If you’re looking for a simple mindset shift that can instantly improve your client conversations or 1-on-1 leadership moments, here it is: learn to hold back.

Ever sat through a presentation so overloaded with information that you forgot the point? Or read an email so dense that you couldn’t figure out what was even being asked?

Have you ever found yourself yelling “Representative!” into your phone, desperate to talk to an actual human instead of a chatbot? We’ve all been there. No matter how “empathetic” AI tries to sound, we know the truth: it doesn’t actually care.

I was sitting across from a potential client who had been completely disengaged for the first 15 minutes of our meeting. Arms crossed, short answers, barely making eye contact. I could feel the relationship slipping away before it even started.

In the high-stakes world of B2B sales, there's a subtle factor that often separates successful teams from struggling ones: authentic confidence. Not arrogance, not pushiness, but the quiet assurance that comes from knowing you're an expert and advisor who can deliver real value.

I was sitting in a coffee shop and couldn't help but overhear a sales meeting at the table next to me. The customer was explaining a complex challenge their team was facing, clearly hoping to find a solution. Meanwhile, the salesperson was nodding along, but their eyes kept darting to their phone under the table and around the cafe.

Envision two leaders… both highly respected, dedicated to their teams, authentic in their desire to drive their organizations forward. Yet their approaches to sharing and executing their vision couldn't be more different – and neither could their results.

In most organizations, there's an unwritten rule about salespeople: Keep them at the lower levels unless absolutely necessary. After all, who wants their senior executives 'wasting time' with vendors trying to sell them something?

But what if your sales team could flip this dynamic entirely? What if instead of pushing to get meetings with decision-makers, your customers were pulling your team upstairs?

Mark was the model sales trainee. He'd aced every internal training session at his commercial office furniture company and could confidently discuss product details, and was prepped for every sales objection in the book. Sarah, in contrast, took a different approach.

I had my perfect morning routine going - comfortable chair, hot coffee at my side, fireplace running, Wall Street Journal in hand (digital version of course). That's when I stumbled across something unexpected… an article about a trio of economists who just won the Nobel Prize for something called Friction Theory.

This week, I was a chaperone for 6th grade camp with my youngest son. We spent a lot of time outdoors, learned survival skills, and did a load of activities. Sleeping accommodations and food? Not so great, but that’s a different topic. Something that really caught my attention over those few days was how the camp counselors communicated with the kids.

Below is one of the most impactful sales tactics I’ve ever implemented. It’s wickedly simple - and it works. But first some background…