Why Working Harder Isn’t the Solution for Quota Carrying Account Executives

One of the aspects of Account Executive work that we love is the autonomy that comes with the right position and the right team.  If you’re on a team that is being micromanaged then #1 you’re not on the right team and #2 you should get out ASAP.  

Now, assuming you are on a team with a low or non-existent level of micro management then you are in a great position to be able to run your territory as a business owner, which in many ways, you are. 

Approaching your territory from the mindset of a business owner will engender greater success over the long run and will result in an infinitely stronger and more valuable network than if you approach your territory with an employee mindset.  

A common pitfall many, many AEs fall into is believing that to run the highest grossing territory and be the top performer on their team they need to work harder than everyone else. 

When an AE is asked, “What distinguishes you as a sales rep?” it is super common for their response to be something along the lines of, “I work pretty hard. I love building relationships. I love providing value. I’m working all the time because I love it. I want to be the person who will work above and beyond to be able to help my client and prospects…”

This sounds quite noble and great, definitely aligns with our collective “hustle harder” culture in the United States. However, always being “on your grind” is not the most effective way to accomplish all goals. It is, however, a greatly effective way to burn yourself out.

Think about how a business owner approaches staffing, think about why you were hired to do your job. At a core level, you were hired because the business owner knows that to scale their business, they need more help. It’s not efficient or even reasonable for them to expect that if they just hustle harder, they will accomplish their business growth goals. 

Apply that same mindset to viewing your territory as a small business with you in the owner position. What do you need to scale your territory to maximum growth? You definitely need some more help. How do you know where you need the help? 

Start by writing down all of your administrative tasks. Evaluate your current work processes to identify energy suckers like busy work and repetitive tasks. Then use the Pareto Principle aka the 80/20 rule, to help you prioritize. 

Consider this quote from the Forbes article, The 80/20 Rule And How It Can Change Your Life: 

“In my research into the productivity habits of high achievers, I interviewed hundreds of self-made millionaires, straight-A students and even Olympic athletes. For them, handling every task that gets thrown their way—or even every task that they would like to handle—is impossible. They use Pareto to help them determine what is of vital importance. Then, they delegate the rest, or simply let it go.”

Want to talk about what you can let go, what you can delegate and how? Get in touch!