Top AE - Moving Into Leadership

Hi - First post so excuse any mistakes!

I’ve been in Software sales for the last 10 years. I started when I was 17, in the next few months I’m going to transition into a sales leadership role after 5 years as the top AE in at the company.

I’m both excited and nervous, I really want the move and I think I’m going to be good at the job. I’m an ex rugby player that was the captain of my team for 5+ years and I love seeing other around me grow and develop.

But I wondered if anyone had any advice?

☁️ Software Tech

🧢 Sales Management

🚀 Career Goals

3 comments

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Coffeesforclosers

Notable Contributor

Director Sales and Market Development

Advice on which part cause there is a lot? I made that leap 7 years ago myself and it is a weird time, but awesome. You are an ex leader in Rugby and someone that can do the "job" and that will pay off. You get the immediate credibility of someone that does the work, now its the balance of helping others do it but that comes with a fine line of fighting for them, helping set realistic goals, and communication (with them about strategy, messages happening above them that you have to pass when necessary, etc). You lose the IC life where you are responsible for you and now you are responsible for others success being yours, and you have to grow them, dont do the job for them.

MMMGood

Celebrated Contributor

Senior Account Executive

First of all, great name handle. +1

As far as being a leader goes, I’d say it’s similar to the way you should approach a customer.

Be genuine; don’t blow smoke. Have good communication and transparency; don’t withhold information. Set very clear and agreed upon expectations. Be an advocate for your team members.

And work to understand and know them beyond the numbers they hit (or don’t). Personal relationship building is a good way to help a rep understand that you care about their success, within the company but also in their own personal life.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

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