The Hidden Sales Skills of Great Leaders

How to Gain Buy-in, Influence, and Momentum

When you think of sales, you might picture someone pitching a product or closing a deal. But sales is really about something bigger: influence. And that’s the heart of leadership, too. Every day, leaders are “selling” their vision, ideas, and values. HR leaders are “selling” the importance of leadership development to executives and employees alike. In both cases, the real skill is connection—understanding what matters most to people and inspiring them to say, “Yes, I’m in.”

Here’s what that looks like—whether you’re a leader building your influence, or an HR practitioner championing leadership growth in your organization.

Leaders “Sell” Influence Every Day

Leaders don’t just manage tasks—they inspire people to follow them into the unknown. And that requires sales skills. Not in the traditional, transactional sense, but in the human sense: listening deeply, painting a picture of what’s possible, and gaining commitment.

Four hidden sales skills leaders use every day:

• Listening first. Just like the best salespeople, great leaders start by asking questions and seeking to understand. What does the team need? Where are they worried? What excites them?
• Telling the story. A leader’s vision comes alive when it’s framed as a compelling story about the future. Storytelling is how leaders “sell” the why behind the work.
• Overcoming resistance. Change always comes with hesitation. Effective leaders don’t ignore objections; they empathize with them and show how challenges can be addressed.
• Closing the commitment. At some point, leaders must make the ask: Will you support this change? Will you take this step? They invite people to act.

HR and L&D Leaders “Sell” Leadership Development

If you’re in HR, OD, or L&D, you already know: part of your role is sales. You’re constantly persuading others to invest in leadership development. And you’re selling to two audiences at once:

• Executives: who want clear ROI, alignment with business goals, and proof of impact.
• Employees and leaders: who want development that feels relevant, practical, and worth their time.

How HR leaders can “sell” development effectively:

• Know your audience. Executives want numbers, leaders want stories. Speak the language each group values most.
• Pilot, then scale. A quick, small success builds credibility and momentum for bigger investments.
• Frame it as simple and attainable. Leadership development doesn’t have to mean a months-long, resource-heavy program every time. Quick, meaningful experiences can make an immediate impact.
• Tell stories of impact. Share real examples of how development has changed leaders, teams, or culture.

Leader or Practitioner: Where do you start?

The best leaders don’t shy away from selling—they embrace it. Whether you’re a manager inspiring your team or an HR practitioner advocating for development, influence is your most valuable currency. By learning to “sell” with empathy, vision, and clarity, you expand your impact and inspire lasting change.

Helping leaders and practitioners hone their influence is exactly why we created the OnPoint! suite. Each modular, virtual experience is fast, practical, and cost-effective—making it easy for HR to gain buy-in and for leaders to build skills they can use right away. Explore OnPoint! and see how quickly you can put these skills into action.