Six months ago, Lucrum Partners published five predictions about how commercial organizations would need to evolve to sustain predictable growth. Those predictions weren't based on emerging technology or industry hype. They were based on observable shifts in buyer behavior, executive priorities, and commercial operating models. Six months later, the verified first-half 2026 evidence from Gartner, McKinsey, SBI Growth, Polaris I/O, TSIA, 6sense, earnings calls, is difficult

Every year, thousands of HR leaders gather at SHRM's annual conference with a common aspiration: Earn greater influence. Become more strategic. Get a seat at the executive table. But after reviewing this year's conference agenda, a key What if the reason HR isn't consistently invited into enterprise strategy conversations isn't because CEOs undervalue HR?

CFOs need earlier visibility. CMOs need greater predictability. Signal-Led GTM™ provides the missing link between executive strategy and commercial execution by helping organizations detect growth signals before pipeline exists. Learn how emerging CFO and CMO priorities align around signal governance and why the future of growth depends on managing signals—not just leads and opportunities.

From James Taylor to Phil Collins, from arena rock to film scores, Sklar became one of the most trusted session musicians in the world not because he was the loudest person in the room, but because he consistently made the entire performance better. For modern GTM leaders, especially those navigating AI disruption, buying-group complexity, and declining effectiveness of traditional pipeline systems, Sklar’s interview offers a surprisingly powerful blueprint for revenue lea

Most executives were introduced to root cause analysis long before they ever entered a boardroom. For many, it started in elementary school science classes. A plant died. Why? Not enough water. Why? The soil drained too quickly. Why? The wrong soil composition was used. Why? The environment wasn’t evaluated before planting. Even as children, we were taught a foundational principle: the visible problem is rarely the actual problem.

New research from SBI Growth Advisory and Polaris I/O found that signal-driven account teams: → Generated 4x more qualified opportunities→ Converted at 71% versus 20% for traditional approaches→ Closed deals 7.4x larger→ Closed deals 128 days faster Those are not marginal improvements. Those are operating model differences.

Every year, leadership teams tell themselves the same story: “Q1 is where we test. We’ll adjust as we go.” That story is now dangerous. IDC makes it clear: Q1 is not a learning quarter; it’s where commitments are made, direction is set, and momentum is locked. Which means: If your GTM motion is misaligned in Q1…You don’t adjust in Q2. You absorb the consequences.

The Myth of the Fish Finder (and the CRM) Less experienced captains believe success comes from technology alone. A better fish finder. A bigger screen. More data. Elite captains know that tools don’t create outcomes—decision systems do.

The competitive gap in B2B is no longer defined by who has the best relationships or the biggest balance sheet. It’s defined by who sees what’s coming—and organizes their business to act on it first. In capital-intensive industries like commercial construction and energy services (ESCO), that difference is becoming existential.

The real risk is missing revenue signals that are already present—signals that indicate expansion, contraction, competitive entry, or budget reallocation long before they show up in CRM, forecasts, or QBR decks.

High seller turnover and missed quotas are becoming the most frustrating constants for today’s GTM and revenue leaders. For many, every new quarter feels like déjà vu: underperformance, reactionary hiring, and another round of “performance management.” But here’s the truth: If you’re tired of firing low performers, then stop hiring them.

"No Pain, No Gain" I don't believe that phrase came out of pipeline review or forecasting meetings. But perhaps it should have. Sales...