Sales Management Competence Builder Program

Rationale:

The exercise is designed to develop competence in the participant particularly on the function of Sales
Management. Competencies as Leadership Orientation, Creative Thinking, Strategic Orientation,
Management Skills, Communication and Influence, Change Leadership, Customer Service Orientation,
Interpersonal Skills, and Entrepreneurial Orientation. The exercise is meant to instigate thought and personal
reflection meant to deepen the self awareness of the participant. A process essential in facilitating maturity in
the individual. Maturity being a key ingredient in commitment, a salient characteristic of competence.

Mechanics:

• You will need a handy drawing book for this exercise. Scrap book.
• You will need your Marketing and Management Architecture Card.
• Devote one hour every day in processing insights and logic behind instructions.
• You need to pause and be aware of yourself in processing your insights.
• Write your personal reflections on the subject matter.
• Be able to connect PLOC to concepts in Competency.
• Review your notes and add new found insights.
• The Journal will reviewed in three phases. In each phase effort and excellence will be rated. 
• There must be improvement in each phase. Quality and quantity will be measured.
• Your journal must be brought to class every meeting.
• Refer to the notes in these pages for reference.
• Team Leaders are tasked to manage the performance of their teams/ individual members. 
• This exercise will be rated based on quantitative and qualitative characteristics with Excellence as a benchmark. Initiative and creativity is strongly recommended. 
• Date of Submission: Sept. 26 and 27 

1.      Write and/or discuss the factors you considered in arriving at a significant decision either in your work or personal life. What are the consequences of your decision? What are the lessons learned from the experience. Did you make use of the scientific approach to decision making? Were you circumspect or reckless?

2.     Join an organization. Chose an organization that appeals to your beliefs and principles. Make a comprehensive report as to the organization principles that appeals to you and what programs you intend to support. Write a list of contribution you intend to make to the organization.

3.   Develop a List of Opportunities for Improvement for your organization. Make a proposal as to the OFI defined quantitative measurement of improvement. Savings on cost, efficiency in value versus cost ratio. Use the scientific approach to problem solving.

4.      Identify ways to save cost at home, an organization or community. Prepare a formal proposal with defined savings on cost with detailed identification of cost components affected and improvement on efficiency – value versus cost.

5.      Develop and apply a new skill related to your chosen profession. Make a comprehensive summary of the skill’s technical details and salient features. Extend your research to the skill’s underlying principles and sciences. Mention as well a local person with expertise on  your chosen skill.

6.      Develop a program to enhance your organization’s customer service. Define your customer. Define targeted behaviors. Conduct a small survey as to customer opinion on areas for improvement.

7.      Journal a speaking engagement. Make a comprehensive summary of the skill’s technical details and salient features. Extend your research to the skill’s underlying principles and sciences. Mention as well a local person with expertise on  your chosen skill. Organize a speaking engagement with an organization.

8.      Develop a Declaration of Personal Goals and Objective.  Specify the profession you want to work in, the industry and the company.  Prepare three columns – Net Worth, Property, Position Title, Personal Milestones ( Self Actualization – book written, family, accolades ). 1 year. 5 years. 10 years.   

9.      Write down a vision of how you want to live your life. Be specific. What is your mission? Address where you want to live, what job you would like to be in, who your friends are, how you are getting along with your family, the condition of your health and your wealth, the trips you plan to take, the books you want to read, etc. Make a "future scrapbook." Paste in pictures, drawings, essays, poems, clippings. Make up headlines about your activities and achievements. Every day visualize yourself as you would like to be and then act that way.

10.   “Think out of the Box” exercise Productivity. Provide a unique solution regardless of given standards to a particular opportunity. Individual must be able to defend his creative concept. Apply creativity in the solution formulation.
11. Make an inventory of  knowledge, skills and competencies you possess that you consider essential in your chosen profession or vocation. Develop as well you personal Opportunities for Improvement - list of essential skills, knowledge and competencies you need to learn or improve on.

12.  Read biographies of individuals whom you admire who have overcome significant adversity in their lives. Write a summary of the biography and post a striking picture of your chosen subject at your journal. Write you personal reflection as to how this person relates to your life’s aspiration.
13. Write your thoughts and sentiments as to how would you like to be remembered as a human being. What legacy would you like to leave. What words would you like to be engraved in your tombstone. Write your imagination as to how you would like your Epitaph to be written.

competence - Creative Thinking

 
Creative Thinking

·         Innovation

·         Develops new insights into situations.

·         Applies innovative solutions to make organizational improvements.

·         Creates an environment that encourages creative thinking and innovation.

·         Designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs and processes.

·         Demonstrates resourcefulness

·         Demonstrates analytical skills in evaluating root cause.

Situaner: When a victory is achieved, the skilled commander does not repeat his tactics but respond to circumstances in an infinite variety of ways. As water has no constant form, there are in war no constant conditions.A salesperson must be creative enough to respond to circumstances in an infinite variety of ways.

Skill Builder Program:

1.       Brainstorm exercise with solution conceptualization as key process. Provide more than one great solution to a given problem.

2.       Facet Exercise. Be able to provide different perspective in a given problem.

3.       Present a hobby, toy, book or object of interest in the group.

4.       Overhaul and innovate a traditional activity of an organization. Focus on concept and  process innovation.

5.       Join a fund raising committee and help conceptualize a fund raising program using the limited resources of the organization.

6.       Maintain a Journal. “Think out of the Box” exercise Productivity. Provide unique solution regardless of given standards. Individual must be able to defend his creative concept.

7.       Improve a process or procedure that is inefficient or out of date.

8.       Observe a consumer behavior and technological trend and conceptualize 10 business opportunities that can be developed from it.

Illustration:

Ariel, a booking salesman, is briefed by his Supervisor of a “make or Break” command to hit the numbers. As a seasoned salesman, his supervisor, expect only the best of Ariel’s creativity. Ariel adopts a number of spills to negotiate his way around the impossible situation:

1.      he negotiates 30 scooping stations around his area

2.      he creates a situation to motivate his customers to load

( i.e. mam magkaka ubusan daw po sa month end I have only 30 freezers allocated sa mga customer ko. I have prioritized you. I can give you the accommodation if you want na hindi kayo maubusan ) We tend to realize in

3.      he introduces an ice cream shake concept among the schools in the

area thereby motivating consumptions.

4.      To fill in the gaps, he selects his closest accounts and ask them to allow him to use his competitors freezer for his protection booking.

competence - Leadership Orientation

 
Leadership Orientation

·         Inspires, motivates, and guides others toward goal accomplishments Develops leadership in others through coaching, mentoring, rewarding.

·         Demonstrates conviction for the mission

·         A thorough appreciation of the human / non human consideration

·         Fosters commitment, discipline and morale in the organization

·         Takes a long-term view and acts as a catalyst for organizational change. 

·          Influences others to translate vision into action

·         Creates a culture that fosters high standards of ethics. 

·         Identifies and takes steps to prevent potential situations that could result in unpleasant confrontations. 

·         Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a positive and constructive manner to minimize negative impact.

Situaner: To achieve monumental success requires leadership. Let us quote Sun Tzu in his verses on Command, the qualities of wisdom, sincerity, humanity, courage and strictness. Wise, he is able to recognize changing circumtstances and to act expediently. Sincere, his men will have no doubt of the certainty of rewards and punishment. If humane, he loves mankind, symphatizes with others and appreciates their industry and toils. Courageous, he gains victory by seizing opportunity without hesitation. Strict, his troops are disciplined because they are in awe of him and afraid of punishment.

Skill Builder Program:

1.       Serve on a committee of a professional association or student organization.

2.       Read Bringing out the best in People. .

3.       Write down a vision of how you want to live your life. Be specific. Address where you want to live, what job you would like to be in, who your friends are, how you are getting along with your family, the condition of your health and your wealth, the trips you plan to take, the books you want to read, etc. Make a "future scrapbook." Paste in pictures, drawings, essays, poems, clippings. Make up headlines about your activities and achievements. Every day visualize yourself as you would like to be and then act that way.

4.       Record your contributions toward accomplishing your ideals. Record your perceptions of how others in your work group, family, and friends have helped you accomplish your vision.

5.       Volunteer to help a community-based organization formulate a vision and strategic plan.

6.       Contribute to the development or revision of a vision statement for your office or program.  Share that vision with the community.

7.       Attend public meetings to observe how conflicts can be handled in a public session. 

8.       Interview individuals who are professional mediators and people skilled in alternative dispute resolution. Talk with counselors, union negotiators, or labor mediators.

9.       Discuss your personal and/or organizational vision and your progress with your coach. If you are mentoring someone, share your ideas on how you formulated your visions.

10.    Identify an effective process for managing conflict and use it.  Track your success.

11.    When a conflict situation arises, discuss it with your supervisor and document it.  Next, ask for feedback on how you handled it. 

12.    Get as much information as you can about the motives, knowledge, understanding, and attitudes of those with whom you are negotiating. 

13.    Develop an open dialogue with the individuals involved in the conflict. 

14.    Deal with causes of conflict, not the symptoms. 

15.    Shift the reward system to collaboration / teamwork rather than individual achievement.

16.    Implement more team approaches to solving problems in your work life and at home.

17.    Serve as a coach or mentor or meeting facilitator.

18.    Provide feedback to employees or subordinates  on a regular basis – weekly, monthly.

19.    Take time to get to know your employees.  Do they enjoy the limelight or do they prefer working behind the scenes?  Do they prefer a lot of direction or operating more independently?  Are they given opportunities for growth?

20.    Develop team spirit through celebrations and sharing experiences.

21.    Volunteer to work with someone in a field different than your own.

Use open-ended questionnaires to generate objective responses from colleagues about projects or plans you are working on.  Use answers to identify what is working well, what is not working work well, and strategies for working together more effectively

22.    Meet with staff to formulate a vision statement of your organization. This vision statement should reflect the collected shared visions of each contributor. Follow up by defining exactly what steps all of you can take to help achieve your vision.

23.    Discuss how your organization's vision affects each employee on an individual level. Focus on the organization's desired culture, work climate, and individual and group behaviors. Post the vision at your office.

24.    Collaborate with other officers to discuss what the organization should be doing five years from now. 

Illustration:

Jonji, an area manager in Panay, is confronted by an organizational problem of lost collections and delayed salary of sales people. For some reason, head office cannot resolve the problem. Despite his predicament, he has to deliver the numbers required of him. Fostering commitment and morale among his sales team, Jonji manages his numbers month in and month out.  He leads the area to performance despite low morale. He is never lost of reasons to inspire his men to arms.