Sales managers and reps face immense pressure to deliver results—understanding how to operate within your Overton window could be the key to career survival.
I am not typically drawn to political discussions. In my experience, politics can often lead to negativity and unnecessary stress. The last time I watched political news shows, it was during the Clinton administration. Instead of television news, I prefer reading The Economist or other well-regarded publications that focus on insights rather than divisive opinions. I have a theory that we often get the leaders we need at a particular time rather than the ones we necessarily want.
I am using this idea to highlight a point about how sales leaders, sales managers, and sales reps can lose their jobs or fail to get hired. According to data from Zippia, around 38 percent of sales managers stay in their role for 1–2 years; 13 percent stay for less than a year.
Let us start with a tough but important question: “When I replace you, what are the three things I will prioritize in the first few days?”
The Overton window is an idea from political science that suggests that to succeed, you must focus on what’s possible and relevant within a specific context, but it is also possible to gradually change that context. For example, changes to long-standing programs like Social Security are outside the Overton window, so they are unlikely. Discussions around optimizing resources and investing in growth are squarely within the Overton window, so pursuing related changes is more practical.
Everyone has their own ideas about what is acceptable and what is totally off limits. Some may prioritize strategies that leverage existing resources, while others focus on forward-thinking initiatives. For example, younger generations today are concerned about financial stability and home ownership. They face different challenges than previous generations, yet the solutions require a similar focus on aligning actions with achievable outcomes.
We can bring this idea of the Overton window to organizations and industries as well. Different companies and fields have different ways of doing things and different levels of tolerance to certain types of decisions. Your success in sales requires you to align your efforts with the Overton window.
Sales Leadership Strategies: Ensuring Success within the Overton Window
I am not suggesting that you adopt a particular viewpoint, but as a sales leader, you are hired to achieve specific results. Your success depends on aligning with your organization's priorities and focusing on what’s within your control. Here’s how to stay effective within the Overton Window as a sales manager:
- Drive cold outreach for sales reps. Without consistent outreach to prospective clients, your team’s performance will falter. A group of sales managers once even asked me if they should require their reps to prioritize prospecting—something that should be a given.
- Build a durable sales pipeline. An anemic pipeline is almost certain to cause you to struggle to reach your goals. Without a consistent flow of opportunities, you risk being replaced by someone who ensures they have a reliable pipeline to hit targets.
- Empower your sales team to win deals. Cold outreach and building a pipeline are essential activities, but winning deals requires enhancing your sales reps’ effectiveness. Whether it’s through B2B sales training, coaching, or other development programs, each rep needs continuous improvement to succeed.
These ideas should be so central to your way of doing business that ignoring them falls outside your Overton window.
Mastering the Overton Window as a Sales Representative
As a sales rep, you must operate within the same Overton window as your sales leader. You must focus on core activities that drive success.
- Prioritize time for prospecting. Those who are disinclined to make calls to new prospects may find themselves moved to customer success roles, missing the commissions they could have earned by booking meetings.
- Focus on building a strong pipeline. Sales reps who fail to build a durable pipeline will find themselves outside the Overton Window. Without a steady flow of opportunities, you may become concerned about your job security.
- Increase your win rate to close more deals. My number-one KPI is win rate. No matter what it takes—whether it’s B2B training, coaching, or skill development that boosts your ability to close deals—you must win the opportunities in your pipeline to thrive.
The Short Version
The Overton Window in Sales
- The concept of the Overton window, typically used in politics, can be applied to sales to understand what actions are acceptable and effective.
- Sales professionals must operate within their organization’s Overton Window to succeed and avoid job loss.
Key Strategies for Sales Leaders and Managers
- Drive cold outreach for sales reps to book meetings.
- Build a durable sales pipeline to reach goals and targets.
- Empower the sales team to win deals through training, coaching, and development.
Essential Focus Areas for Sales Representatives
- Prioritize time for prospecting to avoid missing out on commissions.
- Focus on building a strong pipeline to ensure job security.
- Increase win rate through continuous improvement and development.
