Heres the Management Mistake Were All Making, According to 1 Sales Manager

Heres the Management Mistake Were All Making, According to 1 Sales Manager As a Sales Engineering Manager at Trimble, a positioning technology company, Jenna Dobrovolny manages a kollektiv of technical sales engineers that work with customers to make the world go round. She sells important positioning ordnungsprinzips to customers in a wide variety of industries, all while learning the ins-and-outs of unique businesses.But Dobrovolny didnt know she would wind up being a salesperson at one of the most unique companies in the U.S. With a background in marketing, she took a winding path to get where she is today and she has celebrated every minute.How long have you been in your current role, and what were you doing previously?Ive been in sales engineering at Trimble for a little over 3 years. Previously, I welches in Product Management at Trimble.Whats the first (and/or last) thing you do at work every day?Im a morning person, so I try to get in early. The first thing I do is a mental s can of what my week looks like. I occasionally make to-do lists, but I detest procrastination. If I think of something I need to do, I try to do it right away. I usually have a pretty good handle on my schedule, but I double check my calendar anyway.Whats the most unique or interesting aspect of your job or company?I think the most unique thing about my job is the group of customers I get to work with. ur customers are the heartbeat of our economy. Transportation, agriculture and construction all come together to make sure we have clean water, houses to live in, prescription medications to survive, and all the wants that internet shopping has made available to us.For example, take natural disasters something that is extremely relevant right now. From the supplies we get when the first disaster strikes to the rebuilding process, we rely on the men and women in our industry doing a very unglamorous job to help us put our lives back together. Its incredibly humbling to step onto a tr uck yard and realize that when stuff gets real, these individuals are the ones called to action. Whats something you think most people (perhaps even current employees) dont know about your company that you think they should?I think a common misconception about my company is that you must fit into a certain mold to work here or work in a certain department. While company fit is certainly important, my team has individuals from all backgrounds. Some have trucking experience and some that are new to the industry. Some are more advanced in their careers and some are just starting out. I have a bachelors in Communications and Public Relations, and a background in marketing. But about 9 years ago, I got into technology and now I work in sales.Whats something youre especially good at at work?Public speaking. I enjoy it. Its a rush for me, but thats probably because I have a bit of an ego.What about outside of work?Im pretty good at handling money. I like organization and money makes sense to me.What are you trying to improve on?Trusting people that I work with. Its not natural to me and has nothing to do with the other person. Im naturally suspicious and in some cases, thats just a time-waster.Whats your favorite mistake?There was a time a few years ago when I didnt stand up for myself on something. It was mostly gossip-related. I let my anfhrer at the time dictate how a situation was going to be handled, and I felt powerless. Thats the feeling I am most uncomfortable with.It taught me not to rely on others to do your bidding. If someone you work with has a belief or understanding about you that is false, say something. Id rather get a reputation that I wont take crap than let others define me. Whats the one career move youve made that youre most proud of?Moving into an industry that is mostly male-dominated. It is not uncommon for me to be the youngest and only female in a customer meeting. Ive always been fairly assertive, but in my business, thats not seen as a ba d thing. I think in other industries a softness is required. You try and win over business on a relationship level. My job is to help make our customers more successful and competitive in their own right, and that takes a certain amount of bravado.What do you love most about your job or your company?A new employee on my team mentioned that we have a lot of passion for what we do, and I believe that to be so true. We also have an unshakable desire to get better. Were pretty hard on ourselves. If you value activity over productivity, this isnt the place for you. We are driven by results.What are you currently reading/watching/listening to?I get both the New York Times and FreightWaves (an industry publication) delivered to my inbox daily. I also just finished Anthony Bourdains Kitchen Confidential, which I found to be wonderfully relevant to both being a manager and to the food delivery business (many of my customers work in this industry). I think its important to read books for busi ness, but its also important to read for the human element. Id rather read a biography about a successful individual than a how to book. That said, Ive read my fair share of good business books as well. Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg was eye-opening. It changed my way of thinking entirely.Whats your 1 piece of advice for women who are looking for jobs right now?Your resume must be results and success driven. Dont say I worked on our RFP process. Define how much you improved the process. If you brought in revenue to your company, say how much in dollars. Quantify everything dollars, percent improved, efficiencies gained. Ive seen a lot of resumes recently and numbers jump off the page to me. It also shows that an individual knows their value, which becomes extremely important upon salary negotiations.Who is/was the most influential person in your life and why?My mother. She is absolutely the hardest working person I know, and her compassion for humanity is unwavering. Shes n ot afraid to call others out for their lack of understanding, and believes in being fully educated before voicing an opinion. She follows her heart, even when it is contrary to the belief system she was raised with. As her daughter, its empowering to see that and it gives me confidence as well.Whats the most memorable piece of career advice youve received?What other people say and do is not about you. Ever.What was the best quality of the best boss youve ever had?Allowing for independent action and thought. Delegating and micromanaging can sometimes look like the same thing. When you delegate, you identify a problem that needs solving. When you micromanage, you tell others how to solve it. Micromanaging is a cheap way to manage people. And its extremely unsuccessful. Having a boss that delegates and asks for my opinion makes me feel valued.--Fairygodboss is a proud partner with Trimble. Find your job today