Specialty Managers

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Anonymous

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What is it exactly that "Specialty Managers" bring to the table these days???? How many of them have actually ever sold any of the drugs that we are currently promoting???? They no longer approve expense reports or booth/exhibit spaces for local events. They really dont' have anything to do with speaker programs either!!! Oh thats right... they coach us on how to be better sale people for the products that they have never sold before to customers that they are not familar with!!! What the fuck is going on in this place?? I think everybody is a bit tired of the old "I would say it like this" approach to managing!!!
 






The Specialty Manager job was at one time a reputable position - initially, when the company was created (YPA). The credentials of those original spec. managers don't bare any resemblance to those holding specialty mgr positions now. There are less than 5 of the originals still around.
The company took a turn downward when the originals were replaced with individuals (as you stated), who never sold the product line.
Here's a good example: specialty manager hired in 2006 who was a sales rep (briefly)for another pharma company; was then hired as a "so called" manager at a "start up" company. The product never made it to market - so how much "managing" did this individual actually do? Was then hired here to manage a group of high achieving individuals with proven track records (a dream team). Over 2 years time, "mysteriously" more than half of this team was suddenly inadequate and were "helped" out of the company.

This is what the company has decided is the caliber of manager that's desired!
 






So true! My specialty manager is constantly giving me advice that is vaguely off label, inappropriate for the particular customer, or just plain stupid. I am obliged to agree (while throwing up a little in my mouth) or risk being labeled "uncoachable" at review time. Mostly I just nod and smile, and count the minutes until he leaves me alone. And can anyone explain why these managers have only 8 reps to manage? EIGHT? At the level of experience the specialty reps are required to have, this level of oversight is ridiculous! Hey Japan! Wanna save some money? Dump at least half of these losers, and let the specialty reps sell like their track records show they can!!!
 






AGREED! How many of them really could sell, how many were ever in the top 10 percent? Almost all could never sell, are not great with people and just know how to brown nose. They have meeting after meetings and actually do more damage in the field than help!
 






I knew of several speciality managers who are a real asset. Their reps would walk through fire for them. Let the company run the manager off and see how how many of their reps stick around. These guys know how much they are trusted by their team and never have to bring attention to themselves. These are the folks who get it. Do they win awards every year? No, because they are smart enough to not buy into the company bs. They do their job effectively and at the end of the day hey rest well
Many of us know who they are and wish we could work for them.

Care to take a guess who they are? We will tell you if you are right or wrong!
 






Anonymous said:
I knew of several speciality managers who are a real asset. Their reps would walk through fire for them. Let the company run the manager off and see how how many of their reps stick around. These guys know how much they are trusted by their team and never have to bring attention to themselves. These are the folks who get it. Do they win awards every year? No, because they are smart enough to not buy into the company bs. They do their job effectively and at the end of the day hey rest well
Many of us know who they are and wish we could work for them.

Care to take a guess who they are? We will tell you if you are right or wrong!
Click to expand...

Let the listing begin
 






If you are a good manager, you are successful and your people are successful. They have people that would walk through fire for them???? This is a business. They are there to coach and help reps grow. Most have never been successful themselves and they arent any smarter than reps. They just know how to kiss upper managements ass!
 






Anonymous said:
So true! My specialty manager is constantly giving me advice that is vaguely off label, inappropriate for the particular customer, or just plain stupid. I am obliged to agree (while throwing up a little in my mouth) or risk being labeled "uncoachable" at review time. Mostly I just nod and smile, and count the minutes until he leaves me alone. And can anyone explain why these managers have only 8 reps to manage? EIGHT? At the level of experience the specialty reps are required to have, this level of oversight is ridiculous! Hey Japan! Wanna save some money? Dump at least half of these losers, and let the specialty reps sell like their track records show they can!!!
Click to expand...

Yeah, the specialty mgr position is the PERFECT job for the insecure, "need for control", "need to have a title", type of individual. The kind of position that some "lucky/who you know/in the right place at the right time" individual lands.

Look at the credentials - one female in particular never managed a team (exactly), because she joined a company as a manager, and the drug never reached the market! Yet, was able to come here and claim "experience" as a manager....was hired to manage a seasoned team (everyone of them had YEARS more experience than she did)....and somehow she managed to discredit at least half of them within 2 years of coming here. Unbelievable!!!!

You are right when you say reps are deamed "uncoachable" Yes, they are uncoachable because the manager had nothing to offer. She "managed", but provided on LEADERSHIP
 






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