Sales Leadership · 6 min read
From top seller to sales manager: what changes in your first 90 days
Being brilliant at selling earns the promotion. Helping others sell brilliantly is a different job. Here is what to focus on first.
The first weeks as a sales manager can feel strange. You know how to win deals, yet the number now depends on other people. The instinct is to jump in and close everything yourself. It works for a quarter and burns you out by the next.
Redefine what a good week looks like
Your output is now the team's progress. Protect time for one-to-ones, deal coaching and pipeline reviews before your own admin fills the diary.
Have the expectations conversation
Former peers need to hear clearly what has changed and what has not. Agree activity, pipeline and behaviour standards openly, one seller at a time.
Coach before you rescue
When a seller brings you a stuck deal, ask questions first. What do they know about the decision process? What would they try next? Step in only when the opportunity genuinely needs you, and debrief afterwards so they learn from it.