The Power of Curiosity and Partnership: A Q&A with Dal Sidhu of Zoom
What does it take to manage the complex world of sales compensation for a global powerhouse like Zoom? We sat down with Dal Sidhu, Head of Global Sales Compensation at Zoom, to get his unique perspective. In this Q&A, Dal shares why he loves the ever-evolving nature of his field, what he values in his strategic partnership with Xactly, and his essential advice for other professionals—from the power of staying curious to why moving beyond spreadsheets to an automated system is a complete game-changer for any organization.
Q: What do you love about sales compensation?
A: For Dal, what he loves most about sales compensation is that it's a field that is always evolving. He finds that it keeps getting more interesting and complex, which means he's constantly learning new things. He feels this dynamic nature, along with the need for curiosity and the chance to engage with new technologies, is what keeps him excited and engaged in his work.
Q: What are you proud of in your compensation career?
A: Dal is most proud of the collaborative nature of the role and the relationships he has been able to build. He emphasizes that compensation is never done in a silo and that he is always working with a diverse group of people from finance, IT, and various sales departments. He takes great pride in creating a strong network, fostering relationships, and becoming a trusted advisor to the sales organization. He credits the incredible people he's worked with for helping him in his career, reinforcing his belief that successful sales compensation "really does take a village."
"Compensation is one of those areas where it's never in a silo…It really does take a village and it's not something that one group or one small team can do on their own.”
Q: What do you love about your partnership with Xactly?
A: What Dal really appreciates about working with the team at Xactly is that they listen. He feels that Xactly genuinely wants to put the customer first, taking the time to really dig in and understand the headaches his team is dealing with. He values that they then come back with innovative technology to help solve those problems. Looking ahead, he's really excited to see what Xactly does with AI.
"One thing I like about the partnership here at Xactly is your desire to listen, your desire to put the customer first - really understand the business needs and the problems that we're having."
Q: What's one piece of advice you would give to someone starting in your role?
A: Dal has a couple of pieces of advice. First, he strongly advises anyone still doing things manually with Excel or a homegrown system to seriously look into an automated platform. He calls it a game-changer, explaining that it not only provides much better data on where money is going, but also helps create a better work-life balance. He notes that things get complicated fast with people coming and going, quotas changing, and promotions happening, and believes a system is crucial to keep it all straight and allow for growth.
His other piece of advice is for professionals to simply stay curious. He encourages them not to be afraid to question how things are done and to get creative. He believes people have to take some risks because that’s how you learn, even if some of those risks don't pay off. In his view, while everyone has an opinion on compensation, an expert's job is to do the homework, model the outcomes, and show their leaders how they'll get the best value for their investment.
"If you're a student still doing work on Excel or Homegrown, I would highly encourage you to look at an automated system. Not only will you have better reporting and analytics to understand where you're spending your money, but it will definitely help with the work life balance."
Please note: The questions and answers above have been edited and condensed for clarity and reading ease. To hear Dal Sidhu tell his full story in his own words, with even more detail and context, be sure to watch the complete video interview.
