We deserve a seat at the table with senior executive leadership" has become a battle cry of the sales enablement community. The recent downturn and associated lay-offs have shown that this seat needs to be earned and is certainly not given... Our guest in this week's episode has spent most of his career in sales and sales leadership which is why he understands the full enablement value chain. In our conversation, he breaks down what it takes for sales enablement to develop a laser-sharp focus on strategic business value creation. Please welcome the VP of Global Revenue Enablement at Instructure and the host of the Stories from the Trenches podcast, Paul Butterfield Here are some of the questions we attempted to tackle: As a former sales leader and now enabler, how do you interpret the enablement function and how does it differ from other interpretations you come across? How has the recent downturn impacted enablement teams in the US market and what do most enablement teams that have experienced layoffs in common?What are your tips for enablement leaders who want to maximise the business value they create? Which steps are from your experience required to navigate the transformation from an activity-focused function to a strategic function that works closely with senior executive leadership? Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode: Connect with Paul Butterfield on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrbutterfield/ Listen to the SES In the Trenches podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sales-enablement-society-stories-from-the-trenches/id1510380341 Connect with Felix Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/ Where to find The State of Sales Enablement: Website - http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/ Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6g Mentioned in this episode: Webinar: 7 Steps to Maximizing Enablement's Business Impact Some of the topics Mike Kunkle and Felix Krueger cover include: - Understand the maturity level of your sales enablement team - A simple framework that will help you identify current shortfalls - How to get more done with less by effectively managing stakeholders - An overview of the sales performance levers you should consider - How to formalize a plan that delivers results and helps you gain momentum fast If making a business impact with enablement is your priority going into 2023, visit goffwd.com/impact to watch this webinar. The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience If you want to stop reinventing the wheel, maximize business impact, and fast-track your career, consider joining a growing community of Enablers at The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience. To learn more visit goffwd.com/blocks.