March 2026

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 26 mar 2026

Sales become challenging in a down quarter but elite and resilient sales leaders take this as an opportunity to test their abilities and enhance their learning to get unexpected results. Jani Hirvonen, global head of search partnerships at Google, explains that elite leaders take the down moments head on, and these times in sales management strengthens team culture and set the stage for future growth if handled with discipline and a clear playbook. He suggests - (1) RIGOR (Stabilize What You Can Control): New initiatives with discipline; Cleaning up the pipeline; Opportunities are reviewed closely; Sharper focus on rhythm and consistency. (2) INNOVATION (Injecting New Energy): Balance discipline with innovation; Experiment and pilot new approaches; Rethink the market and direct more attention to emerging opportunities; Creatively motivate and incentivize the teams; Get quick wins to build momentum. (3) MINDSET (Reframe The Down Quarter): Tweak the down psychology and reframe adversity as learning opportunity; Restore confidence and morale; Build resilience and foundation for future; Lead by example. Leadership under pressure is what defines the true leader. A tough quarter is an opportunity to build a strong culture and strengthen sales team. Read on...

Fast Company: How elite sales leaders drive growth in down quarters
Author: Jani Hirvonen

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