BitcoinAddict

AE

Valued Contributor

One of the worst parts about being an AE and wanting to leave a toxic work environment.

So I am stuck in a toxic work environment that has become evermore toxic. I have two deals, each more than $150k, that need to close before I can finally leave. Performance wise, I am doing well and I naturally prospect more than anyone else on the team. However, the culture is so damned toxic at my current workplace and the organization is slowly falling apart.

It's not even the fact that the very late-stage deals that are keeping me here that gets me, it is that mindf-ck of going "please God, if you are real, do not put another massive deal on my plate for me to work from start to finish for months". It's like in any decent workplace, as an AE I'd love that.

However, when you are in a workplace you desperately want to leave, it is knowing that if one big deal comes your direction that you work, you are going to be stuck here for months again. If you leave or get terminated? Someone who is "one of the guys" that barely does any prospecting or work inherits it and closes something you worked hard to get to that point.

I have been an AE for under a year, already at my number, and my god it is the one thing I hate about this role. Being an AE in a toxic work environment just hits differently than being an SDR in one.

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☁️ Software Tech

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25 comments

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TennisandSales

Politicker

6

Head Of Sales

dude just leave.

who fucking cares is some lame ass AE closes a deal after you leave? you left! you win!

take care of your self and jump ship. see if a company will give you a sign on bonus to make up for lost commission (dont ask about that up front though...)

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

You can wait for the commission, or you can be looking for a new job now, and if you find one before you clear that commission, you can let the new job know you're walking away from $x and maybe that can be a negotiation point.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

2

🦊

Yes it sucks. Being a SDR is worse. 😉

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

1

Rolling 20's all day

10000% true. Everything is perspective!

cuppajava

Opinionated

2

CEO

man I felt this.. I gave it a lot of time and reflection before I made a decision to leave. My mental health was suffering severely by staying in a toxic work environment. Money is great and all, but life is too short to be stuck somewhere miserable. There are SO MANY things to sell to be stuck somewhere you hate.

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

0

AE

VP of Sales huh, you hiring?

cuppajava

Opinionated

0

CEO

Always open to adding someone to the team when it makes sense.

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

1

Bravado's Resident Asshole

I had this same environment where I was at before, except I was the BDR manager. I had quite a bit of commission pending and was going to wait it out I was at like 260% on the year and had some fat checks waiting.

The culture wasn't something that I could withstand anymore and just happened to have a job fall into my lap. I have already made more at this new job in the first 6 months than I did the entire year last year. I just had to cut the loss and move on. If someone else closed a deal that I was working on, whatever.

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

1

Rolling 20's all day

The golden handcuffs are a tough one. Just consider and weigh the pros and cons of if you do go somewhere new - will being non-toxic outweigh the financial reward of staying where you are now?

KPIMaster

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

My suggestion, get out before you're desperate and leave for a similar or shittier situation. If you're in a good spot where your deals are progressing, start the process now so you leave for a great company and let your deals fall where they may.

salesguy123

Personal Narrative

1

RVP Sales

How much of your waking life do you spend working? Probably a lot. You should find a place that you really like working at even if you pass on a few commission dollars. Life is short - great places to work are out there.

jefe

Arsonist

0

🍁

I feel you on this.

There is a light/gold at the end of the tunnel though. Keep your head down and you'll get through this.

Then move elsewhere for even more success.

thetopperformer

Executive

0

Enterprise Account Executive

Just make sure you get paid on the deals if you do leave! At a previous company, I closed some deals, left to a better gig, and then they shorted me on them. They told me that they changed territories and that those accounts didn't belong to me.

saddonkey1

Executive

0

AE

WOW. Have you considered at least talking to an employment attorney? I’m sure a civil suit is not something you want to invest your time and energy into, but that company should not be able to get away with that, and I don’t think it would hurt to just get an attorney’s opinion.

saaskicker

Celebrated Contributor

0

Enterprise AE

take the commish, take your vacay, leave.

Gasty

Notable Contributor

0

War Room Community Manager

Curious: what makes you call it Toxic?

SADNESSLieutenant

Politicker

0

Officer of ♥️

Am I the only one that sees this as a non-issue? if the company is ass who gives a fuck, go get a better opp and close better deals somewhere else

migisamoneymaker

Member

0

Sr Account exec

LEAVE NOW. Getting out of a toxic work environment is the most freeing thing you can do for yourself. You will be happier and close even more!!!!

farmtocity

Opinionated

0

SDR Manager

can you give us a hint to the company so we never work there? :)

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

0

Sales Rep

It absolutely sucks missing out a deal that can be big, but if its toxic and you aren't happy I would recommend interviewing. Hell talk about those deals in process, and that could become your signing bonus that you negotiate

mpromax

0

General sales manager

If the pay is great, you may want to verify first for yourself: is it the environment that is so badly toxic or is it possible, your mental wellness just took a tall on you? You may be just mentally exhausted, as we all get ones in a while given the stress. You may be just internalizing some things at work that you shouldn’t.
I’d say, get some therapy first, sort it out, and if you then still see no point in staying at your current job, find another one and leave.

salezkween

Opinionated

0

Enterprise Account Executive

I left a toxic company with 6-figure deals in my pipeline, however, I learned from my mistake. Ask the right questions as you interview at your next role to sniff out toxic culture, and interview at competitors to make sure there you're with a leader and good product market fit.

If you find a sales leader that leads out of service rather than fear or whatever toxic *** they are on, you'll make more money in the long run.

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

0

AE

What questions can you ask to sniff out a toxic culture?

salezkween

Opinionated

1

Enterprise Account Executive

How would you describe your sales culture?

If they say work hard play hard, toxic.

What does a typical day look like?

If they say anything outside of 9-5, that’s an organizational issue. Sellers should be able to get everything done during business hours.

There’s probably more I asked, let me think

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

0

AE

THANK YOU!

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