Help!!!

Anonymous

June 27,2022 at 1:52AM UTC

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Help!!! I'm a sales account executive who just transferred to another department. Recently a client sent over a master contract for review. The client asked that I send it to my contracts manager. Instead of sending it over I scheduled a meeting with the finance manager and 2 other sales reps to work on the contract. At the start of the meeting the finance manager asked where was the contracts manager and when I responded that I had not invited her, he expressed concerns about meeting to work on the contract without the contract manager. My plan was to work on the contract and clean it up before I sent it to her. The finance manager informed the contracts manager of what had occurred. The contracts manager requested a meeting with me. At said meeting she advised me of the contract process and said I cannot work outside the process. I was only trying to help so dont get why this is a problem. The department I transferred from also had a contract manager who was a control. Need advice on how to handle this.

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Leigh JonesJune 27,2022 at 2:35AM UTC
Uh, you really, really overstepped some boundaries. Unless you’re a contract attorney, you don’t have any idea of the approved language that goes into your company’s contracts. This could cost your company money, reputation, future work, etc. You may have wanted to help, but you don’t know what you’re doing potentially to the detriment of yourself, your colleagues and your employer. The finance manager was absolutely in the right to challenge why the contract manager wasn’t invited.
Also, I’m not positive, but you seem to have omitted a word in your post. Please excuse me if I’m wrong, but I’ve inferred that you think the contract manager in your previous department was a control xxxx. A contracts manager keeps you, the sales staff, from over promising things to the customers, determines deliveries, payment terms, maintenance, service and a multitude of other things. That you don’t know how important a contract manager is to your success as a a sales account executive is kind of astounding.
You handle this by apologizing to the contracts manager at your meeting, explain your reasoning with a huge mea culpa and the promise that this will NEVER happen again.
AnonymousJune 27,2022 at 3:02AM UTC
Yes I omitted the word "freak" She was a control freak.
AnonymousJune 27,2022 at 3:53AM UTC
Back up, understand the process and follow it. Apologize profusely. I'm glad you didn't get written up.
KatJune 27,2022 at 2:21PM UTC
Like others have said, apologize profusely and don't do it again. I'm not sure how you were unaware of the procedure for how contracts work in your company since you're not a new employee. Also, if the client requested the contract manager be involved, you should have included them. You work for the client, so you do what they want, whether you agree or not. Not doing what the client requested and violating established company processes is why this is a problem. Contracts are very difficult to do - there are legal, financial, regulatory and other implications to them that need to be included from the start. If you're not an expert on contracts, your attempt to "clean up" things before sending them to the contract specialist could create more work for them rather than less. You may think your prior contract manager was a control freak, but most likely they have to be. It's complex work that can cost a company money and jobs if it's not done correctly. From now on, always include the contracts manager in contract meetings.
AnonymousJune 27,2022 at 4:03PM UTC
Apologize and follow process. No big deal. You didn't know what you were doing. You didn't damage anything. Your intentions were good you just were not properly trained.