Had an enlightening chat with a legal tech SaaS CSO last week about their “market expansion strategy.” Translation: I got to witness Olympic-level mental gymnastics in real time.
The comedy started during validation when I realized their “100%” expectation was actually 150% of their real target. Took me about 6 minutes to spot it. Must be a new record.
Look, using stretch goals as a systematic approach isn’t strategy – it’s premium grade bullshit wrapped in a PowerPoint bow.
The “Aim Higher to Hit Target” Fallacy
Their entire approach screams:
- “I read this in a management book once”
- “This creates plausible deniability when we miss”
- “I can blame the team instead of my leadership”
When you set a 150-customer target when your business actually needs 100, you’re not being “ambitious” – you’re creating several predictable dumpster fires:
Trust Erosion: Your team isn’t stupid. They recognize arbitrary inflation faster than you can say “stretch goal,” and your credibility evaporates like spilled coffee on a hot dashboard.
Focus Dilution: If you’re not addressing core sales capability issues, you’re just hoping volume compensates for execution gaps. That’s like trying to fix a leaky boat by adding more water.
The Hard Truth No One Wants to Hear
Ambitious leaders don’t set arbitrary targets. They build systems that predictably deliver results.
When I called this out, the awkward silence was longer than the pause after someone asks about crypto at Thanksgiving dinner.
Want real performance? Stop padding targets and start improving your sales engine. Address the system, not the number.
Because ultimately, inflated targets aren’t leadership – they’re just a mathematical way of saying “I don’t actually know how to help you succeed, so here’s a bigger number instead.”
