Learning Style Inventory example essay topic

It was a challenging task to write about only three concepts that I learned in this informative class. The concepts that stood out to me were Learning Style Inventory, preparation and delivery. I believe these concepts are critical aspects to a person's success in the business world. One of the concepts that I found to be very interesting was "The Learning Style Inventory."The Learning Style Inventory (LSI) describes the ways you learn and how you deal with ideas in day-to-day situations". (Hay / McBer Training Resource Group, 1999, p. 2).

The LSI is based on a test. The test contains twelve questions dealing with problem solving, working with others, dealing with adversity, career decisions, and the effect of relationships on individuals. Each question has four optional answers. The answers range from one to four. Answering a question with a one is least like your style. Answer with a four is most like your decision making style.

When I began the test, I read all the questions in order, before answering any of them. I then went back to the questions that jumped out at me. I did not answer them from "least like" to "most like". I answered them from "most like" to "least like". I tried to answer the questions with how I do things in my everyday life.

I did not only reflect upon how I am at work, but also how I am at home with my family. Upon calculating my score and completing my diagram, I began to see how one sided my learning style is. There are four different learning modes. The first is Concrete Experience (learning from experience). The second is Reflective Observation (thinking before doing).

The third is Abstract Conceptualization (analyzing information and forming a plan based on that information). The fourth is Active Experimentation (learning by doing). My score lead me to draw my diagram indicating that my learning style inventory is heavily dependant on concrete experience and active experimentation. I found the theory behind the test to be accurate. I believe that concepts and theories are not learned from books but from experience.

A theory is only that; a theory until you have tested the theory and proven it to true or false. One of the ideas that we practice in my line of work, is to have every customer take a test drive. In theory, if you have an eighty percent demonstration ratio, than your closing percentage, how many sales you make, will increase by five percent. One month I decided to test out the theory for myself. In November of 1997, I talked to seventy-six people.

I took fifty-five of those people out on test drives. The result was I sold fifteen cars. I had a closing percentage of twenty percent. In December of the same year, I talked to the same number of people.

This month, I took sixty-one people out on test drives. I hit my goal of an eighty percent demonstration ratio. In turn, I sold nineteen cars that month. The theory proved true.

A five percent increase in sales did prevail, if my test drive percentage was eighty percent. Every month, after that, I worried more about how many customers I took on test drives knowing my sales would increase by doing so. I found it explanatory to learn that my being an action oriented individual was a strong character learning style for people in a sales based career. So many people have told me that I am a natural at what I do. I now understand why. One of the most important components of oral and written communication is preparation.

"Preparation alleviates apprehension and helps identify potential stumbling points in the presentation". (Krizan, Merrier, Jones, 2002, p. 447). Without either one of these components, it is near impossible to succeed in your career. Some career choices involve more written communication while others involve more oral communication. In my chosen career, as a sales representative, I use oral communication over written. It is important to be prepared when making a presentation of any kind.

Preparation leads to a well-delivered presentation. The main purpose of an oral presentation is one of two concepts. The first is to inform the audience of facts. The second is to persuade the audience. There are four styles of presentations; manuscript, memorized, impromptu, and extemporaneous. As a sales person, I cannot use notes to help me persuade customers into purchasing products and services.

I use the combined styles of memorization and impromptu speaking when making a presentation to my customers. I have memorized word track, product specifications, and pricing information. I am also able to remain calm and think quickly, when asked questions by my customers about our products and services. I believe that memorization and impromptu speaking go hand in hand because if you do not know your product you can not respond "on your feet", when asked to discuss it. The key component to a presentation is a strong delivery. I speak to groups of people on a regular basis.

Sometimes I speak to a meeting room full of salespeople. While other times I speak to customers about products and services we offer at the dealership. Whoever my audience is, my delivery has to be sincere. If it is not I have no creditability. "Sincerity is everything.

If you can fake that, you " ve got it made". -Comedian George Burns (De tz, 1992, p. 129)". Practice makes perfect, the saying goes. Well, practice may not make you a perfect speaker, but it will certainly make you a better speaker". (p. 129). By practicing your speech, your voice control, your eye contact, and your body language, you will become a confident speaker. The easiest way to practice your speech is to yourself, in front of a mirror.

When rehearsing your speech, you cannot just practice your lines, you have to deliver them. You need to make sure that your tone and inflection achieve the point that you are trying to make. When practicing your delivery, you need to decide if the tone and inflection you are using is getting your point across, to your audience. Your body language should also be rehearsed. It is also very important in obtaining a direct reaction from your audience. Body language is not so much scripted but a natural reaction.

When you are practicing, in front of a mirror, watch how many times you smile, and at what points in your speech are you raising an eyebrow, to get your point across. If your body language is not compatible with what you are saying, than your message can possibly be misconstrued. When I first became a sales representative, one of the first things I learned was negotiating. I had to role-play and rehearse the word track that I had learned. My delivery was successful because I took the words and adapted them with my own style. When I presented numbers to customers, I had a scripted speech.

The first and most important aspect of negotiations is that you never say numbers in there true form. Instead of saying twenty three thousand nine hundred and fifty two dollars, I would say twenty-three, nine, fifty-two. The latter sentence sounds smaller than the first. By presenting this way, it gave the customer the illusion, that the price was not as expensive as it really was. After I presented the numbers, I would just sit there silently. We had a rule "he who talked first lost".

The idea was to allow the customer to react to what you just said, and directly act on their reaction. If the customer was surprised, I acted surprised. If they were mad, I remained calm. If they immediately said no, I acted confused. If they agreed I smiled and congratulated them.

I practiced my delivery at home and with my co-workers, until it was perfect. By practicing my delivery over and over again I sounded sincere. When I presented numbers, my deliveries and reactions were flawless, every time. In conclusion, you must agree that preparation and delivery are key concepts to successful business practices. I believe the LSI is the most important concept. Everyone can apply this learning concept to their lives.

And if they are honest with themselves they can improve.

Bibliography

Detz, J. (1992).
How to write & give a speech. New York: St. Martin's Press. Hay / McBer Training Resource Group. (1999).
Learning style inventory. Boston: Author. Krizan, A.C., Merrier, P., & Jones, C. (2002).