All I know is that it’s a lot. 

And this means I’ve consulted 1-1 with the founder of these companies and sometimes their CRO or VP. 

One of the most common patterns is this… 

Promoting your top AE to management. 

Almost always this fails (not always). 

This happens because logically it makes sense. 

Why couldn’t the top performer lead the rest of the team? 

Most companies do this.

In practice, it's usually a disaster.

Closing deals and building a team require completely different skill sets.

Your best rep wins because they read situations fast, move with urgency, and adjust in real time. That's individual execution.

Managing requires you to slow down, document what works, and teach other people how to replicate it. 

These skills rarely exist in the same person. 

And when you assume they do, you lose your best rep and get a mediocre manager who resents the job.

So before you promote someone, ask three questions:

1- Do they already help other reps without being asked?

If your top performer operates like a lone wolf, they'll hate management. 

Future managers are already coaching laterally because they actually enjoy it.

2- Can they explain why they're successful?

A lot of elite reps win on instinct. 

They can't tell you why they close deals, they just do. 

If they can't break down their process into steps someone else can follow, they can't manage.

3- Do they actually want to manage people, or do they just want more money?

Management is a completely different role. 

If someone's only doing it for the increase in compensation, they'll burn out in 90 days and take the team down with them.

If you've already made this mistake, you've got two moves:

Find someone or a team that knows how to develop revenue leaders. 

Let them coach and develop this person. 

The ROI on this is a no brainer and the downside is very abysmal.

Yes, it's uncomfortable. 

It's also cheaper than rebuilding your entire sales org.

Now - if you haven’t promoted someone yet, but you’re thinking about it… 

Build a temporary player/coach role where they keep a small book of business and manage 2-3 reps. 

This tests whether they can actually do the job before you commit.

I’d also recommend investing in them if they pass the test. 

In summary… 

We can’t keep treating management like a promotion. 

It's a different job entirely .

Your best rep might need to stay a rep. 

And that's not a problem. 

That's just knowing what role someone's built for.

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mitchellmiles
🌎 Company Youtube Page: https://www.youtube.com/@newell-io
📊 Book a revenue audit: https://newell.io/audit/
🔗 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/newellio/
👤 Follow Mitchell Miles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchellbmiles/