CROs Who Succeed: The GTM Operating Partners' Guide to Identifying the Traits That Matter

Based on portfolio-level insights across hundreds of CRO hires. Freely available research challenging conventional hiring wisdom.

The average CRO tenure remains stuck at 18 months—a revolving door that undermines entire go-to-market strategies. This research, based on conversations with 18 GTM Operating Partners from major VC and PE firms, reveals what they see that others miss: the foundational traits that actually predict CRO success. The findings challenge how most organizations evaluate revenue leadership talent—because we're optimizing for impressive CVs while underweighting the capabilities that matter most.