The Skill Everyone Talks About but Few Practise
Sales leaders love to talk about strategy. They love pipelines, metrics, and forecasts. They invest in scripts and tools. Yet one skill beats them all. Listening.
Listening does not look flashy. It does not show up on dashboards. It does not trend on social feeds. But it drives trust, clarity, and results.
A HubSpot survey found that 69% of buyers say salespeople should listen more to their needs. Gong research shows top-performing reps talk only 43% of the time during calls. Average reps talk 65%. The gap is simple. Top performers listen more.
Listening Builds Trust Faster Than Talking
Trust is the currency of sales leadership. Without it, deals stall. Teams disengage. Clients leave.
When someone feels heard, their brain releases oxytocin. That chemical increases trust and lowers stress. This is not theory. It is neuroscience.
Greg Wasz built much of his sales success on this principle. Early in his career, he noticed that clients opened up when he stopped rushing to pitch. “I had a call where I planned to present slides,” he once explained. “The client kept mentioning how chaotic their mornings were. So I closed the laptop and asked, ‘Walk me through your day.’ That question changed everything.”
The sale closed weeks later. Not because of features. Because of understanding.
Why Sales Leaders Overlook Listening
Pressure to Perform
Sales leaders feel constant pressure. Quotas. Deadlines. Targets. The instinct is to push harder. Talk faster. Present more.
That pressure creates noise. Noise blocks listening.
Ego and Assumptions
Leaders often assume they already know the problem. They jump to solutions before hearing the full story.
Listening requires humility. It requires patience. It requires silence.
Fear of Losing Control
Silence feels risky. When a leader stops talking, they fear losing direction. In reality, silence creates space. Space leads to clarity.
Listening Improves Team Performance
Listening is not only for clients. It shapes team culture.
A study by the Center for Creative Leadership found that leaders rated as strong listeners are seen as more supportive and effective. Teams under those leaders show higher engagement.
When leaders listen, meetings change. Instead of long updates, conversations become focused problem-solving sessions.
Greg Wasz once described how he handled a team conflict. “Two reps were blaming each other for a missed account. I didn’t step in with a solution. I asked each of them to explain what happened. Once they heard each other fully, the tension dropped.”
Listening reduced friction faster than authority could.
The Data Behind Listening and Revenue
Listening improves close rates. It increases retention. It shortens sales cycles.
- Salesforce reports that 84% of customers say being treated like a person, not a number, is key to winning their business.
- Gallup research shows employees who feel heard are 4.6 times more likely to perform at their best.
- Gong data shows that balanced talk-to-listen ratios correlate with higher win rates.
Listening is not soft. It is measurable.
Practical Ways Sales Leaders Can Improve Listening
1. Use the 60/40 Rule
Aim to listen 60% of the time. Speak 40%. Track it if needed.
This shifts focus from performance to understanding.
2. Ask One More Question
When you think you understand the problem, ask one more question.
“What does that impact most?”
“What part of that feels hardest?”
Simple follow-ups uncover real issues.
3. Pause Before Responding
Count to two before answering.
That pause shows respect. It also prevents reactive answers.
4. Reflect Back What You Hear
Repeat key phrases.
“So the real issue is timing, not cost.”
This confirms alignment. It also builds trust.
5. Remove Distractions
Close the laptop. Put the phone down.
Presence matters more than presentation.
6. Train the Team
Listening can be taught. Role-play calls. Record conversations. Review talk-time ratios.
Measure improvement like any other skill.
Listening as a Leadership Multiplier
Listening improves more than sales numbers. It strengthens culture.
When leaders model listening, teams follow. Reps listen better to clients. Managers listen better to reps. Problems surface early instead of exploding later.
Creative ideas also increase. When people feel safe speaking, innovation grows.
Greg Wasz often says that leadership is less about commanding and more about creating space. “If I dominate every meeting, I learn nothing new. When I step back, someone usually says something smarter than what I planned.”
That shift transforms leadership from control to collaboration.
The Competitive Advantage No One Markets
Many sales teams invest in new platforms and software. Few invest in listening discipline. That makes listening a hidden edge.
In crowded markets, products look similar. Pricing overlaps. Features match. The differentiator becomes experience.
Experience begins with how someone feels in a conversation.
If a client walks away thinking, “They really understood me,” the sale moves forward.
A Simple Weekly Challenge
Sales leaders can test this today.
- In your next meeting, speak last.
- In your next client call, aim for 60% listening time.
- In your next team review, ask for feedback before giving direction.
Track what changes.
Notice how conversations feel different. Notice how trust builds faster. Notice how clarity improves.
Final Thought
Listening will never look glamorous. It will not dominate headlines. It will not replace strategy or planning.
But it powers all of them.
Sales leadership is not about having the loudest voice in the room. It is about hearing what others miss.
In a world full of noise, the leader who listens wins.
