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You are here: Home / Communication / VP Of Sales – How To Save Yourself

VP Of Sales – How To Save Yourself

August 7, 2024 By admin Leave a Comment

Did you know that your position has the greatest failure rate of all positions in a direct selling company?  That’s the bad news.

The good news is that you can do many things to improve your odds to stay in your job.

Why Failure Happens

Poor Communication

It’s common for the VP of Sales to travel often and/or to live far away from the company’s home office.  Since you are likely not around that much, it is vital that you stay connected consistently with other members of your executive team.  Weekly online meetings are recommended so that you won’t suffer from the malaise of physical absence.

Mismatched Expectations

When you were hired, you had expectations.  So did your employer.  Are your expectations in sync with what their expectations are of you? Do you clearly know the expectations of others in your performance?

If your expectations of your performance and their expectations of your performance aren’t identical or nearly identical, your job is in danger.

Lack of Job Descriptions

Do you have a detailed job description for your job?  Without a written detailed job description, there are no agreed-upon performance measurements and deliverables.  The lack of a job description spells trouble for you.  If you weren’t given one, write one up yourself and then give it to your immediate supervisor with a request to approve it or amend it.

No Definition of Success

What is your supervisor’s definition of success for you in your job?  What is the CEO’s definition of success for you in your job?  What do you need to do to score a 10 out of 10 on the rating of your job performance?  There must be clear expectations of your performance that you, your supervisor, and the CEO each agree upon.

Responsibility, But No Authority

To be successful, you must have responsibilities and the authority to make decisions.  If you have the former but not the latter, you will be stymied in your ability to do your job.  If you can’t do your job, you will fail.

Cultural Differences

Every company has its own culture which is shaped in large part by the cultures of the people at the top.  When there’s a culture clash, it can be difficult to remain happy in your job.  For a long life in your job, you will need to adapt to the culture of the company.  If you can’t do that, get out now and go somewhere else where the culture fit is better for your job.

How to Save Yourself

  1. Communicate frequently with your supervisor and the executive team.
  2. Participate in weekly online meetings.
  3. Work to ensure that your expectations of yourself and the expectations of others (your supervisor and the executive team) are identical or are nearly identical.
  4. Ask for and obtain a written job description.  If you can’t get one, then write up your own job description and get it approved by your immediate supervisor.
  5. Ask your supervisor and the CEO to tell you in writing what you need to do to get a 10/10 on your performance reviews.
  6. Make sure that for each responsibility you are given, you are also given the authority to make decisions to get your job done.
  7. Don’t stay in a company where its culture clashes with your personal culture unless you’re willing to change your work culture to match the company’s culture.

 

Filed Under: Communication Tagged With: VP of Sales

About Jay Leisner

P15Jay Leisner, the President of Sylvina Consulting, is a top compensation plan and direct selling expert, a trusted adviser to new and established network marketing and party plan companies. For more than 30 years, Jay has enjoyed assessing and improving network marketing, party plan and referral marketing companies across the globe.

Direct Selling Startup GuideJay Leisner and Victoria Dohr authored the top-rated book for new and young network marketing, referral marketing, and party plan companies, "Start Here: The Guide to Building and Growing Your Direct Selling Company".

Available in English and Spanish. This startup guide contains 250 pages of wisdom that will guide you through the right steps to start and continue on your journey to build a successful direct selling company.

You will save thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of your time using the information you will read in our book.

In 1986, Jay began his career in direct selling by working for a major direct selling software provider. First as a software developer and later as a project leader and a business analyst, Jay worked closely with new and established network marketing and party direct selling companies to provide them with software solutions to meet their unique requirements.

Jay contributed in many ways to the success of large implementation projects for many companies. Jay also worked with dozens of smaller companies to assist each of them in various capacities to provide them with the systems they needed to help their businesses to grow faster.

Along the way while working with them, he learned the secrets of successful direct selling companies and the challenges faced by them. In true entrepreneurial spirit, Jay’s decision in 1999 to start Sylvina Consulting as a direct selling consulting company was driven by what he saw was a need for answers, advice, and solutions.

In 2004, 2006, 2009, 2014, and 2018, Jay gave presentations on compensation plans, recognition, and field leadership development at conferences held by the US Direct Selling Association.

He traveled to South Africa in 2015, 2016, and 2017 to conduct workshops on compensation plan design and recognition programs for member companies of the South African Direct Selling Association.

In 2017, Jay spoke at the Canadian Direct Sellers Association Meeting on the importance of recognition.

More than just a compensation plan expert, Jay is exceptionally skilled at advising new and established companies on business strategies. Before offering advice or solutions, he asks important questions to understand each client’s specific concerns and goals.

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