Account Executive Competency Framework
| Category | Competencies | Description of Associated Behaviors |
| Sales Foundations
(Core assessment criteria for success) |
Value Selling | - Aligns customer’s desired outcomes and after scenario with Sourcegraph’s capabilities
- Identifies and delivers proof points to demonstrate value based on the prospect’s after scenario and required capabilities - Delivers Business Value Assessments for customers to quantify the value of Sourcegraph - Nurtures Champion relationships; identifies and plans for future land and/or expands opportunities by demonstrating the positive business outcomes achieved |
| Domain Knowledge | - Deeply understands Sourcegraph’s products, competitors, and target personas
- Viewed as a trusted partner; earns trust from prospects and customers with domain knowledge; knows when and how to handoff conversations to other partners (i.e. CEs) - Continually expanding knowledge of Sourcegraph’s products and competitors; understands the core markets/verticals in which we operate - Ability to provide tailored advice and solutions to each prospect or customer; rapidly builds credibility with target personas - at all levels |
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| Preparation | - Maintains Salesforce cleanliness in opportunity documentation; organizes all other key data points in a coherent, easily understandable manner
- Accurately forecasts key milestones and revenue; Clari forecast reflects information in Salesforce - Tracks, assesses and updates opportunity and potential deal size weekly - Meticulously prepares for all steps of the closing process, adapting to all feedback and recommendations throughout - Meticulously prepares for external and internal meetings; respectfully holds others accountable (e.g. CE/SDR/Internal Teammates) for their contributions, based on predefined outcomes - Uses available customer data to understand prospect/customer utilization, including Looker dashboards, survey data, and analytics |
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| Meeting Excellence | - ‘Owns the room’, with the ability to manage key stakeholders; understands when and how to involve them
- Takes pride in their delivery of meetings; knows how to course-correct when necessary; preempts potential roadblocks; time management - Identifies the most pertinent data points from each meeting; understands how to achieve the maximum value from these; relentlessly probes to uncover anything missing - Defines key action points and drives effective recaps and follow-up with meeting participants - Speaks with passion and conviction, instilling confidence and trust from others |
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| Sales Process
(Core assessment criteria at key stages in the sales process) |
Territory & Account Planning | - Builds their territory as if it were their own business; celebrates successes, reflects on failures and proactively implements changes to prevent future occurrences
- Meticulously analyzes assigned territory for opportunities; creating strategic plans for each, which are then executed using available tools - Understands how, when and why to leverage internal partners; does so collaboratively, successfully navigating potential roadblocks and disagreements; secures the commitment of others - Undertakes in-depth research on accounts and associated verticals, using available external and internal Sales Tools |
| Pipeline Generation | - Develops of a strong pipeline through active outreach and engagement, and effective planning with SDRs
- Knows when to double down on pipeline generation, proactively supporting SDRs as needed; does not deflect responsibility to others or require prompting - Tailors messaging to prospects and customers; tries and tests different approaches; proactively shares any learnings with the wider Sales organization - Creates a vision for assigned territory and brings this to life for external and internal partners to generate new pipeline - Creates pipeline that has potential to fill SAO requirements: at least one application of a use case - Holds self accountable to 3x as a minimum - Leverages channels and partnerships to expand reach and impact of PG efforts |
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| Effective Qualification | - Confirms prospect or customer timelines and budget with accuracy
- Continuously identify, tests and builds Champions - Qualifies new opportunities by using the SAO requirements - Can pivot from one opportunity to another with ease; understands when to deprioritize opportunities; makes up for any shortfall in revenue by developing others - Command of Message: Understands how to uncover the ‘3 Whys’, current and future pains, negative consequences of inaction, required capabilities and the ideal Sourcegraph solution(s) to drive business outcomes; adapts questioning accordingly |
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| Technical Validation | - Leads and assists to execute successful POCs, partnering closely with CE
- Implements Mutual Action Plans to drive toward deal execution with the Champion - Co-create (with CE) a Mutual Engagement Plan to execute a POC - Engages with Champion to validate Mutual Engagement Plan and bring in relevant stakeholders - Discovers technical and business requirements for a successful POC with CE |
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| Deal Execution | - Prioritizes high-impact activity in the sales cycle, utilizing external and internal tools at the appropriate time
- Continuously evaluates progress toward committed forecasts; embracing creative solutions in order to overcome obstacles - Is politically savvy; adapts to the culture of each organization - Successfully validates and develops Champions within opportunities; establishes self as a strategic partner to such individuals - Identifies and engages with Decision Makers and Economic Buyers to execute the Legal/Procurement process - Executes multi-threaded stakeholder engagement, managing multiple channels of communications and client chain of command |
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| Closing the Sale | - Proactively identifies potential roadblocks, preparing alternative closing strategies in order to minimize risk and exposure
- Communicates clearly and purposefully with all stakeholders, ensuring such individuals are aligned on, and remain committed to, the predefined timeline - Effectively handles objections and can do so across numerous opportunities simultaneously - Anticipates and skillfully navigates objections - Focuses on securing a premium for Sourcegraph’s products and services |
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| Manage & Grow | - Effective Renewal Management, inclusive of partnership with relevant internal teams, ensuring customer success (SLA management)
- Leads QBRs; communicates product roadmap, and usage, reiterates value - Maintains and expands customer relationships after initial sales have been completed; continuously acts as an extension of their business – Secures participation in Marketing events and content - Delivers Executive Business Reviews in partnership with core account team and Executive Sponsors - Continues to build and grow Champion while identifying new Champions |
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| Will - Values Alignment
(Critical traits for success) |
Customer First | - Views account management as a customer-first exercise
- Communicates in the ‘voice of the customer’ - Drives conversations that address customer needs and proposes solutions that demonstrate clear ROI - Builds trust externally and internally - Acts as a thought partner and leader to such groups - Is relentless in the pursuit of excellence |
| Work as a Team | - Effectively manages interpersonal relationships and communication with cross-functional teammates
- Removes roadblocks for others - Challenges with empathy and tact - Is seen as a critical, inspirational leader within account teams - Is grounded by humility - Influences, does not mandate - Takes pride in developing others - Operates both independently and with specialist teams to ensure such messaging is embedded in accounts; aligns on key messages with all relevant stakeholders in advance |
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| High Agency | - Understands that ‘the buck stops’ with them; adopts an entrepreneurial, innovative and collaborative approach to both land and expand opportunities
- Rolls up their sleeves; can pivot from one area of focus to another with ease; no job is ever too small or beneath them - Self-starter; exhibits ownership, resilience, and enthusiasm - Is hungry for success, and propels self to meet ambitious targets - Adapts to changing circumstances; proposes alternatives to ensure pre-defined outcomes are met; instills a sense of urgency within account teams, when required - Leads with passion and conviction, striving to overturn even the fiercest of detractors |
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| High Quality through Iteration | – Is relentless in their pursuit of success - iteration is at the heart of their account plans
- Quickly assimilates new information; is able to determine the best course of action when the unexpected comes up - Perseveres, in the face of adversity - Approaches problem solving with creativity - Proposes enhancements to existing processes; always looking to improve the collective success of the Sales organization |
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| Be Welcoming and Inclusive | - Listens to, reflects on and encourages diverse perspectives
- Treats all stakeholders with respect; fosters a culture of openness, transparency and innovation - Adapts to their audience; continually challenges self to be a better partner to others - Calls out unacceptable behavior when they see it |
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| Open and Transparent | - Maintains transparent communication and provides continuous updates
- Is unphased when they do not have all of the answers; recognizes that they are part of a wider ecosystem and can leverage support whenever required - Suggests improvements to improve internal ways of working; is clear, direct, and respectful whenever discussing such improvements with others - Shares, rather than protects, best practices with the team to help uplevel the organization |
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| Continuously Grow | - Acts on feedback; adopts new and established best practices in order to continuously improve
- Embraces ambiguity as part of the every day - May act as a mentor, when requested - Accepts the mistakes that they make, learns from them and recognizes that success is a collective outcome, not an individual one - Is never ‘above’ any task or project - Reflects on losses and humbly accepts feedback from others; views obstacles as learning opportunities; embraces a continuous improvement mindset as standard |