http://salesengineering.com/blog/2008/12/09/sales-managers-and-vps-the-natives-are-getting-restless/ Sales Enginering | Pre-Sales Performance Excellence Fri, 18 May 2012 14:13:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 http://salesengineering.com/blog/2008/12/09/sales-managers-and-vps-the-natives-are-getting-restless/#comment-26 RM Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:45:07 +0000 http://salesengineering.com/blog/?p=164#comment-26 This is interesting. This is an extreme case but does happen. As an SE I have been with sales managers who had a similar attitude. But it can be changed. In multi-tired complex technical sales cycles, the SE has a unique role to play and he can help the sales manager see SE's value by his diligence. It takes time to build a report with the sales managers and set boundaries. Like any relationship, the first few months of SE/Sales guy interaction are critical to how the dynamics settles down. It's the psychology of the sales manager that the SE must understand. Know that for a critical account, he will not hand over the reigns to the new SE, but for smaller accounts, he might be more willing to cut the SE some slack. Starting with smaller, less critical, accounts, establish your credibility as technical, people and business savvy SE. Then grow from there. Hopefully the SE is in it for the long hall and the respect he/she earns will pay in in the long run. Many engineers who cross the chasm from drone like engineering works to bright SE life, lack the people skills. May sure you understand if the sales manager has had prior experiences with engineering drones and show him that you are different. The best results I have had were when I was able to connect with the sale guy. I might not agree with all he did, but for sure, we were a great team. And then some sales managers, don't get it. But believe me, if they are not people savvy themselves, they will not last too long either. Happy selling. -RM This is interesting. This is an extreme case but does happen. As an SE I have been with sales managers who had a similar attitude. But it can be changed. In multi-tired complex technical sales cycles, the SE has a unique role to play and he can help the sales manager see SE’s value by his diligence. It takes time to build a report with the sales managers and set boundaries. Like any relationship, the first few months of SE/Sales guy interaction are critical to how the dynamics settles down. It’s the psychology of the sales manager that the SE must understand. Know that for a critical account, he will not hand over the reigns to the new SE, but for smaller accounts, he might be more willing to cut the SE some slack. Starting with smaller, less critical, accounts, establish your credibility as technical, people and business savvy SE. Then grow from there. Hopefully the SE is in it for the long hall and the respect he/she earns will pay in in the long run.
Many engineers who cross the chasm from drone like engineering works to bright SE life, lack the people skills. May sure you understand if the sales manager has had prior experiences with engineering drones and show him that you are different. The best results I have had were when I was able to connect with the sale guy. I might not agree with all he did, but for sure, we were a great team. And then some sales managers, don’t get it. But believe me, if they are not people savvy themselves, they will not last too long either.
Happy selling.
-RM

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