Empathetic Management

Most sales managers never got formal training. They were great reps, promoted for crushing quota, and then… handed a team.

Sound familiar?

Managing people requires a whole new set of skills. And when you’re juggling forecasts, pipeline reviews, hiring, and fire drills all before lunch, it’s easy to default to what you think good management looks like.

That’s why we created the Sales Manager Quiz, to help you identify your natural leadership style and see what’s working and where you can level up.

In this deep dive, we’re breaking down the four manager types (Powerhouse, Cheerleader, Quarterback, and BFF) and…

• What each type nails
• Where they struggle
• And exactly how to level up

This isn’t a personality quiz just for fun (though it is fun). It’s a growth tool to help you lead more effectively, feel more in control, and build the kind of team that actually hits their number.

The Powerhouse Manager

You’re the engine of the team. Powerhouses get stuff done, no excuses, no delays, no loose ends. Your standards are sky-high, your work ethic is unmatched, and your team probably describes you as intense, but fair. You’re the person people trust when they need results fast.

But here’s the tradeoff: That pressure you thrive under? It can overwhelm your team. When everything is urgent and nothing falls through the cracks, reps can struggle to keep up or feel like they’re always letting you down. You may find yourself stepping in to fix things, juggling too much, or skipping coaching because it feels slower than just doing it yourself. Sound familiar?

If you’re a Powerhouse, your next level of leadership isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing less and leading smarter.

Traits:
High achiever, results driver, flawless executer, pressure lover, chronic improver, priority juggler

Strengths:

• Creates a high-performance culture
• Work gets done on time (and done right)
• Team focuses on the right things
• Solves problems quickly
• Leads by example
• Pushes team to deliver results

Areas for Growth:

• Risks burnout — both for self and team
• Micromanages instead of developing independence
• Prioritizes task reviews over real coaching
• May miss signs of team fatigue or lack of collaboration

How to Level Up:

• Block time for dedicated skill coaching
• Use a standard coaching form: 3 wins + 1 area to improve
• Set one clear priority at a time
• Assign ownership to reps (even if you’d do it faster)
• Add team-led training sessions to build collaboration

Resources:

• Download: The Eisenhower Matrix – Use this worksheet to prioritize what actually moves the needle and stop wasting time on low-impact tasks that drain your day.
• Course to Take: Own Your Day – The go-to course for managing priorities, time, and team expectations without burning out.

The Cheerleader Manager

You’re the hype squad, heart, and hope of your team. Cheerleaders are natural motivators who lead with positivity, praise, and a deep belief in their people. Your reps feel seen, supported, and genuinely like coming to work. You’re the one reminding them they’ve got this, because they usually do.

But high morale doesn’t always equal high performance. If you’re not careful, you might avoid giving hard feedback, hesitate to push underperformers, or focus so much on celebrating strengths that you miss the growing skill gaps.

Being a Cheerleader means balancing the pep with a plan. Confidence is the fuel, but your reps still need a clear destination and a map to get there.

Traits:
Confidence builder, esteem booster, strength finder, encourager, positivity spreader, inspirer of self-directed improvement

Strengths:

• Builds confident, high-performing teams
• Creates a safe, engaging team culture
• Reinforces wins to accelerate growth
• Boosts rep loyalty and retention

Areas for Growth:

• Hesitant to give tough feedback
• May avoid holding reps accountable
• Over-focuses on strengths, under-focuses on gaps
• Team may not be improving skills or results
• Lacks systems to track progress
• Risks getting blindsided on forecasts

How to Level Up:

• Set clear, measurable skill and results goals
• Use a balanced meeting framework (coaching + accountability)
• Start peer mentoring to scale support
• Schedule recurring team trainings to improve skills (not just confidence)

Resources:

• Download: The COACHN Model – Use this framework to run more effective 1:1s, coaching sessions, and performance conversations that actually drive action.
• Course to Take: Having Difficult Conversations – helps managers deliver honest feedback with empathy and clarity.

The Quarterback Manager

You’ve been in the trenches. You’ve carried the bag. You know exactly what it takes to win a deal, because you’ve done it a hundred times. As a Quarterback, your team relies on you for play-by-play guidance, deal-saving advice, and that one perfect story that closes the deal. You’re sharp, strategic, and always ready to jump in and move things forward.

But here’s the catch: if you’re always calling the plays, your reps never learn to run them. That creates a team of highs and lows, some stars, some stragglers, and a lot of dependence. You may find yourself rescuing deals instead of coaching skills, or relying more on stories than questions.

To level up, it’s time to trade the helmet for the headset. Coach the rep, not the deal.

Traits:
Leader of deals, experienced pro, knows how to win, storyteller, answer man, saver of deals

Strengths:

• Deep sales expertise and sharp instincts
• Knows how to map the path to success
• Offers tactical, deal-specific advice
• Leads confidently from experience
• Earns quick trust from the team

Areas for Growth:

• Inconsistent team performance (highs and lows)
• Focuses too much on deals, not enough on rep development
• Struggles to let reps fail and learn
• Doesn’t block enough time for skill coaching
• Leans on telling stories instead of asking questions
• May unintentionally build a team of “mini-me” clones

How to Level Up:

• Run win-loss sessions (game tape style) to break down deals
• Take a manager coaching course to shift focus to skill-building
• Share personal failures to normalize mistakes
• Establish a regular cadence of 1:1s, team meetings, and reviews
• Appoint peer experts to foster independence and collaboration

Resources:

• Download: Tasks to Start vs. Stop Doing – Use this guide to shift out of “super rep” mode by focusing on high-impact leadership tasks and leaving the old rep responsibilities behind.
• Course to Take: The COACHN℠ Model – helps you coach reps more consistently and shift from fixer to developer.

The BFF Manager

You’re the safe space. The one your reps vent to. You know their pets’ names, their partner’s promotion status, and who’s on the verge of burnout (because they told you, not their therapist). As a BFF manager, your superpower is trust. Your team feels supported, understood, and motivated—and in today’s world, that’s no small thing.

But emotional intelligence isn’t a substitute for leadership. When you’re too close to your team, it gets harder to hold the line. Performance conversations get postponed. Boundaries blur. And the reps you care most about? They may end up stuck, because no one’s pushing them to grow.

Being a great manager isn’t about being liked. It’s about being respected and effective. You already have the heart. Now it’s time to build the structure.

Traits:
Empathetic, emotionally attuned, deeply connected, personal motivator, team nurturer

Strengths:

• Builds strong morale through personal connection
• Creates psychological safety and trust
• Reads emotional cues and team dynamics well
• Motivates with recognition and empathy
• Fosters collaboration and peer support

Areas for Growth:

• Too patient with underperformance
• Avoids hard conversations to preserve relationships
• Lacks clear performance metrics and expectations
• Risks playing favorites
• Inconsistent accountability
• Needs a more structured roadmap for team development

How to Level Up:

• Implement a standard meeting framework with clear expectations
• Get comfortable setting (and sticking to) deadlines
• Schedule recurring performance reviews with every team member
• Set (and keep) professional boundaries (save the lunch dates for Fridays)

Resources:

• Download: Coaching Frequency Guide – Use this to categorize your reps by skill vs. will, so you know who needs your time, who’s coasting, and where to focus your coaching energy.
• Course to Take: Driving Performance With Goals – gives you tools to set clear expectations and build accountability without sacrificing team trust.

Knowing your type is step one. The real magic happens when you use that insight to grow.

The best sales managers aren’t stuck in one style, they flex. They coach intentionally, delegate purposefully, and lead with both heart and structure. Whether you’re a Powerhouse learning to let go, a Cheerleader learning to lean in, a Quarterback trading the playbook for coaching time, or a BFF building boundaries, there’s always a next level. Better managers build better teams. Let’s get to work!