Statistical Enablement with Dr. Tom Tonkin | Interview

In this episode of The State of Sales Enablement, Coach K sits down with Dr. Tom Tonkin—sales enablement OG, academic, and data whisperer—to explore what truly makes enablement work.

From his early days as a sales leader at Oracle to earning a PhD in Organizational Leadership, Tom’s unique journey has equipped him with rare insight into what actually moves the needle in sales performance. Today, he’s on a mission to bring statistical rigor to the world of enablement—and help practitioners avoid chasing shiny objects.

If you’ve ever relied on vendor reports, built programs based on industry surveys, or wondered why your initiatives aren’t getting the results you expected… this episode is for you.

Here’s what we cover:

✅ Why most industry surveys are statistically useless – The difference between descriptive and predictive data—and how to spot flawed claims.

✅ Charters, methodologies, and other myths – The surprising things that don’t actually move the revenue needle.

✅ The 4 levels of insight – Descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive—what they are and why most enablement teams are stuck at level one.

✅ What enablers need to learn next – Why basic statistical literacy might be the most underrated skill in enablement today.

Whether you're an enabler, sales leader, or data-curious professional, this episode will change the way you think about metrics, measurement, and what it truly means to be "data-driven."

Episode Links

Connect with Dr. Tom Tonkin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtomtonkin/

Connect with Coach K on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmkmba/

Mentioned in this episode:

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