Sudhir Chaturvedi

When did the word "sales" become taboo? Regardless of whether you're offering a product or service, the essence of every business is rooted in effective sales. Yet, we often shy away from the term, opting for titles like business development lead, client advisor, or account manager. Why does the word "salesperson" evoke such discomfort?

Growth Solves All Problems

In business, growth creates a virtuous cycle. Sales drive initial growth, creating headroom for more investments. These additional investments can then fuel expansion into new markets or innovations, sparking further growth. Success begets success, making the company more attractive not only to clients but also to top talent seeking dynamic environments. At the heart of this growth is a high-performing sales organization.

Conversely, without effective sales-driven growth, companies risk entering a vicious cycle. Lacking growth, organizations cut back investments, shrink resources, and ultimately stagnate. This stagnation then deters both clients and talent, further deepening the downturn.

To build and sustain this kind of momentum, organizations must rethink assumptions about who salespeople are and what truly drives them.

Myth 1: Salespeople Are Only Motivated By Money

One of the most common misconceptions about sales is that it’s all about the money. Yes, compensation matters, but it’s not what truly drives the top performers.

Effective salespeople are driven by something deeper: a relentless desire to win. The most effective among them are like high-performance athletes—motivated by competition, fueled by results and obsessed with success. You show me a good loser, I'll show you an unsuccessful salesperson.

For these individuals, winning isn’t just about closing a deal. It’s about earning recognition, influence, and the opportunity to lead. Of course, money follows—but it’s not the goal. It’s the by-product of performance.

Myth 2: Salespeople Work Best Alone (‘Lone Wolves’)

Another persistent stereotype about salespeople is that they’re lone wolves, who don’t like rules and processes, act independently and succeed only through personal grit and individual charm. The reality is that top-performing salespeople are anything but solo acts.

All good salespeople create a team around themselves, engaging with the best people in every area of the business to build the ecosystem to be successful.

They are intuitively systems thinkers who are process-driven, making sure that all facets of an opportunity are moving in the right direction. They aren’t concerned with being the smartest person in the room—their objective is to problem-solve through networking. They'll go deep within the client organization to learn more about and connect with the champions there.

Myth 3: Salespeople Aren’t Transparent Or Trustworthy

Salespeople often carry the stigma of being slick talkers, more interested in closing deals than stating the facts. It’s the age-old stereotype: oversell, overpromise and disappear. In reality, high-achieving salespeople know that trust is their greatest asset. You can’t build a long-term career on unfulfilled promises because sooner or later, clients see through it.

The best salespeople are actually brutally honest. They tell the client exactly what will happen (and what won’t), and involve the client in the process. They identify and solve pain points as they arise, and don’t try to win every point of contention. They conduct negotiations in an open, fair manner, and they have a longer-term perspective. In the best negotiations, everybody leaves a little unhappy.

Myth 4: Sales Is Merely About Selling Products/Services Immediately

It’s a common misconception that sales is only about pushing products/services and closing the deal quickly. However, the best salespeople aren’t focused on today’s transactions. They are focused on long-term transformation and where a client relationship can lead over time. Strong sales professionals focus on the value of the relationship beyond the current transaction.

With their vast network at their disposal, they have their finger on the pulse of current and upcoming trends. They’re able to help clients envision and realize a better future, and in doing so, secure a long-term pipeline of future sales.

Busting these myths is just the beginning. Once you move past outdated assumptions about what sales is, and who salespeople are, you start to see the deeper skillset that separates good from great.

There are two other factors that enable salespeople to excel.

Masters Of Communication

In sales, timing can be everything, and great salespeople understand that responsiveness is a competitive advantage. Simply being the first to respond to a client’s request can dramatically improve your odds of winning a deal. The first person to respond to an email tends to win disproportionately.

That doesn’t always mean delivering a full proposal immediately. Sometimes, it’s as simple as acknowledging the request with enthusiasm and clarity, something like "Got this, very excited, putting the team together." That kind of message signals hunger, commitment and momentum.

Sales leaders who master communication also know how to work smart. If a proposal is due on a Monday, they aim to submit it a few days earlier. This not only protects their team’s weekend but also gives them a key strategic edge. It’s likely to be the only proposal that is fully read. The highest performing salespeople use communication not just to inform, but to differentiate—and they act with speed.

AI-Driven Sales Leadership

We’re operating in a completely different environment now, and we need to be cautious that we’re not using 20-year-old selling techniques in an AI world. What worked decades ago doesn’t cut it anymore, not when speed, personalization and insight are the new currency.

The most effective sales professionals are embracing artificial intelligence as an accelerator to productivity. AI helps sales teams analyze client behavior, anticipate needs, summarize information and automate follow-ups—all at scale.

When done right, sales drives growth, builds trust and creates brighter futures. It’s time to reclaim the ‘S’ word as the driving force behind every thriving business. Let’s learn from the best and lead with pride.

Forbes