Aligning sales comp with strategy, not just products (with Stephen Long)

Episode notes

In this episode of The Sales Compensation Show , global sales compensation expert Stephen Long joins Forma.ai CEO Nabeil Alazzam to unpack what really breaks inside sales compensation plans—long before a single payout runs. They dig into how unclear end goals, weak data infrastructure, and rushed quotas quietly erode trust, invite gaming, and push reps to work around the plan instead of through it. Stephen shares practical patterns from decades in global sales comp, plus concrete examples of redesigning incentives around contract “health,” not just top line numbers. Resources Mentioned Books The Elements of Sales Compensation – Jerry Colletti, Mary Fiss, Scott Sands A sales compensation book by Dave Cichelli (referenced by Stephen; title not mentioned in the episode) Organizations & Sites Forma.ai – The AI-powered sales performance management platform and host of The Sales Compensation Show podcast WorldatWork – professional association with sales compensation resources and education If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow sales compensation leader. The Sales Compensation Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so