What's the Buzz
Oct 29, 2009
Shall I tell you what's happening? Or happened, I guess, since it's been nearly a month.
There is this company I know that reorganized its sales force, realigning "assets" and adjusting territories and quotas. Like all other sales organizations, this happens every year, with similar bitching and moaning - from customers and employees alike.
Ah, but this year . . . This year, a girl I know was so popular that several managers argued and negotiated to get her. The only problem with being so "in demand" is that no one invited the girl to the party where her fate was decided. The decree was given, with the admonishment: "Be grateful to have a job at all."
Well, yes. True. Can't argue that. Consider me grateful.
And disappointed. It's impossible to really describe how much I detest having no control over my life, even those eight or nine hours that someone else buys from me each day. Especially when someone in a locked room decided my fate, even though they could have opened that door, invited me in, and asked my preference or at least pretended to seek my input . . . to have even offered the appearance of respect.
To their credit, I probably got the best deal going, with a great manager, friendly colleagues, and good customers. And sales people are conditioned to expect annual changes, to adapt, to thrive no matter what. But we're not mice in a maze. Like every single other individual on the planet, we'd like a little control over our destiny. Choices. The ability to steer our own course, even in the corporate setting where quotas and margins drive every action.
So, that's what happened. And I'm still coming to terms with it all - on a new team, in a new territory, with a new customers, with a new goal.
