The Six Levels of Execution: where do you really stand?

You think you're executing well. But are you really?

Most leaders assume their teams apply best practices, execute effectively, and that strategy translates into results.

The harsh truth? Many are leaving massive opportunity on the table.

Not due to lack of knowledge, but because they fail to embed true execution excellence. There’s a persistent gap between intent and impact; between what people say they do and what actually happens in the field.

After years leading sales teams and driving commercial transformations across different types of companies and industries worldwide, one insight keeps coming back: 

More knowledge, better tools, and faster initiatives haven’t translated into better execution. In many cases, they’ve worsened it!

Macroeconomic pressure, rapid tech developments and the rise of AI have intensified the urge to act fast and scale smart. But this urgency and broadened access to “how-to” content, frameworks, and tech often amplify the illusion of execution, rather than fixing the root problem. Teams believe they’re applying methodologies. In reality, good ideas stay in slides, CRM processes are bypassed, coaching is shallow... and performance stalls.

The insight is simple, but often overlooked: success isn’t about knowing more - it’s about executing better. That’s not new. But it’s becoming critical. And it’s only through collective, behavioral change - shared by all team members - that mastery happens.

The Execution Mastery Ladder™ is a simple, field-tested framework to diagnose where teams actually stand and guide to the right strategies to reach true mastery.

The Six Levels of Execution: where do you really stand?

1. Caring: “I care about this.”

Definition: Awareness of importance (e.g. coaching, pipeline hygiene) 

Common Symptom: Topic is often discussed, but behavior doesn't change 

Cognitive Bias: Illusion of competence – confusing intention with capability. 

Example: Leadership says they care about data-driven sales, but forecasting remains based on gut feeling.

2. Understanding: “I understand it.”

Definition: Conceptual grasp of a method or approach 

Common Symptom: People can explain the idea, but don’t use it in practice. 

Science: Skill decay occurs without reinforcement (Fitts & Posner, 1967) 

Example: A manager understands SPIN Selling, but reps still pitch features over discovering customer pains in actual calls.

3. Knowing: “I know how it works.”

Definition: Functional knowledge of tools or frameworks 

Common Symptom: Teams are trained, but usage is inconsistent or shallow 

Insight: Knowing-doing gap – knowing ≠ execution (Pfeffer & Sutton, 2000) 

Example: A RevOps lead implements lead scoring, but reps ignore it because it's not connected to how they sell.

 4. Thinking you apply: “We’re already doing this.”

Definition: Assumed application without evidence 

Common Symptom: Leaders assume adoption, but execution breaks down in reviews 

Cognitive Bias: Dunning-Kruger effect – overconfidence in performance 

Example: A VP claims they use MEDDIC, but pipeline reviews show key deal data missing or faked.

5. Effectively applying: “We do this consistently.”

Definition: Structured, consistent application in the field 

Recognition: It works, but still relies on strong structrure, leadership discipline and coaching 

Shift: This is where execution starts to drive predictable, repeatable outcomes 

Example: A sales org operationalizes its GTM playbook via dashboards, deal reviews, and cadence-based coaching.

6. Mastery: “We refine, evolve, and scale it.”

Definition: Execution is embedded, evolving, and reinforced by the team itself 

Recognition: Methods improve continuously through feedback and shared ownership 

Science: Deliberate practice leads to true mastery (Ericsson et al., 1993) 

Example: A GTM team doesn’t just “use” their playbook. They continuously adapt it with real-time field insights, refine it quarterly, and teach it across regions.

Bridging the gap: from Knowing to Mastery

Most teams operate in the “Thinking You Apply” zone. That’s where performance stalls, and nobody notices. Here’s how to move forward based on field-proven practices and behavioral research:

1. Create feedback loops

Execution must be observable, reviewed and improved. → Implement deal reviews, CRM health checks, coaching dashboards, peer review sessions as standard practice.

2. Test for mastery in the field

Role plays aren’t enough. Watch & steer what happens live. → Shadow reps, audit calls, review meeting behavior - not just outputs.

3. Leverage behavioral triggers

Execution relies on habit, not memory. → Embed “if X, then Y” logic into CRM stages through prompts or other nudges, structured manager 1:1s and coaching routines, such as weekly rhythm reviews and call coaching based on pipeline stage. (Gollwitzer, 1999).

4. Track leading indicators

Revenue is a lagging indicator. → Measure behaviors that drive the coveted outcomes: pipeline building activity, call quality, qualification depth, adherence to process, cadence consistency etc.

5. Eliminate the illusion of execution

Use data, not declarations. → Benchmark actual adoption and behavior drift. Look at sales stage leakage and manager coaching stats.

6. Build systems for mastery

Mastery needs structure. → One methodology. Process aligned with tools. Situational Sales Plays. Role modeling. Reinforcement loops. Peer learning. Clarity on what good looks like.

The difference between knowing and executing is often hidden in plain sight. 

Mastery isn’t a belief. It’s measurable, scalable, and earned through design, reinforcement, and continuous refinement.