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.

A520.1.2.RB - Self-Awareness

Complete the Diagnostics Surveys for Self-Awareness on pages 46 – 56 before reading this week’s assignments.

After you have completed the survey, use the scoring key at the end of Chapter 1 (pages 97-103) to identify the skill areas discussed in the chapter that are most important for you to master. Reflect on the following questions regarding your overall experience with the self-awareness surveys:
Prepare a Blogger entry by reflecting on the following questions regarding your overall experience with the self-awareness surveys:
What do you notice in your results?
How much of this rang true for you?
What did you see that you were expecting in the results?
What were the surprises?
How will you make use of this information?

What I learned from the list of surveys in Chapter One is that I am in need of development in the areas of core self evaluation and emotional intelligence. I know I need to engage in more honest self-disclosure with people who are close to me and with whom I work with. it is difficult for me at times too admit that I am uncomfortable or angry about something that has been said or done. This is surprising because, as much as I pride being honest and straightforward, I would rather move forward then to the risk a generally productive relationship. 

I suppose in some ways this is an example of a lack of confidence in my communication style, though I never considered myself a poor communicator. I try my best to move past things without making people face their own shortcomings though I realize ways to highlight their strengths, and I would rather take advantage of their strengths rather than highlight their weaknesses. I also realize that I am very open to change and new ideas, and I also like to bring new ideas to the table. 

On pages 91 and 92, there are several descriptions of successful managers who differ in values, learning styles, orientation towards change, and interpersonal orientation, after reading these descriptions, I believe I align most with Gordon Bethune.

Gordon’s personal attention to employees—for example, he attends the graduation ceremonies of every new class of flight attendants, hands out candy canes to employees during the Christmas season, shows up regularly at employee birthday parties, and holds a monthly open house in his office to encourage employee communication. “Anybody who’s worked here longer than two months can recognize Gordon,” says a baggage handler in Newark. When he walks through an airport, employees wave and call out his name.

Like Gordon, I am someone who loves people. I am dedicated to my staff knowing that they are appreciated. I like to know not only what is going on in their work life, but their personalized as well. I am touched by how much people trust me with their stories. I show my appreciation by sharing things that I have overcome, and aiding them in their work whenever they need me. I see myself as a servant leader, someone who focuses on the growth and well-being of people in the communities they serve. I care less about power and the accumulation and exercise of it, and more about sharing power and putting the needs of others first.

References

Whetten, D.A., & Cameron K.S. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

A520.1.6.RB - Self-Awareness

I began my Masters of Science in Leadership Program studies in October 2014. Since then I have face a lot of situations at work which have put the skills and knowledge I have acquired during the program to work. 

In Chapter One of Developing Self-Awareness, five concepts of self-awareness were explained. The five core aspects of self-awareness our emotional intelligence, core self evaluation, values, cognitive style, and attitudes towards change. Personal values are the core of the dynamics of behavior, and play so large a part in unifying personality (Whetten & Cameron, 2011). I have always found myself to be someone who is very resilient and honest.  Coming from a military background as well as a working class household, I have developed a thick skin for criticism and directness. I pride my parents on being very straightforward with their approach to my actions as well as the actions of others. However, growing up in such a dynamic can formulate a stoic, seemingly cold person. One aspect I have learned to express is emotional intelligence—the ability to manage oneself and to manage relationships with others

I was taught that showing emotions was a sign of weakness, and that control over one's emotions was the same thing as hiding one's emotions. It was not until I began dating in my teens that I realized I lacked an understanding of my emotions. Though I believe I have become much better at showing emotions, for a long time I had trouble expressing them effectively. I live by the statement, "if you cannot change the people around you, change the people around you" (D, 1996).  It is completely opposite from the "grin and bear it" mentality. If I don't like something, I can either change it or leave it. I have found that leaving it has been the preferred method for me, particularly after a grand push for change met with resistance.

MSLD 520 is my fourth course, and I have seen a lot of improvement in the way I address issues, as well as my dedication to addressing issues I may not have addressed before starting the program. Another quote I live by is, "if not me, who? If not now, when?" (Hertz, 1936). I am still very much working on seeing change as a journey, not simply as a destination that one should rush towards. I am beginning to learn that people are slow to change and that I need to outlast the issues I wish to overcome.

References

D, Chuck. (1996). Generation Wrekked. On The Autobiography Of Mistachuck [CD]. Mercury/PolyGram Records.

Hertz, J. H. (1936). The Pentateuch and Haftoras. Deuteronomy. London: Oxford University Press.
Whetten, D.A., & Cameron K.S. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 

A521.1.4.RB - Stories in your Organization

Describe a common story in your organization and discuss its implications on the organization. Does this story promote the goals and ideals of the organization? Does it help describe "who we are and what we stand for?" What is the story's impact on the culture of the organization?

In the past organization I worked for, I remember my interview experience fairly well. I was greeted rather tersely by a fellow who seemed to be more nervous than I was about my presence. He never made eye contact, spoke quickly and meekly, and reminded me of Piglet from Winnie the Pooh. Our small talk consisted of discussion about how many people had left the institution in the past few years, due to lack of growth opportunities, in so many words. He stated that he was not from the area, and told a short story working in a large urban city at a fairly well-known institution.

It was clear that he was not fit for this past position, and seemingly ended up in his current position in response to having too much to do before.
In his current position, his goal was to not rock the boat. He was looking for experience, the realized that those with the years of fieldwork would preferred to be elsewhere. The location was remote and relatively unsafe for its size. It would be a different dynamic for a "northerner."

His discussion was worrisome but straight forward. He is clearly expressed the drawbacks of working at the institution. The pay was not great. There weresome policiesthat were rather conservative. The strategic direction of the department was blurry. There were no professional staff members with significant training or experience in the field.

Alas, I still decided to pursue this mission. Perhaps it was because of the challenge. Perhaps it was because of the opportunity to add clarity to an otherwise lost arena. Being the big fish in a small pond was fulfilling and comfortable at first, but it is difficult to function properly without the resources to train and grow people, even within their current positions. Even with the financial availability to maximize human utility, investment in professionals was not a priority. This directly affected the client - institution relationship.

A632.9.3.RB - Role of Emotion in Decision Making

In this video, Prof. Baba Shiv of Stanford University talks about the importance of emotion in decision making. After watching this video, reflect on two situations; one, in which you were extremely confident of the outcome and what your attitude was towards the subject; and second, a situation in which you would less confident or not so confident and how you felt about the situation. Based on this module's readings and this video write a reflection blog detailing the situations above and describing the role emotion plays in decision making. Identify three emotional reactions for each scenario.

One major life decision I've made was the choice between two career paths, of both I was very passionate. I started my undergraduate career with a passion for writing. In high school, I wrote for the school newspaper, and I also reported for our school's broadcasting network. I loved the role I had in both of these positions, in my desire to work in broadcasting was quite strong. I love politics, and I loved current events. I could not see myself doing anything else. When I found out I was accepted to some of the top journalism schools in country, I felt confident, determined, and proud of the destiny I had worked so hard to receive.

Above, Professor Baba Shiv discusses how emotions effect decision making and the confidence that is tied to our actions. Researchers of the brain treat confidence and overconfidence is being bad because they allow for bias to influence of heavy and result in making uninformed decisions (Shiv, 2011). I agree with this in a way.

Like most 18 year olds, I did not know exactly what I would receive out of my college experience, particularly as a first generation college student. A frame of reference for the college experience was a decade of movies focused on parties, Greek life, and living with a soundtrack playing in the background of every waking moment spent outside of a classroom. Movies like "Revenge of the Nerds", "Accepted", "Road Trip", and "School Daze" literally displayed a very black or white experience still with minimal realistic trials and tribulations. 

I didn't even know what my campus looked like. Some of my first experiences were quite negative. I was a minority, out-of-state student at a predominantly white institution, and I didn't feel as if I fit in. I viewed and faced a lot of discrimination. My excitement quickly turned to sourness and hatred for my decision. I wasn't sure if this was just the experience where I was, or if this was the college experience for a minority student. I planned to transfer to a college in an urban epicenter more like my hometown; I was convinced that rural Appalachia and I had nothing in common. 

In addition, my major did not provide for a lot of diverse mentorship or support. I remember getting a lot of criticism for my voice being deeper. I was pushed to do urban talk radio instead of reporting the news. I was a strong writer but it seemed that no one felt I had the right look. As noted in the study "Black in a Blonde World: Race and Girls' Interpretations of the Feminine Ideal in Teen Magazines," it seemed that the support went to thin, blonde white women and I was the antithesis for this preference. I wondered, if would not be appreciated on an academic level for my talent, would I ever be accepted in the industry? Though for a few years I obliged to speaking higher, straightening my hair and even wearing wigs, I knew I did not want to be successful with these falsities as my crutch. When I began wearing my hair natural, I received criticism for my hair not being straight and long. I became very distant from my courses in journalism, and fell in love with sociology. Still, at times I wanted to question why I was turned towards mediums and positions in the newsroom and classroom which allowed me to be front and center. Why was I not told about internships that would be "right for me"? I had to do a lot alone that others were supported in doing.

My saving graces were the people I met in the minority-focused centers - the Multicultural Center, the Women's Center, the LGBT Center, and the Department of African American Studies - these experiences not only kept me at the institution but engrossed me into the student leadership positions that employed me and led me to seek a career within higher education. I began working for Housing and Residence Life as a Resident Assistant. It was the most diverse department on campus, serving domestic and international students in employing both domestic and international students and staff. I believe department had the most women, and the most "out" LGBT community members as well.

Professor Shiv discusses how decision confidence and wanting boost the likelihood of engagement, overcoming obstacles and fruition of dreams. So many of these people were passionate about their learning, fulfilled in working with student workers, and were staunch progressives. Instead of sitting on their butts and talking about what they saw (like a reporter), they wanted to be change-makers. Today, many of them are people whom a journalist would chase after for a feature. Though I am still very passionate about communications and broadcasting, my student experience changed the way I perceived the career choice.

This is why invoking emotion into decision-making processes is so important. In discussing the topics of the Decision-Making for Leader course, it is clear that those within the class are excited about how their knowledge is making them better workers, supervisors and organizational leaders. The desire to improve and move an institution forward is beneficial to all within the organization. I see myself within my industry for a long time, due to the mentors who continuously inspire me to inspire others. Passion is persuasive. Confidence is contagious.

References

Shiv, Baba. (2011). Brain Research at Stanford: Decision Making. Stanford University. Accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRKfl4owWKc

Duke, Lisa. (2000). Black in a Blonde World: Race and Girls' Interpretations of the Feminine Ideal in Teen Magazines. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. Accessed at http://jmq.sagepub.com/content/77/2/367.full.pdf+html

A632.8.3.RB - Reflections on the Cynefin Framework

Create a reflection blog based on critically thinking about how the Cynefin Framework can benefit your decision-making. Consider the chart on page 7 of the HBR article "A Leader's Framework for Decision Making" and discuss decision-making in multiple contexts; include two specific examples of decisions in multiple contexts that you have made. Detail the considerations from the various contexts that influenced your decision. Critically assess the Cynefin Framework and describe 5 ways it can provide an improved context for decision making.