Personal Work Priority and Professional Development

This article discusses how to manage personal work priorities and develop professional competence. It covers topics such as setting goals, improving communication skills, and providing training to employees. The article also includes case studies and references to support the content.

Running head: PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Personal Work Priority and Professional Development
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

1PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Table of Contents
Task 1: Manage personal work priorities...................................................................................2
Answer 1)...............................................................................................................................2
Answer 2)...............................................................................................................................2
Answer 3)...............................................................................................................................2
Answer 4)...............................................................................................................................3
Answer 5)...............................................................................................................................4
Answer 6)...............................................................................................................................5
Task 2: Develop and Maintain Professional Competence.........................................................6
Answer 1)...............................................................................................................................6
Answer 2)...............................................................................................................................6
Answer 3)...............................................................................................................................8
References:...............................................................................................................................11
Appendices:..............................................................................................................................14
Appendix A..........................................................................................................................14
Appendix B..........................................................................................................................15
Appendix C:.........................................................................................................................16

2PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Task 1: Manage personal work priorities
Answer 1) Job Description- Achieve the growth along with hitting sales target by managing
in a successful manner the sales team
Business Goal- Building and promoting customer relationship that is long-lasting and strong
with the help of partnership
Organisation Policy and Procedure- Our organisations works on the basis of the needs of
the clients that is suited for their ever-changing needs (Park et al., 2014).
Answer 2) Goals for the Job description
 Engaging successfully with the clients and customer so that it can help in driving sales
by having influence on the purchase decisions
 Make use of the global insight along with decades of experience to create our brands
 Getting closer to the customers so that it can influence sales
 The solutions of the business have been tailored so that it can appeal to customers
 The customer strategies are insight-driven and the designs are customised
The goal setting would help me in my professional growth and help the company in growing.
It would help me in learning more skills and gaining more knowledge that will be crucial for
my position. Setting goals that are realistic can be helpful for the team along with that of the
sales manager (Cummings and Worley 2014). Setting short term goals would ensure the
long-term success of the company and the individual. It will help the organization to live at
intersection of the realistic along with that of the challenging.

3PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Answer 3)
a) Lead Response time- In terms of the lead response, speed is essential for increasing the
sales reps’ odd in relation to success. A Harvard study has shown that sales reps that contacts
lead within an hour had more chances of having a meaningful conversation with that of a
decision maker (Anderson 2016).
Rate of Contact- Every sales manger should ensure that the outbound call volume is very
high. New study has estimated that reps should generate around 32 opportunities per 1000
outbound calls (Zaki et al., 2017).
Rate in relation to Follow up Contact- Persistence will always pay off. Most of the sales
agents do not follow up with the leads for the second time. This is extremely important as 10
% of the sales are closed during the fourth contact and 80 % of sales are made between that
of the fifth and 12th contact. The sales manager should ensure that every lead is recorded and
the calls are followed up so that it ensures sales (Cottrell 2015).
Monthly Sales Target- Monthly sales target can serve as an important parameter for
understanding the performance of the sales manager.
b) The effectiveness of sales can be increased by improving the interconnection between that
of sales, marketing and that of service that can provide a customer-centric experience that can
help in growing the sales base. The internal processes along with that of handoff points
should be integrated (Reynolds 2017). Each touch point should be leveraged so that it can
help in increasing consistency across that of the customer experience.
c) My weakness revolves around the art of persuasion and it should be improved so that it can
help in improving my sales performance (Hawkins 2013). My strength lies in my

4PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
communication skills with the help of which I can communicate the effectiveness of a
particular brand to the customer.
Answer 4) Honing the skill in relation to communication of the vision is an important
activity that ensures success in the field of professional development. Meeting with the
executives on weekly basis can help in communicating the feedback to that of the junior level
staff. This strategy helps in tying the people who are in the front line to that of the
organizational goal (Girma 2016). It is my duty to ensure that people who are working at the
lower level in the organization should know the organizational goal so that they can work to
that end. Mentoring along with feedback is of crucial importance in encouraging the staff.
The sales leaders should close loop between that of pushing sales people towards the
performance metrics and encourage development that is required to meet the goals
(Northouse 2015). A spreadsheet cannot help in managing the staff and it does not provide
the root cause in relation to attitudes and behaviour. The opinion of each sales person should
be listened to very carefully and conversation should be facilitated so that their point of views
can be understood (Carter et al., 2016).
Answer 5) Work Plan
Work Activity Description Goals KPI Time frame Person
Responsible
Honing the
element of
vision so that it
can attract the
customers
Meeting with
the top
executives of
the company
can help in the
communication
of vision of the
Successfully
engaging with
the client so
that it can
drive sales
Lead
Response
Time
1 year Sales team

5PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
people
working at the
top hierarchy
to those who
are working at
the lower level
Meetings with
pioneers in the
field of Sales
and Marketing
so that their
vision is
communicated.
Meeting with
the sales team
of different
companies and
hear about the
techniques that
they use for
sales and
marketing
Cognizance of
global insight
who have
experience in
the relevant
fields
Monthly Sales
Target
1 year Sales Team
Answer 6) The words and actions of the sales manager should be consistent and engaging in
manipulative behaviour will put the loyalty of the team at risk. I would treat all the team
members equally and the goal setting should be meaningful and reasonable. I will have to
make sure of the fact that my vision is in sync with that of the subordinate employees.
Consultation with people who are working in the same field can be extremely helpful in
gauging the future and can bolster with one with valuable information regarding a particular
position (Aarons et al., 2015).
A work-life balance is extremely important in today’s complex professional
environment. The personal situation should be analyzed and it is necessary to main a time log
that should include work-related along with personal activities (Kearns et al., 2015). This

6PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
kind of data can serve as an eye-opener that can help in understanding how one is using or
losing time.
Task 2: Develop and Maintain Professional Competence
Answer 1) Organisations have a set of standard in relation to the competence in the
organisation. The knowledge and skills of an individual should be measured against the
competency standard so that it can help in determining development needs along with
proprieties that are necessary for achieving the goal. The different parameters in my
company against which I will be judged are: Will to Sell, Sales DNA, Systems and Strategy
and Tactical (Men and Tsai 2014). On the basis of the organisation, the sales manager should
have a strong commitment in relation to the sales success. He should have a strong desire in
relation to the sales success. He should be able to take responsibility and be able to control
the emotions. The sales manager should have mastery in relation to the social selling tools
and he should be equipped with presentation skills and relationship building skills (Sigmund,
Semrau and Wegner 2015).
A feedback questionnaire was distributed in the organization and the parameters on
the basis of which I was judged was that of Will To Sell, Sales DNA and Communication
skills. The questionnaire was distributed among the subordinates along with that of the
superiors who marked me on a scale of 10. It is important to take into consideration the
feedback provided by my subordinates who will be able to highlight my weak areas (Iyengar
2017). It would clearly indicate what are the area that I need to work on so that it can provide
my subordinates with satisfaction and lead to overall development of the company. The top
management would be able to identify areas which needs improvement and provide valuable
advice regarding my competency in different field (Block 2016).

7PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Answer 2) Meeting with subordinate- Sales Professional
Question: Why do you think you were unsuccessful in selling the Dell laptop to my last
customer?
Answer: I was not aware about the memory capacity of the particular model that my client
was asking for and that had a bad impact on my customer. My customer was not happy with
the details given and I was unsure about the memory capacity of the particular model that
cost me a customer. According to me, if I was sure about the information that I had been
asked for, then it could have led to a purchase.
From the above meeting, it is clear that the employees need extensive training in relation to
the details of the product. There should be a weekly meeting, where the employees are
enlightened about the specific features in relation to the different products and they should be
provided with the unique feature of the different products so that they can attract the
customers by talking about this special feature (Johnston and Marshall 2016). It would lead to
the item being purchased and add to the revenue of the company.
Meeting with a subordinate- Sales Professional
Question: Do you feel that there is work-life balance in your organisation and you are happy
with the environment prevailing at your workplace?
Answer: I feel that flexibility is an important aspect in an organisation and I am not given the
freedom to work on the basis of my point of view that cost my client base and affects my
performance. When the last customer wanted to buy garments I wanted to take him to the
section that showcased the casual wear (Yu, Zhang and Xu 2013). I was however directed to

8PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
go to the particular section that sold the embroidery garments and however that was not to the
liking of the customer. The customer looked unhappy and left the shop soon after that.
From the above meeting, it is clear that the employees are not provided with sufficient
freedom to perform their work. They are coerced by the people working at the upper level
and dictated about how to go along with their job. This will lead to lack of self-esteem and
leave the employees under-confident.
Answer 3) Professional Development Training
Timeframe Description of Opportunity Competency To Develop
6 months Training should be provided to
the employees regarding the
details about the different
products so that they feel
comfortable when a customer
approaches them for buying a
product and they feel confident
to reveal interesting details
about the product that would
lead to the article being sold in
the market.
In-depth knowledge of the
products
1 year Training on Empowerment
Mental satisfaction is necessary
to perform well within an
organization. The employees
should be given abundant
freedom so that they work on
the basis of their particular
The employees should be
provided with valuable
information and they should be
trained regarding the factors
that can lead to their
empowerment. Employees who
can connect their efforts to that

9PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
perspective and are given room
to work according to their own
opinion. The employees should
be sufficiently empowered so
that they feel confident to voice
their opinion within the
organization.
of the overall work of the
organization find it a lot easier
to make decisions so that it is in
line with the vision of the
organization.
Networking Activities
Timeframe Networking Activity Professional Advantage
6 months Presentation skills are important
for the profession of sales. The
employees are with the help of a
playful activity asked to
describe the products. In the
end, a prize is given to three
people who were the best
speakers.
Collaboration and Community
Building
6 months The employees are asked how
to lead a meeting that would
help them to become more
confident and be sure about
their abilities.
Improve the public speaking
skills and help in developing
workplace skills
The professional development training along with networking activities will
strengthen the employees of CPM Australia and they would be able to contribute effectively

10PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
for the growth of the organization (Borg and Johnston 2013). Training about the products
and about the empowerment skills would help the employees to reach their organisation goal
of promoting customer relationship and serving the needs of the clients. Providing training on
public speaking skills would provide the employees with confidence and ensure their
professional development.

11PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
References:
Aarons, G.A., Farahnak, L.R., Ehrhart, M.G. and Hurlburt, M.S., 2015. Leadership and
organizational change for implementation (LOCI): a randomized mixed method pilot study of
a leadership and organization development intervention for evidence-based practice
implementation. Implementation Science, 10(1), p.11.
Anderson, D.L., 2016. Organization development: The process of leading organizational
change. Sage Publications.
Block, P., 2016. The empowered manager: Positive political skills at work. John Wiley &
Sons.
Borg, S.W. and Johnston, W.J., 2013. The IPS-EQ model: interpersonal skills and emotional
intelligence in a sales process. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 33(1),
pp.39-51.
Carter, D.F., Ro, H.K., Alcott, B. and Lattuca, L.R., 2016. Co-curricular connections: The
role of undergraduate research experiences in promoting engineering students’
communication, teamwork, and leadership skills. Research in Higher Education, 57(3),
pp.363-393.
Cottrell, S., 2015. Skills for success: Personal development and employability. Palgrave
Macmillan.
Cummings, T.G. and Worley, C.G., 2014. Organization development and change. Cengage
learning.
Girma, S., 2016. The relationship between leadership style, job satisfaction and culture of the
organization. IJAR, 2(4), pp.35-45.

12PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Hawkins, P., 2013. Coaching, mentoring and organizational consultancy: Supervision, skills
and development. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Iyengar, R.V., 2017. People Matter: Networking and Career Development. IUP Journal of
Soft Skills, 11(1), p.7.
Johnston, M.W. and Marshall, G.W., 2016. Sales force management: Leadership, innovation,
technology. Routledge.
Kearns, K.P., Livingston, J., Scherer, S. and McShane, L., 2015. Leadership skills as
construed by nonprofit chief executives. Leadership & Organization Development
Journal, 36(6), pp.712-727.
Men, L.R. and Tsai, W.H.S., 2014. Perceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral outcomes of
organization–public engagement on corporate social networking sites. Journal of Public
Relations Research, 26(5), pp.417-435.
Northouse, P.G., 2015. Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
Park, Y.K., Song, J.H., Yoon, S.W. and Kim, J., 2014. Learning organization and innovative
behavior: The mediating effect of work engagement. European Journal of Training and
Development, 38(1/2), pp.75-94.
Reynolds, M., 2017. Organizing reflection. Routledge.
Sigmund, S., Semrau, T. and Wegner, D., 2015. Networking ability and the financial
performance of new ventures: moderating effects of venture size, institutional environment,
and their interaction. Journal of Small Business Management, 53(1), pp.266-283.

13PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Yu, D., Zhang, W. and Xu, Y., 2013. Group decision making under hesitant fuzzy
environment with application to personnel evaluation. Knowledge-Based Systems, 52, pp.1-
10.
Zaki, E.B.E.M., Rizal, A.M., Kamarudin, S., Husin, M.M. and Sahimi, M., 2017. Effective
Sales Training in a Direct Selling Organization. Advanced Science Letters, 23(4), pp.3021-
3024.

14PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Appendices:
Appendix A
Work Plan
Work Activity Descriptions Goals KPI Timeframe Person
Responsible
Honing vision Meeting with
top executives
of
organisation
Engaging
successfully
with client
Lead
Response
Team
1 year Sales Team
Meeting with
luminaries in
the arena of
marketing
Engaging in
discussion
with the sales
team of the
other
companies
Knowledge
regarding
global insight
Sales Target
on monthly
basis
1 year Sales Team

15PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Appendix B
Professional Development Training
Time Frame Description of opportunity Competency To Develop
6 months Training about products to
employees
In-depth knowledge of
products
1 year Training about empowerment Providing employees with
relevant information

16PERSONAL WORK PRIORITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Appendix C:
Networking Activities
Timeframe Networking Activity Professional Advantage
6 months Playful activities are introduced
with the help of which the
description about products are
communicated to the
employees.
Community building
6 months Employees are taught about
leadership skills that helped
them to become more confident
individuals
Developing public speaking
skills