When quarterly revenue numbers fall short of projections, the instinctive reaction from many CEOs and boards is to scrutinize the sales team.
They’re the most proximate function to revenue, after all. And if they miss enough quarters in a row, the CEO and board are often ready to replace the sales leader entirely. In fact, the average tenure of a CRO is around 18 months. It’s a familiar playbook: bring in fresh blood to “fix” the pipeline and close more deals.
The allure of a quick sales overhaul is understandable. Revenue is indeed the lifeblood of the business, and sales seems like a natural place to start. But this knee-jerk approach overlooks the fundamental truth that not every revenue problem is a sales problem. And treating revenue misses as primarily a sign to put pressure on sales can exacerbate underlying issues.
The Myth of the Sales Fix
Revenue generation is a multifaceted ecosystem. Every sale, of course, requires two participants: the seller and the buyer. While salespeopl…
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