CASE STUDY $8-1$

Content of a Personal Development Plan at Brainstorm, Inc.

athy 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

Could be more proficient with greater product knowledge. Needs greater understanding of the benefits of each of the products.

Good verbal and sales skills most of the time. Had a couple occasions when customers felt like they weren't getting enough personal B$+$ assistance with recently purchased products.

Very good. Always enthusiastic with customers and quickly develops a good rapport with new customers. rapport with new customers.

Adequate, but could be more direct and persuasive with customers.

B

Sales and Marketing: Demonstrate knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing high$-$quality customer and personal services.

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.

Persuasion and Negotiation: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

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 negollations are taking an unethical or unprofitable turn for the worse.

Key Results

Degree to which employee met monthly sales goals

$($ $$50,000$ in sales revenue a month$)$:

Degree to which employee met referral goals $(10$ referrals a month$)$:

Number of cold calls made monthly $(250)$:

Supervisor Comments

Adequate. Met sales goals $66p-p-$ of the time in the last six months.

Needs improvement. Met referral goals $50$ percent of the time in the last six months.

Excellent. Tirelessly exhibits persistence and hard work In reaching out to businesses.

Scor