Do.it.for.the.checks

Account Executive

To manage or not to manage?

My goal in my career is to be a CRO, but I do not want to be a low level manager. So I'm curious if anyone one here skipped the team lead/sales manager role and went right to VP of Sales.

If so what's the secret, just dominate quota or is there a better technique?

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19 comments

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Kinonez

Celebrated Contributor

War Room Enthusiast

I think it's important to go through all these rolls to get experience, then again, I'm still a team lead.

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

Account Executive

It's probably best because I assume I will fail as do most people at my first attempt. Sorry to future reports

But I'd hate my life grinding through leadership without the ability to influence organizational change... no offense?

Kinonez

Celebrated Contributor

War Room Enthusiast

It's all about the mindset, prepare yourself and trust your skills, I'm sure you'll kill it!

SaaSam

Politicker

Account Executive

I couldn't tell you from personal experience what would be best. But what I do know is that crushing quota doesn't mean someone would make a great director or VP.

Leaders aren't always the best at what they do so much as really good at getting others to perform at their best.

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

Account Executive

100% its called the Peter Principle. Leadership is a different skill set.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Get the experience from the other roles. Excel and get promoted quickly.

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

Account Executive

Great advice!

Blackwargreymon

Politicker

MDR

Get the experience from the other roles. Excel and get promoted quickly.

Clashingsoulsspell

Politicker

ISR

Leaders aren't always the best at what they do so much as really good at getting others to perform at their best.

Adored

Executive

Sales Director

It's like me teaching you to fly a hang glider carrying just yourself and then immediately asking you to pilot a fucking passenger jet with 200 passengers and crew aboard. Different skillsets required for both jobs.

I don't see anyway around it and would question why it is that you want to skip being a manager on your way to being a CRO.

Do the work, no shortcuts.

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

Account Executive

I mean based on your anology, management wouldn't help me at all.

Pay is the main reason, lower management would almost certainly be a step backwards. But I'm more interested in leading a company making GTM decisions, handling company direction, managing board expectations, than I am in individual development. Now I know thats still a big part, but I don't want it to be my sole focus like it is in lower level management

Adored

Executive

Sales Director

But within that GTM strategy, you'd argue that the biggest and most important component is the human one.

You don't tend to gain those other responsibilities independently of any leadership responsibility. So if you want to achieve that ambition, your best bet is to find/ get promoted into a sales manager that works for you and your bank account.

I'm going through it atm and the impact of leading a team on my earning potential this year has been significant but hoping it pays off long term. Especially in the current SaaS sales job market, it should.

CaneWolf

Politicker

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

@LordBusiness is probably the person who has the most experience to provide a good take here.

LordBusiness

Politicker

Chief Revenue Officer

I’m not saying it can’t be done, but a lot of what the CRO does has little to do with selling. Recruiting, project management, cross functional leadership politics, process creation and implementation, analytics and modeling, compensation and incentives…..middle management jobs in sales are all “mini”‘versions of learning these skills.

cw95

Politicker

Sales Development Lead

Maybe do an extensive search for smaller companies where you can progress to that role easier than in a big company to gain experience and then after a while move into the CRO role at the desired level?

GDO

Politicker

BDM

I think it s a necessary step. Although if you go the start up route you can circumvent that title 😅

MR.StretchISR

Politicker

ISR

I think it's important to go through all these rolls to get experience, then again, I'm still a team lead.

Mr.Floaty

Politicker

BDR

Stop talking about work-related stuff for some time and actually talk to the person about themselves and try to find something that motivates them or you can connect to.

Cyberjarre

Politicker

BDR

That and also ask how she currently thinks/ works and try and get her to realise where she is going wrong on her own rather than spoon feeding her.

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Do.it.for.the.checks

To manage or not to manage?

19 comments

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