Moving on up

I speak with a lot of successful sales reps that express a desire to move into management. Being a successful IC and a successful leader requires very different skill sets and mentalities. Let's discuss a few of the top things to keep in mind before making the change.

The first question I always ask is why?
I will not be the first or the last person you hear say this but unless you are motivated to help other people, stay away from management. Good leadership involves helping others reach their full potential.

Are you willing to own the team's failures but not their success?
A good leader makes sure that the team as a whole or individual team members "own" their successes. It is no longer about you, it is about the team. Conversely, a good leader owns all the failures. The reality is that any individual failures are the result of either you not setting that person up for success or not making a good hire to begin with.

Are you able to craft strategies that highlight each rep's individual strengths?
Something new leaders struggle with is the idea that the goal is not to reproduce clones of themselves. Your personal sales strategies work because of your personal strengths. Your goal is to figure out what each team member's strengths are and help them craft strategies to make the most of those strengths.

What are some other things you think are important to understand before exploring a leadership role?