I am an engineer and have been working in Sales Engineering for more than 15 years now. You are on an interesting and fruitful quest and I wish you well.

The biggest shift in moving from engineering to sales is that your priority is no longer being the smartest person in the room. Unless, of course, you understand that the smartest person in the room is the person who gets the deal done in a mutually advantageous way. There will always be someone who wants to appear smarter than you, LET THEM. Your goal is to make a living.

The one thing I would say to remember is that your integrity is the most valuable thing that you have, bar none. Don't trade it away for anything. Over the long-term, sales is about finding a great solution that meets the needs of your customer, not winning deals or negotiations.

Here are a few books I found useful in my journey: * Let's get real or let's not play - https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Get-Real-Not-Play/dp/1596592060 * The Three value conversations - https://www.amazon.com/Three-Value-Conversations-Customer-Lo... * Never Split the Difference - https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-De... * Leadership is Language - https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Language-Changes-Differenc... * Draw to win - https://www.amazon.com/Draw-Win-Course-Innovate-Visual-ebook...

Have you tried mirroring?

For context, see Chris Voss’s ‘Never Split the Difference’

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It

https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-De...

This is a really refreshing and inspiring approach, and it speaks to the importance of "tactically deployed empathy." You're one of the good ones :)

Do you have any recommendations on resources/articles/books, either for "rank and file" trying to ensure their messages are framed well, or for consultants or others who find themselves in situations helping ideas to cut through the noise?

I'll share one that I've found incredibly helpful in the past: "Never Split The Difference" by Chris Voss https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014DUR7L2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?...

"Never Split the Difference"[1] - A book on negotiation, which can be used at work or personal life.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-De...

I totally borked the title. This is the book I was thinking of: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014DUR7L2

Increasingly, folks are gaming Google's search.

Take this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-De...

If I search for '"Never Split The Difference" review', I want to find, well, people's reviews. Note that the book has several ratings on Amazon - it is a popular book.

Yet I found only perhaps 1 "honest" review in the first 2 pages of Google's results. Everything else I find reads like a promotion for the book.

Looking at Fakespot, there is some evidence of light tampering with Amazon's reviews on the book.

The reason I Googled it? I've read a few chapters and am appalled at the book. It essentially is trying to boost its popularity by trashing what is taught in well respected negotiation programs at top universities. But while repeatedly trashing that education throughout the book, he continually advocates strategies that are also taught by the same programs he is trashing.

Given that he continually bashes the most famous book on the topic (Getting To Yes), I wanted to see if anyone has done an honest comparison between the two - pointing out the author's somewhat dishonest stance. And I can't find it in the early Google hits. I see it only in the 1 or 2 star reviews on Amazon.

There is a book I recently read:

https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-De...

This is a book about negotiation written by a hostage negotiator. It was an eye-opener that I needed.

One of the key principles is that you don't accuse or attack (something I still need to work on myself).