How to become a (sales) guru

Mindfulness might be all the rage among executives but by digging a little deeper into the ancient Indian spiritual teachings that underpin it, professionals can become gurus in life and at winning new business, writes our health and wellbeing correspondent, Andrew Horn

It’s dog-eat-dog world, and nowhere does it bite harder than when it comes to closing sales. Words such as ‘fast-paced’ and ‘competitive’ don’t begin to describe the realities of a situation where the pressure to land that account is often off the dial.

Unfortunately, the winning tactics required are confidence, clarity, and the ability to connect with your potential clients—things that can be particularly challenging to bring to the table when the stress is bearing down.

Now, there’s no end to executive self-help books on the subject, some global bestsellers, but their typically pseudo-intellectual, dry-as-dust dissections aren’t the only way to professional growth. Rather than spend your cash on a handbook, or get your company to foot the eyewatering bill for a workshop or two, we can learn a lot about becoming a sales guru by looking to the home of the original gurus: India.

The Sanskrit word ‘guru’ means someone who is a mentor, guide, expert, or master. We all want to master our sales techniques and having been both a Hare Krishna monk and, latterly, a businessman, I know firsthand how ancient Indian spiritual principles have much to teach us today.

One of the most powerful teachings handed down from the ancients is mindfulness—the practice of maintaining full awareness of the present moment. Why? Because heightened awareness and keeping your focus in the present allows you to turn down the internal pressure. This helps to read clients better, to anticipate objections, and to respond with clarity. The Bhagavad Gita describes the mind as both an ally and an obstacle; when controlled, it fosters focus and insight, but when left unchecked, it leads to distraction and inefficiency. 

Breath control is key to being mindful. In stressful situations, that growing sense of anxiety can be disastrous for winning the sale, bringing about rushed conversations, poor listening, and a palpable aura of collapsing confidence. Practising deep, controlled breathing before important meetings can help regulate those troublesome emotions so you come across as someone in full control. Clients will note it and naturally assume the same level of mastery will be shown on their account. The internet’s full of quick and easy-to-follow breathing exercises. A simple one involves placing one hand on your chest and the other on your belly, taking slow, measured breaths, and visualising success with each inhale while releasing tension with each exhale.

I would like to reference, verbatim, an easy, but essential means to perfect breath control as inculcated in me by good-guru/mindfulness aficionado-in-chief, Eli Barosco: “In the words of the great Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh: ‘Breathe, you are alive!’”

Another crucial lesson, and one too often overlooked, is the importance of selfless service. In sales, there is often an urge to close deals quickly, sometimes at the expense of genuine client relationships. Indian philosophy underlines that true success lies in prioritising the needs of others. The Sanskrit phrase “a-manina, mana-dena” translates to “do not seek honour, but be prepared to offer it to others.” It might sound a bit too lofty for the real world but taking a little extra time and effort to understand your clients’ true needs means you can offer solutions that genuinely benefit them rather than just focusing on short-term wins. 

Ultimately, the bona-fide sales guru is akin to the Hindu guru: someone who has inner confidence, composure, insight, and the ability to build trust and create lasting relationships. Draw upon the same teachings they use to master themselves and you have a comprehensive framework for transforming your hit rate, growing your business and yourself at the same time. 

Author Andrew Horn, the son of the great neuroscientist Sir Gabriel Horn and grandson of the socialist peer Baron Soper, is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on traditional Indian and Sanskrit drama whose English translation of the epic 16th-Century Vidagdha Madhava by Rupa Goswami is considered the most accurate ever published. Despite his notable lineage, Andrew chose a different path, becoming a Hare Krishna monk for 20 years. During this time, he was given the name ‘Arjundas Adhikari’, signifying devotion to the hero Arjuna from the Mahabharata. He also appeared on Top of the Pops with Boy George for the singer’s 1991 hit, Bow Down Mister.

Main image: Andrew Horn.