If your team is working hard but progress still feels slow, you’re not alone. We’ve seen it in our own business and with many of our clients. The real issue often comes down to one thing: no shared focus on revenue. It’s not just a sales metric; it’s the one KPI that can align every department. And when teams understand how their work connects to that number, everything starts to move with purpose.
Listen to Episode 18 of Revenue Rewired on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or Amazon Music.
The Problem: Busyness Isn’t the Same as Alignment
“We’re active, but we’re not moving in the direction we want.” – Sarah Shepard
It’s easy to think you’ve got alignment when everyone’s busy. But if you’re leading a company and it feels like progress is stalling, you’re not alone. We’ve been there. In this episode, Sarah and I discuss a quiet blocker that derails even the most intelligent teams: the absence of a single, clear, unifying KPI.
We see it all the time with clients who have great people doing great work, but without a shared goal, energy gets scattered. Conversations stay tactical. People work in silos. Teams lose steam.
Revenue Isn’t Just a Sales Goal
“If it doesn’t connect to revenue, we pause and ask why we’re doing it.” – Jay Feitlinger
For us, the turning point came when we made revenue the one KPI that mattered most.
This isn’t about being sales-obsessed. It’s about giving the entire team a shared focus. We talk openly about our revenue goals because it helps everyone understand where we’re headed and how they can contribute. When you do that, you stop chasing noise. You start working on what matters.
How to Align Your Team Around Revenue
Here’s what we’ve found works, both for us and for the companies we support:
- Start with the vision.
What would success look like 12 months from now? What would need to happen to get there? - Tie a revenue number to it.
Not just a percentage increase. A real number with a purpose behind it. - Ask every department: Does this help us get there?
If it does, great. If not, be honest. It might not belong on the list right now. - Be open with your team.
People work better when they know the why. Revenue isn’t a dirty word; it’s clarity.
Are You Focused or Just Busy?
A few questions to ask as you look ahead:
- Does your team know the revenue goal for this quarter?
- Can each person see how their work contributes to it?
- Are you making time to pause and realign?
When we started doing this, things changed. People felt more connected. Our planning sessions got clearer. And we started making real progress, not just staying busy.
If you’re ready to build a plan that connects the dots between strategy and execution, we’d love to help. StringCan has worked with companies across industries to align teams and turn good intentions into real revenue growth. Let’s talk.
