How to Design an SKO Agenda That Drives Lasting Growth

Most SKOs inspire for a moment, then fade just as fast.

To turn yours into a true catalyst for growth, you need more than excitement. You need a clear shift in mindset, a way to build real capability in the room, and a plan to sustain it long after the event.

Here’s how to design an SKO that does exactly that. First, we’ll get clear on what your agenda must accomplish to drive real change. Then we’ll break down the three pillars of transformation. Finally, we’ll show how to keep that momentum alive into Q1 and beyond.

Start with Clarity: What Your SKO Must Do to Drive Change

If the goal is to drive real behavior change in the field, your SKO agenda needs to do more than inform or motivate. 

It must serve as the launch point for a broader change initiative that has:

• A clear belief shift: Reps must understand why change is needed and what's getting in the way
• Field-ready capability development: They must learn and apply new strategies in relevant, high-stakes scenarios
• Leader-led reinforcement: Managers need tools, training, and a rhythm to coach to the change
• Ongoing enablement: The momentum of the SKO must carry into Q1 and Q2 with follow-up assets, cadences, and coaching plans

This is the structure we see in successful transformations. Without it, the event inspires but doesn’t stick.

So how do you design an agenda that delivers? 

The 3 Pillars of a Transformational SKO

Pillar #1: Start by Shifting Beliefs, Not Just Sharing Goals

Most agendas open with vision and updates. Important, yes. But if your reps don’t internalize why change is needed, they’ll default to old habits by February.

To create the conditions for transformation, your SKO should begin with a clear, compelling shift in perspective. This often starts by challenging the underlying assumptions reps have about what their job is.

For example: Let’s say your sellers consistently stay at the surface level in customer conversations. Opportunities stall because the team is focused on servicing the known, rather than uncovering new areas of value.

You could use your SKO to introduce a framework contrasting reactive vs. proactive account leadership. Have reps self-assess where they fall. Then use breakout sessions to map real accounts using the new lens, exploring how belief drives behavior and where growth is being left on the table.

What this looks like:

When reps see their job as delivering answers instead of creating value, even the best training won’t shift behavior. That’s why SKO needs to start by opening minds before you teach anything new. 

This isn’t about sharing goals. It’s about changing how the team sees their role. If you skip this step, you may be asking reps to change without first making them open to it, and that’s where most transformations stall.

Pillar #2: Cut to Build: Design for Capability, Not Content Saturation

SKOs often collapse under their own weight. With every function vying for agenda time, training becomes a drive-by. But capability isn’t built through exposure; it’s built through repetition, reflection, and relevance.

The psychology is clear: the brain can only absorb so much. Overloading your agenda reduces recall and engagement. To increase retention and drive change, you must be willing to cut low-priority content in favor of high-impact learning moments.

The goal: transform high-level ideas into field-ready skills. For account growth, that means equipping reps to:

• Identify unarticulated needs within the account
• Engage disengaged or resistant stakeholders
• Shift from pitching to guiding strategic conversations

For example: Suppose your reps are struggling to gain traction with economic buyers. The team is technically strong, but conversations stay tactical, and outreach to senior stakeholders isn’t landing.

In your SKO, you could dedicate a focused capability block to creating receptivity in these types of accounts. This would offer your team a structured approach to opening doors and positioning value in a way that earns the right to go deeper. Then, pair this with peer discussion and role play scenarios tailored to your verticals.

Sample Training Block:

This part of the agenda signals what matters. Not just what gets taught, but how. 

Prioritizing capability building shows reps (and leaders) that developing field-ready skills isn’t an event. It’s the expectation. And if that expectation isn’t reflected in how you prioritize agenda time, you may be signaling that real capability building is optional.

Pillar #3: Plan Backward: Build the Agenda Around Post-SKO Execution

Don't plan forward from content requests. Plan backward from desired field behavior. What should reps be doing differently 30, 60, 90 days out?

For example: Let’s say your Q1 objective is to increase penetration in strategic accounts, and you've introduced a new account planning tool. Adoption has been inconsistent.

Rather than treating the tool as a one-off session, build your SKO around it as the spine of your execution strategy. Design working sessions where teams apply the tool live to priority accounts. Dedicate time for managers to build a reinforcement rhythm that kicks off the week after the event.

Planning Prompt:

The real test of your SKO isn’t in the room. It’s in the field. If your agenda doesn’t lead directly into sustained action, with leaders ready to reinforce and reps clear on what to do next, the moment won’t last. 

That’s why the most effective SKOs are planned backward, not from who asked for time, but from what behavior should show up in the field 90 days later.

Turn Your SKO Into a Catalyst for Real Change

Your SKO agenda reflects not only your priorities, but also your strategy for growth.

If the goal is to deepen account penetration, elevate rep conversations, and drive measurable change in the field, your agenda should do more than inform. 

It should:

• Create receptivity to a new mindset
• Build skills reps can use the moment they return to the field
• Equip leaders to reinforce the shift long after the event ends

This isn’t about adding more sessions; it’s about choosing the right ones. With a clear structure and a plan for sustainment, your SKO becomes more than an event. It becomes the engine of transformation.

Because sustaining the momentum after SKO is often where teams struggle most, many enablement leaders are equipping frontline managers with a plan and tools to keep the shift alive.

That’s exactly what Catalyst is built for. It's a sales management training program that gives your leaders a simple framework to coach more effectively and lead their teams through transformation long after the event ends.