Sales management jobs tend to attract a certain personality type – the Alpha, the A-Type, the most driven and motivated. Yet, part of these people’s blessing is also their curse. Often, sales managers are people who feel comfortable wielding power – and sometimes that hunger for control gets in the way of the ability to do the job. If you’re considering one of the sales management jobs listed, keep in mind these potential career pitfalls so you can avoid them.

Fights With The Marketing Department

Those working sales management jobs often have the impression that the people in the marketing department “have no clue what they are doing.” The marketers may retaliate by pointing the blame at the sales department and arguing that employees are not trained properly or that the sales-force is too small to match management’s goals. Bringing both departments together and training them to work as one cohesive team is a good recipe for success. Sometimes one group will need to pick up the slack, but communicating and working together is essential for the success of the company.

Poor People Management Skills

For individuals in sales management jobs, people are an important ingredient for their success. You can only be as good as your employees – and, most importantly, your ability to inspire, motivate and manage those people. To win their cooperation, you need to come across as someone who genuinely cares about their wellbeing and someone they can trust. You’ll want to keep an open line of communication and avoid sudden, hasty policy changes. You want to always be punctual and ask people-oriented questions to gauge how your employees are feeling. Make performance reviews standard procedure and hire people who fit your corporate culture.

Not Knowing The Business

Arrogance is another pitfall for people in sales management jobs. They presume that, once they are promoted, they can just sit back on their laurels and collect a paycheck. While you may be at the top of your game, it is essential that you make a point to learn something new every day and admit the fact that there may be low-level salespeople who have a better pulse on the day-to-day business than you. Seek feedback from all employees, spend a day in their shoes, research new products and services, and sit in on employee training sessions to improve your knowledge.