measure customer relationships more directly than they do now. And by associating the measurements for each customer and account executive with their individual importance, ultimately, we as a company can really decide where to apply our resources and achieve the best business impacts. Those measurements can also be fully integrated into strategic customer relationship plans.

I just want to echo what Hervé said already — that there’s much more that we should be documenting, trying to quantify, and using as a strategic leverage for our own role and

to explain the value of strategic account management. But again, at the core of all of this are the relationships.

Harvey Dunham: At the 2024 SAMA Annual Conference in Miami, Miguel Gonzalez, Chief Procurement Officer for American Express, was one of our keynote speakers. At the time of his keynote, he was in his previous role as Chief Procurement Officer for DuPont. He said something that struck me — that DuPont had a total of six strategic account relationships. Six! I don’t remember how many thousands of suppliers they had, but those relationships have been in place for over 20 years. DuPont is so big and have their fingers in so many different businesses. It’s incredible. So, the quality of the relationships is everything — that’s what he was saying.

Hervé Debaecker: Approximately 80% of a company’s value comes from intangible assets. I may not have the exact number, but I read somewhere that it’s in the 80% range.

Within these intangible assets, there is what I call enterprise relationship capital. This includes not only formal business relationships but also internal connections and interactions between key stakeholders. Imagine having a sensor on the key accounts we manage — tracking not just external relationships but also internal networks.

Enterprise relationship capital encompasses key accounts, partners, governmental agencies, and other critical connections. Should we manage this as an asset? Absolutely — because it’s worth billions.

Who should be responsible for this? Ideally, the CEO. But there’s a problem: the average tenure of a CEO today is about two years. That’s not enough time for them to prioritize this. Many CEOs don’t care — they take an “Après moi, le déluge” approach (meaning, “after me, the flood”).

So, who should oversee enterprise relationship capital management? It should be someone with a long-term perspective — perhaps a secretary general or a similarly strategic role. It shouldn’t fall under HR, because HR tends to

Movement is the norm. Organizational changes are the norm. If we are people-centric, we win. That’s the core idea: we must be people-centric. End of story.

approach it in a broad, exhaustive way. If a company has 170,000 employees, HR might want to track relationships for all of them, which is impractical. Instead, we should focus on the top 20,000 individuals — the C-suite, key account managers, sales leaders, partnership managers, and program managers.

Can this be managed effectively? Yes, but not through a traditional CRM. It requires a dedicated approach.

Consider a senior executive — let’s call him Mr. Smith. In a properly managed system, we track his career moves. If he stays in a role for two years and then transitions to another, we don’t lose him. Instead, we recognize that he’s now in a new position where we may have even more business opportunities. Movement is the norm. Organizational changes are the norm. If we are people-centric, we win. That’s the core idea: we must be people-centric. End of story.

Of course, this is a significant shift — a revolution, even. Companies take time to change, but this is the direction we’re heading. This is part of our vision.

Some argue that we don’t need this because AI will eventually handle everything — automating responses to requests for proposals and managing relationships through algorithms. Sure, that might happen for small businesses. But for large enterprises? Not anytime soon.

Harvey Dunham: People do business with people. People buy from people, from people they like and trust.

Hervé Debaecker: Yes, and this remains true even if people today don’t build relationships the way they used to. Even if they haven’t been educated in traditional relationship-building, even if they no longer have long business lunches or dinners together as in the past, trust in business relationships still matters.

That trust may now be built through brief encounters — people may only meet once or twice — but it still holds. And if I were awarding a $100-million contract to a company, I would personally want to meet the manager. I want to know who I’m dealing with.

Why? Because if something goes wrong with the contract — if there’s a major issue on a Saturday night at 7 p.m. — I

need to know there’s someone I can call. That human connection, that accountability, will remain crucial for a long time.

Given this, companies should adopt a people-centric system — what I call ecosystemic key account management (EKAM). This approach should be implemented at the highest levels, and organizations like SAMA should ensure that C-level executives understand its importance. The problem is, many of them still don’t.

Harvey Dunham: In recent years, AVI-SPL has been a perennial winner of multiple SAMA Excellence Awards. They discovered something unique. Once they figured out what key account management or strategic account management was, they asked themselves the question, “I wonder if we could win new business (with a company we’ve never done business with) by selling them on joining as a key or strategic account?”

They’ve really grown their SAM program with this approach! They’ve added something like 15 new customers that they never did any business with. They’ve exceeded their growth rate simply by saying, “If you decide to do business with us, this is how we will do business with you.”

Hervé Debaecker: I love it! You know, in all my years of experience, I have never had anyone tell me that what we’re discussing today is wrong or absurd. Never.

What I have heard many times is, “This feels like science fiction to us. We’re not mature enough for this.” But this idea of maturity is just a convenient excuse. It’s a way of admitting that they aren’t ready — without truly recognizing the value of the concept.

But let’s be clear: you don’t need to be mature to implement something like relationship intelligence management (RIM). Give me a break. If you were building a rocket, yes, you’d need to understand differential equations and advanced physics. That’s tough. But what we’re talking about is just common sense in a bottle. Anyone can grasp it in a few hours — unless, well, they refuse to.

I believe we are on the verge of something truly transformative. It can be implemented in today’s rapidly changing

world — a world full of disruptions. And there are plenty more disruptions coming. We are not done facing challenges — wars, political instability, economic shifts. This is just the beginning.

To navigate this uncertainty, businesses must adopt a people-centric mindset. Forget rigid org charts. Or rather, don’t forget them, but recognize that they are no longer enough. Companies need to embrace new ways of operating — adaptive, flexible approaches that align with an everchanging landscape.

Harvey Dunham: Dino, any last comments from you? Are there any other considerations you can think of that we should add?

Dino Bertani: I want to add emphasis to the attitude and the how since I truly believe it’s so important to have a proactive approach to relationship management. This is key to successful account management, since it really

involves anticipating and addressing your account’s needs and expectations and providing them with solutions and opportunities before they even ask for them.

I hear this a lot from executives: tell me something that I’m not aware of or tell me about a new trend. It all goes back to being ahead of the curve and staying ahead of the curve. By adopting a proactive approach, you can demonstrate your value and expertise, increase your accounts’ trust and confidence, and ultimately create a competitive advantage. Because if you don’t, somebody else will. n

Hervé Debaecker is Chief Methodologist and COO at Perfluence and can be contacted at Hervé.debaecker@rimlink.com. Connect with Hervé on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/hervé-debaecker900bb. Dino Bertani is Vice President and Head of Alliance Management at Zealand Pharma. Connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/dinobertani.

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BUILDING TRUST WITH KEY CUSTOMERS

This article is a summary of a chapter from the upcoming book “ The High-Performing Key Account Manager: Creating Sustained Value with Strategic Customers” by longtime Velocity contributor Javier Marcos and coauthors. The book will be published in June 2025 and features a preface by SAMA President & CEO Gordon Galzerano.

By Javier Marcos Professor of Strategic Sales Management and Negotiation Cranfield School of Management

Rodrigo Guesalaga Professor of Marketing

Universidad Alberto Hurtado

Andy Hough

Lecturer in Sales Leadership and Performance

Cranfield School of Management

Richard Vincent

Visiting Fellow

Cranfield School of Management

In this article, we explore the critical aspects of trust-building in key account management. We examine how these elements form the foundation of successful supplier-customer relationships and their impact on long-term business success.

We begin by understanding that effective communication across various boundaries — internal, external, and interpersonal — is essential for key account management (KAM) success. Key account managers (KAMs) must navigate complex landscapes, coordinating between different departments within their organization while maintaining strong relationships with various stakeholders in the customer organization. This boundary-spanning role requires sophisticated communication skills and strategies to overcome potential barriers and ensure smooth information flow.

We then delve into trust, which we define as the willingness to be vulnerable to another party’s actions. We explore its three key components: ability, benevolence, and integrity. Trust development occurs through various approaches, including calculative assessment, prediction based on past behavior, capability demonstration, and intentionality evaluation. We examine how trust can be transferred from trusted sources and how it evolves through different stages of the relationship.

Particularly important is our discussion of the key account manager’s role as a trusted advisor. We explore the trust equation, which balances credibility, reliability, and intimacy against self-orientation. This framework helps us understand how key account managers can transition from being traditional salespeople to becoming indispensable strategic partners.

We also address the various barriers to trust-building, such as lack of communication, inconsistent behavior, cultural differences, and power imbalances. Understanding these challenges helps us develop more effective strategies for building and maintaining trust.

Throughout the chapter, we emphasize that building trust and maintaining effective communication are ongoing processes that require consistent effort, genuine commitment, and a systematic approach to relationship management.

These elements are fundamental to creating sustainable, value-generating partnerships between suppliers and their key customers.

Why building and leading trust development is important

Personal trust development

• Establishes professional credibility

• Creates leadership influence

• Builds stakeholder relationships

• Enables effective conflict resolution

Strategic value creation

• Demonstrates expertise and knowledge

• Enables proactive problem-solving

• Facilitates strategic solutions

• Strengthens competitive position

Communication excellence

• Enhances stakeholder alignment

• Improves issue resolution

• Builds transparency

• Strengthens relationship quality

Team leadership

• Develops organizational trust

• Improves cross-functional collaboration

• Enables knowledge sharing

• Creates cultural alignment

Performance management

• Enables systematic measurement

• Supports risk management

• Improves value tracking

• Strengthens accountability

Scoping trust in supplier-customer relationships

Trust refers to the willingness to rely on an exchange partner in whom one has confidence.¹ It is a belief and expectation about the supplier (or buyer) based on the expertise, reliability, and intentionality of the exchange partner.² It can reduce the perception of risk associated with engaging in a business relationship (e.g., acting opportunistically to increase one’s own benefits at the expense of the other party). A trusting relationship increases confidence that short-term problems will be resolved over a longer period. Similarly, mutual trust between supplier and buyer can reduce transaction costs in the relationship by reducing the need to formalize each agreement between the two firms. Finally, both firms should be more willing to make idiosyncratic investments in the relationship when there is a high level of trust.

Trust can be defined as the “willingness of a party to be vulnerable to the actions of another party”³ and is a critical factor in the success of any relationship, particularly in collaborative environments like supplier-key customer relationships or innovation networks.⁴ When trust is present, it encourages risk-taking behavior and a greater willingness to engage in collaborative activities despite inherent risks. The level of trust is influenced by how the trustor perceives the trustworthiness of the trustee.

Trust can be broken down into three key components: ability, benevolence, and integrity.¹ Ability refers to the perceived skills, competencies, and characteristics that enable a party to exert influence within a specific domain. It’s about judging whether the other party can fulfill their commitments and deliver on their promises. Benevolence, on the other hand, focuses on the belief that the trustee has the trustor’s best interests at heart beyond just self-serving motives. It’s about believing that the other party genuinely cares about the well-being of the trustor and will act in a way that benefits them, even if it doesn’t directly serve their own interests. In a network setting, this translates to a willingness to help and share valuable knowledge and information with other members, even when there isn’t an

immediate or obvious benefit for the provider. Integrity is concerned with the trustor’s perception that the trustee adheres to a set of principles that the trustor finds acceptable. This encompasses several aspects:

• Consistency between actions and words: Does the trustee follow through on their promises and act in accordance with their stated values?

• Strong sense of justice: Does the trustee treat others fairly and make decisions based on ethical principles?

• Honoring agreements: Does the trustee abide by the rules and commitments established within the relationship or network?

For example, KAM integrity would be demonstrated by members of the supplier and customer teams respecting confidentiality agreements, acting honestly in negotiations, and fairly sharing the benefits of joint projects.

Each of these dimensions plays a distinct role in shaping trust and influencing behavior within a relationship or network. Understanding these components is crucial for building and maintaining trust, which is essential for effective collaboration, knowledge sharing, and successful innovation. To illustrate, in a highly competitive industry, you may find that several suppliers are very similar in terms of their credibility with buyers, but then there may be some important differences in terms of their goodwill toward customers. This can drive buyer preference and loyalty to only certain suppliers.

The following case is an example of a customer (key account) demonstrating trust to a supplier, showing a multiple dimension trusting relationship that goes far beyond transactional interactions into a collaborative partnership.

A large automotive manufacturer (the key account) demonstrates trust in its electronic components’ supplier by:

• Sharing confidential details about its upcoming electric vehicle platform, including design specifications, production volume projections, and performance requirements.

• Agreeing on a multi-year partnership agreement, including guaranteed minimum purchase volumes, joint development of next-generation components, and shared investment in research and development.

• Sharing financial risk, by offering advance payments, providing working capital support, and creating joint mechanisms to manage technological development risks.

Psychological safety and trust

Psychological safety is a critical concept in organizational behavior and interpersonal relationships that plays a crucial role in establishing trust, particularly in KAM relationships. In a psychologically safe environment, individuals can speak up without fear of embarrassment or negative consequences; feel comfortable sharing ideas, concerns, and mistakes; and are confident that they will be heard and respected.

In a supplier key account relationship, psychological safety might look like having frank discussions about project challenges, providing candid feedback without fear of retribution, sharing each other’s vulnerability, and collaborating openly to resolve performance issues. For example, imagine a technology supplier working with a large telecommunications company. Psychological safety would mean the supplier can openly discuss challenges in meeting performance specifications, potential product limitations, resource constraints, and unexpected technical complications. Without psychological safety, the supplier might hide these issues, potentially leading to missed deadlines, unmet performance expectations, relationship deterioration, and loss of trust.

“Psychological safety, in my experience, is fundamentally about trust. Building trust requires demonstrating a genuine understanding of the customer’s business and challenges, consistently delivering on promises and ensuring that actions align with stated intentions. I believe that creating an environment of psychological safety is essential for fostering open communication and innovation in key account relationships.”

– Nicolaas Smit, Strategic Business Relationships Consultant and Triple Fit 360 Business Plan Coach; Visiting Fellow, Cranfield University

Trust development approaches and processes

Trust isn’t built overnight. It’s a gradual process that evolves over time through various interactions and shared experiences. This section explores the approaches and processes involved in trust development, highlighting key enablers and barriers that shape these dynamics.

The first approach is calculative . This approach, often rooted in economic principles, involves assessing the costs and benefits of trusting another party. The trustor evaluates the potential risks and rewards of the trustee acting in an untrustworthy manner.⁵ For example, a buyer might consider the financial implications of a supplier failing to

deliver on time. If the costs of supplier unreliability outweigh the potential benefits of switching to a new supplier, the buyer might be more inclined to trust the existing supplier.

Investments and contracts underpin large, relationshipspecific investments by the supplier, such as dedicated production lines or customized solutions. These demonstrate commitment and raise the cost of opportunistic behavior, thus fostering trust. Similarly, well-defined contracts with clear performance metrics and penalties for non-compliance can create a framework of accountability, mitigating risks and encouraging trust.

Prediction: Repeated interactions and positive experiences help a trustor predict the trustee’s future behavior with greater accuracy.¹,³ This predictability reduces uncertainty and builds confidence in the relationship. For instance, consistent on-time delivery, adherence to quality standards, and responsiveness to queries over time can lead a buyer to trust a supplier’s reliability. Open and frequent communication is vital for enabling predictability. Sharing information about production schedules and potential delays and proactively addressing concerns demonstrates transparency, allows the buyer to anticipate and plan accordingly, and fosters a sense of trust.

Capability: Trust can develop through assessing the trustee’s competence and ability to fulfill its promises.² Demonstrating expertise, technical capabilities, and a track record of successful project completion enhances the

trustor’s confidence in the trustee’s reliability. For instance, a supplier showcasing industry certifications, advanced technology, or a team of experienced engineers can instill trust in their ability to deliver high-quality products or services. Sharing success stories and expertise and providing evidence of past successes, such as case studies or testimonials from satisfied customers, can showcase capability and build trust. Active participation in industry events or publishing thought leadership articles can further reinforce a supplier’s expertise and trustworthiness in their domain.

Intentionality: This process focuses on interpreting the trustee’s motives and intentions. If the trustor perceives the trustee’s actions as genuinely motivated by a desire to benefit the relationship or the trustor’s well-being, trust is more likely to develop. For instance, a supplier offering proactive support, going beyond contractual obligations to help the buyer solve a problem, or demonstrating a commitment to mutual growth can signal benevolent intentions and foster trust. Relationship-building by investing time in understanding the buyer’s business goals and challenges, offering solutions tailored to their needs, and engaging in open dialogues about future collaborations demonstrates a genuine interest in the buyer’s success. Such actions go beyond transactional interactions and contribute to a stronger, trust-based relationship.

Transference: Trust can be transferred from a trusted source to a new party with whom the trustor has limited direct experience. For instance, a supplier recommended by a trusted industry partner or association benefits from the existing trust associated with the referring entity. Similarly, a new salesperson representing a well-reputed supplier firm inherits the trust built by the company’s brand and past performance. For instance, leveraging industry networks and endorsements and actively engaging in industry associations, seeking partnerships with reputable organizations, or obtaining endorsements from respected individuals can facilitate trust transference. These associations create a halo effect, enhancing the supplier’s perceived trustworthiness based on their connection to trusted entities.

Enablers for building supplier-key customer trust

In the context of supplier-key customer relationships, several factors can enable and accelerate trust development: Shared values and vision: When both parties align on core values, ethical principles, and long-term goals, it fosters a sense of shared purpose and mutual understanding.

This alignment reduces the likelihood of conflicts arising from differing priorities and encourages trust-based decision-making. For instance, if both the supplier and the customer value sustainability and ethical sourcing practices, it strengthens their partnership and promotes trust.⁵,⁶

Open and transparent communication: Clear, consistent, and timely communication builds trust by reducing uncertainty and fostering a sense of partnership. Regular updates on production progress, potential delays, and proactive problem-solving demonstrate a commitment to keeping the customer informed and involved. Using multiple channels for communication, such as face-to-face meetings, video conferences, and detailed reports, can cater to different preferences and ensure information clarity.

Willingness to be vulnerable: Trust requires both parties to be willing to take risks and depend on each other. Sharing confidential information, involving the customer in product development processes, or granting access to internal systems can demonstrate vulnerability and signal a high level of trust. These actions require careful consideration and a clear understanding of the risks involved, but they can significantly strengthen the relationship.⁶

Mutual dependence and investment: When both parties are invested in the relationship’s success and have a clear understanding of their interdependence, it creates a strong incentive to act in a trustworthy manner. For instance, a supplier investing in dedicated resources or infrastructure to serve a key customer demonstrates commitment and fosters trust. Similarly, a customer providing long-term contracts or volume commitments assures the supplier of their loyalty and encourages reciprocal trust.⁶

ensuring that both parties feel heard and respected.

Barriers to trust building

While the aforementioned processes and enablers facilitate trust development, several barriers can hinder or even damage trust.

Lack of communication or transparency: Limited communication, withholding information, or being evasive when addressing concerns creates suspicion and undermines trust. For instance, failing to inform the customer about production delays or changes in product specifications can lead to distrust and damage the relationship.

Inconsistent behavior: Trust is built on predictability and reliability. Inconsistent behavior, such as fluctuating product quality, missed deadlines, or unmet promises, erodes trust and raises doubts about the supplier’s competence and commitment. It’s crucial to align internal processes with customer expectations and ensure that actions consistently reflect commitments.

When both parties are invested in the relationship’s success and have a clear understanding of their interdependence, it creates a strong incentive to act in a trustworthy manner.

Cultural differences: Differences in national or organizational cultures can lead to misunderstandings, conflicting expectations, and communication barriers that hinder trust development. For instance, varying approaches to negotiation, decision-making, or communication styles can create friction and distrust. Investing time in understanding cultural nuances and adapting communication strategies to bridge these differences is essential.

Effective conflict resolution: Disagreements are inevitable in any relationship. However, how these conflicts are handled significantly impacts trust development. Establishing clear processes for addressing disputes, focusing on collaborative problem-solving, and actively listening to each other’s perspectives can prevent conflicts from escalating and damaging trust. Fair and transparent conflict resolution mechanisms, such as involving a neutral third party or mediation, can further strengthen trust by

Power imbalances: A significant power imbalance in the relationship can create a sense of vulnerability and distrust for the less powerful party. For example, a dominant customer might dictate terms or exert pressure on a smaller supplier, leading to resentment and distrust. Balancing power dynamics, fostering mutual respect, and ensuring that both parties have a voice in decision-making can mitigate this barrier.

Past trust violations: Previous negative experiences, such as breaches of contract, dishonesty, or opportunistic behavior, can severely damage trust and make it challenging to rebuild. Rebuilding trust after a violation requires acknowledging the breach, taking responsibility,

implementing corrective actions, and consistently demonstrating trustworthiness over time.

Developing trust in supplier-key customer relationships is an ongoing process that requires commitment, effort, and a genuine desire to build a mutually beneficial partnership. By understanding the key processes involved, focusing on enablers, and proactively addressing barriers, organizations can cultivate strong, trust-based relationships that lead to enhanced collaboration, innovation, and long-term success.

The key account manager as a trusted advisor

We argue that a key capability of a KAM is to generate trust and foster trustworthy key customer relationships. KAMs are increasingly expected to function as trusted advisors,⁷ delivering strategic guidance, insightful perspectives, and effective solutions that contribute significantly to their key customers’ enduring success. This transition necessitates a more profound comprehension of the nature of trust and the specific actions KAMs can implement to cultivate it.

A trusted advisor transcends the conventional role of a salesperson. They are individuals upon whom clients depend for their specialized knowledge, impartial judgment, and genuine concern for the client’s well-being. Perceived as invaluable partners, they offer guidance, unwavering support, and constructive challenges that empower clients to attain their objectives. Trusted advisors possess a distinctive fusion of competence, integrity, and genuine care, inspiring confidence and fostering enduring partnerships. Clients seek them out not only for their technical proficiency but also for their capacity to grasp their needs, perspectives, and ambitions.

The trust equation, as elucidated in David Maister and colleagues’ seminal book “The Trusted Advisor,”⁷ provides a valuable framework for comprehending the intricacies of trust. It proposes that trustworthiness comprises four fundamental components:

• Credibility: This refers to how the trustor perceives the advisor’s expertise, knowledge base, and experience. It is crucial for the advisor to demonstrate a deep understanding of the client’s situation and business.

• Reliability: This element centers on the consistency and dependability of the advisor’s actions and their commitment to fulfilling promises. Clients need to be able to rely on their advisors to deliver on their commitments.

• Intimacy: Intimacy encompasses the emotional connection and the sense of safety and vulnerability that the client experiences when sharing information and confiding in the advisor. It involves active listening, understanding the client’s feelings, and demonstrating empathy.

• Self-orientation: This aspect concerns the degree to which the advisor focuses on their own interests as opposed to the client’s needs. A trusted advisor prioritizes the client’s needs and demonstrates a genuine desire to

Trusted advisors possess a distinctive fusion of competence, integrity, and genuine care, inspiring confidence and fostering enduring partnerships.

help them succeed.

The trust equation indicates that trustworthiness strengthens as credibility, reliability, and intimacy increase. Conversely, a high degree of self-orientation erodes trust.

The path to becoming a trusted advisor: Strategies for key account managers

“Trust is the foundation of every successful relationship. In our industry, where contracts can span decades and involve billions of dollars, trust is the foundation of every successful relationship. Without it, even the most innovative solutions or competitive prices won’t secure long-term partnerships.”

– Mark Bailey, Board Director, non-executive, and former Group Director Customer Relationships & Services; Rolls Royce, Visiting Fellow, Cranfield University

Building trust is a gradual process that demands consistent effort. Key account managers can utilize the trust equation to cultivate specific behaviors and practices that nurture trust within their key accounts.

Enhancing credibility: Laying the foundation of expertise

Enhancing credibility involves establishing a strong perception of competence and knowledge in the eyes of the client. A key question for KAMs becomes: how can you

develop credibility? Here are some tactics:

• Deep industry and customer knowledge: A trusted advisor possesses an in-depth understanding of their clients’ industries, the business challenges they face, and the competitive landscape in which they operate. KAMs can enhance their credibility by continually expanding their knowledge of their key accounts’ operational intricacies, strategic aspirations, and market dynamics.

• Showcasing expertise and insights: Sharing pertinent industry trends, best practices gleaned from experience, and innovative solutions demonstrates a KAM’s knowledge and capacity to deliver tangible value. Active engagement in industry events, contributions to thought leadership articles, and presentations of compelling case studies can further solidify their expertise.

• Building a proven track record: The foundation of trust is often built upon a history of success. Consistently exceeding expectations, meeting deadlines, and delivering on promises builds a reputation for reliability and competence. Documenting successful projects, gathering positive customer testimonials, and sharing favorable outcomes progressively reinforce credibility over time.

Fostering reliability: The cornerstone of dependability

This centers on consistently delivering on promises and demonstrating a commitment to meeting the client’s expectations.

• Consistency and predictability: Reliability stems from consistent actions and predictable outcomes. KAMs should strive for uniformity in their communication style, responsiveness, and follow-through. Transparent communication regarding timelines, expectations, and potential hurdles helps manage uncertainty and cultivates trust.

• Honoring commitments: Delivering on promises, regardless of magnitude, is paramount for establishing trust. KAMs must be realistic in the commitments they make, avoiding the pitfall of overpromising. Should unforeseen circumstances necessitate adjustments or delays, transparent and timely communication is essential.

• Proactive problem solving: Anticipating potential challenges and proactively addressing them exhibits a commitment to the client’s success. By assuming ownership of issues, presenting viable solutions, and surpassing

contractual obligations, KAMs fortify their reliability and cultivate trust.

Cultivating intimacy: Building genuine connections

This goes beyond simply fulfilling business transactions; it involves establishing a deeper, more personal connection with the client.

• Building personal rapport: Enduring relationships are founded upon personal connections and shared understanding that extend beyond mere professional interactions. KAMs can nurture intimacy by dedicating time to getting to know their clients on a personal level, fostering a sense of shared values and mutual respect.

• Active listening and empathy: Showing genuine interest in the client’s viewpoint, actively listening to their concerns, and demonstrating empathy for their emotional context build rapport and create a safe environment for candid and open communication.

• Appropriate vulnerability: Trust flourishes in an environment of reciprocity. By judiciously sharing pertinent personal experiences or acknowledging past missteps, KAMs can demonstrate vulnerability and encourage a similar level of openness from their clients. This necessitates careful judgment and a focus on fostering a sense of shared humanity.

Minimizing self-orientation: Prioritizing the client’s needs

This requires consciously shifting the focus away from one’s own agenda, motivations, or desires and placing the client’s needs at the forefront of all interactions.

• Focusing on client needs: Trusted advisors inherently prioritize their clients’ interests above their own. KAMs should exhibit a genuine desire to assist their clients in achieving success, even if it entails forgoing short-term gains or recommending solutions that don’t directly benefit their own company.

A KAM presented with the opportunity to sell a highvalue product that might not fully address the client’s needs could choose to recommend a more suitable, even less expensive, solution. This demonstrates a commitment to the client’s best interests, even if it means a smaller immediate profit for the KAM’s company.

• Transparency and honesty: Openly addressing potential conflicts of interest, being upfront about limitations, and presenting a balanced perspective on all options — even suggesting a competitor’s solution when appropriate — builds trust through honesty and transparency.

• Seeking feedback and asking questions: Regularly soliciting client input, asking clarifying questions, and actively seeking feedback demonstrate a commitment to comprehending the client’s needs and customizing solutions accordingly.

The most effective KAMs balance personal relationship building with systematic approaches, creating sustainable trust-based relationships that deliver value for both organizations.

By consistently applying these principles and embodying these behaviors, KAMs can successfully transition from transactional salespeople to indispensable trusted advisors. In doing so, they forge deeper, more meaningful relationships and contribute significantly to the ongoing success of their key accounts. This transformation elevates the KAM’s role, creating a powerful synergy that benefits both the client and the advisor.

Summary and application

Success in communicating and building trust requires a comprehensive approach combining personal actions, team leadership, and systematic processes. The most effective KAMs balance personal relationship building with systematic approaches, creating sustainable trust-based relationships that deliver value for both organizations.

The table on page 37 shows actions for genuine communication and trust building.

¹ C Moorman, G Zaltman and R Deshpande. Relationships between providers and users of market research: The dynamics of trust within and between organizations, Journal of Marketing Research , 1992, 29 (3), 314–28

² S Ganesan and R Hess. Dimensions and levels of trust: Implications for commitment to a relationship, Marketing Letters , 1997, 8, 439–48

³ R C Mayer, J H Davis and F D Schoorman. An integrative model

Action Description

1. Create personalized stakeholder communication plans

2. Implement structured information sharing

3. Practice proactive problem identification

4. Demonstrate industry expertise strategically

5. Build personal connections systematically

6. Document and track value delivery

7. Foster transparency through open communication

8. Develop internal coordination processes

9. Build psychological safety

10. Institute regular relationship health checks

Map all key decision-makers and influencers within the customer organization. Document their preferred communication channels and styles. Set up regular touchpoints tailored to each stakeholder’s needs.

Establish clear communication protocols for different types of information. Set up regular status updates and performance reviews. Create standardized reporting templates for consistency.

Monitor potential issues before they become problems. Alert customers to possible challenges early. Present solution options alongside problem identification.

Share relevant market insights and trends. Present case studies from similar situations. Offer thought leadership without being promotional.

Schedule regular informal check-ins. Learn about stakeholders’ personal motivations and challenges. Show genuine interest in their career goals and pressures.

Create value-tracking mechanisms. Regularly measure and report impact on client objectives. Maintain a record of successful initiatives.

Share both positive and negative information promptly. Be upfront about limitations or constraints. Acknowledge mistakes when they occur.

Create clear protocols for internal communication. Establish service level agreements with internal teams. Set up regular cross-functional meetings.

Create environments where difficult topics can be discussed. Encourage open feedback. Respond constructively to concerns.

Conduct formal relationship reviews. Gather feedback from multiple stakeholders. Use structured assessment tools to measure trust levels.

of organizational trust, Academy of Management Review, 1995, 20 (3), 709–34

⁴ H Svare, A H Gausdal and G Möllering. The function of ability, benevolence, and integrity-based trust in innovation networks, Industry and Innovation , 2020, 27 (6), 585–604

⁵ P M Doney and J P Cannon. An examination of the nature of trust in buyer-seller relationships, Journal of Marketing , 1997, 61 (2), 35–51

⁶ G G Bell, R J Oppenheimer and A Bastien. Trust deterioration in an international buyer-supplier relationship, Journal of Business Ethics , 2002, 36, 65–78

⁷ D H Maister, C H Green and R M Galford (2021) The Trusted Advisor, Free Press

Javier Marcos is Professor of Strategic Sales Management and Negotiation at Cranfield School of Management. Contact him at javier.marcos-cuevas@cranfield.ac.uk or connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/javiermarcoscuevas. Rodrigo Guesalaga is Professor of Marketing at Universidad Alberto Hurtado in Chile. Connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/ in/rodrigo-guesalaga-79576a5. Andy Hough is Lecturer in Sales Leadership and Performance at Cranfield School of Management. Connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/andrewhough Richard Vincent is a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management. Connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ richardcharlesvincent.

’s Individual

• Understand your SAMs’ current-state strengths and weaknesses

• Discover how your account managers compare to each other and/or to competitors

• Find SAMA resources and training tied to specific skills in need of improvement

• Facilitate meaningful coaching

CALL FOR VELOCITY SUBMISSIONS

Why Submit an Article?

Velocity is the official publication of SAMA. It provides a forum for the exchange of information relating to the practice of strategic account management and is the vehicle that enables SAMA members to be the best community of practice. Thousands of account professionals, SAM managers, and C-level executives at the world’s largest and most forward-thinking companies read Velocity to learn about best practices and next practices from professionals who are facing the same challenges they are.

By having an article published in Velocity, you’ll be recognized as having expertise on the topic, and you’ll elevate your visibility within the community and your own organization. Your organization will benefit by having its name brought to the attention of the wider community as a thought leader.

But you’re not a writer, you say? Not a problem. Your professional knowledge is more important than your writing skills. The SAMA editorial staff can help with grammar, organization, and style. If you can write a business letter, you can author an article.

If your firm has a public relations, marketing, or communications department, they may be able to help you document your knowledge and experience. Do make sure, though, that you provide them with in-depth information and that you review their documentation of your knowledge and experience for accuracy and to ensure it meets the article requirements below.

Case Studies

Case studies are particularly welcomed, answering the questions and following the format of:

• what was the issue;

• what were the steps taken to address the issue;

• what resulted for the SAM, the SAM ’s organization, and that of the SAM ’s clients?

Article Requirements

Articles must be directly applicable to strategic account management (not just sales). It helps to keep in mind that SAMA’s audience consists of those who work in complex, highly matrixed organizations and focus on building strong and mutually beneficial relationships with a company ’s most important customers and partners. Articles must avoid directly promoting a product or service.

Velocity articles range between 2500 and 3500 words, covering three to five pages. These ranges are approximate; somewhat over or under these word counts is fine if justified by the content.

Articles from consultants and academics are welcome, but bringing aboard a practitioner co-author will get you to the top of the pile. If that ’s not possible, please consider adding concrete, real-life examples from your work with clients.

Graphics that aid in understanding an article are also welcomed. In addition, please consider contributing original research in graphic form to Velocity ’s Data Watch column.

If you’ll be working with graphic designers or printers, have them contact halverson@ strategicaccounts.org for the more technical requirements for graphics.

Who We Want To Hear From

✓ SAMs and sales executives, managers, and account managers at all levels

✓ Procurement, strategic sourcing, and supplier relationship management executives

✓ Independent consultants and academics working with strategic account organizations. Articles co-authored by a consultant and a practitioner, or an academic and a practitioner, lend credibility to theory.

Key Subject Areas

While authors may choose a topic most relevant to their own experience, some of

the topics most relevant at this time are:

• Organizing and running the SAM program central office

• Going deep: uncovering strategic information from and about the customer

• Leveraging technology, data, and/or analytics to change the way you drive significant revenue with your customer, working internally and/or collaborating externally

• Implementing innovation

• Deploying disruption

Quantifying and validating customer value in a case that resulted in a valuebased price solution or that prevented losing a deal and/or the customer

Elements of a Successful Submission

An article doesn’ t need to contain ALL of the following, but the more boxes it checks off, the higher priority it will be given.

✓ Practitioner author or co-author

✓ If written by a consultant or academic, must incorporate practitioner point of view

✓ Real, concrete business examples that exemplify the concepts discussed in the article

✓ Hard data

✓ Innovative concepts/ “ Next practices”

✓ Human element

How To Submit

If you already have a white paper, case study, or article ready to go, send it to Velocity Editor-in-Chief Nic Halverson at halverson@strategicaccounts.org. You will be notified that your article has been received and is under review. If you just have an idea for an article, send a brief description and any supporting materials to halverson@strategicaccounts.org.

According to SAMA research, top performing SAMs are 3x as likely to record outstanding growth, profitability, and customer satisfaction.

Private SAMA Certification with PMI

SAMA’s Certified Strategic Account Management (CSAM) program is the most widely recognized certification for strategic account managers (SAMs) and their leaders today.

Customized and scaled to fit your organization’s unique environment, private SAMA certification is available through PMI. Designed for those looking for training specific to their organization and industry, this approach is based on working with real accounts and live opportunities throughout the certification process.

Courseware and tools have been designed and developed to support the SAM journey of your account managers and can also include their cross-functional team members.

Curriculum and coaching guides are provided to equip SAM managers and leaders to coach to the pressure-points of contemporary SAM success and reinforce the training for greater business impact.

PMI is a sales performance consulting and training organization that delivers customized solutions to industry-leading companies worldwide.

PMI is a sales performance consulting and training organization that delivers customized solutions to industry-leading companies worldwide.

PMI salutes SAMA’s continued commitment to equip and enable sales professionals and global organizations for success! This copy block will hold approx. 300 characters. We could also use this area for a data point, or “About PMI” info, or a call-to-action related to CSAM/certifi cation.

To find out more about private SAMA Certification with PMI, contact: info@performancemethods.com

To find out more about private SAMA Certification with PMI, contact:

info@performancemethods.com

Please join PMI at SAMA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Orlando!

Session 108

Building a Roadmap for Strategic Account Growth and Measuring Success Along the Way

Session 116

Beyond Stakeholder Mapping: Creating Team Alignment That Drives Account Growth

(The “Zipper Effect”)

Session 117

Value Co-Creation and Realization: Discovering and Articulating Value from the Customer’s Perspective

Session 118

Managing Your Account with a CEO Mindset: Contemporary Strategies for SAM Success

THE SCIENCE OF SUCCESS: HOW THE ACTION CONTROL MODEL INFLUENCES

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

By Ceynur Nak President and Founder

Leappo

Senior Management Consultant

Pawlik Consultants International

Henrik Meyer-Hoeven

Professor of Strategy & Leadership

Hamburg School of Business Administration

Partner

Pawlik Consultants International

Ina Everts

Manager, Personnel Diagnostics

Pawlik Consultants International

How can we achieve our goals? How can we make the most of our abilities? And how can we determine our true potential? The answers to these questions can determine life paths, careers, even the success of an entire organization — all aspects that are critical to strategic account leaders.

These questions can’t be answered in general terms because they are a function of characteristics, abilities, and personality traits which make each of us unique. Before we begin to develop potential, whether as individuals or as part of a team, we must first gain an understanding of our personalities. That’s where the Action Control Model comes in.

In more than 25 years of both fundamental and applied research, Professor Dr. Julius Kuhl, who introduced the Action Control Model, has achieved groundbreaking advances in the understanding of personality, employing cognitive imaging and other advanced techniques to explore the mechanisms which shape personality by making them both visible and quantifiable.

This article is designed as an introduction to the Action Control Model, which provides a thorough and detailed understanding of how the various psychological systems of a person’s personality work together. We will first examine the cognitive processes required to move from intentions to actions, introducing the areas of the brain responsible for an individual’s behavior in a variety of life and work situations, as well as the four cognitive systems which determine behavior in each situation. Since research shows that these processes are subject to change, we will explore how to activate cognitive systems and the implications of these insights for personnel development and application in the world of strategic account management.

The Action Control Model highlights the differences between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, each of which have distinct functions. It identifies two cognitive systems within each hemisphere, resulting in four cognitive systems in total. These systems constantly interact with one another and play a crucial role in how we perceive, process, and respond to information.

The right hemisphere of the brain is capable of subconsciously processing multiple pieces of complex information at the same time. This enables us to think and act creatively, among other things. Creative thoughts and actions require us to process information quickly and imprecisely, based on visual impressions and on our own life experience.

The left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for tasks like creating concrete plans, analyzing information, focusing on details, and processing sensory input. It handles conscious, precise, and methodical thinking, particularly when dealing with concrete details such as data, numbers, and facts. However, this type of processing is sequential and slower compared to the right hemisphere. The left hemisphere can only process up to 40 bits of sensory information per second, even though we receive thousands of bits of sensory input every second.

The four cognitive macrosystems

Each hemisphere of the brain contains two cognitive macrosystems: one for perception and one for decisionmaking. The image on the next page uses color coding to differentiate these four systems and offers an overview of their key tasks and functions.

How affects control the four cognitive systems

Not only do the two brain hemispheres function very differently, but the four cognitive systems within them also exhibit distinct roles and tendencies.

But how do these cognitive systems work? How does the brain decide which system to use and when? And how do the systems interact with each other? The answer: The brain’s cognitive systems operate and coordinate through affects — brief, unconscious emotional states that are difficult to describe in words at the moment they occur. You might feel them as a mood. These affects act as signals, helping the brain determine which cognitive system to activate in a given situation.

There are four types of affects: positive, negative, inhibited positive, and inhibited negative. Each type influences how the systems interact and which one takes the lead, ensuring the brain adapts to different tasks, emotions, and environments effectively.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO BRAIN HEMISPHERES

→ Analytical processing of information

→ Consecutive (one step after the other)

→ Intentional, strenuous

→ Logical: focused on causes

→ Consequential connections

→ Processes and stores reality through abstract symbols

→ Slower processing speed: delayed action

→ Based on the same principles irrespective of the context

→ The experience is active, conscious, and controlled

→ It seeks to prove things

→ Intuitive processing of information

→ C omprehensive

→ Automatic, effortless

→ Affective: dependent on desire or lack of it

→ Associative connections

→ Processes and stores reality through images

→ Fast processing speed: wants immediate action

→ Based on context-specific principles

→ The experience is passive and preconscious

→ It seeks to trust in the process

THE FOUR COGNITIVE MACROSYSTEMS

The right hemisphere of the brain contains the system for goal formation (Managing Director) and the system for carrying out action (Spontaneous Doer). The left hemisphere of the brain contains the system for action planning (Logician) and the system for results monitoring (Controller). The Controller and the Spontaneous Doer are the two perceptive systems and are located in the back of the cerebrum. The Logician and the Managing Director are the two decision-making systems and are located at the front of the brain (in the prefrontal cores).

In essence, affects serve as the brain’s “switching mechanism,” guiding the flow of information and decision-making between the systems. This dynamic interaction allows the brain to process and respond to complex information in an adaptive way.

Affects, which we colloquially refer to as moods, are essentially indicators of how satisfied our needs are. Positive affect, i.e., a good mood, is a sign that everything is OK; we feel that our goals and our needs are being fulfilled. This state of positive affect manifests itself in a will to take things on. People who are in a great mood and looking forward to an upcoming event, for example, are often buzzing with drive and can hardly wait to get going. Negative affect, in contrast, is a sign that things are not going well. People in a state of negative affect, i.e., in a bad mood, tend to want to implement avoidance strategies, and are often excessively

aware of things going wrong or not going as planned.

In its inhibited form, negative affect manifests itself as relief or nonchalance. Here, feelings of worry or fear have given way to a sense of assurance and an “everything will work out” attitude. Inhibited positive affect manifests itself in curbed enthusiasm. We don’t feel the same sense of anticipation and drive that we do when in a state of positive affect, but rather mull over our behavior or the situation in question and are hesitant and careful in our approach.

Goal formation via the Managing Director

To know what we have to do, we first need a goal. And defining a goal generally involves selecting, from a variety of possible options, the goals and tasks that we consider most important or most urgent. This in turn first requires us to get an overview of the relevant information available,

THE FIGURE EIGHT: FROM DEFINING OUR GOALS TO IMPLEMENTING THEM

The following table shows which affects activate which cognitive systems

Affect Expression Behavior System

Positive affect

Anticipation, will to work, good mood, "everything is ok," etc.

Negative affect Anger, fear, hurt, sadness, insecurity, etc.

Inhibited negative affect

Relief, hope, nonchalance, "everything will work out," "It’s not all that bad," etc.

Inhibited positive affect Sobriety, objectivity, restraint, etc.

Encourages us to realize our intentions

Ensures that we put things into action

Improves our eye for detail

Enables us to pick up on mistakes and discrepancies

Promotes our ability to perceive things compressively (from an overview) and to form goals

Compares the tasks at hand with our own needs and goals

Uses our life experience

Is necessary for learning, personal growth, and the process of maturing

Enables us to analyze and plan our actions

Inhibits spontaneous action

Activates the Spontaneous Doer

Activates the Controller

The way in which the cognitive systems should ideally interact with each other (driven by the different affects) is effectively depicted by a figure-eight symbol.

and to then make decisions based on this. The goal we then ultimately opt for needs to be as realistic as possible, and ideally in line with our own personal needs and desires. Goal-defining processes therefore take place within the Managing Director cognitive system. And as described above, equanimity (inhibited negative affect) is the mood best suited to such decision-making.

Action planning via the Logician

Once we have set ourselves a goal, we need to think about

Activates the Managing Director

the best approach to achieving it and to plan corresponding concrete steps. This process is essential to keeping track of the tasks involved and not overlooking anything. It involves contemplating how to categorize general goals and tasks, planning concrete and logical work processes and steps, storing yet unachieved goals and tasks as intentions, and possibly also defining the right point in time to carry out the tasks. The mood best suited to action planning is sobriety (inhibited positive affect).

Activates the Logician

Action performance via the Spontaneous

Doer

Once all preparatory measures have been taken and all steps considered, we can start putting our plans into action. So after having spent the analysis phase in a sober, objective mood (inhibited positive affect), we can now release our sense of excitement and drive (positive affect) vis-àvis the plans to be implemented and goals to be achieved. Within Personality Systems Interactions (PSI) theory, the transfer from the Logician system to the Spontaneous Doer system is described as “action facilitation.”

It gives us the drive to actively implement the planned steps. It stops us from giving up on things or getting caught up in our plans, and spurs our ability to remain focused and resolute, even when the going gets tough.

Results monitoring via the Controller

If we encounter unforeseen difficulties in our efforts to implement our plans, the Controller comes into play. The main aim of the Controller is to analyze individual details within the larger context, to recognize errors and

discrepancies, and to take steps to counter these. The Controller is therefore where our problem focus — our critical eye — lies. It identifies details that may impede the proper functioning of a system. It is the area in which the excitement and drive that we felt during action facilitation turns into skepticism, anger, or disappointment (negative affect).

This negative affect causes us to focus on errors or want to examine results.

Once we have recognized the error, monitored the results, and examined all the details, however, we need to free ourselves from this problem focus and return to a solutionoriented mindset. To do this, we have to regulate our state of negative affect accordingly. PSI theory refers to this process as self-calming. It involves a switch from the left brain to the right brain: from the Controller system to the Managing Director system. This switch might also require us to adjust our original goals based on the Controller’s findings and experiences. And this process of learning from experience is extremely important for our personal development.

The figure eight begins again

To summarize, the Managing Director is responsible for defining our goals, the Logician for planning our actions, the Spontaneous Doer for putting those plans into practice, and the Controller for monitoring the results of those actions.

The above pattern depicting the activation and deactivation of these cognitive systems constitutes an ideal and is by no means standard in us all. After all, we don’t always clarify what our goals are and plan the individual steps before acting. And we don’t always retrospectively analyze and evaluate our behavior. For instance, a good mood can inspire our Spontaneous Doer system to get started on something straightaway, without having undertaken any planning. In such a situation, the other three systems are hardly activated.

While we all have the ability to activate and deactivate the four cognitive systems according to the above ideal, we tend to act according to how strong these inner systems are in us. And this is something that varies greatly from person to person. In fact, the strength of our different cognitive systems and how they interact with each other is essentially what gives us our unique personality, dictating whether we like coming up with creative ideas and broad goals, or prefer to plan things in detail; whether we tend to feel the urge to get started on things

straightaway, or like to focus on discrepancies and missing information.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t change and develop our cognitive systems. On the contrary, training certain systems and strengthening certain connections can be very beneficial to our development. By fortifying the connections between the Logician and the Spontaneous Doer, and between the Controller and the Managing Director, for example, we can become a lot more effective at overcoming the sense of resistance that we sometimes feel in the face of challenging tasks and that can impede us from acting. Moreover, becoming more aware of our system preferences helps us to establish which task areas and work environments we work best in, and to understand how to work effectively within a heterogeneous team. This in turn is extremely important both for our ability to achieve success and for our emotional well-being.

Competent behavior — Salvaging a key account at risk of churn

The following sample case study illustrates a typical scenario that a strategic account manager (SAM) might encounter and demonstrates how to apply the Action Control Model to successfully manage a challenging situation.

Mindset

Competent behavior involves acting situationally and adaptively, leveraging all four cognitive systems as needed to address challenges effectively.

Scenario

A SAM is responsible for a high-value customer who has expressed dissatisfaction with the service level and is considering switching to a competitor. The client has scheduled a critical meeting to discuss their concerns. The SAM must manage emotions, process information effectively, and take decisive action to salvage the relationship.

Application of the Action Control Model

• Managing Director: Goal formation

Before the meeting: The SAM considers various ideas and options to resolve the situation, focusing on achieving customer satisfaction and potential growth opportunities. They also prepare to manage their own emotions and those of the client.

During the meeting: The SAM maintains a high-level perspective, aligning the discussion with the customer’s

strategic goals and business value. They remain creative and flexible, adapting to the conversation in real time.

• Logician: Action planning

Before the meeting: The SAM meticulously plans by analyzing options, creating if-then scenarios, preparing key questions, and structuring the meeting. They consider the participants’ interests, personalities, and potential reactions.

During the meeting: The SAM executes their strategy, applying their prepared plans and adapting as needed to steer the conversation positively.

• Spontaneous Doer: Action performance

Before the meeting: The SAM mentally prepares by focusing on positive emotions and motivation, envisioning success.

During the meeting: The SAM acts proactively, remains agile, responds intuitively to objections, and builds rapport with the client to foster trust and collaboration.

• Controller: Results monitoring

Before the meeting: The SAM anticipates potential negative outcomes and prepares for worst-case scenarios to avoid surprises.

During the meeting: The SAM closely monitors the client’s reactions, paying attention to subtle cues to ensure the discussion stays on track and aligns with the desired outcome.

Success factors

• Regulating negative affect: Managing frustration or fear of failure (Controller) to stay solution-focused and activate the Managing Director for strategic thinking and creativity.

• Shifting to positive affect: Cultivating confidence and urgency to facilitate decisive action.

• Balancing strategy and adaptability: Combining highlevel strategic thinking with on-the-spot flexibility to address the client’s concerns effectively.

Summary

The activation of the four cognitive systems is controlled by affects — our unconscious emotional states or moods. These affects determine which system we use and to what degree. While we are all capable of using all four systems, the ability to switch between them is crucial for effective

behavior. Two key system transfers are particularly important:

1. Self-motivation (action facilitation): Moving from the Logician (left hemisphere) to the Spontaneous Doer (right hemisphere) to energize and pursue our intentions.

2. Learning from experience (self-calming): Moving from the Controller to the Managing Director to reflect, adapt, and grow from past experiences.

While the four cognitive systems explain how we act, why we act is driven by our three basic motives: power, performance, and relationship. These motives provide energy and direction, influencing how we interpret situations and choose to engage with them. Each motive has both conscious and unconscious forms, and their varying strengths in different contexts shape our ability to act effectively. Acting in alignment with our motives is energizing and inspiring, while acting against them can drain us over time.

Our unique personalities and routines as drivers of behavior emerge from the interplay between the four cognitive systems, our basic motives, and the dynamic relationships between them. This combination determines our strengths, areas for growth, and overall effectiveness in both personal and professional contexts.

Analyze yourself

Get your personal and professional reflection on the four cognitive systems and strengths of your affects with a unique Screenfact — a five-minute visual psychometric analysis that captures your personal style based on your visual preferences. (See page 47 for an example analysis.) The test results also reveal your hidden strengths and provide you with personalized development tips. n

Ceynur Nak is President and Founder at Leappo and Senior Management Consultant at Pawlik Consultants International. Connect with her on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ceynurnak Henrik Meyer-Hoeven is Professor of Strategy & Leadership at Hamburg School of Business Administration and Partner with Pawlik Consultants International. Connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/hmeyerhoeven. Ina Everts is Manager, Personnel Diagnostics, at Pawlik Consultants International. Connect with her on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ina-everts

STUDY & DIALOGUE

1. Pawlik is happy to offer free access to an individual Screenfact analysis for 100 participants until June 15, 2025.

Please email assess@pawlik.de if interested. You will receive a link and a direct individual report after performing the visual analysis for five minutes.

We will take all results anonymously and aggregate them into a SAMA Study Report.

2. Pawlik will also facilitate a 90-minute webinar for a deep dive into the concept, on reading the report right, and on the results of the study.

For this you have two options: June 24th and July 9th, both at 11 am Central Time. Interested in the webinar? Please mail your application to assess@pawlik.de.

Or use the direct links and/or QR codes below for registration and participation entry for the webinars.

June 24, 2025, 11 am Central Time

https://pawlik.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_CnjwWjaNTguRoNTk04A1sw

July 9, 2025, 11 am Central Time

https://pawlik.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_Rpqhi_61TKCc5LR8k-rhsA

DIAMOND SPONSOR AC25

EXERCISING YOUR HEART AND MIND FOR STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

By Keshini Masani Principal & Mindset Coach CXO IMPACT

Janti Masani CEO & Founder CXO IMPACT

What does it take to be a successful key account manager? Customer and supplier expectations have changed. Yesterday’s transactional relationships have evolved into today’s transformational partnerships. For this evolution to happen, there needs to be a foundation built on holistic engagement that touches both the heart and the mind. Today, strategic account managers must:

• Develop a growth mindset

• Show up a differently

• Create an authentic self

• Demonstrate strong collaboration

• Employ a high level of emotional intelligence

• Build strong customer engagement

Consider these elements as opportunities and recognize that in today’s world, it is no longer sufficient for strategic account managers to focus on their competency set alone. You must focus on something much greater if you want to stand out and show up differently to achieve excellence.

Structured minds, humanistic hearts

A structured mindset is crucial to giving meaning to what you see and hear. Clear and concise communication should employ words and visuals that convey and validate the meaning behind your understanding. A strategic account manager who is already good can become great by combining visual thinking (structured mindset) with a cognitive humanistic approach (growth mindset). Creating excellence through this route can positively impact yourself and others.

The combination of both approaches combines mind with heart. The mind focuses on aspects such as data, insights, communication, and even creativity, whereas the heart focuses on aspects such as feelings, emotions, beliefs, and values. In both personal and professional lives, decisions are rarely made based on using the brain alone. Even

professionals use a combination of what their brain (structured mindset) is saying together with what their heart (growth mindset) is telling them.

Strategic account managers who rely on just one mindset can negatively impact outcomes. To create excellence in how you show up and stand out, you need to use the two mindsets in conjunction to support one another. This article will highlight some of the key areas of the heart, as this is an area where SAM coaching is currently limited. Its value is highly underestimated in business and in society today.

What is growth mindset?

Our mindset is very powerful: it can strongly affect success in all areas of our lives. Mindset relates to how success and failure are perceived, how you view your sense of self, and how you choose to respond in adverse situations. Your chosen mindset will guide your achievements, so to reach a high level of fulfillment and well-being you need to train your brain to think in a growth mindset and adopt a positive attitude, even when faced with adversity. You need to believe that your abilities can be cultivated and learn from setbacks.

Your chosen mindset will guide your achievements, so to reach a high level of fulfillment and well-being you need to train your brain to think in a growth mindset and adopt a positive attitude, even when faced with adversity.

Grit and resilience

Embracing a growth mindset can remove the fear of failing which often holds you back. A growth mindset embraces the belief that your abilities and intelligence can grow over time and lead to long-term success. Adopting a mindset of turning a negative into a positive — that failure is an opportunity to grow — is a way of exercising resilience. Failure is probably still an unpleasant experience, but it does not have to define you.

There’s a difference between success in a growth mindset and success with a fixed mindset. In a growth mindset, success can be viewed as an individual doing their best, learning, and constantly improving. In a fixed mindset, success can be seen as being the best and staying on top.

Strategic account managers are highly driven by creating successful outcomes, achieving results, and striving to create win-win solutions. Two fundamental areas of growth mindset — grit and authentic self — have a major impact on how we show up.

Grit is a standout factor that drives resiliency, having stamina that can be applied in all aspects of life. It can come from a mindset of doing something not because you must, but rather because you want to. Grit is the part of your character that relates to hard work and perseverance and can be understood as running a marathon, not a sprint. Becoming “gritty” is key to building your resilience and helping you to show confidence and seriousness.

It’s often thought that resilience in strategic account managers means toughness, extreme perseverance, and proactively finding solutions to adversity. These moments, especially for a strategic account manager, are inevitable. The question is, how to change mindset and build resilience around these situations?

Key account managers must know how to cope with sudden change or unexpected events. For example, you have been working on a deal for weeks, and suddenly in the first email of the morning the customer announces that they want to take a different direction. Or a negative meeting with your manager on a Friday afternoon spirals your whole weekend downhill.

To display your authentic self you need to understand yourself — and others — through your strengths, beliefs, and values.

The power of pausing

A simple tool that has shown to have significant benefits is the power of pausing. In an adverse situation people often want to disregard heavy and uncomfortable feelings, which represents a mindset that can have a negative effect on well-being. It’s important to take a period for digestion, pausing and allowing yourself to dwell in your initial feelings. Learning the art of slowing down is key to creating a positive impact on our mindset and helps us to get back on track.

In today’s culture taking time to pause feels very uncomfortable. You enjoy a fast-paced life, and taking a moment to pause makes you feel you might miss out on something. But conversational intelligence is important for strategic account managers, and developing the ability to pause is beneficial when understanding the needs of our customers. Only by pausing can you listen better, hear more, understand more, and validate what it is the customer seeks.

Taking time to pause can make us more proactive rather than reactive in situations, and learning how to deal with silence is pivotal to avoid hasty, survival-mode reaction. Being able to slow down to move faster can make you more thoughtful and mindful when engaging in conversation and careful when reacting to both positive and negative situations.

Taking even 90 seconds to pause and think through

the situation and what choices you have to respond can make the difference between a favorable outcome and a setback. It’s about learning how to make a measured response, not just to react. Turning the concept of pausing into a habit helps to differentiate you and supports long-term success.

Authentic self

To display your authentic self you need to understand yourself — and others — through your strengths, beliefs, and values. These are all key components of your persona that can be changed and developed. They help you to appear unique in a way that others appreciate. You want to be different from all the other strategic account managers the customer meets so they see your value in an authentic way that is true to yourself. It’s possible, but not easy. You start by building self-awareness and social awareness: technical skills are necessary too, but they are no longer sufficient alone.

Key account managers must have strong engagement skills to work with customers, teams, and leaders, although few companies place enough emphasis on such attributes. When you are engaging with your team, managers, leaders, and customers, you want to be thinking about how you appear to them. This means being aware of your own thoughts, behaviors, and actions, and how they impact others around us. Asking yourself simple questions such as “I feel…” or “Before I act, I choose….” can help you to become aware of your mindset, how it might be visible to others, and how to best manage it.

Social awareness

Alongside self-awareness, you need to establish social awareness. Do you understand the environment and how people around you are feeling? This is known as reading the room. Becoming aware of both verbal and non-verbal cues is key to being able to understand the mindset of others. For example, someone’s eye contact, posture, and subtle gestures show how they are feeling. Asking questions such as “I see….” or “I sense you are….” or “I think my team needs…” can be extremely beneficial to managing a situation before it takes over, for better or for worse.

Having self-awareness and social awareness is critical to recognizing the emotions and mindset of ourselves and others. It is even more important to build that information into flexibly managing situations to avoid and resolve conflict or misunderstandings. Such skills are game-changers in growing trusting relationships. These strategic account managers communicate and collaborate very effectively with their team and with customers.

Building the authentic self through this mindset starts with me (self-awareness), then moves to understanding you (understanding the thoughts, behaviors, and actions of others), and finally ending with us — understanding the mindset as a collective. This is the me-you-us framework.

Conclusion

A more cognitive and humanistic approach is receiving new attention in strategic account management. Skills like grit, authentic self, self-awareness, and social awareness have not previously been taught in business or at schools and universities. But the importance and impact of these skills for strategic account managers is becoming increasingly apparent, particularly as technology begins to take over some of the information supply that used to be a large part of the job. Organizations are now realizing that these softer skills are the harder skills.

Developing these skills is a journey. It’s not a matter of learning facts and regurgitating them on demand. Becoming aware of your own mindset is the first step, and then building it up takes time, perseverance, and patience. But the more you focus on it and practice, the easier it becomes. It’s like a muscle — the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.

Many organizations want to develop their strategic account managers from good to great, to stand out and show up differently. Combining your mind and heart to become an even better version of yourself can create a huge impact. You’ll be surprised — it’s a game changer! n

Keshini Masani is Principal and Mindset Coach at CXO IMPACT. She can be reached at km@cxoimpact.co.uk. Janti Masani is CEO & Founder at CXO IMPACT. He can be reached at jm@cxoimpact.co.uk

IS YOUR SAM JOURNEY STALLED?

How a Center of Excellence can turn your headaches into success

By Dominique Côté CEO & Founder Cosawi

In an era of constant change and market complexities, strategic account management (SAM) has evolved into a vital business transformation strategy. Its success, however, hinges on the presence of a robust Center of Excellence (CoE). Far more than a support function, the CoE plays a critical role in embedding SAM within the organization by driving vision, ensuring alignment, enabling consistency, and fostering continuous improvement.

As the strategic nerve center, the CoE unifies cross-functional expertise from teams such as sales, marketing, IT, and operations, while also integrating critical roles in finance, training, and human resources. This diverse composition brings together strategic account managers, change agents, and process experts who provide the vision and framework needed to standardize processes, define methodologies, and create a common language across the organization.

This consistency is essential for building long-term, value-driven relationships with key accounts and advancing the customer-centric journey.

Why is CoE enablement often overlooked in the SAM journey?

Despite its crucial role, many organizations overlook the CoE in their SAM strategies. Historically, this gap has led to fragmented efforts, inconsistent execution, and a transactional mindset. Without a dedicated CoE, teams struggle to align across functions and fail to embed SAM as a core, sustainable practice — particularly in complex industries and organizations.

By instilling a customer-first mindset, the CoE ensures that SAM principles not only are adopted but also continuously evolve to meet changing market dynamics. This cultural shift is supported by comprehensive training and development programs, equipping teams with the skills needed to engage deeply and strategically with clients. Without this enablement, organizations remain reactive rather than proactive, missing out on the opportunity to build lasting, strategic partnerships.

A well-composed CoE not only brings together crossfunctional collaboration but also champions innovation, ensuring that the SAM journey is adaptable and futureproof. It transforms SAM from a series of initiatives into an organization-wide mindset that permeates all customerfacing activities. It ensures that SAM remains adaptable, helping organizations anticipate and respond to evolving customer needs, leading to sustained growth and long-term success.

In this article, I’d like to share how some of our clients have been able to leverage and evolve their CoE throughout their strategic account management journey.

Key elements of a successful CoE

Building an effective CoE for SAM involves focusing on four core elements: vision, people, processes, and execution.

Vision and strategic alignment: A successful CoE begins with a well-defined vision that aligns with the organization’s overarching business strategy. This vision serves as a “North Star,” guiding all initiatives and ensuring that efforts are concentrated on areas with the highest potential

impact. By linking the CoE’s objectives to the company’s goals, organizations can prioritize actions that drive measurable value.

To translate vision into action, the CoE should develop a detailed roadmap outlining specific initiatives, timelines, and milestones. This roadmap acts as a strategic plan, detailing the sequence and timing of the organization’s journey towards its goals. It ensures that all stakeholders are aligned and provides a clear path forward.

People: Success in SAM begins with having the right people in place, from strategic account managers to leadership. The CoE plays a pivotal role in defining the skills and competencies required for SAM roles and ensuring these individuals are supported through continuous development and training. It is essential not just to hire strategically but to foster ongoing growth and learning within the SAM teams. A key takeaway is the importance of middle management — often the gatekeepers of implementation — who must be fully aligned with SAM strategies to avoid bottlenecks and ensure smooth execution across the organization.

“The middle management layer is often missed, but they can really create the top-down and bottom-up alignment necessary for SAM to flourish,” said one customer who understands the best practices for successful execution. This perspective highlights the need for continuous engagement with these leaders, ensuring they understand the strategic importance of SAM and their role in its success.

Processes: Standardizing processes across the organization is crucial for SAM success. A CoE establishes a common language and set of practices that allow all teams to work cohesively. This includes defining key SAM terminologies, ensuring consistency in customer engagement strategies, and integrating SAM principles into the broader organizational framework. Clear processes help account managers and support teams collaborate effectively. Focusing on embedding these key terminologies within an organizational culture leads to a unified approach across all business units or pillars.

“We made sure that terms like customer goals and expected returns were not just buzzwords but part

A ROADMAP TO SUCCESS – CUSTOMER CENTRICITY

of our daily discussions,” said one of our pharmaceutical customers. This commitment to consistent language and practices ensures that all team members are aligned in their understanding and execution of SAM strategies.

Execution: SAM enablement is the backbone that supports the SAM journey. To ensure seamless execution, it’s critical for a common SAM account plan to integrate strategic account management tools with a customer engagement model. Our experience illustrates how a well-evolved SAM methodology and account plan integrated in the right platform can drive more effective customer interactions and streamline relationship management. The journey from a simple tool to a fully integrated SAM way of working highlights the importance of investing in the right capability to support long-term business transformation.

Artificial intelligence also impacts the strategic planning work by providing insight, often challenging the assumptions we have about our knowledge of our most important customers. This helps with the account planning strategy and can be leveraged to create differentiating factors in customer interactions.

“The right enablement and technology is not just about having a tool; it’s about leveraging the team and enablement group and platform to enhance customer relationships and provide actionable insights,” said one organizational leader who employs this strategy. This highlights the necessity for organizations to carefully evaluate and select their SAM methodology and use tools that are pragmatic, unifying, and able to evolve with their strategies and customer needs.

An organization we partnered with offers one compelling example of how a CoE can elevate SAM to a new level. They started by having their SAM efforts fragmented, with processes varying across business units and teams. However, by establishing a dedicated CoE, they unified their approach and ensured that all teams operated with a consistent strategy.

A CoE played a critical role in fostering collaboration between key departments such as commercial excellence, marketing, and sales operations, creating a seamless flow of information and resources. Their CoE focused heavily on building internal capabilities. By developing a strong internal network of SAM ambassadors across various regions and

CoE Focus on Internal Capabilities Network of SAM Ambassadors

Adopting Consistent SAM Principles

Driving Best Practices

Aligning Business Plans

Fostering Continuous Improvement Globalization

business units, the CoE ensured that SAM principles were adopted and implemented consistently.

These ambassadors played a key role in driving best practices, ensuring that customer business plans aligned with broader organizational goals and fostered a culture of continuous improvement from global to local — what we refer to as “glocalization” for central guidance and local execution.

“Our SAM ambassadors are crucial in translating the CoE’s vision into local practices, ensuring that each team understands its role in the bigger picture,” said one of our customers. This perspective illustrates how local champions can bridge the gap between global strategy and local execution, making the CoE’s efforts more effective.

In this execution, setting clear KPIs to measure the success of the SAM initiatives is also critical. These include metrics such as the percentage of account managers trained in SAM, the adoption rate of SAM tools, and the frequency of customer interactions. By measuring both program effectiveness and individual performance, the CoE can continuously refine its approach and ensure that SAM remains aligned with business objectives.

“Setting KPIs is essential not just for accountability but for driving behavior change across the organization,” said one of our customers. This highlights the CoE’s role in establishing performance metrics that not only track progress but also encourage the right actions from all team members involved in SAM.

Conclusion

A CoE is not just an operational necessity — it is a strategic imperative for organizations looking to transform their SAM approach into a competitive advantage. By focusing on the vision, people, processes, and enablement, a CoE ensures that SAM is executed consistently and effectively across the organization. Some of the case studies we developed highlight the tangible benefits of a wellstructured CoE, from enhanced internal collaboration to measurable improvements in customer engagement and business outcomes.

For organizations on the SAM journey, the CoE serves as both a guiding force and a source of innovation, helping to continuously refine and improve the way they engage with their most important customers. By embracing the CoE model, businesses can build deeper, more meaningful relationships with their strategic accounts, driving long-term growth and success.

In summary, the establishment of a CoE for SAM is not merely a theoretical exercise; it is a practical necessity for organizations committed to transforming their customer engagement strategies. As demonstrated by our customers’ success, a well-functioning CoE fosters alignment, enhances collaboration, and drives a culture of continuous improvement that ultimately leads to better outcomes for both the organization and its customers. n

Dominique Côté is CEO & Founder of Cosawi (www.cosawi.com) and can be contacted at dcote@cosawi.com. Connect with her on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/dominiquecote1