Shared Learnings lead to more earnings

Great cultures allow for discussions on the good and bad

In preparation for next quarter, assuming you have solid processes, track key metrics, and have nearly enough pipeline to meet your revenue targets, are you aware of the real risks associated with deals slipping or pipeline slowing? Culturally, do you create an environment that allows people to share what they need to succeed?

Assuming your startup operates under the principle of that "pipeline cures all," your team should embrace a culture of "Shared Learnings." Building pipeline sucks — rejections, fluctuations in weekly targets, research, and persistent effort are all part of the process. To make it more tolerable and engaging, incorporate Shared Learnings into the discussion. Shared Learnings provides your team with the opportunity to discuss what has gone well and what has been difficult. By making this a consistent exercise, you are encouraging open discussions that many team members might also be experiencing around how they can collectively hit the number while also improving individually – a rising tide lifts all boats. Additionally, this approach allows team members to identify their blockers — factors that hinder their performance or emerging trends in the field that warrant attention now (competitive dynamics, messaging, product limitations, etc.). 

Although it feels obvious and more like an approach managers take in a 1:1, what you’re creating is a team culture that feels comfortable sharing the good AND bad *in front of their peers* to discuss challenges, seek solutions, review how things changed after implementing proposed solutions. Nothing is harder than saying in front of the team that you are behind this quarter. You try to hide behind it unless there’s room to embrace it. 

How does this help with pipeline building? Because it prevents people from always showing that their activity metrics are high, everything is “up and to the right,” and the quarter is “on lock.” Dashboards are great but employees know how to hide behind them to appease management. Management doesn’t want to look bad in front of leadership. In cultures that hide metrics, leadership has a hard time understanding the reality and qualification of their pipeline. This leads to corporate theater and potentially uncomfortable board meetings, fundraising discussions, etc. 

Startups are hard and people think because they were successful before, their success and know-how is entirely transferrable. It’s not. And most don’t want to admit it, don’t know it’s happening, and this makes it difficult to know when the team needs real help. The teams who feel this pain the most are the ones who felt like the quarter (or year) was smooth sailing then success comes to a screeching halt. What leadership thought was figured out, is actually not, and you’re back to “war rooms” and whiteboarding sessions that lead to uncovering the details you wish you had known sooner. 

The more everyone in the company can share what’s going on and feel comfortable with communicating the wins, challenges, learnings, and best practices, the better your whole team will perform in a more predictable and forecastable manner. As Founder, you are responsible for creating clarity and giving this room for people to share this level of detail. The rest of your organization is seeking this type of leadership and permission. Once you start to make this a common theme in the culture, everyone will win and your pipeline needs will be much clearer.