Like me, you may sometimes wonder why people make the decisions that they do, and I think the well known NLP presupposition covers this incredibly well – The map is not the territory. Essentially, our own internalised perception of the World is only the way we have recorded a situation and need not be the same as somebody else’s recollection. I think this helps to at least begin to explain the initial assertion of the decisions we see being made that perhaps don’t always make sense to us.
What prompted this thinking is the fact that the sales arena is a very complex one – often onlookers would say that selling is selling! However, there is much more to sales than might at first glance appear to be the case, but is this just my MAP?
It is really easy to become drawn into making sweeping statements about people who come from a certain background in sales as being unsuitable for a new and apparently different role – for example, a sales person who has spent a long time in a small company might be overlooked for a sales job in a large corporate organisation, and of course vice versa. This does not necessarily need to be the case. In fact in my experience I have witnessed many successful transitions from small business direct sales to large corporate indirect sales and the same in reverse.
So why does this occur? That’s difficult to say, other than to suppose that experiences have dictated for some people that the experience has been unsuccessful. Perhaps a deeper investigation into the individual’s skills and flexibility, through objective assessments may have uncovered this, and the mistakes may have been avoided and the perception changed.
Published by Graham Bunting
I have been around a while and seen some stuff for sure. I have experienced some good, some bad, and some indifferent. Some have been downright fabulous.
I am still hugely motivated to get up every day and be curious. I love tech and business, and most of all dogs, oh and people are ok too ;-)
Having been in sales most of my working life, I have a real interest in the art and science and am a committed lifelong learner - constantly frustrating my kids with my stock phrase "every day is a school day"
Personally, I’m a husband to one, and father to five amazing children (none of them is now a child, but independent adults) and my golden lab, Archie, who is always pleased to see me. (edit - We said goodbye to my boy in Feb 2025, and in July 2025 we welcomed rescue "Cally" into our home and hearts - a 4 YO boxer/staffy cross, and a really sweet girl
I was blessed with becoming a Granddad in February 2021 (a very proud and somewhat besotted one) and another grandson arrived in October 2022 to keep their parents busy and for me to spoil. My second eldest then added a third to the mix, in 2026, so now a granddad to 3 fabulous boys x
I am also a mad keen lover of the oval ball game and a lifelong supporter of Leicester Tigers. As an Englishman, that's therefore England at a national level and the British and Irish Lions.
If I can be of service in any way, including any area of developing a channel sales and support business or ecosystem partnerships, and or sales coaching or development, you can find me at the link below, and contact me via the form also.
One of my favourite "quotes" is
Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body. But rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, with a beer in one hand, shouting "Whoo, what a ride!!"
Views here are 100% my own. https://grahambunting.bio.link/
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Graham Bunting -The Partner Catalyst 