HappyGilmore

Account Executive

"I" versus "We" ?

Curious to hear people's takes on this post in regard to saying "I drove X in sales" vs. "We drove X in sales". While selling can definitely be a team sport and I try to give as much credit to others who help in the sales cycle, I think at some point each seller (myself included) takes credit for how much they sourced in pipeline/deals closed.

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🤝 Interviewing/Offer

🎯 Career Development

26 comments

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Gasty

Notable Contributor

War Room Community Manager

It depends on the context. At times, using "I" makes more sense than "we". Example:

"𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 *𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟𝐟, 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡."

Filth

Politicker

Live Filthy or Die Clean

"We" think this is a great comment.

Gasty

Notable Contributor

War Room Community Manager

"I" appreciate your thought.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

How is this gonna help you in an interview for a new role? 🤔

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

Rolling 20's all day

** How is this gonna help US in an interview for OUR new role??? **

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

☎️

HappyGilmore

Politicker

Account Executive

That was my first thought reading that post. If I remove the statements talking about my accomplishments in an interview let alone on my resume, how will I convey I'm the right candidate?

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Interviews immediately came to mind.

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

"I" muted Josh Braun on LinkedIn b/c "I" was sick of his lame musings ;)

HappyGilmore

Politicker

Account Executive

Gonna have to reinforce the mute button on him now since this post slipped into my feed.

SaaSsy

Politicker

😆 Correct.

Coffee_is_for_closers

Opinionated

Product & Solutions Specialist

I see what you did there. We all enjoyed it

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

"We" are not looking for a job, Josh. "I" need to convey how "I" can bring value to your team, Josh.

Now, if it's a write up for a won deal within a company? Absolutely it's a team effort and people get called out by name, and thanked. Other than that, stuff it.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Wait now, maybe "I" should bring my entourage to any new position and use the Royal "We" when I make any statements.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

Outside of an interview I understand saying we for 99% of sales

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

Bravado's Resident Asshole

when telling what an individual did with their performance I is totally correct.

SaaSam

Politicker

Account Executive

This is what happens when you hand out participation trophies. All of a sudden it's unpopular to take personal pride in your accomplishments. Do I have to credit the pilot that flew the plane I took to an onsight where I closed the biggest deal as being a part of my success because I can't fly a plane now?

Notmyrealname

Politicker

I used to say we when asked about day to day or achievements. Then a third party recruiter told me to replace we with I in interviews/cover letters/etc. They were right.

LordOfWar

Tycoon

Blow it up

I like this, it can apply to everything:

- WE got drunk at the company Christmas party and puked in the boss' bathroom.
- WE expensed tickets to Thor: Love and Thunder for our family.
- WE slept in and missed the quarterly meeting.
- WE missed quota.
- WE told marketing to fuck off.
- WE think that these meetings are a waste of time.
- WE want you to just deliver the product.
- WE need a raise.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

-WE think this Teams meeting could have been an email.

tightlines

Politicker

Account Executive

Yeah draw some lines, but take your claim

HappyGilmore

Politicker

Account Executive

100% agree with that.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

I agree with the sentiment, but this seems like the extreme version of it. This almost seems like someone referring to 2:00 AM as early this morning rather than late last night. They're not wrong, but it's a letter of the law vs. spirit of the law type thing....

GDO

Politicker

BDM

i like the WE as well because you show youre a team player

Telehealth_2the_Moon

Notable Contributor

Director of Business Development

I don't really care about Josh's point in the post, but my experience with sales convos is that "we" is what you use most of the time and "I" is what you use when you are giving bad news about something and you want to position yourself as the good guy go between for the prospect and your company.

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

I can appreciate this in certain contexts like if Josh is trying to say appreciate your SE’s but this is not that at all. LinkedIn these days pisses me off WAY more than it helps

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HappyGilmore

"I" versus "We" ?

26 comments

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