Title: Analysis and Radical Alternatives to Traditional Hiring Practices in Sales

Current Approach:

We've always hired salespeople with industry experience, but our team lacks innovation.

Why the Traditional Approach Might Be Failing:

1. Lack of Fresh Perspectives: Hiring solely from within the industry can lead to a homogeneity of thought, where new ideas and innovative strategies are stifled by conventional wisdom.

2. Complacency and Overconfidence: Salespeople with extensive industry experience might become complacent or overly confident, relying on outdated techniques rather than seeking new methods to engage customers.

3. Resistance to Change: Industry veterans might resist adopting new technologies or sales methodologies due to a "this is how we've always done it" mentality, hindering progress and adaptation.

4. Skill Stagnation: Continuous hiring from the same pool may result in a lack of diverse skills such as digital marketing, data analysis, or creative problem-solving which are increasingly important in modern sales environments.

Radical Alternatives:

1. Hire Outside Industry Experts: Bring in sales professionals from unrelated industries who can offer fresh perspectives and introduce novel sales tactics that could be adapted effectively.

- Implementation: Actively recruit from tech startups, entertainment sectors, or non-profit organizations known for innovative approaches.

2. Focus on Soft Skills and Learning Agility: Prioritize candidates based on their ability to learn quickly, adapt, and think creatively rather than just their industry-specific knowledge.

- Implementation: Develop a hiring process that includes problem-solving tasks, creativity tests, and assessments for learning agility alongside traditional interviews.

3. Cross-Functional Hiring: Introduce team members with backgrounds in fields like psychology, anthropology, or data science who can provide insights into customer behavior and improve sales strategies.

- Implementation: Collaborate with HR to modify job descriptions emphasizing interdisciplinary skills; consider short-term internships or shadowing programs for potential hires from other fields.

4. Gamification of Recruitment: Use gamified assessments that not only test relevant skills but also make the recruitment process engaging and revealing of candidates' innovative capacities.

- Implementation: Partner with a gamification platform provider to design challenges that assess key competencies while encouraging creative thinking during recruitment events.

5. Continuous Innovation Training Program: Implement an ongoing training program focused on fostering innovation within the existing team through workshops, hackathons, and collaboration with external innovators.

- Implementation: Allocate budget for monthly innovation workshops; invite guest speakers from diverse industries; organize internal hackathons quarterly focused on solving specific sales challenges creatively.

By understanding why traditional hiring practices may be faltering and considering these radical alternatives, your organization can enhance its sales team's innovativeness and effectiveness in today's dynamic market environment.