Team/Manager
Toolkit
Free
New Rep Discovery Call Onboarding Toolkit
A 5-day ramp bundle: call guide, shadow checklist, scorecard, and script: that takes a new hire from zero to running a discovery call solo, with a certification gate at the end.
How to use it
Hand this to a manager on a new rep's first day; work through it day by day as a joint checklist, using the referenced Cheat Sheet, Rubric, and Swipe File resources as the source material for each day's exercises.
What's inside
- Day 1: Foundations, call guide walkthrough and terminology drill
- Day 2: Shadow, structured shadow-call checklist with observation prompts
- Day 3: Practice, role-play script and peer-review pairing
- Day 4: Co-run, live call with manager silently scoring using the review rubric
- Day 5: Solo + certification gate, first unsupervised call and pass/fail criteria
- Manager instructions for each day (what to prep, what to watch for)
- A certification scorecard tying back to the Discovery Call Review Rubric
5-Day Discovery-Ready Ramp Bundle
Goal: by the end of Day 5, a new hire runs a discovery call solo and scores "Developing" (15+/24) or better on the Discovery Call Review Rubric, with a clear path to "Strong" inside 30 days.
This toolkit pairs with three other resources in this library: reference them directly during the week:
- Discovery Call Structure Cheat Sheet (the flow)
- Discovery Call Review Rubric (the scoring)
- Budget Conversation Swipe File (the scripts)
Day 1: Foundations
New hire does:
- Reads the Discovery Call Structure Cheat Sheet twice: once for content, once out loud for delivery
- Writes out, in their own words, what each of the 6 discovery blocks is for (not what to say: why it matters)
- Completes a terminology drill: define champion, economic buyer, qualified opportunity, MAP (mutual action plan), trigger event
Manager does:
- Reviews the terminology drill answers live, correct misunderstandings on the spot
- Shares 2 recordings of strong discovery calls from the team's library for Day 2
Day 2, Shadow
New hire does, Shadow Call Checklist (fill in during 2 live or recorded calls):
- Note the exact minute the rep moved from Open/Frame into Context & Stakes
- Write down 3 open-ended questions the rep used verbatim
- Note one moment the rep let silence sit instead of filling it
- Identify where in the call qualification (budget/authority/timeline/process) happened
- Note how the call ended, was there a two-sided next step?
- Write one thing they'd do differently and why
Manager does:
- Debriefs the shadow notes for 15 minutes: validate or correct the new hire's read of the call
Day 3: Practice
New hire does:
- Runs a full role-play discovery call with a peer (peer plays a realistic, moderately difficult prospect: not a pushover)
- Uses the Budget Conversation Swipe File verbatim at least once during the role-play
- Self-scores using the Discovery Call Review Rubric immediately after
Peer does:
- Plays the prospect role with at least one real objection and one vague, non-committal answer to test qualification
- Gives 2 minutes of verbal feedback immediately after, using rubric language ("your problem discovery was a 3 because...")
Day 4: Co-Run
New hire does:
- Runs a real (low-stakes, lower-priority account is fine) discovery call live, with manager silently on the line
- Manager does not intervene unless the call is actively going off the rails
Manager does:
- Scores the call in real time using the Discovery Call Review Rubric
- Runs the Coaching Action Extraction method immediately after (exactly 3 actions)
Day 5: Solo + Certification Gate
New hire does:
- Runs one discovery call fully solo, recorded
- Submits self-score against the rubric before manager review
Manager does:
- Scores the recording independently using the rubric
- Compares self-score to manager-score: a gap of more than 4 points across the two indicates a self-assessment blind spot worth a separate conversation
Certification Gate
| Rubric total | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 15/24 or higher | Certified: cleared for solo discovery calls on standard accounts |
| 9–14/24 | Extend ramp: repeat Day 3–4 with a focus on the two lowest-scoring criteria before re-testing |
| Below 9/24 | Reset: return to Day 1–2 with 1:1 manager coaching before re-attempting Day 3 |
Manager Prep Checklist (before Day 1 starts)
- Pull 2 strong and 1 mediocre call recording for shadowing/contrast
- Identify a peer available for the Day 3 role-play
- Identify a real, low-stakes account for the Day 4 co-run and Day 5 solo call
- Block calendar time for Day 4 and Day 5 debriefs, do not let certification slip past the first week