Sales-Centric or Omphaloskepsis? What’s Your Organization’s True Orientation?

What is the opposite of being sales-centric? Is it being sales-ignoring or sales-oblivious?

Or could it be that the opposite of sales-centric is customer-centric?

I believe sales-centric and customer-centric orientations are inherently the same. In today’s transparent and competitive markets, you simply cannot sell successfully without putting the customer front and center. Salespeople need to understand the customer’s needs and then sell solutions that solve those exact problems.

In fact, a quick glance at mission statements from companies around the world shows that nearly all of them reference the customer as a key stakeholder. Companies aim to serve, do good for, or make a difference for their customers, and that mission is central to their identity.

But here’s the kicker: to have customers to serve or do good for, a company needs to be sales-centric. Very few products or services sell themselves. While there may be a few outliers — such as products driven by regulations or those boosted in the short-term by social media hype — these are exceptions, not the rule. Even in these cases, significant marketing efforts are driving the demand.

Why Sales-Centricity is Essential

In my playbook, being sales-centric is the only viable orientation for a successful company. Winning new customers drives the growth that businesses need, and every department — not just sales — should be working toward that goal. Sales-centric organizations align the entire business to focus on growth, and they often have a larger share of employees working in commercial functions like sales or marketing.

So, what’s the opposite of sales-centric? I would argue it’s company-centric. Many companies claim to put the customer first, only a small number truly do so. Many companies have a distorted view of how customers perceive them, which doesn’t always align with the customers’ actual experiences.

The Dangers of Company-Centric Thinking

Company-centric organizations suffer from omphaloskepsis—the act of being so preoccupied with themselves that they ignore the outside world. This internal focus results in departments like Finance, HR, Engineering, and Operations outweighing the importance of sales. Far more time and energy are spent on internal matters than on customer interactions.

In these organizations, commercial staff (those working directly in sales or customer-facing roles) are often reduced, while corporate functions expand. The company’s focus shifts inward, and the connection to customers fades.

What’s Your Organization Like?

Is your company sales-centric—focused on growth, customer needs, and winning new business? Or has it drifted into company-centric thinking, with an internal focus that limits its ability to connect with customers and grow?

In today’s competitive landscape, businesses must remain sales-centric to survive and thrive. The entire organization, from top to bottom, should be aligned around winning and retaining customers, not just maintaining internal processes.