This isn’t business as usual.
It’s a full-on uprising.

What really defines a high-performing sales team in 2026, and why are so many leaders getting it wrong?

In this Rebellious Ideas mini-episode of the REV UP Rebellion, we revisit our IT Senior Leadership War Room with Pat Devlin, Astrid Groves, and Renee De Laine for a candid conversation that challenges the traditional definition of an “A-Player”.

This episode goes straight into the uncomfortable territory many sales leaders avoid. From lone wolf sellers and cultural misfits to performance management, PIPs, and the real role of leadership in building high performance, this discussion pulls apart outdated thinking and replaces it with what actually works in modern sales environments.

If you lead sales, revenue, or GTM teams, this episode will challenge long-held assumptions and will kick-start your 2026. 

What’s covered in this episode: 

• What the number one job of a sales leader really is in 2026

• Managing high performers versus creating them 

• How lone wolf sellers erode team culture and results 

• What an A-Player actually looks like in 2026 and why your old definition of top talent may be holding you back 

• Who the first person you should remove from a sales team really is and why 

• The danger of high performance with low cultural alignment 

• How to develop and retain top sales talent without losing them to competitors 

• The right way to manage underperformance without destroying morale 

• How to run a PIP without turning it into a career-ending process 

• The culture required for a truly high-performing sales team 

• The hard conversations sales leaders are avoiding and the cost of avoiding them 

If you’re questioning how to balance performance, culture, and leadership expectations in your sales team, this episode delivers the perspective most leadership offsites avoid. 

Chapters

• 00:00:00 In This Episode
• 00:01:47 Why the Myth of an A-Player Needs to Die
• 00:02:42 What Is the Real Job of a Sales Leader in 2026?
• 00:04:04 Sales is Not a Solo Sport
• 00:06:41 Who You Should Fire First and Why
• 00:07:18 Managing Underperformance and PIPs Without Killing Morale
• 00:09:55 How to Balance Training, Managing Underperformers, and Hitting KPIs
• 00:13:10 What Your Performance Management Strategy Should Be for 2026
• 00:15:10 The Hard Conversations Leaders Need to Have

Connect with us:

• Check out our REV UP 2026 Program – waitlist almost 50% full: https://tinyurl.com/REV-UP-2026

• Download our 2026 Underground Playbook for Revenue Leaders PDF (FREE): https://tinyurl.com/2026-B2B-Playbook 

• Follow Abbie for the behind-the-scenes journey: https://tinyurl.com/Follow-Abbie-on-LinkedIn

• Follow us on LinkedIn for educational bites: https://tinyurl.com/Follow-SR-on-LinkedIn 

Connect with our guests:

• Pat Devlin: https://tinyurl.com/Pat-LinkedIn 

• Astrid Groves: https://tinyurl.com/Astrid-LinkedIn 

• Renee De Laine: https://tinyurl.com/Renee-LinkedIn