AMA: LinkedIn Director Sales Strategy and Operations, North America, LTS, Zeina Marcotte on Revenue Ops Skills

I actually struggle to call out many hard skills as true must‑haves for a Revenue Operations leader, because most of the most critical capabilities at that level are soft skills. If I had to name a baseline hard‑skill requirement, it would be fluency in the core tools you use day‑to‑day, things like PowerPoint or Google Slides for storytelling, and Excel or Google Sheets for analysis. You don’t need to be the most technical person on the team, but you do need to be comfortable navigating the too ...Read More

The strongest Revenue Operations professionals I’ve worked with tend to share two key traits: structured thinking and proactivity. Rev Ops is often asked to tackle open‑ended, complex questions that don’t have obvious answers. The ability to break ambiguity down, lay out a clear path to an answer, and approach problems in a structured, hypothesis‑driven way is incredibly valuable. It helps teams move faster and land on better outcomes. Proactivity is just as important. The easy path in a new rol ...Read More

The most effective way to retain strong talent is to create an environment where great people can truly thrive. In my experience, that usually means a few key things: Challenging, meaningful problems to solve. High performers want to work on projects that matter and solve problems that stretch them and have real impact on the business. Continuous learning and growth opportunities. Whether that’s exposure to new parts of the business, new tools, or increasing levels of ownership, people stay enga ...Read More

Many of the most valuable Rev Ops skills translate well beyond the function itself, especially communication and prioritization. These are skills I’ve found critical in every role I’ve held. Clear, structured communication helps teams align faster, make better decisions, and avoid unnecessary rework. Rev Ops leaders are often translating between strategy, data, and execution, and that ability to simplify complexity is useful in any role. Prioritization is another big one. Rev Ops teams are const ...Read More

From a soft skills perspective, the two I find most critical are communication and prioritization. Rev Ops sits at the center of the business, which means you’re constantly working with your team, sales leadership, and a wide range of cross‑functional partners. Clear, effective, and frequent communication is essential to keep everyone aligned and moving in the same direction. Prioritization is equally important. Rev Ops teams are often pulled in a thousand directions, and not everything can be a ...Read More

My biggest advice is to cast a wide net and be patient. Revenue Operations is often a role people grow into, rather than start in. Many of the most successful Rev Ops professionals I’ve worked with gained experience first in roles like strategy consulting, investment banking, analytics, or sales before transitioning into Rev Ops. Those roles build the hard and soft skills that make someone much stronger in Rev Ops over the long run. That said, if you’re set on going straight into Rev Ops, networ ...Read More

The honest answer is it depends on what the company and team are prioritizing. In some organizations there are robust onboarding and training designed to teach technical and functional skills. In those environments, soft skills and strategic thinking matter more in the interview process. That shows up through behavioral interviews and case studies focused on problem‑solving, communication, and judgment. On the other hand, the smaller the team, or the less structured the training, the more import ...Read More

This is a hard skill to master, and it takes time and practice. At its core, influence without authority comes down to trust, clarity, and consistency. The foundation starts with listening. Make sure stakeholders feel heard and understood. Practice active listening, ask thoughtful questions, and reflect back what you’re hearing to confirm alignment. When people feel genuinely heard, they’re usually more open to collaboration even if they don’t fully agree. The second piece is clear and transpare ...Read More

Most Revenue Operations professionals I’ve met didn’t start their careers in Rev Ops, we transitioned from a wide range of backgrounds. The teams I’ve led have included people from consulting, banking, analytics, and sales. That diversity is actually a strength in Rev Ops. For someone looking to make the transition, I’d offer three pieces of advice: Build the skills the role requires. Rev Ops roles typically demand strong strategic thinking, analytical problem‑solving, and comfort working with d ...Read More

The most effective learning paths are built around real ownership and progressive responsibility. Early in someone’s career, that often starts with giving them the opportunity to own work end‑to‑end in a safe environment one where they can build, make mistakes, receive feedback, and improve. The goal isn’t perfection, but learning how to think, problem‑solve, and communicate effectively. As team members gain confidence and capability, the learning path should evolve by gradually increasing scope ...Read More

There are a few effective ways to do this, starting with leading by example. As a leader, you and the other leaders on your team set the standard for what “great” looks like. That includes how insights are framed, how clean and focused dashboards are, and how clearly recommendations are communicated to executives. Second, it’s critical to create opportunities for ownership and growth. I like to start by having team members assist on existing work, then gradually move toward owning projects end‑t ...Read More