Some sales leaders believe that each salesperson should have their own way of doing things, relying on personal style, intuition, and unique approaches. While this may sound like an empowering or flexible strategy, in reality, it’s a deeply flawed approach that leads to inconsistency, inefficiency, and unpredictable results.
This belief is rooted in the same misconception that sales is an “art” rather than a “science.” Just as people once thought lightning was an act of the gods before understanding atmospheric science, many assume that sales success comes down to individual talent rather than a structured, repeatable process. However, winning in sales isn’t magic—it’s the result of applying tested, measurable systems that can be refined and optimized over time.
The Problems with Letting Salespeople “Do Their Own Thing”
- Inconsistency Kills Scale – If every salesperson operates differently, the organization can’t scale. Some will win deals, some will lose, and leadership will have no clear understanding of what’s working and why.
- No Predictability in Results – Without a standard process, forecasting becomes impossible. Some reps will overperform, some will underperform, and leadership will struggle to diagnose the root causes.
- No Systematic Improvement – Sales is like Moneyball in baseball—it thrives on data, experimentation, and optimization. If every salesperson follows a different approach, there’s no way to A/B test strategies, measure performance accurately, or improve the system.
- Training and Onboarding Become a Nightmare – If success is based on individual style rather than a defined process, new hires have no clear roadmap to success. They must “figure it out” instead of following proven steps to drive results faster.
- Customer Experience Suffers – Buyers go through similar decision-making processes, and a consistent, structured sales approach ensures they receive a seamless experience. When every rep has a different approach, messaging becomes fragmented, and prospects lose trust.
The Only “Art” in Sales: Delivery, Not the Process
The only aspect of sales that allows for individual style is oration and communication—how a salesperson delivers the message. A great salesperson can bring personality and authenticity to their pitch, but the underlying process of prospecting, discovery, qualification, and closing should be standardized and continuously refined based on data.
Sales isn’t a free-for-all where each rep invents their own playbook. It’s a science-driven discipline that requires structure, repeatability, and optimization. Letting every salesperson do their own thing creates chaos, kills scalability, and prevents the organization from systematically improving. The best sales teams don’t rely on talent alone—they operate like high-performance machines, refining their approach based on data, not gut feelings.
