I had a manager once tell me "You'll need to lose those morals if you want to be successful in sales"

For context I sell enterprise software and this was during a sales cycle where we were approaching EOQ4, but customer's natural timeline fell in Q1. I didn't 'need' the deal as I was already over 150%, but my manager was furious that I wasn't creating false urgency and time-bound pricing (which in my opinion completely undermines the sale anyway) and he told me the above, stating that "the customers cannot come before your duty to me, and your company".


I agree with parts of his statement and disagree with other bits, so I'd be keen to start a discussion on this with you lovely bunch of savages


๐Ÿ‘‘ Sales Strategy
โ˜๏ธ Software Tech
๐Ÿงข Sales Management
71
Chep
WR Officer
43
Bitcoin Adoption Specialist
That is bullshit. Honesty is the best policy and sketchy business practices like that will bite you in the end.
taylor
Executive
3
Strategic Account Executive
*starts job hunting*

this is just the first step. What happens when you enable them to do it again? And again?

Tell them to spend more time helping the folks below quota get deals across and get out of your face.
swizard
Celebrated Contributor
2
Sales Evangelist
Agree with Chep here - a bunch of bullshit really!ย 
Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
Absolutely ๐Ÿ’ฏ
murphmobile
Praised Answer
22
Regional Sales Manager
Sales managers who are shitty at selling usually rely on immoral and unethical tactics. If you're good at sales, you don't need to be a fuckin sketchball.
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
2
๐Ÿ”ชAmateur Butcher๐Ÿ”ช
NAILED IT ๐ŸŽฏ
swizard
Celebrated Contributor
0
Sales Evangelist
๐Ÿ‘
Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
Killed it
cw95
Politicker
0
Sales Development Lead
so true.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
11
๐ŸฆŠ
Duty to you Manager man? Bitch you don't OWN me ๐Ÿคฌ

This is complete shit.ย 

Transparency and clear next steps will keep you in play as well as save your sales reputation. You will need that in tact when you work for another company if you have the same prospects.ย 
drtendo
Politicker
1
Enterprise Account Executive
I was asked to run the account at my new org and declined it for another, as I felt they wouldnt want me lol ๐Ÿ˜ฌ
KPIMaster
Politicker
9
Enterprise Account Executive
This is a red flag and you should look for gainful employment elsewhere, regardless of what Hollywood presents in movies, sales is not Wolf of Wall Street, at least not true Enterprise Sales.
drtendo
Politicker
1
Enterprise Account Executive
I wish I'd gotten some advice like this at the time. I left this org about 18 months ago, but much later than I should have!
KPIMaster
Politicker
1
Enterprise Account Executive
Good thing you found your way out and hopefully your current opportunity provides better leadership.ย  The bright side is, now you know what bad leadership looks like, so it will be easier for you to know when you have a good leader.ย  Best of luck.
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
0
๐Ÿ”ชAmateur Butcher๐Ÿ”ช
Agreed, always something to learn from. Stay away from Toxic Sales Managers as best you can, they WILL ruin you.ย 
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
0
๐Ÿ”ชAmateur Butcher๐Ÿ”ช
MAJOR Red Flag inbound!
Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
Indeed
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
7
โ˜•๏ธ
Managers say this when they are still not hitting their numbers due to dead weight on the team. F that guy or gal.
drtendo
Politicker
2
Enterprise Account Executive
That was it exactly. I didn't want to ruin my first bit of pipeline for the next year when I had already overachieved, but there were people in the team who hadn't hit their number getting nowhere near the amount of stress I was.

Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
Indeed
Mbeezy4sheezy
Good Citizen
0
Sr. Enterprise Account Executive
Yep.ย  He has set unrealistic expectations upwards and will be left holding the bag. Watch him hold it - see ya!
goose
Politicker
4
Sales Executive
F that manager
swizard
Celebrated Contributor
1
Sales Evangelist
๐Ÿ‘†โœ…
Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
Oh manโœ…
LordOfWar
Tycoon
4
Blow it up
This guy is exactly why everyone hates salespeople.

You are not your company, so don't lie on their behalf. Bending the truth a little if it is in the customer's best interests is different, but you have to be able to sleep at night and not ruin your reputation.
BCD
Politicker
1
BDR
Amenย 
thegrinch
Politicker
3
SDR
The reason I win in sales is because I build strong relationships rooted in integrity
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
0
๐Ÿ”ชAmateur Butcher๐Ÿ”ช
.... said "thegrinch" ๐Ÿ‘€
brotato
WR Lieutenant
3
Head of Sales
Your manager sounds like a sales bro. Remind him you're duty is towards making the most money possible as this should speak to his heartless sales bro inside and tell him you weren't gonna jeopardize a deal at 150% of plan when it's prime for next quarter without a killer spiff or bonus.ย 
Ace
Arsonist
2
CEO
Just like you, even I agree with some part but not the others. If you're sandbagging just for the heck of it, then maybe not a good move. But if the customer really is taking their time then best not to push them. Let it go naturally imo
softwarebro
Politicker
2
Sales Director
Terrible advice and terrible leadership through and through.ย 
JJASBE
Catalyst
2
Director, Solutions Sales
I wouldn't work for someone who thinks/believes this...
It's a huge part of why sales has such a bad reputation in some spaces.
I'd be strategically planning my exit, if I were in this situation.
Lambda
Tycoon
1
Sales Consultant
Be yourself, you reallyย cant be anything else
Broncosfan
Politicker
1
Account Manager
Is your manager Darth Vader or something? WTH kind of mentality is that. Creating false urgency is a very bad plan.
Beans
Big Shot
1
Enterprise Account Executive
Wrong.


NateDogg9500
Good Citizen
1
Account Executive
Fuck em
drtendo
Politicker
0
Enterprise Account Executive
amen bro
OMG_It_has_a_watermark
Good Citizen
1
Head of Sales
I once sold on a product that was COMPLETELY irrelevant for a specific audience and my VP of Sales said - "your job is to make you money, not them money. Get on the phone and sell it".ย 

The value offer was just a complete lie - he knew that they would never work with us again, but he didn't care because it was about us exceeding goals to get kickbacks.ย 

I could have definitely closed these 2 deals. But I didn't because fuck that.ย 
Wolfe
Politicker
1
BDR
That's BS. I hate the time bound pricing too.ย 
Kanyebut4sales
WR Lieutenant
1
Account Executive
your manager sounds like they were missing their number and wanted to throw it on you. Keep those morals it's the only real way to sustain a career in selling
drtendo
Politicker
0
Enterprise Account Executive
Thats exactly what happened. I've still got a relationship with the guy who managed this manager, and even he says he's not sure where that pressure came from.
LiverpoolLad
Good Citizen
1
West Regional Sales Manager
I am in a very similar situation. Currently in Q2, tracking above my goal, and being singled out to bring in orders forecasted for Q3. Seems like that is a side effect of doing well in your year/quarter: management looks at you to bring in MORE.ย 
drtendo
Politicker
1
Enterprise Account Executive
I absolutely empathise!
DustyGreenField
Good Citizen
1
EVP, Sales
Thatโ€™s completely nutsack! That dude may have broke a few deals loose using those tactics, but heโ€™s a fucking idiot when it comes to managing a team.ย 
InsuranceMan
Good Citizen
1
Head of Operations
That's just a bad manager who is afraid of being revealed.ย 

SalesPaladin
1
Sr Director Sales
I would rather lose a deal and win a trusted relationship than sell with lies.ย  Dishonest reputations follow reps who earn it.
drtendo
Politicker
0
Enterprise Account Executive
Exactly the same here.
Kirby
Politicker
1
Sales Representative
Yeah as an SDR, I was already at quota for the month, and I got a prospect who wanted me to circle back in about two weeks, at the beginning of the next month, since the decision maker had literally just started.

My SDR manager INSISTED that I email back saying that we were giving Uber Eats gift cards to people who are able to book this month.

Just because *you* aren't meeting *your* quota doesn't mean that *I* have to resort to shitty tactics. Go have the underperforming SDRs try that shit.
Sourpatch100
Valued Contributor
1
Account Executive
Yikes! Unfortunately I think weโ€™ve all encountered this in some form or another. It is yucky that he is sitting in a seat of influence and most importantly that is who advocates on behalf of your team. I find a stellar product and leadership trumps the sketchy sales process every time.ย 
CastleIsland
Tycoon
1
Associate Account Director
Yeah, I'd totally sandbag that deal for next year, where it clearly aligns with your customer's natural timeline, will make them a happy customer, and will give you a bigger deal to start the FY. It is the fault of your leadership if they are scrambling to get deals in last minute, do not feel like it is yours. None of this will matter in Q1 and they will pat you on the back when it comes in and you start the year strong.
BlueJays2591
Politicker
0
Federal Business Dev Director
this guy sounds like a huge tool. customer focused sales people are usually the best sales people
avocadobegood
Valued Contributor
0
MM Account Executive
that guys a douche.ย 

with that said - he's not completely wrong, most if not all urgency is fabricated in my opinion. if a company is actually going to go under tomorrow if they don't buy your SaaS solution...is that a company you want to do business with?
ellesells
Opinionated
0
Account Executive
These are the worst fucking managers. The company's duty is to the company, so if mine is to the company, it's to the customer. Managers like this only think about themselves.ย 
SalesSage
Valued Contributor
0
National Account Manager
This mentality is terrible.ย 
1

How often do you want to kill your manager?

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So how often?
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How do you answer your Sales Manager that ask "Sell anything today?" daily?

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What is one thing you want to tell your manager, but you know you'll get fired if you do?

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