How much CYA is enough CYA ?

Is this a rant? .. may be a little ...but surely want to stir some thinking towards default CYA - "Cover Your Ass" behaviour norms.


I am observing this in the organization (large corp, B2B software) and wondering anyone relates to this:

1.) Encourage reply-all almost all the time because that is to CYA against communication miss-outs.

2.) Every meeting invite must be group meeting where account team and all their bosses are to be included.

3.) Managers get paid to ask only two questions a.) When is the next meeting with customer ? and b.) What is the next step? - So to CYA that : You have a meeting always in Calendar and Generic Next Steps.

4.) In the name of matrix org everyone wants their name on the deal, so as a good corp citizen and to not piss of top exec - you CYA by arranging useless meet and greet with customer.

5.) Encouraged to document every meeting minutes in such formal manner to CYA that 30 min conversation can result in 2 hours of work all the time.


For some in the team this has become so normal that they see this as "work" of their lifetime.


What among this is "work" in your view?







✌️ Growing Pains
😤 Conflict Resolution
🤠 Culture
15
braintank
Politicker
6
Enterprise Account Executive
You seem to really hate your job
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
0
Strategic Sales
It’s the opposite- I love my “work” outside of CYA tasks.
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
1
Strategic Sales
Giving your comment another thought in self reflecting mode - <br>Can you hate your job without knowing that you hate your job? That would be really the worst disaster
ABCvs
Valued Contributor
1
VP of Growth
Yes
theSADNESSisreal
Executive
1
SAD
Yes. And I think I just had an epiphany...
CuriousFox
WR Officer
4
🦊
Politics, am I right? 😉
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
1
Strategic Sales
I mean we the whale hunters (as in B2B deals) sure know bit about navigating politics outside and inside. But the degree of CYA made me ask if others face it too?
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
All day erryday.
DungeonsNDemos
Big Shot
2
Rolling 20's all day
This is why I like the happy medium of somewhere between a startup and large corp. I feel like Goldilocks but for size of orgs (I prefer smallish-medium orgs that have enough structure without the shitty corp practices.)
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
0
Strategic Sales
So this would be like a high growth - mid size orgs on journey to be the big corp?
Filth
Politicker
1
Live Filthy or Die Clean
I've played these games before, as long as the money is worth it, I played the game - for about 2.5 years. Then they messed with comp plans so I found a place where the only game played is getting more prospects on the hook.
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
1
Strategic Sales
That’s good. But even if the money is worth it how far should you do the CYA work and to what degree because eventually it’s wasting your cycles.
Filth
Politicker
2
Live Filthy or Die Clean
It absolutely is, but I felt, when I was in the situation, that at since I knew the rules of the game, it was easy enough to play along and I didn't worry about it b/c even without hitting quota b/c of the wasted time - I was paid enough on the deals I did bring it.

If this game is directly taking away from your money than it's a no brainer and you should hit the road or stir the pot (but only if you're already set somewhere else as backup).  

It's the core theme of every post on this site. We are in sales, if its in the way of your money - settle for comfort, fix it or leave.
E_Money
Big Shot
1
💰
Damn this sounds annoying af. 
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
1
Strategic Sales
Yeah - would you consider that “work” ?
E_Money
Big Shot
2
💰
I mean anything you do at work is "work" if it's not part of your free time. Amiright?
jefe
Arsonist
1
🍁
My God, the inefficiencies...
Pachacuti
Politicker
1
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
All that extra work is the result of someone’s past screw up.

You can either embrace it and consider it part of the job description or run to another place, which will have its own issues for you to deal with.

IMO, if that’s the worst you have to deal with, count yourself fortunate.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
There are similar requirements where I am, some have value, others don't, but I treat it like a quick checkbox and go about my day.

Yes, some of it is tedious and doesn't progress the deal, other items are what gets rolled up the ladder in reporting, sometimes there's value.    
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
1
Officer of ♥️
Sounds like you should find a new place
SerialBiller
Executive
0
Account Executive
I think anything other than selling/activities towards selling is just fluff, but until a company has incorporated every bit of SaaS toolkit to eliminate the above mentioned points, then it’s just business as usual and I would suggest just ‘getting on with it’

Maybe in the future, sales teams will have a seamless journey in all aspects .. look how far we’ve come from typewriters and paperwork

But I completely relate, it’s just a matter of whether you decide to continue complaining inside your own head/on here, or whether you choose to let it go and stop impeding your own positivity. It’s really your choice on how you feel about these issues.

I’m not trying to be a big head, but I just read a really impressive chapter in Sales EQ by Jed Blount about managing disruptive emotions, and this relates to that 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
1
Strategic Sales
Thanks for the input and pointers
SalesBeast
Politicker
0
Ty
Accurate AF.
NotCreativeEnough
Big Shot
0
Professional Day Ruiner
every time I see this post in my feed I read it as "how much chick fil a is too much chick fil a" for some reason. And I'm getting really sick of you making me want CFA every time someone comments on this thread. 
13

How much do you want it?

Advice
15
7

POC length push-back. How much is too much/not enough?

Advice
10
23
Members only

Would it be too much if…

Question
24