February 9, 2006

My CEO wants to play me at my highest level by adding more responsibility to my current role as Director of Marketing. He asks, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“A millionaire who has financial security.” I said. “Well, you and your partner are on the fast track for that. We may be able to contribute to some of it,” Timothy replied with a serious tone.

Today my CEO tried to spend quality time with me, so he could get me to brainstorm Sales Operations, Marketing, and anything else I can think of would like under my management.

“I was going to take you to lunch today, actually get us out of the building, but this contract came up. I wanted to spend quality time with you today, because I want to hear more about your ideas about sales management and your role.” He said like a little kid in a candy store.

My CEO and I never did have a chance to meet. I had time sensitive deadlines. He had deadlines.

Emergency Career Counseling Session

I managed to squeeze in a career counseling session with Debbie, who I noticed was on instant messenger. I told her that my CEO wanted to know what I wanted.

“Just tell him. You have to be open and honest. He’s authentic and you should do the right thing. You have to tell him that you’re part of the package if the acquisition goes through. You’re the backbone of your business with your partner.”

Debbie kept repeating the point several different ways until I got it. She drove the point home when she pointed out that I’m still committed to the healthcare industry. My master’s degree is in it and I should finish the race in this industry by trying to find options in how to do that with my boss’s startup.

I finally relented and agreed. She got me on the “That’s how you run your business with your partner, that’s how you have to operate in your interactions with your CEO….you love your job and you should brainstorm options with him on how to do both.”

Okay, Debbie made total sense. It’s hard not to let my issues of untrustworthy managers and leaders get in the way. My CEO has integrity. What was interesting was to hear Debbie’s use of the term “family” in describing my work environment. She’s on spot with that comment. I have a strange feeling of loyalty and wanting to help them succeed, making sure they’ll be okay. I want to step up and find a way to make this work.

Next Steps

So, maybe tomorrow my CEO and I will talk. I’ll most likely pitch that I could manage the Sales Management, marketing (expanding into additional marketing functions that we’re not staffed for), and Channel Management.

I’m at a very exciting time in my career. I have a boss that values me and wants to increase my responsibility, peers that that I love working with, and direct reports that I enjoying managing. My CEO wants to help me achieve whatever career goals I have. You don’t hear that everyday as a knowledge worker or middle manager.

The Smart Lemming Diary is a series that chronicles a journey of laid-off worker, who becomes a Vice President of Sales Operations & Marketing for a small entrepreneurial healthcare technology company. For previous entries in this series, click here. For the first diary entry, click here. For the highlighted Smart Lemming Diary entries, click here.

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