9/25/2023-Manager Relations

Be specific and direct to your manager about what motivates you, but also appreciate your manager knows a thing or two about the business and about helping sellers like you.

If you report to one of those sales managers you’d follow into a burning building, that’s great. (Though that might be stupid ‘cuz burning buildings are unsafe.)

If, however, you have a manager who doesn’t support you how you want or need…address it. Yes, that might mean changing your tune thinking it’s their job to communicate proactively.

It’s on both of you.

If you need something, don’t just raise your hand, stick it in your manager’s face. (Respectfully, of course.) Don’t wait for your manager to approach you.

Your manager possesses many talents and skills, but mindreading is not one of them.

If you haven’t recently been off-campus with your manager to talk about issues on a deep level, set that up today. Weekly 1:1s can be productive, but they may not propel you deep into strategic issues and personal bonding like a coffee and donut down the street.

In addition to bringing a formal agenda with you, come to the meeting with ideas and recommendations on your stickiest issues. Your manager will be impressed that you’re thinking strategically about your business.

True or false: It’s up to you to train your manager.

Well…yes and no.

Of course, you should be specific and direct to your manager about what you respond to (i.e., what best motivates you), but also appreciate your manager knows a thing or two… about the business and about helping sellers like you.

Manager/seller relations are rarely perfect from the outset (if it appears otherwise, someone is holding out). Communication courage is needed by both sides to reach a high level of trust for both of you; perhaps you won’t be attending each other’s weddings, so what, you’ll save some moolah staying home.

Here are a few tips that might help your communication efforts with your manager:
1. Be direct, honest, specific, and clear. (Yeah, you know this…so do it.)
2. Focus on strategic issues, not the tactical stuff. Show your manager your thinking.
3. Limit email conversations between the two of you. Too much context is lost when email is the dominant communication mode.

Don’t forget, a regular rotation of offsite meetings between the two of you will get you deeper on everything: business issues, interpersonal situations, and problem-solving, to name a few.

Finally, don’t talk smack about your manager to others. Even though your peers might be spewing at you while you’re sipping a cold one at the bar, don’t fall for it. Not only is it a bad look, but it’s unfair to your manager and inappropriate.

Your manager is doing the best job possible to help you. If it’s not what you need or want, it’s ALSO on you to fix it.

Warren Buffett is kinda smart, right? This 4-minute video invites you into his head to hear insights that might help you grow rapport with your manager.

Although you love playing for that big commission check, you (and Warren) know you must manage your performance and not focus too much on the money.

That’s what your manager wants to see, too.

As Warren offers, be more interested in your company’s business and your customers, and everything else will take care of itself.