sales leadership

  • What CEOs Need to Know About Their Sales Teams
    • June 16, 2026
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Analogies, Baseball and Sales, Best Top 10 Lists, Sales Pipeline and Forecast, Sales Process, Understanding the Sales Force
    A confident mid-50s CEO in a navy suit sits at a modern executive desk in a bright corner office, leaning forward with a focused, slightly skeptical expression as he looks directly at the viewer. On the desk are a laptop displaying sales pipeline charts and a notepad with handwritten notes including “Why 72% miss quota?”, creating a professional and thought-provoking business scene.

    When it comes to sales, CEOs don’t know what they don’t know. This is the article where you can understand what to expect from your sales team.

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  • Top 20 Reasons Salespeople Miss Quota and How to Fix it
    • June 12, 2026
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Analogies, Baseball and Sales, Best Top 10 Lists, Sales Process, Understanding the Sales Force
    70% of Quota: Win for the Salesperson celebrating a good year vs Epic Fail for the CEO and company revenue goals on a baseball diamond illustrating lowered quotas versus real sales leadership

    People have been babying me since my bypass — and sales leaders are babying their teams the same way by lowering quotas. Here are the Top 20 Reasons Salespeople Miss Quota and exactly how to fix it instead of making excuses. No more false wins. Time to run the bases the right way.

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  • How Sales Management Mirrors Little League Baseball
    • May 29, 2026
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Baseball and Sales, Understanding the Sales Force
    Little League baseball dad coach passionately coaching a team of adult salespeople in business suits on a baseball field, humorously illustrating poor sales management and development

    Most sales organizations operate just like Little League Baseball — cheap, convenient, and great for the top performers while everyone else stays stuck. Here’s why promoting your best salesperson to manager is usually a costly mistake.

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  • Too Many Sales Metrics? How to Choose One KPI That Drives Revenue
    • May 12, 2026
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
    Car dashboard showing speedometer, tachometer, tire pressure warning, miles to empty, and multiple metrics Waze navigation screen showing real-time alerts, 150 ft turn, arrival time, and traffic data on a car infotainment display

    Too many sales metrics? Between your CRM and dashboard, it feels like information overload. Here’s how to choose the one KPI that actually drives revenue — just like focusing on arrival time instead of 14 screaming gauges in your car.

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  • 25 Factors Indicative of a Strong Sales Culture
    • May 11, 2026
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Analogies, Music and Sales, Sales Compensation, Sales Process, Understanding the Sales Force
    Three key sales performance gauges showing rising Sales, Gross Profit, and Win Rate with upward green arrows — indicators of a strong sales culture

    Executives love the idea of a sales transformation until it’s time to actually change. Here are 25 proven factors that separate a truly strong sales culture from one that’s stuck making excuses.

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  • CEO/Sales Leadership Reality Check: Are You Investing in What Makes You Look Good… or What Actually Drives Revenue?
    • April 30, 2026
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
    Sales Leadership Reality Check: Companies eagerly approve big AI budgets but hesitate or reject investments in sales training and coaching

    Companies rubber-stamp massive AI budgets but do a complete about-face when asked to invest in sales training or coaching. Discover why this happens and a low-risk way to turn your worst salespeople into producers — including real math and a built-in pilot test.

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  • Worst to First: How Sales Teams and Salespeople Can Turn It Around
    • April 23, 2026
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Baseball and Sales, Understanding the Sales Force
    Split-image motivational graphic showing a sales team transforming from struggling and missing quota (dark left side) to celebrating record success with trophy and rising revenue (bright right side). Large "Worst to First" text in the center with the message "Leadership + Culture Change = Championship Performance" at the bottom. Ideal visual for sales leadership article.

    Discover how sales teams go from middle-of-the-pack to first place. Learn why leadership changes and culture shifts are the real keys to turning around veteran performance and hitting record revenue.

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  • 10 Questions Every CEO Must Answer to Increase Revenue Today
    • April 17, 2026
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Analogies, Best Top 10 Lists, Sales Compensation, Understanding the Sales Force
    A confident mid-50s CEO in a navy suit sits at a modern executive desk in a bright corner office, leaning forward with a focused, slightly skeptical expression as he looks directly at the viewer. On the desk are a laptop displaying sales pipeline charts and a notepad with handwritten notes including “Why 72% miss quota?”, creating a professional and thought-provoking business scene.

    Google Search Console revealed what CEOs are actually searching for. It’s not closing tricks or AI hype — it’s the foundational issues holding revenue back. Here are 10 questions every CEO must answer to drive real growth today.

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  • The Baseball Dad Lesson That Made Me a Better Sales Coach
    • April 1, 2026
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Baseball and Sales, Understanding the Sales Force
    My son's intense batting cage sessions that taught me what real deliberate practice looks like in sales coaching

    How my son’s intense baseball training taught me the real secret to becoming an elite real-time sales coach. From hardcore introvert to mastering live role plays and in-the-moment coaching — with practical first steps for sales leaders.

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