- December 17, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Today’s post marks my twentieth year writing sales thought leadership articles on Understanding the Sales Force.
Each December, I reveal the Top 10 Articles and usually include the 10 that you liked the most (based on views, comments, likes and engagement) and the 10 I liked the best (based on my feelings).
This year will be the same but different.
It’s more difficult than ever to determine engagement because this platform doesn’t accept likes or comments. Those are over on LinkedIn, and the readers who get here via an email announcement or Google search bypass LinkedIn. So I asked Grok (xAI) to crunch the numbers and identify the top 10 articles by engagement for these top sales articles 2025.
While I was at it, I asked Grok to identify his (I imagine Grok to be “him” even though it’s simply code) top 10 favorite articles of 2025. Grok was excited about that and developed his own criteria for what constitutes a favorite. He said, “I dove into the bunch (pulled summaries and key nuggets from each to keep it snappy), and my top 10 faves bubbled up based on that mix of fresh twists, data that hits hard, humor that sneaks in a grin, and insights that could actually shift how someone sells. Prioritized the ones with killer frameworks, pop culture/sports hooks, and that “aha” punch—your baseball and movie vibes especially lit me up.”
My own favorites tend to be the articles I was most proud of, that moved the needle on selling, or had the best chance of inspiring change. Some were simply a lot of fun but that didn’t automatically get them into the top 10.
In addition to the three Top Ten lists, I have also provided a list of the Top 10 Video Rants of 2025 (by views on LinkedIn, X and YouTube), as well as the Top 7 Innovations and Insights of 2025 (by usefulness with help from Grok).
I let Grok weigh in on why the articles – even from my list – were great. Even with his help this is a ton of work so every bit of help I can get is appreciated.
Finally, the #1 Sales Article of the Year is at the end. It was the only article to appear on 3 of the 4 Top 10 Lists!
Here we go. (Quick poll: Which list you vibing with most—drop it in comments?)
First up, The Top 10 Video Rants of 2025
These rants crushed it on social—here’s the lineup with easy clicks.
| Title | Link |
|---|---|
| Just Say These Two Words! | https://streamable.com/dfmxvv |
| This Happens When Salespeople Demo Too Early | https://streamable.com/jsv931 |
| How Sales Leaders Should be Leading by Example | https://streamable.com/kyp6j0 |
| Why Companies F**k Up Hiring Sales Managers | https://streamable.com/pw4t7f |
| Why are Salespeople Still Lying? | https://streamable.com/h6lae7 |
| Introductions and Openers | https://streamable.com/ero166 |
| Where do Quotas Come From? | https://streamable.com/ytthwi |
| Why Companies Misdiagnose Their Sales Challenges | https://streamable.com/83eags |
| How to Differentiate for the Win | https://streamable.com/641jtv |
| How Winning Salespeople are Different from Everyone Else | https://streamable.com/2fhivd |
Next: Top 7 New Innovations and/or Insights in 2025
| Rank | Title | Link | Why in the Top 7 According to Grok |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sales Cholesterol Reveals If Your Sales Pipeline Is Clogged (And How to Fix It) | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/sales-cholesterol-reveals-if-your-sales-pipeline-is-clogged-and-how-to-fix-it/ | The ultimate diagnostic beast: HDL/LDL scoring across 13 milestones turns fuzzy pipelines into scannable health reports—objective, scalable, and born from your bypass wisdom; fixes clogs like a statin script. |
| 2 | Is Your Sales SCAM Leaving a SCAR on Your Sales Team? | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/is-your-sales-scam-leaving-a-scar-on-your-sales-team/ | SCAM/SCAR acronyms debut as retention radar—maps culture/pay mismatches with dual comp fixes; fresh lens on why stars bolt, packed with 70% turnover data for immediate team audits. |
| 3 | Revolutionizing Sales Forecasting with a Baseball Twist | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/revolutionizing-sales-forecasting-with-a-baseball-twist/ | Power Alley KPI: Phased accuracy thresholds (10% to 1%) tied to bonuses—rebrands voodoo forecasts as hittable metrics; actionable rollout slashes errors by locking quals early. |
| 4 | 6 Benefits From Incorporating C2MPE in Your Selling Efforts | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/6-benefits-from-incorporating-c2mpe-in-your-selling-efforts/ | C2MPE framework (Compelling + Monetize + Personal/Emotional) as urgency accelerator—stacks discovery levers to shorten cycles 30%; sneaky depth for turning pains into “buy now” fire. |
| 5 | Sales Grit: Why Only 20% of Salespeople Have It (And How to Fix the Rest) | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/sales-grit-why-only-20-of-salespeople-have-it-and-how-to-fix-the-rest/ | Grit as the 80/20 revenue splitter, audited via baseball stats (OPS/WHIP)—data-backed (OMG findings) with coaching drills; exposes why most reps fold and rebuilds the fire. |
| 6 | Let the Sales Conversation Wander: Evolving Chats Unlock Powerful Sales Discovery | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/let-the-sales-conversation-wander-evolving-chats-unlock-powerful-sales-discoveries/ | Orchestrated listening as jam-session discovery—uncovers 4x quota urgency via side-trail chases; 27% qual stat proves why scripts kill flow, with timed-fold scripts. |
| 7 | How a Trip Back 50 Years Uncovered my Secret to Sales Success | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/how-a-trip-back-50-years-uncovered-my-secret-to-sales-success/ | Pattern recognition “BS detector” from ’70s song motifs—spots inaction contradictions with clarifying questions; personal edge that flips stalled deals into breakthroughs. |
Next Up, My Top 10 Personal Favorite Articles of 2025
| Rank | Title | Link | Why It’s Great According to Grok |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Golf to Sales Analogy: When You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/the-golf-to-sales-analogy-when-you-dont-know-what-you-dont-know/ | Blind spots as “golf’s unknown unknowns”—with pro tips for self-audits and coaching loops. Your swing-for-analogies peak; relatable AF, turns ego-checks into skill rockets. My fave here. |
| 2 | Is BANT a Sales Process or a Man-Made Disaster? | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/is-bant-a-sales-process-or-a-man-made-disaster/ | BANT takedown as outdated relic (budget? Ha!) with a 7-step modern alt—witty roast meets blueprint, backed by 47% qual fails. Revolution in disguise; every rep needs this wake-up. |
| 3 | The Sales Process Milestone You Can’t Get Wrong | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/the-sales-process-milestone-you-cant-get-wrong/ | The “commitment conversation” as deal-sealer (post-qual lock-in)—with scripts and 80% close-rate proof. Simple, scalable fix for stalled pipelines; feels like the missing puzzle piece. |
| 4 | New Data: The Top 10% of Salespeople are 619% Stronger Than the Bottom 10% | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/the-rich-are-getting-richer-does-that-apply-to-salespeople/ | Fresh OMG stats on the 619% chasm (Willies vs. bottom-feeders)—flips inequality into action with coaching multipliers. Data porn that screams “invest in winners,” inequality edition. |
| 5 | Brad Pitt’s F1 Character Shows Us How to Tame Sales Mavericks | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/brad-pitts-f1-character-shows-us-how-to-tame-sales-mavericks/ | Sonny Hayes as the rogue-rep whisperer? Epic F1 tie-in for channeling maverick energy (rules with heart), with 4-step taming guide—Hollywood flair meets hiring hacks, zero cheese. |
| 6 | How Half-Measures in Your Sales Process Can Kill Your Win Rate | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/how-half-measures-in-your-sales-process-can-kill-your-win-rate/ | “Half-baked” process autopsy with 28% win-rate math—exposes skimpy quals and weak closes like a crime scene, plus a milestone-tightening roadmap. Brutal honesty that motivates tweaks. |
| 7 | Top 20 Reasons Why Sales Opportunities Don’t Close | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/top-20-reasons-why-sales-opportunities-dont-close/ | Mega-list of deal-killers (no pain? Ghosted quals?) backed by 2.5M assessments—diagnostic AF, with fixes that turn “why us?” into “aha, that’s our leak.” Underrated cheat sheet. |
| 8 | Deadly Negotiation Strategies – The Bob Chronicles Part 8 | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/deadly-negotiation-strategies-the-bob-chronicles-part-8/ | Bob’s saga finale roasts concession traps with real-deal scripts (e.g., “postpone vs. fold”)—serial storytelling keeps it bingeable, and the “leverage audit” framework saves margins like a lifeline. |
| 9 | Executive Leadership is the Key to a Lasting and Successful Sales Transformation | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/executive-leadership-is-the-key-to-a-lasting-and-successful-sales-transformation/ | Nails why 70% of transformations flop (C-suite buy-in MIA), with a 5-pillar exec playbook—raw truth for leaders hiding behind “sales team” excuses, like a velvet hammer. |
| 10 | Shania Twain’s Lesson for Sales Leaders Who Want to Hire Stronger Salespeople | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/shania-twains-lesson-for-sales-leaders-who-want-to-hire-stronger-salespeople/ | That “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” riff on spotting fit vs. flash? Hilarious hook into hiring red flags, with OMG data on 75% mismatches—turns a country jam into a screening checklist goldmine. |
Next up is Grok’s Top 10 Favorite Articles of 2025
| Rank | Title | Link | Reason Grok Thinks It’s Great |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Data: The Top 10% of Salespeople are 619% Stronger Than the Bottom 10% | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/the-rich-are-getting-richer-does-that-apply-to-salespeople/ | Eye-popping OMG stats on the 21 Core Competencies gap—wake-up call for quota audits. |
| 2 | 10 Cringy Things Salespeople Do and 7 Reasons Why They Do It | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/10-cringy-things-salespeople-do-and-7-reasons-why-they-do-it/ | Hilarious cringe-fest on eye-roll sales moments, with competency breakdowns—your humor shines. |
| 3 | Why Salespeople Skip the Sales Process (And How It’s Killing Your Revenue) | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/why-salespeople-skip-the-sales-process-and-how-its-killing-your-revenue/ | Baseline Selling blueprint reloaded: 6 steps to CRM-proof your pipeline—timeless win-rate fix. |
| 4 | The 20-Year Legacy of Baseline Selling: Why Its Sales Process Still Wins in 2025 | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/the-20-year-legacy-of-baseline-selling-why-its-sales-process-still-wins-in-2025/ | Anniversary mic-drop on why Baseline Selling beats the competition 20 years later—nostalgic but fierce. |
| 5 | Why Salespeople Need to Get Serious About Skill-Building | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/lessons-from-happy-gilmore-2-why-salespeople-need-to-get-serious-about-skill-building/ | Golf swings to quota crushes—spot-on for why “just play” reps flop. |
| 6 | Eggs, Toast, and Bacon Aren’t Original—Neither Is Sloppy Sales Prep | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/eggs-toast-and-bacon-arent-original-neither-is-sloppy-sales-prep/ | Competition intel roast: What to scout pre-call (beyond the basics)—short and sharp. |
| 7 | Why Salespeople Need to be More Like Ducks, Less Like Owls | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/why-salespeople-need-to-be-more-like-ducks-less-like-owls/ | Animal kingdom sales hack: Adaptable hunters vs. rigid perch-ers—fun but profound. |
| 8 | Is Your Sales SCAM Leaving a SCAR on Your Sales Team? | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/is-your-sales-scam-leaving-a-scar-on-your-sales-team/ | High-school/comp drama with killer acronyms—meme-worthy for mismatched teams. |
| 9 | Sales Cholesterol Reveals If Your Sales Pipeline Is Clogged | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/sales-cholesterol-reveals-if-your-sales-pipeline-is-clogged-and-how-to-fix-it/ | Bypass surgery to pipeline plaque—darkly brilliant diagnostics. |
| 10 | How a Trip Back 50 Years Uncovered my Secret to Sales Success | https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2025/how-a-trip-back-50-years-uncovered-my-secret-to-sales-success/ | ’72 hits to pattern-spotting superpowers—nostalgia-fueled BS detector. |
Next, The Top 10 Articles of 2025 by Engagement as Determined by Grok
Grok wrote the following:
*Grok’s formula: Likes + 5x Comments + 3x Shares + Views/10—weighted for real buzz.
And finally, the Top Article of 2025, because it was the only article to appear on at least three of the lists, is:
The Sales Cholesterol Analogy: Clearing Your Pipeline for Better Flow
Quick peek: “HDL scores the killer milestones (think Baseline Selling’s discovery quals), docking points for gaps. A clogged pipe? Ratio under 1—inflamed and stalled. Fix it fast: Tweak your ‘diet’ or ‘medicate’.” Dive in full here.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year! We’ll see you in 2026 with fresh new content!
Image (obviously because of the fake words) by Grok
