one thing i used to enjoy in corporate sales was the little game of keeping managers away from customers.
it was never about being mean, it was about survival. a manager in a meeting could turn a smooth sales call into chaos. they would talk too much, go off topic, or stumble on details that mattered to the client. i knew that keeping them out of the room protected the deal, and honestly, it protected me too.
every month during one-on-one check-ins, the question would come up: why am i not joining your customer appointments? i would put on a serious look, pull up my calendar like i was searching, and act thoughtful. after a pause, i’d say something like, i might have something next week where your help could be useful.
of course, i never followed up. no invites ever went out. by the time the next month rolled around, the same conversation would repeat, and the cycle kept going.
that small trick kept my meetings cleaner, my customers happier, and my sales life a whole lot easier.