Professional Marketing

SHIELD FINANCIAL: “MOTIVATION AND ROLE CONFLICT”

Jonathan MacMillan has worked as a rep for Shield Financial in Des Moines for almost three years. His first year he made 110 percent of quota, generating $750,000 in revenues. In year 2, he hit 120 percent of quota, a hefty $1.25 million. To do this, he worked 14-hour days during the week prospecting and meeting with customers, plus whatever weekend time was necessary to complete reports and write proposals. Keeping this pace, MacMillan was on target to reach this year’ s quota as well—that is, until he became a first-time father two months ago. He’s now working only 40- to 50-hour weeks. The result is, of course, fewer sales.

Doug Bloom is worried. Shield is in the process of introducing the new First-Plus account program and has ambitious growth plans. Bloom also had hoped to make MacMillan a member of the management team. But when talking casually with him about goals and future plans, Bloom discovered that MacMillan is not interested in becoming a manager because at Shield the big money is in sales. Even working fewer hours, MacMillan is earning a fat paycheck.

Bloom is at a loss. He wants to get back the fiery, hard-charging MacMillan he was told of, but he’s not sure how.

Questions

1. How can Bloom remotivate MacMillan?

2. How should a manager deal with family role conflict? How can Bloom make MacMillan more efficient?

3. Is MacMillan now a slacker? MacMillan is now only willing to work 50 hours a week and is not interested in changing. Is he going to be deadweight from now on? Is he worth the sales manager’s time and effort if he will never work more than 55 hours per week? Should he be reprimanded?

4. Why is Bloom so worried about MacMillan’s lack of interest in management? Is this important?