Purchase Solution

What Should the Supervisor Do Next

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Answer, in 200-300 words, the three questions following this incident.

What Should I Do Next?

Kim Allred is relatively new as a supervisor, having been promoted only two months ago. Before her promotion, she had worked for the company for seven years as a sales specialist in office equipment. There is no doubt that she is a whiz at selling office equipment. Because of her accepted expertise in the field, it was natural for her to be promoted when the supervisory opening in office equipment sales became available. Yesterday, Kim received a memo from her boss, Ed Jackson, stating that all departmental plans for the next fiscal year were due by the end of the month, which was 10 days away. She immediately went into a panic. She had never prepared a formal plan, and she had no idea what was required. After worrying over the matter for a day, Kim decided that the best thing to do would be to ask Ed for some guidelines.

Kim: Ed, yesterday I received your memo regarding next year's plan. I've never prepared a formal plan, and frankly, I don't even know where to start.

Ed: Calm down, Kim. I apologize for forgetting that this is your first go-around in the planning process. What I am looking for is a plan for attaining the objectives that we agreed upon for your department last month. In other words, the ABCs of how you plan to accomplish each objective.

Kim: In other words, you want a written explanation of just how I expect to accomplish each objective. Just how detailed should this plan be, and what format are you looking for?

Questions
1. How would you answer Kim's questions if you were Ed Jackson?
2. How would you go about preparing this plan if you were Kim Allred? (Suggest a framework for Kim to follow.)
3. Do you think Kim's initial reaction to the planning process was unusual? Why or why not?

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

How would you answer Kim's questions if you were Ed Jackson?

Solution Preview

1. How would you answer Kim's questions if you were Ed Jackson?

I will answer Kim's questions by pointing Kim to various resources that can be used to develop the sales plan. For example, a good point to take cues on starting the plan can be last year's plan. I can hand over last year's plan to Kim, so that she has a good idea about the requirements of the plan. Further, I can also provide her resources on general guidance about writing a sales plan. I can also ask other departmental heads to assist Kim in developing the plan for the first time.

Further, once the rough draft is prepared, I can go over it and give suggestion to Kim to refine the plan.

2. How would you go about preparing this plan if you were Kim Allred? (Suggest a framework for Kim to follow.)

If I was Kim Allred, I will follow the usual process of creating a sales/ marketing plan to achieve the targeted sales of the office equipment divsion. I will certainly involve my departmental employees in the preparation of the plan, so that their valuable inputs and suggestions can be incorporated in the plan. Further, I will also seek assistance from other concerned departments, such as finance/ accounting department for the development of the plan.

The questions that I should answer in your sales plan are:

What are you going to focus on?
What are you going to change?
In practical terms, what steps are involved?
What territories and targets are you going to give each salesperson or team?
The sales plan will start with some strategic objectives. You can then explain the stepping stones that will allow you to achieve these objectives. Use objectives which are SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound.

It is ...

Solution provided by:
Sandeep Bardia, MBA
Education
  • BCom, SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi
  • MBA, Rochester Institute of Technology
Recent Feedback
  • "Thank you. "
  • "Thank you"
  • "Thank you. I got 20/20 last week for my discussion you help me out with."
  • "Thank you. Great Job. "
  • "Thank you. Great Job. "
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Lean your Process

This quiz will help you understand the basic concepts of Lean.

Understanding Management

This quiz will help you understand the dimensions of employee diversity as well as how to manage a culturally diverse workforce.

Basic Social Media Concepts

The quiz will test your knowledge on basic social media concepts.

Academic Reading and Writing: Critical Thinking

Importance of Critical Thinking

Income Streams

In our ever changing world, developing secondary income streams is becoming more important. This quiz provides a brief overview of income sources.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • Participative Managers

    What do you think is being rewarded and how is it being rewarded by the supervisor? 2. If you were Gary's supervisor, what changes would you want in Gary's behavior? 3. What specific leader behavior would you use to change Gary's behavior?

  • Precision Performance Case Study

    Next, the rating for each performance level should be written behind the form so that the employee knows what rating he will get for each performance level.

  • Role of a supervisor in labor negotiations

    294497 Role of a supervisor in labor negotiations Supervisors are often confused as to how they should behave during a union organizing campaign. Identify five actions a supervisor should take and three actions the supervisor should avoid.

  • HRM

    What are actions should the manager do, and what he should avoid to do not lose the authority and organization reputation?(for each case) Scenario 1 The supervisor should gather evidence from other employees that it was Chris that was smoking.

  • Business Ethics: Kate Essex is monitoring calls as a supervi

    Explains three different normative theories of business ethics. 1) What should Essex do? Kate Essex, as supervisor, needs to stop monitoring his personal call when she realizes it is a personal call having to do with his sick child.

  • Organization Charts in Healthcare Organizations

    It is important when teaching the organizational chart to new employees to help them understand that it is always acceptable to go to the next level of command if they do not get the answers from their immediate supervisor.

  • Sexual harrasment in employee emails

    Then, you should go to your supervisor and/or HR to report the issue. Next, you should talk to the employee who sent the email and take the proper procedures that will either include retraining and/or termination based on prior conduct.

  • Individual Development Plans (IDPs)

    Tell him/her about your goals, and ask for coaching on what you should do to improve your likelihood of success. ? Ask your supervisor to delegate assignments to give you a chance to grow.

  • Outline a personnel policy for an organization

    Peggy was very uncomfortable with the incident and the next day asked to speak with her supervisor, Mike.

  • Flexible Budgets: Performance Report budget to actual

    There are some companies that do not, however, since the industry norm is that depreciation should be considered we have done so.

View More Related Solutions