Doing More with Less: Today’s CRO Mandate

Last month, we gathered a group of Chief Revenue Officers (CROs) for a candid roundtable discussion. The theme? The relentless pressure on CROs to do more with less. Budgets are tighter, teams are leaner, and expectations, broadly and now with all things AI, have never been higher.

As one CRO put it, “We’re expected to deliver record growth with half the resources and none of the slack.” Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

The good news? Deloitte’s Future of Sales Study describes how leaders are meeting this challenge, growing two to three times faster at 50% of the cost. Here’s a quick look at the biggest challenges revenue teams face today, and my take on how leaders can move the needle.

GTM Planning & Execution: Integration Is Everything

Go-to-Market (GTM) planning is where strategy meets execution. Too often the handoff gets fumbled. Marketing, sales, product, and customer success operate in silos, leading to duplicative effort and missed targets. Integrated GTM planning helps ensure clear accountability and alignment… everyone rowing in the same direction.

Customers today demand a seamless journey, requiring much tighter integration across GTM functions. CROs must ensure teams operate in lockstep, sharing data and goals to maximize impact across the customer journey.

My take: True GTM integration starts by bringing all stakeholders to the table early and aligning on goals, metrics, and execution plans. RevOps isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the backbone of a modern GTM strategy. In more cases, we’re seeing RevOps leaders report directly to the COO to drive cross-functional alignment.

Action Steps:

  • Hold regular, cross-functional GTM planning sessions with clear ownership
  • Use shared data and insights at every stage, from segmentation to execution
  • Incentivize collaboration—not just individual performance

The Data Mirage: We’re Drowning, Not Swimming

Many organizations chase the idea of “perfect”, but customer data will always be incomplete. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s having insights accurate enough to drive the necessary focus and enable integrated GTM planning. Customer data strategy, enrichment, and governance are essential, even if they aren’t glamorous.

My take: Don’t let the pursuit of perfect data stall progress. RevOps should play a central role in shaping and governing customer data and should focus on a practical strategy that ensures accuracy and usability for GTM planning.

Action Steps:

  • Establish cross-functional collaboration on customer data strategy, enrichment, and governance
  • Empower RevOps to own and drive the customer data strategy for GTM purposes
  • Regularly review and refine data processes to ensure ongoing alignment with business needs

Enablement: Equipping Teams for Success

Sales teams are overwhelmed by tools and content that aren’t aligned or easily accessible, leading to more time spent searching than selling. In a lean environment, every minute counts. Effective enablement is the difference between a team that’s busy and one that’s truly productive.

Sellers need more than product training. To succeed, they require a balanced “diet” of enablement: yes, product knowledge, but also a strong understanding of customer needs, the sales strategies to follow, and, wait for it… selling skills.

My take: Enablement should be a continuous flywheel, not a one-time event. Equip sellers with a holistic toolkit—product expertise, customer insights, and proven sales methodologies—to prepare them for real-world conversations and complex buying journeys.

Action Steps:

  • Audit your enablement tools and materials for relevance and usability
  • Involve sales reps in creating and refining resources
  • Invest in onboarding and ongoing training that evolves with your GTM strategy

AI: Enabler, Disruptor, or Talent Accelerator?

There’s a lot of buzz around AI, and for good reason—it’s helping teams do more with less. From automating routine tasks to surfacing insights that drive smarter decisions, AI is unlocking quick wins for organizations. While these early gains are promising, the real value comes when CROs take a step back and develop a broader AI for Sales and AI for GTM strategy.

My take: AI should be viewed as a force multiplier for your team. When used thoughtfully, it frees up sellers to focus on building relationships and closing complex deals. The key is to move beyond isolated pilots and embed AI into existing workflows and your overall approach.

Action Steps:

  • Identify and act on low-hanging fruit where AI can deliver immediate impact
  • Develop a comprehensive AI for Sales and AI for GTM strategy to drive long-term value
  • Invest in upskilling your team—focus on critical thinking and prompt engineering

Final Thought

The role of the CRO has never been more complex—or more critical. As one attendee said, “We’re not just driving revenue. We’re orchestrating the entire customer experience.” And they must do it all with fewer resources and higher expectations than ever before.

The “do more with less” mandate isn’t going away—it’s the new normal. CROs who thrive will be those who break old habits, challenge assumptions, and build organizations that are customer-centric, data-smart, and future-ready.

Are you facing similar challenges? What’s working (or not) in your organization? Let’s keep the conversation going—drop your thoughts below or DM me to connect!

Reposted from: Doing More with Less: Today’s CRO Mandate

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