JavierCake

Account Executive

Did I accidentally spook my boss?

*** UPDATE*** Yes, yes I did. Terminated last Friday LOL. On to the next one, bitches.

---

Hey War Room, need a little work politics advice.

In December, I was asked by a big CRM company to speak as a guest on their sales webinar. I've done a few talks before, and I always represent myself as a professional, not so much the company I work for.

Fast forward to January and I bring the webinar up to my boss – asking them if they wanna attend, letting them know how excited I was to share it with the team because they'd get so much value from the other speakers, etc.

Boss flat out tells me they're not cool with me NOT representing the company, bars me from sharing the reg link with the team and tells me I need to keep it hush.

They even went as far as to say I need to name drop our company in the webinar to prove I'm still loyal – which I did, three times during the webinar.

My read is that I've spooked my boss into thinking I'm somehow not serious about this job or the company's mission.

FWIW I am, but in an era of easy layoffs and no employee loyalty, I'mma always look out for me and my personal brand first.

WWYD?

Clarity:

CRM is not *our* CRM, it's just *a* CRM
Previous talks I've done were pre-this company
I'm new to this boss in particular, as I moved offices/territories

🎙 Interviews/Podcasts

23

28 comments

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9

Founding BDR

Definitely a red flag. Find it so stupid when companies look at their employees putting time into their personal brand as a negative and not a positive.

Just lay out the pros that come along with you having the following you do. Hard to argue that the extra attention isn’t worth a guest speaker spot every now and then.

JavierCake

Fire Starter

2

Account Executive

100% agree, Dirty

lilhunter

Good Citizen

0

independent sales consultant

100%. Only explanation I can think of is that your boss thought that you were going to go out there and say something like "I'm a sales consultant open to gigs" or something like that.
Otherwise, I'd think your boss would be over-the-moon to have a rep building their own personal brand (which ofc only increases your likelihood of closing business and getting referrals)

CuriousFox

WR Officer

7

🦊

A leader should be your support my dude. 🚩🚩🚩

JavierCake

Fire Starter

1

Account Executive

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

5

Director, Revenue Enablement

Something is off. Maybe even a little jealousy from your boss.

I do a couple speaking engagements a year. I don’t plug my company aside from having the company name in my bio. Unlike where you are, I am supported in this. My company and marketing team will even post that I’m doing these talks as a way to showcase our collective thoughts and processes to potential candidates.

3

Founding BDR

This ^ just makes so much more sense to me. Beneficial for everyone involved.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

This is as it should be.

jefe

Arsonist

3

🍁

To me this is normal... I was a guest on a podcast a few years ago.. I was just introduced as being from my company. Then it came up naturally once.

No problems, it was actually very well received. Everybody wins when it comes to exposure.

I don't like the level of control in this post.

JavierCake

Fire Starter

1

Account Executive

Yeah it's the control piece that irks me. I'm actually a big employer evangelist – I will shout them from the rooftops, because I love creating great content – so this really bugged me that the moment I was doing something just as myself, my boss got all up in my grill.

JavierCake

Fire Starter

2

Account Executive

Exactly – there's a way to evangelize the brand and get the whole team (marketing, sales, etc.) involved. I got really taken aback by my boss' reaction here.

Pachacuti

Politicker

3

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Probably should have had the speaking oppt blessed by someone higher up in the company before accepting it. Lesson for the future.

JavierCake

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

While I agree a touch, it's just the assumption that my personal brand is *their* brand. My identity isn't tied to my employer - ever. I've been on the shit end of the stick (layoffs) and will always pump up my bosses on social, but overall will rep myself first and foremost.

People are hiring Javier as an awesome AE. They're not hiring Javier as an awesome Employer Employee.

medhardwaredr

Opinionated

3

Director of Sales NA

A bit off, sounds like your boss is either jealous and trying to say they had something to do with it (show value to the higher ups) or they are worried you’re being recruited.
Uncomfortable but ur good no worries.
I would shoot the boss a note or talk to them and let them know you will include them when oppys like this arise in the future.

JavierCake

Fire Starter

1

Account Executive

Agreed. And that'ds what I've started doing moving forward. I circled back post-webinar to make sure we were all good, to which they said we are. Just gotta keep it a bit more transparent I guess.

medhardwaredr

Opinionated

0

Director of Sales NA

Yep simple as that!

bonez

Politicker

3

Account Executive

This screams jealousy from your boss. It would be a red flag to me personally but maybe this is a one off event. Did they seem to be excited that you even did the webinar or are they just upset all around?

KB_FarmerType

Opinionated

3

Strategic Sales

Everyone needs a piece of your awesomeness if you are getting the spotlight outside l, so it’s normal that your boss ( I am assuming is little jealous or feels too important of themselves) is acting that way.
I have been in this situation before and now I always diffuse this tension by getting them in my decision process.

I say “I have been invited to XYZ, I am accepting this as its part of my personal brand building and could be great opportunity for our company brand too, but I don’t want to complicate any internal compliance , what tone should I use here? Keep it very personal or allowed to name drop if opportunity came up.”

Now even if you didn’t speak a word about your company, they would know you had plans to.

JavierCake

Fire Starter

1

Account Executive

This is an absolutely lovely response - thanks a million 🎉 I’m definitely going to use that next time.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

2

Sales Rep

Weird reaction from your boss, not sure what caused it. What were their thoughts on it before you said you were not representing the company

JavierCake

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

They actually found out I wasn't repping the company because they saw the announcement on LinkedIn first – so that itself may have also been the ick for them.

Filth

Politicker

2

Live Filthy or Die Clean

Dude wants any control of you outside of work hours, they should pay for the work/exposure.
Screw your boss.

salesservant

Contributor

0

Director, Business Dev

Red flag, this is awesome and will only do good things for your ability to sell long-term.

0

Customer Success

Ugh. What you did was act as a subject matter expert! Your boss is not seeing the bonus publicity you are bringing to your company in addition to getting your name on the lips of potential customers, as well as showing existing client you are all about your product.
Power play 100%

10XQLA

Politicker

0

Medical Sales Assassin

Complete bullshit my brother, you can go and talk on any platform you please and asking you to name drop your company... very sleazy I'm surprised you weren't asked to wear a logo ed hat or company polo shirt!!!

0

Sales and Business Consultant

It's still a good idea to position yourself as a thought leader via webn. Bravo! Do it again
He has the right to ask promoting the company's brand and if that includes some name dropping to prove credibility for the company though
Why does he say you're not pro company?
Hang in there, look if you need to, try to get along.

Justmemike

0

Sales

Very surprising your boss took that position. By being asked to speak, your are considered by the audience to be an expert in your field. There's no 'advertisement' for you or your company, but being introduced as Javier Cake from "company" there is certainly recognition for both you and your company.
I have spoken to industry groups on current Telecommunication trends, my field of expertise. My employer is pleased as this type of engagement looks good on and raises the profile of both me and the company I work for. That's a win win.
Clearly, your boss doesn't see it that way. Worth an explorative discussion to find out why.

JavierCake

Fire Starter

0

Account Executive

*** UPDATE*** Yes, yes I did. Terminated last Friday LOL. On to the next one, bitches.

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