Business and financial acumen: CAMs have a challenge in that they must interact with all levels of management within a solution provider. The deeper you understand a balance sheet, a P&L, how a company makes and spends its money, and business and finance, the more you can tailor and understand the challenges and opportunities for the various stakeholders in the partner.

The best CAMs have a deep understanding of the channel: There are numerous methodologies for the evolution of a channel: the ecosystem of partners, channel strategy, how to engage effectively, build and empower channels, generate leads, funnel, sell, implement and evaluate. The important thing is to adopt one, understand the essence of the elements and determine how to drive the right plans with partners.

Pick an area of expertise and be the best at it: Leverage this as a differentiator—is it verticals? Is it the cloud? Is it how you enable your partners to develop managed services? It likely depends on your background and your employer. The key is to identify your expertise and continuously cultivate that skill.

Be a sales athlete and a customer guru: At the end of the day, partners and vendors exist because of customers. Relentless focus on the customer, easing the way customers do business with both, and enabling the partner to be successful are critical.

Be emotionally intelligent: Self-awareness, social awareness, self-management and enabling group success through collaboration and successful execution are keys to emotional intelligence. It is what enables trust and integrity. This element is also about being a change agent—lead the change we want and need for success.