How to Handle an Idiot Boss

By: Geoffrey James
Topics: Marketing

SCENARIO: A VP of Sales thinks he know all about selling and insists on getting involved in every major opportunity. Unfortunately, he lacks sales skills. He pushes when the prospect needs time, gives pitches that include his vacation pictures, and so forth. You have a big opportunity developing and don't want him to screw it up. Here are your choices:

STRATEGY #1: Warn the Prospect. Since you know the VP will get involved, best to give the customer a heads-up and make sure they're ready for some shenanigans. Meanwhile, continue to move the sale forward. With any luck, the prospect will find the situation amusing.
STRATEGY #2: Downplay the Opportunity. Put the opportunity in stealth mode for as long as possible. Find ways to secure internal resources without giving the VP a warning that a big deal is pending. Only involve the VP at the very end of the sales cycle when he can't do much damage.
STRATEGY #3: Re-educate your Boss. He didn't get to be vice president because he's stupid, so it's up to you to explain how he can best help the sales process. Provide him a clear agenda of how you're pursuing the sale and ask for help in areas where he won't make problems and waves.

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The best answer is #2: Downplay the Opportunity.
It's not the ideal situation, true, but it's the only strategy that has a prayer of working.

#1: Warn the Prospect is only going to make you and your VP look foolish. And it's going to reflect poorly on your firm, because they're the ones who hired the bozo and put him in charge.

#3: Re-educate your Boss would be nice, if it were possible. But the truth is that people who think they know how to sell and don't are usually impenetrably ignorant and refuse to change.

So that leaves you in the situation where you've got to lie in order to get your job done. Which means downplaying the opportunity. Don't feel bad, though, because I'll bet that VP has told you plenty of lies in the past.

If you want to learn the truth about bosses in general, and sales managers in particular, I recommend: