Execution Risk During Diligence

Starting 2026 thinking about execution, especially during diligence. As the year resets, I’ve been reflecting on a pattern I’ve seen repeatedly while being brought in to support sales execution and operating transitions after acquisitions. Most execution challenges don’t come from bad strategy or poor intent. They show up because, during diligence, we have strong visibility into the numbers, but very little visibility into how execution actually works inside the business. Things like: - how decisions really get made - where accountability actually sits - how the sales motion runs week to week - how leadership bandwidth holds under pressure Those dynamics rarely show up clearly in diligence, yet they often determine how quickly (or slowly) momentum builds post-close. For those of you currently in diligence or approaching an LOI, I’m curious: - What execution questions feel hardest to answer pre-close? - Where do you feel like you’re still making judgment calls without great signal? - What execution surprises have you seen others run into after close? Just interested in comparing notes as another year of searching and acquiring gets underway. Wishing everyone a strong start to 2026!