5 Planning Pitfalls GTM Teams Should Avoid

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the importance of adopting a comprehensive and integrated Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy, rather than relying solely on numerical analysis and calculations. It highlights five common biases that can hinder the GTM planning process, including "Mathism", "Incrementalism", "Departmentalism", "Growthism", and "Idealism". The article introduces the GTM Operating System, an 8-pillar framework developed by GTM Partners to provide organizations with clarity and alignment in their strategic planning and execution process. It also emphasizes the importance of Clarity, Alignment, and Teamwork (CAT) in overcoming internal misalignment, which is identified as the biggest roadblock to reaching business goals.

🙋 Q&A

[01] GTM Planning Biases

1. What are the five biases identified in the article that can hinder the GTM planning process? The five biases identified are:

• Mathism: Relying heavily on spreadsheets and numerical analysis to drive strategy, overlooking the importance of strategic thinking and qualitative aspects.
• Incrementalism: A preference for small, cautious steps in decision-making to avoid risk, which can hinder bold, innovative decisions.
• Departmentalism: Focusing on achieving outcomes at the team or departmental level rather than prioritizing customer experience, leading to organizational silos.
• Growthism: Emphasizing short-term gains and wins, often at the expense of long-term strategy, which can undermine sustainable growth.
• Idealism: Focusing on future possibilities without adequately considering current realities, resulting in unrealistic and unattainable plans.

2. How can these biases be avoided when planning a GTM strategy? The article suggests that the MOVE framework and the GTM Operating System can help companies avoid these biases by providing a more holistic and integrated approach to GTM planning and execution.

[02] The GTM Operating System

1. What is the GTM Operating System, and how does it help organizations with their strategic planning and execution? The GTM Operating System is an 8-pillar framework developed by GTM Partners to provide organizations with clarity and alignment in their strategic planning and execution process. It consists of interconnected parts that allow the GTM team to stay aligned on a common goal, both as a GTM team and within specific disciplines such as sales, marketing, and customer success. It also allows the owner of GTM within the organization to validate the strategy and understand the capacity of the GTM team.

2. How do the eight pillars of the GTM Operating System help address the challenges and answer the four central questions of a GTM journey? The eight pillars of the GTM Operating System are critical to ensuring that GTM is a company-wide holistic initiative, not just a marketing/sales initiative. Each pillar builds on the next, allowing organizations to connect the dots between teams with significantly different roles, and providing blueprints for how to manage GTM execution across the entire company.

[03] Clarity, Alignment, and Teamwork (CAT)

1. Why is CAT crucial for overcoming internal misalignment, which is identified as the biggest roadblock to reaching business goals? The article emphasizes that Clarity, Alignment, and Teamwork (CAT) are crucial for overcoming internal misalignment, which is identified as the biggest roadblock to reaching business goals. Clarity ensures that the team understands the business strategy, decisions, and corresponding goals, along with a clear understanding of what these goals mean within the context of their roles. Alignment focuses on the details and day-to-day decision-making, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and can execute, learn, iterate, and transform as the organization progresses. A well-functioning team, where everyone is connected to the goal and feels valued, is better than individual heroism for achieving scale, repeatability, and efficient growth.

2. How can organizations implement the CAT approach, either through their own efforts or with the assistance of GTM Partners? The article suggests that organizations can either conduct their own CAT session or have GTM Partners assist them, as it is a crucial part of the 2024 planning process. GTM Partners is also hosting an exclusive GTM Transformation Offsite in Atlanta, where they invite 10 companies to join for a two-day, all-inclusive event designed to burn down silos and build a comprehensive GTM strategy with everyone's input, followed by three months of group support to address any implementation issues.