Callmefish

Business Development Manager

Question: how to get an internal promotion to team lead?

Currently working at a tech company with a 45~ person headcount.

Our sales team has about 12 reps total across 2 teams, and I'm currently an inbound AE, amongst a team of 4. I've been with the company for roughly a year, and am the longest-tenured member of this team. Our boss told us internally yesterday they are looking to hire or promote a team lead/manager for our group. The JD for the role has not been posted externally yet, but I have reached out to my boss indicating I'm interested in leading this team.

I was part of the hiring process for the other 3 team members who have been here between 1-5 months. I trained them in how to demo, wrote the SOPs, and created the system for assigning leads from different sources too. In this sense, I've been a defacto team lead since they joined.

Earlier today, the 5-month team member (let's call her Angela) asked me if I was interested in that Team Lead role because she is as well. While I enjoy competition, I can't help but feel uneasy about it. I don't want to report to someone I helped hire and train.

Hoping to ask the war room for some advice on how I can best position myself to be in line for this promotion, and if there are any documents I can start putting together to really wow my boss when we meet about this. I am considering writing a 30-60-90 day plan for what I want to do as a Team Lead, but curious about your thoughts.

Thanks

🧢 Sales Management

🚀 Career Goals

💯 Promotions

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11 comments

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LordBusiness

Politicker

4

Chief Revenue Officer

Well, you’ve already done quite a bit to align yourself with the opportunity so that’s a good thing. That being said, you can’t over prepare, and I dig the 30/60/90 day plan idea. Don’t stress, I’d be willing to bet you are a back of the napkin front runner for the opportunity.

Kinonez

Celebrated Contributor

2

War Room Enthusiast

Become the top performer of your team. Keep track of your success, how many meeting you booked, how many turned into opportunities, with what percentage you hit quota, do this month by month in comparison with your teammates. Present a excel sheet with all your data to your superiors and sell yourself. That’s how I did it.

sales7

Politicker

2

Commercial Product Enablement

I'd also try and highlight the managerial tasks you've been doing above & beyond more so than the quota achievement. Showing how well you can do the job they're hiring for rather than what you'll leave behind

Kinonez

Celebrated Contributor

0

War Room Enthusiast

Oh yeah, going the extramile on this makes a huge impact!

FeedTheKids

Politicker

2

Solutions Consultant

Play the game a little bit!

Talk with others in that position and those who you'd report to and through casual convos make it known you are killing it and ask them questions about how they got into their current roles and what they find helps them be successful.

Also, be helpful to others in your role. Help answer questions and help them in anyway you can. Show you know some shit and have some leadership qualities.

My opinion is you got to have that rapport if you want to be seen as someone ready to make that leap into the Team Lead role.

FWIW - in the past I've sucked at playing that game and was mostly worried about myself. When I switched companies I went out of my way to be helpful to others.... Seems to be working in my favor so far due to the CEO, CTO, and founder of the company being "in my corner" for future opportunities.

NoSuperhero

Politicker

1

BDR LEAD

This is by far the best answer!

I'll add and say that you have to be honest with yourself. Tenure doesn't mean you deserve the job. Closing the most deals doesn't either. So with that said, why don't you try to be the leader you want have NOW, see how you can help your current manger get to their goals and you'll see that they'll see to it that you reach yours.

Justatitle

Big Shot

1

Account Executive

My current boss tells me promotions aren’t given they’re taken. Tell the management look I e already been doing this job and it makes the most sense for me to be in this position. Nobody gives you anything in life except herpes, go take what is yours.

NoSuperhero

Politicker

0

BDR LEAD

I don't know about this approach, but I can agree one must take the job if you want it. Nothing in life is given, unless you're inheriting your parents fortune, and even then there's a price to pay.

braintank

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

Who has the better numbers, you or Angela?

CuriousFox

WR Officer

1

🦊

👀🍿

duckduckgos

Opinionated

1

Business Development

I recently had an interview for a similar role and created a mini presentation using a website called Canva. You can get free high quality ppt templates that look real professional.

Most of my ppt was centered around a hypothetical exercise so ignore that part but what you can do that would help would be to create a visual time line of your career path at _________ company.

Show where you have been, where you hope to go, and discuss how your previous experiences provide you the foundation necessary to succeed in this new role.

(i.e. I've been an AE for a year and have learned a lot about what it takes to be successful in the role, my previous experience in this position will allow me to lead from a place of understanding as I will have been in the shoes of those whom I am leading.)

Hope this helps!

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