Why GTM Strategy Fails and What the Best Leaders Do Differently

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    In theory, most go-to-market (GTM) strategies look strong. Leaders project confidence. Dashboards appear green on the surface. Plans are rolled out. But behind the scenes, teams thrash, priorities shift, silos sprawl, and results fail to meet expectations.

    This is the GTM performance gap, and it’s more than a temporary setback. It’s a persistent drag on productivity, morale, and revenue.

    While nearly every leader believes their GTM strategy is in motion, only a fraction said it’s delivering at the level they need. 98% of leaders say their strategy is in motion, but only 10% say it’s delivering at the level they need. And while organizations are investing heavily in AI, few are turning those investments into measurable results. In high-pressure environments where teams are expected to do more with less, cracks are spreading.

    New research shows what’s really holding teams back

    To dig deeper, Highspot partnered with Dynata to survey 463 senior leaders across sales, marketing, enablement, and revenue operations. Our focus: enterprise organizations in North America, Europe, and Australia-New Zealand, and the disconnect between planning and performance.

    The findings reveal a consistent pattern:

    • Teams struggle to find and use the right content.
    • Sales cycles stall, and customer experiences suffer.
    • Burnout rises while coaching tools go unused.
    • AI adoption accelerates, but without structure or accountability.
    • Teams can’t see what’s truly driving outcomes, despite abundant data.

    The message is clear: strategy alone doesn’t deliver. Execution does.

    How top performers are closing the gap

    Here’s the good news: some organizations are breaking through.

    High-performing teams don’t rely on intent. They build executional systems that connect strategy to action, unify GTM signals, and empower every seller and marketer to perform at their best.

    With purpose-built platforms like Highspot, they embed enablement into daily workflows, use AI to deliver timely coaching, and define success by real business impact, not activity metrics. They help sellers sharpen skills before high-stakes moments with practice capabilities like AI Role Play. They equip every team with the guidance, insight, and structure they need to execute with consistency.

    The difference isn’t the tools. It’s leadership.

    Top-performing GTM leaders don’t wait for results. They create them.

    Get early access to the full report

    If you’re a CEO, CRO, CMO, Head of Enablement, or GTM strategist, we’ve created this report for you. It reveals the signals that matter and offers a clear look at how top-performing companies are navigating complexity and preparing for whatever the future holds.

    This is your chance to learn where your organization truly stands—and how to move forward with confidence grounded in reality.

    Sign up now to get early access to the full report.

    Robert Wahbe

    Robert Wahbe is Highspot’s co-founder and CEO, leading the mission to transform the way millions of people work. Prior to founding Highspot in 2012, Robert spent more than 15 years as Corporate Vice President of the Server and Tools Division at Microsoft. A veteran entrepreneur, he also co-founded Colusa, a cross-language virtual machine that was acquired by Microsoft in 1996.

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