Reflective Practice in Sales Leadership

The assignment content provides information on reflection, a process of reviewing and evaluating experiences or activities. There are different models and activities for reflection, including question-based reflection, reflective journaling, discussion, and learning moments. The importance of reflection is highlighted, with benefits such as improved performance, increased self-awareness, and better decision-making. The content also covers leadership and management skills, with a focus on personal development planning (PDP) and the McKinsey 7S model for organisational analysis and alignment.

Acknowledgements
The Institute of Sales and Marketing Management would like to thank Cambridge
Professional Academy for writing the following study guide.
References to third party material made in this study guide are made in good faith.
ISMM does not endorse, approve or accept responsibility for the content of
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Authorised by Stephen Wright
Publication code: ISMMSTUDYU602
All the material in this publication is copyright
© ISMM 2013

Contents
What will I find in the study guide?.............................................................................1
The unit..........................................................................................................................2
LO1 Understand leadership in sales...........................................................................3
AC1.1 Evaluate the relationship between leadership and management in sales...........3
AC1.2 Evaluate leadership styles and their impact on the sales team and individuals. .4
AC1.3 Discuss why leadership styles need to be adapted in different situations...........6
AC1.4 Compare and contrast transformational and transactional leadership...............11
AC1.5 Evaluate skills required of a leader....................................................................12
LO2 Understand management in sales.....................................................................15
AC 2.1 Evaluate management styles and their impact on the sales team and individuals
......................................................................................................................................16
AC2.2 Evaluate possible tools of management............................................................18
LO3 Understand how to contribute to the direction of the organisation..............32
AC 3.1 Evaluate ways to contribute to the organisation’s vision, mission, aims and
objectives......................................................................................................................33
LO4 Be able to review own leadership and management skills............................40
AC 4.1 Critically evaluate own values, motivations and limitations in leadership and
management.................................................................................................................43
AC 4.2 Construct a personal development plan to improve own leadership and
management skills........................................................................................................45
Check list.....................................................................................................................56
Action plan...................................................................................................................58
Glossary.......................................................................................................................59
Recommended reading..............................................................................................60
List of references........................................................................................................61

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Title: Leadership and management in sales
Level: 6
Credit value: 7
Learning outcomes
The learner will:
Assessment criteria
The learner can:
1. Understand leadership in sales 1.1 Evaluate the relationship between
leadership and management in sales
1.2 Evaluate leadership styles and their
impact on the sales team and individuals
1.3 Discuss why leadership styles need to be
adapted in different situations
1.4 Compare and contrast transformational
and transactional leadership
1.5 Evaluate skills required of a leader
2. Understand management in sales 2.1 Evaluate management styles and their
impact on the sales team and individuals
2.2 Evaluate possible tools of management
3. Understand how to contribute to
the direction of the organisation
3.1 Evaluate ways to contribute to the
organisation’s vision, mission, aims and
objectives
4. Be able to review own leadership
and management skills
4.1 Critically evaluate own values,
motivations and limitations in leadership
and management
4.2 Construct a personal development plan to
improve own leadership and management
skills
Unit aim(s) The aim of this unit is to support knowledge
and understanding and develop the skills
necessary to provide leadership and
management to the members of the
salesforce.
You need to be aware of culture and diversity
and be sensitive to the individual and
corporate needs of the salesforce whilst
focusing on the achievement of sales
objectives.
The unit

LO1 Understand leadership in sales
Overview
“The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to
do it.” (Dwight D. Eisenhower)
Leadership is the ability to influence the attitudes and behaviours of others to work
towards a specific goal. Leaders set the direction, help people visualise what may be
achieved, inspire and encourage people to work towards getting there.
A leader will have a clear vision of what he is trying to achieve for the organisation and
be able to communicate that vision in a way that is meaningful for the organisation’s
stakeholders.
Being a leader means:
 having a clear vision of what you wish to achieve
 being committed to the vision
 taking responsibility and risk for success or failure.
Leadership is normally associated with authority within an organisation, for example,
one would expect the CEO of an organisation to adopt the role of leader. Whilst this is
true, leadership qualities are required by managers at any level within the organisation
who are responsible for managing staff and teams. The Sales Manager is no
exception to this rule and leadership skills are required to influence, inspire and
motivate the sales team.
Leaders and Managers of sales teams will need to:
 initiate and guide the actions of the salesforce towards the organisational goals
and ensure that individuals work for the benefit of the team and the
organisation and not just for individual gain
 motivate and create confidence within the sales team, ensuring morale remains
high
 provide guidance and support to the sales team to ensure they are working
effectively towards their goals and targets.
Organisations and teams that rely on management alone generally underperform and
struggle to build or sustain competitive advantage, consequently successful
organisations require a combination of both good leadership and management.
Sales Managers must develop their leadership qualities, as well as their management
skills, because it is the combination of leadership and management which ensures that
members of the sales team are working towards achieving the goals of the
organisation, whist maximising the efficient use of resources.
AC1.1 Evaluate the relationship between leadership and
management in sales

A manger therefore must possess the characteristics and traits of good leadership. It is
important however, that the difference between management and leadership is
understood.
Role of Leaders Role of Management
Create Vision Planning
Communicate Vision Organising Activities and resources
Inspire, Persuade and Motivate Directing Staff
Provide Direction and Guidance Measure and control output
Building Relationships Delegation
Identify and extract potential in individuals Implement Policy and Procedures
Proactive Reactive
Therefore whilst leadership and management are both essential for sales success and
are both about achieving results through others, there are significant differences.
Leaders must take a long term view and provide strategic direction and context. They
must outline their vision, long term goals and objectives. Leaders are transformational
and inspire people to follow them and work towards a common goal by building trust
and confidence of their teams.
Managers have the responsibility for ensuring objectives are reached and ‘things get
done’. They set operational direction, goals and facilitate the organisation of resources
in order to optimise those resources, including the performance of staff.
AC1.2 Evaluate leadership styles and their impact on the
sales team and individuals
Individuals lead in different ways, each of us has a natural tendency towards a style of
leadership and we often adapt our style according to the teams we are working with,
their expertise and the organisational culture.
The leadership styles defined below should be treated as a range of styles against
which we can place ourselves and our natural style:

Different Types of Leadership Styles
Autocratic/Authoritarian
(Theory X McGregor)
Democratic/Participative
(Theory Y McGregor)
Laissez-Faire
Controlling Delegator Set objectives
Directive Cooperation Minimal guidance
Sole decision maker Shared vision Allows employees
freedom to make
decisions
Does not delegate Open to suggestions Provides tools and
resources only
Closed to Input Shared responsibility/empowerment Group members
expected to resolve
problems
Judgmental Open communication and active
listener
Trust in employees
The Leadership style used by Sales Managers will have an impact on the motivation
and performance of their sales team and this impact is explored below.
Autocratic Style: Can have the advantage of quick decision-making and greater
productivity. There may be situations in sales where quick decisions are required to
secure orders, e.g. the authorisation of a discount. However, whilst this type of style
may be beneficial for some circumstances, it is usually only as effective as a consistent
style when the work undertaken is monotonous, routine and employees are unskilled
or perhaps where the risk is very high.
These situations do not often apply in a sales scenario and therefore continued use of
this style can de-motivate sales people and lead to increased absenteeism and
employee turnover.
Laissez Faire Style: This leadership style is usually effective where employees are
highly skilled, loyal, experienced and operate at a high intellectual level. Most sales
people generally fall into this category and therefore the adoption of this leadership
style can be inspiring and motivational for a sales force. However, care needs to be
taken to ensure that there are clear targets, guidance and financial controls in place so
that sales people understand the boundary of their decision making power and are
clear when they need to refer to superiors for approval.
Democratic/Participative Style: Leaders encourage team members to play an
important role in the decision making process and try to achieve consensus. Leaders
guide employees, invite and listen to suggestions and recommendations. Aspects of
this style of leadership (such as creating a vision and delegation of power), have clear
advantages in building and managing a sales team - who often work with relatively low
levels of day to day supervision. It advances the development of skilled and creative
employees and leads to a satisfied and motivated team. The major disadvantage of
this style is that the requirement for consensus can result in slow decision making and
that may cause frustration within a sales team who often are task focused and intent
on closing a sale.

From the above discussion you will realise there are occasions when some aspects of
each leadership style are appropriate and this is discussed further in the next session.
Identify situations when each of the following approaches is appropriate:
 autocratic
 democratic
 laissez-faire.
What are the Benefits of each style?
What are the Disadvantages of each style?
How would you personally respond to the different styles?
AC1.3 Discuss why leadership styles need to be adapted in
different situations
Different types of leadership styles will be appropriate for different conditions.
Successful leaders will understand which behaviour is the most appropriate at a
particular time. They will shape their behaviour after careful analysis of style, people,
the task and the organisation.
Tannenbaum and Schmidt provide us with a model which demonstrates the
relationship between the level of freedom that a manager chooses to give to a team
and the level of authority used by the manager.
www.12manage.com

Leadership Continuum – Tannenbaum, Schmidt
Autocratic
Manager
Leadership
Continuum
Democratic
Manager
Use of authority by
Manager
Area of freedom by subordinates
Manager
makes and
announces
decision
Manager
‘sells’
decision
Manager
presents
ideas and
invites
questions
Manager
presents
tentative
decision
subject
to
change
Manager
presents
problem,
gets
suggestions
makes
decision
Manager
defines
limits,
asks
group for
decision
Manager
permits
subordinates
to function
within
superior
defined limits
Manag
er
allows
full
freedo
m
The leadership styles depicted by Tannenbaum and Schmidt are explained below.
Tell
The manager/leader makes decision and announces it. This is an autocratic style in
which the leader gives specific instructions and monitors staff closely. It is most useful
when the team cannot tackle the task unaided, is unwilling, new, or where standards
have been allowed to deteriorate under prior management. It is the style most people
accept in a crisis.
For this style to work well managers need to:
 be clear and precise about standards, performance targets and expectations
 give detailed instructions
 monitor key performance indicators closely
 use frequent feedback to modify behaviour
 help people over learning problems while being firm about standards.
Sell
The manager/leader makes the decision and then "sells" decision to the team. This is
a persuasive style, in which the leader gives clear direction and supervises closely but
also explains decisions, encourages suggestions and supports progress. It is most
useful when motivation is lacking. It is also the best style where a task is non-
negotiable but where the team's motivation is vital to achieve the results required.
For this style to work manger’s need to:
 develop team skills, monitoring how those skills are implemented
 spend time with each individual addressing standards, skills and motivation
 monitor closely and be directive to keep performance to agreed standards
 listen to the team's feelings but stand your ground in relation to the goal
 reward positive behaviour.
Consult

The manager/leader presents the tentative decision/ idea but invites questions and
suggestions and is willing to change. This is a collaborative style in which the leader
discusses the task and listens to the team's ideas, taking them into account as he or
she makes the key decisions. It is most useful when the team has sufficient skills and
competence to make a contribution but where the leader feels a need to retain control.
That need can result from an imbalance between the team's competence and the risk
involved in the task.
For this style to work managers need to:
 focus on morale and team spirit
 encourage participation, straight comment and feedback
 specify objectives but let the team discuss how to achieve them
 explain fully, and encourage 'buy-in' to major decisions, whilst minimising
directives and suggestions from themselves - except in exceptional
circumstances.
Participate/Join
The manager/leader defines limits but asks group to make decisions. Team members
are given freedom to function within the limits and boundaries defined by the leader.
This is a facilitative style in which the leader allows the team maximum responsibility,
this is most useful when the team is competent and has a positive attitude towards the
task.
For this style to work managers need to:
 act as a resource that the team can call on when needed
 delegate increased responsibilities
 allow team members to manage themselves once you have agreed clear
objectives - allowing them to administer day-to-day monitoring and control
 represent the team to others, when necessary tackling anything that interferes
with their performance.
Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey’s Situational Leadership Matrix model helps us
understand how different leadership styles should be used in different situations.
The model illustrates four main leadership and management styles, which a good
leader is able to switch between, depending on the team's maturity relating to a
particular task. Managers therefore need to understand the maturity of the team in
terms of readiness for task performance and then use the style that best fits.
The Situational Leadership Matrix model sets out different levels of leadership within
four quadrants.
1. Directing/Telling – defining roles/tasks, close supervision, making decisions,
one-way communication.
2. Coaching/Selling – define roles/tasks but encourage suggestions and input.
Communication more two-way, though decisions made by leader.
3. Supporting/Participation – routine decisions passed down. Leader facilitation
and involvement, but not controlling.
4. Delegating – follower/s decide on the level of leader involvement in decisions
and problem-solving.
When the team maturity is high, the situational leadership model calls for a delegating
style which offers minimal leadership intervention - delegating decision making to the

team who have high task readiness based on abilities, willingness and confidence
about task accomplishment.
When team maturity is low the model calls for the telling style which places emphasis
on directing behaviour to achieve the task - giving instructions and bringing structure to
a situation where team members lack capability and/or are unwilling or insecure about
their ability to accomplish the task.
The participating style is recommended for low-to-moderate team readiness. Team
members are capable but also unwilling or insecure about the tasks. This participation
style places emphasis on relationships and the sharing of ideas, thus encouraging
understanding and confidence.
The selling style is recommended for moderate to high team readiness. Team
members may lack capability but are willing or confident about the task. This selling
style places emphasis on guidance and is designed to facilitate performance through
persuasive explanation.
Hersey and Blanchard believe that leaders should be flexible and adjust their styles as
team members and situations change over time. The model also implies that if the
correct styles are used in lower-readiness situations, team members will mature and
their abilities and confidence will grow. This willingness to understand team member
development and respond with flexibility allows the leader to become less directive
over time as team members mature. The aim of the leader or manager is therefore to
develop the team through the four stages, and then move on to another role.
In summary the factors that affect the choice of leadership style can be summarised as
follows:
 forces in the manager: the behaviour of the leader is influenced by his
personality, background, knowledge, and experience. These forces include:
- value systems
- confidence in subordinates
- leadership inclinations
- feelings of security in an uncertain situation
 forces in the subordinate: the personality of the subordinates and their
expectations from the leader. These factors include:
- readiness to assume responsibility in decision-making
- degree of tolerance for ambiguity
- interest in the problem and feelings as to its importance
- strength of the need for independence
- knowledge and experience to deal with the problem
- understanding and identification with the goals of the organization.
If these factors are on a positive side, then more freedom can be allowed to the
subordinate by the leader.
 forces in the situation: the environmental and general situation also affect the
leader’s behaviour. These include factors like:
- type of organisation
- group effectiveness
- nature of the problem

- time pressure.
Identify the leadership that would be most effective in the following scenarios.
 A new working practices regime is being introduced. Staff were working 40 hours per
week, 9-5, but the firm now needs greater flexibility. The flexibility will come from staff
working on shift patterns covering the period 6am-10pm, 365 days per year. The
working week will be adjusted to 37 hours per week but there are no funds available for
additional pay to be given to any member of staff.
 A client has contacted your firm of commercial designers and asked them to come up
with a new logo that represents a change in the direction that the firm wishes to go. The
new logo and associated corporate branding of headed paper, publications, packaging
etc is set to coincide with the launch of the re-branding in two months’ time at the start
of the client company's new season sales drive. If it does not meet this deadline, the
client will run the risk of falling behind their rivals whom it has suffered against in
recent years.
 A business has decided to change its production process from a flow system into a cell
system. It feels that it will improve productivity and build a greater team ethic amongst
its workers thus improving motivation. It can do the change in two ways:
- it can impose its preferred system which it has been planning for two years
onto the plant
- it can hire a consultant to come in to discuss the change with the staff and
allow the staff to plan and design their own cell systems.
 Following a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visit, a chemical company has been
warned that its safety procedures in parts of the plant are lacking. It must take steps to
remedy these weaknesses within three weeks or face having the plant shut down. The
guidelines for remedying the weaknesses are readily available in detailed HSE
publications.
AC1.4 Compare and contrast transformational and
transactional leadership
A relationship between two people is based on the manner and level of exchange.
Transactional and transformational leadership theory helps us understand the different
types of exchange that can take place between leaders, managers and the sales force.
Both leadership styles are needed for organisational success and different styles
should be deployed by leaders dependent on the task and capabilities of the team.
Transactional leadership

Transactional leadership is more of a management style with the focus on exchange
rewards in return for performance. Transactional leaders use power and incentives to
motivate the team to achieve organisational or operational objectives.
The characteristics of Transactional leadership:
 link between effort and reward
 responsive and task orientated
 control by inducement, reward, punishment
 relies on leader’s power to reward subordinates.
Transactional leadership functions on a system of incentives and rewards. Under
transactional leadership, people receive rewards for accomplishing the objectives and
tasks given to them by their leaders. Thus, the relationship becomes transactional.
Rewards and incentives are often of high value to subordinates. Many organisations
use this style to stimulate productivity. Subordinates are often rewarded further when
they exceed expectations, and managers and leaders will also work with those who are
underperforming.
Team members working under transactional leadership have the advantage of a very
clear and structured system, they know what is expected of them at all times and they
are rewarded with something that they find to be of value. Team members also know
that negative consequences are the result of not following orders; therefore they are
motivated to continually perform and try their best.
Under transactional leadership, goals and objectives are set for the short term only,
making them less daunting but also easier to fulfil. Employees are motivated by the
fact that short-term goals seem more easily attainable. Short-term goals also provide
the opportunity for a sense of autonomy as there is less of a need for
micromanagement. Employees understand what is expected of them; therefore they
can independently complete the short-term goal at hand.
Transformational leadership
Transformational leadership styles focus on team-building, motivation and
collaboration with employees at different levels of an organisation to accomplish
organisational objectives or change. Transformational leaders set goals and incentives
to push their subordinates to higher performance levels, while providing opportunities
for personal and professional growth for each employee.
The characteristics of Transformational Leadership:
 motivates rousing emotions
 challenge the status quo
 forms new expectations, creates and communicates vision
 capability to inspire and influence others
 motivates followers to work for goals beyond self-interest
 encourages creativity
 allows followers to solve problems
 supportive role, good lines of communication
 recognition of followers’ achievements.
Managers who are transformational leaders are more likely to be perceived as effective
leaders by those around them. They motivate teams better than managers with a
transactional leadership style, and are respected by the people they lead.

However, there are still situations when transactional leadership style is perfectly
effective. Substance and justification has become extremely important and there is a
growing demand for "evidence based" decision making. Whether you can present your
business case in an inspiring manner is not as important as having solid facts to
provide a rationale and justification.
Identify an organisation where transactional leadership style is used effectively.
AC1.5 Evaluate skills required of a leader
Whilst it is accepted that there are certain inborn qualities that make a person a good
leader, natural talents need development and nurture. Self-confidence can be
developed, motivation can be enticed and encouraged and business or industry
knowledge can be acquired.
Early thinking on leadership assumed there was a definite set of characteristics that
made an effective leader in any situation, however later thinking recognised the
tendency of leaders to mix a number of very different qualities. Some of Gardner’s
qualities (shown below) are aspects of a person's behaviour, some are skills, but
others are to do with temperament and intellectual ability.
Leadership therefore is something of an art that requires the development and
application of special skills and techniques, none of which can be developed overnight.
Gardner’s leadership attributes
John Gardner studied a large number of North American organisations and leaders
and came to the conclusion that there were some qualities or attributes that
appeared to mean a leader in one situation could lead in another. These included:
 physical vitality and stamina
 intelligence and action-oriented judgement
 eagerness to accept responsibility
 task competence
 understanding of followers and their needs
 skill in dealing with people

 need for achievement
 capacity to motivate people
 courage and resolution
 trustworthiness
 decisiveness
 self-confidence
 assertiveness
 adaptability/flexibility
Leaders therefore will use and deploy different skills and techniques to suit different
situations. Rosabeth Moss Kanter defined the role of leaders as follows:
“Leaders must wake people out of inertia. They must get people excited about
something they've never seen before, something that does not yet exist.”
“Leaders must pick causes they won't abandon easily, remain committed despite
setbacks, and communicate their big ideas over and over again in every encounter.”
The most effective way to determine what makes a good leader is to examine the skills
and behaviours of great leaders in different circumstances and this can be done by
looking at some the great leaders of our time:
The ability to create vision
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will
not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
The ability to influence and motivate

We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we
shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”
Winston Churchill
The ability to communicate
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to
him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
Nelson Mandela
The ability to build relationships: trust and confidence
“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you
celebrate victory when nice things occur. “
Nelson Mandela
Think of one of the 'best' leaders and one of the 'worst' leaders that you have
experienced, preferably in a work situation. Identify and list those specific
qualities, or lack of them, which were characteristic of each.

LO2 Understand management in sales
Overview
The role of the manager is to get things done by organising, motivating, inspiring and
leading people. Employees who feel valued in the workplace tend to be more
committed to their work and achieve higher levels of performance.
In order to understand the role of management in sales, we will explore the functions of
management, before looking at how management style can affect sales performance,
and then at the specific management tools which can be used to enhance sales
performance.
Functions of management – a brief historic overview
Classical writers on management and organisation were largely concerned with the
manager’s role in ensuring efficiency; controlling resources and processes rather than
people. An awareness of management as an interpersonal process, involving
communication and influence, only developed later.
Henri Fayol
Fayol (1841-1925) was a French industrialist who put forward and popularised the
concept of the ‘university of management principles’; in other words, the idea that all
organisations could be structured and managed according to the same rational
principles. Fayol himself recognised that applying such principles in practice was not
simple; ‘seldom do we have to apply the same principles twice in identical conditions;
allowance must be made for different and changing circumstances.’
Function Comment
Planning Determining priorities and objectives, and strategies, policies,
programmes and procedures for achieving those objectives, for the
organisation and its sub-units.
Organising Establishing a structure of tasks which need to be performed to
achieve the goals of the organisation; grouping these tasks into
jobs for individuals or teams; allocating jobs to sections and
departments; delegating authority to carry out the jobs; and
providing systems of information and communication, for the co-
ordination of activities.
Commanding Giving instructions to subordinates to carry out tasks, for which the
manager has authority (to make decisions) and responsibility (for
performance).
Co-ordinating Harmonising the goals and activities of individuals and groups
within the organisation. Management must reconcile differences in
approach, effort, interest and timing, in favour of overall (or ‘super-
ordinate’) shared goals.
Controlling Measuring and correcting the activities of individuals and groups,
to ensure that their performance is in accordance with plans.
Deviations from plans are identified and corrected.

Management tasks and processes
Drucker (1955) described the basic function of management as comprising the five
processes.
1. Setting objectives for the organisation. Managers decided what the objectives
of the organisation should be and quantified the targets of achievement for
each objective. They then communicated these targets to other people in the
organisation.
2. Organising the work. The work to be done in the organisation must be divided
into manageable activities and manageable jobs. The jobs must be integrated
into a formal organisation structure, and people must be selected to do the
jobs.
3. Motivating employees and communicating information to them to enable them
to do their work.
4. The job of measurement. Management must:
- establish objectives or yardsticks of performance for all personnel
- analyse actual performance, appraise it against the objectives or
yardsticks which have been set, and analyse the comparison
- communicate the findings and explain their significance both to
subordinate employees and also to superiors.
5. Developing people. The manager ‘brings out what is in them or he stifles them.
He strengthens their integrity or he corrupts them’.
You may be able to see, in the development of management theory from Fayol to
Drucker, a growing focus on the people resource (including managers themselves).
‘The manager is the dynamic, life-giving element in every business. Without his
leadership, ‘the sources of production’ remain resources and never become
production.
In a competitive economy, above all it is the quality and performance of the managers
that determine the success of a business indeed they determine its survival’ (Druker,
1955). Management can thus be seen as an integrating factor which draws
coherence, direction and performance from all the other processes and resources of
the organisation.
AC 2.1 Evaluate management styles and their impact on the
sales team and individuals
Management style is defined as the manner in which managers exercise their authority
in the workplace to ensure they achieve organisational objectives and how they relate
to their colleagues and staff.
The components of management style are the manager’s attitudes and behaviours and
it is important that managers understand their natural management style and learn to
adjust it to different tasks, people and circumstances.
The sales force is usually the foremost contributor to growth and provides a vital
source of market feedback. Investment in a sales force is substantial in terms of time
and money and requires effective management to motivate and maintain control. It is
therefore vital that managers understand the impact of management and leadership
styles on the performance of the sales force.

A common problem in managing a sales force is that managers over manage and
under lead. Managers rely heavily on metrics and deadlines to drive sales
performance, however as previously explored effective leadership is required to
motivate and inspire a sales force in order to maximise motivation and performance.
In the previous section we discussed the different leadership styles and explored the
role of leadership style in management. However, below is a further exploration of
some of the best known models for analysing management style and their impact on
motivation and performance.
Rensis Likert
Early theories about management and leadership style focused primarily on behaviour
– the manner in which authority was exercised. Based on research carried out at the
University of Michigan in the 1950’s, Rensis Likert identified four different styles:
Exploitative/authoritative – the leader has little trust or confidence in his subordinates,
manages by issuing orders and uses fear and punishment as motivators.
Benevolent/authoritative – the leader has some trust in his workers but treats them in a
condescending and paternalistic manner.
Consultative – the leader shows trust and confidence towards subordinates, seeks
their opinions and ideas, but retains decision making power
Participative – the leader trusts his subordinates completely, seeks and acts on their
ideas and involves them in setting goals.
Likert’s research suggested that consultative and participative styles were more
effective in motivating employees however he did not consider the context in which
management was being carried out.
Theory X and theory Y
Douglas McGregor, working in the 1960’s, believed that management style was
determined by the manager’s assumptions about human nature. Based on his
research, he identified two broad sets of beliefs which he labelled theory X and theory
Y.
Theory X suggests that human beings have an inherent dislike of work and need to be
controlled and directed if they are to achieve objectives. This leads to autocratic and
paternalistic management styles.
Theory Y sees work as a natural part of life from which people gain a sense of
satisfaction. Workers can be motivated to give their best by respect and recognition.
This leads to more consultative and participative management styles.
McGregor believed that whilst both styles could be effective in different circumstances,
theory X management could lead to de-motivation and low levels of performance,
whereas theory Y management could produce high levels of motivation and
performance required of a sales force.

AC2.2 Evaluate possible tools of management
It is generally accepted that managers are responsible for people, resources and
activities and have defined seven specific roles:
1. Coordination of current operations – what is happening now
2. Organising and planning future activities and resource use.
3. Negotiating and influencing others – such as suppliers, customers, staff,
senior managers.
4. Time allocation and management – for example, of components of the job,
supplies and materials ordering, sales order processing, product or service
delivery, staff breaks, holidays.
5. Resource prioritising and planning – for example, which jobs are allocated
which resources.
6. Objective setting – for the team as a whole, and personally for individuals
within the team.
7. Legal compliance and monitoring – for example, health and safely, data
protection, employment terms and conditions of service.
It is not possible within the syllabus to look in detail at all the tools associated with the
functions outlined above, but this section will explore some of the key tools that are
available to managers in enhancing sales performance.
John Adair – Action Centred Leadership
John Adair believes there is a direct relationship between the task, individual and team
and the performance of any one will impact the performance of the other as outlined
below.
 Achieving the task builds the team and satisfies the individuals.
 If team needs are not met - if the team lacks cohesiveness - then performance
of the task is impaired and individual satisfaction is reduced.

 If individual needs are not met the team will lack cohesiveness and
performance of the task will be impaired.
John Adair’s Action Centred Leadership model provides managers with a tool to
enable them to analyse and improve their performance in order to maximise the
performance of a sales team.
John Adair therefore states that the manager has responsibilities to the task,
individual and team:
Responsibilities to the task:
 define the task
 identify available resources
 formulate a plan
 delegate responsibility
 set quality standards
 maintain control
 keep to schedule
 report to higher authority
 assess progress and adjust plans as appropriate.
Responsibilities to the individual:
 understand individuals, their strengths, skills, personality, and needs

 support and assist individuals
 acknowledge effort and good work
 identify individual training needs
 encourage and develop individual creativity, freedom and authority.
Responsibilities to the team:
 establish and communicate acceptable performance standards
 establish and communicate acceptable ethical standards
 maintain discipline and focus
 proactively resolve conflicts
 encourage team spirit
 motivate the team
 establish leadership roles within the team
 establish and maintain effective communication.
In order to fulfil the three aspects of leadership (task, team and individual) and achieve
success, Adair believes that there are eight functions that must be performed and
developed by the leader/manager.
1. Defining the task: Individuals and teams need to have the task distilled into a
clear objective that is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and
Time Constrained).
2. Planning: planning requires a search for alternatives and this is best done with
others in an open-minded, positive and creative way. Contingencies should be
planned for and plans should be tested.
3. Briefing: team briefing is viewed as a basic leadership function that is essential
in order to create the right atmosphere, promote teamwork, and motivate each
individual.
4. Controlling: Adair wrote in ‘The Skills of Leadership’ that excellent leaders get
maximum results with the minimum of resources. To achieve this leader’s need
self-control, good control systems in place and effective delegation and
monitoring skills.
5. Evaluating: leaders need to be good at assessing consequences, evaluating
team performance, appraising and training individuals, and judging people.
6. Motivating: Adair distinguishes six principles for motivating others in his book
‘Effective motivation’: be motivated yourself; select people who are highly
motivated; set realistic and challenging targets; remember that progress
motivates; provide fair rewards; and give recognition.
7. Organising: good leaders have to be able to organise themselves, their team
and the organisation (including structures and processes). Leading change
requires a clear purpose and effective organisation to achieve results.
8. Setting an example: leaders need to set an example both to individuals and to
the team as a whole. Since a bad example is noticed more than a good one,
setting a good example is something that must be worked at constantly.

Use the table below to assess your management performance.
Function Task Team Individual
Planning
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Briefing
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Monitoring
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Supporting
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Example
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Reviewing
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Coaching

Coaching is gaining popularity as a way to encourage and facilitate learning. Coaching
is often confused with training, though besides the fact that they both promote learning,
they do so in different ways.
 Training is about teaching specific skills or knowledge - coaching is about
facilitating someone else’s thinking and helping them learn by working on live
work issues.
 Training usually takes place off-site or in dedicated training sessions - coaching
takes place in the office and (when carried out by a manager) can be integrated
into day-to-day workplace conversations.
 Training is more typically carried out in groups - coaching is usually a one-to-
one process and is tailored to the individual’s needs.
 Training is usually delivered by an external consultant or dedicated internal
trainer - coaching can be delivered by an external consultant or by a manager.
Although they are distinct activities, training and coaching can work very well when
used together. One classic obstacle encountered in business training is the difficulty of
transferring skills and enthusiasm from the training room to the workplace. Coaching is
an excellent way of helping people apply what they learn from a course to their day-to-
day work.
The role a Sales Manager can play as a coach for the Sales team.
Managers can have a powerful influence on their teams and the organisation as a
whole when they adopt a coaching style of management. As a way of managing
people, coaching differs from the traditional corporate ‘command and control’ approach
in the following ways:
 collaborating instead of controlling
 delegating more responsibility
 talking less, listening more
 giving fewer orders, asking more questions
 giving specific feedback instead of making judgements.
This is not simply a case of ‘being nicer’ to people - delegated responsibility brings
pressure to perform and coaching managers maintain a rigorous focus on goals and
results.
Some people argue that it is impossible for a manager to act as a coach, given their
position of authority over the team. While authority is an important issue, it need not be
an insurmountable obstacle - as long as there is genuine trust and respect in the
working relationship. It is also a fact that coaching frequently takes place between
peers and even upwards on occasion, with some enlightened bosses happy to be
coached by their team members.
Coaching demands the specific qualities of that manager: empathy, integrity,
detachment and willingness. Sometimes managers even have to cope with initial
resistance from some of the team, suspicious of any departure from traditional
management.
Advantages of manager-coaches
In-depth knowledge of people and organisation.
Longer term relationships because managers spend more time with their team
members, they have the opportunity to get to know them better and build a solid

foundation of mutual trust and respect, which is essential to an effective coaching
relationship.
More opportunities for influence managers’ contact with team members is not confined
to formal coaching sessions - they are constantly interacting with their team members
and have many opportunities to influence them.
Advantages for the manager
It’s probably fairly obvious that coaching benefits the people being coached - but what
about the manager? If you are a busy manager, can you afford the time and effort
required, when you already have plenty of other demands to cope with?
Coaching should not be seen simply as a case of ‘giving up’ your time and energy to
helping others achieve their goals and solve their problems; it will also benefit you.
 More committed team
Empowerment is a powerful motivator. When you make an effort to include
people in setting their own goals, making decisions and implement their own
ideas, they are likely to become more committed and focused at work.
 Better team performance
Because of its dual functions of managing performance and developing
people, coaching leads to better individual and team performance.
 Better working relationships
Good coaching promotes trust and collaboration, and leads to better working
relationships. This means working relationships can get easier and more
enjoyable (or in some cases at least less stressful) for all concerned.
 Better ideas
Managers are often surprised at the quality of ideas their teams generate.
Teams often will get into the habit of bringing you suggestions.
 Better information
If you are genuinely coaching people in a collaborative, open spirit, people will
feel more confident in coming to you with vital information - including telling
you the ‘bad news’ while there is still time to do something about it.
 Investing time to gain time
There is no doubt that in the short term it’s often quicker to ‘take charge’ and
give orders instead of coaching. That’s fine for ‘fire fighting’, but in the long
term, the more you direct, the more people will rely on you for directions, and
the more of your time will be swallowed up by it. If you invest time in coaching
however, over time your people will require less and less direction and you will
be confident in delegating more and more to them - freeing up your time for
the tasks
The GROW model offers a way of structuring coaching sessions to facilitate a
balanced discussion:

In practice, since most coaching is driven by questions, this means that different types
of question are used at each stage:
 Goal
- Every coaching session needs targets. These are specific and
measureable improvements that you hope to achieve in performance.
For instance “ to ensure a minimum of 25 sales calls are made each
week”
- Questions to define the goal as clearly as possible and also to evoke an
emotional response. Such as “What do you want to achieve? What will
be different when you achieve it? What's important about this for you?”
- Clear deadlines should be included to explain when the learning should
have taken place
 Reality
- Questions to elicit specific details of the situation and context [What is
happening now? Who is involved? What is their outcome? What is likely
to happen in future?]
 Options
- Details of the specific coaching techniques need to be defined. Choose
the most appropriate coaching techniques (from the list below)
- Open-ended questions to facilitate creative thinking [What could you do?
What ideas can you bring in from past successes? What haven't you
tried yet?]
 What
- Focused questions to get an agreement to specific actions and criteria
for success [What will you do? When will you do it? Who do you need to
involve? When should you see results?]
deciding on a concrete
plan of action
coming up with new ideas
for reaching the goal
exploring the current
situation, relevant history
and future trends
defining what you want to
achieve
Goal Reality
What/Who/
When
Options

- Monitoring and review needs to be incorporated as the methods in which
learning can be monitored needs to be defined. These could include
monitoring log sheets, weekly meeting to discuss progress and
monitoring calls.
Coaching can begin at any of the four stages of the GROW model. A coach might
begin by telling you about something she wants to achieve (Goal), a current problem
(Reality), a new idea for improving things (Options) or by outlining an action plan
(What). As a coach, it’s usually a good idea to follow the coachee’s lead initially by
asking a few questions to elicit more detail then move onto the other steps.
Coaching techniques
There is a range of coaching techniques which can be employed in a variety of settings
and with different people including:
 self directed learning - asking the learner to research a topic and report this
back to you
 observations of a demonstration - the learner watches an expert in action
 discussion - conversations during which the necessary attitudes and skills are
reviewed
 special projects - a learner undertakes a project which necessitates using
specific skills and/or skills which need to be developed
 role playing - a good way to practice skills and techniques such as customer
service
 team/group discussions - the team discusses a specific issue and you, the
manager, can feedback on ideas / points raised
 shadowing - a learner works alongside and watches someone more
experienced
Motivation
Motivation is at the heart of managing people and sales teams successfully, and of
gaining improved performance from individuals and teams.
It is important that sales managers have an understanding of why people work in
different ways and appreciate what motivates them to perform better. Yet, whilst
understanding this is important, it is often hard to assess individuals. For example, do
you really know what motivates you and why you work better with some line managers
than others?
There are many different models which have been developed to help managers
understand motivation though we outline some of these now but do aim to develop
your knowledge by reading.
McGregor’s Theory XY

Douglas McGregor, an American social psychologist proposed his famous X-Y theory
in his 1960s book The Human Side of Enterprise. Theory X and theory Y are still
referred to commonly in the field of management and motivation, and whilst more
recent studies have questioned the rigidity of the model, McGregor’s XY Theory
remains a valid basic principle from which to develop positive management style and
techniques. McGregor’s XY Theory remains central to organisational development, and
to improving organisational culture.
McGregor’s XY Theory is a salutary and simple reminder of the natural rules for
managing people, which under the pressure of day-to-day business are all too easily
forgotten.
McGregor maintained that there are two fundamental approaches to managing people.
Many managers tend towards Theory X, and generally get poor results. Enlightened
managers use Theory Y, which produces better performance and results, and allows
people to grow and develop.
Theory X (authoritarian management style)
 The average person dislikes work and will avoid it if he/she can.
 Therefore most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work
towards organisational objectives.
 The average person prefers to be directed; to avoid responsibility; is relatively
un-ambitious, and wants security above all else.
Theory Y (participative management style)
 Effort in work is as natural effort is in play.
 People will apply self-control and self-direction in the pursuit of organisational
objectives, without external control or the threat of punishment.
 Commitment to objectives is a function of rewards associated with their
achievement.
 People usually accept and often seek responsibility.
 The capacity to use a high degree of imagination, ingenuity and creativity in
solving organisational problems is widely, not narrowly, distributed in the
population.
 In industry the intellectual potential of the average person is only partly utilised.
Abraham Maslow and the Hierarchy of Needs

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was a US psychologist and behavioural scientist. His
"Hierarchy of Needs Theory" was first presented in 1943 though is still used widely
today.
Maslow saw human needs in the form of a hierarchy, ascending from the lowest to the
highest. When one set of needs is satisfied it ceases to be a motivator; motivation is
then generated by the unsatisfied needs in the hierarchy. The needs are: survival or
physiological needs, safety or security needs, social needs, ego-status needs and self-
actualisation needs. If managers can recognise which level of the hierarchy a worker
has reached, he or she can motivate the employee in the most appropriate way.
Today the hierarchy is usually represented as a triangle, although Maslow himself did
not present it in this way.
The hierarchy consists of five levels.
1. Survival or physiological needs. The most primitive of all needs consisting of
the basic animal requirements such as food, water, shelter, warmth and sleep.
2. Security or safety needs. In earlier times these needs were expressed as a
desire to be free of physical danger. This need has been refined so that its
implications are now felt in terms of the social and financial, such as job
security, rather than purely physical requirements.
3. Social needs. To belong and be accepted by others. Man is essentially a social
being and therefore seeks membership of social groups, such as work groups.
4. Ego-status needs. To be held in esteem by both oneself and others. This kind
of need is satisfied by power, prestige and self-confidence.
5. Self-actualisation needs. To maximise one's skills and talents. This embraces
self-realisation, self-expression and self-fulfilment.
There are certain conditions, Maslow wrote, which are immediate prerequisites for
satisfying needs, such as the freedom to speak, freedom to express or defend oneself,
justice, fairness and honesty. Danger to these is perceived almost as if it were a
danger to the needs themselves.
Self-actualisation
Esteem
Love and belonging
Safety
Physiological

The hierarchy is usually referred to as if it were a fixed order but Maslow explained that
it is not necessarily rigid or universally applicable. While most people do have basic
needs in the order indicated, there are a number of exceptions. Creative people, for
example, are often driven by self-actualisation rather than by lower satisfactions.
The hierarchy is often presented in simplified terms, giving the false impression that
one need must be fully satisfied before the next need emerges. In fact, Maslow
explained, man is a continually wanting animal, whose basic needs are partially
satisfied and partially unsatisfied at the same time. Needs continually overlap; for
example social needs are felt by everyone, including those whose basic needs are not
met. However, as soon as one need is satisfied it ceases to be a motivator.
The hygiene-motivation theory
Frederick Herzberg and his ‘overriding interest in mental health’ stemmed from his
belief that ‘mental health is the core issue of our times’. This was prompted by his
posting to the Dachau concentration camp after its liberation.
Herzberg's work focused on the individual in the workplace, but it has been popular
with managers as it also emphasised the importance of management knowledge and
expertise.
The `hygiene-motivation' or `two factor' theory resulted from research with two hundred
Pittsburgh engineers and accountants. These people were asked what pleased and
displeased them about their jobs. From their responses, Herzberg concluded that man
has two sets of needs:
 lower level needs as an animal to avoid pain and deprivation
 higher level needs as a human being to grow psychologically Some factors in
the workplace meet the first set of needs but not the second and vice versa.
The first group of factors he called `hygiene factors' and the second,
`motivators'.
Herzberg’s Theory of Motivation
Essentially Herzberg believed that there are factors at work which make us satisfied
with our job (such as reward, recognition, career progression and training). Yet,
equally, there are factors which, without change, will result in dissatisfaction (poor
working conditions, long-winded administration). Hertzberg’s work is held in high
acclaim and, again, the CMI have written a summary of his research which we have
reproduced below.

Herzberg also coined the term `job enrichment', a technique which grew out of the
hygiene-motivation theory. Job enrichment involved including motivators in the design
of jobs. In his famous Harvard Business Review article (One more time: how do you
motivate employees? published in 1968) Herzberg also invented the acronym KITA
(Kick In The Ass) to explain personnel practices such as wage increases, fringe
benefits and job participation which were developed as attempts to instil motivation but
are only short-term solutions.
KITA was used by Herzberg to explain why managers don't motivate employees. He
demonstrated that employees are not motivated by being kicked (figuratively
speaking), or by being given more money or benefits, a comfortable environment or
reducing time spent at work. These elements were called `hygiene factors' by Herzberg
because they concern the context or environment in which a person works. Hygiene
factors also include:
 company policy and administration
 supervision
 working relationships
 status and security.
These factors do not in themselves promote job satisfaction, but serve primarily to
prevent job dissatisfaction, just as good hygiene does not in itself produce good health,
but lack of it will cause disease. Herzberg also speaks of them as dissatisfiers or
maintenance factors, since it is their absence or inadequacy which causes
dissatisfaction at work. Some factors are not true motivators as they need constant
reinforcement. Additionally, they increasingly come to be regarded as rights to be
expected, rather than incentives to greater satisfaction and achievement.
`Motivators' (also referred to as growth factors) relate to what a person does at work,
rather than to the context in which it is done. They include:
 achievement
 recognition
 the work itself
 responsibility
 advancement and growth.
Herzberg explains that the two sets of factors are separate and distinct because they
are concerned with two different sets of needs. They are not opposites.
Herzberg's hygiene-motivation theory is derived from the outcomes of several
investigations into job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction, studies which replicated his
original research in Pittsburgh. The theory proposes that most factors which contribute
to job satisfaction are motivators (achievement, recognition, the satisfaction of the work
itself, responsibility and opportunities for advancement and growth) and most factors
which contribute to job dissatisfaction are hygiene elements (company policy, general
management, the individuals relationship with their manager and working conditions).
Most of the evidence on which Herzberg based his theory is relatively clear-cut. This is
particularly the case with regard to achievement and promotion prospects as potential
job satisfiers and with regard to supervision and job insecurity as factors which
contribute principally to dissatisfaction.
The element which continues to cause some debate is salary/pay, which seems split
down the middle. Herzberg's evidence was not so clear here, although he placed
salary with the disatissfiers. This would seem the most appropriate classification;

although pay may have some short-term motivational value, it is difficult to conceive of
it as a long-term motivator in the same manner as responsibility and achievement.
Most experience (and the history of industrial relations) would point to pay as a
dissatisfier and therefore a hygiene factor along with supervision, status, and security.
Job enrichment was an extension of Herzberg's hygiene-motivation theory. He saw it
as a continuous management function which involved embracing motivators in job
design. These included:
 self-scheduling
 control of resources
 accountability
 undertaking specialised tasks to become expert in them.
Expectancy theory
The Expectancy Theory developed by Victor Vroom deals with motivation and
management. Vroom’s theory assumes that behaviour results from conscious choices
among alternatives whose purpose it is to maximise pleasure and minimise pain.
Vroom suggested that the relationship between people’s behaviour at work and their
goals was not as simple as was first imagined by other scientists. Vroom realized that
an employee’s performance is based on an individual’s own factors such as
personality, skills, knowledge, experience and abilities.
The Expectancy Theory says that individuals have different sets of goals and can be
motivated if they believe that:
 there is a positive correlation between efforts and performance
 favourable performance will result in a desirable reward
 the reward will satisfy and important need
 the desire to satisfy the need is strong enough to make the effort worthwhile.
Vroom’s Expectancy Theory is based on the following three beliefs.

1. Valence (valence refers to the emotional orientations people hold with respect
to outcomes (rewards). The depth of the want of an employee or extrinsic
(money, promotion, time-off, benefits) or intrinsic (satisfaction) rewards).
Management must discover what employees’ value.
2. Expectancy (employees have different expectations and levels of confidence
about what they are capable of doing). Management must discover what
resources, training, or supervision employees need.
3. Instrumentality (the perception of employees whether they will actually get what
they desire even if it has been promised by a manager). Management must
ensure that promises of rewards are fulfilled and that employees are aware of
that.
Vroom suggests that an employee’s beliefs about Expectancy, Instrumentality, and
Valence interact psychologically to create a motivational force such that the employee
acts in ways that bring pleasure and avoid pain. This force can be ‘calculated’ via the
following formula:
Motivation = Valance x Expectancy (instrumentality).
This formula can be used to indicate and predict such things as job satisfaction, one’s
occupational choice, the likelihood of staying in a job, and the effort one might expend
at work.
Using one of the models above, identify and evaluate the factors
that motivate you as a Sales Manager and identify the factors that may
potentially motivate a sales force.

LO3 Understand how to contribute to the
direction of the organisation
Overview
It is the corporate strategy that sets the direction of the business and it can be reflected
in a series of hierarchical statements.
 Mission statement
Many organisations will have a Mission Statement, the purpose of which is to
define the scope of the organisation, its position and goals, and clarifies why
the company exists. This should be defined in terms of customer needs that
are being served rather than the products and services that are produced.
Such a process helps the organisation understand the desired position in the
mind of the customer.
 Values
This aims to demonstrate the belief structure that underlies the organisation
and the desired behaviours.
 Objectives
Here we start to see where the organisation wants to get to, its key strategic
goals. There may be a number of objectives and each should be specific,
measurable and time-bound.
 Strategy
A statement of what the competitive game plan will be and how the company
intends achieving the stated objectives. Several options may be considered,
but there should be one clear strategy.
 Tactics
Here we see the detail of the plan and how it will be executed and the precise
route the company expects to take. There may be several tactics for each
strategy.
The mission statement is the loftiest guiding light and the least specific. As you work
your way down the hierarchy, the statements become more practical, and ultimately
unique. No two companies will have the same strategic statement, which defines their
competitive advantage, and shows how they will implement their strategy.
Does your organisation have a stated mission and vision? How is it reflected in
your daily business?

AC 3.1 Evaluate ways to contribute to the organisation’s
vision, mission, aims and objectives
It is the role of the Sales Manager to contribute to strategy implementation by the
translation of chosen strategy into action so as to achieve strategic goals and
objectives. Successful implementation is not easy and is often the reason why
businesses fail to realise their goals.
Wilson and Gilligan (2012) suggest three important conditions for successful
implementation:
 there is clear recognition of what the plan says
 the plan is understood by all affected parties and their roles understood
 there is consensus about the wisdom of the plan.
Drummond and Ensor (2001) indicate a number of factors that will contribute to
successful implementation. These factors are:
 leadership – a strong and effective leader who is able to motivate and build
teams
 organisational culture – if the strategy is counter to the dominant culture, values
and beliefs, it will likely fail unless support is gained through internal marketing
 organisational structure – the structure denotes levels of responsibility and
facilitates communication. organisations must ensure that structures do not act
as barriers to effective communication
 resources – appropriate levels of resources should be available: time, money
and staff
 control – effective controls are required to measure progress
 skills – the skill levels of all staff need to match the strategic requirements
 systems – effective systems to generate relevant and timely information.
Implementing strategic sales plans
The basic principles of implementation are straightforward and described below. The
key to success is clarity of purpose, clarity of communication and treating everybody
concerned empathetically and respectfully.
 Define objectives
The first step is to be totally clear about what the business requires the sales
function to deliver by outlining the strategic objectives.
 Define team structure and roles
The second step is to set out a sales structure that will best facilitate the
delivery of the business objectives. Remember that structure follows strategy
and not the other way around. Matching people to the new organisation
follows and this may include training, recruitment or redeployment.
 Resources
Identify and secure any other additional resources required to deliver the
strategic objectives.
 Set evaluation and control procedures
You can’t manage what you can’t measure!

 Communication
A program of internal marketing with an emphasis on staff training, motivation,
empowerment and working in teams is a powerful contributor to successful
strategic implementation. It is vital that everyone involved both directly and
indirectly, receives a consistent message about the objectives of the strategic
plan and its implications thereby aiding buy-in from all stakeholders.
Modelling organisational effectiveness - McKinsey 7S
Developed in the early 1980s by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman, two consultants
working at the McKinsey & Company consulting firm, the basic premise of the model is
that there are seven internal aspects of an organisation that need to be aligned for
successful strategy implementation.
Placing Shared Values in the middle of the model emphasises that these values are
central to the development of all the other critical elements. The company's structure,
strategy, systems, style, staff and skills all stem from why the organisation was
originally created, and what it stands for.
The basic principle is that you've got to watch a lot of factors all the time as you
implement any strategy and all the elements need to be aligned.
Using McKinsey 7S model, evaluate your organisation or sales
team’s readiness for strategy implementation.
Planning and Monitoring Sales

Planning is essential, not just for successful sales managers, but for the success of
almost every activity you can think of. Planning can be defined as:
 deciding in advance what to do
 how to do this particular task
 when to do it
 who is to do it
The importance of planning
If managers do not plan to some degree, there would be chaos. No-one would know if
corporate objectives were being met and no-one would know what is expected of them.
There are four main reasons why planning is important for good management, it:
 helps offset the effects of change and uncertainty, so minimising risk
 focuses everyone’s attention on the company’s goals and objectives
 helps the company remain economical
 allows managers to measure the actual results achieved, ascertaining if
objectives and goals were met.
The planning cycle
Planning doesn’t just happen. It needs to be a systematic process (which can be a
lengthy, challenging and thought-provoking exercise).
Planning takes place at different levels within companies at corporate, strategic,
management and operational levels, and revolves around four basic stages.
1. Where are we?
This is often known as a situational audit, and involves understanding about
our stakeholders and their needs as well as the external business
environment. It also involves appraising the companies own strengths and
weaknesses.
2. Where do we want to be?
At this stage, the company sets its long-term mission and its shorter-term
sales objectives - topics we consider in this tutorial.
3. How will we get there?
The company can now select strategies and sales tactics to achieve the
defined objectives and in line with the resources available to the company.
4. How well did we do?
The final stage evaluates whether the objectives were achieved. Valuable
lessons can be learned from the assessment and which will help in the
planning of the next years’ plans and objectives.
Objectives
The first stage of the planning process is the identification and description of the
company’s objectives. The importance of this cannot be overstated as objectives:
 are the goals everyone strives to reach
 give purpose and meaning to the company’s existence
 motivate team members.
Objectives often relate to:

 profitability
 market share
 productivity
 staff performance
 innovation
 corporate social responsibility
 resource utilisation.
In the context of management, planning involves selecting strategies from differing
alternative courses of action. In order to do this, it requires the company to define its
own objectives. Each department or division, then needs to set goals and targets to
help meet these corporate objectives and to find ways to achieve them. This is
illustrated in the diagram on the following page.
Meeting company objectives
Mission statement The mission statement summaries the
company objectives and gives the broad
direction and overall aim of the company.
It can be defined as a short declaration
(or brief summary) of what the business
is trying to achieve over a long period of
time.
Company-wide objectives The company-wide objectives are set
for a shorter time period (commonly for
the year).
Department objectives and strategies The department objectives are set in
line with the company objectives and
then plans (or strategies) are devised in
order to achieve these objectives.
Team objectives and strategies Team objectives are aligned to the
department objectives and again plans
need to be developed so these
objectives are realised.
Individual objectives and strategies Individual objectives are set for each
individual member of the team so they
appreciate their own contribution to the
success of the team, department and
company.
Setting objectives

Objectives have been likened to reading a map as they help us to:
 define where we want to go
 plan the most appropriate route
 check to see how close we are to the final destination
 confirm that we have arrived.
Essentially, an objective is a statement which summarises what an organisation, team
or individual is hoping to achieve. You could also call them aims, targets or outcomes
though objective is the most widely used term (and one the ISMM uses so we strongly
recommend you use it too!).
The key to success is to set SMART objectives. This acronym will hop you remember
that objectives should be:
S Specific
M Measurable
A Achievable
R Realistic
T Time-related/time bound
Specific objectives
An objective should be a statement which defines the end result you want to achieve. It
should be specific, clear and easy to understand. Unclear, complex or convoluted
objectives may look very grand on paper, but are not so easy to understand six months
later when you are in the process of reviewing progress. Objectives should allow
everyone involved; team members, colleagues, other managers to quickly see what
you plan to achieve. For example: unspecific, complex objectives would:
 seek to disseminate information using technological advances in order to reach
a previously untapped global market;
 challenge our competition in the market place in order to achieve a sustainable
increase in our market share;
 relocate our operational base to a dynamic and forward-looking environment
which will enable us to participate in faster growth opportunities.
Specific objectives would be:
 create a home page and website on the world wide web;
 increase our market share;
 move our existing offices to reading.
Measurable objectives
Objectives should be measurable. They should allow you to measure progress and
achievement. You need to know where you are going, what you hope to achieve, and
whether or not you are meeting the standards you have set.
Simple, measurable objectives would be:
 create a revised web site
 increase our market share in the UK by 26 per cent
 increase sales by 20%.
Achievable objectives

The key question to ask yourself when setting objectives, is: ‘Is this achievable?’
Setting objectives which are unlikely to be achieved is a pointless exercise. Anyone
who is charged with meeting an unachievable objective will quickly become
demoralised and de-motivated.
Realistic objectives
Once objectives have been clarified and set, they should not be altered without good
reason. Sometimes, of course, external factors such as economic, legislative or
competitive changes mean that objectives have to be revisited and rewritten.
Time-related objectives
Because it is important to constantly monitor progress in relation to objectives, you
need to include a time frame within which the objective should be achieved. Doing this
will allow you, week by week, and month by month, to check to see whether you are on
target for achievement, or whether adjustments need to be made.
Time-related objectives would be:
 create a revised web site by 15 December 2013
 increase our market share in the UK by 26 per cent by 1 April 2011
 increase sales by 20% by 1st January 2011.
Objectives and resources
Objectives need to be set in line with company resources. A small organisation could
not expect to become a world leader in a short timeframe as it, almost certainly, will not
have the necessary financial and people resources.
Resources help ensure the company’s success through achievement of its objectives –
providing they are managed efficiently.
Resource management
Resources need to be managed carefully. This means the manager needs to consider
the three critical areas of:
 Staff/people
- Who is available to help?
- Who has the necessary experience and training to help?
- How many people can do any necessary extra work.?
 Finance/money
- How much can be spent on any projects?
- What are the limits?
- What has financial authority?
 Materials and equipment
- Where can the work be done
- Are raw materials available
- Is specialised equipment or software necessary?
Resource management is another carefully planned activity following the following
stages:
Resource needs identification

Resource acquisition
Resource storage
Resource distribution
In this way, the manager ensures that they acquire the identified resources and store it
so that it is available when and where it is needed and will meet the needs of those
requiring the resources.
Monitoring resources
Another aspect of resource management is monitoring. This ensures that there are
sufficient resources rather than allowing short falls. At the same time, it ensures that
the resources are used efficiently and waste is minimised. Quality control is also
significant to ensure resources of the right quality are distributed.
Setting objectives
As we have seen, objectives (or goals – they mean the same thing) are the desired
outcomes for individuals, groups and entire organisations. They define what is to be
achieved and by when.
When setting objectives they need to conform to the SMART acronym, which you have
just read about. By setting SMART objectives, the manager ensures they state exactly
what they intend to achieve, that it is attainable (given the corporate resources) and
you’ll be able to measure the results – in order to assess if the objectives were realised
or not.
Monitoring and controlling plans (how well did we do?)
Controlling plans is an essential aspect of planning as it helps anticipate and avoid
problems. To help with this, a central loop model is frequently employed, as illustrated
below:
Read the following objectives and decide if they conform to the SMART rule:
1. By the end of the meeting we will have discussed the current proposal.
2. By the end of the meeting we will have convinced them to withdraw their
current proposal and to have set a date (within the next two weeks), at which
time we will start to develop an alternative plan.
3. To increase sales by the end of the year.

LO4 Be able to review own leadership
and management skills
Overview
It is widely recognised today that development and learning is not a ‘one-off’ activity
but one that should be continuous. Development of skills, knowledge and experience is
essential in today’s rapidly changing workplace if you are to realise your full potential.
In order for companies to remain competitive and to retain their reputation for
excellence, employees need up-to-the minute information and the ability to use new
technologies, adapt to organisational change, work in flatter organisations in which
cross-functional skills and knowledge are required, and work effectively in teams and
other collaborative situations.
For you to succeed as an individual you need a clear idea of where you are headed
and what is important to you in your life.
As an individual, you might recognise that it is essential to develop so that you will be
effective in your current job and be able to move into other positions or accept new
responsibilities as circumstances demand.
When taking responsibility for our own personal management, one of the first things
that we have to realise is that it is a six-stage process:
At this stage you know that a skill might be of use to you, but
you don’t know anything about it.
At this stage you know what skill might be of use to you, but you
are not familiar with the skill.
Now you are beginning to look for suitable opportunities to put
this into practice, but it will take conscious effort to use the new
skills.
You are now using the new skills routinely, and are consciously
aiming to improve by other methods such as role-modelling
others.
The people around you recognise the change in skill level and
you are now so practised that the skill has moved from your
conscious level to the subconscious.
Your skill is now so well known that others recognise you as the
expert.
What is personal development planning?
Personal development planning (PDP) is the process of thinking through your work,
reflecting on it, reviewing certain areas and planning in order to improve and reach
personal goals. It also means taking stock of your own abilities, experiences, qualities
and skills to create a plan in order to succeed and develop professionally and to make
effective life decisions.
Unaware
Aware
Informed
Capable
Recognise
Guru

We all work in demanding jobs and you might now be asking yourself why you should
take time out from your busy schedule to prepare a PDP. Once you’ve gone through
the whole process, you’ll find that the PDP benefits you in many ways, in both your
professional and personal life.
Benefits of PDP to professional life
 Clearer ideas about the kind of life and work you want.
 Greater confidence in the choices you make.
 Greater confidence in the skills, qualities and attributes you bring to your
position.
 Being in a better position to compete for jobs.
 Being better able to discuss your skills, personal qualities and competences
with line managers.
 Developing the positive attitudes and approaches associated with successful
professional life.
Many employers now expect their employees to understand their own performance
and to know how to adapt to meet times of increased workload, stressful situations or
conditions of change. You are expected to respond well to change and to manage both
your own performance and the performance of other people. Time devoted to
understanding what influences your own performance is therefore very well spent.
Benefits of PDP to personal life
 A better understanding of yourself and how you ‘tick’.
 Being in a better position to make appropriate choices to meet your aspirations.
 Greater awareness of your needs and how to meet these.
 Greater awareness of the unique contribution you can make.
Personal development planning is becoming an increasingly important aspect of our
professional lives and is often the key mechanism by which lifelong learning is
planned. A written personal development plan (PDP) needs to be at the forefront of
your personal development building on the findings of an analysis and identifying your
goals and aspirations as well as highlighting the paths to achieving your ambitions – in
both your work and personal life.
What are personal development plans?
PDP are a structured and supported process undertaken by individuals to reflect on
their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal,
educational and career development.
A PDP is a useful framework as it can help you think through how best to meet your
development needs and capitalise on the findings of any personal assessment, such
as a personal SWOT analysis, in the short, medium and long term.
Planning a PDP
Now you understand what is meant by PDP and how it will benefit you, it is time to get
started in developing one of your own. PDP takes you through four basic stages:
1. Where am I?
2. Where do I want to be?
3. How will I get there?
4. How well did I do?

Where am I now?
What is my current situation?
What am I good
at?
Where do I want to be?
Consider all factors, professional and personal, such as time,
support, finance, motivation and imminent changes.
How can I get there?
Split task into...
Medium-term
objectives
Review regularly Review regularly
What do I need
to work on?
What could
help me along?
What could
stop me?
Short-term
objectives
Long-term
objectives
The resemblance to a planning cycle will be apparent immediately: development needs
are assessed; means of achieving them are planned and then put into practice. The
success of PDP’s will ultimately depend on the crucial stage of evaluation to ascertain
if objectives have been met.
We will now look at each stage in more detail.
Summary flow chart for developing your PDP
How well did I do?

Where am I?
In order to make plans for your personal and professional development, you need to
start by assessing where you are now and to decide what you current situation is. You
may find it helpful to consider the following questions.
What am I good at? Have I got strengths which I would like to use in my job now
or in the future?
What do others I work with consider my strengths to be?
What do I need to work
on?
Are there any weaknesses I need to work on to help
develop my long term career?
What do others I work with consider my weaknesses to be?
What guidance might I need to help me with tackling my
weak areas?
What could help me
along?
What are the opportunities I can see ahead in the next year
for developing my capabilities at work?
What are the longer- term opportunities which will help me
to develop in my career?
How do I make the most of the opportunities available?
What might stop me? What threats are there to my development over the next
year?
What are the threats in the long term that may prevent me
from pursuing my career goals?
What suggestions might I offer to deal with any threats?
You may find some of the questions below helpful in clarifying your longer-term
development needs.
Strengths
 Have I got strengths which I would like to use in my job now or in the future?
 What do others I work with consider my strengths to be?
 What information about my strengths would it be useful to include in a
personal review and development plan (PRDP) meeting?
Weaknesses
 Are there any weaknesses I need to work on to help develop my long-term
career?
AC 4.1 Critically evaluate own values, motivations and
limitations in leadership and management

 What do others I work with consider my weaknesses to be?
 What guidance might I need to help me with tackling my weak areas?
Opportunities
 What are the opportunities I can see ahead in the next year for developing my
capabilities at work?
 What are the longer-term opportunities that will help me to develop in my
career?
 How do I make the most of the opportunities available?
 How will I incorporate these opportunities into my PRDP meeting?
Threats
 What threats are there to my development over the next year?
 What are the threats in the long term that may prevent me from pursuing my
career goals?
 How am I going to raise the threats I may face in my PRDP meeting?
 What suggestions might I offer to deal with any threats?
Analysing the information
In order to assess the answers to your questions, you can undertake a simple SWOT
analysis. This means considering your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats. An example is given on the following page.
Strengths
What am I good at?
Weaknesses
What do I need to work on?
 Superb qualification
 Good interpersonal skills
 Sound IT skills
 Good organisational skills
 Poor IT skills
 Do not like giving presentations
Opportunities
What could help me along?
Threats
What might stop me?
 Attending communication course
soon
 Plenty of exciting projects
underway at work
 Change to organisation imminent
 Possible detachment
 Lack of resources (money/time)

AC 4.2 Construct a personal development plan to improve
own leadership and management skills
Where do I want to be?
The second stage of the plan is to consider your aspirations and goals.
This is the most exciting but also the most difficult stage to define. Only you can
answer this question, but be aware that there are many factors to consider when
finding the solution. You may find the following task questions provoke thought in many
areas:
Think about the following questions and jot down any thoughts on a piece of
paper:
 What do I like doing? In my job, as a hobby.
 What is my motive for improving? Promotion, personal improvement,
overcoming a learning difficulty.
 What qualifications and/or experience do I already have? Some of
these may be transferable.
 How much time do I have to give to CPD (Continuous Personal
Development)? Be realistic, development takes time.
 Are there any imminent changes to my lifestyle? Marriage, children,
promotion.
 What is my ultimate goal? Personal fulfilment, career development.
 How much time do I have to give to CPD (Continuous Personal
Development)? Be realistic, development takes time.
 What is my ultimate goal? Personal fulfilment, career development
 How will I measure my success? Recognised higher level
qualifications, promotion

Vision
The starting point is to consider your long-term vision. What do you want to achieve in
your life? It is important to have a vision of where you are going, the kind of life you
want to lead in the future and the levels of personal investment you are prepared to
make in different types of activity. It is this vision that will keep you motivated when the
inevitable setbacks occur and it gives you a sense of purpose. Without it, you will drift
aimlessly through your life and career. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve,
you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. You'll also quickly spot the
distractions that would otherwise lure you from your course.
Personal management helps you plan ahead towards your dreams…and to have those
dreams in the first place. If you are trying to assemble a jigsaw, you might well have
the picture in front of you. Climbing a mountain is much easier if you have seen the
pinnacle and know where you are headed. Consequently, it is very important to have a
vision of where you are going...without it, you will drift aimlessly through your life and
career.
Begin by thinking of your own long-term vision. You should fast forward into the future
to a time in 10 years from now and answer the questions below. This activity is not
about laying out a rigid plan for your future but to help you form a picture of the general
circumstances you would like to experience, as far as you can tell now.

Think about the following statements and jot down any thoughts on a piece of
paper:
In ten years’ time I want to be:
 living where in the world …
 living in what type of place (city, small town, countryside, seaside)
 living with whom
Considering these as the most important things in your life:
 working in what type of company:
 working in what type of job:
 working at what level in the company:
 your time outside work will be spent doing what:
 you will be the type of person who:
Listing three things as your main achievements:
1.
2.
3.
Medium-and short-term objectives
Once you have a vision for your long-term future, you need to consider your more
immediate goals and aspirations. Setting clear goals for the different areas of your life
can be invaluable and help you reach your long-term vision
Setting medium and short-term objectives allows you to bring into focus your
aspirations in terms of your career, your professional ambitions and your personal
goals in the foreseeable future. Splitting your goals into separate areas may seem
artificial. Many of your aims will of course be interrelated, so after concentrating on one
area at a time, step back and consider the bigger picture, namely your long-term
vision.
In order to achieve your long-term vision, it helps to have ‘mini-goals’ or objectives on
the way - success at these will spur you into greater triumphs.
Just look at the types of mini-goals that could be set:
 an aspiring professional musician – could aim to perform in local or small
concerts whilst aspiring to become a professional musician
 an aspiring artist – could put on exhibitions before becoming a full time painter
 an aspiring writer – could aim to publish short stories in magazines before
writing their first novel

 someone who works in the public eye – could make a speech at a wedding to
gain experience
 someone who wants to give back to society later in life – could take on a
voluntary work at weekends.
The best way to organise your plan into manageable chunks is therefore to set short,
medium and long-term objectives:
 short term – to meet the immediate needs of your role
 medium term – to meet the changing needs of your role and to equip you for
the future
 long term – to meet your career objectives.
Always remember, short, medium and long are all relative terms and will mean
different things to different people. Some plans may only last over a one year period,
others may last up to six years, and it all depends on you and your own circumstances.
It is also important to remember that these short, medium and long-term objectives are
fluid and must be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they are still relevant. It is
no problem if you plan your changes, just follow the basic principles outlined here:
Setting SMART objectives
Whenever you set objectives, these should conform to the SMART rule.
The SMART model or acronym was developed by psychologists as a tool to help
people set and reach their goals by ensuring their mini-goals or objectives are well
defined.
Looking in more detail, this means:
Specific
Is your goal well-defined? Avoid setting unclear or vague objectives; instead be as
precise as possible.
Instead of, ‘to do well in my career’, make it specific, ‘to achieve a professional
qualification.’
Measurable
Be clear as to how you will recognise when you have achieved your goal. Using
numbers, dates and times is one way to represent clear objectives.
Instead of “To get fit”, make it measurable, ‘Swim 20 lengths, twice a week for three
months.’
Attainable
Setting yourself unfeasible goals will only end in disappointment. Make your goals
challenging, but realistic.
Instead of ‘Give up smoking, drinking, and chocolate on the 1st of January’, make it
attainable, ‘Stop smoking by Christmas. Only drink alcohol at weekends and give up
Chocolate by 1st January.’
Relevant
Try and step back and get an overview of all the different areas of your life: academic,
personal and career. Consider how relevant each objective is to the overall picture.

Time-bound
Set a time scale for completion of each goal. Even if you have to review this as you
progress, it will help to keep you motivated.
Instead of ‘Sort out internal promotion’, make it time-bound, ‘Update CV by end of the
February and set up interview with line manager or HR before the end of March.’
Developing skills
You will now need to think about some of the ways you might meet the objectives you
have identified. This will involve thinking about the kind of skills, sales qualifications,
knowledge and sales experience that might be appropriate for you.
There are a range of approaches to formal and informal development that may help
you. The aim is to create a planned programme of learning activities choosing some of
the development activities listed below:
 covering others’ work when on leave
 reviewing existing capabilities
 secondment or exchange
 coaching others or mentoring
 developing a new skill
 writing a learning log
 taking on new tasks and responsibilities
 chairing a task force or working party
 computer based interactive learning
 workshops/courses
 study for a qualification
 structured reading
 lectures conferences
 preparation of papers
 research.
Informal learning activities
 Reviewing existing capabilities
This should be done on a regular basis in discussion with your manager at
your PRDP meeting. It will help you to identify your strengths as well as
possible development areas. You and your manager can then discuss which
development activities would be most effective and agree timescales and
outcomes.
 Developing a new skill
Identifying a new skill may be part of the discussion you have with your
manager during your PRDP, and you can then discuss some of the ways of
doing this
 Covering other’s work when on leave
When a colleague is on leave, jury service or secondment, this may provide
you with an ideal opportunity to take on a new area of work or try out a new
activity on a short-term basis. It is advisable where possible to get an initial

briefing from the colleague as well as suggesting regular meetings with your
manager to talk about how things are going. This might be an opportunity for
you to ask for extra support and guidance if you need it.
 Taking on new tasks and responsibilities:
- volunteering for a new project or area of responsibility
- suggesting a new area to your manager that you are interested in
undertaking
- offering to cover the work of colleagues when they are away from the
workplace
 Coaching others or mentoring
Acting as coach or mentor can be a very rewarding way of developing new
skills and getting recognition within your team. It can also be a step towards a
supervisory or management role.
 Chairing task force or working party
You may be interested in taking the lead in an area that you already know
quite a lot about. This can provide an excellent opportunity to raise your profile
outside your immediate work team and to network.
 Secondment or exchange
These can provide you with an extended opportunity to develop new areas of
expertise and can often provide important career development opportunities. If
these opportunities are not readily available, it is always worth thinking about
the possible benefits of links between your department/division and another,
and proposing the possibility to your manager.
Further information that may help you
 Professional institutes can give advice on relevant studies and qualifications
and can advise on changing requirements.
 College brochures and web sites, and discussion with course leaders can
provide guidance on qualification education.
 Discussion with your manager/supervisor about your development needs in
order to meet your work and career objectives.
 Networking with others in your field, both within your organisation and from
other firms can help you identify trends in work.
 Finding a mentor or friend who has reached a position you aspire to – for
support and guidance to achieve your goals.
 Job searching websites and advertisements in papers can give you a feel for
the changing demands of employers.
 Reading career planning books and personal life planning books.
Planning for achievement
Taking into account your own strengths and weaknesses together with your ambitions
at work, you need to set yourself a plan for development. This involves:
 setting goals to be achieved
 listing the actions needed to achieve these goals
 establishing success criteria (which will tell you if you achieved your goal)

 deciding on any necessary resources required.
For instance, you goal might be to work in the sales office in the sunny south of
France. The main requirements for this position are strong sales skills and the ability to
speak a little French.
Your success criteria would be:
 achieving the ISMM’s Diploma in Strategic Sales
 a B or A grade GCSE in French.
The resources might include:
 finance to take the courses
 time in which to complete them.
How will I get there?
As we’ve seen, your own PDP already has a vision for your long-term aspirations with
mini-goals, defined as SMART objectives, set as milestones on the way.
Now you need to consider the detailed actions and timescales needed to achieve
these objectives and finally you’ll require criteria to evaluate your achievement.
The next stage is to write your own personal development plan (PDP) which will be
your tool to support your personal and professional development.
Take each of your SMART short-term and medium-term goals and assess the skills
you will need to achieve each objective. The overall aim is to consider the personal
qualities required and then to establish where you need to improve and/or make
changes.
Spend some time thinking about your own goals and aspirations.
Then complete the following table.
Goal 1:
Action: Date for
completion
Success criteria Resources needed
Goal 2:
Action: Date for
completion
Success criteria Resources needed

Goal 3:
Action: Date for
completion
Success criteria Resources needed
Goal 4:
Action: Date for
completion
Success criteria Resources needed
How well did I do?
Personal management is an on-going and changing activity. You need to keep the
process going by reviewing and updating your goals, vision and values on a regular
basis by reflecting on what you have done, achieved and thought about.
What is reflection?
Reflection can be defined as a type of thinking. It is associated with deep thought
aimed at better understanding. It involves reviewing what is said and done, weighing
up the consequences and considering what the alternatives might have been. As the
diagram shows, we then decide if we would do things differently if given the chance
again or whether we were right the first time.
Reflection includes a mix of the different elements.
 Making sense of experiences
Reflection is a natural activity. We spend time going back over what we have
said or done and this is reflected in our everyday expressions like:
- if only I had known then what I know now.
- with hindsight I realise...
- I could never have imagined that doing that would have resulted in this

- now I realise that this happens I won’t do it again
 Standing back
Standing back allows us to gain a different perspective of an experience or
action. You can’t always reflect when caught up in an activity.
 Repetition or going over something
Repetition or going over something that has happened in order to look at it
from differing views and to check nothing is missing.
 Making judgements
Making judgements on our behaviour to assess what we did well and not so
well.
Different reflection activities
There are many models and activities you can use for reflection; some of which will suit
you more than others.
 Question-based reflection
Question-based reflection is a highly structured forms of reflection though the
methodology quite simple. You ask yourself a series of questions about your
performance and then answer them honestly. You can undertake this activity
alone, with a colleague or line-manager or as a team.
Questions might start with:
- Why did I…?
- Could I have …?
- What was the best…?
- Which was…?
- How could I have improved…?
Examples include:
- How did I make use of feedback in my last appraisal?
- Did I make best use of the feedback gained?
- How can I make more use of the feedback?
- How did I treat that customer?
- How much better could I have dealt with the customer?
- What would I improve in a similar situation?
 Reflective journal
Keeping a reflective journal takes time so you’ll need to keep yourself
motivated to continue to make regular entries especially as the benefits may
not be noticeable for a long time. Nonetheless over time, it will provide you
with material to help you monitor changes in yourself and monitor your
progress.
In your reflective journal you can keep note of anything you feel might be
significant or useful including:
- all aspects of particular experiences and your evaluation of it
- record any information you think significant

- list the things you find difficult
- ideas
- sources of inspiration
- brainstorming
This is a quick and simple technique, which you can undertake online (using a
word document or specifically designed mind-mapping software) or take a
large piece of paper. In either way, write down the event you wish to evaluate
and write down everything that happened and you felt about each aspect.
From this, list your strengths and weaknesses.
 Discussion
Discussion is a very valuable form of reflection as it can often give rise to
challenging questions that you may, as an individual, wish to avoid. You can
choose to discuss your progress or activities with a range of different types of
people from immediate colleagues, to your line-manager to a mentor to your
family.
 Learning moments
‘Learning moments’ are an assessment of any training or educational activity.
This is a means of focusing your thoughts on the activity and the impact this
has on your practice in your job-role. Before each learning activity ask
yourself the following questions:
- What am I expecting to change in myself as a result of attending /
participating in this activity?
- What do I think my knowledge is/my skills are? Am I expecting to learn
a lot of new things or am I just intending to reassure myself that I am
doing what I ought to be doing, knowing what I ought to know?
- What questions do I want answered?
 Aims:
- What do I want to get out of it?
 Achievement:
- What would I recognise as being a successful achievement or outcome
for this activity?
After the activity, review your answers and reflect on what actually happened.
Often, the reality turns out to be different from your initial expectations. Post-
activity reflection will help you to decide whether the course or training had
met your expectations and requirements as well as ensuring you consolidate
your learning.

Check list
Learning outcomes
The learner will:
Tick to confirm
you have learned
this – or note what
you still have to
do on the Action
Plan on the next
page
Assessment criteria
The learner can:
Tick to confirm
you have learned
this – or note what
you still have to
do on the Action
Plan on the next
page
1. Understand
leadership in
sales
1.1 Evaluate the
relationship
between leadership
and management in
sales
1.2 Evaluate leadership
styles and their
impact on the sales
team and individuals
1.3 Discuss why
leadership styles
need to be adapted
in different
situations
1.4 Compare and
contrast
transformational and
transactional
leadership
1.5 Evaluate skills
required of a leader
2. Understand
management in
sales
2.1 Evaluate
management styles
and their impact on
the sales team and
individuals
2.2 Evaluate possible
tools of
management
3. Understand
how to contribute
to the direction of
the organisation
14. 3.1 Evaluate ways to
contribute to the
organisation’s
vision, mission,
aims and objectives

4. Be able to
review own
leadership and
management
skills
4.1 Critically evaluate
own values,
motivations and
limitations in
leadership and
management
4.2 Construct a
personal
development plan to
improve own
leadership and
management skills
Target for improvement What will I do to achieve
the improvement?
How will I measure the
improvement?
Action plan

Glossary
LO Learning Outcome: A statement of what you ‘should know,
understand or be able to do’ on completion of the unit
AC Assessment Criteria: A description of the requirements you
are expected to meet to show the LO’s have been achieved
CEO Chief Executive Officer
SMART Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time
Constrained
PDP Personal Development Planning
PRDP Personal Review and Development Plan
SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
McKinsey 7S Model for organisational analysis and alignment
Books
Adair J, Effective Leadership, How to be a successful leader, Pan; 1 edition (15 May
2009), ISBN: 978-0330504195
Kotter JP, A Force for Change, How Leadership Differs from Management, The Free
Press (1 April 1990), ISBN: 978-0029184653
Handy C, Understanding Organisations, ISBN: 978014015603-4
Websites
www.situational.com/about-us/situational-leadership/
www.johnadair.co.uk/
www.learn-to-be-a-leader.com/john-adair
www.businessballs.com/leadership-management
www.teamtechnology.co.uk/leadership-qualities
www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_84
www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/leadership
Recommended reading

www.managers.org.uk/research-analysis/research/published-reports

List of references
Drummond, G. and Ensor, J. (2001). Strategic Marketing: planning and control.
Butterworth-Heinemann.
Wilson, R.M.S and Gilligan, C. (2012) Strategic marketing management, planning
implementation and control, Routledge.
Vroom, Management and Motivation, Penguin Books, 2nd Revised Edition (27 Feb
1992)
Herzberg F, Motivation to Work, Transacation Publishers: New Edition (30 April 1993)
Tannenbaum, Robert and Schmidt, Warren H., Harvard Business Review, May/June
1973, vol. 51 issue 3,
Bass B and Riggio RE Transformational Leadership, 2nd edition
Hersey P and Blanchard KH, Management and Organizational Behavior (Englewood
Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1988).
CMI Paper: John Adair, Action Centred Leadership Thinker
The Importance of Leadership © 2005 D. Quinn Mills.
www.inspirational-quotes.info/leadership
www.brainyquote.com
www.accel-team.com
www.managementstudyguide.com/expectancy-theory-motivation