Assignment 3: Motivation, Stress, and Communication
Audrey M. Wells
Dr. Christopher Hase
BUS 520- Leadership and Organizational Behavior
Strayer University
May 13, 2012

1. Create a brief job description for a position within the company you research that you would like to fill. Unilever USA is a hugely successful business, which provides product brands and services throughout the world. Currently, products are widely sold all over the world, with billions of consumers using Unilever products daily. Unilever’s many brands fall into 4 major categories: Personal Care Products, Home Care Products, Foods, and Refreshments.
Personal Care Products, specifically, Multi-Cultural Hair Care Product Brands is the division that I have worked in for the last 29 years. Having experienced major success in Sales, Education, Marketing, and Consulting via Trade Shows, Seminars, Road Shows, Presentations, and Internet Website Expert (Ask the Expert), moving to the next level is my goal. I would love to fill the position of Sales Manager, Domestic and Canadian Sales, OTC Channel. The Sales Manager, Domestic and Canadian Sales, OTC Channel will contribute to the growth of sales and profits by effectively coordinating and managing the movement of Unilever’s Multi-Cultural Hair Care Brands through OTC Distributors and Retailers to consumers and salon operators. Essential duties are: * Consult with Senior Management and identify ongoing goals and objectives * Design strategies relative to corporate goals and objectives * Plan and execute a list of tactics that are supportive of approved OTC Channel strategies * Plan and manage the execution of key campaigns * Maintain an efficient and effective Sales Team * Manage the finished products inventory planning process * Manage trade budgets, including, account specific budgets, financial forecasts and trade allowances * Design a calendar of national key account specific merchandising programs and special packs * Plan and execute business reviews and planning sessions * Identify opportunities and design programs that effectively address those opportunities * Staff Management * Miscellaneous: communications, sales meetings, trade shows, sales conferences, travel, mailings, quality control issues, catalog designs, sampling programs, discontinuations 1. Discuss ways that goal setting could be used to motivate your performance after you fill the position. Hellriegel and Slocum (p.192, 2011) noted, “Goal setting is the process of specifying desired outcomes toward which individuals, teams, departments, and organizations will strive and is intended to increase organizational efficiency and effectiveness”. Additionally, “Growth goals, along with self-efficacy and organizational vision, were found to significantly predict future growth. These three motivators completely mediated the effects on growth of two personality traits, passion for work and tenacity” (Locke and Latham 2002). See Figure 1, to understand how these traits equal success in sales. Fig. 1. The relationship of traits (passion and tenacity), vision, goals, and self-efficacy to the sales and employment growth of small ventures. used to explain behavior.

Based on this insight, it is very clear how all of the traits shown in Figure 1 are directly related to the successful creation and the completion of goals are essential to the continued, phenomenal growth of Unilever USA. After getting the position, my goal would be to motivate the team, giving clear directives and strategies for reaching time-based goals, and creating initiatives, rewards, and incentives for increased sales. Planning sessions would involve all team members sharing ideas, marketing strategies, and establishing challenging goals. Input from all team members help to insure that the tasks are achievable and involve a high degree of self-efficacy.
3. Analyze your own reactions to stressful situations and discuss the steps you could take to manage the stress associated with your new position. In 2011, Hellriegel and Slocum noted, “The type B personality refers to a person who tends to be easygoing and relaxed, patient, a good listener, and takes a long range view of things”. They also write about the hardy personality, defining it as “the personality of a person with a cluster of characteristics that includes feeling a sense of commitment, responding to each difficulty as representing a challenge and an opportunity, and perceiving that one has control over one’s own life” (Hellriegel and Slocum 2011, p.232-233). “Your genes, personality and life experiences all influence the way you respond to and cope with stress. Situations and events that are distressing for most people might not bother you in the least” (The Mayo Clinic, 2010). Throughout my life and career, I’ve always worked hard trying to maintain the characteristics of the type B and hardy personalities. Being raised in a very large family, with Mom, Dad, and six siblings, I learned very early to try and get along with everyone, work together, solve problems together, and share everything. I believe that it is the reason that I embrace the characteristics of the type B and hardy personality. This new position will come with a lot of potential stress triggers. In addition to a great salary and bonuses, the Sales Manager is expected to perform at the highest level, is directly responsible to Senior Management and will be held accountable for all aspects of the OTC sales process, marketing, merchandising, and innovation. To help manage the stress, The Mayo Clinic (2010) suggests: * “Improve your time management skills by (1) setting realistic goals, (2) making priority lists, and (3) protecting your time. * Keep perspective, namely (1) get other points of view, (2) take a break, (3) have an outlet, and (4) take care of yourself. * Seek help, if none of these things relieves your feelings of stress or burnout, try talking with a health care professional” (The Mayo Clinic, 2010). 2. Imagining yourself in the position you have described, discuss how you would address nonverbal and cultural barriers to communication.
As the Sales Manager, I will have to learn to communicate ideas and strategies clearly, be open to listening to other people’s points of view, and be tactful and sensitive to the differences of other cultures. In other words, I will have to excel in ‘communication competency’. Hellriegel and Slocum (2011) notes that “communication competency includes the knowledge, skills, and abilities to use all modes of transmitting, understanding, and receiving ideas, thoughts, and feelings - verbal, listening, nonverbal, and written – for accurately transferring and exchanging information” (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2011 p.26).
According to Nicole Papa (eHow Contributor), Listening, verbal and nonverbal skills make communication more effective. Preconceived ideas, physical barriers and cultural barriers impede effective communication. Knowing the essentials of effective communication and overcoming the barriers can help you communicate better” (Nicole Papa, eHow Contributor). She lists the essentials as: * Listening Skills * Verbal Skills * Nonverbal Skills * Barriers--Preconceived Ideas * Barriers--Physical Barriers * Barriers--Cultural Barriers
Rebekah Richards (eHow Contributor) adds, “Cultural differences often cause misunderstandings and poor communication, even if everyone shares a common language. For example, the body language of one culture might seem rude or confusing to someone from another culture. In addition, cultures handle disagreements differently; displaying fear, anger or other emotions is inappropriate in some cultures”.
In closing, I would work extremely hard to keep in mind all of these essential skills and barriers to effective communication and realize how very important it is to recognize that there will be verbal, nonverbal and cultural barriers when communicating with all of my co-workers, including Senior Management, Administrative Assistants, Employees and Contractors. I won’t just talk the talk, but will walk the walk to be a strong and effective leader. “Effective leaders often use supportive nonverbal cues when meeting with subordinates, such as (1) lightly touching subordinates on the arm when they arrive and shaking hands, (2) smiling appropriately, (3) nodding to affirm what was said, (4) slightly pulling their chairs closer to subordinates and maintaining an open posture, and (5) engaging in eye contact to further demonstrate listening and interest” (Hellreigel and Slocum, 2011, p. 270)

References
Adler, N. J. Communicating across Cultural Barriers
Www.radford.edu/~kvharring/docs/HRMDocs/5comm.pdf
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat Papa, Nicole, Communicating across Cultural Barriers Essentials & Barriers of Effective Communication | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6691191_essentials-barriers-effective-communication.html#ixzz1unKdYxVx
Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. W. (2011). Organizational behavior. (2011).
J.R. Baum & E.A. Locke, 2004, Journal of Applied Psychology, 89, p. 592. Figure 1, Adapted from ‘‘The Relationship of Entrepreneurial Traits, Skill, and
Motivation to Subsequent Venture Growth,’’ by Copyright 2004, American
Psychological Association.
MayoClinic.com - Mayo Clinic Coping with stress at work -

Www.mayoclinic.com/health/coping-with-stress/SR00030
Jun 26, 2010
Richards, Rebekah, Barriers to Effective Use of Language | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_7885256_barriers-effective-use-language.html#ixzz1unQ0q300