Who This Helps
This is for team leads who see a key metric dip—like a 15% drop in qualified leads—and need to move from panic to plan. It uses the core work from the GTM Strategy & Messaging course, specifically your positioning statement, to guide the search.
Mini Case
Noor's team saw a 12% drop in demo requests last month. Instead of a week of scattered debates, she used their one-page ICP wedge and positioning statement as a filter. In a 90-minute session, they ruled out three external guesses and pinpointed the issue: their core message was drifting in new ad copy. They fixed it in two days.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- Block 90 minutes with 2-3 key team members. No spectators.
- Write the dropping KPI and the date range on a whiteboard or doc.
- Put your one-page ICP wedge and positioning statement right next to it.
- Ask: 'In the last two weeks, did any launch activity, sales talk, or content deviate from this positioning?' List every guess.
- Score each guess: 'High evidence' or 'Just a hunch?' Focus only on the high-evidence items. You now have a shortlist of probable root causes.
Avoid These Traps
- Don't start by blaming channels or tools. That's often a symptom, not the cause.
- Don't invite 10 people. Too many voices create noise, not clarity.
- Don't skip reviewing your core positioning assets. That's your truth-teller.
- Don't let the session become a strategy rewrite. Stay in diagnosis mode.
- Don't ignore small, recent changes. A tiny tweak in an email subject line can have a big impact. Seriously, it happens.
Your Win by Friday
You'll replace 'What happened?' with 'Here's what happened, and here's our fix.' You'll move your team from reactive worry to focused action, using the strategic foundation you've already built. That's a way better use of a Thursday afternoon.