You don’t fix a weak sales culture in the middle of the year. By then, it’s too late. Q1 gives you a clean slate, fresh targets, and a team ready for direction. If you want a stronger culture in 2026, you set the tone in the first 90 days.
Here’s how the best teams reset and rebuild.
1. Make expectations visible and non-negotiable
Your team wants clarity. They want to know what “good” looks like.
Set the standards now.
- Daily activity levels
- Pipeline expectations
- Response times
- Meeting quality
- Behaviour norms
If these aren’t clear in January, they won’t magically improve in June.
Ask yourself: does everyone on your team know the standard you expect?
2. Replace legacy thinking with performance thinking
Some behaviours from 2025 won’t serve you in 2026. Q1 is the moment to reset.
- Stop rewarding effort over results
- Phase out low-value habits
- Remove excuses quickly
- Increase accountability
You want a culture built on delivery, not noise.
3. Reinforce coaching as a leadership responsibility
Managers shape culture more than any slide deck ever will.
Make coaching a core part of their week.
- Shadow calls
- Review messaging
- Fix deals together
- Give specific feedback
- Track progress
When coaching improves, performance follows. If your managers aren’t coaching in Q1, they won’t do it later either.
4. Celebrate what you want repeated
Culture grows in the moments you highlight. Use Q1 to reward the behaviours you want more of.
- Fast follow-up
- Consistent prospecting
- Strong qualification
- Collaboration
- Ownership of results
Small wins build momentum. Momentum builds culture.
5. Remove the friction that stops people from selling
Sales culture dies when systems slow people down. Fix those issues early.
- Clean up your CRM
- Shorten approval cycles
- Streamline handovers
- Cut admin drag
- Improve internal communication
A team that can move quickly performs quickly.
6. Prioritise pipeline creation over pipeline commentary
Q1 culture is shaped by what leaders talk about. Top teams stay focused on generating new opportunities.
- Start the year with increased top-of-funnel
- Make prospecting visible
- Run weekly pipeline additions reviews
- Reward new pipeline, not just late-stage deals
You create a winning culture by prioritising the work that actually drives revenue.
7. Set the tone for accountability
Strong cultures don’t hide poor performance. They address it early and constructively.
- Clear KPIs
- Weekly check-ins
- Transparent dashboards
- Personal responsibility
When accountability is normal, improvement is normal.
8. Embed hiring as part of your culture
High-performing sales cultures recruit continuously. They never treat hiring as an emergency.
- Stay close to talent
- Build a bench
- Keep future hires warm
- Hire ahead of need when possible
You secure better people when you aren’t in panic mode.
Q1 is your reset button
You have a small window to define how your team will operate for the rest of the year. Use it.
- Set standards
- Coach aggressively
- Remove friction
- Reward the right behaviours
- Build the pipeline early
- Hold people accountable
Do this now, and the rest of 2026 gets easier.