New Sales Manager in the 1st Quarter
So you took the promotion to sales manager. Congratulations. Well done. But a word of caution. Life at work is going to be considerably more difficult from now on. Luckily in the 1st quarter everybody will give you some time to get settled, I hope at least. Now’s the time to set the agenda for the rest of your tenure. Get the relationships and processes right now and you’ll always be in charge. On the other hand using this time to win friends (and influence people) will put everybody else in the driving seat, with you carrying responsibility without any authority.
Our Succeeding in Sales Management tutorial will give you a head start on both the sales team and your management.It explains the dynamics in this unusual situation – who will try to do what, and how you can respond. It suggests positive attitudes and actions you can take, and ways you can explain to both sales team members and your management how you’ll make a difference.
The sales manager’s challenges come from both sides of the coin. Reps want a manager who will fix their perceived problems with product, and pricing, and marketing. Management want a manager who’ll get the sales people doing what they’re told, by Marketing, by Customer Service, by Human Resources, and by Accounting. The 1st quarter is their opportunity to influence the new sales manager and set the agenda in their interests.
What they actually want is leadership. Somebody who can point the way to improved business results without the usual tensions between those who make the money and the others who spend it.
That’s what the new sales manager can, and needs to, do in the 1st quarter.
Best of Luck
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