Case 8.1 Content of a Personal Development Plan at Brainstorm, Inc. Cathy is a sales manager at Brainstorm, Inc., a computer software training company that sells Microsoft, Novell, Corel, and Open Office training software, located in Lehi, Utah. One of Cathy’s responsibilities is to complete annual performance evaluations with all of her direct reports and create individual development plans for these employees, based on their performance evaluations. Recently, Jay, an inside sales representative and Cathy’s direct report, finished his first year’s performance evaluation with Cathy. Cathy’s performance evaluation of Jay’s key competencies and key results is as follows: Performance Appraisal Form Key Competencies Supervisor Comments Score Sales and Marketing: Demonstrate knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. Could be more proficient with greater product knowledge. Needs greater understanding of the benefits of each of the products. B– Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing high-quality customer and personal service Good verbal and sales skills most of the time. Had a couple occasions when customers felt like they weren’t getting enough personal assistance with recently purchased products. B+ Interpersonal Communication: Talking to others to convey information effectively as well as giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, and asking questions as appropriate. Very good. Always enthusiastic with customers and quickly develops a good rapport with new customers. A– Persuasion and Negotiation: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences. Adequate, but could be more direct and persuasive with customers. B Problem Sensitivity and ethics: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, ethically or otherwise. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Excellent. Shown great ability to anticipate if contract negotiations are taking an unethical or unprofitable turn for the worse. A Key Results Supervisor Comments Score Degree to which employee met monthly sales goals ($50,000 in sales revenue a month): Adequate. Met sales goals 66 percent of the time in the last six months B Degree to which employee met referral goals (10 referrals a month): Needs improvement. Met referral goals 50 percent of the time in the last six months. B– Number of cold calls made monthly (250): Excellent. Tirelessly exhibits persistence and hard work in reaching out to businesses. A Case 8.2 Appraisal FOrm ( see the attached photo) Personal Developmental Plan at Brainstorm, Inc.—Part II Cathy, one of the Partners of Brainstorm, Inc., has been looking into developmental plans as a possible way of increasing the productivity and morale of the company’s sales force. To help her in this project, Cathy has adapted a developmental plan form from a business magazine she has recently seen and asks you for feedback. Since Cathy is unfamiliar with the characteristics of good developmental plans, she is particularly interested in your critique of a developmental plan that she developed for a sales representative, Jay. Note: Brainstorm, Inc., may not be able to finance much in the way of outside learning; however, the company could provide some paid time off and may be able to negotiate some better rates for attending classes or conferences, based on various industry memberships. 1. How would you improve and/or change the following form and its contents? 2. Since there are only six employees in the company, how would you adapt the form to meet the needs of this small business? Provide an example
Case 8.1
Content of a Personal Development Plan at Brainstorm, Inc.
Cathy is a sales manager at Brainstorm, Inc., a computer software training company that sells Microsoft, Novell, Corel, and Open Office
training software, located in Lehi, Utah. One of Cathy’s responsibilities is to complete annual performance evaluations with all of her direct reports and create individual development plans for these employees, based on their performance evaluations. Recently, Jay, an inside sales representative and Cathy’s direct report, finished his first year’s performance evaluation with Cathy. Cathy’s performance evaluation of Jay’s key competencies and key results is as follows:
Performance Appraisal Form
| Key Competencies | Supervisor Comments |
Score
|
|
Sales and Marketing: Demonstrate knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services.
|
Could be more proficient with greater product knowledge. Needs greater understanding of the benefits of each of the products. | B– |
| Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing high-quality customer and personal service | Good verbal and sales skills most of the time. Had a couple occasions when customers felt like they weren’t getting enough personal assistance with recently purchased products. | B+ |
|
Interpersonal Communication: Talking to others to convey information effectively as well as giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, and asking questions as appropriate.
|
Very good. Always enthusiastic with customers and quickly develops a good rapport with new customers. | A– |
| Persuasion and Negotiation: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences. |
Adequate, but could be more direct and persuasive with customers.
|
B |
| Problem Sensitivity and ethics: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, ethically or otherwise. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. |
Excellent. Shown great ability to anticipate if contract negotiations are taking an unethical or unprofitable turn for the worse.
|
A |
| Key Results |
Supervisor Comments
|
Score |
|
Degree to which employee met monthly sales goals ($50,000 in sales revenue a month):
|
Adequate. Met sales goals 66 percent of the time in the last six months | B |
|
Degree to which employee met referral goals (10 referrals a month):
|
Needs improvement. Met referral goals 50 percent of the time in the last six months.
|
B– |
| Number of cold calls made monthly (250): |
Excellent. Tirelessly exhibits persistence and hard work in reaching out to businesses.
|
A |
Case 8.2
Appraisal FOrm ( see the attached photo)
Personal Developmental Plan at Brainstorm, Inc.—Part II
Cathy, one of the Partners of Brainstorm, Inc., has been looking into developmental plans as a possible way of increasing
the productivity and morale of the company’s sales force. To
help her in this project, Cathy has adapted a developmental
plan form from a business magazine she has recently seen
and asks you for feedback. Since Cathy is unfamiliar with the
characteristics of good developmental plans, she is particularly interested in your critique of a developmental plan that
she developed for a sales representative, Jay. Note:
Brainstorm, Inc., may not be able to finance much in the way
of outside learning; however, the company could provide
some paid time off and may be able to negotiate some better
rates for attending classes or conferences, based on various
industry memberships.
1. How would you improve and/or change the following
form and its contents?
2. Since there are only six employees in the company,
how would you adapt the form to meet the needs of
this small business? Provide an example
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