Organization Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organization Development - Essay Example It has been also notified that NAB had a very prosperous past and flourishing from 1980 to 1990. After that, the bank started to lose its credibility due to organizational decisions such as the plan of expansion. 1.2 Importance of the study Numerous factors influence the business effectiveness. Therefore, we will analyze the effectiveness of organization in the context of organizational culture. Many authors have analyzed organizational culture and organizational culture is gaining significant magnitude regarding business enhancement. In the current study, we will discuss several dimensions of organizational culture per se: organizational development, effectiveness and management. Clearly, organizational culture is not a limited subject; it has various branches and affects the whole organization. Moreover, the study will guide organizations for taking right steps in the correct directions. 1.3 Introduction In the current study the weaknesses and a few incidents will be discussed, whi ch have been the core cause of the downfall of the services’ standards of the NAB. Some reasons will be highlighted. This aspect of the study will help to develop a correct future prospect of any bank. Furthermore, the literature review will help to ascertain the true reasons for such happenings. Prior to analyze the current topic, a general view of organizational culture will be put forth for deeper understandings. The context of the current topic will be supported through previously done research. The focal point of the current paper is organizational culture. The organizational culture has been designed with the help of past examples; those examples have been found important, successful, and relevant for the development of organizational culture. Experienced people have obtained the help from organizational practices, and values to develop a hypothesis for organizational culture’s implementations (Schein, 1990). 1.4 Choosing a company; Why bank? I will focus on the National Bank of Australia as every company has a dissimilar history. The bank has gone through very difficult times. Moreover, the social atmosphere influences significantly the banking industry; therefore, in my view to study a culture of a bank is helpful to ascertain the solutions of present cultural issues. I am well aware of the culture of NAB. The National Bank of Australia two decade ago was the largest bank of Australia. It had a reputation. Its shares were selling like a hot cake. The bank had planned to expand its boundaries from Australia to North America and Britain. 1.5 General perception and definition of organizational culture By understanding the behavior, thoughts, point of views and feelings of a group of people within the organization, or in the world, a set of rules and regulations development is called culture (Schein, 1996). To ascertain the attitude of an individual within the organization three-core aspects can be studied within the parameters of cultures, t hese are organizational culture, occupational culture, and national culture (Hofstede, 1991). 1.6 Organizational Culture If there were dissimilarities between shared experiences and standards, it would generate organizational culture; moreover, it is developed and enhanced within the organization and not go beyond the limits of organization. The culture that grows between schooling and university period until the

Faculty Evaluation System Essay Example for Free

Faculty Evaluation System Essay A faculty evaluation system which is installed in our college is of great use to evaluate the faculty performance and their self development in the process. The value added system installed in place takes input of various feedbacks given not only by the students but also by the other faculties. The various feedbacks and advises are capitalized upon for deciding merit of the faculty. It overall encourages the faculties and ensures better focus towards research and development. The faculty evaluation system takes into account the following: 1. It evaluates the faculties on their performance, their integrity, their adherence to rules and regulations, their publication of journals and contribution towards research papers. 2. The feedbacks are in various forms, more likely in areas syllabus coverage, innovation, analysis, case study approaches, behavior and attitude (Bowers, 2005). 3. The various suggestions and feedbacks would ensure a change in the trait of the person for the betterment of the individual and the society at large. The astonishing fact is the acceptance of the system in the college as it not only fosters development but ensures innovation and making of a leader in every being. The analysis of the feedbacks is evaluated to a large extent by the system and the data evaluation is done quite well. The special feature is the trend analysis for the performance of the faculty and the very graph of performance is taken up. The system is designed in a very well coordinated manner for fetching large scale analysis of the various developments and ensures that right tracking is made possible (Arreola, 2003). References/Bibliography Arreola, A Raoul (2003). Developing a Comprehensive Faculty Evaluation System, Educational Psychology from Arizona State University. Bowers K. John (2005). Issues in Developing a Faculty Evaluation System. Retrieved 16, January 2009 from http://www. springerlink. com/index/X712557731J2WN54. pdf.

America Needs to Perform Embryonic Research Essay -- Argumentative Per

America Needs to Perform Embryonic Research Only twenty years ago, embryo freezing (cryopreservation) was considered a technique that raised â€Å"disturbing,† â€Å"extremely difficult,† â€Å"incredibly complex,† and even â€Å"nightmarish† ethical issues. Currently, however, at least 41 of the 169 infertility clinics in the United States have begun to implement in vitro fertilization protocols (IVF) (Freemann et al., 1986). The number of frozen embryos in this country nearly tripled, from 289 to 824, between 1985 and 1986 (Van Steirteghem and Van Den Abbel, 1988). An estimated ten infants in the U.S. and sixty in the world were born as of 1988 after having been frozen as embryos. The government and professional advisory groups have endorsed embryo cryopreservation in several countries, but despite these developments, human embryo freezing is still not universally accepted. The fact that freezing lengthens, perhaps indefinitely, the period of embryonic existence outside and independent of the huma n body allows new options for manipulation of the embryo and for its ultimate fate. As a consequence, the emerging technology raises a number of issues that challenge deeply embedded ethical principles. Cryopreservation is defined as the scientific technique that utilizes extremely cold temperatures to freeze or suspend an organism for storage and ultimately future use. The ability to freeze human embryos creates several clinical options that might not otherwise be possible or as efficiently achieved. Cryopreservation also opens up new research opportunities such as understanding infertility in men and women. Published studies indicate that cryopreservation increases prospects for pregnancy in infertile couples (Wood, 1988). ... ...mmittee on Regulation and Business Opportunites, House of Representatives, 100th Congress, Second Session, 62-76. Department of Health, Education and Welfare: Ethics Advisory Board. 1979. Report and conclusions: HEW support of research involving human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. Federal Register 44: 35033-35058. Freemann, L., A. Trounson, and C. Kirby. 1986. Cryopreservation of Human Embryos: Progress on the Clinical use of the Technique in Human in Vitro Fertilization. J. In Vitro Fert. Embryo Transfer 3: 53-61. Van Steirteghem, A.C., and E. Van Den Abbel. 1988. Survey of cryopreservation. Ann. N.Y Acad. Sci. 541: 571-574. Woods, E.C. 1988. The future of in vitro fertilization. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 541: 715-721. World Medical Association. 1985. Interim Statement on Ethical Aspects of in vitro Fertilization. World Medical Association.

Meaning of Life and Personality Essay

What is personality? Personality is defined as a ingrained and relatively enduring patterns of thoughts, feeling and behavior. How can anybody be certain how his or her personality is going to turn out. I think people go through many different types an stages of personality throughout life. I think there no way to judge a personality, and that’s if you go by what researchers go by. Do researchers gather all the people in the world and judge the way they act, think, and go through what they do? I think everybody chooses their own personality, what I mean is there personality goes through what prson want it to be. People change their personality many times, at different times. People change their personality through the environment they go to everyday. There is really is no defintion to me, because personality changes too many times and people change each time to a new social world. A personality is very unique to a person, because it defines a person characterstics toward life. Personality usually has to constitute the meaning of that person and the way he or she lives in the world. Personality has to be with that person at all times, because it will help it will help distinguish you from other people. Personality is a key element for a person to establish his or hers in the social world. One person can not only have on personality because that person thakes on a different personality of the series of things that a person is going about. This all comes to point how does personality develops in a person. Reasechers think personality develops in the enviroment and is through heredity.

Duty of Care Learning Disabilities

Q2. â€Å"Do you feel that the nurses caring for Scott fulfilled the duty of care that was owed him? The NMC: The Code requires nurses and midwifes to treat people as individuals. They must treat them kindly with consideration and respect their dignity. They must act as an advocate for people in their care and provide them with support and information access to health and social care needs. I don’t feel that Scott was treated in this way. According to Scott he was not given enough information regarding his health and treatment when he awoke form his operation. This suggests that he was not treated kindly or with consideration. It also suggest that he was not treated as an individual because he felt that he was refused information because of he has a learning disability. He points out in his letter of complaint that strangers in the bed next to him where given more information about his condition than he was. This is not protecting or respecting the individuals dignity or confidentiality. It also shows that Scott was discriminated against because of his learnig disabilities. The Code: tells us that nurses and midwifes must not discriminate in any way against people in their care. The Code shows us that nurses and midwifes must respect people right to confidentiality, this was shown in Scott’s letter that this was not the case as the people in the beds’ next to him where told more about his condition and treatment than he was. The Code also points out that nurses and midwifes must ensure that people are informed about other services and support and are given access to these. As Scott says he was depressed after his mothers death. Should the nursing staff that had the duty of care over Scott, provided services and support on the information that was given to them on his feeling of grief at the loss of his mother. They did not talk to him about it because they did not know what to say. If the nursing staff did not know how to deal or talk to Scott about this then they have a duty of care to find relative services and support for Scott. It is the nurses and midwifes responsibility through duty of care to protect and promote health and wellbeing of the people in their care. This could have been carried out by providing Scott with grief counceling for instance. As Scott was coming round after his operation he told the nurses of what he remembered. It is the nurses’ in this case according to NMC: The Code, that they ensure the people in their care are listened to and that their concerns and preferences are responded to. Scott felt the response he received with regards to the information he was given after his operation was not enough or what he had wanted. This seems to sugest that Scott was not listened to when he told the nursing staff of what he remembered of before his operation. This also seems to raise the subjest of the responsibility layed out in The Code, a failure to share with people, in a way they can understand and that it is the information they want or need to know about their health. The Code was set out to ensure best practice and to safe guard the health and wellbeing of the people in care of nurses and midwifes. It should ensure that problems are dealt with and that nurses are open and honest. It calls for nurses to explain fully and promptly to the person affected what has happened and the likely effects. In the case where Scott was receiving the taking of blood 3-4 times a day. He felt he was refused information as to why so much blood was being taken or why. He also describes that he was hungry and refused food but was not given a reason why. This would suggest that Scott was not asked for consent. For consent to be gained it is important that nurses and midwifes must up hold the rights of the people in their care and they are fully involved in decisions of their care. In order to make dicisions we must have information available to us in order to make that decision. As Scott was not given any information as to why regular blood samples where taken then how can he make an informed decision about his care. This would suggest a breach in gaining consent for those responsible for Scott’s care prior to treatment. The Code also call that nurses and midwifes must be aware of legislation regarding mental capacity. People who lack mental capacity remain at the centre of the decision making and are fully safeguarded against harm. If the nursing staff felt that Scott lacked mental capacity it is their responsibility to make arrangements to meet his communicaton needs and to recognise and respect the contribution he could have made to his own care and well being.

Reasons Animals Become Endangered

Reasons Animals Become Endangered When an animal species is considered endangered, it means that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has evaluated it as nearly extinct, which means that a significant portion of its range has already died off and the rate of birth is lower than the species death rate. Today, more and more animal and plant species are on the verge of extinction because of a variety of major factors that cause a species to become endangered, and as you might expect, humans play a role in quite a few of them. In fact, the biggest threat to endangered animals is human encroachment on their habitats. Fortunately, conservation efforts around the world are bent on helping these endangered animals revitalize their dwindling populations through a variety of humanitarian efforts, including curtailing illegal poaching, halting pollution, and habitat destruction, and curtailing the introduction of exotic species into new habitats. Habitat Destruction and Pollution Every living organism needs a place to live, but a habitat is not just a residence, it is also where an animal finds food, raises its young and allows the next generation to take over. Unfortunately, humans destroy animal habitats in a number of different ways: building houses, clearing forests to get lumber and plant crops, draining rivers to bring water to those crops, and paving over meadows to make streets and parking lots. In addition to physical encroachment, human development of animals habitats pollutes the natural landscape with petroleum products, pesticides, and other chemicals, which destroys food sources and viable shelters for the creatures and plants of that area. As a result, some species die outright while others are pushed into areas where they cant find food and shelter. Worse yet, when one animal population suffers it affects many other species in its food web so more than one species population is likely to decline. Habitat destruction is the number one reason for animal endangerment, which is why conservation groups work diligently to reverse the effects of human  developments. Many non-profit groups like the Nature Conservancy  clean up coastlines and establish nature preserves to prevent further harm to native environments and species around the world. Introduction of Exotic Species Destroys Delicate Food Systems An exotic species is an animal, plant, or insect that is introduced into a place where it did not evolve naturally.  Exotic species often have a predatory or competitive advantage over native species, which have been a part of a particular biological environment for centuries, because even though native species are well adapted to their surroundings, they may not be able to deal with species that closely compete with them for food. Basically, native species havent developed natural defenses for an exotic species and vice versa. One example of endangerment due to both competition and predation is the Galapagos tortoise. Non-native goats were introduced to the Galapagos Islands during the 20th century. These goats fed on the tortoises food supply, causing the number of tortoises to decline rapidly. Because the tortoises could not defend themselves or stop the overpopulation of goats on the island, they were forced to abandon their native feeding grounds. Many countries have passed laws banning specific exotic species known to endanger native habitats from entering the country. Exotic species are sometimes referred to as invasive species, especially in cases of banning them. For instance, the United Kingdom has placed raccoons, mongooses, and cabbages on their invasive species list, all of which are barred from entering the country. Illegal Hunting Can Endanger Species When hunters ignore rules that regulate the number of animals that should be hunted (a practice known as poaching), they can reduce populations to the point that species become endangered. Unfortunately, poachers are often hard to catch because they are deliberately trying to evade authorities, and they operate in areas where enforcement is weak. Furthermore, poachers have developed sophisticated techniques for smuggling animals. Baby bears, leopards, and monkeys have been sedated and stuffed into suitcases for transport. Live animals have been sold to people who want exotic pets or medical research subjects. And, animal pelts and other body parts are also secretly smuggled across borders and sold through black market networks of buyers who pay high prices for illegal animal products. Even legal hunting, fishing, and gathering of wild species can lead to population reductions that cause species to become endangered. A lack of restriction on the whaling industry in the 20th century is one example. It wasnt until several whale species were nearing  extinction  that countries agreed to abide by an international moratorium. Some whale species have rebounded thanks to this moratorium but others remain at risk.   International laws forbid these practices, and there are a number of government and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) whose sole purpose is to stop illegal poaching, especially of animals like elephants and rhinoceroses. Thanks to the efforts of groups like the International Anti-Poaching Foundation  and local conservation groups like the PAMS Foundation in Tanzania, these endangered species have human advocates fighting to protect them from outright extinction. How Are Animals Endangered? Of course, species endangerment and extinction can happen without human interference. Extinction is a natural part of evolution. Fossil records show that long before people came along, factors such as overpopulation, competition, sudden climatic change, and catastrophic events like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes drove the decline of numerous species. There are a few warning signs that a species could become extinct. If a species has some economic importance, such as the Atlantic salmon, it may be at risk. Surprisingly, large predators, who we might expect to have an advantage over other species, are often at risk as well. This list includes grizzly bears, bald eagles, and gray wolves. A species whose gestational period is lengthy, or who have small numbers of offspring at each birth has the potential to become endangered more readily. The mountain gorilla and California condor are two examples.  And species with weak genetic makeup, like manatees or giant pandas, have more risk of extinction with each generation.

6 Ways to Cope with Tax Season at Work

6 Ways to Cope with Tax Season at Work Nobody likes the anxieties of tax season (is a dog considered a dependent or what?), but as Mark Twain’s ghost reminds us from beyond the grave, the only thing more certain than taxes is death. Bottom line: we’re stuck with it. That doesn’t mean you can’t make it a more fun season around the office. See if anyone else shares your pain and denial.Decorate the W-2 you get from Accounting.Flirt with a coworker in the hopes that you’ll be able to file as â€Å"married† next year.Make it rain in the break room when you finally get your refund.Make sure everyone knows you’ve done your civic duty.

Principal Parts of the Verb TO FIT

Principal Parts of the Verb TO FIT Principal Parts of the Verb TO FIT Principal Parts of the Verb TO FIT By Maeve Maddox Reader Barry Kemp has a question about fit: One thing that has puzzled me for a while is the use of the word fit. Its quite clear when one reads that the new rug was a perfect fit in the apartment But what is the rule for the past tense? We often read something like it was a long stuggle but in the end he fit the pieces together or she slipped it on and the suit fit her perfectly It is quite clear these sentences are past tense so why do we not use the past tense fitted? This is one of those puzzles created by the differences between British and American usage. British usage: fit, fit, (have) fitted American usage: fit, fit, (have) fit Other verbs that differ in this way are bet, get, and quit. Americans say bet-bet-bet, get-got-gotten and quit-quit-quit. British speakers say get-got-got and quit-quitted-quitted. They take their choice with bet and say either bet-bet-bet or bet-betted-betted. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About NumbersThe Four Sounds of the Spelling OU15 Idioms for Periods of Time

Detailed research on the history of Jesus Christ and Christianity Essay

Detailed research on the history of Jesus Christ and Christianity - Essay Example Josephus mentions Jesus the Messiah in the book. Furthermore Eusebius, an early Christian Bishop, recorded the words of Josephus in 324 A.D. Josephus said that Jesus was an extraordinary and wise man (if he can be called a man). Many of the Jews and Greeks trusted him. He was condemned to the cross, but his disciples followed him and believed in his message. Due to his hardships, his tribe of Christians is present to this day. (Argubright, 2007) The religion started about 2000 years ago in present day Israel previously known as Judea. Jesus Christ and his group of disciples began preaching amid much controversy and hostility. The ruler at that time was a Roman and Judea was cross cultural centre of bustling cities and farms. Majority of the locals who were Jewish found the polytheistic beliefs of Rome intrusive and pagan. (All About Religion, 2008) According to Gospel accounts Jesus was born to a virgin Jewess Mary who conceived him by the miracle of the Holy Spirit. Luke the evangelist says that Mary and her husband Joseph were traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem to avoid registering (the Roman emperor had ordered a census of the population) the birth of Jesus in Jerusalem. The birth took place in a stable due to unavailability of vacancy in the inn and after the birth, an angel informed three local shepherds about it. Mathew however takes a much more troubled story. According to him, three Magi of the East follow a star to Bethlehem and on their way, inform Herod (the King of Palestine) that they are on their way to see the newly born king of the Jews. Herod orders the massacre of all the male children under the age of two for fear of rivalry. Fortunately an angel informs Joseph who escapes with Mary to Egypt. After the death of Herod, another angel tells Joseph that it's safe to return. The census was held in 6 BC. and Her od died in 4BC. Thus it is concluded that Jesus was born around 6BC. (Gascoigne, 2008) Early Life: Regarding the early life of Christ the gospels are virtually silent. However, facts gathered from various source indicate that Jesus was from a small town called Nazareth where he trained as a carpenter. He spoke Aramaic but he also knew Greek since he used it to talk with the Roman Officials during his time of having the government. Jesus was a Jew and he practiced the Jewish faith. He was also well aware of Jewish laws. The only other fact reported in the Gospel after the birth of Christ is that one day, the 12 year old Jesus wanders away from his parents to a religious temple. Upon return, when Mary scolds him, he asks, 'Didn't you know I would be in my Father's house' (Religion Facts, 2007) The Ministry of Jesus: Jesus is mentioned again in the gospel at the age of 30. It begins by the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist. This event marks the beginning of Jesus's ministry. Several of John's followers left to follow Jesus after the Baptism. He then proceeded to select several other disciples establishing a group of 12. (Religion Facts, 2007) To all those who listened, Jesus taught to learn their enemies, not to judge others, not to be anxious about the future, trust in God. Jesus Christ often taught with parables, a short story with a spiritual meaning. Some were easy while others hard to understand. Mathew chapter 13 has several parables. One

No specif topic, check assignment criteria for details Essay

No specif topic, check assignment criteria for details - Essay Example Work Motivation Motivation is an organizational behavior concept that has long been studied by various practitioners. Martires & Fule (2000) proffered motivation in the work setting as referring to â€Å"the whole set of drives, needs, and similar forces that prompt a person to act in a certain way or to develop a tendency for specific behavior† (p. 2). Accordingly, motivation has been revealed to be the why and cause of behavior. Motivation energizes behavior and gives it direction. It is the drive and strength toward an action. When managers motivate subordinates, one structures the work environment in such a way that their drives and needs are brought into play, instead of being neglected. This environment is made conducive to the satisfaction of those drives and needs so that workers act in desired ways. There have been enumerable motivational theories and models that were proffered: from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1954), McClelland’s model that foc uses on three motives of achievement, affiliation and power (McClelland, 1961); Alderfer’s existence, relatedness, and existence model (Alderfer, 1969), and Herzberg’s motivation – hygiene theory that suggests two separate factors: hygiene and motivational, as leading to either job satisfaction or dissatisfaction (Herzberg, 1966). More contemporary motivational theories continue to emerge, such as goal-setting, equity theory, and expectancy theory (Campuzano & Flores, n.d.) that aim to determine presently influencing factors that motivate people in the workplace. Leadership Concurrent and closely linked with motivation is leadership in terms of the power that designs and evaluated factors that drive human resources to work towards the accomplishment of defined goals. Bennis averred that â€Å"leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own l eadership potential† (Christian Leadership, n.d., par. 7). It is the process of influencing people so that they will seek defined objectives enthusiastically. Tannenbaum & Massarik describe the relationship between leadership and influence by saying that leadership is †interpersonal influence, exercised in situations and directed, through the communication process, toward the attainment of specified goal or goals. Leadership always involves attempts on the part of a leader (influencer) to affect (influence) the behavior of a follower (influence) or followers in a situation† (Tannenbaum & Massarik, 1957, p. 3). As there are diverse motivational theories, leadership concepts and models likewise abound: McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y that explains the nature of leadership style and assumptions about the nature of people; Fred Fiedler’s contingency model where leadership is seen as contingent on the leader’s style and the situation; as well as Bl anchard’s situational model that suggests that the choice of appropriate leadership style depends on the development level of subordinates (Martires & Fule, 2000, pp. 159, 169 & 173). Likewise, there are contemporary theories that emerge: servant leadership, transformational leadership, transactional leadership, charismatic, and symbolic leadership, among others

African American men and the prison system Research Paper

African American men and the prison system - Research Paper Example The report also indicates that African Americans have the highest imprisonment rate, about six times that of white American males and three times higher than Hispanic males. Further reports indicate that by 2007, the African American composition in the prison system was 900, 000 of the total 2.2 million population, which suggests that at least on in five African American man has been incarcerated (Alexander, 2011). If the current incarceration trend persists, then at least one in three African Americans will have an incarceration record by 2020 (ASAALH, 2011). The prison system adoption of incarceration policies has produce outstanding results in public safety, but they have had an enormous contribution to the weak informal social controls and family disruptions in the African American communities. African Americans disproportionate rate of incarceration has been documented in the past, but the current figures suggest than there are no active policies to address the issue. While it i s true that crime rates have risen over the past thirty years by almost 500%, the increasing number of blacks incarcerated is still not explainable (Clear, Cole, and Reisig, 2011). Different individuals and parties have raised concerns over the issue, notably Michelle Alexander and her book on mass incarceration. According to Alexander, the current population of African Americans in the prison and jail system is greater than that enslaved before the beginning of the Civil War. She further argues that crime rates are at a historical low as compared to the fluctuations over the years. Alexander attributes the increase to the current policies on war on drugs, a war that seems to aim at the poor communities of color exclusively, despite the fact that whites also trade and use illegal drugs at similar or higher levels than African Americans (Alexander, 2011). Reports indicate that at least four of five African American youths living in some black inner-city society expect incarceration a t one point in their lives. This leads economic and social disenfranchisement of many great African American, denying them voting rights, educational opportunities, public housing, and excluding them from equal opportunity hiring and legal rights like juries. According to Alexander, these discriminations and disenfranchisement causes more than 70% of these African Americans to return to the system after only two years (Clear, Cole, and Reisig, 2011). Another journalist, Lisa Ling, highlights the problems that face African American males after incarceration. She explores how the imprisonment of black males affects the subsequent and multiple generations of the community, creating a poverty cycle in the African American (Alexander, 2011). Among the difficulties she attributes to incarceration, include aggressive behavior, increased chances of homelessness, future imprisonment, and failure in school. Other challenges that ex-convicts face are reduced chances of getting a job, and lack of experience. Different states in the US exhibit variances in the proportion of black and white incarceration rates, ranging from as a high as 13.6-to-1 in states like Iowa to as low as 1.9-to-1 in Hawaii (Mauer and King, 2007). Interestingly, states that exhibit a high disproportional rate of incarceration are located on the Midwest and Northeast, including Wisconsin, Vermont, New Jersey, Iowa, and Connecticut. However, high disproportional rates between the Hispanic and the white incarceration population also follow similar geographic concentration, with the notable states being New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York. The states with

Film Review on The Sixth Sense Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film Review on The Sixth Sense - Essay Example This is in addition to the fact that the movie made an important contribution in the film industry in terms of cinematography on the basis of the Academy Awards nominations (Kennedy, Marshall, Mendel, and Shyamalan, 1999). The Sixth Sense can be considered to have important contributions in the manner of creating films on the basis of different points such as the story line, the plot and the issues discussed. It can be considered as a film that is not classified as an ordinary thriller film since the main character’s capability lightened the effect of the film. Although this is the case, the said factor and style of the film brought it farther from the surreal aspect and nearer to reality. The said effect made it stand out and create impression apart from other films classified as thriller. The support of the adult to developing and growing up children can be considered as one of the important issues that can be observed in the film. The issue had been presented in the support needed by one of the main character, Cole Sear, related to his gift and capability of the paranormal events regarding communication with dead people and helping them. Due to the fact that even the boy’s mother had difficulty in believing and supporting him, the need for support and care in terms of his talent had been answered by the expert assigned to cure his perceived hallucinations, the child psychologist, Dr. Malcolm Crowe. The child himself had been changed by the support given by the doctor. He started to learn how to communicate and help the dead people he is seeing and how not to be afraid of them anymore. Basically in the process he was able to gain confidence that made the development of his character towards the positive aspect. Aside from the fact that he was able to face his fears, his relationship with his mother also improved. The whole movie can be considered to present different cases wherein the child’s development had also helped the people

Capital Budgeting Projects Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Capital Budgeting Projects - Research Paper Example The government of San Diego in undertaking these beneficial projects will face the difficulty in determining exactly the benefits. The benefits such as the effectiveness in transporting goods and reducing the cost of transportation can be easily highlighted. However, quantifying these benefits in monetary terms is very complex and cannot be accurately measures (Mikesell, 2011). The value of the goods transported and the speed of moving the human resource may not be determined without recording errors. The pursuance of these projects will also have some costs and negative externalities. During the development of the transport infrastructure, the government will incur costs of destroying the environment and moving the locals in order to get the space for expanding the projects. Moreover, destruction cost to the natural resources like rivers, trees and other resources cannot be easily determined. The increased number of automotives would increase the level of air pollution whose long term impact is hard to determine. Besides, the government must discount the future benefits and costs to determine the net present value. The rate of discounting the future benefits and the costs will pose the greatest challenge to the government (Mikesell, 2011). The use of an inappropriate rate may impair the decision of pursuing the project. In summary, the discounting of government projects remains difficult because of the non profit characteristics of the projects. The government in selecting the projects must however ensure that the projects pursued have more benefits compared to the costs. The San Diego capital improvement project in which the transport infrastructure is improved will definitely have more benefits than

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example In decades, there have been diverse arguments over the corporate social responsibility (Tricker, 1998). The cases against the CSR concept begin with classical economic argument started by Freidman. Freidman holds that management has only one responsibility of maximizing the profits of the shareholders and the owner (Friedman, 1970). He argues that social issues are not a business concern and that the issues should get resolved by free market system unfettered workings. Additionally, the other argument is that business does not have equipment for handling social activities. On the other hand, the argument in favor of the corporate social resource begins with the belief of business’s long-term enlighten self-interest of being socially responsible. The point of view suggests that in order to have a healthy environment for the business in future, the managers should take action now for long-term viability. Additionally, the other argument is that the responsibility wards off the g overnment regulations (Baron, 2013). Therefore, using different corporate social responsibility concepts, this paper will different corporate social responsibility in the two case studies and provide an ethical analysis in each of them. Facebook definition is the online a social networking service that has its headquarters in California. The chief executive officer of the corporation is Mark Zuckerberg. As Facebook turns out to be more synonymous with experience on networks, its shareholders tend to earn more benefits. Facebook has been successful in gaining a greatest share of individual’s attention and time. The customer’s challenge in the coming years is to have that dominance of attention and time to convert into a bigger share for their wallets. Most of the shares they spend indirectly or directly on advertising (Wong, 2014). Being an international brand, the greatest ethical challenge that the company faces is online privacy. Online privacy relies on the

Capital Budgeting Projects Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Capital Budgeting Projects - Research Paper Example The government of San Diego in undertaking these beneficial projects will face the difficulty in determining exactly the benefits. The benefits such as the effectiveness in transporting goods and reducing the cost of transportation can be easily highlighted. However, quantifying these benefits in monetary terms is very complex and cannot be accurately measures (Mikesell, 2011). The value of the goods transported and the speed of moving the human resource may not be determined without recording errors. The pursuance of these projects will also have some costs and negative externalities. During the development of the transport infrastructure, the government will incur costs of destroying the environment and moving the locals in order to get the space for expanding the projects. Moreover, destruction cost to the natural resources like rivers, trees and other resources cannot be easily determined. The increased number of automotives would increase the level of air pollution whose long term impact is hard to determine. Besides, the government must discount the future benefits and costs to determine the net present value. The rate of discounting the future benefits and the costs will pose the greatest challenge to the government (Mikesell, 2011). The use of an inappropriate rate may impair the decision of pursuing the project. In summary, the discounting of government projects remains difficult because of the non profit characteristics of the projects. The government in selecting the projects must however ensure that the projects pursued have more benefits compared to the costs. The San Diego capital improvement project in which the transport infrastructure is improved will definitely have more benefits than

Social Construct According to Locke Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Construct According to Locke - Term Paper Example For man to have absolute authority over his fellow human beings, he must enter into a common agreement with them (D'Agostino 56). This paper will elaborate how different philosophers had different ideas on theories of social contract. It is believed that, social contract is a philosophy on its own. An agreement exists between politicians and their constituents. The social contract theory is correctly associated the modern, political and moral theories. Philosophers who have had different theories on the social contract include; Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Aristotle and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. These philosophers are well known for their influential theories on the social contract. The dominant theories among these philosophers lie within the political and moral theories. These theories regained a kind of philosophical momentum as time elapsed. Recently, more philosophers have added their contributions on the social contract theories. The latest entrants being race-conscious and feminist philosophers, they have contributed significantly to the theories. They argue that the social contract theory is an incomplete picture of the political and moral lives. One of the greatest philosophers was Socrates and he made a very compelling argument. He was supporting the idea of him remaining in prison so that he could face death penalty and not escape the city of Greece as many people would have thought. He embraced the laws of Athens and he even personified them. He felt that he had to obey the entire laws because they had made him whom he was (Mandel 60). He believed that the laws were made to be followed by every individual. Socrates believed that laws were made by their fellow human beings and therefore had to be followed to the latter. In this example, social contract between people is said to be the laws that govern most people. These laws state how people should relate with each other. Plato was also another great philosopher. He is famous for his well-known dialogue R epublic. In this dialogue, the social contract theory is well represented at its best. In his second book, he tries to explore the real meaning of justice. Plato believed that injustices that are meted against fellow human beings were quite unfair. He explains that justice is as a result of conventional laws and agrees that human beings make in order to avoid atrocities against each other. According to Plato, he believes that men submit themselves to the very tenets of convention of justice. They do this simply because they have the feeling of committing injustice and impunity against their fellow human being. The social contract theory is elaborated in this instance because we find that there is a common agreement between the people and the judicial system simply put, the rule of law has to be strictly adhered to. On the other hand, Socrates rejects this view. He says that justice worth having and man is just a happy person. He believes that justice has value and that people should not just take it on its surface value. Thomas Hobbes was another great philosopher who lived in the England. He lived to witness the English civil war that was waged between the years 1642 and 1648. To explain this war, he vividly remembers the war was between the supporters and the monarchy. The king preferred the monarch type of rule. On the other hand, the parliamentarians demanded more power and wanted democratic institutions.

Investigatory Project Essay Example for Free

Investigatory Project Essay We would like to dedicate this experiment we did to every mother, nannies, maids, and the likes who work hard each and every day or our lives. They, who sweat a lot just to give us fresh, newly-washed and sweet smelling clothes. They, who doesn’t only clean our clothes yet helped us to clean our minds and souls and has been in our journey ever since. This is for them to help in their daily work so that they won’t be that exhausted and can still have a great skin because we all know how doing the laundry by hand can make our skins dry. We have experienced a lot in this experiment. Like, first time doing laundry, working our minds out and lot of things about laundry. This is probably one of the greatest experiments we had. I, Shei Solis would like to thank my mother for the support she gave me while I was doing my best in laundry and the help she gave when I don’t know what to do at all. I’m not usually doing the laundry that’s why I had a rough time. I, Ma Get Tan would like to thank my mother who has taught everything there is to know about laundry and my sister, Ma Gell Tan who helped us to do the experiment. To every maid, mothers, nannies, and everyone who does the laundry, thank you very much because you have kept our life clean with you washing our clothes. Right now, we have known what it is like to be washing clothes. It hurts your hands because of the friction and then your hands will get dry. We’ve finally known all the hardships you’ve done for us. And because of that, here is our little study that might help you to save not only your money but also your time, efforts, and your precious skin. Enjoy! Introduction We conducted the study because we wanted to learn more about laundries, about the different kind of fabrics, the stains and others that might help us in our future paths that we might take like Fashion, Fine Arts, or the likes. Also, we found out how very hard it is to do the laundry that’s why sometimes when the person doing the laundry got carried away their skins get dry or becomes rough. That’s why we conducted this study. We also found out that water can be one factor why doing the laundry can make our skin rough or dry. In doing this, we will be able to answer the questions every mother on what is the right detergent soap to use. We will be able to know what is more effective between the two soaps, namely: Champion and Pride. What cleans faster and what whitens better. And from this research, mothers, nannies, maids, and all the ladies who do the laundry will be benefited. Because their work will be much easier if they would know the right detergent to use right from the start. They would save time, money, and energy from thinking and laundering. Just for example, they would use detergent that is very ineffective because they thought that that soap would be the best and when they used it, they already did all things to remove stains but *poof* nothing happened. So just imagine using the products that are very ineffective, you will just waste time, energy, and money. Our study is not just about clothes. It’s also about the different kinds of stains, the different fabrics, the different detergents, how to properly do the laundry and the effect of detergents on people who do the laundry by hand. It’s for them to learn more about what they are doing to find the helpful brand of detergent powder. We conducted this study for two weeks. Three days for soaking the stained shirt, one day for washing it with detergent, and three days for making it dry. To find out more about our study, you can search the main two brands, the different kinds of stains, the different fabrics, home economics or you can just check our index where we got the information.

Deformations of the Deformed :: Creative Writing Essays

Deformations of the Deformed In my search of inspiration for creative writing projects I was sent to this Website by a professor. This was not just any Website it was THE Website for creative writers of any kind. From Andy Warhol to the boy next door their work is on this site and it’s quite different than what you find in any book at the local Borders. The site is ubu.com it’s dedicated to experimental writing with mixed media. The writers combine sound, images, and text to create works of literature that may change the face, or cover if you will, of any book ever made. The most unique aspect of this genre is that there can be very little actual writing. While yes, you can go on this site and see works you find in any book there are a vast number of projects that could never be in a book for various reasons most being sound. When I first came to this site I thought, wow how cool, I could look at this stuff forever. Then I read and read and listened and looked and read some more until s uddenly I realized my eyes killed. Not only that but I couldn’t really remember what the hell I just read. I had spent approximately three hours staring at my computer screen and could not grasp anything I took in. I also found the whole time I was reading I wanted to hold on to something; there was even a point when I grabbed the sides of my laptop to give the work a physical feeling. How awful! These were really good works of literature and I had just skimmed over them. No matter how hard I tried to read them in depth my mind would have nothing to do with it. Could this be an epidemic? Am I so conditioned to having books, physical entities I can smell, feel, and yes taste, that I cannot comprehend art on a screen? Or worse have I become one of those old people who refuse to adapt to new technology and cherish the way things used to be? I’m beginning to think so. I tried to fix this problem quickly. I thought of printing everything off and reading it that way but I’m not rich.

My Brother Jack :: essays research papers

MY BROTHER JACK 1.There are numerous reasons why this novel is titled My brother Jack. The title My Brother Jack deludes the reader in thinking the novel is based on Jack, yet we find that the prevailing concern is not ‘My Brother Jack’ at all. The title suggests a rewriting of Jack’s life. The novel is also called My Brother Jack because of the fact that the author George Johnston, portrayed as David had a brother named Jack, with whom he shared a good relationship with and was also a prominent person in his life. Since Jack is the person in whom David has the greatest sense of identity and reverence, it may well be an appropriate title. In the novel My Brother Jack David often writes about Jack and recapitulates the episodes of his life with Jack. This is evident in a statement David made about his brother as he was travelling on a train. ‘I saw him suddenly as a find of sunburnt Icarus, a freeman, buoyant and soaring in his own air, in the clear and boundless space of an element families yet new’ (pg 294). It is evident through examples, why the novel was called ‘My Brother Jack’. The title may suggest an account of Jack’s life through the eyes of David. The perception you get is that Jack’s life is of greater importance than David’s. Shifting the novel focus from his own inadequacies, George Johnston tries to in fact get the reader to confront these issues. 2. George Johnston uses the theme of deception all through the novel, through the character of David Meredith. David was the most deceitful character in the novel. He did not care who he hurt on the way to getting away from his plain and mediocre life. David basically hurt everyone in his life that ever cared about him. George Johnston used the theme of deception when David continuously deceived his parents. He lied to his parents about the paintings being his own when they were only a lithograph of Tom Middleton’s work. ‘…I would also bring printed samples of work that Tom Middleton had done, and say that I had lithographed them;’ (pg 83). Through the lies that David told and the pain that he caused it is quite clear that George Johnston has used the theme of deception throughout the novel. 3. There is an obvious contrast between his outer success and his inner failure.

Concepts of Leadership

Good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience (Jago, 1982). This guide will help you through that process. To inspire your workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things you must be, know, and, do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills; they are NOT resting on their laurels.Definitions of Leadership Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Another popular definition of Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal (Northouse's (2007, p3). The U. S. military has studied leadership in depth. One of the ir definitions is a process by which a soldier influences others to accomplish a mission (U. S. Army, 1983).Note that all three definitions have one process in common — a person influences others to get something accomplished Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership knowledge and skills. This is called Process Leadership (Jago, 1982). However, we know that we have traits that can influence our actions. This is called Trait Leadership (Jago, 1982), in that it was once common to believe that leaders were born rather than made.These two leadership types are shown in the chart below (Northouse, 2007, p5): Factors of Leadership There are four primary factors of leadership (U.  S. Army, 1983): Leader You must have an honest understanding of who you are, what you know, and what you can do. Also, note that it is the followers, not the leader or someone else who determines if the leader is successful. If they do not trust or lack confidence in their leader, then t hey will be uninspired. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not yourself or your superiors, that you are worthy of being followed. Followers Different people require different styles of leadership. For example, a new hire requires more supervision than an experienced employee does.A person who lacks motivation requires a different approach than one with a high degree of motivation. You must know your people! The fundamental starting point is having a good understanding of human nature, such as needs, emotions, and motivation. You must come to know your employees' be, know, and do attributes. Communication You lead through two-way communication. Much of it is nonverbal. For instance, when you â€Å"set the example,† that communicates to your people that you would not ask them to perform anything that you would not be willing to do.What and how you communicate either builds or harms the relationship between you and your employees. Situation All situations are different. What you do in one situation will not always work in another. You must use your judgment to decide the best course of action and the leadership style needed for each situation. For example, you may need to confront an employee for inappropriate behavior, but if the confrontation is too late or too early, too harsh or too weak, then the results may prove ineffective. Bass' Theory of LeadershipBass' theory of leadership states that there are three basic ways to explain how people become leaders (Stogdill, 1989; Bass, 1990). The first two explain the leadership development for a small number of people, while the third one is the dominant theory today. These theories are: Some personality traits may lead people naturally into leadership roles. This is the Trait Theory. A crisis or important event may cause a person to rise to the occasion, which brings out extraordinary leadership qualities in an ordinary person. This is the Great Events Theory. People can choose to become le aders.People can learn leadership skills. This is the Transformational or Process Leadership Theory. It is the most widely accepted theory today and the premise on which this leadership guide is based. Management versus Leadership While management and leadership have a great deal in common, such as working with people and accomplishing the goals of the organization, they do differ in their primary functions (Kotter, 1990): Management's main function is to produce order and consistency through processes, such as planning, budgeting, organizing, staffing, and problem solving.While leadership's main function is to produce movement and constructive or adaptive change through processes, such as establishing direction through visioning, aligning people, motivating, and inspiring. Boss or Leader? Although your position as a manager, supervisor, lead, etc. gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives in the organization (called Assigned Leadership), this power does not make you a leader, it simply makes you aboss. Leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals (called Emergent Leadership), rather than simply ordering people around (Rowe, 2007).Thus you get Assigned Leadership by your position and you display Emergent Leadership by influencing people to do great things. Total Leadership What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by leaders they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future. When people are deciding if they respect you as a leader, they do not think about your attributes, rather, they observe what you do so that they can know who you really are.They use this observation to tell if you are an honorable and trusted leader or a self-serving person who misuses authority to look good and get promoted. On the other hand, self-serving leaders are not as effective bec ause their employees only obey them, not follow them. They succeed in many areas because they present a good image to their seniors at the expense of their workers. The Two Most Important Keys to Effective Leadership According to a study by the Hay Group, a global management consultancy, there are 75 key components of employee satisfaction (Lamb, McKee, 2004).They found that: Trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most reliable predictor of employee satisfaction in an organization. Effective communication by leadership in three critical areas was the key to winning organizational trust and confidence: 1. Helping employees understand the company's overall business strategy. 2. Helping employees understand how they contribute to achieving key business objectives. 3. Sharing information with employees on both how the company is doing and how an employee's own division is doing. Principles of LeadershipTo help you be, know, and do, follow these eleven principles of leader ship (U. S. Army, 1983). The rest of the chapters in this Leadership guide expand on these principles and provide tools for implementing them: 1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement – In order to know yourself, you have to understand your be, know, and do, attributes. 2. Be technically proficient – As a leader, you must know your job and have a solid familiarity with your employees' tasks. 3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions – Search for ways to guide your organization to new heights.And when things go wrong, as they often tend to do sooner or later — do not blame others. 4. Make sound and timely decisions – Use good problem solving, decision making, and planning tools. 5. Set the example – Be a good role model for your employees. They must not only hear what they are expected to do, but also see. 6. Know your people and look out for their well-being – Know human nature and the importance of sincerely c aring for your workers. 7. Keep your workers informed – Know how to communicate with not only them, but also seniors and other key people. 8.Develop a sense of responsibility in your workers – Help to develop good character traits that will help them carry out their professional responsibilities. 9. Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished – Communication is the key to this responsibility. 10. Train as a team – Although many so called leaders call their organization, department, section, etc. a team; they are not really teams†¦ they are just a group of people doing their jobs. 11. Use the full capabilities of your organization – By developing a team spirit, you will be able to employ your organization, department, section, etc.to its fullest capabilities. Environment Every organization has a particular work environment, which dictates to a considerable degree how its leaders respond to problems and opportunities. This is brought about by its heritage of past leaders and its present leaders. Goals, Values, and Concepts Leaders exert influence on the environment via three types of actions: 1. The goals and performance standards they establish. 2. The values they establish for the organization. 3. The business and people concepts they establish.Successful organizations have leaders who set high standards and goals across the entire spectrum, such as strategies, market leadership, plans, meetings and presentations, productivity, quality, and reliability. Values reflect the concern the organization has for its employees, customers, investors, vendors, and surrounding community. These values define the manner in how business will be conducted. Concepts define what products or services the organization will offer and the methods and processes for conducting business.These goals, values, and concepts make up the organization's personality or how the organization is observed by both outsiders and insiders. T his personality defines the roles, relationships, rewards, and rites that take place. Roles and Relationships Roles are the positions that are defined by a set of expectations about behavior of any job incumbent. Each role has a set of tasks and responsibilities that may or may not be spelled out. Roles have a powerful effect on behavior for several reasons, to include money being paid for the performance of the role, there is prestige attached to a role, and a sense of accomplishment or challenge.Relationships are determined by a role's tasks. While some tasks are performed alone, most are carried out in relationship with others. The tasks will determine who the role-holder is required to interact with, how often, and towards what end. Normally the greater the interaction, the greater the liking. This in turn leads to more frequent interactions. In human behavior, its hard to like someone whom we have no contact with, and we tend to seek out those we like. People tend to do what th ey are rewarded for, and friendship is a powerful reward.Many tasks and behaviors that are associated with a role are brought about by these relationships. That is, new task and behaviors are expected of the present role-holder because a strong relationship was developed in the past, either by that role-holder or a prior role-holder. Culture and Climate There are two distinct forces that dictate how to act within an organization: culture and climate. Each organization has its own distinctive culture. It is a combination of the founders, past leadership, current leadership, crises, events, history, and size (Newstrom, Davis, 1993).This results in rites: the routines, rituals, and the â€Å"way we do things. † These rites impact individual behavior on what it takes to be in good standing (the norm) and directs the appropriate behavior for each circumstance. The climate is the feel of the organization, the individual and shared perceptions and attitudes of the organization's mem bers (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2007). While the culture is the deeply rooted nature of the organization that is a result of long-held formal and informal systems, rules, traditions, and customs; climate is a short-term phenomenon created by the current leadership.Climate represents the beliefs about the â€Å"feel of the organization† by its members. This individual perception of the â€Å"feel of the organization† comes from what the people believe about the activities that occur in the organization. These activities influence both individual and team motivation and satisfaction, such as: How well does the leader clarify the priorities and goals of the organization? What is expected of us? What is the system of recognition, rewards, and punishments in the organization? How competent are the leaders? Are leaders free to make decisions? What will happen if I make a mistake?Organizational climate is directly related to the leadership and management style of the l eader, based on the values, attributes, skills, and actions, as well as the priorities of the leader. Compare this to â€Å"ethical climate† — the feel of the organization about the activities that have ethical content or those aspects of the work environment that constitute ethical behavior. The ethical climate is the feel about whether we do things right; or the feel of whether we behave the way we ought to behave. The behavior (character) of the leader is the most important factor that influences the climate.On the other hand, culture is a long-term, complex phenomenon. Culture represents the shared expectations and self-image of the organization. The mature values that create tradition or the â€Å"way we do things here. † Things are done differently in every organization. The collective vision and common folklore that define the institution are a reflection of culture. Individual leaders cannot easily create or change culture because culture is a part of th e organization. Culture influences the characteristics of the climate by its effect on the actions and thought processes of the leader.But, everything you do as a leader will affect the climate of the organization. For information on culture, see Long-Term Short-Term Orientation The Process of Great Leadership The road to great leadership (Kouzes& Posner, 1987) that is common to successful leaders: Challenge the process – First, find a process that you believe needs to be improved the most. Inspire a shared vision – Next, share your vision in words that can be understood by your followers. Enable others to act – Give them the tools and methods to solve the problem. Model the way – When the process gets tough, get your hands dirty.A boss tells others what to do; a leader shows that it can be done. Encourage the heart – Share the glory with your followers' hearts, while keeping the pains within your own. Leadership, Management, Command, & Control Whi le there are plenty of discussions about leadership verses management and the need for command and control nowadays, they are important concepts that every leader must be aware of to successfully guide their organization. In fact, they are the four pillars of every organization as they directly drive the organization. Used properly, the business will grow; used improperly, the business will sink.This blending gives the organization the ability to focus on opportunities and deal with threats: Leadership drives the interpersonal aspects of the organization, such as moral and team spirit. Management deals with the conceptual issues of the organization, such as planning and organizing. Command guides the organization with well thought-out visions that makes it effective. Control provides structure to the organization in order to make it more efficient. Command and Control While most people think of command as simply telling others what to do, it goes far beyond that.Command is the impar ting of a vision to the organization in order to achieve an end-goal. It does this by formulating a well-thought out vision and then clearly communicating it. Command emphasizes success and reward. That is, the organization has to be successful to survive and in turn reward its members (both intrinsically and extrinsically). Visions do not have to come from the top, but rather anywhere within the organization. Informal leaders are often good sources of visions; however, if the vision requires resources, then they normally need the support of a formal leader.In contrast, Control is the process used to establish and provide structure in order to deal with uncertainties. Visions normally produce change, which in turn produce tension. These uncertainties cause tensions that leaders must deal with so they do not impede the organization. This is far different from most people's conception in which they think of control as controlling others. Inherent in evaluation is efficiency—the act of examining the new tool often leads to processes that make it more efficient. This can be good because it can save money and often improve a tool or process.The danger of this is if the command process is weak and the control process is strong then it can make efficiency the end-goal. That is, it replaces effectiveness with efficiency. Leadership and Management Management's primary focus is on the conceptual side of the business, such as planning, organizing, and budgeting. It does the leg work to make visions reality. Do NOT equate the term â€Å"management† with â€Å"controlling people. † Management is more about ensuring that the organization's resources are allocated wisely, rather than trying to control people.In fact, good managers know that trying to control others is extremely difficult if not impossible. Management helps to acquire, integrate, and allocate resources in order to accomplish goals and task. In contrast, Leadership deals with the interpers onal relations such as being a teacher and coach, instilling organizational spirit to win, and serving the organization and workers. For more information read the rest of this guide on Leadership. The Synergy of the Four Pillars While all four processes have their place, they are not implemented separately, but rather in concert. Using the example of implementing a new  social media tool for increasing informal learning: Command communicates the vision or goal to the best people who can implement it.Throughout the process, it adjusts to new knowledge and refines the vision. Management allocates the resources and helps to organize the activities that will make it a reality. This is normally a continuous process, rather than a single activity. Leadership helps to guide, coach, and motivate the people to do their best throughout the entire process. Control looks for opportunities to reduce risks, which in turn makes the process more efficient. Leadership ModelsLeadership models help us to understand what makes leaders act the way they do. The ideal is not to lock yourself into a type of behavior discussed in the model, but to realize that every situation calls for a different approach or behavior to be taken. Two models will be discussed, Managerial Grid and the Four Framework Approach. Leadership Behavior Two large studies by universities found that two types of leader behaviors were important concepts in leadership skills. The first was at Ohio State University that identified these two behaviors (Stogdill, 1974): Consideration – relationship behaviors, such as respect and trust.Initiating Structure – task behaviors, such as organizing, scheduling, and seeing that work is completed. The second was at the University of Michigan that identified these two behaviors (Northouse, 2007): Employee Orientation – approaching employees with a strong human relations orientation. Production Orientation – stressing the technical and production a spect of the job. The researchers from Michigan State thought of these two behaviors at opposite end of a single continuum. Thus, a leader could be strong with one of these two behaviors, but would be weaker in the opposite one.The Ohio State studies viewed these two behaviors as distinct and independent. That is, a leader could be high or low in one or both. For example, in the U. S. Army one of the most important rules is to take care of your soldiers and complete the mission (task) — a leader should be good with both. Bad leaders can do neither or do one, but not the other. Managerial Grid Robert Blake and Jane Mouton (1985) placed the two behaviors on its own continuum and renamed them: 1. Concern for people 2. Concern for task or results The notion that just two dimensions can describe a managerial behavior has the attraction of simplicity.By asking a leader a series of questions would place her at a particular point on the two continuums, which in turn, would place the leader into one of four leadership types: Authoritarian — strong on tasks, weak on people skills Country Club — strong on people skills, weak on tasks Impoverished — weak on tasks, weak on people skills Team Leader — strong on tasks, strong on people skills The goal to good leadership is to score at least a 6 on both task and people, which would place the leader in the Team Leader grid. The four leadership types are discussed in more detail below. Authoritarian Leader (high task, low relationship)Leaders who get this rating are very much task oriented and are hard on their workers (autocratic). There is little or no allowance for cooperation or collaboration. Authoritarian leaders mostly display these characteristics: they are very strong on schedules; they expect people to do what they are told without question or debate; when something goes wrong they tend to focus on who is to blame rather than concentrate on exactly what is wrong and how to prevent it ; they are intolerant of what they see as dissent (it may just be someone's creativity), thus it is difficult for their subordinates to contribute or develop.Team Leader (high task, high relationship) These leaders lead by positive example and endeavor to foster a team environment so that all team members can reach their highest potential, both as team members and as people. They encourage the team to reach goals as effectively as possible, while also working tirelessly to strengthen the bonds among the various members. They normally form and lead some of the most productive teams. Country Club Leader (low task, high relationship) These leaders predominantly use reward power to maintain discipline and to encourage the team to accomplish its goals.Conversely, they are almost incapable of employing the more punitive coercive and legitimate powers. This inability results from fear that using such powers could jeopardize relationships with the other team members. Impoverished Leader (lo w task, low relationship) These leaders use a â€Å"delegate and disappear† management style. Since they are not committed to either task accomplishment or maintenance; they essentially allow their team to do whatever it wishes and prefer to detach themselves from the team process by allowing the team to suffer from a series of power struggles within the group. Four Framework ApproachStructural Framework Structural Leaders focus on structure, strategy, environment, implementation, experimentation, and adaptation. In an effective leadership situation, the leader is a social architect whose leadership style is analysis and design. While in an ineffective leadership situation, the leader is a petty tyrant whose leadership style is details. Human Resource Framework Human Resource Leaders believe in people and communicate that belief; they are visible and accessible; they empower, increase participation, support, share information, and move decision making down into the organizati on.In an effective leadership situation, the leader is a catalyst and servant whose leadership style is support, advocating, and empowerment. While in an ineffective leadership situation, the leader is a pushover, whose leadership style is abdication and fraud. Political Framework Political leaders clarify what they want and what they can get; assess the distribution of power and interests, build linkages to other stakeholders, use persuasion first, then use negotiation and coercion only if necessary. In an effective leadership situation, the leader is an advocate, whose leadership style is coalition and building.While in an ineffective leadership situation, the leader is a hustler, whose leadership style is manipulation. Symbolic Framework Symbolic leaders view organizations as a stage or theater to play certain roles and give impressions, use symbols to capture attention, frame experience by providing plausible interpretations of experiences, discover and communicate a vision. In an effective leadership situation, the leader is a prophet, whose leadership style is inspiration. While in an ineffective leadership situation, the leader is a fanatic or fool, whose leadership style is smoke and mirrors. Leading & LeadershipYour thinking skills can be considered directional skills because they set the direction for your organization. They provide vision, purpose, and goal definition. These are your eyes and ears to the future, allowing you to recognize the need for change, when to make it, how to implement it, and how to manage it. You find a vision by reaching for any available reason to change, grow, and improve. Just as you perform preventive maintenance on your car, you must perform preventive maintenance on your organization. Do NOT believe in the old adage, â€Å"If it ain't broke, don't fix it,† for the people who do, go broke!Treat every project as a change effort. Treat every job as a new learning experience. Goals Good organizations convey a stron g vision of where they will be in the future. As a leader, you have to get your people to trust you and be sold on your vision. Using the leadership tools described in this guide and being honest and fair in all you do will provide you with the ammo you need to gain their trust. To sell them on your vision, you need to possess energy and display a positive attitude that is contagious. People want a strong vision of where they are going.No one wants to be stuck in a dead-end company going nowhere†¦Ã‚  or a company headed in the wrong direction. They want to be involved with a winner! And your people are the ones who will get you to that goal. You cannot do it alone! When setting goals, keep these points in mind: They should be realistic and attainable. They should improve the organization (morale, monetary, etc. ). As many people as possible should be involved in the goal-setting process (they will feel a sense of ownership that will drive them to achieve it).A process should be developed to achieve each goal. There are four characteristics of goal setting (U. S.  Army Handbook, 1973): Goal Difficulty: Increasing your employees' goal difficulty increases their challenges and enhances the amount of effort expended to achieve them. The more difficult goals lead to increased performance if they seem feasible. If they seem too high, employees will give up when they fail to achieve them. Goal Specificity: When given specific goals, employees tend to perform higher. Telling them to do their best or giving no guidance increases ambiguity about what is expected. Employees need a set goal or model in order to display the correct behavior. Feedback: Providing feedback enhances the effects of goal setting.Performance feedback keeps their behavior directed on the right target and encourages them to work harder to achieve the goal. Participation in Goal Setting: Employees who participate in the process, generally set higher goals than if the goals were set for them. It also affects their belief that the goals are obtainable and increases their motivation to achieve them. The Six Steps of Goal Setting Although finding a vision can be quite a creative challenge, the process of getting that vision implemented can be fairly easy if you follow the six steps of: Vision —> Goals —> Objectives —> Tasks —> Timelines —> Follow-up Step 1 – VisionThe first step in setting goals and priorities is to personally develop what the organization should look like at some point in the future — a vision. A junior leader, such as a supervisor or line manager, will mainly be concerned with a department, section, or small group of people. While senior leaders set the vision for the entire organization. However, both types of visions need to support the organization's goals. The mission of the organization is crucial in determining your vision. Your vision needs to coincide with the big picture. The term â€Å"visionâ₠¬  suggests a mental picture of what the future organization will look like.The concept also implies a later time horizon. This time horizon tends to be mid to long term in nature, focusing normally on 1/2 to 5 years in the future for visions affecting the entire organization. However, leaders such as supervisors or line managers tend to have shorter time horizon visions —normally a few months to a year. Step 2 – Goals The second step involves establishing goals, with the active participation of the team. Goals are also stated in unmeasurable terms, but they are more focused. For example, â€Å"The organization must reduce transportation costs. † This establishes the framework of the your vision.Step 3 – Objectives Definable objectives provide a way of measuring the movement towards vision achievement. This is the real strategy of turning visions into reality. It is the crossover mechanism between your forecast of the future and the envisioned, desired f uture. Objectives are stated in precise, measurable terms such as â€Å"By the end of the next quarter, the shipping department will use one parcel service for shipping items at or under 100 pounds and one motor carrier for shipping items over a 100 pounds. † The aim is to get general ownership by the entire team. Step 4 – TasksThe fourth step is to determine the tasks. Tasks are the means for accomplishing objectives. Tasks are concrete, measurable events that must occur. An example might be, â€Å"The transportation coordinator will obtain detailed shipping rates from at least 10 motor carriers. † Step 5 – Timelines This step establishes a priority for the tasks. Since time is precious and many tasks must be accomplished before another can begin, establishing priorities helps your team to determine the order in which the tasks must be accomplished and by what date. For example, â€Å"The shipping rates will be obtained by May 9. † Step 6 – Follow-upThe final step is to follow-up, measure, and check to see if the team is doing what is required. This kind of leader involvement validates that the stated priorities are worthy of action. For the leader it demonstrates her commitment to see the matter through to a successful conclusion. Also, note that validating does not mean micro-managing. Micro-management places no trust in others, where as following-up determines if the things that need to get done are in fact getting done. Supervision for Leaders Supervision is keeping a grasp on the situation and ensuring that plans and policies are implemented properly (U. S.Army Handbook,1973). It includes giving instructions and inspecting the accomplishment of a task. There is a narrow band of adequate supervision. On one side of the band is over-supervision (micro-management); and on the other side is under-supervision. Over-supervision stifles initiative, breeds resentment, and lowers morale and motivation. Under-supervision l eads to miscommunication, lack of coordination, and the perception by subordinates that the leader does not care. However, all employees can benefit from appropriate supervision by seniors with more knowledge and experience who normally tend to see the situation more objectively.Evaluating is part of supervising. It is defined as judging the worth, quality, or significance of people, ideas, or things (U. S. Army Handbook,1973, p304). It includes looking at the ways people are accomplishing a task. It means getting feedback on how well something is being done and interpreting that feedback. People need feedback so that they can judge their performance. Without it, they will keep performing tasks wrong, or stop performing the steps that makes their work great. Inspiring Your Employees Getting people to accomplish something is much easier if they have the inspiration to do so.Inspire means â€Å"to breathe life into. † And in order to perform that, we have to have some life ours elves. Three main actions will aid you in accomplishing this: 1. Be passionate: In organizations where the is a leader with great enthusiasm about a project, a trickle-down effect will occur. You must be committed to the work you are doing. 2. Get your employees involved in the decision making process: People who are involved in the decision making process participate much more enthusiastically than those who just carry out a boss' order. Help them contribute and tell them you value their opinions.Listen to them and incorporate their ideas when it makes sense to so. 3. Know what your organization is about! : The fundamental truth, as General Creighton W. Abrams used to say in the mid-1970s, is that â€Å"the Army is not made up of people. The Army is people. Every decision we make is a people issue. † Your organization is the same. It may make a product or sell a service, but it is still people! A leader's primary responsibility is to develop people and enable them to reach t heir full potential. Your people may come from diverse backgrounds, but they all have goals they want to accomplish.Create a â€Å"people environment† where they truly can be all they can be. Training and Coaching As a leader you must view coaching from two different viewpoints: 1) coaching to lead others and 2) being coached to achieve self-improvement. Training and coaching are two different things, although some people use them interchangeably. Training is a structured lesson designed to provide the employee with the knowledge and skills to perform a task. Coaching, on the other hand, is a process designed to help the employee gain greater competence and to overcome barriers so as to improve job performance.You might picture it as when you were in school. During physical education, the gym teacher (trainer) taught you how to play basketball. Next you went out for the school team. You had a basic understanding of the game and its rules, but the coach personally taught you ( coaching) the finer points of the game. Training and coaching go hand-in-hand. First you train people with lots of technical support, and then you coach them with motivational pointers. Both training and coaching help to create the conditions that cause someone to learn and develop.People learn by the examples of others, by forming a picture in their minds of what they are trying to learn, by gaining and understanding necessary information, by applying it to their job, and/or practice. Both coaching and training have a few points in common: Evaluate to determine knowledge, skill, and confidence levels. Define objectives that can be measured periodically. It helps to break them down into step-by-step actions (action steps). Clarify direction, goals, and accountability. To foster accountability, involve the person or team in the decision making.Encourage peer coaching by reminding them that everyone has a stake in each other's success. Coaching is more than telling people how to do so mething, it involves giving advice, skill-building, creating challenges, removing performance barriers, building better processes, learning through discovery (the aha method), etc. Deal with emotional obstacles by helping them through change, reviewing and pointing out ways that they hold themselves back, comforting them when they become confused, etc. Give feedback by pointing and hinting towards solutions; try to stay away from critiquing errors. Lead by example! demonstrate the desired behaviors.Learning The first condition of learning is that the person must be motivated to learn. You cannot teach knowledge or skills to people who are not motivated to learn. They must feel the need to learn what you are teaching. Most employees are motivated to do a good job. They want to be able to perform their tasks correctly. Their motivation is being able to perform their job to standards in return for a paycheck, benefits, challenges, job satisfaction, etc. The next condition of learning i s to involve them in the process. Keep their attention by actively involving their minds and emotions in the learning process.Have them participate through active practice of the skill or through discussion. You cannot keep their attention with a long lecture. Normally, people pay attention for a short time — less than 30 minutes. They need to use what is being taught or their minds will wander. If you lecture for an hour, very little will be remembered. Instead, give a brief lecture (less than 10 minutes), demonstrate, and then have them practice. Provide feedback throughout the practice session until they can do it on their own. If it is a large complicated task, then break it down into short learning steps. The Five Points of Leadership PowerAl Capone once said that â€Å"You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone. † However, while almost anyone can use power, it takes skill to use leadership. Leadership power is much mor e than the use of force. Leadership is influencing others to truly WANT to achieve a goal, while power forces others to achieve a goal. Power refers to a capacity that a person has to influence the behavior of another so that he or she acts in accordance with the his or her' wishes. This power is a capacity or potential as it implies a potential that need not be actualized to be effective.That is, a power may exist, but does not have to be used to be effective. For example, an officer in the Army has certain powers over enlisted personal, but that power does not have to used to be effective. The mere knowledge of an officer's power by an enlisted person has some influence over him or her. Coercive Power — Power that is based on fear. A person with coercive power can make things difficult for people. These are the people that you want to avoid getting angry. Employees working under a coercive manager are unlikely to be committed, and more likely to resist the manager.Reward Po wer — Compliance achieved based on the ability to distribute rewards that others view as valuable. Able to give special benefits or rewards to people. You might find it advantageous to trade favors with him or her. Legitimate Power — The power a person receives as a result of his or her position in the formal hierarchy of an organization. The person has the right, considering his or her position and your job responsibilities, to expect you to comply with legitimate requests. Expert Power — Influence based on special skills or knowledge. This person earns respect by experience and knowledge.Expert power is the most strongly and consistently related to effective employee performance. Referent Power — Influence based on possession by an individual or desirable resources or personal traits. This is often thought of as charisma, charm, or admiration. You like the person and enjoy doing things for him or her. Raven (1965) later came up with a sixth power, Infor mational: Providing information to others that result in them thinking or taking acting in a new way. Knowing this points of power allow you to determine what you and others have available in order to achieve full negotiation skills. Leadership & DirectionThe PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) Cycle was developed by Dr. Walter Shewhart as a plan of action for creating processes and products. It is a four-step method that uses not only direction and control to execute, but also provide an iterative process for continuous improvement: It is often called the Shewhart Cycle or Deming wheel. While the four steps of the cycle look easy, it actually takes a lot of work by all team members to complete the cycle correctly. One of Shewhart's students, W. Edwards Deming later used it extensively, thus the PDCA cycle is often known as the Deming Wheel (Smith, Hawkins, 2004).Deming used a modified version—PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) as he believed study (analysis) provided a better description t han check. A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline. And that goal will remain a dream unless you create and execute a plan of action to accomplish it. Every goal that gets accomplished has a good plan behind of it. — Harvey Mackay Plan Good plans start with a brainstorming session that includes all the people involved with the project. This allows everyone to be part of the solution, in addition to gathering the best ideas.Two key questions must be asked when planning (Army Handbook, 1973): What are all the ingredients necessary for its successful execution? What are all the possible forces or events that could hinder or destroy it? As much as possible, get all the answers to these questions. Listen carefully to the judgment of your team. Then plan the positive forces and events, and then take action to prevent any obstructions that might hinder the project. A detailed plan normally includes the who, what, when, where, how, and why: Who does it i nvolve and who will do what? What are we going to do? What will happen if we do not do it?When does it start and end? Where will it take place? How will it take place? Why must we do it? Also, the plan must be organized. Organizing is the process of creating and maintaining the conditions for effectively executing plans. It involves systematically defining and arranging each task with respect to the achievement of the objective. It includes three major steps: Determine all tasks Set up a structure to accomplish all tasks Allocate resources All essential information must be brought out. It is also important to consider timing—when each task must be started and completed. A helpful approach is to use â€Å"backward planning.†Look at each goal and decide what must be done to reach it. In this way you plan from the moment of the project ending point and then work your way back to the present in order to determine what must be accomplished for each condition. Backward plann ing simply means looking at the big picture first, and then planning all tasks, conditions, and details in a logical sequence to make the big picture happen. Include all the details of support, time schedule, equipment, coordination, and required checks. Your team must try to think of every possible situation that will help or hinder the project.Once the process of mentally building the project has begun, the activities will come easily to mind. Now, organize all these details into categories, such as needs, supplies, support, equipment, coordination, major tasks, etc. List all the details under the categories. Create a to-do list for each category. This list will become the checklist to ensure everything is progressing as planned. Do Your team cannot do everything at once; some tasks are more important than others while others have to be accomplished before another task can begin. Set priorities for each checkpoint and assign someone to perform each task on the list.Develop a syste m for checking each other and ensuring that each task is accomplished on time. Plan for obtaining all the required resources and allocate them out. Not having the required resources can stop a project dead in its tracks. For this reason you must closely track and monitor costly or hard to get resources. Trial the plan through a prototype (experimental scale). This allows you to actually check the plan on a small scale. Check or Study Throughout the project's execution there are three things that you must be involved in: standards, performance, and adjustments.The standard means, â€Å"is this project being completed or accomplished as planned? Are all the check marks being completed as stated in the planning process? The standard, which is set, must mean the same to you and your people. Performance is measured by completing the tasks and objectives correctly. While the standard relates to the project, performance relates to the people working on the project. If performance does not meet standards, then adjustments can be made in two ways—improve the performance or lower the standards. Most of the time, improving the performance is the appropriate choice.However, a leader may face a situation where the standard is unrealistic or costly, which means it may be lowered. This is usually caused by poor estimates or the inability to obtain the proper resources. Act Now you are ready to execute the plan. If your plans are solid, things will go smoothly. If your plans are faulty, then you might have a very long and hard project ahead of you! Problem Solving There are seven basics steps to problem solving (Butler, Gillian, Hope, 1996): 1. Identify the problem: You cannot solve something if you do not know what the problem is.Ensure you have identified the real problem, not an effect of another problem. One method is the â€Å"five why's. † You ask why five times. By the time you get to the fifth why, you should have found the ultimate cause of the problem . 2. Gather information: Investigate the problem and uncover any other hidden effects that the problem may have caused. 3. Develop courses of action: Notice that courses is plural. For every problem there are usually several possible courses of action. Identify as many as you can. There are always at least two: fix it or don't fix it.Brainstorming with your team will normally generate the most and best courses of action. 4. Analyze and compare courses of action: Rank the courses of action as to their effectiveness. Some actions may fix other problems, while others may cause new problems. 5. Make a decision: Select the best course of action to take. 6. Make a plan: Use the planning tool covered in the first part of the section. 7. Implement the plan: Take the steps to put the plan into action. The Communication Process Communicating with others involves three primary steps: Thought: First, information exists in the mind of the sender.This can be a concept, idea, information, or feeli ngs. Encoding: Next, a message is sent to a receiver in words or other symbols. Decoding: Lastly, the receiver translates the words or symbols into a concept or information that he or she can understand. During the transmitting of the message, two elements will be received: content and context. Content is the actual words or symbols of the message that is known as language — the spoken and written words combined into phrases that make grammatical and semantic sense. We all use and interpret the meanings of words differently, so even simple messages can be misunderstood.And many words have different meanings to confuse the issue even more. Context is the way the message is delivered and is known as paralanguage — it is the nonverbal elements in speech such as the tone of voice, the look in the sender's eyes, body language, hand gestures, and state of emotions (anger, fear, uncertainty, confidence, etc. ) that can be detected. Although paralanguage or context often cause messages to be misunderstood as we believe what we see more than what we hear; they are powerful communicators that help us to understand each other. Indeed, we often trust the accuracy of nonverbal behaviors more than verbal behaviors.Barriers to Communication Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood. — Freeman Teague, Jr. Anything that prevents understanding of the message is a barrier to communication. Many physical and psychological barriers exist: Culture, background, and bias — We allow our past experiences to change the meaning of the message. Our culture, background, and bias can be good as they allow us to use our past experiences to understand something new, it is when they change the meaning of the message that they interfere with the communication process. Noise — Equipment or environmental noise impedes clear communication.The sender and the receiver must both be able to concentrate on the messages being sent to each other. Ourselves â €” Focusing on ourselves, rather than the other person can lead to confusion and conflict. The â€Å"Me Generation† must be tossed aside for effective communication to occur. Some of the factors that cause this are defensiveness (we feel someone is attacking us), superiority (we feel we know more that the other), and ego (we feel we are the center of the activity).Perception — If we feel the person is talking too fast, not fluently, does not articulate clearly, etc., we may dismiss the person. Also our preconceived attitudes affect our ability to listen. We may listen uncritically to persons of high status and dismiss those of low status. Message — Distractions happen when we focus on the facts rather than the idea being communicated. Our educational institutions reinforce this with tests and questions. Semantic distractions occur when a word is used differently than you prefer. For example, the word chairman instead of chairperson, may cause you to focus on the word rather than the message.Environmental — Bright lights, an attractive person, unusual sights, or any other stimulus provides a potential distraction. Smothering — We take it for granted that the impulse to send useful information is automatic. Not true! Too often we believe that certain information has no value to others or they are already aware of the facts. Stress — People do not see things the same way when under stress. What we see and believe at a given moment is influenced by our psychological frames of references — our beliefs, values, knowledge, experiences, and goals. Active ListeningHearing and listening are not the same thing. Hearing is the act of perceiving sound. It is involuntary and simply refers to the reception of aural stimuli. Listening is a selective activity which involves the reception and the interpretation of aural stimuli. It involves decoding the sound into meaning. Listening is divided into two main categories: passiv e and active. Passive listening is little more that hearing. It occurs when the receiver of the message has little motivation to listen carefully, such as we often do when listening to music, television, or when being polite.Nonverbal Behaviors of Communication Eye contact: This helps to regulate the flow of communication. It signals interest in others and increases the speaker's credibility. People who make eye contact open the flow of communication and convey interest, concern, warmth, and credibility. Facial Expressions: Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits happiness, friendliness, warmth, and liking. So, if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more likable, friendly, warm and approachable. Smiling is often contagious and people will react favorably.They will be more comfortable around you and will want to listen more. Gestures: If you fail to gesture while speaking you may be perceived as boring and stiff. A lively speaking style captures the listener's attention, m akes the conversation more interesting, and facilitates understanding. Posture and body orientation: You communicate numerous messages by the way you talk and move. Standing erect and leaning forward communicates to listeners that you are approachable, receptive and friendly. Interpersonal closeness results when you and the listener face each other.Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling should be avoided as it communicates disinterest. Proximity: Cultural norms dictate a comfortable distance for interaction with others. You should look for signals of discomfort caused by invading the other person's space. Some of these are: rocking, leg swinging, tapping, and gaze aversion. Vocal: Speaking can signal nonverbal communication when you include such vocal elements as: tone, pitch, rhythm, timbre, loudness, and inflection. For maximum teaching effectiveness, learn to vary these six elements of your voice.One of the major criticisms of many speakers is that they speak in a monotone voice. Listeners perceive this type of speaker as boring and dull. Motivation and Drive A person's motivation is a combination of desire and energy directed at achieving a goal. It is the cause of action. Influencing someone's motivation means getting them to want to do what you know must be done. (U. S. Army Handbook, 1973) A person's motivation depends upon two things: The strength of certain needs. For example, you are hungry, but you must have a task completed by a nearing deadline. If you are starving you will eat.If you are slightly hungry you will finish the task at hand. The perception that taking a certain action will help satisfy those needs. For example, you have two burning needs — the desire to complete the task and the desire to go to lunch. Your perception of how you view those two needs will determine which one takes priority. If you believe that you could be fired for not completing the task, you will probably put off lunch and complete t he task. If you believe that you will not get into trouble or perhaps finish the task in time, then you will likely go to lunch.Allow the needs of your team to coincide with the needs of your organization Nearly everyone is influenced by the needs for job security, promotion, raises, and approval of their peers and/or leaders. They are also influenced by internal forces such as values morals, and ethics. Likewise, the organization needs good people in a wide variety of jobs. Ensure that your team is trained, encouraged, and has opportunities to advance. Also, ensure that the way you conduct business has the same values, moral, and ethic principles that you seek in others.If you conduct business in a dishonest manner, your team will be dishonest to you, for that will be the kind of people that you will attract. Reward good behavior Although a certificate, letter, or a thank you may seem small and insignificant, they can be powerful motivators. The reward should be specific and prompt . Do not say something general, such as â€Å"for doing a good job,† rather cite the specific action that made you believe it was indeed a good job. Set the example You must be the role model that you want others to grow into.As Mahatma Gandhi said, â€Å"We must become the change we want to see. † Develop morale and esprit de corps Morale is the mental, emotional, and spiritual state of a person. Almost everything you do will have an impact on your organization. You should always be aware how your actions and decisions might affect it. Esprit de corps means team spirit — it is defined as the spirit of the organization or collective body (in French it literally means â€Å"spirit of the body†). It is the consciousness of the organization that allows the people within it to identify with and feel a part of.Is your workplace a place where people cannot wait to get away from; or is it a place that people enjoy spending a part of their lives? Allow your team to be part of the planning and problem solving process This helps with their development and allows you to coach them. Secondly, it motivates them — people who are part of the decision making process become the owners of it, thus it gives them a personal interest in seeing the plan succeed. Thirdly, communication is clearer as everyone has a better understanding of what role they must play as part of the team. Next, it creates an open trusting communication bond.They are no longer just the doers for the organization — they are now part of it! Finally, recognition and appreciation from a respected leader are powerful motivators. Look out for your team Although you do not have control over their personal lives, you must show concern for them. Things that seem of no importance to you might be extremely critical to them. You must be able to empathize with them. This is from the German word, einfuhling, which means â€Å"to feel with†, or the ability to perceive anot her person's view of the world as though that view were your own.The Sioux Indian Tribal Prayer reads, â€Å"Great Spirit, help us never to judge another until we have walked for two weeks in his moccasins. † Also note that empathy differs from sympathy in that sympathy connotes spontaneous emotion rather than a conscious, reasoned response. Sympathizing with others may be less useful to another person if we are limited by the strong feelings of the moment. Character and Traits in Leadership Building Excellence To be an effective leader, your followers must have trust in you and they need to be sold on your vision.Korn-Ferry International, an executive search company, performed a survey on what organizations want from their leaders. The respondents said they wanted people who were both ethical and who convey a strong vision of the future. In any organization, a leader's actions set the pace. This behavior wins trust, loyalty, and ensures the organization's continued vitality. One of the ways to build trust is to display a good sense of character composed of beliefs, values, skills, and traits (U. S. Army Handbook, 1973): Beliefs are what we hold dear to us and are rooted deeply within us.They could be assumptions or convictions that you hold true regarding people, concepts, or things. They could be the beliefs about life, death, religion, what is good, what is bad, what is human nature, etc. Values are attitudes about the worth of people, concepts, or things. For example, you might value a good car, home, friendship, personal comfort, or relatives. Values are important as they influence a person's behavior to weigh the importance of alternatives. For example, you might value friends more than privacy, while others might be the opposite.Skills are the knowledge and abilities that a person gains throughout life. The ability to learn a new skill varies with each individual. Some skills come almost naturally, while others come only by complete devotion to s tudy and practice. Traits are distinguishing qualities or characteristics of a person, while character is the sum total of these traits. There are hundreds of personality traits, far too many to be discussed here. Instead, we will focus on a few that are crucial for a leader. The more of these you display as a leader, the more your followers will believe and trust in you. Traits of a Good LeaderCompiled by the Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group: Honest — Display sincerity, integrity, and candor in all your actions. Deceptive behavior will not inspire trust. Competent — Base your actions on reason and moral principles. Do not make decisions based on childlike emotional desires or feelings. Forward-looking — Set goals and have a vision of the future. The vision must be owned throughout the organization. Effective leaders envision what they want and how to get it. They habitually pick priorities stemming from their basic values. Inspiring — Disp lay confidence in all that you do.By showing endurance in mental, physical, and spiritual stamina, you will inspire others to reach for new heights. Take charge when necessary. Intelligent — Read, study, and seek challenging assignments. Fair-minded — Show fair treatment to all people. Prejudice is the enemy of justice. Display empathy by being sensitive to the feelings, values, interests, and well-being of others. Broad-minded — Seek out diversity. Courageous — Have the perseverance to accomplish a goal, regardless of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Display a confident calmness when under stress.Straightforward — Use sound judgment to make a good decisions at the right time. Imaginative — Make timely and appropriate changes in your thinking, plans, and methods. Show creativity by thinking of new and better goals, ideas, and solutions to problems. Be innovative! Attributes Attributes establish what leaders are, and every leader needs at least three of them (U. S. Army Handbook, 1973): Standard Bearers establish the ethical framework within an organization. This demands a commitment to live and defend the climate and culture that you want to permeate your organization.What you set as an example will soon become the rule as unlike knowledge, ethical behavior is learned more by observing than by listening. And in fast moving situations, examples become certainty. Being a standard bearer creates trust and openness in your employees, who in turn, fulfill your visions. Developers help others learn through teaching, training, and coaching. This creates an exciting place to work and learn. Never miss an opportunity to teach or learn something new yourself. Coaching suggests someone who cares enough to get involved by encouraging and developing others who are less experienced.Employees who work for developers know that they can take risks, learn by making mistakes, and winning in the end. Integrators orchestrate the man y activities that take place throughout an organization by providing a view of the future and the ability to obtain it. Success can only be achieved when there is a unity of effort. Integrators have a sixth sense about where problems will occur and make their presence felt during critical times. They know that their employees do their best when they are left to work within a vision-based framework.