[Masterclass] How to Manage Up as a Sales Leader, with Atrium, GTM Buddy, & Finix
Sep 7, 2022
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In this masterclass, Pete Kazanjy, a SaaS GTM expert and founder of Modern Sales Pros, joins Adam Boushie and Belal Batrawy to discuss managing up as a sales leader. They highlight the importance of effective communication, aligning expectations with executives, and being proactive about challenges. Emotional intelligence becomes crucial for navigating tricky dynamics with superiors. The panel also stresses the need for transparency and strategic self-advocacy to enhance engagement and career advancement in sales leadership.
Managing up requires proactive communication and transparency, ensuring sales leaders keep executives informed about team successes and challenges.
Transitioning to a management position necessitates demonstrating leadership qualities through active contributions and understanding organizational goals.
Deep dives
The Importance of Managing Up
Managing up is crucial for sales leaders as it encompasses the effective distribution of information within an organization. It involves establishing alignment between team members and executives, ensuring that expectations and quotas are communicated clearly. By proactively sharing insights, particularly about any negative surprises, sales reps can keep their leaders informed, enabling better decision-making. This practice not only aids in maintaining transparency within teams but also helps foster a culture of trust and accountability.
Proactive Communication and Reporting
Proactive communication is essential to managing up effectively, allowing teams to share successes and challenges promptly with their superiors. One way this is achieved is through regular reporting, where sales leaders summarize activities and outcomes, providing valuable visibility. Leaders benefit from having concise updates that highlight both victories and areas needing attention, enabling them to make informed strategic decisions. This approach ensures that critical issues are not only addressed but are also viewed as opportunities for improvement.
Balancing Problem-Solving and Positivity
Being solution-oriented rather than problem-focused is a vital skill in managing up, allowing sales individuals to present challenges alongside potential solutions. This balanced approach demonstrates initiative and helps build credibility with higher management. Leaders are often more receptive to constructive feedback when it is presented with proposed remedies rather than mere complaints. Emphasizing actionable insights rather than solely highlighting problems allows for a productive discussion, making leaders feel supported and informed.
The Path from Seller to Manager
Transitioning from a sales role to a management position requires individuals to demonstrate leadership qualities while actively seeking responsibilities beyond typical sales tasks. Articulating one’s desire for growth, understanding the organizational goals, and contributing to team success can facilitate this shift. Engaging in activities that support team development showcases leadership potential and positions individuals as valuable team members. By contributing without direct oversight, aspiring managers can gain crucial experience and trust, streamlining their path to leadership roles.
In this episode, we're sharing a replay of a masterclass on how to manage up as a sales/revenue leader – featuring sales & revenue leaders
The panel dove into best practices for setting expectations and aligning with execs, tips for communicating and getting buy-in, and how to stand out to your leadership team as a sales manager or leader.
Meet the experts:
Pete Kazanjy, CRO & Founder at Atrium – early stage SaaS GTM expert and author; founder of Modern Sales Pros (25k+ member community)
Adam Boushie, CRO at Finix –experienced revenue leader with a background in global tech & small business ownership
Belal Batrawy, Head of GTM at GTM Buddy – recognized top sales leader by Salesforce, Salesloft, Crunchbase, and AngelList