The speaker critiques the common practice of testing salespeople by having them sell a pencil, arguing it focuses on sales techniques over value. While new salespeople might initially focus on selling at all costs, they should transition to providing genuine value. **Over-reliance on sales skills to sell valueless items is flawed**, and the role of sales should be to accurately communicate a product’s true value. Ultimately, a salesperson should aim for **customer happiness and the positive impact of their product**, rather than mere manipulation. The pencil test only reveals basic skills and misses the point of value and customer satisfaction.