Promoted to VP of Sales: The Year 1 Toolkit

VP of Sales Competency Profile

Sales Approach 'A' Player Characteristics

Understanding the different types buyers and • leads sales managers in process adherence
ensuring the company sales methodology is aligned • offers accurate insight on prospect behavior
with different buying processes • proactive in adopting sales best practices
• performance role model to other sales managers
• thought-leads customers to purchase decisions

Coaching and Talent Development 'A' Player Characteristics

Overseeing talent development programs and • takes personal interest in development of subordinates for the sole purpose
efforts; taking interest in advancement of of career advancement
subordinates; high rate of success of previous • can point to previous subordinates in other areas of the organization who
subordinates in other areas of the organization have been successful
• develops complete and applicable Career Action Plans for each direct report
and has promoted other VPs

Managing Processes 'A' Player Characteristics

Adopting company policies; utilizing CRM system; • ensures adoption of company policies and processes
adhering to sales process; understanding sales • ensures that sales reps in his/her territory heavily utilize the applicable
methodologies; defining handoffs; measuring CRM/SFA system and have a high degree of content accuracy
process output; providing specific governance and • frequently inspects sales rep adherence to defined sales process
guidance around process adherence • has defined and understands the handoffs occurring within the sales process
and reduces the friction of these interactions
• uses the sales process to govern and guide management of the pipeline

Discipline 'A' Player Characteristics

The ability to stick to a plan in a methodical • consistently does what needs to be done when it needs to done
manner; consistently focused on driving incremental • has high standards around process execution in front of and away from
improvement and progress in all aspects of personal customers
and professional learning; translates a focus on core • does not sway from the strategy despite adversity or skepticism from
fundamentals through the sales force with a cadence internal or external stakeholders
focused on core priorities

Decision Quality 'A' Player Characteristics

Reacting when under time or other pressure; • does not panic when under time or other pressure
weighing conflicting goals and commitments and • able to weigh conflicting goals and commitments and make decisions based
making decisions based on core values; exhibiting on core values
wisdom in counsel; judging character; reading • provides wise counsel frequently
market place and internal company situations • consistently reads client situations accurately
• insightful judge of character

Strategic Agility 'A' Player Characteristics

Ability to understand trends and patterns in the • conducts detailed territory planning, including analysis of territory potential,
business; drawing insights from data to drive assignments by merit, and rep accountability for patch management
changes in sales strategy and direction to achieve • develops strategic goals specific to the sales territory appropriate to the
corporate objective span of control and translates these goals into actionable tasking for each
rep
• reinforces adherence to the sales strategy by teaching sales leadership how
to execute
• frequently shows sales leadership how to map solutions to address
client/customer strategic goals
 Promoted to VP of Sales: The Year 1 Toolkit
VP of Sales Competency Profile

Conflict Management 'A' Player Characteristics

Navigating internal organizational battles; • deftly navigates internal organizational battles and establishes reputation
establishing reputation for conflict resolution; for conflict resolution in the process
managing partner organizations; avoiding conflict • manages all partner organizations with minimal strife, even those who may
proactively compete with each other
• proactively avoids major internal and external conflicts by anticipating build-
up of pressure and addressing it to the satisfaction of all parties

Evolutionary Pace 'A' Player Characteristics

Pace at which the VP of Sales acquires new skills • evolves quickly with new changes is on the leading edge acquiring and
and capabilities that can be driven into the sales implementing best practices
force; proactively seeking out best practices from • evolves faster than the marketplace through proactively seeking new
outside the industry to push the pace at which the knowledge
organization progresses

Intellectual Curiosity 'A' Player Characteristics

Innate desire to question current state and build a • fast learner (‘quick study’)
personal/team capacity that is constantly • abundant sense of intellectual curiosity
questioning how and why they can improve to best • able to perform complex tasking
in class across industry, sales and company • keen intellect and a has a thirst for knowledge
processes • great problem-solver
• able to grasp difficult concepts easily

Building Effective Teams 'A' Player Characteristics

Building bridges inside the organization; allowing • actively engenders a sense of unity amongst the sales reps under
others to take credit for his/her accomplishments; management
contributing to group projects; elevating efforts of • ensures a high level of productivity of the sales team through clear and
others consistent rep-to-rep assistance
• his/her reps consistently state they feel part of a high-performing team and
are proud to be part of the organization
• lifts average performers above mediocrity and motivates above average
performers to excellence
• supports team-building and team motivating activities
• creates a strong sense of teamwork and camaraderie from among support
and other sales-related staff

Integrity and Trust 'A' Player Characteristics

Responding to ethically questionable activities and • resists activities and alternatives that are ethically questionable
alternatives; history of high integrity transactions • has a long track record of high integrity transactions with peers, customers,
with peers, customers, and partners; responding to and partners
bad news; keeping confidences; exhibiting • responds with honesty, immediacy, and transparency when questioned
discretion; admitting mistakes about adverse topics
• has a history of bringing bad news to the attention of leadership as soon as
it becomes known
• has a reputation for keeping confidences
• discrete in speech and manner
• quickly admits mistakes in performance, some of which he/she offers up
without others even knowing
 Promoted to VP of Sales: The Year 1 Toolkit
VP of Sales Competency Profile

Peer Relationships 'A' Player Characteristics

Relating to peers on a personal level; cooperating • known for maintaining and expanding a large number of productive peer
with peers; joint problem-solving; responding to relationships, both outside and inside the company
accolades; handling peer conflict • consistently works well with peers on corporate projects, both strategic and
tactical, irrespective of whether in a position of leadership or membership
• history of working with peers to solve key business problems, including the
proactive sharing of best practices
• comfortable with his/her peers receiving accolades for team
accomplishments to which he/she made a significant contribution
• seldom in conflict with peers but, in those circumstances, known to be fair-
minded, calm, and respectful

Organizational Agility 'A' Player Characteristics

Overcoming barriers; finding sales solutions; • budgets time to accomplish long-range efforts that take significant effort
attitude; solving problems; finding resources to • does not miss meetings in times when there are many and conflicting
address a challenge; responding to lack of formal commitments
sales resources; stage managing introduction of • manages assignments for short and long term commitments without
internal and external resources to clients to impact missing deadlines
sales campaigns • highly efficient user of professional time

Managerial Courage 'A' Player Characteristics

Adapting in a management environment where • thrives in a management environment where autonomy is valued
autonomy is valued; making decisions; setting • makes prudent decisions that may also have a political cost but are optimal
priorities without intense oversight; volunteering; for the business
taking unpopular position; addressing people • sets effective priorities up and down the line without need for oversight
problems; taking negative managerial action when • volunteers to be the first among peers in assuming a burden or tackling a
necessary thorny project
• willing to take bold stands and defend them with facts, even when the
position may be unpopular
• faces up to people problems quickly, directly, fairly, and with the necessary
Human Resources documentation
• is undaunted when the need arises to take negative action

Drive for Results 'A' Player Characteristics

Pursuing goals; maintaining focus; seeking out • relentless in the pursuit of a key strategic goals
quantitative comparison; demonstrating results in • does not lose focus and is not easily distracted from core mission
variety of selling environments • seeks out quantitative comparison, both of past performance and against
peer groups (internal and external benchmarks)
• shows a consistent pattern of results delivery in good and negative selling
environments

Conflict Management 'A' Player Characteristics

Navigates internal organizational battles and • deftly navigates internal organizational battles and establishes reputation
establishes reputation for conflict resolution; for conflict resolution in the process
manages all partners without strife; avoids major • manages all partner organizations with minimal strife, even those who may
conflicts before they happen by anticipating build-up compete with each other
of pressure and addressing it to the satisfaction of • proactively avoids major internal and external conflicts by anticipating build-
all parties; known as a peacemaker and arbiter by up of pressure and addressing it to the satisfaction of all parties
fellow sales managers