What to Stop Doing in 2026: Sales Leadership Habits to Leave Behind

By Sergio Armani, Founder & CEO, ACG-Clinical

Let's be honest. You're carrying habits into 2026 that aren't serving you anymore.

Some of them made sense at the time. Some of them never did. But they've become comfortable, familiar, the way things are done around here. And that comfort is costing you.

The clinical research industry is evolving. Sponsors and sites expect partners, not vendors. Relationships matter more than transactions. Strategic thinking beats activity for activity's sake. The leaders who thrive in 2026 will be the ones willing to let go of what's not working and embrace something better.

This isn't about doing more. It's about stopping the things that hold you back.

Here are five sales leadership habits to leave behind in 2026.

1. Stop Tolerating "The Way We've Always Done It"

This is the most dangerous phrase in sales leadership. It sounds like experience. It feels like stability. But it's usually just resistance to change dressed up as wisdom.

I've seen it firsthand. I worked with a technology company founder who had been running his business for 11 years with the same BD rep for 10 of those years. When I suggested implementing better tracking and coaching frameworks, he pushed back hard. He couldn't see the value in changing anything. After all, things had always been done this way.

I ended that engagement. If a leader isn't willing to evolve, there's a limit to what anyone can help them accomplish.

I've seen the opposite, too.

I've been working with a sales leader at a clinical trial support services company that handles patient travel, payments, and operational logistics for sponsors and CROs. He came into his role as a self-proclaimed "data guy" with roughly 40 strategic data points he was tracking. Forty. He knew he needed to build a plan to close out 2025 strong and for an even stronger 2026, but he was thinking linearly, not strategically. He had all this information but didn't know how to synthesize it into a focused direction.

What made him different was his willingness to look at things differently. Instead of defending his approach, he asked better questions. Instead of clinging to all 40 data points, he was open to a different process.

I provided him with a framework, years of experience, and honest feedback. But he did the work. He fine-tuned his list of strategic items, ranked them by impact, and prioritized what mattered most for Q4 2025 and into 2026. What started as an overwhelming list of strategy ideas, with no clear sense of which were good or where to begin, became a focused plan he owned completely. More importantly, it gave him the confidence to align his strategic priorities and speak to them clearly with leadership.

That's the difference between leaders who evolve and leaders who don't. It's not about intelligence or experience. It's about openness, and having the right support at the right time.

In 2026, stop defending "the way we've always done it." Start asking what could be better.

If you're a sales leader who's ready to challenge your own assumptions and build something better, let's talk.

2. Stop Counting Calls and Emails as Success Metrics

Activity is not achievement. But too many sales leaders still manage like it is.

They track dials. They count emails sent. They celebrate "busy" like it means something. And then they wonder why their teams aren't hitting revenue targets.

Here's the problem: when you measure activity, you get activity. You don't get strategic thinking. You don't get relationship-building. You don't get the kind of thoughtful, consultative sales approach that actually wins business in clinical research.

Your clients aren't sitting around hoping for more cold calls. They're looking for partners who understand their challenges and bring real solutions. That takes preparation, insight, and focus. None of which show up in a call count.

In 2026, stop rewarding motion. Start measuring what actually matters: quality conversations, pipeline progression, and closed business.

3. Stop Conducting 1-on-1s That Are Just Pipeline Reviews

If your weekly 1-on-1s consist entirely of "walk me through your deals," you're not coaching. You're auditing.

Pipeline reviews have their place. But when every conversation with your reps is about what's closing this month, you're missing the opportunity to actually develop them.

Great 1-on-1s are about the person, not just the pipeline. What's challenging them? Where do they need support? What skills are they trying to build? How are they thinking about their territory strategically, not just tactically?

When you invest in your people's growth, the pipeline takes care of itself.

In 2026, stop treating 1-on-1s as deal interrogations. Start using them to coach, develop, and grow your people.

4. Stop Treating Your Sales Team as a Collection of Individuals

Lone wolves don't build sustainable sales organizations. Teams do.

But too many sales leaders manage a group of individuals instead of building an actual team. Reps protect their territories. Information stays siloed. Collaboration feels like a threat instead of an advantage.

This doesn't work anymore. In clinical research, deals are complex. Relationships span multiple stakeholders. Opportunities emerge from unexpected places. You need a team that shares information, supports each other, and works in concert from planning through closing.

That starts with leadership. When you model collaboration, your team follows. When you create systems for sharing insights and working deals together, you build something bigger than any one person.

A new opportunity emerges? The team spots it together. A key relationship needs nurturing? Multiple people can engage.

In 2026, stop building a collection of individuals. Start building an actual team.

Building a true team culture doesn't happen by accident. Whether you need help restructuring how your sales organization collaborates or coaching your leaders to think team-first, reach out and let's explore what makes sense.

5. Stop Ignoring the Whole Person (Including Yourself)

This one might surprise you. But it might be the most important habit to leave behind.

If you or your team members are 100% focused on work, something is breaking down somewhere else. Family. Health. Friendships. Community. The nonprofit board. The pickup basketball game on Saturday mornings. Whatever gives life meaning beyond the number.

Sales leaders who burn out can't lead. Reps who sacrifice everything for quota eventually hit a wall. The short-term gains aren't worth the long-term damage.

And here's what most leaders miss: taking care of yourself isn't a distraction from leadership. It IS leadership. When you prioritize your own health and wellness, you model sustainability for your team. When you respect boundaries, you give your people permission to do the same.

High-performing teams aren't built on burnout. They're built on people who bring their best because they have the capacity to give it.

In 2026, take care of your people. And take care of yourself. Everything else depends on it.

The Choice in Front of You

These five habits have one thing in common: they're comfortable. They feel safe. They're how things have always been done.

But comfortable isn't the same as effective. And safe isn't the same as strategic.

The clinical research industry is changing. Your clients expect more. Your team needs more. And you're capable of more.

2026 can be the year you stop doing what isn't working and start leading differently.

The leaders who will win aren't the ones with the most activity, the biggest dashboards, or the longest hours. They're the ones willing to look honestly at their habits, let go of what's holding them back, and build something better.

That takes courage. It takes humility. And sometimes, it takes help.

But it starts with a choice: keep doing what you've always done, or decide that 2026 is the year things change.

What are you going to stop doing?

If you're ready to leave old habits behind and build a sales organization designed for 2026 and beyond, let's talk. I help clinical research vendors transform how they lead, coach, and grow. Schedule a conversation.

Disclaimer: The information in this publication is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or regulatory advice. Armani Consulting Group, LLC, doing business as ACG-Clinical, disclaims any liability for errors, omissions, or actions taken in reliance on this content. Please consult qualified professionals for advice specific to your situation.