Sailors don’t wait until the sky cracks open to reef the sails.
They read the clouds. Watch the barometer. Notice the wind shifting.
Leaders? Same deal.
Inside sales is full of storms:
- Quota drops mid-quarter
- Comp plan “adjustments” (translation: fewer dollars for more work)
- Tech outages (we’ve all been there)
- Market pivots that blindside your team
None of these storms are truly “out of nowhere.” There are always signs. The question is whether you’re paying attention or too busy steering today’s tasks to notice tomorrow’s weather.
🌬️ What Leaders Should Be Doing
- Scan the horizon – Block time each week to step back and look at trends, not just today’s dashboards.
- Communicate early – Don’t wait until the rain is falling to tell your team to grab their gear. Share what you see before it hits.
- Equip the crew – It’s not enough to see the storm; you need to prep the team. Training, contingency plans, clear priorities.
Reps will forgive a tough quarter. They’ll even forgive a messy rollout.
What they won’t forgive?
Feeling like the last ones to know a storm was coming.