Lesson 1: Unclear Responsibilities

What’s the Real Issue?

Many new sales managers step into the role with excitement, but without clear direction. You’ve been promoted, which is a great step forward. But now what?

Without clarity, you may feel pulled in many directions. You’re no longer just a top performer in sales. You’re now leading a team, and your results will be measured through others.

The Mistake: Trying To Do Everything

You might feel the need to jump in and fix everything. Some managers try to:

Boost sales immediately
Step into every deal
Take on admin tasks, coach the team, and lead every meeting

Trying to handle everything without knowing your actual priorities can leave you feeling overwhelmed and ineffective.

The Fix: Clarify Expectations Early

In your first week, make time to speak with your boss. Get clear on:

What success should look like in your first 90 days
Where you should focus first: people, process, or pipeline
Which results matter most

Instead of guessing, ask.

For example:
What are the top three outcomes you expect from me in the next 90 days?

This one question can help you avoid a lot of confusion.

Coaching Prompt

Ask yourself:
Am I working based on clear priorities, or on assumptions?

Write this down:

What do I know for sure about what my boss wants?
What do I think I’m expected to do?
What do I need to check or confirm?

Your Leadership Action

Before the week ends:

Book a short one-to-one with your boss
Use these three questions to guide the conversation:

1
What are the top three results you expect from me?
2
What do you see as the team’s strengths and weaknesses?
3
Where would you focus first if you were in my role?

After the meeting, summarise what you heard and send it back to your boss for confirmation. This helps avoid misalignment.

Want To Go Deeper?

You can download the full 90-Day Success Planner at the end of this course. It gives you weekly focus areas, coaching questions, and a checklist to guide your progress.