Revenue Operations - why you need it and how to get started

Organizations are increasingly complex. They have to be to survive and thrive. To keep up, they need to hire generalized talent for their go-to-market motion.

Andrew Lobb (Lattice, Zinier, Copper) talks about how to get people on your team.

The problem is that most people become experts in their field, which is fantastic for specific tasks but sucks when you need them to do more than just their specialty.

So how and what happens when you need them to take on additional responsibility and help build a new function?

Here's where Revenue Operations comes in.

Revenue Operations is all about aligning sales, marketing, and CS around the common goal of growing revenue. It's a relatively new discipline, but one that is gaining traction as organizations realize the importance of having a coordinated go-to-market strategy. The goal of RevOps is to streamline processes, optimize resources, and improve efficiency so that the entire organization can work together to drive growth.

So how do you convince people to give up their specialty and take on more responsibility? The answer is twofold: carrots and sticks. The carrot promises increased responsibility and the ability to build something new. The stick is the threat of being left behind as the organization grows and changes. Here's how you can use both carrots and sticks to convince people to make the leap to RevOps.

The Carrot: Increased Responsibility

The best way to convince someone to take on additional responsibility is to show them how it will benefit them personally. Explain how they will be able to contribute to the success of the organization by taking on a more strategic role and position themselves for future promotions by taking on more responsibility now. They will also be able to build something new that they can take pride in. Ultimately, showing people how they will benefit from taking on additional responsibility is the best way to convince them to make the leap.

The Stick: The Threat of Being Left Behind

If carrots don't work, then you may have to resort to using sticks. Explain how the world is changing and that the organization needs to change with it. Failure to do so will result in the organization being left behind by its competitors. highlight how other organizations are already doing RevOps and reaping the benefits. Make it clear that those who don't embrace change will be left behind, while those who do will be positioned for success. By making the case for change, you can convince even the most resistant employees that it's time for them to make the leap to RevOps.

Convincing people to change is never easy, but it's necessary if you want your organization to grow and succeed. The best way to do it is by showing people how they will benefit from taking on additional responsibility. If that doesn't work, then you may have to resort to using less pleasant methods, such as highlighting how resistance to change will result in being left behind by in their career field. But regardless of which approach you take, remember that ultimately it's necessary if you want your organization to progress and prosper.