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Dear Quota Team,

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I work in B2B manufacturing sales. Our founder is brilliant, but he’s convinced we can triple new business this year despite supply chain delays and half the team being new. He announced the new targets during an all-hands like he was unveiling the next iPhone.

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On paper, my quota is now impossible. But anyone who questions him gets labeled as “not a growth thinker.” I’m not afraid of hard work — I just don’t want to be set up to fail. How do you push back on unrealistic expectations without getting branded as negative?

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Realistic in Location Withheld 

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Dear Realistic,

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Start by translating the vision into something measurable: break the target into realistic timelines, pipeline requirements, and capacity limits. Bring that framework to your manager and ask, “Given these constraints, what’s our plan to get there?” It shows you’re committed, not combative.

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If leadership still insists on impossible math, maybe it’s time to go. Good companies stretch reps, bad ones set them up to fail. Good luck!