Leadership Challenge: Characteristics of The Great Salesperson Thad Williams had the kind of problem many sales managers wish they could experience more often. He just came out of a strategic planning meeting with senior management at his company, Logistics Logic (a leading supplier of logistics solutions for manufacturing companies). The emphasis in many organizations on supply chain management had created huge demand for the products and services offered by Logistics Logic. Started by Eric Lemaster in 1985 and originally based in London, the company had developed an excellent reputation by helping companies become more efficient and effective in managing the flow of goods in and out of the organizations. Logistics Logic worked with key players in the supply chain management industry (FedEx, UPS, DHL, and others) to develop custom-designed hardware and software for unique logistics solutions. The company had found a great niche for its products by focusing on medium-sized companies around the world. Thad had been with the company for 10 years and worked his way up to Vice President of sales. In the last 15 years the company had experienced huge growth in Asia. As result, while maintaining offices in London, Mr. Lemaster decided to move Logistics Logic’s senior management and operations to Hong Kong in 2001. Revenue exceeded $350 million last year, and the company had a worldwide sales force of 150. At this meeting, Thad had been given the go-ahead to hire 20 new salespeople, primarily in Asia. This would represent one of the largest increases of salespeople in the company’s history and was based on the goal of taking the company to $400 million in the next two years. The typical salesperson was a male in his early 40s with a technical background in logistics. Interestingly, however, Thad had noticed that most of the new salespeople (those hired in the last three years) were women (7 out of 10). Salespeople needed a very good knowledge of logistics and the fundamentals of contemporary selling. The compensation system allowed salespeople to earn a good living, with many earning in excess of $125,000 per year. Thad had also noticed the typical customer had changed in recent years. When he started, customers were often men in their 50s who had little formal education in logistics. Now customers were most often experienced men and women with formal training in supply chain management. Logistics Logic, and more specifically Thad Williams, knew the company’s new salespeople were critical to the organization’s continued success. The question was, what would make a successful Logistics Logic salesperson now? (Johnston & Marshall, 2013).  Questions: 1.  What qualities and characteristics do you think are important for a new salesperson at Logistics Logic? Why? 2.  What kind of person would you recruit (experienced versus less experienced, age, education, background, etc.)?

For part III of the Team Project, your team MUST submit 13 – 15 slides PowerPoint presentation that includes the following: Identify how      organizational structure and job design will impact this plan      overall. What are your team’s specific suggestions with respect to      structure and job design that may help the organization to effectively      deal with motivation and retention? Identify any ethical      implications and social responsibility that may influence this plan      overall, for example, layoffs, restructuring, etc. What are your team’s      specific suggestions with respect to these potential issues? NO PLAGIARISM PLEASE; BULLET #2 3 POWERPOINT SLIDES Identify      how organizational culture will affect this plan overall. Compare and      contrast your organization’s culture with the culture of another company      in the same industry. Does your team think that the organization’s culture      is one of the main problem for retention and motivation issues? If so,      what does your team specifically suggest for solving the issue? List any      artifacts, ceremonies, language, dress code, myths, legends, or any other      behavior that are present in the organization. Is      your team leadership the problem for low retention and motivation? If so,      what are your team’s specific suggestions? If not, what are they doing      well?

Question 1: Sweet Tooth, Inc.Read Case Study, "Sweet Tooth, Inc." on page 139Answer Case Study Questions 1-3 on page 139Question 2: Case Study - Personally Yours - Employee ReferralsThis case addresses the fine line an employer must tread between protecting an employee’s (or former employee’s) privacy versus the obligation that an employer has to warn potential new employers that a particular individual poses a potential threat based on past behavior (e.g., violence, threats, mental instability).Three Roles: human resource supervisor (Gary Garcia), branch manager n (Anthony Garrison), branch supervisor (Maya Atkins).Scenario:Neil Andrews is a hardworking employee but has a reputation for being a hothead. After branch manager Anthony Garrison changed Andrews’ work schedule so that he would now have to work every other Saturday, Andrews gets extremely upset. He walks into Garrison’s office, puts his face inches away from Garrison’s face and says, “One of these days, I’m going to lose it in here. After I am done, there will be nothing but smoke and embers!” He storms out of the office and goes across the street to a convenience store. About 15 minutes later, Andrews returns, calmer after having eaten two packages of Toasted Sweeties and washing it down with a soda. He picks up his toolbox and goes to his next assignment for the day. Garrison has never liked Andrews and sees this episode as an opportunity to get rid of him. Activity: This is a two-part scenario. Part 1 – You are to decide if Andrews should be discharged. Once you make your decision, state what your decision is and justify your decision Part 2 – Assume for the sake of this portion of the activity that Andrews is discharged. What type of information (if any) should Personally Yours give when a potential employer calls for a reference?