A521.5.4.RB - Aligning Values

Based on the readings in the Denning text and the assessment you took in A521.5.1 identify in detail the process of developing and aligning organizational values. Identify the three basic components of an ethical community and discuss how they might be applied in your organization. Are there values that are missing from your organization?

Discuss how you might develop those values and also align them with the values of the individuals in the organization

Three tenets of an ethical community are: 

• trust
• loyalty
• solidarity

In my organization, trust is established through students knowing that they can rely on our product (education) and that they will be treated fairly in the classroom, in our offices, and in the community. We practice loyalty by never giving up on students and providing them with resources to succeed. We do this through providing tutoring; through faculty holding office hours for students to come is an ask questions; through staff and faculty serving as advisers for student organizations and creating opportunities for students to learn outside of the classroom; and through highlighting their achievements. Solidarity is sometimes practiced through helping students outside of the confines of the job - for example, one of my mentors drives one of our students two hours to a specialized doctor once a month for a long-term sickness - but I have not seen staff or faculty risk their reputation for students. I would like to see more leaders in the community question practices, identify red tape and play a more active role in connecting with students as people, but it is more important for me to point out what I see to the appropriate people, and to be as active with students as possible so that I can be a continued resource to them in any circumstance.


References

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative (Revised and updated edition). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons/Jossey-Bass

A521.5.5.GA - Projecting your Attitude to the Audience

Based on this week's readings from Whalen, create a Microsoft Word document describing the elements you would integrate into a public presentation. Be sure to list at least five elements and describe how you might integrate them into your narrative. Include the expected effect you believe these elements might have on your audience.
Five things I need to improve on as a public speaker are making sure that I am the focus of attention before I begin, moving around, utilizing turn, touch and tell, learning how to cut down presentations for time and keeping the audience entertained. I usually cut to the chase when I am presenting. I make sure most of the people who are supposed to be in the room are there, that the room is moderately quiet and that most people are not fiddling with their phones. I need to invest more time into reading my audience (Whalen, 2007, p. 170). If I make sure they are aware of what I want them to be doing when I begin, they will try to remain as such throughout.

At times I try to sell too much within a presentation. I really enjoy doing research, and I assume that other people want to hear all of the research that I have discovered, which leads to my presentation usually being longer than I anticipate them to be. However, Denning discusses how explaining processes ARE NOT STORIES (Denning, 2011). In a TIME article on presenting, it was noted that students were most engaged for the first 15 minutes or so of class, after which their attention gradually slacked off (Murphy Paul, 2012). This same article notes that we understand stories better than statistics; we remember them more accurately, and we find them more engaging to listen to in the first place. Therefore, making sure I make presentations concise is key to assuring most of the information is presented in those 15 minutes, and that a real life example is incorporated. Another reason why my presentations are often longer then I presume it's because I do ask a lot of questions and allow for the audience to participate quite often. Sometimes I need to cut them off to keep things moving. During a recent presentation for my resident assistants, I did not anticipate that the audience would have so many experiences to share about their downfalls and communication, and how they want to improve how they communicate. I could have shortened the presentation by skipping through some of my slides or perhaps skipping an activity.

Upon writing a review of my presentation, the director of my department noticed that I did not move around much. Most notably, this was because my back hurt at the time, and the podium was my saving grace. However, I could have addressed that in the beginning of presentation, as my staff usually sees me as someone who is energetic and lively. The future I will use turn, touch and tell while presenting. I don't believe I have ever utilized hand signals in gesturing to the screen when I present, but I do use a lot of movement as I speak, and that may look awkward behind a podium, particularly as someone who is not very tall.

At times I do elaborate on every bullet point. When I realize I am over on time, I tend to simply speak faster instead of choosing the most important bullet point, minimally elaborating, and moving forward. It is possible that I lose people when moving at a quick pace. Also, their attention may drop because I am no longer incorporating their feedback in a rush to finish. 

Finally, I want to make sure that I am keeping my audience entertained while I speak. I like to incorporate pictures, especially memes, videos, activities and discussion questions into my presentations. However, I have realized that I tend to be very excited in the beginning of the presentation, and I start to die as I wind down. I've tired myself out in the first couple of slides just trying to keep people's eyes on me.

My supervisor pointed out in my last presentation that if people start looking like they are distracted or bored, I need to inject a break into my presentation. I think this is a very good idea, because people will come back, hopefully focus going getting through the rest of what I have to say. Sometimes you will just need to move around. As noted in the beginning of Chapter 8, you can only stay on one subject for maximum of 10 seconds poor people's minds will wander (2007, p.169). If they have been sitting for a long time, they will need to stretch and move around before they can take in any more information (2007, p.170).

References

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative (Revised and updated edition). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons/Jossey-Bass

Whalen, J.D. (2007). The Professional Communications Toolkit. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Murphy Paul, Annie. (2012). How to Get — and Keep — Someone’s Attention. TIME.
 Retrieved at http://ideas.time.com/2012/07/25/how-to-get-and-keep-someones-attention/

A520.5.3.RB - Forrestor's Empowerment

Review the article titled: “Empowerment: Rejuvenating a potent idea” by Russ Forrester (2000).
In your blog, prepare a summary that compares and contrasts the concepts discussed to those discussed in the text.

In the best working teams, a commitment to and desire for team membership is present. If a manager's goal is to accomplish their own goals instead of the team's objectives, or to maintain independence from others, they are not leading. Empowered employees are more productive, psychologically and physically healthy, proactive and innovative, persistent in work, trustworthy, interpersonally effective, intrinsically motivated, and have higher morale and commitment than employees who are not empowered (2012, p.472). I would argue that if upper level management realizes that a restructuring of responsibilities is necessary between lower level and middle management due to lack of productivity, high turnover, and reports of workplace dissatisfaction, it would be far more effective to re-train middle management in order to establish teamwork and productivity, or to replace those who are leading ineffective teams.

The article by Russ Forrester titled "Empowerment: rejuvenating a potent idea" discusses several issues within the structure of management that it calls dysfunction for those within its ranks. Forrester discusses an enlightening set of conclusions about the psyche of middle management and the perceived threat and stress that empowerment of those underneath them may cause (Forrester, 2000). 

Organizational hierarchies are quite delicate. middle managers tend to see themselves as stressed by those on both sides of their position (Whetten & Cameron, 2012). They have work to do, yet they also have to make sure that those they supervise are busy with work and doing what they need to be doing. Alas, many middle managers are unsure of what task they can pass on to their supervisees because they want the work done right but are unsure if their supervisees have the skills to make sure the work is done correctly. Without having to waste more time explaining to their supervisee what needs to be done, why it needs to be done, and when it needs to be done, many managers rather save the effort and end up just doing it themselves. As Forrester states, "most managers recognize that their job security and career progression depend on what the organization demands of them." Forrester continues, "they tend to see their security more at risk if they depend on others." 

If a manager spends more time micromanaging than doing their own work,
how are they setting a positive example for their staff?

The issue is that, when managers touch all of the work within the office, they underutilize their staff, leaving them bored, unproductive and either underfulfilled or unfulfilled. They also cannot focus on what they really need to be doing! The best workers will also feel as if their manager does not trust them. As Whetting and Cameron note in chapter 9, "team members will not follow a person whom they don't trust, who is hypocritical or dishonest, and whose motives appear to be personal aggrandizement instead of the welfare of the team" (2012, p.507). Perhaps middle managers believe that they are sparing their staff "dirty work" by keeping unpleasant, technical, or timely work to themselves. However, playing the role of martyr by refusing to involve others in disagreeable tasks or drudgery creates unrealistic expectations for employees and isolates managers (2012, p. 469). It also creates undue stress on the supervisor. Personal consequences can range from inability to concentrate, anxiety, and depression to stomach disorders, low resistance to illness, and heart disease (p. 113).

Why are companies keeping people around who
refuse to put their hand in?

Empowerment can happen through a middle manager, but oftentimes the dysfunctions discussed are highlighted by upper level management and become a process which disenfranchises middle management more than anything. For example, Forrester discusses how organizations give additional power to employees, but intentionally leave their accountability the same, to predict protect employees supposed security needs by shielding them from the risks associated with their actions. The problem this creates is that accountability remains with those from whom the power was transferred, and middle managers then bear the accountability without the control. Though one would assume that this would force middle managers to develop the team dynamic needed to survey their staff to their own benefit, they get angry and less cooperative in these circumstances (2000). However, is their lack of effective delegation which causes upper level management to presume that such restructuring is necessary.

As noted in Chapter 8, in order to empower, a leader must develop self efficacy, self determination, personal control, meaning, and trust in all of their team members. This means that managers must involve themselves in professional development, creativity, openness, honesty, fairness and consistency (2012, p.472). A leader-manager encourages experimentation, trial and error learning, freewheeling discussions of new possibilities, and demands personal responsibility by everyone for upgrading performance (2012, p.505).

References

Forrester, R. (2000). Empowerment: Rejuvenating a potent idea. The Academy of Management Executive, 14(3), 67-80. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/210518384?accountid=27203

Whetten, D., & Cameron, K. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.

A521.4.3.RB - Subtleties of Communication and Hidden Messages

McKay, Davis, & Fanning direct our attention to nuances associated with body language, paralanguage, meta-messaging and hidden agendas. Sometimes, our verbal messages are not congruent with our nonverbal messages. At times, our paralanguage belies our verbal content. Sometimes, we use hidden messages to "cover our tracks" and deliver positive messages about our intentions.

Reflect on Chapters 4-6 of Messages and create a blog posting that identifies how you might use the information in these readings to improve your ability to communicate with sincerity and congruence. Think about instances where you have been exposed to incongruent messages and how you felt at those times.

In your blog, use specific situations that you recall and describe changes that you would make using the technical jargon of the chapters. The goal is for you to become a more powerful communicator by understanding these common problems and deploying strategies to overcome them.

There are six main characteristics of effective language. Effective language is concrete and specific, not vague and abstract; concise, not verbose; familiar, not obscure; precise and clear, not inaccurate or ambiguous; constructive, not destructive; and appropriately formal (Austin, 1962).

In reviewing the way we communicate, only 7 percent of our communication is expressed verbally (McKay, Davis & Fanning, 2009). That means that 93 percent of our communication is expressed in the way we say things and how we look when we say them.

The six elements of paralanguage are pitch, residence, articulation, tempo, volume, and rhythm. We must think about how are voice communicates things like trust, intelligence, and care. We want to make sure that our voice reflects what we want to say, and that it is congruent with the words we speak. We also want to make sure that our social kinetics, or by communication, align with what we are saying (McKay, Davis & Fanning, 2009). There are cultural differences in body language, just as much as there are in verbal communication. This leaves room for miscommunication (Searle, 1979). Is important to communicating all backgrounds so that people may understand why we communicate the way we do and to lessen miscommunication.
They say a picture paints a thousand words – and the same can certainly be said for gestures. We all subconsciously give away hints as to our true feelings, through our movements and gestures.

There are several universal movements that tend to be straight-forward.
Someone's arms crossed in front of their chest is one of the body language examples that indicate that one is being defensive. The body language meaning of crossed arms may also show disagreement with opinions and actions of other people with whom you are communicating (CBS News). The gesture of head nodding usually signifies agreement or bowing, a submissive gesture that shows one is going along with another person's opinions. For example, when I am presenting to an audience, I become more confident by seeing people nod, especially with audible "yes"s and humming (mm-hmm). Nail biting demonstrates nervousness, stress, or insecurity.

Chapter 6 the hidden agendas within communication. I would say I am guilty of the "I'm Good But You're Not", "I'm Tough" and "I Know It All" agendas (McKay, Davis & Fanning, 2009). I do not like to seem insecure in any situation. Unfortunately, at times the only way I can find to describe what I want is to describe how I show my wants to other people. This is sometimes come off as me saying, what you are doing is wrong, do it like I am doing it. Generally speaking, however, I do not concern myself with the decisions of other people when they do not affect me. However, a lot of people do ask me for my opinion and my only example usually involves how I do it. In regards to being tough, my background assumes that I would be more resilient than others in most situations, however, I do find it difficult to deal with injustice and discrimination. I may be resilient, but my experiences are completely different than those I have faced as an adult. Sometimes I find myself overwhelmed by the things I am a part of (Austin, 1962), as noted in the text, the "don't attack me or I'll cut you up" approach is standard when people try to point out that I may be wearing myself out. Alas, be I know it all agenda is very much in line with the "I'm Good but You're Not" agenda. I will look into becoming more of a person who can acknowledge the strength people have within answer use those rates as examples to do better instead of using my own examples and encouraging them to do as I do. I will also try to be less defensive while still being open and interested and what other people have to say and teach me.

References

Austin, J. L. (1962). How to Do Things with Words. New York: Oxford University Press

CBS News. Body language: 23 must-know moves. Accessed at http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/body-language-23-must-know-moves/

McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: the Communication Skills Book (3rd edition). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications

Searle, John R. (1979). Expression and Meaning: Studies in the Theory of Speech Acts. New York: Cambridge University Press

A520.4.3.RB - Motivation Beyond Money

Yes, we all like to be paid, but money is not among the three most important reason why we work. Andy Mulholland shares his insights as to what those three things are.

Create a blog entry discussing each of the motivators identified in this video and discuss their impact on you; additionally identify 3 additional motivators that have a major impact on you.

Andy Mulholland defines three desires workers have of their employers. Mulholland  states:

Number one, give me interesting work.  Number two, expand my skill set.  But number three is critical—it’s “recognize me.”

These desires resonate with me as well. My current position is in Student Affairs, within the Department of Housing and Residence Life. I have been working for Residence Life department and Student Affairs since 2007. Though I originally went to college for journalism with sights on becoming a news anchor, my experience as a Resident Assistant inspired me to stay in Higher Education throughout my professional career. I love my department - one of my greatest appreciations for my departmental director is his appreciation of my communications skills. About 2 months into my position, I was asked to take over online communications for the department, including a departmental website and Facebook page. I also design advertisements for an on-campus movie server. These responsibilities allow for me to continue to utilize my journalism skills while serving the needs of the department. It excites me to brainstorm content for our online presence, and it takes a true leader to recognize the passions of an employee that may not be specific to their job function but which they enjoy and are highly skilled. Because of this responsibility, I felt immediately connected to the department. I designed a page which featured staff photos and individual biographies, which I wrote. I added a Twitter account to our online presence, and I am hoping to develop a blog next year. I am proud that the director trusts me enough to develop and maintain a favorable identity for the department and the University.

Regarding the expansion of my skill set, my immediate supervisor begin testing me with conducting facilities walkthroughs and evaluations for the nine buildings I supervised. Though I was initially disinterested in what seemed like a sanction, I learned the process utilizing the past process of data collection and improved upon it, reducing the time intensive task to a copy and paste session. I learned how to utilize my communication techniques to expedite the process while still providing a quality product. I also did not have experience in conducting full facilities evaluations, and now I am very confident in my ability to do so. I enjoy writing technical reports, and know that this skill will be essential to resume building.

Student Affairs is a thankless job; you can go through years of trials and tribulations with a student, and they may see you as an enemy in which they "overcame" by graduating. This is a worst case scenario, but when it comes to the list of thanks for the influence received during the collegiate experience, faculty usually get the accolades. Very rarely are staff members within my department seen as mentors. However, I do see myself as a teacher, a professor of life skills and civility education. Residents in our facilities take a maximum of 20 credits a semester, meaning they are out of class for at least 148 hours in a week. I see it is my responsibility to fill those waking hours with entertaining yet educational content. Especially at Embry-Riddle, where students are not inundated with courses which teach humanities and social sciences, Student Affairs has a duty of developing students into effective workers and involved citizens. The test of our efficacy happens after they leave campus, which unless things go very well or very poorly, we may never know whether we have done our due diligence.

Three other passions I need out of a position is security, great team members and the ability to connect across departments and with the community.

Though I realize we are no longer living in the 1950s, where it was prideful to begin your career and retire after working for only one or two companies, I believe the "you are replaceable" mentality of many businesses decreases the excitement about the workplace and dedication to the organization. This is not the result of apathetic employees who are in and out for a quick buck; job dissatisfaction has become an epidemic because of insensitivity towards lifestyles, an overemphasis on production and an avoidance concerning professional development. I am a hard worker, but I have noticed a lot of friends who have been mentored to believe that working an addition 10-20 hours a week on salary is the way to get noticed - I beg to differ. For years, I have tested this theory and the conclusion I have made is that supervisors care more about getting what they need from you than how much time you've put into it. It may only take an hour to complete what they want on paper - the extras are unnecessary. If you can give a boss what they asked for when they need it, you are doing your job. In fact, I believe I often overdo my work by being too detailed or giving extraneous information. I suppose I try to quell the idea of being replaceable by completing work far more thoroughly than they would receive from someone else asked to do the same task. However, as much as an organization may believe that employees need them to make a living, companies need skilled workers in order to function and provide to their consumers. If an employee is unhappy, it will trickle down to the customers. Businesses should want the best people in all of their positions, and should treat those people with respect and dignity. Working in a hostile environment, where your job is threatened for anything outside of performance and policy violations, where you are called out of your name and spoken over, and where you are ignored when not being chided, are signs of job insecurity, just as much as high turnover and layoffs, because no one should feel anxious or saddened to go to work.

Teamwork is the crux of success; therefore, a team that gets along can work aside each other effectively. I enjoy my team members as hard-working colleagues and as people. Though I would not know them without the position, I have a hard time imagining the environment without most of them. They are supportive of my ideas and support my success. I enjoy writing them letters of encouragement, congratulations and recommendation. Even when they do something I do not like, I feel comfortable enough to let them know I was offended or uncomfortable with something that was done. I have worked with individuals who are unconcerned with their team, and it is difficult to work with people who see themselves as above the team.

The enjoyment of working in teams extends to committees, outside organizations and action teams within the business and community. I want my job to be an extension of my passions, and being able to find others who have similar missions is inspiring, particularly in other departments - it shows that the institution seeks out diverse workers who will eventually come together and push the company forward.

References

Mulholland, Andy. ( © 2011). The three things we work for (money isn't one of them). [Video File]. Ava

ilable from Books24x7

A520.3.5.RB - Supportive Communication

Create a blog posting describing how you can integrate supportive communication in your present position, utilize the guidelines detailed on page 265 and describe the expected outcomes that may result from your efforts. Through speaking to people like you would someone you care for, it is far easier to recognize what they desire out of working for your organization, and working for you as well. I find it easy ti simply care, not to act like I care. For example, I like to start with business in my one-on-one meetings with supervisees, but end with conversation about their lives. I like to know how their day is going, how their family is, what the last show they watched was, and what they are doing for the weekend, which is why I schedule my one on one times for twice as long as they need to be. I don't want to rush.

Stephen Covey, educator, businessman, keynote speaker, and author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, wisely said, “With people, if you want to save time, don’t be efficient. Slow is fast and fast is slow.” We all had experiences of trying to save time with people, which were regretted in the long run. It may have been with a co-worker, a child or a spouse. We sometimes focus only on what we need to get done. We must evaluate at what cost, and with what result, things are achieved in cutting corners. This is how I show that I value the other person’s importance and uniqueness (Whetten & Cameron, 2011, p. 265). When I think about what my personal mission statement is at work, it focuses on being the person who always has their door open, who can hold a conversation with anyone, and can learn and give advice to anyone. If I cannot give effective advice, I want to point them in the direction of someone who can! 

The impact this action has on my organization is that our customer sees us as more than one-time use resources. Through getting to know clients as people, following up on them to make sure the information I gave was effective, and offering to be a liaison for any issues or concerns they may have at the institution, my department keeps a positive reputation with our constituents. Another one of Covey's habits is to always think win-win. No one wins for long when someone feels like they received the short end of the stick (Covey, 1989)! He goes on to note that things should never be, my way or the highway - only the better way shall prevail. 

As financial guru Dave Ramsey notes in The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness, “The enemy of “the best” is not “the worst.” The enemy of “the best” is “just fine” (Ramsey, 2009). I like to exercise Covey's habit of thinking for all by seeing problems from other people's points of view, identifying key issues and goals, and determining what the most effective solution will be for their situation.


References

Covey, Stephen. (1989).  7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Ramsey, D. (2009). The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness. Nashville, TN 

 : Thomas Nelson.

Whetten, D. and Cameron, K. (2011). Developing management skills. Boston, MA: Prentice Hall.

A521.3.4.RB - Personal Reflection

In your Reflection Blog, recall two or three situations from your childhood or early adulthood that had a formative impact on you. Describe the situations and relate how they impacted you. Pick situations that have affected how you act and feel in an organizational or team-based environment.

As an example of one situation, consider this story from your Course Developer, Daryl Watkins:

"In the summer of 1976, my family was going through tough economic times. I was 10 years old, turning 11. My dad was working two jobs and my mom was working full time and driving 40 miles each way into Los Angeles. My parents were up front with our family about our situation and about the sacrifices that they were making. I didn't want to be a distraction to them. I already had an independent spirit, but at that point, I went out and started a paper route. While my friends were busy planning bicentennial parades, I was wrestling up odd jobs with my neighbors. I would do hard jobs that no one else wanted to do. I can be a bit of a perfectionist, so I made sure that the jobs were done well. That summer, I dug up an entire yard full of ivy. I don't think I missed a single vine. To this day, I hate ivy!

In many ways, that was the beginning of my entrepreneurial spirit. I find inspiration in work that allows me to shape the agenda, determine the measures of quality, and set the timeline. That spirit is an important aspect of my personal preferences and to some extent has guided me into my current work."

When I was five years old, I remember watching the news and hearing about Don't Ask, Don't Tell, a United States policy focused on the service of gays and lesbians in the military instituted by the Clinton Administration. This was the first time I realized that gays and lesbians faced discrimination. I questioned my mother, who was a Reservist, about why liking the same sex would be such a big issue. She explained that some people felt uncomfortable sleeping and showering around people who were attracted to the same sex. I questioned further, why servicemen (who I believed to all be the most honorable people in existence) would assume that someone who liked the same sex would like everyone of the same sex - I knew that I was not interested in being everyone's friend, even if we were the same age - why would it not be the same for every categorization? She then explained that she did not have a big problem with it and had many gay friends. She then explained matter of factly that it was an extension of religious group's opposition to gay marriage. I was even more taken aback by this discovery - I always thought anyone could get married to anyone they wanted to! I asked my mother, what religions hated gay people? She told me that there were very few, and those who felt that way were not actually religious - they were using G-d as an excuse to spread hate. I think the reason I questioned this so much is because I had little understanding of homosexuality - what if I was gay? I thought that people were attractive or unattractive, regardless of sex, and was simply unsure of what "box" I fit into. Would I be hated? Would I be at risk for violence? Would I have my rights taken away? This anger stayed with me until high school when I joined a multicultural Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally (LGBTA) group. During my membership, I joined GLSEN, Inc., the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, a national LGBTA organization that fights the discrimination of LGBT people. This organization solidified my assocation with the plight of gay people. I started the Day of Silence at my high school, a passive protest against anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. We petitioned the school to allow the group to decorate a hall for the annual International Week, and with 4 other high schools, petitioned the School District of Philadelphia to recognize October as Gay and Lesbian History Month.

After high school, I knew that I would continue to involve myself with organizations that dedicated themselves to challenging the status quo and working towards developing inclusive communities. Today, I am still as vocal against the discrimination of minority groups. In my position, I promote diversity initiatives and sit on the Diversity Advisory Board.

Another revelation of childhood was that I would never have children. I noticed my fear of babies, children, and pregnant women very young. I was six years old when my mother was pregnant with my younger brother. I watched her as she went from a modest-sized woman with ample capacities to a rounder, more tired woman, who looked absolutely pitiful. The bigger her stomach became, the more pitiful she looked. She complained about pains she never had before. She ate and acted awkwardly. She couldn’t run down the steps with me to go outside. And for some reason, I just wanted to push her over and squash that stupid growth, this cancer in her stomach that made her slower and more dependent on others. She could not carry as many grocery bags as before. And I cannot stress it more: she was sooo slow. I have never been too sympathetic or patient, but when I realized that she has done that to herself, I spited her. Who would do that to themselves, I wondered. And twice? My goodness, how many children did one family need?
I remember it being around Halloween when I realized a permanent change was coming. Everyone was awaiting this brand new "bundle of joy" that was supposed to exit my disfigured image of a mom. And then it happened. He was cute, but all he did was scream and soil himself, yet he was the one who received all of the attention. And her, because children were "blessings," not for their accomplishment, but just for existing. Alas, I realized that unsubstantiated honor which came with motherhood. Biology made her a part of a club of people that just about any woman could join. It was the excuse to not do anything else. My mother could have been anything if she had not had me and my brother at such a young age. She was in the military, and had dreams of finishing her services and going to college by way of the government. Never happened. She now was just a mom. Her life could have turned out so much better.
When I addressed my mother for the first time about why she'd done it, why she'd never gone to college or become the journalist she was known for being in high school, she simply noted that, "life happened," which I finally read as "children happened." She, along with so many men and women, believe that parenthood is just the way to go when there's nowhere to go. When they're stuck. When they have no idea what they are meant to do with their existence. Everyone else is doing it; it is the symbolization of adulthood, particularly womanhood. However, if throwing one's dreams away because of a lack of birth control is the definition of adulthood, there's good reason to note that 51% of pregnancies are unexpected or mistimed. More than half of our newly inducted adults are glorified for their genitals/genitalia working when they did not even want it to complete its duties  (The Guttmacher Institute, 2015).
I look back now, and I can say that I did the best at every task that was placed in front of me. A’s. Awards. Ceremonies. Honors. Scholarships. Acceptances. A diploma. Free rides to college near and far. Meaningless to people who never tried to make these things happen. My childhood friends? All moms. No degrees. I remember at nineteen, my mother telling me, when (not if, but when) I had my first child while I was in college, she would take care of it until I graduated - I do not believe I have ever been so humored and offended in the same moment. I suppose she believed, like mother, like daughter. I felt so sorry for her assumption, and I was not sure if I was disappointing her by not messing up the grand opportunity of higher education, or if she truly felt that things were going too good for me to end up as I did. There was an air of envy and apathy at my graduation. I had two childhood friends who had begun college, then fell into the doom of their own recklessness. Many are victims of domestic abuse at the hands of their progeny's other half, in line with the epidemic of unexpected parents (Monea & Thomas, 2011). Very few are in relationships - none are married, but they are mothers, the apex of womanhood! Like a baby’s functionality, some mothers have been gazed over and marveled due to nothing more than an uninterrupted chemical reaction. I wonder what could have been different if they had taken other options. Perhaps they are happy! Their conversations with me seem to show otherwise - wasting entire checks on childcare, having no time to be with friends, people questioning only about progeny - I just cannot understand the fulfillment piece in such a lifestyle. And for a long time, I thought I was alone!

At twenty-three, I was introduced to a professor at a small liberal arts college who was doing a study on minority childfree women, and was interested in speaking to me about my "experience." The discussions we had forced me to look back at my life and figure out where "the change" occurred - my choice to never reproduce. I suppose it happened when I started seeing young women - 14 and 15-years-old - tell me about how their boyfriends were belittling and hurting them. I suppose it solidified the first time I saw a classmate leave school due to pregnancy, and to never see them return to school again. I truly felt in my heart that I was sickened by reproduction when I realized that saw that women were stifled by marriage and children, particularly in their careers. I had no idea that my choice to not reproduce would land me in the company of some of the most intelligent, passionate women I would ever have the honor of knowing. Doctors, businesswomen, lifelong students, and more. I now feel limitless as a childfree woman - I have been able to move and climb up just about any ladder I have chosen. I don't have to play desperado for work. In fact, I can see the eyes light up of potential employers when I willingly note that I am not the typical minority woman scraping for an existence for a kid - and though I am troubled by the assumptions made for being a 20-something woman of color, I am relieved to not be a statistic. I do what I do because I love it, and I have relatively nothing holding me back. I could never imagine giving so much control over to a being that has simply run my spirit and body down. I could never see myself loving in such conditions.
Alas, I am appreciative that I will move forward with a life dedicated to causes that can change the world, not simply one, two, three, four or five lives. I am thankful for the lives I have been able to impact and the ability to question other women who have been conditioned to believe being society's oven is the zenith of our existence. I now understand that reproduction is a choice, not a mandate, and I am eager to spread the word.

References
The Guttmacher Institute. (2015). Unintended Pregnancy in the United States. Accessed at
  http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FB-Unintended-Pregnancy-US.html
Monea, Emily; Thomas, Adam. (2011). The High Cost of Unintended Pregnancy. Accessed at    http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2011/07/unintended-pregnancy-thomas-monea

A520.3.1.RB - Decision Making

In your blog, reflect upon the following questions:
What are a few words that describe your decision-making style?
What are the opposites of the words you chose?
Could you see any benefits to making decision using an approach that is based on either the opposites or somewhere in-between and what outcomes would you expect to see?

In terms of a decision making style, I would describe mine as flexible, collaborative, and perfectionist (Swinton, 2005). There are several personality traits I have studied in order to understand myself better, and popular evaluations focused on leadership style have helped me to utilize my strength effectively. These studies have been StrengthsQuest, Myers Briggs personality type indicator, true colors, and, strangely enough, my horoscope.

My StrengthsQuest profile includes Maximizer, ideation, strategic, and learner. My Myers Briggs personality type is an extroverted, intuitive, thinking perceiver. In true colors, I am mostly blue, but also gold. On top of all of that I am a Gemini.

My Myers Briggs personality type is a ENTP (however, under stressful conditions, I turn into an ENTJ). ENTP are described as visionaries. The ENTP is an innovator, who likes to find new solutions to problems (Berens & Nardi, 1999). We like to include the understanding of people, operations, and history who inspire change. We enjoy being around people and using communication to lead. We are rarely judgemental but have a low tolerance for incompetency. Because of this, I am more interested in generating possibilities and ideas then actually making decisions. With the Ideation StrengthsQuest type, I realize that I believe that no idea is a bad idea, so I want to hear them all. Though this may sound like someone who procrastinates, I'm far from a procrastinator. I like to get things done earlier rather than later, so I like to turn things in early and get feedback before I deem a project completed. I do not appreciate when people make group decisions for themselves, or feel as if their decision is not to be clarified to, or questioned by all involved. Why? It is certainly not because I want to be argumentative. As a TrueColors Blue-Gold personality, I need harmony in the workplace and in my relationships, and I am very adaptable. My goals are to bring unity and stability to my environment. I really want to be 100% behind a decision that affects me or a decision I may have to explain to others, so I need the time to ask questions. Therefore, as a leader, my preferred mode of decision making is to bring all parties to the table to discuss the issue, hear all of the ideas about how to resolve the issue, discuss the pros and cons of each idea, and see if there are any ways to synergize the best of each person's ideas. This also very much aligns with the Gemini personality type, in which open mindedness and open heartedness are very important. We also can see both sides of an issue equally, which makes it difficult at times to make a decision. 

I would say that term which are the opposite of my decision making style are intolerant, obstructive and fatalistic (Swinton, 2005). Throughout my life I have always heard Gemini described negatively as a dishonest, two-faced character. In fact, I have been in situations where I have heard two friends arguing, separated them, listen to both of their sides, and agreed with both of them. unfortunately, in my youth, it was very difficult to use this trait of dual understanding effectively, as it always came out as someone who was eager to please everyone. Through experience, I believe I have learned to utilize this straight to become a better negotiator and mediator. Some other traits of Gemini can be that we have little patience and become bored easily. My StrengthsQuest even speaks to this; my top trait is Woo - winning others over. Woo enjoy meeting new people, and see every stranger as a new potential friend, but we can struggle at maintaining close long-term relationships (Rath, 2007). I have noticed this in myself with really being a sampler of things. I have several interests and know a little about everything, but I am hard pressed to call myself a master of any specific topics. However, we Gemini are empathizers and can put ourselves into the shoes of others. We are welcoming and accepting of people and ideas. This is also a trait of the Learner StrengthsQuest type. I am very well known for taking notes in a large leather bound book everyone thinks is a Bible. In many ways, it is my Bible - within it are all the things that I have learned since starting my position, and it includes the knowledge of multiple wise people, with sometimes conflicting information but none-the-less, it's important information. I believe that every one of my team members, whether below or above me in level or pay grade, brings a mastery to the table of some type. I really like to hone in on that mastery and experience and utilize their knowledge. Even if we don't use everyone's ideas at the time of the issue, I'd like to revisit their ideas in my notebook for future application.

As a Maximizer, I like to look at something and figure out how it can be even more amazing (Rath, 2007). This really aligns with my description of perfectionist, because I like to see things as always improving and never the same. To be doing what everyone else is doing, is very limiting and boring to me. At times I do set myself up for failure through taking on things that are too large to handle alone, or doing too much of the same time.Don't get me wrong - I love working with people, but I like to challenge myself to see how much I can do by myself. I am severely over ambitious and I set my standards too high. I will never stop doing all of the things I have signed up for, and I will always put my best work out for everything I am involved in, but it can lead to me being very stressed out and becoming burned out prematurely.

References

Berens, Linda & Nardi, Dario. (1999). The 16 Personality Types, Descriptions for Self-Discovery. Huntington Beach, CA : Telos Pubns.

Rath, T. (2007). Strengths finder 2.0. New York: Gallup Press.

Swinton, L. (2005). 3 creative brainstorming activities, games and exercises for effective group problem solving. Retrieved April 10, 2015, from http://www.mftrou.com/creative-brainstorming-activities.html

Whetten, D., & Cameron, K. (2011). Developing management skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall/Pearson.

A521.2.3.RB - Danger of Stories

View the TED video Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story. Adichie uses several episodes from her own life's story to deliver her powerful message. Use your blog to reflect on Adichie's message . How do you view her message in terms of what you have learned in this module?
Stories can change the way we think, act, and feel about a topic or situation. They can form new perspectives (Denning, 2011), and in this TED video, they have the power to break down barriers and turn bad situations around.

In the book "Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins" the author discusses the format of business stories: there are "who-I-am" stories; "why-I-am-here" stories; teaching stories; vision stories; values-in-action stories and I-know-what-you-are-thinking" stories (Simmons, 2007). 

The story of Chimamanda Adichie's experience as a wealthy African in her homeland and as an African in America is one of unique and ironic parallels. '"What this demonstrates, I think, is how impressionable and vulnerable we are in the face of a story, particularly as children."

Adichie notes that as a child, she had been indoctrinated into believing that she was a person from a family of have, and her family worker was from a background of have nots. As a Nigerian, she saw herself as proudly African, good more specifically, held a pride about her immediate network more so then as a representative of her country, her confident, and her race. Adichie recalls that she held many assumptions about internationals. in the book she read as a child, the fictional characters, presumably from European ethnicities, seemed much different than her. They were interesting and she desired to live their lives. As a child, Adichie presumed that the lives of Americans and the British were realistically similar to the whimsical storylines she read. Adichie says:

Now, I loved those American and British books I read. They stirred my imagination. They opened up new worlds for me. But the unintended consequence was that I did not know that people like me could exist in literature.

In some ways, Adichie seems to see her access to books, in the education, as a luxury. In comparison to her work boy, she is grateful to have things that his family does not. She believes that his family does not have food to eat, does not value education, and lacks creativity. She is shocked to find that he comes from a very creative family, that is able to make money from their developments. Her naivety stems from the ignorance of her parents. They constructed in her mind that there was a such thing as less than within humanity. Alas, Adichie comes to find that she is also a part of the grand dynamic of a perceived human hierarchy. When it be to visit America to come to college, she is in for a rude awakening from her housemate:

My American roommate was shocked by me. She asked where I had learned to speak English so well, and was confused when I said that Nigeria happened to have English as its official language. She asked if she could listen to what she called my "tribal music," and was consequently very disappointed when I produced my tape of Mariah Carey. She assumed that I did not know how to use a stove.

Adichie's roommate was disappointed because of the symbols Adichie utilized to explain her experience. As in Chapter 3 of  The Professional Communications Toolkit notes, humans are symbols-seeking creatures. Adichie's roommate desired to see new, foreign things from Adichie's collection of belongings. She became disappointed when her expectations of an assumed primitive culture were dashed. Perhaps Adichie's roommate thought she would be able to shine a light on the Adichie continues:

She had felt sorry for me even before she saw me. Her default position toward me, as an African, was a kind of patronizing, well-meaning pity. My roommate had a single story of Africa: a single story of catastrophe.

Reflecting on the way see saw her house boy, Adichie realizes the error in her ways. In relocating, Adichie now is put into the same box that she put her house boy and his family. She is seen as a survivor of the African experience.

Chapter 2 of The Professional Communications Toolkit discusses how when a speaker is doing a great job communicating, they essentially disappear (Whalen, 2007). Adichie's story is a combination of a few of formats of persuasive stories. She discusses who she is by painting a picture of her affluence, which the audience may not assume by looking at her. This presumptive piece details the "I-know-what-you-are-thinking" portion of her story. She acknowledges that those who are looking at her assume she is African, and before she even speaks, are already prepare to hear a story that aligns with their negative assumptions of Africa, African people, and perhaps black people as a race. Over the course of her story she explains why she is there speaking with them: to quell the epidemic of stereotyping and reducing groups of people to one unfortunate experience they may or may have not faced within their perceived box within the human race. Her goal is to teach why stereotyping can be so ineffective, and how it makes individuals seems ignorant and unworldly.

As noted by Whalen (2007), "successful communication begins with your desire to deliver messages you've mastered and have a passion to deliver." It s apparent in her delivery that Adichie has seen the error in her ways of thinking about a flat approach to people - all people are complex and more than meets the eye, particularly when the eye is narrow.

References

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business  Narrative (Revised and updated edition). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons/Jossey-Bass

McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: the Communication Skills Book (3rd  edition). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

Simmons, Annette. (2007). Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact. New York, NY : AMACOM

Whalen, J.D. (2007). The Professional Communications Toolkit. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage    Publications. 

A520.2.3.RB - Conflict Resolution

Use your blog to describe an example of a successful conflict resolution that you have either witnessed or participated in.
What was the conflict?
What role did you play?
Who were the other participants in the negotiation?
What was the result?

Can you see any room for improvement to how the conflict was handled.

I was managing the creation of our new video segment and we were on a very tight deadline because we had to have the five themes edited in time for a big upcoming brainstorming meeting. I was in charge of delivering on time and I had to manage team members from Politics (which I focused on), Music, Sports, and a flexible themed section. The flexible themed section writer/editor that was assigned to the project was very talented, but unfortunately was not communicating with the team; he kept changing stories and had missed a false deadline. I use false deadlines to make sure projects can be reviewed and changed if necessary. When I approached him about it, he argued that he wanted the story to be recent at the time of presentation.

I was worried about his response, but I remained steadfast in the need to complete the project sooner rather than later. I acknowledged that the deadlines were tight and explained again the reasoning and the importance of having the video ready for the meeting. I let him know that everyone else's stories would be a little aged but the point of the project was to show a new format, not recent news. He relaxed a little when he saw that I understood his anxiety. Eventually, we agreed that it would help if he was able to pick two or three of the examples he had completed for the flexible themed section, to give the staff a better understanding of what various topics could be used to fill this part of our segment. I applauded his extra work and let him know how important and time-consuming this project was.

As a result, the flexible themed section writer/editor was able to focus on the work completed and meet the deadline.

In the future, I would have approached him earlier to see why he was doing so much work after I saw the first two examples of his sub-section. I may have been able to save him some time and stress in the long run.

A520.2.6.RB - Time Management

Prepare a Blogger entry by reflecting on the following:

Assess your time management skills.
Evaluate how these skills have increased your locus of control.
Identify three new areas in which improved time management skills would reduce stress.
Add an action plan to integrate these to your daily routine.

To further evaluate this, I took a time management quiz located here.

As noted in "Evaluating and Improving Your Management Style", I have a supporting style of managing: "The supporting style has the manager elicit ideas, listens to individuals, and encourages self-reliant decision-making and problem solving" (Walter, 2002). My personal mantra is from Tuna Fey, who states, "In most cases being a good boss means hiring talented people and then getting out of their way." I do not hover over my supervisees and I see myself as much as a resource as they are. I enjoy helping and advising them, and I make sure not to step on their toes. There's no dumb question, and I do not see myself above any duty. We have good communication between each other and I care about them as people. In a lot of ways, I try to function like Jim Goodnight at SAS - placing "enormous emphasis on three things: employees, customers, and products." I want them to love work and to enjoy their time in the office.

To manage my time effectively, I need to set goals. I need to know where I am going; then I can figure out what exactly needs to be done, in what order. Without proper goal setting, I may waste time away in a confusion of "priorities". People tend to neglect goal setting because it requires time and effort. However, ignoring goal setting now saves an enormous amount of time, effort and frustration in the future.

Prioritizing helps to figure out what needs to be done. Without it, I may work hard, but I will not achieve the results I desire, because what I may be working on may not be important at the moment. I like to reward myself for getting jobs done, no matter how small, as I see reminders of the consequences of not doing tasks through other people. When someone needs something from another person and they do not follow through, the relationship between them suffers; it is hard to trust people who always makes excuses for not completing work or whose work always looks rushed, particularly when they blame others for their downfalls (Whalen, 2007). 

At work and at home, I have "to-do" lists. I can admit that it is just a collection of things that need to get done - I could use more structure in getting things done. I have to ask myself, "How do I arrange this? Top down, bottom up, easiest to hardest?" At this point, I see myself doing the least tasking things first, or most interesting, so I can build my confidence in completing goals. It helps to see that I've achieved so much within a day, and it motivates me to keep up the momentum. I know that in order to work efficiently, I need to work on the most important, highest value tasks. By doing this, I will never need to think about scrambling to get something done as the deadline approaches. I am very good at doing this at work; I set false deadlines for myself that are days to a week out in order to look over my work and make edits if necessary. I also like sending in my work to my supervisor ahead of time so they know that I have not forgotten tasks that are far off in the distance. It also gives them the opportunity to add their input so that they get the product they want.

Minimizing the interruptions I face during my day has started to become a priority, due to a supervisor's stress over people asking them questions more than they would like. I have been having this issue at home when attempting to complete classwork - I become very involved in making sure work is done before I move forward with coursework. It is widely recognized that managers get very little uninterrupted time to work on their priority tasks - but as a higher education professional, it is also important to be available. There will always be phone calls, information requests, questions from employees, and a plethora of concerns that pop up. My job requires me to be available for people when they need help; therefore, I see interruption as a natural and necessary part of workplace life. I always want to make sure I am not scaring people away from interrupting me when they should do so!

References

FISHMAN, CHARLES. (2012). SANITY INC. FAST COMPANY. Accessed at http://www.fastcompany.com/36173/sanity-inc

Walter, Jeffrey J. (2002). Evaluating and Improving Your Management Style. Electric Energy. Accessed at http://www.electricenergyonline.com/show_article.php?mag=5&article=38

Whalen, J.D. (2007). The Professional Communications Toolkit. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.