Redefining Enablement: How Productivity and Readiness Are Shaping the Future of Sales

In the Spotlight with Kari Neidigh, VP of Productivity and Readiness

The enablement function is evolving — fast. Once known for onboarding, playbooks, and certification programs, it’s now being reimagined around revenue impact, data credibility, and AI-driven readiness.

In the latest episode of In the Spotlight, host Roi Carmel sits down with Kari Neidigh, VP of Productivity and Readiness, to unpack how modern go-to-market teams can move beyond traditional enablement toward measurable productivity.

Kari, a long-time enablement leader with experience at Talkdesk, Cloudera, VMware, and Oracle, has seen this evolution firsthand. Her message is clear: productivity is no longer a support function — it’s a shared revenue metric.

“If we’re doing our job properly, our sellers should drive larger deals and expansions — productivity is shared ownership with revenue.”

From Volume to Depth

Kari points out one of the biggest gaps in sales performance today: qualification discipline.

Despite more tools, more data, and better training, reps still chase the wrong opportunities. The problem, she explains, is less about process and more about mindset.

Today’s sellers must shift from being storytellers to being guides — leading customers through complex decisions and helping them define value before they ever talk about product. That confidence doesn’t come from a talk track; it comes from trust and credible data.

AI Without the Hype

While AI dominates every sales conversation, Kari cautions against chasing demos or one-off tools.

“The way you clear through the noise is by starting with a problem. What problem are we trying to solve?”

She argues that real value only appears when AI integrates inside the seller workflow — removing administrative work and returning time to sell. Otherwise, even the best-looking AI features fail to scale.

“The real value shows up when AI quietly removes admin work and gives sellers time back to sell.”

Real-Time Enablement and Data Hygiene

Enablement, once a standalone function, is merging into the flow of work. AI now enables real-time coaching and data capture, creating cleaner, evidence-based inputs for RevOps and leadership.

Kari points to how tools like Spotlight are helping teams automate qualification and strengthen data hygiene without extra manual steps.

“Back in the day, we trained reps how to enter quality MEDDICC data — now AI can do it automatically from the call.”

When sellers see how clean data helps them build stronger business cases, behavior changes naturally. Data quality stops feeling like compliance and starts looking like confidence.

Top-Down Alignment and the AI Task Force

True change, Kari says, requires top-down alignment. Productivity and readiness thrive only when leadership treats them as shared priorities. She advocates for AI task forces — cross-functional teams that evaluate tools, set priorities, and measure business outcomes across the company.

“When it becomes part of the executive language — in an all-hands or a stand-up — that’s when adoption sticks.”

The Future of Readiness

The enablement function isn’t disappearing; it’s evolving. It’s moving from training to transformation, from activity metrics to revenue outcomes.

Kari cites The Framemaking Sale by Brent Adamson and Karl Schmidt, a new book that reimagines the seller as a “decision coach.” The same principle, she says, applies internally — enablement and leadership must coach their teams through uncertainty, confidence, and change.

Listen to the Full Conversation

🎧 In the Spotlight with Kari Neidigh — Redefining Enablement: Productivity, Readiness, and the Future of Sales Execution

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Q&A

Q: What does “Productivity and Readiness” mean in modern sales organizations?

A: According to Kari Neidig, productivity and readiness go beyond training or enablement — they connect directly to revenue impact. It’s about aligning sellers, systems, and leadership around outcomes. When enablement drives measurable revenue productivity, it stops being a support function and becomes part of the revenue engine itself.

Q: Why is sales qualification still such a challenge, even with more tools and AI?

A: Most teams still struggle with poor qualification discipline. Reps often chase opportunities that aren’t truly aligned to their ideal customer profile (ICP). The fix isn’t more data — it’s better listening. Sellers need to shift from pitching to guiding, helping customers define value before talking about solutions.

Q: How should enablement leaders think about AI?

A: Kari warns against chasing hype or flashy demos. The right question isn’t “What can AI do?” but “What problem are we solving?” True value appears when AI integrates into the seller workflow — removing admin work, improving data hygiene, and giving sellers time back to sell.

Q: What role does data quality play in productivity?

A: Data hygiene is one of the most underrated drivers of productivity. When data is clean, credible, and evidence-based, it fuels better forecasting, stronger business cases, and faster approvals. Automation tools like Spotlight.ai can capture qualification data directly from customer conversations, reducing manual entry and improving accuracy.

Q: How can leadership drive adoption of new productivity tools?

A: Top-down alignment is essential. Kari recommends forming an AI task force that connects executives, RevOps, and enablement. When productivity becomes part of the executive language — discussed in all-hands and dashboards — adoption follows naturally.

Q: What’s the biggest mindset shift enablement leaders need to make today?

A: Stop treating enablement as a project and start treating it as readiness. Real productivity isn’t about delivering more training; it’s about embedding guidance, insights, and confidence directly into the seller workflow.