Can you name the thing you hated the most being a first time manager?

In my case it was simply the fact that NO ONE TOLD ME WHAT THE JOB WAS LIKE! So I had to figure it out and of course, all I did was take pieces of my experience with previous managers and constructed my own FrankenManagerStein which was really, just bad. Like, really bad.


This was a long time ago but really it still feels like yesterday. I remember walking up to my manager then, and even to HR and asking for guidance and training and all I got was:


  1. A quick coffee with my boss for what the guy thought was "mentoring time" and in reality it was just him bitching about the company.
  2. A book and a 2 hour online training thing from HR (this was back in 2009 mind you so online stuff was not as cool).
  3. A big laugh from most of the senior managers, followed by "that's the job dude" and stuff like that.


So anyway...it sucked, but it didn't deter me. I kept at it and eventually got up to Sr. Director.


That one experience though...man, I hated it. I wish someone would have invested more on me there.


What about you guys? What was the one thing you hated the most when you first became a manager?

✌️ Growing Pains
🏋️‍♀️ Leadership
18
CuriousFox
WR Officer
5
🦊
This is the perfect intro to a quick tips or cheat sheet guide that you'd recommend from your experience. I'm sure it would be appreciated.
alecabral
Arsonist
2
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
Oh, that one is coming!
signandrecline
Catalyst
1
Enterprise Sales
Agreed! I'd be hooked if this is what he started with. 

Also, this is exactly what I am going through right now as a manager. 
Chep
WR Officer
3
Bitcoin Adoption Specialist
Finding the balance between motivating my team and not coming across as a micro manager. 
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
that is indeed a hard one too!
Rallier
Politicker
3
SDR Manager and Consultant
Actually sounds pretty similar to my situation from when I went from SDR team lead to SDR Manager. Figuring out how to do the job is part of the job. And unfortunately, it's different for everyone.

The biggest thing I could do was to document every little thing I ever did that made me successful in the role. I got everything in writing, that way I could share all of this info with my team. I'd even record Vidyards demoing how I did certain things.

Put that all into a master document and I at least had a first step. Then I scheduled some weekly one on ones with one goal for each week. And then we'd review the next week to see what went well and what went wrong.
signandrecline
Catalyst
0
Enterprise Sales
The worst part is where your team fails to follow through stuff that you have documented. 

One thing that I'm struggling with right now is goal setting for the team (individual and group) as well as myself. Any tips on how you can go about that?
alecabral
Arsonist
1
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
so what's not working around that? is it the goals itself, or is there any challenge at those goals?
signandrecline
Catalyst
0
Enterprise Sales
The goals in general and hitting them. I could hit them when I was an individual contributor, but I understand that everyone has different ways of working and it is not necessary that they'd replicate my results (or I can replicate the results of the people above me). 
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
Are there any financials and historical data you can use? I mean quota setting is usually handled by other teams, but even then I always gave my team a target above that quota. You're right, you can't expect them to go by your book every time, but I'd say they should expect to work under the same kind of rules anyway, that's part of what will make them a team. That being said, you're right, everyone's different.

You can have a QBR that's more of a working session with the full team, or you can got at it on a 1:1 basis, but you'll still need to get them a number and be open to some negotiation about that number, so then you can move the conversation from "the goal" to "the method". That way it's not about the goals but about how to hit them.

Hope that makes sense!
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
Are there any financials and historical data you can use? I mean quota setting is usually handled by other teams, but even then I always gave my team a target above that quota. You're right, you can't expect them to go by your book every time, but I'd say they should expect to work under the same kind of rules anyway, that's part of what will make them a team. That being said, you're right, everyone's different.

You can have a QBR that's more of a working session with the full team, or you can got at it on a 1:1 basis, but you'll still need to get them a number and be open to some negotiation about that number, so then you can move the conversation from "the goal" to "the method". That way it's not about the goals but about how to hit them.

Hope that makes sense!
UrAssIsSaaS
Arsonist
2
SaaS Eater
My first mgmt role was with entry level AE's coming out of college, part that frustrated me the most was working with unmotivated people just cashing checks for a mediocre base salary. It was brutal until I learned I couldnt want their success than them. 

Now I just deal with ungrateful AE's that wanna make 250k base and not have to sell lol. Some things never change
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
Lol, I feel you my friend..
MiserablyMicroManaged
Good Citizen
0
SDR
I became ungrateful when it became apparent not all the AE's on my team were held to the same standard. Some hit 20% of their quota for the entire year and no pressure were placed on them. The other half had to do the legwork for the team.
alecabral
Arsonist
1
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
That's poor management for sure..
UserNotFound
Politicker
2
Account Executive
I haven’t been a sales manager yet, though the plan in my current role is to end up there once I’m tenured enough to be a “teacher”. However I can tell you the mistake my last sales manager made that made me quit was treating everyone on the team the same. Assuming we were al motivated by the same things, should hit the same metrics for input but not quota attainment, and just plain didn’t evolve his style until several (including me) left the team. He had been our peer prior to the promotion so he knew us all well, and knew better. Would also lie about how he did things in the past and how successful he was. Really toxic. My big takeaway was that every sales person is different and should be managed individually. Fuck the collective-style leadership.
alecabral
Arsonist
1
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
I think you're shaping your leadership style right now, and that's awesome! I also think that people do need to be managed on a 1:1 basis but also if they are a team and not just people that work together, you'll need some standard ways of working. It doesn't mean you treat everyone the same way in every single scenario but it does create that scenario for you so it's safe for them to speak up and for you to lead. 

Individualities only make a team stronger and richer but if not managed, it can turn ugly in my opinion, and that's where a solid standard for some stuff helps.
UserNotFound
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Exactly! There should absolutely be team expectations- however when it comes to motivating that team to meet expectations you can't blanket-manage your way into that. I'm not motivated by $ as much as I am winning. I love the trill of the takedown. To motivate me- show me how hitting this target makes me better, don't offer me a $50 gift card or lunch with the CEO. 
Ninerfan
Member
1
Partner Ambassador
My first manager job was in a restaurant and the worst thing was not having people follow SIMPLE instructions and do their job! Felt like a damn babysitter trying to get people to do small things like put dishes in the dish station.
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
Sounds like you didn't love that job lol, how long were you at it?
Ninerfan
Member
0
Partner Ambassador
I actually really liked the job but the hours were long and the people that directly report to you don’t care. I’m a 100% give it my all type so when others don’t I don’t handle it well. I did it for about 3 years before getting into B2B sales.
SaaSsy
Politicker
1
AE
I learned very quickly how most levels above me were complete idiots. Taught me a lot about what not to do as a leader and most importantly, to dedicate myself to my team. Obviously it depends on company culture but I’ve seen a lot of managers and directors completely forget their roots and seem so willing to throw anyone under the bus to maintain status quo. 
Blackwargreymon
Politicker
1
MDR
Now I just deal with ungrateful AE's that wanna make 250k base and not have to sell lol. Some things never change
Clashingsoulsspell
Politicker
1
ISR
The biggest thing I could do was to document every little thing I ever did that made me successful in the role.
msp_sales
Opinionated
0
Full Cycle Sales
It drives me crazy, feeling like the police officer. I love the idea of creating a partnership with my staff. 

If you don’t hit your numbers, you’ll get fired. 
Because if I don’t hit my numbers, I’ll get fired. 
Your numbers make up my numbers. 
Let’s both keep our job. How can I help you with your numbers?
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
that's pretty straight forward but I've had some experiences with people that just didn't care. I even had one of them said "you do your job, I'll do mine. I don't need your partnership"

msp_sales
Opinionated
0
Full Cycle Sales
Well, to be fair, if they hit their numbers what’s wrong with that? Your job as a manager is not to control them, it’s to enable them. Their success is your success. As long as they aren’t hurting the rest of the team, do what you must to encourage that success… even if it means you have to eat some humble pie. 
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
Nothing wrong with people hitting their numbers, but them doing so doesn't mean they are doing a great job in my opinion. Too often I've seen reps that just hit the numbers move out (or be moved out) of teams for all sorts of reasons not performance-related. I'm quite ok with leaving everyone to do their job, but my role as a leader as you said is to enable, not to "leave you alone". Not quite the same. 
msp_sales
Opinionated
1
Full Cycle Sales
I agree with you there, that’s where “hurting the team“ is the fallback. One cannot be cancerous, and expect to stay a part of the organization. My point is that I give people who exceed my expectations a lot of extra leeway.

I’d have a sit down with the sales rep and tell them there’s no excuse for being an ass. That being said, I am your upper level resource: what can I possibly do as his manager to help him/her be more successful? Sky is the limit! I’d even offer a trade, I’ll stop doing one thing that irritates you if you start doing one thing that I think will help you.

Anyone with half a brain in the sales role will understand you cannot alienate your sales manager and be successful in the long term. Part of enablement is understanding what they ACTUALLY need, and not just what you feel they need. I found that a lot of the time a pissy sales rep had a bad manager and their past, And that’s why they don’t trust you. 
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
I agree with most of what you say but the last statement. Sometimes you’ll get an ass who’s just great at selling. Non coacheable is what I mean. I’ll let them do the job of course, as long as they don’t turn bad.
msp_sales
Opinionated
1
Full Cycle Sales
I can get on board with that. As long as his Attitude is not contagious. It’s OK to have a lone wolf, The problem is when people who aren’t performing try and pick up his habits.
GDO
Politicker
0
BDM
Never been a manager. But I know a lot of first timers are micromanagers because they can not let go. They can not let go of their IC role and thus want to be and do everything in every deal. 
amyhyoung
Politicker
0
Vp ops
I don’t know if it’s the most “hated” thing as a first time manager, but something that is difficult is that what makes you an exceptional IC does not translate to being an exceptional manager. The skills required is different and I think a lot of first time managers, who were promoted from being a rockstar IC, struggle with that. Finding what drives and motivates each of your team members to do excellent work is going to be different than for yourself. Also managing ppl who have different work styles and strengths than myself is something I’m still learning!
alecabral
Arsonist
1
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
That's great input @amyhyoung , and I absolutely agree. What got you here, might not be what keeps you going. That's a tough but very practical lesson all managers need to learn at some point. Also, managing a team means learning the language of each person that's part of the team, and that's a challenge right there. You're doing good I'm sure, and it will get easier!
PhillySales
Opinionated
0
Director of Inside Sales
I got my first sales manager job 12 years ago and got zero training for it. Super common to see that.
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
Unfortunately, yes. Every now and then I see something labeled "manager training" and it gets my hopes up but then it's just more of the same.
MR.StretchISR
Politicker
0
ISR
This is the perfect intro to a quick tips or cheat sheet guide that you'd recommend from your experience. I'm sure it would be appreciated.
Mr.Floaty
Politicker
0
BDR
We even had demonstrations from an LI rep (3 years ago) come and teach our sales org about the plugin and I still haven't seen this before. Great graphic, I appreciate the share!
Cyberjarre
Politicker
0
BDR
Ooh I love a pop up book! Wish I still used LSN.
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