Revenue Operations (RevOps) serves as the strategic backbone of go-to-market teams by aligning sales, marketing, and customer success around unified data and processes in order to drive predictable revenue growth. GartnerⓇ predicts in their report, Unify GTM Efforts: Align Teams, Tech and Metrics, that: “by 2027, B2B organizations that unify KPIs and analytics to align the execution of GTM functions will improve customer retention and growth by 50%.” Sales teams are the critical revenue-driving engine that convert prospects into customers; requiring market knowledge and powerful relationship-building skills. Together, RevOps and Sales create a powerful combination where operational excellence amplifies human capabilities — enabling enterprises to scale revenue efficiently.
While it’s imperative for these two teams to work in lockstep, they can easily become misaligned due to differences in priorities, communication breakdowns, and disagreements over processes or data.
After 11 years in RevOps, I’ve seen the difference trust brings to a revenue organization, and bridging the gap between these two teams is key to building long-term success. But how can this be achieved?
In every enterprise, Sales and RevOps leadership is foundational to building long-term success. But how do you create this trust between your revenue teams? It starts with understanding why they stop trusting each other. Here are just a few things I’ve seen cause tension between these crucial teams.
Why trust breaks down
Tension between RevOps and Sales often stems from differences in priorities, communication breakdowns, and disagreements over processes or data. When each team views the other as an obstacle rather than a partner, trust can quickly erode, impacting collaboration and performance. Common causes include:
Misaligned incentives: The growth vs. survival battle
RevOps thrives on accuracy, predictability, and healthy systems. Sales, on the other hand, is focused on hitting quota, closing deals, and generating immediate revenue. Both want growth, but RevOps focuses on scaling for the long term, while Sales is more focused on near-term survival. This fundamental difference can quickly erode trust without clear alignment.
Surprise changes: The process curveball
Nothing fractures trust faster than an unexpected process update, a new mandatory field, or a report that suddenly shows different numbers. Sales teams start wondering if RevOps truly understands their reality or is simply adding unnecessary hurdles.
Data skepticism: "Can I even trust the numbers?"
Clari Labs’ recent report found that 67% of revenue leaders don’t trust their revenue data. If your team doubts the data, they can’t trust the insights, or even the person presenting them. Once a report's accuracy is questioned, every recommendation tied to it loses its impact.
Control vs. partnership: The "no" team perception
When RevOps is seen as the enforcer, the "no" team, or the department that over-prioritizes the process, it stops being seen as a partner and starts being seen as a roadblock. This perception — regardless of its fairness — can shut down collaboration before it even begins.
What sales leaders actually want from RevOps
Sales leaders aren’t anti-RevOps. They’re anti-distraction, anti-mess, and anti-complexity. Here's what truly moves the needle for them:
- Data they can trust: Real-time, reliable insights that fuel decisions — not doubt.
- Forecasts that stick: Support that builds unwavering confidence for commitments.
- System clarity, not clutter: Ditching the noise in systems, reporting, and processes.
- A true growth partner: Someone who actively helps them hit the number, not just audit it.
This isn't about supporting a function; it's about enabling their success. That shift in perspective changes the entire game.
How to build lasting trust
Here are the core principles I use to build and maintain trust with sales leadership:
1. Lead with empathy, not process
Don’t open conversations with "Here’s what’s wrong.” Open with, “Here’s what we’re solving for together.”
Sales is high-pressure. If you come in swinging with compliance talk, you’ll lose them before you start. Show that you understand the stakes and that your work is meant to help, not control or to scold.
2. Align on business goals, not just metrics
Trust doesn’t come from simply sharing dashboards. It comes from sharing goals and mapping them to specific RevOps metrics. When you're talking about pipeline coverage or commit accuracy, tie it directly to the sales leader’s objectives.
Speak their language. Show Sales leaders how RevOps’ metrics and insights map directly to revenue outcomes.
3. Communicate Early and Often
Sales leaders don’t like surprises. If you’re changing lead routing, report logic, or updating the forecast methodology, bring them in early.
Make them part of the process, not the last to hear about it.
Examples:
- Preview changes in your 1:1s or weekly GTM sync
- Get quick feedback before rolling out dashboards
- Share a summary of sales process updates before they go-live
4. Be predictable and consistent
One of the fastest ways to build credibility is to do exactly what you said you would and do it on time.
If you’re responsible for sharing weekly pipeline health updates, make sure they go out at the same time every week, in the same format, with clear takeaways.
If a sales leader knows what to expect from you and knows it will be accurate, they’ll start listening to what you say next.
5. Show your work
You’re making dozens of decisions behind the scenes — which metrics to track, how to clean the data, and what logic to use. Share some of that thinking to show how you’re arriving at your decisions, and how they’re grounded in shared goals.
If someone challenges the data, don’t get defensive. Show how you built it and invite conversation. The more transparent you are, the less sales leadership will feel the need to second-guess you. See each question asked as an opportunity to bridge the gap between yourself and sales.
6. Create space for two-way feedback
This one’s underrated. Trust isn’t just built when you’re right, it’s built when you’re open.
Ask questions:
- “Is this dashboard actually helping your managers or reps?”
- “What’s not working about the process right now?”
- “If you had a magic wand, what would you change?”
Then act on it. Even small adjustments based on feedback can signal to Sales that you’re truly listening and not just executing your own roadmap.
What this looks like in practice
I’ve found that the best relationships I’ve built with sales leaders come from transparency and proactive communication. Whether it’s prepping for our forecast, surfacing gaps in the pipeline, or validating definitions, we don’t wait until something breaks to collaborate.
We share context early. We update consistently. And we focus not just on accuracy, but usefulness.
Final Thoughts
Strong RevOps and sales leadership creates a collaborative environment where potential process breakdowns are prevented through clear communication channels, shared accountability, and proactive issue resolution rather than reactive firefighting. You won’t build trust in a day. But you can definitely erode it in five minutes with poor communication or with the wrong surprise.
When leaders from both teams establish transparent workflows, regular alignment meetings, and mutual respect for each other's expertise, they build the trust necessary for sales and RevOps to work as true partners rather than adversaries competing for resources or blame.
RevOps is uniquely positioned to be the most trusted partner to Sales, but only if you show up with consistency, clarity, and shared intent. If Sales knows you have their back, they’ll listen to your voice at the table. That’s where the real impact begins.
Start building trust with better data. Learn how AI Adoption in Running Enterprise Revenue is key to getting the foundational data needed to bring together Sales and RevOps.