This week I got an email from Pam, a pharmaceutical rep out of Atlanta. Pam wants more responsibility and feels like her boss is standing in her way. In a moment I’ll answer Pam’s question but first here is a message from our sponsor.
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Pam asks: “I've had several discussions with my boss asking for more responsibility. I've been in my job for almost three years and have always exceeded my plan. Her response is always an excuse as far as I'm concerned. I just think she doesn't want to lose my sales because I'm her top salesperson. My friend says I should go over her head but I'm scared that will turn her against me. What should I do?”
I can see how this would be frustrating for you. It's actually a very common thing in the world of professional selling. Salespeople who are at the top of their game feel that they are ready for more responsibility, and organizations and sales leaders seem oblivious to their pleas. Part of the reason is that top salespeople who move into management roles have a high rate of failure and companies are leery of promoting unproven people.
This actually happened to me early in my career. I had just been named Account Executive of the year out of a sales force of more than 300 people. I felt I had earned the right to become a sales manager. Unfortunately I ran into a brick wall. No one would listen to me – they just kept saying that I needed more experience. I was so frustrated and angry that I found another job and quit. That got their attention and they promised if I stayed I would get a promotion. A month later I had my own sales team and a year later that sales team was number one in the company. I didn’t have to beg for my next promotion.
Of course, that was a risky, rash and somewhat immature strategy and I was lucky that things worked out the way they did.
Pam, if you really believe in yourself and your ability to take on more responsibility, my suggestion for you is to schedule some time to talk one on one with your boss, preferably over lunch, away from the day-to-day hustle of the office. Getting away from the office gets you out of the boss’ power zone and creates an even playing field. It will give you a better opportunity to connect on an emotional level.
Share with her that you truly enjoy the work you do for your company and as a motivated member of the team, you've set professional goals for yourself that include certain levels of accomplishment. Let her know that you are eager to take on the next stage in your professional sales career (i.e. more responsibility) and feel more than ready to make that move now. In a polite and tactful manner, explain that you are hungry to contribute at the next level and if those opportunities don't exist at this company, then you'll be forced to pursue them elsewhere.
As you can imagine, being polite and tactful are key here. While you don't want to shoot yourself in the foot by giving her an ultimatum, you owe it to yourself to be forthright with her. Be very careful to stay calm and relaxed and do not allow your frustration or anger to show. Do not threaten to go over her head. Doing so will create an instant enemy and will put your career in jeopardy.
Important points to make during this conversation are that you’re grateful for her leadership, and attribute much of your success and readiness to grow to her coaching and the environment she's fostered. Then let her know that you will do whatever it takes to make the transition smooth and to train a new rep to take your place. She is probably threatened by your desire for growth and, with good reason, concerned that she will lose your sales, which will surely impact her bonus. You want to step into her shoes and demonstrate that you also see things from her point of view.
You are probably thinking that having a meeting like this won't be easy and you are right. You may also be thinking that you've already addressed this with her so why should you bother wasting your time on this again. Unfortunately, those drive-buy "shout outs" didn't work – perhaps she didn’t get the message or she thought by ignoring your request that you would just go away. In either case, if you really want more responsibility, you must take this head on. The key is planning, tact, and respect. You may be surprised by her positive reaction. You may even find that, with this direct approach, she will provide you with a list of steps and milestones that you will need to reach to get where you want to be.
However if she's still resistant to helping you get a promotion, you've got decisions to make: stick it out, go over her head, or find another sales job. But, no matter what, at least you'll know you did the right thing by addressing the situation directly with your boss. Remember, things worth having aren't always easy. Just believe, and have faith in yourself and your abilities, and I promise that things will work out in your favor.
And remember to visit GoToMeeting.com/podcasts for your free 30-day trial. That's GoToMeeting.com/podcasts.
This is Jeb Blount, thank you for listening and if you like this podcast please tell a friend our colleague about the Sales Guy and please give us a 5 Star review on iTunes. Word of mouth is how we grow. You can send your sales questions to salesguy@quickanddirtytips.com and connect with me on SalesGravy.com, LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. And don’t forget to check our Grammar Girl’s new book. It’s awesome.
