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January 23, 2013
Three Secrets How a Sales VP Can Manage Their Boss
By:
117 Chief Sales Officers gave us feedback. Download the Sales VP Relationship Assessment to get questions we created from that feedback. You can answer these questions to assess your current relationship and find gaps. Gaps you can then begin to fill. It’s stated in the book Success for Dummies. “Be successful by doing what your boss wants you to do.” “This person can make you succeed or hinder your ability.”
The impact of not managing them can be significant. Have you heard about the ‘Sales VP’ who makes his number but is uncontrollable? Who they say not to get rid of until he misses quota? Has been passed by for promotion numerous times? These are all the results of a poor relationship with your manager.
Understanding them is the first step before managing them. Your boss can be categorized into three major buckets: Control Charlie; Delegate Danielle and Micromanage Mark.
Once you have ‘bucketed’ your boss, you can begin to manage them. Here are three overall ways to do it. The overriding theme is to please him/her. Why? They are trying to please their boss. You need to apply these to your type of boss and adapt for each situation:
The best sales manager I have seen accomplish this is Tony Valli. What does Tony do? He embraces his boss, no matter whom or how long they managed him. He diligently asks for them to visit the team. Asks them to spend time with his reps. He consistently offers thought leadership. Consistently challenges conventional wisdom. Helps coach or mentor his peers. He asks for extra work. And although he didn’t always make his number, nailed his forecast. Tony is regarded as one of the best sales managers in his company. Why? He does all the correct things while managing his boss. I know-I was once his boss!
Call to Action:
Managing your boss is tough. But take a few easy steps and you can be in control.
Let me know how you are managing your boss. It is the intangible in a world full of big company politics.
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