Episode 9 of Train.Brain.Daily dives into one of Dr Michael Hewitt-Gleeson’s most influential ideas: Wombat Selling, a radically different approach to sales built around trust, value, relationships and word of mouth.

Hewitt-Gleeson shares the story behind the concept, tracing it back to his PhD research in New York under Edward de Bono, with Professor George Gallup as his examiner. At the time, most sales training was built around one central idea: the salesperson closes the sale.

Hewitt-Gleeson challenged that assumption.

His research led to a simple but powerful insight: the customer closes the sale. The salesperson cannot control the customer’s final decision, but they can control whether they move from being unchecked to in check, from having no contact with a customer to actively creating a meaningful interaction.

Morry Morgan explains this through the memorable “hamburger” example. Before someone says “hamburger”, you may not be thinking about one. The moment the word is said, that changes. In sales, every meaningful contact can work the same way.

Using chess as a metaphor, Hewitt-Gleeson explains that the salesperson controls the check move, while the customer controls checkmate. Instead of obsessing over closing a deal after one interaction, salespeople can budget multiple check moves to build trust, understand the customer, improve the offer and create genuine value.

Hewitt-Gleeson and Morry also discuss the X10 Selling approach, why sales managers can accidentally create rejection by focusing only on results, and how measuring activity rather than immediate sales can dramatically change behaviour.

The episode then explores the real goal of Wombat Selling: not simply winning one customer, but creating a customer who replicates.

WOMBAT stands for Word Of Mouth, Buy And Tell.

A true Wombat customer is so satisfied with the relationship and value they receive that they willingly recommend the business to someone else without being paid to do it.

From New York hospitals and Mercedes sports cars to Chinese sales teams, Harley Davidson, pass on value and 45 follow ups before a major deal, this episode is packed with stories and practical lessons for anyone involved in sales, leadership, consulting or business development.

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Enjoying this podcast? You might also enjoy:

• This Week in Comedy
• Fool Me Twice

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Episode 8 of Train.Brain.Daily, hosted by Dr Michael “Hewi” Hewitt Gleeson and Morry Morgan, explores a simple but powerful neuroscience idea: the brain is always trying to solve a problem. Rather than judging behaviour by asking, “What is wrong with them?”, Hewi and Morry encourage listeners to ask a more useful question: “What problem was their brain trying to solve?”

The discussion connects this idea to earlier Train.Brain.Daily tools such as CVS, the Current View of the Situation, and GBB, which encourages people to examine the Good, the Bad and the Better. By observing the brain almost as a third party, people can practise metacognition, or “thinking about thinking,” and become more aware of the biological, emotional and situational influences behind their choices.

At the heart of the episode are 10 Brain Detective Questions that can be used by coaches, leaders, parents, mentors, athletes and team members:

• What problem was their brain trying to solve?
• What feelings might have been driving their brain?
• Were they tired, hungry, stressed or full of energy?
• What happened earlier that day that might have affected their thinking?
• What was their brain paying attention to?
• What memories or learned habits might their brain have been using?
• Were they trying to belong, win approval or protect themselves?
• What reward or fear might have shaped their choice?
• If they had paused for ten seconds, what might they have done differently?
• What could help their brain make a better decision next time?

Hewi illustrates the idea with examples such as an angry executive, suggesting that behaviour may be influenced by sleep, cortisol, fatigue, past experiences, learned neural pathways, status concerns or perceived threats. Morry connects the concept to Dungeons & Dragons, fasting, comedy training and public speaking, showing how people can observe their reactions and deliberately change their behaviour.

A recurring theme is that awareness makes change possible. When people recognise what their brain is attending to, what emotions are active and what problem it believes it must solve, they can interrupt automatic responses and make better choices. Training, repetition and experience can also reshape how the brain responds to challenging situations.

Hewi and Morry emphasise that this approach does not excuse harmful or foolish behaviour. People remain responsible for their actions. Instead, the goal is to replace superficial judgement with deeper understanding and provide listeners with practical “software for the brain” that can improve coaching, leadership, relationships and decision making.

Want to book Dr Michael Hewitt-Gleeson for your next conference, workshop or meeting? Click here

Interested in learning stand-up comedy? Click here

Enjoying this podcast? You might also enjoy:

• This Week in Comedy
• Fool Me Twice

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In Episode 7 of Train.Brain.Daily., Dr Michael Hewitt-Gleeson (Hewi) and Morry Morgan move from thinking theory into practical application with GBB: Good, Bad, Better.

GBB is a simple thinking tool that helps people examine an idea, proposal, problem or opportunity from three directions. First, identify what is good about it. Next, consider what is bad. Finally, ask how it could be made better. This third step moves thinking beyond binary judgement and towards design, improvement and lateral thinking.

Rather than simply declaring that an idea is good or bad, GBB directs attention deliberately. A complete exercise aims to generate ten good points, ten bad points and ten better possibilities. This broader view helps counter personal biases, whether someone is naturally optimistic, negative or overly critical.

Morry explains how he introduced GBB into his businesses in China. After training events, his multicultural team reviewed everything from the marketing and presenter to the venue, catering and audience engagement. The process created a culture of continuous improvement because mistakes could be discussed openly and converted into practical changes. Morry later introduced GBB into Australian organisations, where teams continued using it after he had left.

GBB can support sales meetings, product development, staff reviews, public infrastructure planning and major commercial decisions. It encourages people to bring possible solutions with their problems and enables employees at every level to contribute useful ideas.

Hewi traces the method to his work with lateral-thinking pioneer Edward de Bono and polling researcher George Gallup. For his doctoral fieldwork, GBB was taught to 40,000 employees across 26 New York hospitals. Staff were invited to submit cost-saving ideas over 30 days. The program achieved 92 per cent voluntary participation and reportedly generated $10 million in savings, while also improving communication and morale.

The episode also considers how artificial intelligence can extend the technique. While an individual may struggle to generate ten responses in each category, AI can rapidly produce multiple perspectives. Humans still determine the question, assess the results and decide what to implement.

GBB is ultimately presented as an app for the brain: easy to remember, practical to teach and strengthened through repeated use. By placing “Good, Bad, Better” somewhere visible, individuals and teams can make it part of their regular decision-making process and continually search for a better view of the situation.

Want to book Dr Michael Hewitt-Gleeson for your next conference, workshop or meeting? Click here

Interested in learning stand-up comedy? Click here

Enjoying this podcast? You might also enjoy:

• This Week in Comedy
• Fool Me Twice

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.