Your weekly dose of Alluviance!
You can spend your entire day talking to people and still have nobody to call.
I think about that a lot.
My first year as an Enterprise rep at Microsoft, I was working a $35 million renewal. It was 75% of my number, and a competitor was coming hard for it.
For 10 months, I drove from San Francisco to San Jose three times a week. Suit and tie. Meetings across 10 business units. Literal nightmares about this deal.
Then one day, their CIO screamed at me for about 25 minutes.
I walked out trying to hold back tears, wondering if I could keep doing this job.
On the drive home, I called my dad.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
He heard me out. Reminded me the guy was probably having a hard day. Told me to take care of what I could and come back tomorrow.
The deal was still on me. But for that drive home, someone knew what I was carrying.
That matters more than we give it credit for.
We put so much effort into building a network. Staying visible. Being someone people want to work with.
But who can you call when you have nothing impressive to say?
When you’re embarrassed. When you’re questioning yourself and haven’t figured out the lesson yet.
That’s a huge part of why Alluviance exists.
I want people to have those relationships before the day they desperately need them.
People who know when “I’m good, man” needs a second question. Who can hear the messy version without rushing to coach you out of it.
And those relationships take reps too.
Calling when nothing’s wrong. Following up after someone shares something hard. Letting yourself answer honestly when they ask how you are.
Somebody has to go first.
This week, call someone you usually give the polished update to.
Give them a little more of the truth.
P.S. And if someone’s been a little quieter than usual, reach out. You don’t need the perfect thing to say.
1. Featured LinkedIn Post:
"What's not on the highlight reel..."
In April 2020, my CRO asked me to move to New York to open a new office. I said no...
2. Quote to fuel your Alluviance:
"The human soul does not want to be fixed, it wants simply to be seen and heard."
– Parker J. Palmer
With Alluviance & In Extreme Gratitude,
Alex Kremer