Stop making the donuts part 2: the data doesn’t lie
In Part 1, I introduced an idea: Sales teams are not failing because they lack effort. They are failing because they are making donuts in a broken kitchen. In a GTM context, the kitchen represents the broader revenue engine, strategy, processes, systems, and cross-functional alignment. When those elements are fragmented or unclear, performance breaks down regardless of individual capability. I asked for your input and the results suggest you agree.
The Headline: It’s the Engine, Not the Effort.
When asked what causes sales teams to miss targets:
GTM Engine failure (strategy, process, systems misalignment): 53.8%
The Hill (systemic friction and broken processes): 15.4%
Not skills. Not motivation. Not “we just need better training.”
Organizations have invested heavily in developing seller capability; training programs, coaching frameworks, and enablement tools. But when the underlying GTM engine is misaligned, those efforts cannot deliver consistent results. This is not a performance issue, it is a system issue.
Where the Friction Actually Lives
The biggest drivers of stalled deals and lost momentum:
Cross-functional misalignment: 38.5%
Unclear GTM strategy / ICP confusion: 30.8%
Broken internal processes (handoffs, approvals, pricing): 15.4%
It’s not that people aren’t trying, it's that the system makes it harder than it should be. Every step forward comes with friction. Pricing sits in approvals, timelines stretch, and eventually the customer just gives up. This constant friction doesn’t just slow deals, it drives seller frustration and accelerates burnout.
The Most Telling Insight
When asked how sales enablement is positioned:
A reactive fix-it team: 38.5%
Tactical onboarding/training: 23.1%
A strategic GTM partner: 15.4%
This dynamic reinforces a cycle where revenue gaps are met with training interventions, yet performance remains unchanged because enablement lacks ownership of the underlying system. The downstream effect is increased internal friction, as teams shift toward blame rather than coordinated problem-solving.
What This Means for Revenue Leaders
If we take this data seriously, three things become clear:
Training cannot fix a broken system:
It amplifies what already works. It cannot compensate for unclear messaging, misaligned strategy or disconnected tools.
Performance problems are design problems:
When reps struggle, the instinct is to coach harder. The better question is: “Does our system make it easy to do the right thing?”
Misalignment is the silent revenue killer:
Misalignment becomes visible in execution: Marketing generates the wrong leads, Product says one thing, Sales says another, and pricing or legal drags the deal out. The seller is stuck in the middle, trying to make it all make sense to the customer.
How to Take Action:
Step 1: Stop diagnosing everything as a skill issue.
Before scheduling more training, look upstream to see if your strategy is clear and aligned.
Step 2: Audit the GTM engine.
Stop asking if sellers are performing, and start asking if the system is built for them to perform.
Focus on: process friction, handoffs and tool alignment.
Step 3: Redefine enablement.
Shift enablement from reactive training to a system-level ownership of the GTM engine.
When you do:
Training becomes targeted
Coaching becomes relevant
Performance becomes predictable.
Step 4: Fix the kitchen before you blame the baker.
You do not fix a broken donut shop by telling people to bake faster.
Fix the recipe. Fix the workflow. Build a system that actually supports success.
The Bottom Line
The professionals who responded to this survey aren’t guessing. They are watching talented sellers struggle in environments that make success harder than it needs to be. Maybe it is time to stop asking, “Why aren’t our sellers performing?” and start asking, “Why does our system make it so hard for them to win?”
Thank you for sharing your perspectives. I enjoyed reading every response, it's powerful to realize we see similar challenges and are still pushing for improvement.