Sales Jargon · Vice President level

"Happy ears"

"Happy ears" means the tendency to hear positive signals from a prospect or stakeholder that are more optimistic than what was actually said.

Say this instead: wishful listening

How "Happy ears" shows up at work

A sales coaching term for the bias that turns "interesting, send me more" into "they're basically ready to sign." Sales managers invoke it when reviewing pipeline and noticing that every deal is perpetually two weeks from closing.

Buzzword

Don't get happy ears on this one; they said they were evaluating three vendors.

Plain English

Don't engage in wishful listening on this one; they said they were evaluating three vendors.

Corporate Rank: Vice President · Category: Sales Jargon

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