A511.3.3.RB - Power and Influence

Whoever said that first impressions are the most important impression you'll ever make, and you get only one chance to make it, was half-correct; first impressions are lasting (everyone remembers the first time they met someone) but not unchangeable. People are going to decide if you're competent or not in their eyes before they know your name - statistically less than 100 milliseconds - but the experience they receive from your company after the first meeting is just a springboard for that relationship. We have the choice to realize their evaluation of their presumptions, and to either meet it, exceed it, or prove them entirely wrong, and these can occur within a positive or negative first take.

A coworker of mine, an older woman with a type-A personality, told me after a few months of working with me that at first glance, she did not believe we would get along well. She noted that I carrying myself as quite intimidating, commanding and opinionated at my interview, and she anticipated us butting heads often. Surprisingly, she believes we get along quite well because we are so headstrong and dedicated to our work, but we also care about the success of our team as a whole. She pointed our that I am a very "real" person as opposed to someone who tries to appease everyone, though she correctly thumbed my StrengthsQuest dominant personality as a "Woo" long before I took the Clifton StrengthsFinder personality test:

Woo stands for winning others over. You enjoy the challenge of meeting new people and getting them to like you. Strangers are rarely intimidating to you. On the contrary, strangers can be energizing. You are drawn to them. You want to learn their names, ask them questions, and find some area of common interest so that you can strike up a conversation and build rapport. Some people shy away from starting up conversations because they worry about running out of things to say. You don't. Not only are you rarely at a loss for words; you actually enjoy initiating with strangers because you derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection.

However, from another lens (one of a supervisee), I initially came off as very fake. She noted that I initially seemed too happy for my attitude to be genuine, and that I consciously tried to be a friend to everyone (which is sort of what I do, as a pegged "woo"). However, after a while, she realized that I had just as many emotions as is the norm, and that my attitude was apt to the situation.

From my standpoint, I criticize myself for being "too real". I have a difficult time hiding my disenchantment for people. When someone insults or offends me, I let them know immediately. I do not go around people to get issues solved - I am pretty predictable about working my way up the ladder. I do, however, make sure I have an outline of my perspective, along with examples and supporting persons, before I move forward with any action.

Deborah Gruenfeld (2013), professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, states that most people, when preparing for a situation where they want to have influence, think about what they are going to say. Instead of thinking solely about what we are going to say, we should also think about what our body is telling people. This is because when people are forming an impression of us, what we say only accounts for seven percent of what they come away with. There is a body language of power. We learn how to show confidence, show compassion and care, and how to be intimidating, through stances, eye contact, and arm movement. In utilizing power and influence, we must be authoritative and approachable. It pays to be authoritative, as people need to know you are confident in your ability to make decisions, as well as directive and able to privilege your knowledge and experience over the knowledge and experience of others. However, being approachable balances this out - authoritative people are rarely seen as empathetic - as it shows openness and the ability to relate to others. Being able to balance both is the basis of managerial likability, which is important in being an effective leader.

Power involves the capacity of one party (the "agent") to influence another party (the "target"). An agent may have influence over a single or over multiple target persons. Power comes in many forms, yet French and Raven note them in fives specific types: reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, expert power and referent power (Yukl, 2010). Legitimate, reward and coercive power have one large setback: these positional power structures are easily abused. This abuse involves a manager believing that they are the center of everything, that they know all, and are oblivious to the indirect verbal and nonverbal feedback from employees (Messina, 2008). In the long run this type of behavior leads to the abuser feeling lonely and disconnected from others, constantly feeling the need to defend themselves from others, and employee resentment will ultimately result in opponents and competitors working to bring down the power person (McGinty, 2001).

Watts Humphrey, author of the best-selling and influential book, Managing The Software Process (1989)

and director of the Software Process Program at Carnegie Mellon noted in his failures of and early management experience, "we had to resort to power because our authority had broken down." Therefore, though power is important, to solely rely on it for influence is detrimental to the work environment and ultimately to the person. However, personal power - the ability to exert influence in an organization beyond the authority granted through position - is exuded in expert power and referential power. This type of power may include job knowledge, interpersonal skills, ability to get results, empathetic abilities, or persuasive abilities (Yukl, 2010)  So what are authoritarians doing that works?

Those in authoritative positions appear relaxed and open. They walk in long strides, taking up space and owning their presence. Because at the top of the hierarchy, they have very little to worry about; it is presumed that everyone beneath them is going to make sure that nothing bad ever happens. Fracaro calls this attitude and form of communication "Language from the Center," (2008) which involves taking the lead and projects competence and confidence, resulting in the building of trust. Their trust does not waiver in discipline or making tough decisions. They stare people down when they are addressing them, but when being addressed, may break gaze and wonder in their thoughts. They do not have to say much, but what they do say has a clear beginning and clear end point. Doing these things is a sign of dominance, and people tend to lean with the ideas of those who command themselves as the deciding factor (Gruenfeld, 2013). 

Influence in one direction tends to enhance influence in other directions (Yukl, 2010). It is intriguing to see how this plays out in a room of leaders being addressed by their own leader, then in another room where one of these leaders is heading their own group of workers. Those in approachable positions are much the opposite of those in authoritative positions. Fracaro calls this attitude and form of communication "Language from the Edge" (2008) and is collaborative and responsive in nature. Gruenfeld (2013) notes that approachable people appear small and try to minimize their imprint. They use fleeting and jerking movements when speaking to someone (but are focused on the person speaking to them), use their hands close to their faces when they speak, and glance instead of making eye contact. They smile a lot in order to make others (particularly those above them) feel comfortable. However, what may be seen as cowering, Gruenfeld believes is the basis of building rapport, as it shows that one understands their role as an inferior and the role of their superior. However, this is also used by supervisors towards supervisees when giving employees increased responsibility and latitude in how to perform their jobs, and in situations when there are concerns from inferiors. When someone who is obviously of high ranking status "plays low," as Gruenfeld calls it, their reputation is boosted, as it shows respect and acknowledges importance in the multifaceted identity of all workers. 

References

Fracaro, Kenneth E. (2008). You're a Manager, but are You a Leader? Contract Management. Accessed    at https://www.ncmahq.org/files/Articles/CM1008%20-%20Professional%20Development.pdf

Gruenfeld, Deborah. (2013). Stanford Graduate School of Business. Accessed at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdQHAeAnHmw
Humphrey, Watts (1989). Managing the Softivare Process, 1st ed.; reprinted with corrections August 1990.  Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

McGinty, Sarah. (2001). Power Talk: Using Language to Build Authority and Influence. New York, NY: Warner  Books.

Messina, James J. (2008). Eliminating Intimidation. Livestrong. Accessed at  http://www.livestrong.com/article/14742-eliminating-intimidation/

Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in Organizations, 8th edition. Prentice Hall.

A511.2.3.RB - Supportive Behavior

Take the opportunity to reflect specifically on Yukl's material on pages 63 through 72, Supportive Behavior.

Assuming that these leadership behaviors are appropriate at all levels of organizations, do you use these behaviors in your work with others? Subordinates? If so, how are they effective in producing results? If not, could they be added to your personal repertoire of leadership behaviors?

Supportive leadership helps to build and maintain effective interpersonal relationships. A manager who is considerate and friendly toward people is more likely to win their friendship and loyalty. The emotional ties that are formed make it easier to gain cooperation and support from people on whom the manager must rely to get the work done. It is more satisfying to work with someone who is friendly, cooperative, and supportive than with someone who is cold and impersonal, or worse, hostile and uncooperative. (Yukl, 2010, p. 125)

Participative leadership is a managerial style that invites input from employees on all company decisions. This occurs when staff is given pertinent information regarding company issues, and a majority vote determines the course of action the company will take. Participative leadership can sometimes be a slower form of decision-making, but it has several advantages that may make it the right managerial method some businesses.

My supervisory style is one of a participative leader. I am open-minded to input from my supervisees when making decisions and solving problems, but in most instances, retain the conclusion when choices are made. When assigning projects, I tell let my team know what to do, show them how to do it, and let them know when I want it done. I set false deadlines in order to allow time to review their products, and give feedback and aid. However, in learning more about their strengths and experiences, I have found it acceptable for my team to carry out their role with little of my input. 

My supervisees tend to be encouraged and motivated by this style of leadership, as they take advantage of my open-door tradition I do not close my door unless I am in a meeting or on a phone call. This provides maximum opportunity for communication between my staff and I. I try to avoid being a hypocrite as well. There are certain things I have found to be disturbing about past supervisors. My top peeve was a supervisor who wasted my time - they were never on time for our meetings and would go over time when I needed to be somewhere else. They would never apologize for this and would force me to waste someone elses time because they refused to reschedule. According to Michael Hyatt, author of Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, this is also one of the top reasons employees dislike their supervisors (2012). They call too many meetings. They are not responsive. Finally, supervisors don’t really understand the work process; they have no idea how long it takes to get the work done, and do not train for more thorough effectiveness. I understand that we hired our employees because we knew they were capable of great work; however, without performance mastery, they will have little capacity to care about what they do, who they do it with, and who they do it for (Simmons, 2010). I want group members to feel involved and relevant in the decision-making process, which is why I prefer when decisions are made through group consensus. This style of leadership often leads to more effective and accurate decisions, since no leader can be an expert in all areas. Input from group members with specialized knowledge and expertise creates a more complete basis for decision-making. I prefer to know than to assume, and I ask plenty of questions to seek clarity - I encourage the same of my supervisees and their supervisees - I want to help my coworkers fulfill their potential.

Yukl notes nine behaviors that supportive leaders actively utilize within their organizations (Yukl, 2010, p. 125). Effective support...

... shows acceptance and positive regard for others.

... is polite and considerate.
... treat each worker as an individual.

... remember important details about coworkers.
... is patient and helpful when giving instructions or explanations.
... provides support when a worker or group of workers are worried or upset.
... expresses confidence in the person when addressing difficult tasks.
... provides assistance with the work when needed.
... is willing to help with personal problems.

References

Hyatt, Michael. (2012). 4 WAYS SUPERVISORS FRUSTRATE THEIR EMPLOYEES—ARE YOU GUILTY? Your Virtual Mentor. Accessed at http://michaelhyatt.com/four-ways-supervisors-frustrate-their-employees.html

Simmons, Brett. (2010). Want Your People To Care More? Help Them Perform Better. Positive Organizational Behavior. Accessed at http://www.bretlsimmons.com/2010-05/want-your-people-to-care-more-help-them-perform-better/

Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in Organizations, 8th edition. Prentice Hall.

A521.7.4.RB - Knowledge Sharing Story

In your Reflection Blog, relate a knowledge sharing story from your personal experience. Be sure to describe the context of your story.

Individually and collectively, stories help us make sense of our past and understand possible futures (Sole and Wilson, 1999). Stories are about connection, compassion and giving meaning to otherwise messy lives (CNS Creative Factory, 2015). Storytelling takes hard work, and starts with listening carefully. It also involves surveying the environment around us.

In looking for a decent example about how storytelling spreads knowledge, I found a video promoting a conference that gathers top speakers and award winning storytellers to show the potential of stories in communication, education and transformation. In the advertisement for "The Power of Storytelling," the creators use the story of a fly to tell of a need for humans to incite change through storytelling. Everyone hates flies, but their existence far precedes our own. However, they do not live nearly as long as we do - an average of 60 days - so their individual impact is relatively small. They live life as individuals, joining only to mate and pass. There is a subtle question therein: How many of us are living life in such a manner? Then there is one fly who wishes to live her life differently. Instead of simply being a fly on the wall, she wants to interact, share experiences, and avoid the ill-fated death of the inevitable swatter; this is a downfall of communication through generations of ancestors. We wonder: Is she capable of changing the ways of her species, or will she die under the same circumstances of those before her? This story really resonated with me, and became the springboard for finding a story in my life that begs the same question.

American novelist Thomas Wolfe defined the American Dream as, "…to every man, regardless of his birth, his shining, golden opportunity ….the right to live, to work, to be himself, and to become whatever thing his manhood and his vision can combine to make him." My account is a discussion of how different the story of America is on paper is to actually living the American experience, a critique of the reality of this Constitutional freedom. America has never truly fulfilled these ideal qualities; it is a place full of disenfranchisement and limitations. I wrote this after entering my second year of undergraduate work and realizing how many of my childhood friends in Philadelphia would never have (or believe they had) the experience of pursuing a degree. I did not feel lucky; I felt that my friends were robbed of a promise of opportunity. Not only do I tell the story of my experience as an example of these conditions, but also of the events that occurred to families across America as a result of those in power abusing their positions and maintaining inequality and injustice.

American Dream

I never lived the American Dream
In a studio apartment, with a family of four
Floors as beds for a while, living meagerly
But it was all the same to me.
I’m talkin’ bout, ONE room
That tripled as the living, dining, and bedroom
With a kitchen and bathroom on the sides
And when you opened the four locks on the front door
You could see every worldly possession we had.
Monopoly money paid for food until mom decided
It was better to suffer than to be called a waste
And fill out welfare forms that demanded your race
When you fought for your country right after graduation
And still you cannot find a satisfying occupation.
Veteran or not, a n-word is what they see
So for years and years I kissed the ass of poverty
Now everyone wants to claim we’re in a damn recession
I guess I was the only one who grew up in depression
People makin’ half a mill need a lifeline,
And mom ain’t made half that in her lifetime
Something’s wrong, but I still stay strong
For her and my future, so yes I am pissed

When our government pisses her taxes away
To pay for shit cars made by Chevrolet
Then calls me un-American for taking Honda’s side
But I’m the only person in my whole damn fam who got a ride.
So I can’t afford a Ford and or GMC
While blue-collar workers are laid off with mouths to feed.
But I guess it’s a recession
But to my recollection, Good Will was this sweet guy my mom dated
Who use to buy me new clothes
New to me, but never new, but I never knew
I was living the Depression
Long before Gore ran for president, and a mixed man was the resident
Of that big white bank in Washington, D.C.
Concessions were never made for me when I ran out of money
What I had was all I had until the next payment came
From a side job I claimed at 12 years old
Illegal but it helped pay for the gas and the electric
Mom suspected something was up but gave no lip
Philly then was like Afghanistan without the long trip
Do what you do to survive, and I’m still alive
But seriously, back to this American Dream that went unfulfilled
I question why people would risk their lives trying to get into
The imprisonment of wishes that the USA jizzes on the face of the workers
The workers who wipe their brow with their disappointment
And hang it in with the unions, but big biz doesn’t get down
With the union folk, who only joke of better benefits
And get their jobs handed over quick to
Some third world country where people work for a dime
And we wonder why, we’re in this recession
Soon to be Depression
But it’s all the same to me.
I never lived the American Dream.

When I wrote this a few years ago, it was out of inspiration to tell my story in a way that would be interesting and impactful in a terse manner. Poetry has always been my outlet in expressing personal experience without harping on details that would either be lost on anyone who had never experienced a similar upbringing, or would be met with disbelief. It allows for a micro episode to be juxtaposed with a macro problem through then-current events that most are familiar with (for example, the auto industry bailout of GM, Ford and Chrysler cost $80 billion but moved more than half of their payroll out of the country). My goal in this story was to talk about how impoverished people are in one of the world's wealthiest countries, and to those who the government recently turned its back on to realize that they have not been forgotten by those who have been in the trenches much longer than they have. It is a call to action in showing that as the middle class falls into an economic pit, they are welcomed to join the fight alongside those they have always seen themselves as better than (Searcey, 2015).

Nancy Duarte (2010) touches on this need for collective action in her TEDx talk, The Secret Structure of Great Talks; we all have big dream, and it will involve more than ourselves to see them come to fruition. However, it can be easy to leave one's idea aside and settle for the norm. The norm is comfortable; we are creatures of habit, and we'd rather say "it is what it is" than to shout for change and be chastised (WomensMedia, 2013). We are convinced past leaders - the Xs, Kings, Anthonys and Milks - will reappear and save us. Why do we not realize that we need to save ourselves?

When sports agent Jerry McGuire was fired from his job for
spreading a manifesto for change, only one of his coworkers is
brave enough to move forward with him in his new enterprise.

People can also become overwhelmed in the stress associated with making an impact, and can feel relieved in circumventing such a large responsibility (1999). However, there is always a test that is placed in front of us, which if interpreted correctly, will show us why we must continue to fight for what we need to express to the world (CNS Creative Factory, 2015). One of my favorite writers, Langston Hughes, inspired this style of writing for my stories. In his poem "Let America Be America Again," Hughes notes that America used to be more about possibility than impossibility, but the Black experience in America was more about the latter than former (Hughes, 2004). Langston's repetition of the line, "it never was America to me," states his claim that he has never experienced freedom or equality in America. His call to action is to the successors of those who built this country to stop praising a country that does not praise them. Change must come before this is warranted, and it is up to the disenfranchised to reclaim America.

As the wayward fly teaches, we have the power to save others from tragedy. Though through our existence, we may be seen as bothersome, but our time is short to abolish the generational suffering of our people. Telling stories not only builds and incites action in communities, but finds others in similar conditions. Therefore through listening, structuring, sharing and connecting our stories (CNS Creative Factory, 2015), we can build our army to fight for the betterment of our collective, locally and nationally. 

References

CNS Creative Factory. (2015). Fly Off the Wall. Accessed at  https://www.behance.net/gallery/24618357/The-Power-of-Storytelling-Fly-Off-the-Wall\

Duarte, Nancy. (2010). The secret structure of great talks. TEDx. Accessed at  http://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks

Hughes, L. (2004). Let America be America again and other poems (1st Vintage Books ed.). New York:    Vintage Books.

Searcey, D. (2015). Middle Class Shrinks Further as More Fall Out Instead of Climbing Up. The New York Times. Accessed at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/26/business/economy/middle-class-shrinks-further-as-more-fall-out-instead-of-climbing-up.html?_r=0

Sole, Deborah; Wilson, Daniel Gray. (1999). Training and Development, vol. 53, pp. 44-52. Accessed at  http://www.providersedge.com/docs/km_articles/Storytelling_in_Organizations.pdf

WomensMedia. (2013). Why We're So Afraid of Change -- And Why That Holds Businesses Back.  Forbes. Accessed at http://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2013/04/08/why-were-so-afraid-of-  change-and-why-that-holds-businesses-back/

A520.7.4.CM - Developmental Coaching Process

Write a blog entry on the significance, importance, and/or impact of having a coach and/or a mentor to help you in your professional journey.

When I think of a mentor or coach that has given me the support to become a better student affairs professional and a better person, I think of one particular women who has always supported my growth and development. She was my supervisor as a student worker at Ohio University. I was a Resident Assistant with the Department of Residential Housing when I met her, and her very presence was powerful. She is a tall, stocky woman with a short hair cut and hers eyes told two options of existence; she could either be the greatest soldier on your side, or a devastating woman to be at odds with.

She supervised the newest residential hall on campus, named in honor of the first Black graduate of the school's illustrious journalism program. As a minority journalism student, I was not only impressed by the story of this man (who was a founding member of one the university's historically-black fraternities, Kappa Alpha Psi, and the founder of the Multicultural Genealogical Center in Ohio), but the story of the woman who managed the building bearing his name. Raised in Detroit, to say she appreciated and understood diversity is an understatement. She was very vocal about being a lesbian, being from a struggling environment, and being someone who refused to play into the tradition of ignoring privilege and blaming the oppressed. She was a leader who empowered, and it was well-known that she only wanted the best of the best RAs working with her. It was also rumored that she hand-picked candidates through a thorough investigation of not only their grades and verification of every campus involvement claim, but their social media presence, and campus and community reputation from faculty, staff, students and anyone else she could get a word or two from. It would seem that whatever tactics she used worked; only those with RAs with the best grades, who exemplified profound leadership and wanted a challenged worked for her. She was know to kick ass and take names with the students who were silly enough to put their hall residency status on the line, clean house within staff if necessary, and build the best, most cohesive teams throughout the 16 or so RA staffs throughout the campus' three residential greens. RAs in this hall were supported by each other, their boss, and appreciated and respected by their students. They were present in all campus-wide activities with their staff, even if it had nothing to do with work. I wanted that type of experience, and though I loved my supervisor at the time, I knew working for this woman would strengthen me as a student leader.

Hauser (2009) discusses in Evidence-Based Coaching the executive coaching system, which is used to expand, strengthen, and optimize the coachee’s leadership capabilities, competencies, and confidence within organizational context. It has three main components: insight, the understanding of one’s developmental needs; motivation, the willingness to invest the time and energy required for needed self-development; and accountability, the internal and external mechanisms monitoring change and providing meaningful consequences. As someone from a similar upbringing, I realized during my first year of college that though I held a high level of resilience but I had a hard time picking my battles. I needed to have someone who I could toss around my life's goals with. My first year at Ohio University as an out-of state student within several niche populations made me the target of a lot of prejudice. There were constant attacks on my intelligence - assumptions of why I qualified for a full-ride, and anger at the institution's recruitment of minority students and the support of first-generation college students were communicated often - and I considered leaving the University quite often. Furthermore, students at the institution were generally ignorant of their insensitive actions (there were several racially-discriminatory social activities, such as a rather infamous "I Have a Dreamsicle" party on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend, in which white students donned blackface). Whereas in an urban environment, it is normal to lash out, my inability to do so caused me to bottle up a lot of anger. Though I had become involved in organizations that gave me the power to address such events, inside I felt inferior because it was seemingly a never-ending process of protecting my identity. I never felt like I had someone I could talk to honestly about the events, take those experiences and formulate them into a professional lifelong mission statement. I was not sure if I could keep my passions under control as I went into the professional world. 

My supervisor, who our staff called "Boss Lady," was a woman of passions. She and I would talk every week at our one-on-ones about how to use my Resident Assistant job to release stress and display my passions. Through passive and active programming, recruiting my residents to go to organizational meetings with me, and putting my life story out on the table, I was able to show who I was without feeling like a defender of every group I represented. She supplied me with books and articles to review and tie them into our conversations. She had a great thumb on the campus environment and helped to connect me with professors and students who were talking about the things I talked about, and always assured that I would converse with those who had diverse thoughts. A Forbes article titled The Impact of Mentors notes an important aspect of leadership: Focus on the stuff that makes a difference (Portnoy, 2012). I came to her with the challenge of teaching me professional resilience. She could have solely focused on developing my ability to formally dispute with others and defend my passions, but she was quite direct in noting that, at some point, my beliefs will undoubtedly be wrong. She challenged me to befriend those who she knew I would not see eye to eye with on every topic, but coached me to see value in perspectives different than my own. This is how she created great teams. I appreciated how attentive she was to every staff member, making us all feel like we had a bond with her that was unique and unspoken. There was never a need to compete for her admiration. Her leadership style throughout the staff was one of a developer. She saw no individual as fully formed; I believe she saw her staff as great, but also as a constant work in progress, alive with possibilities. Students drew toward her just as much as she did them, for this very reason. Her mission was to help us experience success through challenging us to do more than the minimum, to do it exceptionally, and to enjoy the extra time and effort. There is a process to seeing people change, and she was patient but took very few excuses; however, she celebrated our little steps in the right direction.

Director and actor Tyler Perry wrote, “what I've found about it is that there are some folks you can talk to until you're blue in the face--they're never going to get it and they're never going to change. But every once in a while, you'll run into someone who is eager to listen, eager to learn, and willing to try new things. Those are the people we need to reach. We have a responsibility as parents, older people, teachers, people in the neighborhood to recognize that.” Mentoring is the ability to listen more than speak, yet still aid people to solving their own problems. This is even more necessary in the workplace, as the average worker spends thirty-two percent of their total waking hours during the average working lifetime of forty-six years. Why not be the best person one can be by being a lifelong learner about everyone's favorite topic - themselves? Emelo notes in his study of virtual mentorship, that eighty-eight percent of business-provided mentoring users agreed that their productivity increased due to mentoring, and 97 percent of users who spent at least one hour per month on mentoring were satisfied with their experience (Emelio, 2011). Since her and my eventual departure from the University, she has still been a resource for professional development; through social media and random phone calls of highlights and challenges, I feel like she is always inspiring me, though we live thousands of miles apart.

It was because of her influence that I began to realize - as a third-year journalism student - that I wanted to impact student leaders as a career. I did not want to simply report on the happenings of the world; I wanted to make them happen. Though I continue to write and have a desire to work within the news industry, my mission statement is to assure that the leaders of tomorrow's wide expanse of industries will be scrubbed of their social prejudices before having the money and title to perpetuate -isms, and to make progressing equality for all a lifeline goal. I believe that working in higher education gives me the opportunity to do this.

References

Emelo, R. (2011). CREATING A NEW mindset: Guidelines for mentorship in today's workplace. T + D,    65(1), 44-49. Retrieved from  http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/846785033?accountid=27203
Hauser, L. (2009). Evidence-based coaching: A case study. OD Practitioner, 41(1), 8-13. Accessed  at http://www.coachfederation.org/files/includes/docs/149-ODP-Hauser-Rev2-Final.pdf

Portnoy, Eli. (2012). The Impact of Mentors. Forbes. Accessed at  http://www.forbes.com/sites/eliportnoy/2012/08/17/the-impact-of-mentors/

A511.1.3.RB - Leadership vs. Management

The simple question "Why"? relates to cause and "Greater Goal."
Think about a leader who has inspired you. Was the person inspiring as an individual, or did you respond more to the cause to which the person enlisted you?
This week’s module was essentially an introduction to leadership along with discussion of the concepts of leadership and management. You may have noticed where they are the same and where are they different. Be that as it may, one of the roles of a manager is understood to involve the exercise of leadership.
For this reflective analysis, please continue that thought process and create a submission that encapsulates content from the module as well as your own thoughts on the issue of the intersection of leadership/management. You may approach this discussion from any angle. One might be simply to define managerial work and then analyze how leadership is a part of that. Perhaps you would prefer to examine Mintzberg’s various managerial roles and analyze how the leader role is either integral to or is not related to the remaining nine roles.
When planning this submission, you might also think about the video of Simon Sinek's TEDx talk and the “why” of leadership. Why does Southwest Airlines exist? Does the slogan “Freedom to Fly" make sense? This is what Herb Kelleher “sold” and SWA leadership still sells to its employees! What “cause” made his employees come to work every day, especially in the early days of the airline when they were paid substantially less than similar employees at other airlines. Is this “why” of leadership something that should be considered within the discussion of managerial work?

Leadership and management must go hand in hand. They are not the same thing. But they are necessarily linked, and complementary (Murray, n/d).
The words leadership and management have different definitions. Leadership is the position or function of a leader, a person who guides or directs a group. Management is the person or persons controlling and directing the affairs of a business, institution, etc (Dictionary.com). People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. If you talk about what you believe, you will attract those who believe what you believe (Sinek, 2009).
The manager maintains; the leader develops. The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people. The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing. The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust (Murray, n/d).
There are leaders with a strong moral compass, who focus on the needs of their followers rather than their own self-interest. But does being such a leader actually pay off?

My old supervisor was someone who was supremely hard working. Everything she did was for the purpose of bettering society, the people she worked with and herself, in that order.She was passionate about diversity issues, particularly women's and LGBT rights. She was not simply a social media activist, "liking" pages on Facebook and signing online petitions. She was a letter-writer, caller, marcher, donor and teacher on these issues. She molded her work group around activism and encouraged, as well as participated in, community service and philanthropy initiatives. She challenged her staff to think, "What do I care about? What do I want to change?" She then asked us what we were doing to emphasize those interests. Did we simply believe it, or did we work for the progress of our ideals?
Servant leaders focus their attention on the long-term prosperity of the firm and the development
of their employees. In doing so, servant leaders basically activate a process of reciprocation in which
employees respond by performing better, not only individually but especially on behalf of the firm as a whole.
Caring about the organization’s success rather than his or her own, valuing honesty more than profits, and emphasizing the need to give back to the community are inspiring to individuals. Why? People want to be useful. They enjoy missions. Most do not want to do themselves, but giving them a mission is doing a part of their work for them. It's a convenience to hop on a bandwagon. 

But, as Simon Sinek notes, you must declare your mission. If you don't know why you do what you do, and people respond to why you do what you do, then how will you ever get people to vote for you, or buy something from you, or, more importantly, be loyal and want to be a part of what it is that you do?

We follow those who lead, not for them, but for ourselves.


Refeences

Dictionary.com. Accessed at http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/management?s=t

Hess, Edward D. (2013). Servant leadership: A path to high performance. The Washington Post. Accessed at http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/servant-leadership-a-path-to-high-performance/2013/04/26/435e58b2-a7b8-11e2-8302-3c7e0ea97057_story.html

Murray, Alan. (n/d). What is the Difference Between Management and Leadership? The Wall Street Journal. Accessed at http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/what-is-the-difference-between-management-and-leadership/

Sinek, Simon. (2009). How great leaders inspire action. TEDx. Accessed at http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action/transcript?language=en#t-587000

A520.6.5.RB: Team Roles

Write a blog entry on task-facilitating and relationship-building roles. In your blog, reflect upon your understanding of how these roles enhance team performance.

• Consider how you generally relate as a team-member.
• Do you actively engage your team to accomplish its mission?
• Do you work to improve the team cohesion and collaboration?

In any team, there are various roles for people to play a part.  People are the elements that make up a team, and the diversity among people is probably the single greatest reason why teams are so complex. Some people are leaders, some are followers, and some move between these roles. Two such teams roles are Task-facilitating and Relationship-building roles. Task-facilitating roles include:

• disseminating information,
• asking for clarifications, and
• directing members' efforts back to the task.

Building good relationships promotes team success (Cameron & Whetten, 2011, p. 514). Members do this by:

• crediting other's ideas and efforts,
• mediating conflicts, and
• challenging inappropriate exchanges.

These roles assist in unifying the team mentally and emotionally. Encouragement is important, whether you are a team leader or a fellow team member. As a team leader, I challenge myself to be clear and consistent about what I would like my team to achieve. As a task-facilitator, I give clear directions. I seek discussions involving thought from all members, and I respect their thoughts and encourage others to do so. Research on catastrophic group decisions has identified a distinctive pattern in the teams that have made poor decisions. One of the pitfalls of those groups is censorship of dissent. If team members pressure themselves or each other to suppress dissenting opinions in order to maintain harmony, the diversity of members' insights is wasted.  Effective team leaders understand that a moderate amount of task-focused conflict is constructive.  If their teams are not debating issues, effective team leaders promote debate by playing the role of devil's advocate. The shared goal must be the goal of everyone (Cameron & Whetten, 2011, p. 512). I also debrief with my team so we can learn to improve our weaknesses or celebrate the good techniques implemented by the team. 

Team cohesive and collaboration lead to effective team and results. My organization consistently holds events were staff and faculty can celebrate our achievements and socialize; we have monthly service excellence award ceremonies where we can nominate each other for exceptional work. We also have quarterly socials that usually have a cause tied to them - our Work Environment Quality Council is about to host a Fiesta Pot Luck, and a few months ago several staff members came together to throw a fundraiser for an injure international student.

I am a learning through experience and teamwork. It really strengthens ties between those with similar passions and people tend to be open to sharing about their personal lives and influences when they are working on topics they care about.

References

Cameron, S. K. & Whetten, A. D. (2011). Developing management skills. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

A521.6.3.RB - High Performance Teams

Based on this week's readings from the Denning text, identify the elements of high-performance teams and apply them to teams with whom you have worked in your organization. Next, Identify the importance of shared values and discuss the influence of shared values on your team's performance. Finally, examine the four patterns of working together and detail one positive and one negative experience. What could you have done to influence the outcomes?

High Performance Teams are...

Self-Directed

High Performance Team Members are self-directed. If the team is to be managed, management must be careful to focus the team on "what" needs to be achieved. As the Adviser for the Embry-Riddle Residence Hall Association, I am able to guide student leaders and aid them in leading others. Recently, the organization decided they wanted to be seen as service leaders, and have been able to develop several community service projects – our group has served hours at the local zoo, donated more than 1000 cans of food to two local food banks and made blankets for Project Linus, an organization that donates hand-made blankets for critically ill children.

Encompass a Shared Vision

All team members share and support a common vision that the team is working towards. Team members are highly focused on attaining objectives, usually because membership is appointed by the organization. High Performance Teams have developed a vision that brings real meaning to the work that is being performed. The vision describes a future state that team members find personally appealing and exciting. Teams need a winning vision, just as much as individuals have; when these are aligned, High Performance Teams are built. As a University community, ERAU endorses the core values of diversity, mutual respect, integrity, collegiality, academic freedom, stewardship, service, safety, and student success. Two of my deepest passions are diversity and service, which is why I enjoy working at this institution.

Time-Oriented

Focusing from what is to be done instead of holding endless discussions is the best approach to solving the problem. Deadlines do not need to be met immediately; they can be as much as a year away. However, 90 to 120 day or even shorter time-frames are more desirable and achievable by high performance teams.

Communication

The team makes extra-ordinary efforts to make certain everyone on the team understands the plan and progress towards its completion. An old military saying is that there are always 10 percent of the people who do not get the word. A High Performance Team recognizes this phenomenon and uses all communication vehicles available to get new information to every team member. They also pursue information themselves to make sure they have the most recent news. Within my Department, most of the team focuses of keeping open communication with each other - open doors, open minds and open mouths - which is why we rarely deal with the repercussions of miscommunication.

Involve Everyone

Team members work to make sure every member of the team is involved - like a well-oiled machine, High Performance Teams know there are no useless parts. This is siliar to the dynamics of a community. Every team member has a unique insight or contribution they can make towards team goal achievement which is why they must all contribute for the team to achieve full success.

Reviews Quality

The team stops at appropriate times to check the quality of its recent work. This is done to determine where the process could be improved and what learning can be shared with other team members. However, HPTs celebrate over new team learning or insights, and may celebrate the completion of a small task.

Care About Member and Team Growth

It is the responsibility of each and every High Performance Team member to search out and discover the capabilities of all the other team members. High Performance Teams take the time to celebrate small victories toward goal achievement.

Denning notes that the four patterns of working together are work groups, teams, communities and networks. Work groups have similar work tasks and report to the same supervisor. A benefit of a work group is that Teams consist of those who have clearly defined responsibilities, no decision making power, high degree of interaction among its member. Communities are self organized amd share responsibilities, common interests and values. Networks involve many people most have never met face-to-face, but share an interest in organizations and interests.

References

Whetten, D., & Cameron, K. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River,

   New Jersey: Pearson Education.