It was a rainy Tuesday afternoon in Chicago when Charlie Benton, a veteran door-to-door salesman, walked into a small diner. Charlie had been in sales for decades, and he carried a reputation for outselling everyone else in his territory. New hires often shadowed him just to see what he was doing differently. On this particular day, a younger salesman spotted him sitting in the corner booth, notebook open, sipping coffee.

The young man hesitated, but finally asked, “Charlie, what’s the secret? Why do people buy from you and not from the rest of us?” 

Charlie smiled and replied, “Kid, the secret’s not in me. It’s in them. Every person I talk to, whether they buy or not, teaches me something about how to sell to the next one.” 

That lesson still holds true today. While books, workshops and training sessions are valuable, the most powerful classroom for a salesperson is often the people around them. By observing others, asking questions and trading ideas, many professionals accelerate their development in ways no textbook ever could.

Here are five lessons high-performing salespeople often pick up, not from formal training, but from the colleagues standing beside them.

1. Learn the Power of Preparation by Watching the Best

Top sales professionals rarely “wing it.” They approach every meeting with a game plan. They know who they are meeting, what that person cares about and which questions they will ask to uncover the person’s core needs.

I have seen this firsthand when new reps shadow seasoned ones. The rookie often notices how little time the veteran spends at the beginning pitching their product or service. Instead, they arrive with questions they have prepared in advance. They lead with curiosity, not a script or sales pitch.

Application Insight:

Sales reps can build the habit of preparation by modeling it. One effective practice is to set aside 15 minutes before each call to craft three strong, targeted questions that get to the heart of what the prospect cares about, preparing not just what will be said, but what will be asked.

2. Observe How Others Handle Rejection

Rejection is the universal language of sales. What varies is how each individual processes it. Some take it personally and shut down. Others bounce back immediately, ready for the next call.

I once watched a rep lose what looked like a huge opportunity. Instead of sulking, he jotted down a quick note, smiled and said, “On to the next.” Later, when I asked him about his response, the rep said, “Every ‘no’ teaches me something. Sometimes it’s what I said, sometimes it’s what I didn’t ask. Either way, I use it as a teacher, not a funeral.”

This type of resilience is contagious when you are around it. When new reps spend time around seasoned professionals with this mindset, they begin to develop their own “recovery muscle.” 

Application Insight:

Sales reps should be encouraged to debrief rejections from a curiosity standpoint. Even jotting down one thing that could have been done differently after hearing a “no” helps build learning into the process.

3. Borrow Styles, Don’t Copy Scripts

A common trap in sales is assuming success means sounding like someone else. The reality is that every salesperson must create their own brand and persona. This doesn’t mean they should ignore what others do, it means they should borrow techniques and then adapt them.

Think of it like jazz. No great musician mimics another’s solo note for note. They take inspiration and improvise. A rep known for humor may use it to build rapport. Others could borrow the rep’s ability to break the ice and adapt it to their personality, maybe with warmth, curiosity or empathy.

Application Insight:

Sales professionals can grow by observing their colleagues for a week, noting techniques that resonate with them and then trying one that feels natural and fits into their own sales rhythm.

4. Notice How Others Leverage Tools and Systems

Technology is meant to support selling, but many reps never fully use the tools they are given. Some reps treat tools like CRMs as a burden; others use them as secret weapons.

I have seen salespeople who live and die by their CRM, tracking every touchpoint, setting precise follow-ups and measuring activity. Others barely log in, treating it like a chore. Guess who usually performs better. When sales teams observe high performers, they often find the difference isn’t just in what they say, but in how they organize their pipeline and work their systems.

Application Insight:

Teams should regularly audit their tool use. A simple exercise is to pick one CRM feature that’s underused—whether it is task reminders, tagging or pipeline stages—and commit to using it consistently for a week.

5. Observe How Top Performers Build Networks

Selling is not just about one conversation; it’s about building a web of relationships. Top salespeople attend events, engage on LinkedIn and stay visible in their communities. But they treat networking as relationship-building, not card collecting.

I once saw a rep at a networking event who hardly talked about her company. Instead, she spent time asking others about their businesses. Later, she followed up with thoughtful notes. People remembered her and started sending referrals her way.

By paying attention to how others expand their circle, salespeople can model the behaviors that build long-term opportunities.

Application Insight:

One powerful habit is for sales reps to reach out to one contact weekly, without any agenda. A friendly check-in, a shared article or a helpful introduction. Over time, these small touches create the strongest referral sources.

The Bigger Picture

Sales is often painted as a solo sport: one person versus the quota, the objections, the clock. But in truth, it’s more like a relay race. Every observation, every conversation, every shared insight can hand off the baton with greater speed and strength.

Charlie Benton was right. The secret isn’t found in a single magical technique. It’s found in awareness—paying attention to people, taking notes and asking better questions. Every colleague, client and competitor has something to teach. And sometimes, the best lessons aren’t learned from a podium or playbook. They’re passed across the table, in a quiet moment, when one professional pauses to say, “Here’s what I’ve learned.”

Five Lessons for Sales Teams

1. Strong prep builds confidence. Craft three tailored questions before key calls.
2. Rejection reveals opportunity. Debrief each “no” to uncover what can be improved.
3. Authenticity wins. Borrow techniques from others but adapt them to personal strengths.
4. Tools matter. Reinforce CRM use as a performance multiplier, not an admin task.
5. Trust compounds. Promote proactive, no-ask outreach to build long-term networks.