Read Case Study 8-1 in Aguinis (2019). Read Case Study 8-2 in Aguinis (2019) and write a 2- to 3-page paper that describes how you might improve upon and/or change the current employee development plan for Brainstorm, Inc. How might you change the form or the content? How should the company proceed with implementing this development plan process with the employees? 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 Improving a Personal Development Plan at Brainstorm, Inc.—Part II Joe, one of the Partners of Brainstorm, Inc., has been looking into development plans as a possible way of increasing the productivity and morale of the company’s sales force. To help him in this project, Cathy has adapted a development plan form from a business magazine she has recently seen and asks you for feedback. Since Cathy is unfamiliar with the characteristics of good development plans, she is particularly interested in your critique of a development 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. Brainstorm, inc., Development Plan Updated: June 28, 2019 Name: Jay Job Title/Job Code: Sales Representative Department: Sales Developmental Options OJT (On-the-job training) Courses Self-guided studying Mentoring Attending a conference or trade show Mixing with the best Getting a degree Temporary assignments Membership or leadership role (professional, trade, non-profit organizations Other (specify) Description Type of Development When How Long Completed Hours (this Quarter) Comments—Approximate Cost-Other Objectives/ Evaluation Current Quarter Next Quarter Current +2 Current +3
- Read Case Study 8-1 in Aguinis (2019).
- Read Case Study 8-2 in Aguinis (2019) and write a 2- to 3-page paper that describes how you might improve upon and/or change the current employee development plan for Brainstorm, Inc. How might you change the form or the content? How should the company proceed with implementing this development plan process with the employees?
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
Improving a Personal Development Plan at Brainstorm, Inc.—Part II
Joe, one of the Partners of Brainstorm, Inc., has been looking into development plans as a possible way of increasing the productivity and morale of the company’s sales force. To help him in this project, Cathy has adapted a development plan form from a business magazine she has recently seen and asks you for feedback. Since Cathy is unfamiliar with the characteristics of good development plans, she is particularly interested in your critique of a development 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.
Brainstorm, inc., Development Plan Updated: June 28, 2019
Name: Jay
Job Title/Job Code: Sales Representative
Department: Sales
Developmental Options
OJT (On-the-job training)
Courses
Self-guided studying
Mentoring
Attending a conference or trade show
Mixing with the best
Getting a degree Temporary assignments
Membership or leadership role (professional, trade, non-profit organizations
Other (specify)
Description
Type of Development
When
How Long
Completed Hours (this Quarter)
Comments—Approximate Cost-Other
Objectives/
Evaluation
Current Quarter
Next Quarter
Current +2
Current +3
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