"Early in my career, a boss encouraged me to leave a stable operations role for a position in sales. They noticed my natural persuasiveness in communication and approach to problems, skills they believed could translate into success in a completely different discipline. It felt like a gamble. I was trading a steady income for compensation directly tied to performance and sales volume. And, I would be venturing into a role where I had no prior experience. But I ultimately took the leap,"
"That experience taught me to embrace discomfort and trust in my capacity to grow. It also revealed something fundamental about sales: success doesn't come from a single mold. Coming from an operations background, I spoke the language of operators, and that authenticity gave me instant credibility with the very people I was selling to. That experience didn't just redefine my career path; it reshaped how I lead."
A move from operations into sales can transform a career when persuasive communication and problem-solving skills are applied in a new discipline. Trading a stable salary for performance-based compensation feels risky, but embracing discomfort and trusting growth capacity can pay off. Sales success does not follow a single mold; authenticity rooted in prior functional experience creates credibility with target customers. Leadership that actively fosters role pivots and provides encouragement and support enables people to thrive without prior experience. Keeping strong performers locked into a single track can stagnate individuals and organizations. Many workers seek upskilling opportunities, with roughly 42% expressing interest.
Read at Fast Company
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