Medical Reps: Your Sales Manager Works for YOU (or Should!)

Let's talk about that person who keeps showing up in your territory reviews – your sales manager.

Now, I know what some of you might be thinking: "Oh great, another article about respecting the manager, working together, symbiosis, kumbaya.." I get it—you've heard all this before. But stick with me, because I'm about to flip the script on the traditional manager-rep relationship. Here's a revolutionary idea:

Your sales manager works for you, not the other way around.

Yes, you read that correctly. Think of them as your personal sales success assistant and coach who happens to be on the company payroll. They're not just there to review your numbers or tell you to "make more calls" (we all know how helpful that advice is).

Redefining the Relationship

The traditional hierarchy in medical sales often positions the sales manager as the authority figure—the one who sets expectations, monitors performance, and delivers those sometimes uncomfortable territory reviews. But what if we looked at this relationship through a different lens?

Your sales manager should be your strategic partner, mentor, and advocate all rolled into one. They've likely sat through countless value analysis committee meetings, navigated complex hospital systems, and yes, probably sweated through their fair share of OR cases back in the day. That experience? It's yours for the asking.

Consider this: your manager has likely faced and overcome the same challenges you're experiencing now. They've developed strategies for getting past gatekeepers, techniques for articulating value propositions that resonate with clinicians, and methods for navigating the increasingly complex healthcare purchasing environment. This wealth of knowledge isn't meant to be held over you—it's meant to be shared with you.

Leveraging Your Manager's Expertise

Want to maximize this relationship? Start by being transparent about your challenges.

If you're struggling with a particular account or feeling like your sales approach isn't working, speak up. A good sales manager won't just tell you to try harder—they'll roll up their sleeves and get in the trenches with you.?They should be helping you refine your approach, identify the right decision-makers, and develop strategies that actually work in today's medical sales environment.

When was the last time you asked your manager to role-play a difficult conversation with you? Or requested their input on your account strategy for that challenging IDN? Or simply asked them to share how they handled similar situations in their selling days?

The most successful medical sales representatives view their managers as resources to be utilized, not obstacles to be avoided. They understand (or should) that vulnerability isn't weakness—it's the first step toward improvement. By openly discussing your challenges, you're not admitting defeat; you're creating an opportunity for collaborative problem-solving.

A Message for Sales Managers

And to the sales managers reading this...

Your role isn't to be an "expectation setter" or numbers cruncher. Your success is directly tied to your reps' success.

When was the last time you spent a full day in the field with each of your reps? Not just dropping in for one call, but really understanding their daily challenges and opportunities? Your reps don't need another reminder about their targets; they need your expertise, guidance, and support to reach them.

The most impactful sales managers are those who see themselves as servant leaders—professionals whose primary responsibility is removing obstacles for their team and providing the tools, training, and strategies needed for success. They recognize that their role isn't to demand results, but to enable them.

Ask yourself: Do your reps see you as a resource or just another person to please? Are your field visits viewed as opportunities for growth or dreaded evaluations? The answers to these questions speak volumes about the effectiveness of your leadership approach.

Creating a Winning Partnership

Remember, the most successful medical sales partnerships happen when both managers and reps recognize they're on the same team, working toward the same goal.?Your manager's experience combined with your hustle and market knowledge? That's an unbeatable combination. Mixing your manager's experience with your sales hustle and territory knowledge could be the recipe that makes sales happen.

Navigating the complexity of healthcare selling requires more than individual effort – it demands collaborative problem-solving and shared expertise.

Let's make this relationship work for everyone. After all, when you win, your manager looks good, and when your manager helps you succeed, you both prosper.

Don't worry about who works for who. Focus on winning customers, keeping customers, and growing personally and professionally. In the end, that's what truly matters in creating a successful and fulfilling career in medical sales.