Excitement, Anticipation, Uncertainty

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the honor of working with three groups of students who are excited to launch careers in broadcasting. The National Radio Talent Systems program, powered by RAB, facilitated media career academies in Georgia and Illinois. (We have another that I’ll be hosting in Boone, North Carolina, next week.) RAB also partners with the NAB Leadership Foundation for its Media Sales Academy. Different cities, different states and different students – the energy was the same. Excitement, anticipation and a bit of uncertainty.

The Class of 2026 is walking into one of the most unpredictable business environments in modern history. Artificial intelligence is changing workflows overnight. Entire industries are being reshaped in real time. Skills that were valuable three years ago may already be outdated and many entry-level positions are evolving faster than companies can rewrite job descriptions.

That reality shouldn’t scare salespeople. It should energize them.

While technology continues to change how business gets done, one thing remains remarkably stable: organizations still desperately need people who can build trust, solve problems and create confidence during uncertain times.

That’s where sales professionals have an enormous opportunity.

A recent SmartBrief article discussing the Class of 2026 entering the workforce argued that adaptability, resilience and judgment are becoming more important than technical expertise alone. I believe the same thing is true for selling.

The future does not belong to the salesperson with the best script. It belongs to the salesperson who can think.

In many ways, the role of a salesperson is becoming less transactional and more consultative. Being a source of business intelligence and a resource to your clients has been a foundational element of our RAB training for more than a decade.

Clients don’t just need information anymore. They’re drowning in information. What they need is perspective. They need someone who can simplify complexity.
They need someone who can help them make sense of conflicting options or someone who understands their business pressures, not just their advertising schedule or purchasing cycle.

This is where younger sellers entering the workforce sometimes struggle. Many grew up in a world of instant answers and rapid digital communication. But great selling still requires patience, listening and human connection. Those skills cannot be shortcut.

In fact, as technology accelerates, human skills become even more valuable.

The best sales leaders understand this. Their job is no longer simply teaching products or closing techniques. It’s helping people develop judgment, helping them learn how to navigate ambiguity and helping them become adaptable enough to succeed in a business world that will continue changing long after this current wave of AI disruption settles down.

The World Economic Forum estimates that nearly 40% of existing skills will be transformed or outdated by 2030. Think about that for a moment. Nearly half of our existing skills will be outdated in just five years.

From the article:

In a workplace that will keep changing, young professionals need more than skills. They need an internal compass built from purpose, passion, self-awareness and the ability to adapt without losing themselves in the process.

The article goes on to list seven things leaders can do now to adapt. We’ll share just a few here:

1. Redesign onboarding around adaptability, not just orientation.
   Do not limit onboarding to systems, policies, organizational charts and role expectations. Add conversations about how the business is changing, what forces are reshaping the industry and how new hires can build the habits of learning, unlearning and asking better questions.

2. Ask every new hire three purpose-and-passion questions.
   Within the first 30 days, managers should ask:

   1. What kind of work gives you energy?
   2. What contribution do you want to make here?
   3. What do you want to be better at one year from now?

   These questions help leaders understand the person behind the resume and connect early assignments to motivation, growth and contribution.

3. Give new hires one ambiguous assignment early.
   Assign a small project where the answer is not obvious and the path is not fully defined. Then, coach them through how to frame the problem, gather input, test assumptions and make a recommendation. Agility develops through guided exposure to uncertainty.

4. Train managers to coach passion, not just performance.
   Performance conversations usually ask, “How did you do?” Better development conversations also ask, “What gave you energy? What drained you? Where did you feel most useful? What did you learn about yourself?” These questions help employees build self-awareness and help leaders deploy talent more intelligently.

That means every salesperson, regardless of age or experience, has to embrace continuous learning as part of the job now. The good news? Salespeople who stay curious, adaptable and relationship-focused will always matter.

Technology may change the tools. It may change the process. It may even change parts of the job itself. But people will still buy from people they trust.

That’s one thing that is not changing anytime soon.

Think Big, Make Big Things Happen!

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@RAB.com. You can also connect with him on X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.