Good morning, 

Most teams say they want to win. Very few can describe what winning actually looks like in clear, behavioral terms. 

When you do not define winning, you default to activity. You confuse motion with progress. You celebrate effort instead of outcomes. That is how pipelines get noisy, standards drift, and revenue becomes unpredictable.

For you as a seller, clarity removes guesswork. You know exactly what great looks like in discovery, qualification, closing, and follow-up. For you as a manager, it gives you language to coach and correct. For you as a business owner, it aligns hiring, compensation, and culture around performance, not personality. 

When winning is clearly defined, revenue becomes more consistent, and customers trust you more because your process feels deliberate, not random.

Turn to Best View Tables Below

DEFINITIONS

Term

Definition

KPI

Key Performance Indicator. A measurable signal that shows progress toward winning.

ICP

Ideal Customer Profile. The type of client where winning is most repeatable.

Leading Indicator

A behavior or metric that predicts future revenue.

Lagging Indicator

A result metric such as revenue or closed deals.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Question

Format

Answer Key

If you cannot clearly describe what a “great sales call” sounds like, can you coach it effectively?

True or False

False

Which of the following is a leading indicator of winning? A Revenue B Discovery meetings with ICP C Signed contract

Multiple Choice

B

In one sentence, describe what winning looks like on your team.

Short Answer

Must include behavior and outcome, not just revenue

DO’S AND DON’TS

DO

DON’T

Define winning in behavior, not hope.

Assume everyone shares the same definition.

Measure leading indicators weekly.

Wait for revenue to tell you the truth.

Coach to a written standard.

Coach based on mood or memory.

THE WORKSHOP

MODULE 1: DEFINE WINNING IN BEHAVIOR

Objective
You will translate vague goals into observable actions.

Introduction
Revenue is the outcome. Winning is the behavior that creates it. If you cannot hear it, see it, or measure it, you cannot improve it.

Exercise: The Winning Call Blueprint

Stage

Average Rep

Winning Standard

Discovery

Asks surface questions

Identifies quantified pain and decision criteria

Proposal

Sends deck

Ties solution to stated financial impact

Close

Asks “thoughts?”

Confirms timeline and next action

Tips
Be specific. Avoid words like good or strong. Describe what you would record and replay as a model.

Examples
Instead of “build rapport,” say “opens call by confirming agenda and outcome.” Instead of “strong close,” say “confirms budget, timeline, and next meeting before ending call.”

Case Study
Problem: A media sales team believed they were consultative, yet close rates were stuck at 18 percent.
Solution: Leadership defined what a winning discovery call required, including quantified pain and budget confirmation.
Results: Close rate increased to 27 percent in 90 days because calls had structure and intent.

Discussion

Question

Answer

Why does vague language hurt performance?

It prevents consistent coaching.

What makes a standard powerful?

It is observable and repeatable.

Who owns defining winning?

Leadership first, then the team adopts it.

MODULE 2: MEASURE WHAT PREDICTS WINNING

Objective
You will identify leading indicators that signal future revenue.

Introduction
Most teams measure results. Winning teams measure the behaviors that create results.

Exercise: Leading Indicator Audit

Metric

Current

Winning Target

ICP discovery meetings per week

3

8

Opportunities with confirmed budget

40 percent

75 percent

Next step scheduled before call ends

50 percent

90 percent

Tips
Choose metrics that are within your control. Review them weekly, not monthly.

Examples
If you sell sponsorships, track decision maker meetings, not just proposals sent. If you manage sellers, track qualification rate before pipeline size.

Case Study
Problem: A B2B team chased large logos but rarely confirmed budget early.
Solution: They made confirmed budget a weekly KPI.
Results: Average sales cycle shortened by 22 percent and forecast accuracy improved.

Discussion

Question

Answer

Why are leading indicators more useful than revenue?

They allow course correction early.

What happens when metrics are unclear?

Effort increases but performance does not.

How often should KPIs be reviewed?

Weekly at minimum.

MODULE 3: ENFORCE THE STANDARD

Objective
You will align coaching and accountability to defined winning behaviors.

Introduction
A standard without enforcement is a suggestion. Winning requires courage in coaching.

Exercise: The Coaching Alignment Grid

Rep

Strength

Gap

Coaching Action

Alex

Strong rapport

Avoids budget talk

Role play budget confirmation

Sam

High activity

Weak qualification

Shadow and score discovery calls

Taylor

Great closer

Inconsistent pipeline discipline

Weekly KPI review

Tips
Anchor feedback to behavior, not personality. Be direct and specific.

Examples
Instead of “you need more urgency,” say “you ended three calls without a scheduled next step.” That is coachable.

Case Study
Problem: Managers avoided hard feedback to preserve morale.
Solution: They adopted written standards and scored calls weekly.
Results: Underperformance dropped, and top reps appreciated the clarity.

Discussion

Question

Answer

Why do managers avoid enforcing standards?

Fear of conflict.

What changes when standards are written?

Feedback becomes objective.

What is the cost of tolerance?

Slower growth and cultural drift.

PATH TO FLUENCY

30 60 90 Day KPI Dashboard

Timeframe

Behavior Standard

KPI Target

Expected Outcome

30 Days

Winning behaviors documented

80 percent adherence

Clear coaching language

60 Days

Leading indicators tracked weekly

70 percent hit target

Improved pipeline quality

90 Days

Coaching tied to standards

Close rate up 5 to 10 percent

Higher forecast accuracy

Title1

Author

Year

Publisher

Richard Rumelt

2011

Crown Business

Patrick Lencioni

2012

Jossey Bass

Mort Greenberg

2025

digitalCORE Publishing

==

The Revenue Workshop isn’t theory. It’s a field-tested system used by real leaders, in real markets, under real pressure.  

Each newsletter is based on one of over 300 workshops and worksheets found in the eight books of the RevenueVsSales.com and TheFocusedSeller.com book series.

We’d love your help growing the list. Please share the newsletter with one person you think would benefit from it and ask them to sign up. Thank you!

To suggest workshops you’d like to read next, email [email protected]

Thank you!

Reply

Avatar

or to participate

Keep Reading