Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash
Do you like surprises?
We all do if they’re nice.
People who don’t like surprises, good or bad, are Board Executives.
Bad surprises are when the results of your team or division are significantly below what you forecast.
You can add to Executive dismay with your management skills by failing to provide any advance warning of what’s coming.
Managers who commit that particular sin more than once are not likely to stay in their jobs.
On the other hand, you might wonder why significantly exceeding a forecast might also be seen as “bad.”
It shows that you don’t have a handle on the reality in your market.
If you did, you would have been bolder with your original budget.
Shareholders like predictability, and they rely on a Board of Directors to ensure they get it.
Certainly, they are more inclined to forgive good surprises, especially if you provide advance notice that things are going better than expected.
That shows sound management and an understanding of where you and your part of the business fit into the organisation.
If you or a member of your team are facing the possibility of delivering a bad surprise,
The Sales Shortfall Issue of The Quietly Good Newsletter could be just what you or they need.
It provides a ten-point plan to close revenue gaps without resorting to discounting.
It’s not a magic bullet cure. It’s a blueprint based on real-life experience dealing with sales shortfalls.
If that’s of interest, you’ll find more details on this page of our website.
Very best,
David O’Beirne