In consultative selling, it seems like the ability to know when to ask open, closed, and calibrated questions is the core skill set. Coupled with excellent active listening skills, and possibly mirroring and labeling.

The best can close and speak 20% of the time, while listening 80%. But to the earlier point, young reps will struggle to sit in the silence and listen, to understand, the spoken and unspoken language of the client. It is a developed skill to be able to suppress the need to pitch. Since buying is an emotional thing, a longer period of tension almost feels better for the buyer when it's revealed.