Friday, October 21, 2011
When the inevitable happens
Time and again friends give you advise about what you should think and feel. Too many times the advise is to let go and forget. How do you forget? It isn't like you lost a pair of sunglasses. How do you pick up the pieces when the shattered remenants lay about your feet like dust? Do you sweep them into a pile and hide them under a rug? Knowing this from experience I can say the tears will fall, depression will gain a foothold, and life WILL go on no matter how much you think it wont. I found comfort in the knowledge that I was going to live. Each time I took a breath I knew it would not be my last. Each step I took would take me into the vast known, alone. Each sunrise brought with it the hopes and challenges of a new day. Getting up each day became easier, eating didn't seem like a chore, and the pain faded.As the song goes. "the wound heals, but the scar remains". The scar of love is never seen, only felt. No two scars are the same, just as no two people are the same. A wound of love can become infected if not treated quickly. The infection can be depression, anger, hate, and sorrow. These "infections" will poison the body, and destroy the soul. Left to fester the infection will become psychosis and delerium. Patterns happen, solitude becomes the norm, avoidance the protection, and withdrawal the new mate. Friends see this and try to help, but don't know how. Eventually, the "help" does more harm or the friends give up because the drain on them is too much. These infections thrive on despair. Moving on is hard, but necessary for the health of everyone.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
What is the Obama Administration doing?
When did the United States become the playground monitor? For the last 60 years the USA has stuck its nose in every other countries business. I am concerned we are biting off more than we can chew with Syria. Iraq we had the "belief" that WMD's were being hid only to find out it was a lie. Afghanistan was where Bin Laden was "hiding", he was in Pakistan. Now we are stepping in a critizing Syria for killing its own people. Assad's tyranny is horrible and ruthless, but Syria is a nuclear power and has made it perfectly clear it will defend itself with ALL means at its disposal. Obama decides to puff up his chest and "demand" Assad to allow democracy or step down. Or what? He will send in the military? Sanctions? Take away Assad's library card? Does Obama really think he has any control or authority to impose his will on Syria? He'd had a better chance getting Biden inducted into Mensa International's Hall of Fame. Now let us take a look at some of the "playground monitoring" the US has done and our track record. Korean Conflict, we fight North Korea and the Chinese. So now we have a psycho leader, Kim Jong II, with nuclear capability and an itchy trigger finger. Vietnam, we fight the North Vietnamese and get our asses handed to us to save South Vietnam from the communists. Well the Socialist Republic of Vietnam still stands today. Now we move to Nicaragua, the US "supports" the contra guerillas against the communist regime running the country. Now we have a bright light. The US sponsored contra win and democracy is brought to the country. It still stands today and Nicaragua is a prosperous land. After that there are smaller "police actions" like Somalia (still a hell hole), Serbia, (great job there), Sarajevo (joke), Kuwait/Iraq (the first time), now for ten+ years Iraq/Afghanistan. Can't this government getting it through their thick skulls, stay the hell out of other country's business. Our economy is in the toilet, unemployment/underemployment is astronomical, and Congress can't make a common decision to turn on the lights without a fight. Our government is running this country into the ground and it's the laughing stock of the planet. We're in debt to everyone, our budget is bouncing checks like the Globe Trotters working over a high school gym class, and China is done helping out. We're on the brink of something big in this country, and from the smell in the air its not good. We need to grab our Congressmen and women by the shirt collar and seat of the pants and see how far we can toss them down the steps of the Capitol building. This election year vote NO INCUMBENTS! Send these morons packing and get some new people in there to straighten this country out.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Wake up, America!
I am so tired of reading the Republicans and Democrats blaming each other for not reaching a budget deal and the debt ceiling problem. It's both of the parties' fault for getting us in this mess in the first place. Each one voted in and/or ratified laws and budgets that were stupid. The stimulus packages (both Bush and Obama) were jokes. Did it help? NO! Raising the debt ceiling has done nothing but allow other countries to own us. The Government has screwed the governed big time!! We continue to go to work, come home, and live our lives like everything will work itself out. Sorry folks, it wont. We do what we can to provide for our families and the Government continues to pilfer from the governed making it harder each and every day to make ends meet. All the while cutting GOD out of everything this country was built on. Marriage has become a punchline, GOD and prayer have become nuisances, and our government is a basket of corrupt idiots. But Americans continue to turn a blind eye to it because we are worried about our families and jobs. If you owned a business and your employees were running the company the way Obama, Biden, Boehner, McCain, Pelosi, and Reid are running this country, what would you do? I can tell what would happen to the business, the same thing that happened to Tyco, Worldcom, Lehman Brothers, and Enron. The company would be shutdown and the leaders put in jail. These leaders are no better than Bernie Madoff, stealing from Peter to pay Paul. This government is one big Ponzi scheme, but no one seems to be watching. Wake up America, we are nearing our end very quickly.
If you think you are safe, think again. Your freedoms are be slowly and methodically taken away. Homeland Security, Transportation Safety Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, and your local law enforcement. What happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? It seems we are merely in one big concentration camp called the USA. The news media is just as complacent and playing into the hands of the corruptors. News companies only publish and televise what they are allowed to show and what sells newspapers, magazines, or advertisements. Americans want to see their favorite celebrity naked or falling on their face or in some other kind of drama. What about the injustices we face everyday at the airport, or from law enforcement? When did it become OK to make a handicapped grandmother face the indignity of having her adult diaper removed because it is suspiciously wet? Wet, really? Isn't that what a diaper does? Or the six year old girl who has to be patted down and touched by a stranger in places we tell our kids no adult should touch them, because she might be a terrorist carrying an underwear bomb? Thank you TSA for keeping me safe from the dangerous pre-school bomber! IDIOTS! We, Americans, are looked at as potential homegrown terrorists, anarchists, and/or conspiracy theorists. The government has made us afraid of our own shadows and suspicious of our neighbors. Most Americans do not want to believe the Government is corrupt. I am here to tell you folks, your government officials DO NOT have your best interests in their heads. Don't get me wrong, some federal and state Congress members are decent, hard-working people, but they eventually succumb to the pressure and the power. Junior Congress members have no power and the only way to get power is to play the game and bend to the will of the senior members. Those that have been in the halls of the Capitol building for fifteen or more years have all the power and they do what they want, when they want, and answer to no one. You think the sex scandals and minor criminal offenses like Weiner's sexting and Blagojevich's corruption conviction are the worst things in Washington D.C.? Jokes on you! Backroom deals and under the table pay offs are not limited to third world countries. It happens right here in America.
Corporate America has their hands in so many pockets in Washington it is disgusting. Why do we have $3.50/gallon gasoline? You think the Arabs control it? Exxon Mobil reported 69% increases in profits for the first quarter of 2011. That translates to $10.7 billion. OK, wait let's write that out, $10,700,000,000 in profits. This is up from $6.3 billion. Do you still think $3.50/gallon gasoline is fair? Why doesn't the government limit this gouging like they limit the amount of mouth wash you can bring on a plane? Or whether the fingernail clippers hanging on your key chain enables you to hijack a jetliner? A Toyota truck key could do more damage. A person could slit your throat with one. This time last year gasoline was $2.70/gallon. Has exploration or shipping costs increased so much that an $.80/gallon increase is required to cover the added expense? Oh wait, $10.7 billion in profits, a 69% increase. They had to charge more so they could make more. That's the capitalist way. I'm all for making money but when it begins to cripple the rest of the business world something has to be done. Trucking companies have to charge more, retailers have to charge more, and consumers pay the price, literally. A 60% increase in fuel cost to get to work, a 35% increase to feed your family, and a 55% increase to run your home. Did you get a 150% increase in your paycheck to cover your costs like the oil companies did? I know you did not! Now not to pick on just the oil companies, let's take a look at the utility companies. PepcoPepco reported a $64 million profit in 2011 versus a $36 million profit in 2010. So did the customers get a rebate or lower prices for the summer months because of this huge increase? Nope, Pepco increased rates 42% for the summer. Whoa, wait a tick! Where is the government protecting the public from these rip-off artists? Oh wait I know, the government was bickering over the President's birth certificate, or Don't Ask, Don't Tell, or maybe it was how to raise the debt ceiling, AGAIN. What is really happening in Washington D.C.?
The reason these companies are doing whatever they want is because they have bought and paid for our politicians. Then the government plays smoke 'n mirrors games for the public to take the focus off what is really happening. Americans are distracted by Weiner's wiener and the terrorist threats by Al Qaeda. You know there have been terrorist threats everyday for the last 50 years, right? Queen Napolitano would have you believe these terrorist have only started these threats in the last 10 or so years. She would have you believe she is the only thing standing between America and the terrorists. She has no clue what is going on. Janet couldn't run the state of Arizona and Obama puts her in charge of Homeland Security? I wouldn't let her guard a school crosswalk. Then Jan Brewer takes over as Governor of Arizona and that's like putting Howdy Doody in charge of the FBI, and the voters put her back in for a full term. What were you thinking Arizona?
In the end Americans can no longer live in the fantasy world that the government is doing everything it can to bring an end to the economic crisis and restore the United States as the world leader. The Obama Administration is playing a game and Harry Reid is riding on his coat tails. John Boehner is doing everything he can to throw his weight around and make it difficult for the Democrats without regard to what it is doing to the country. Term limits for Congress would eliminate many of the problems of corruption in Congress. The President is limited to two terms, the Senate should have the same limits, and the House of Representatives should be 4 terms. Eight years and you're done. This would limit any politician to 24 years total; 8 in each congressional house and 8 as President. I hope this opens many eyes to the real problem in Washington and facing this country. The United States of America is the greatest country in the world but our government is increasingly making the country unbearable to live in and be proud of.
GOD bless America and our brave men and women of the military! Please get involved in our country. Just as our forefathers fought against the tyranny of England 245 years ago, we must stand united against the tyrannical leaders of today who have defaced and corrupted the USA.
Thank you and GOD bless you all!
Christopher Ballow
If you think you are safe, think again. Your freedoms are be slowly and methodically taken away. Homeland Security, Transportation Safety Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, and your local law enforcement. What happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? It seems we are merely in one big concentration camp called the USA. The news media is just as complacent and playing into the hands of the corruptors. News companies only publish and televise what they are allowed to show and what sells newspapers, magazines, or advertisements. Americans want to see their favorite celebrity naked or falling on their face or in some other kind of drama. What about the injustices we face everyday at the airport, or from law enforcement? When did it become OK to make a handicapped grandmother face the indignity of having her adult diaper removed because it is suspiciously wet? Wet, really? Isn't that what a diaper does? Or the six year old girl who has to be patted down and touched by a stranger in places we tell our kids no adult should touch them, because she might be a terrorist carrying an underwear bomb? Thank you TSA for keeping me safe from the dangerous pre-school bomber! IDIOTS! We, Americans, are looked at as potential homegrown terrorists, anarchists, and/or conspiracy theorists. The government has made us afraid of our own shadows and suspicious of our neighbors. Most Americans do not want to believe the Government is corrupt. I am here to tell you folks, your government officials DO NOT have your best interests in their heads. Don't get me wrong, some federal and state Congress members are decent, hard-working people, but they eventually succumb to the pressure and the power. Junior Congress members have no power and the only way to get power is to play the game and bend to the will of the senior members. Those that have been in the halls of the Capitol building for fifteen or more years have all the power and they do what they want, when they want, and answer to no one. You think the sex scandals and minor criminal offenses like Weiner's sexting and Blagojevich's corruption conviction are the worst things in Washington D.C.? Jokes on you! Backroom deals and under the table pay offs are not limited to third world countries. It happens right here in America.
Corporate America has their hands in so many pockets in Washington it is disgusting. Why do we have $3.50/gallon gasoline? You think the Arabs control it? Exxon Mobil reported 69% increases in profits for the first quarter of 2011. That translates to $10.7 billion. OK, wait let's write that out, $10,700,000,000 in profits. This is up from $6.3 billion. Do you still think $3.50/gallon gasoline is fair? Why doesn't the government limit this gouging like they limit the amount of mouth wash you can bring on a plane? Or whether the fingernail clippers hanging on your key chain enables you to hijack a jetliner? A Toyota truck key could do more damage. A person could slit your throat with one. This time last year gasoline was $2.70/gallon. Has exploration or shipping costs increased so much that an $.80/gallon increase is required to cover the added expense? Oh wait, $10.7 billion in profits, a 69% increase. They had to charge more so they could make more. That's the capitalist way. I'm all for making money but when it begins to cripple the rest of the business world something has to be done. Trucking companies have to charge more, retailers have to charge more, and consumers pay the price, literally. A 60% increase in fuel cost to get to work, a 35% increase to feed your family, and a 55% increase to run your home. Did you get a 150% increase in your paycheck to cover your costs like the oil companies did? I know you did not! Now not to pick on just the oil companies, let's take a look at the utility companies. PepcoPepco reported a $64 million profit in 2011 versus a $36 million profit in 2010. So did the customers get a rebate or lower prices for the summer months because of this huge increase? Nope, Pepco increased rates 42% for the summer. Whoa, wait a tick! Where is the government protecting the public from these rip-off artists? Oh wait I know, the government was bickering over the President's birth certificate, or Don't Ask, Don't Tell, or maybe it was how to raise the debt ceiling, AGAIN. What is really happening in Washington D.C.?
The reason these companies are doing whatever they want is because they have bought and paid for our politicians. Then the government plays smoke 'n mirrors games for the public to take the focus off what is really happening. Americans are distracted by Weiner's wiener and the terrorist threats by Al Qaeda. You know there have been terrorist threats everyday for the last 50 years, right? Queen Napolitano would have you believe these terrorist have only started these threats in the last 10 or so years. She would have you believe she is the only thing standing between America and the terrorists. She has no clue what is going on. Janet couldn't run the state of Arizona and Obama puts her in charge of Homeland Security? I wouldn't let her guard a school crosswalk. Then Jan Brewer takes over as Governor of Arizona and that's like putting Howdy Doody in charge of the FBI, and the voters put her back in for a full term. What were you thinking Arizona?
In the end Americans can no longer live in the fantasy world that the government is doing everything it can to bring an end to the economic crisis and restore the United States as the world leader. The Obama Administration is playing a game and Harry Reid is riding on his coat tails. John Boehner is doing everything he can to throw his weight around and make it difficult for the Democrats without regard to what it is doing to the country. Term limits for Congress would eliminate many of the problems of corruption in Congress. The President is limited to two terms, the Senate should have the same limits, and the House of Representatives should be 4 terms. Eight years and you're done. This would limit any politician to 24 years total; 8 in each congressional house and 8 as President. I hope this opens many eyes to the real problem in Washington and facing this country. The United States of America is the greatest country in the world but our government is increasingly making the country unbearable to live in and be proud of.
GOD bless America and our brave men and women of the military! Please get involved in our country. Just as our forefathers fought against the tyranny of England 245 years ago, we must stand united against the tyrannical leaders of today who have defaced and corrupted the USA.
Thank you and GOD bless you all!
Christopher Ballow
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Customer Service Skills
The lack of customer service skills in the customer service industry is growing like a tumor. First of all every industry is a customer service industry. Whether you are selling shoes at the mall or electronics to the government. Sales and service industries are customer service industries. Second, employees have become so desensitized to showing emotion and trained to be a robot, helping a customer find want they want or need is a nuisance. I am disgusted by the way customers are treated during my observations and experiences while out shopping for products and services or researching for a paper.
"We have always tried to be guided by the basic idea that, in the discovery of knowledge, there is great entertainment—as, conversely in all good entertainment there is always some grain of wisdom, humanity or enlightenment to be gained."
– Walt Disney
This quote is the epitome of the Disney Entertainment culture. Every resort patron is the most important customer to walk through the gates. This should be the thought of every worker in the business world. Each customer that walks through the door potentially is the last customer your business will ever see. Don’t you want the customer to tell everyone he/she meets after leaving your business the shopping experience he/she received was the best ever? Customer service techniques are easy to learn and easier to use.
Too many times customers visit a company and they have a decent experience or a horrible experience. Ask your customers how their experience was and you will usually get one of two answers; “it was fine” or “it was terrible! So and so has the worst customer service skills I have ever seen!” Now which answer would you rather hear? Really? You want hear your customers’ experience was just “fine”? I want my customers to rave about how we went above and beyond their expectations. I want to hear how my employees are a “breath of fresh air to work with” and “what a pleasure it is to come into your store”. That tells me my team is enjoying their job. Now don't get me wrong a disgruntled employee can have great customer service skills, but chances are if he/she is not happy those skills are likely not being used.
The 5 best skills I find that make customers feel welcome and want to return in the future are:
1) SMILE!! The customer doesn’t care what your day was like before you got to work. Whether someone cut you off on the freeway or you had a fight with the neighbor who lets their dog dig in your flowerbed. The customer wants you to smile and be happy to see them. These patrons are paying your bills, so make them enjoy spending their hard earned money with your company. “Smiling lets the customers know that you are paying attention to them, it gives them the impression that you truly care and enjoy what you are doing” (customeserviceskillsguide.com, n.d.). Conversely do not smile just to smile. You will come off as insincere and the customer will be turned off right away. Be genuine and smile because you are glad to see your customer. Your customers will reward you for it.
2) LOOK YOUR CUSTOMER IN THE EYE! Do not stare at the wall, the floor, or the hot girl/guy who just walked in. Pay attention to what the customer is telling you. This is two-fold; #1 it tells the customer, like your smile, you have his/her best interests at heart. You are absorbing his/her needs and deciding the best course of action to fill that need. #2 it conveys to the customer he/she is the only customer in the store that matters. Plus you will not miss any important information needed to make your informed decision.
3) STAND UP STAIGHT! Do not slouch, lean on the counter, stretch, fold your arms, etc. These convey to the customer you could care less about his/her wants and/or needs. That is not to say you have to stand at attention like a soldier on inspection day, but more like a soldier in the at-ease position while receiving instructions. This also tells the customer two things; #1 you are listening and #2 you are professional. Both let the customer know he/she came to the right place. In the at-ease position you are comfortable and relaxed (after some practice) but ready for anything. Your point of attack? The customer’s wants and needs.
4) BE POSITIVE! Never tell a customer “I can’t do that for you” or “We don’t have that product in stock”. Avoid negative vocabulary at every opportunity. Instead say “I will have to disconnect your service for a moment and then I can test the system” or “I can order that for you and have it in stock in (x number of) days”. This tells the customer you are doing your best to fulfill his/her expectations. Now if you cannot “fix” the problem or the “product” is not available, back-ordered, and/or discontinued then your only recourse is to suggest an alternative. NO! You never say “I CAN’T!” Get that type of talk out of your head right now and forever! There is only one thing you CANNOT do and that is live forever. Everything else is possible with work and dedication.
5) ASK THE CUSTOMER IF EVERYTHING WAS TO HIS/HER SATISFACTION! Do not be scared of your customer. Do everything in your "employee" power to help and/or fulfill the customer’s need. If you don’t have the power, get your manager or supervisor. Let the manager make the decision if it is not in your job ability. You are the first line of defense and it is your job to make the customer happy. Problems should never get to your manager or supervisor. You can handle 99% of situations that arise or come in the door. If a customer comes in with a defective product I can assure you your company (unless the company enjoys bad press and displeased customers) has a return or exchange policy. Take care of it. If you do not know how or do not have the power then it is your company’s negligence for not training you properly or empowering you with necessary guidelines. Do not let it affect how you serve the customer or your hamper customer service skills.
These five skills are easy and completely under your control. Never let a customer doubt the decision to come into or purchase from your company. Remember to smile, keep eye contact, stand up straight, speak positively, and ask your customer if he/she is completely satisfied. This will win you a customer for life and everyone will know how well you treated him/her. Contrary to previous beliefs in this day of technology (Angie’s List, Google, online reviews, etc.) happy customers tell just as many people as disgruntled customers do. The Internet is your best friend and your worst enemy depending on which side of the customer service spectrum you are on. With practice and dedication great customer service skills are as easy as breathing and will put you in the spotlight within your company. Some will question you, some will dismiss you, but everyone will be jealous of you. Good luck and have fun!
Christopher Ballow, MBA (06/2011)
"We have always tried to be guided by the basic idea that, in the discovery of knowledge, there is great entertainment—as, conversely in all good entertainment there is always some grain of wisdom, humanity or enlightenment to be gained."
– Walt Disney
This quote is the epitome of the Disney Entertainment culture. Every resort patron is the most important customer to walk through the gates. This should be the thought of every worker in the business world. Each customer that walks through the door potentially is the last customer your business will ever see. Don’t you want the customer to tell everyone he/she meets after leaving your business the shopping experience he/she received was the best ever? Customer service techniques are easy to learn and easier to use.
Too many times customers visit a company and they have a decent experience or a horrible experience. Ask your customers how their experience was and you will usually get one of two answers; “it was fine” or “it was terrible! So and so has the worst customer service skills I have ever seen!” Now which answer would you rather hear? Really? You want hear your customers’ experience was just “fine”? I want my customers to rave about how we went above and beyond their expectations. I want to hear how my employees are a “breath of fresh air to work with” and “what a pleasure it is to come into your store”. That tells me my team is enjoying their job. Now don't get me wrong a disgruntled employee can have great customer service skills, but chances are if he/she is not happy those skills are likely not being used.
The 5 best skills I find that make customers feel welcome and want to return in the future are:
1) SMILE!! The customer doesn’t care what your day was like before you got to work. Whether someone cut you off on the freeway or you had a fight with the neighbor who lets their dog dig in your flowerbed. The customer wants you to smile and be happy to see them. These patrons are paying your bills, so make them enjoy spending their hard earned money with your company. “Smiling lets the customers know that you are paying attention to them, it gives them the impression that you truly care and enjoy what you are doing” (customeserviceskillsguide.com, n.d.). Conversely do not smile just to smile. You will come off as insincere and the customer will be turned off right away. Be genuine and smile because you are glad to see your customer. Your customers will reward you for it.
2) LOOK YOUR CUSTOMER IN THE EYE! Do not stare at the wall, the floor, or the hot girl/guy who just walked in. Pay attention to what the customer is telling you. This is two-fold; #1 it tells the customer, like your smile, you have his/her best interests at heart. You are absorbing his/her needs and deciding the best course of action to fill that need. #2 it conveys to the customer he/she is the only customer in the store that matters. Plus you will not miss any important information needed to make your informed decision.
3) STAND UP STAIGHT! Do not slouch, lean on the counter, stretch, fold your arms, etc. These convey to the customer you could care less about his/her wants and/or needs. That is not to say you have to stand at attention like a soldier on inspection day, but more like a soldier in the at-ease position while receiving instructions. This also tells the customer two things; #1 you are listening and #2 you are professional. Both let the customer know he/she came to the right place. In the at-ease position you are comfortable and relaxed (after some practice) but ready for anything. Your point of attack? The customer’s wants and needs.
4) BE POSITIVE! Never tell a customer “I can’t do that for you” or “We don’t have that product in stock”. Avoid negative vocabulary at every opportunity. Instead say “I will have to disconnect your service for a moment and then I can test the system” or “I can order that for you and have it in stock in (x number of) days”. This tells the customer you are doing your best to fulfill his/her expectations. Now if you cannot “fix” the problem or the “product” is not available, back-ordered, and/or discontinued then your only recourse is to suggest an alternative. NO! You never say “I CAN’T!” Get that type of talk out of your head right now and forever! There is only one thing you CANNOT do and that is live forever. Everything else is possible with work and dedication.
5) ASK THE CUSTOMER IF EVERYTHING WAS TO HIS/HER SATISFACTION! Do not be scared of your customer. Do everything in your "employee" power to help and/or fulfill the customer’s need. If you don’t have the power, get your manager or supervisor. Let the manager make the decision if it is not in your job ability. You are the first line of defense and it is your job to make the customer happy. Problems should never get to your manager or supervisor. You can handle 99% of situations that arise or come in the door. If a customer comes in with a defective product I can assure you your company (unless the company enjoys bad press and displeased customers) has a return or exchange policy. Take care of it. If you do not know how or do not have the power then it is your company’s negligence for not training you properly or empowering you with necessary guidelines. Do not let it affect how you serve the customer or your hamper customer service skills.
These five skills are easy and completely under your control. Never let a customer doubt the decision to come into or purchase from your company. Remember to smile, keep eye contact, stand up straight, speak positively, and ask your customer if he/she is completely satisfied. This will win you a customer for life and everyone will know how well you treated him/her. Contrary to previous beliefs in this day of technology (Angie’s List, Google, online reviews, etc.) happy customers tell just as many people as disgruntled customers do. The Internet is your best friend and your worst enemy depending on which side of the customer service spectrum you are on. With practice and dedication great customer service skills are as easy as breathing and will put you in the spotlight within your company. Some will question you, some will dismiss you, but everyone will be jealous of you. Good luck and have fun!
Christopher Ballow, MBA (06/2011)
Team building
I published this paper while studying at the University of Phoenix. The research helped me gain specific knowledge of the requirements needed to build an effective team in any business setting. This research does not apply only to an educational system. These techniques can be used in any business or industry.
University of Phoenix Team Building Training
A team training program for the University of Phoenix must encompass all areas of communication, collaboration, and conflict. The program must be developed to ensure communication is coherent, constructive, and relevant. Collaboration needs to be cohesive and creative so the learner(s) can retain the information better. In case of conflict, a plan has to cover as many scenarios as possible to effectively bring the team or group back to together. Lastly, the program must meet the criteria for the University of Phoenix training policy. In the Williams Institute self-assessment survey I found my tendencies run most toward Obligation and least toward Results. This is true as I believe people have an obligation to respect others and their ideas and beliefs. Ethically this creates a better world of diversity where people can share theories and ideas freely. In business it is the companies who have embraced diversity of thought and creativity with the greatest success and longevity. Apple, Microsoft, Google, General Electric, and many, many others have cultivated diverse workforces. The companies obligation to allow free thinkers the open doors to invest in themselves and take the ideas to the next level have created some of the greatest innovations of the last century. IPod, Windows, Magnetic Resonasence Imaging, etc. have revolutionized the world and greater ideas come every day. These companies fostered teams with fantastic ideas and visions to make them reality.
Communication
Team communication has to be beneficial to the effectiveness of the team. Since the teams will work closely together on various projects, as well as individually, continued contact about the ongoing progress of the project must be available for the members.
Beginning Phases
During the beginning phases of the project or assignment the team needs to be in constant contact, either face-to-face or by video/phone conferences to ensure the flow of information is not broken or miss-communicated. This phase, Forming, needs to be an open dialogue of all the members so ideas and creativity can flow like a flood. The importance of this phase cannot be under emphasized because the team has to understand the scope of the project. Also during this phase the team is learning about each other. Training the members to develop relationships quickly can be difficult because not everyone is an extrovert. Those members who are not used to speaking up or contributing without being asked need to be coached by the leader to share their ideas without fear of hostility or animosity.
Team building behaviors and procedures:
• Emphasize common interests and values.
• Use ceremonies and rituals.
• Use symbols to develop identification with the group.
• Encourage and facilitate social interaction.
• Tell people about group activities and achievements.
• Conduct process analysis sessions.
• Conduct alignment sessions.
• Increase incentives for mutual cooperation. (Yukl, 2006, p. 335)
Other challenges are headstrong members who can and will butt heads on ideas and proposals. These members need to be controlled by the leader in a respectful and authoritive manner to keep order and civility in the team. Developing these leaders can be difficult because human nature can allow leaders become headstrong and power-hungry. A leader of this caliber can destroy a team in a matter of moments. Team members will shut down and not want to participate with a leader that is abusive. By training team leaders to be open to creativity and collaboration can create teams with infinite possibilities. Leadership in team development is critical and must be handled by well trained facilitators.
Cross functional team leadership skills
1. Technical expertise: The leader must be able to communicate about technical matters with team members from diverse functional backgrounds.
2. Cognitive skills: The leader must be able to solve complex problems that require creativity and systems thinking, and must understand how the different functions are relevant to the success of the project.
3. Interpersonal skills: The leader must be able to understand the needs and values of team members, to influence them, resolve conflicts, and build cohesiveness.
4. Project management skills: The leader must be able to plan and organize the project activities, select qualified members of the team, and handle budgeting and financial responsibilities.
5. Political skills: The leader must be able to develop coalitions and gain resources, assistance, and approvals from top management and other relevant parties. (Yukl, 2006, p. 329)
In this example of cross functional team leadership, the chart show the main skills needed for an effective leader. Very rarely are these skills inherent to a person, it is taught through years of team building and training.
Secondary Phases
Storming and Norming are the next phases of a team’s creation that a leader has to control so as the team continues down the path without distractions or tangents. This communication phase has now, hopefully, opened the door to creativity. Ideas and theories should be flowing like a river, focused and following a route to a destination. This is unlike the previous phase where ideas had no set direction or purpose, like a flood. Here is where the leader’s job becomes more like a driver and not the cattle herder of the Forming stage. Training this team to is easier because it has a focus and a foreseeable destination. The leader’s training now switches to collaboration and away from leading. Many leaders have a hard time switching to this phase because he/she has been in control and now that control has to be relinquished to the team so the collaboration phase can continue unhindered. Training the leaders to relish the cohesiveness of the team and not the power of leading the team is imperative to success to teams. Not to say the leader does not and cannot regain that power at a moment’s notice, but to place it in the background until needed.
Collaboration
Collaboration in teams is normally an after effect of the Forming, Storming, and Norming phases of team building. When a team has gone through the building phases it can usually collectively come together and get the ideas and theories hammered out into working molds of the project. In the cases where this did not happen on its own, collaboration needs a jumpstart from the leader.
1. Treat the collaboration as a personal commitment. Its’ (sic) people that make partnerships work.
2. Anticipate that it will take up management time. If you can’t spare the time, don’t start it.
3. Mutual respect and trust are essential. If you don’t trust the people you are negotiating with, forget it.
4. Remember that both partners must get something out of it (money, eventually). Mutual benefit is vital. This will probably mean you’ve got to give something up. Recognize this from the outset.
5. Make sure you tie up a tight legal contract. Don’t put off resolving unpleasant or contentious issues until “later.” Once signed, however, the contract should be put away. If you refer to it, something is wrong with the relationship.
6. Recognize that during the course of a collaboration, circumstances and markets change. Recognize your partner’s problems and be flexible.
7. Make sure that you and your partner have mutual expectations of the collaboration and its time scale. One happy and one unhappy partner is a formula for failure.
8. Get to know your opposite numbers at all levels socially. Friends take longer to fall out.
9. Appreciate that cultures— both geographic and corporate—are different. Don’t expect a partner to act or respond identically to you. Find out the true reason for a particular response.
10. Recognize your partner’s interests and independence.
11. Even if the arrangement is tactical in your eyes, make sure you have corporate approval. Your tactical activity may be a key piece in an overall strategic jigsaw puzzle. With corporate commitment to the partnership, you can act with the positive authority needed in these relationships.
12. Celebrate achievement together. It’s a shared elation, and you’ll have earned it! (Mintzberg, Lampel, Quinn, & Ghoshal, 2003, p. 259)
Although this passage refers to the alliances between companies, a team should have the same ideas and planning in its conception. Clearly defined goals and a contract, of sorts, to outline the ground rules are helpful. Bringing each member together on the same page takes skills in listening and developing relationships. Getting down to the member’s level and finding out what works to motivate the member is essential. This is also the stage where those who are slower in responding can be accidentally left behind and the team can suffer a serious setback. This can cause distrust and/or feelings of dishevel within the team. The left behind member(s) can begin to believe his/her/their ideas and contributions do not matter and begin to disconnect from the team. The other direction is the momentum of the other member(s) is brought to a screeching halt and, possibly, reversed causing exasperation and annoyance. This too will cause the member(s) to disconnect from the team. By keeping the team cohesive and interested the team is destined for success. Team efficacy is important to the future success of the team. It is the management’s job to ensure a team has everything it needs to be successful.
Success breeds success. Teams that have been successful raise their beliefs about future success, which, in turn, motivates them to work harder. What, if anything, can management do to increase team efficacy? Two possible options are helping the team to achieve small successes and providing skill training. Small successes build team confidence. As a team develops an increasingly stronger performance record, it also increases the collective belief that future efforts will lead to success. (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p. 352)
With training in developing relationships, team building, conflict management, and interpersonal skills a team has the best chance possible in succeeding.
Conflict
Conflict within teams is an inevitable truth and has to be controlled in a constructive manner so the team benefits from the differences and diversity of ideas. Without conflict a team is just a train heading nowhere. Someone must come up with an alternate idea or eventually the train will run off a cliff or hit another train. Alternate routes are imperative for a constructive and relevant journey. The team cannot just agree all the time because the conclusion(s) may not be in the best interests of the project. Teaching conflict resolution and constructive criticism is one way to have conflict be a beneficial part of team collaboration.
Conclusion
Once all these areas, communication, collaboration, and conflict are controlled as a positive part of the team building process the team can begin Performing as a cohesive unit with success in its future. Team building training at the University of Phoenix is a vital part of successfully obtaining the mission and goals of the school. Each member of the team must be on-board or the team cannot, or will under extreme duress, succeed. Success of the team increases not just profits for the school but also the personal goals of the team members and the goals of the students completing their education.
University of Phoenix Team Building Training
A team training program for the University of Phoenix must encompass all areas of communication, collaboration, and conflict. The program must be developed to ensure communication is coherent, constructive, and relevant. Collaboration needs to be cohesive and creative so the learner(s) can retain the information better. In case of conflict, a plan has to cover as many scenarios as possible to effectively bring the team or group back to together. Lastly, the program must meet the criteria for the University of Phoenix training policy. In the Williams Institute self-assessment survey I found my tendencies run most toward Obligation and least toward Results. This is true as I believe people have an obligation to respect others and their ideas and beliefs. Ethically this creates a better world of diversity where people can share theories and ideas freely. In business it is the companies who have embraced diversity of thought and creativity with the greatest success and longevity. Apple, Microsoft, Google, General Electric, and many, many others have cultivated diverse workforces. The companies obligation to allow free thinkers the open doors to invest in themselves and take the ideas to the next level have created some of the greatest innovations of the last century. IPod, Windows, Magnetic Resonasence Imaging, etc. have revolutionized the world and greater ideas come every day. These companies fostered teams with fantastic ideas and visions to make them reality.
Communication
Team communication has to be beneficial to the effectiveness of the team. Since the teams will work closely together on various projects, as well as individually, continued contact about the ongoing progress of the project must be available for the members.
Beginning Phases
During the beginning phases of the project or assignment the team needs to be in constant contact, either face-to-face or by video/phone conferences to ensure the flow of information is not broken or miss-communicated. This phase, Forming, needs to be an open dialogue of all the members so ideas and creativity can flow like a flood. The importance of this phase cannot be under emphasized because the team has to understand the scope of the project. Also during this phase the team is learning about each other. Training the members to develop relationships quickly can be difficult because not everyone is an extrovert. Those members who are not used to speaking up or contributing without being asked need to be coached by the leader to share their ideas without fear of hostility or animosity.
Team building behaviors and procedures:
• Emphasize common interests and values.
• Use ceremonies and rituals.
• Use symbols to develop identification with the group.
• Encourage and facilitate social interaction.
• Tell people about group activities and achievements.
• Conduct process analysis sessions.
• Conduct alignment sessions.
• Increase incentives for mutual cooperation. (Yukl, 2006, p. 335)
Other challenges are headstrong members who can and will butt heads on ideas and proposals. These members need to be controlled by the leader in a respectful and authoritive manner to keep order and civility in the team. Developing these leaders can be difficult because human nature can allow leaders become headstrong and power-hungry. A leader of this caliber can destroy a team in a matter of moments. Team members will shut down and not want to participate with a leader that is abusive. By training team leaders to be open to creativity and collaboration can create teams with infinite possibilities. Leadership in team development is critical and must be handled by well trained facilitators.
Cross functional team leadership skills
1. Technical expertise: The leader must be able to communicate about technical matters with team members from diverse functional backgrounds.
2. Cognitive skills: The leader must be able to solve complex problems that require creativity and systems thinking, and must understand how the different functions are relevant to the success of the project.
3. Interpersonal skills: The leader must be able to understand the needs and values of team members, to influence them, resolve conflicts, and build cohesiveness.
4. Project management skills: The leader must be able to plan and organize the project activities, select qualified members of the team, and handle budgeting and financial responsibilities.
5. Political skills: The leader must be able to develop coalitions and gain resources, assistance, and approvals from top management and other relevant parties. (Yukl, 2006, p. 329)
In this example of cross functional team leadership, the chart show the main skills needed for an effective leader. Very rarely are these skills inherent to a person, it is taught through years of team building and training.
Secondary Phases
Storming and Norming are the next phases of a team’s creation that a leader has to control so as the team continues down the path without distractions or tangents. This communication phase has now, hopefully, opened the door to creativity. Ideas and theories should be flowing like a river, focused and following a route to a destination. This is unlike the previous phase where ideas had no set direction or purpose, like a flood. Here is where the leader’s job becomes more like a driver and not the cattle herder of the Forming stage. Training this team to is easier because it has a focus and a foreseeable destination. The leader’s training now switches to collaboration and away from leading. Many leaders have a hard time switching to this phase because he/she has been in control and now that control has to be relinquished to the team so the collaboration phase can continue unhindered. Training the leaders to relish the cohesiveness of the team and not the power of leading the team is imperative to success to teams. Not to say the leader does not and cannot regain that power at a moment’s notice, but to place it in the background until needed.
Collaboration
Collaboration in teams is normally an after effect of the Forming, Storming, and Norming phases of team building. When a team has gone through the building phases it can usually collectively come together and get the ideas and theories hammered out into working molds of the project. In the cases where this did not happen on its own, collaboration needs a jumpstart from the leader.
1. Treat the collaboration as a personal commitment. Its’ (sic) people that make partnerships work.
2. Anticipate that it will take up management time. If you can’t spare the time, don’t start it.
3. Mutual respect and trust are essential. If you don’t trust the people you are negotiating with, forget it.
4. Remember that both partners must get something out of it (money, eventually). Mutual benefit is vital. This will probably mean you’ve got to give something up. Recognize this from the outset.
5. Make sure you tie up a tight legal contract. Don’t put off resolving unpleasant or contentious issues until “later.” Once signed, however, the contract should be put away. If you refer to it, something is wrong with the relationship.
6. Recognize that during the course of a collaboration, circumstances and markets change. Recognize your partner’s problems and be flexible.
7. Make sure that you and your partner have mutual expectations of the collaboration and its time scale. One happy and one unhappy partner is a formula for failure.
8. Get to know your opposite numbers at all levels socially. Friends take longer to fall out.
9. Appreciate that cultures— both geographic and corporate—are different. Don’t expect a partner to act or respond identically to you. Find out the true reason for a particular response.
10. Recognize your partner’s interests and independence.
11. Even if the arrangement is tactical in your eyes, make sure you have corporate approval. Your tactical activity may be a key piece in an overall strategic jigsaw puzzle. With corporate commitment to the partnership, you can act with the positive authority needed in these relationships.
12. Celebrate achievement together. It’s a shared elation, and you’ll have earned it! (Mintzberg, Lampel, Quinn, & Ghoshal, 2003, p. 259)
Although this passage refers to the alliances between companies, a team should have the same ideas and planning in its conception. Clearly defined goals and a contract, of sorts, to outline the ground rules are helpful. Bringing each member together on the same page takes skills in listening and developing relationships. Getting down to the member’s level and finding out what works to motivate the member is essential. This is also the stage where those who are slower in responding can be accidentally left behind and the team can suffer a serious setback. This can cause distrust and/or feelings of dishevel within the team. The left behind member(s) can begin to believe his/her/their ideas and contributions do not matter and begin to disconnect from the team. The other direction is the momentum of the other member(s) is brought to a screeching halt and, possibly, reversed causing exasperation and annoyance. This too will cause the member(s) to disconnect from the team. By keeping the team cohesive and interested the team is destined for success. Team efficacy is important to the future success of the team. It is the management’s job to ensure a team has everything it needs to be successful.
Success breeds success. Teams that have been successful raise their beliefs about future success, which, in turn, motivates them to work harder. What, if anything, can management do to increase team efficacy? Two possible options are helping the team to achieve small successes and providing skill training. Small successes build team confidence. As a team develops an increasingly stronger performance record, it also increases the collective belief that future efforts will lead to success. (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p. 352)
With training in developing relationships, team building, conflict management, and interpersonal skills a team has the best chance possible in succeeding.
Conflict
Conflict within teams is an inevitable truth and has to be controlled in a constructive manner so the team benefits from the differences and diversity of ideas. Without conflict a team is just a train heading nowhere. Someone must come up with an alternate idea or eventually the train will run off a cliff or hit another train. Alternate routes are imperative for a constructive and relevant journey. The team cannot just agree all the time because the conclusion(s) may not be in the best interests of the project. Teaching conflict resolution and constructive criticism is one way to have conflict be a beneficial part of team collaboration.
Conclusion
Once all these areas, communication, collaboration, and conflict are controlled as a positive part of the team building process the team can begin Performing as a cohesive unit with success in its future. Team building training at the University of Phoenix is a vital part of successfully obtaining the mission and goals of the school. Each member of the team must be on-board or the team cannot, or will under extreme duress, succeed. Success of the team increases not just profits for the school but also the personal goals of the team members and the goals of the students completing their education.
Leadership Style Self-Assessment
If you have never taken a self-assessment test in any form, I highly recommend you do in the near future. I found out a great deal of information in my personal style of leadership.
Leadership Style
Leadership has many different facets which cannot be detailed sufficiently under a one-size-fits-all umbrella. Many phases must be assessed to accurately paint a picture of what makes a great leader and the style in which the person projects. In different settings and situations a leader must adapt and change his/her style to achieve the best results. Truly great leaders can mold and metamorphosis to the situation.
Self Assessment Test Results
After completing the self assessment tests on the Materials page of the University of Phoenix student website I found my style of leadership reflects an accurate portrait as I see myself. I have always felt I am a good leader and care about the success of, not only myself but, my team and subordinates. My test results reinforced this self confidence. I am trusting but not gullible or naive. I enforce the rules and regulations, I or the team have set forth, but I am not a slave driver. The satisfaction of my team and subordinates is important but not at the expense of the project or company. I emphasize training and learning along with developing skills to help each member grow as a person and an employee. The assessment indicates I am high in the area of task-oriented personality type but, although to a lesser extent, I am people-oriented. This means I expect the very best an employee can give me but I am sensitive to the needs of the team also. I am not an autocratic leader. I feel people are the most important cog in the wheel of business. Without a talented workforce a company is doomed to mediocrity if not failure. A talented workforce must have an equally talented leadership team to guide the company. Employee satisfaction is an important aspect for recruiting and retaining these talented individuals. In the category of team building I scored a 108, on a scale of 18 to 108 (95+ being the top quartile), indicating I am a good team builder and leader. Being in the top percentile of this assessment proves, to me at least, I have the characteristics companies look for in managers and leaders.
Leadership Theories
According to Gary Yukl in Leadership in Organizations (2006) many of the theories are either leader based or follower based. I think that a good leader is a support structure for his/her subordinates. I was taught by a former manager, who was an excellent leader and motivator, that a leader is first and foremost a support structure for the workers. He always said “a salaried person in the company is merely a drain on the payroll” (personal correspondence, n.d.). His theory was that any person that did not produce a product or provide a service that brought a profit to the company was a drain on the company. In the automotive business commissioned employees (technicians, sales people, etc.) are the producers of the company. They bring in the money. Salaried managers and hourly office personnel only cause the company an expense because they do not produce a sellable product or service. This is why my employees are the backbone of the company. Although the management, office staff, and hourly employees are important, without the technicians, sales people, and other commission only personnel an automotive dealer is not profitable. This situation best aligns with the empowerment theory although some parts of other theories mix in making it very difficult to pinpoint a direct correlation to any one or two theories.
Career Choices
The best jobs for me involve leading people in dynamic areas of corporate business. I feel I am best suited as a corporate board member such as CEO, COO, or Vice President of Operations. I am at my best when making tough decisions, guiding the ship through rough waters so to speak. Leading large teams and putting together demanding projects stimulates me and makes my day worthwhile. Drudgery and monotony are surefire ways to bore me to tears. “In terms of exerting effort at work, there is impressive evidence that people who score high on conscientiousness, extraversion, and emotional stability are likely to be highly motivated employees” (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p. 134).
Leadership Strengths
In my assessment of my leadership style I have come to realize, because I am an extrovert, I am an effective listener. I feel it is important to ask questions of my subordinates and rely on their answers as part of my decision process. They are the ones directly affected by the decisions of change and their concerns and/or ideas can drastically affect the outcome of the change. If the employee(s) are on-board with the change and have had their concerns or ideas taken into account during the change they are more receptive to the end product. If they feel their input is not welcome, or was not taken into consideration, they are more likely to resist the change and many aspects will be affected such as; lower productivity, higher turnover, attrition, lower morale, etc. Too many times companies make changes that affect the lower order of the company without regards to how it will affect them. Sometimes it is not possible to delay and the change must be instituted, but the management should be ready to explain the reasons and show good cause why the changes were installed. I want my team to feel they can come to me and ask me or tell me anything that may be concerning them or ideas they may have to increase or decrease something. They do the work every day, and I trust their expertise. But I also expect when I institute a policy or procedure, or make a change, everyone will follow my instructions to the letter without question or hesitation. I address all questions and concerns as soon as possible but require the changes to be made uninterrupted. I believe I am a fair and consistent leader. I do not hold grudges or single people out because they do not think like I do. Diverse thinking is what makes a company succeed in the marketplace. I take criticism well and rarely take anything personal unless it is a direct attack. My subordinates question me from time to time and I am always open to their input to make business better for them and our customers. They know I make decisions based on what I think customers want or need to bring in more business. They also know I will not make them work for free just to pacify a customer. That balance has made my leader status grow over the years.
Leadership Weaknesses
One weakness I see in myself is when I take too long to make a decision. I like to have all the facts and research in front of me to make an informed decision. In the automotive business hesitation can lead to failure. Customers want the best deal and they want it now! Automotive customers make purchases based on need and availability. If a company is giving a 10% discount on a front-end alignment chances are customers will go to that company before returning to their regular dealer. Or a vendor will have a one-time offer on a product and sell out before I have the chance to check around to make sure I am getting a good deal. This weakness has saved me from haste decisions that could have been disastrous so I take comfort in not always jumping on the first thing I see or hear. Another weakness I have been told I have is I tend to be very straight forward and direct with people. I do not dodge around or make a lot of concessions for feelings. I want people to understand where I stand and then I listen to their part. Customers can be offended by this at times but I am really doing it for their benefit. I never want a customer to misunderstand what I say or do. If something is unclear or vague a customer instantly thinks you are being deceptive. I do not want a customer walking away thinking I was trying to take advantage of, or cheating, them.
Conclusion
Because so many leadership theories exist it is hard to nail down one type that accurately describes me. I have many qualities of each one, but I possess all five of the Big Five leadership traits in key areas such as extrovert, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. Scoring high in all of these areas gives me the right combination of attributes to be an effective leader.
Leadership Style
Leadership has many different facets which cannot be detailed sufficiently under a one-size-fits-all umbrella. Many phases must be assessed to accurately paint a picture of what makes a great leader and the style in which the person projects. In different settings and situations a leader must adapt and change his/her style to achieve the best results. Truly great leaders can mold and metamorphosis to the situation.
Self Assessment Test Results
After completing the self assessment tests on the Materials page of the University of Phoenix student website I found my style of leadership reflects an accurate portrait as I see myself. I have always felt I am a good leader and care about the success of, not only myself but, my team and subordinates. My test results reinforced this self confidence. I am trusting but not gullible or naive. I enforce the rules and regulations, I or the team have set forth, but I am not a slave driver. The satisfaction of my team and subordinates is important but not at the expense of the project or company. I emphasize training and learning along with developing skills to help each member grow as a person and an employee. The assessment indicates I am high in the area of task-oriented personality type but, although to a lesser extent, I am people-oriented. This means I expect the very best an employee can give me but I am sensitive to the needs of the team also. I am not an autocratic leader. I feel people are the most important cog in the wheel of business. Without a talented workforce a company is doomed to mediocrity if not failure. A talented workforce must have an equally talented leadership team to guide the company. Employee satisfaction is an important aspect for recruiting and retaining these talented individuals. In the category of team building I scored a 108, on a scale of 18 to 108 (95+ being the top quartile), indicating I am a good team builder and leader. Being in the top percentile of this assessment proves, to me at least, I have the characteristics companies look for in managers and leaders.
Leadership Theories
According to Gary Yukl in Leadership in Organizations (2006) many of the theories are either leader based or follower based. I think that a good leader is a support structure for his/her subordinates. I was taught by a former manager, who was an excellent leader and motivator, that a leader is first and foremost a support structure for the workers. He always said “a salaried person in the company is merely a drain on the payroll” (personal correspondence, n.d.). His theory was that any person that did not produce a product or provide a service that brought a profit to the company was a drain on the company. In the automotive business commissioned employees (technicians, sales people, etc.) are the producers of the company. They bring in the money. Salaried managers and hourly office personnel only cause the company an expense because they do not produce a sellable product or service. This is why my employees are the backbone of the company. Although the management, office staff, and hourly employees are important, without the technicians, sales people, and other commission only personnel an automotive dealer is not profitable. This situation best aligns with the empowerment theory although some parts of other theories mix in making it very difficult to pinpoint a direct correlation to any one or two theories.
Career Choices
The best jobs for me involve leading people in dynamic areas of corporate business. I feel I am best suited as a corporate board member such as CEO, COO, or Vice President of Operations. I am at my best when making tough decisions, guiding the ship through rough waters so to speak. Leading large teams and putting together demanding projects stimulates me and makes my day worthwhile. Drudgery and monotony are surefire ways to bore me to tears. “In terms of exerting effort at work, there is impressive evidence that people who score high on conscientiousness, extraversion, and emotional stability are likely to be highly motivated employees” (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p. 134).
Leadership Strengths
In my assessment of my leadership style I have come to realize, because I am an extrovert, I am an effective listener. I feel it is important to ask questions of my subordinates and rely on their answers as part of my decision process. They are the ones directly affected by the decisions of change and their concerns and/or ideas can drastically affect the outcome of the change. If the employee(s) are on-board with the change and have had their concerns or ideas taken into account during the change they are more receptive to the end product. If they feel their input is not welcome, or was not taken into consideration, they are more likely to resist the change and many aspects will be affected such as; lower productivity, higher turnover, attrition, lower morale, etc. Too many times companies make changes that affect the lower order of the company without regards to how it will affect them. Sometimes it is not possible to delay and the change must be instituted, but the management should be ready to explain the reasons and show good cause why the changes were installed. I want my team to feel they can come to me and ask me or tell me anything that may be concerning them or ideas they may have to increase or decrease something. They do the work every day, and I trust their expertise. But I also expect when I institute a policy or procedure, or make a change, everyone will follow my instructions to the letter without question or hesitation. I address all questions and concerns as soon as possible but require the changes to be made uninterrupted. I believe I am a fair and consistent leader. I do not hold grudges or single people out because they do not think like I do. Diverse thinking is what makes a company succeed in the marketplace. I take criticism well and rarely take anything personal unless it is a direct attack. My subordinates question me from time to time and I am always open to their input to make business better for them and our customers. They know I make decisions based on what I think customers want or need to bring in more business. They also know I will not make them work for free just to pacify a customer. That balance has made my leader status grow over the years.
Leadership Weaknesses
One weakness I see in myself is when I take too long to make a decision. I like to have all the facts and research in front of me to make an informed decision. In the automotive business hesitation can lead to failure. Customers want the best deal and they want it now! Automotive customers make purchases based on need and availability. If a company is giving a 10% discount on a front-end alignment chances are customers will go to that company before returning to their regular dealer. Or a vendor will have a one-time offer on a product and sell out before I have the chance to check around to make sure I am getting a good deal. This weakness has saved me from haste decisions that could have been disastrous so I take comfort in not always jumping on the first thing I see or hear. Another weakness I have been told I have is I tend to be very straight forward and direct with people. I do not dodge around or make a lot of concessions for feelings. I want people to understand where I stand and then I listen to their part. Customers can be offended by this at times but I am really doing it for their benefit. I never want a customer to misunderstand what I say or do. If something is unclear or vague a customer instantly thinks you are being deceptive. I do not want a customer walking away thinking I was trying to take advantage of, or cheating, them.
Conclusion
Because so many leadership theories exist it is hard to nail down one type that accurately describes me. I have many qualities of each one, but I possess all five of the Big Five leadership traits in key areas such as extrovert, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. Scoring high in all of these areas gives me the right combination of attributes to be an effective leader.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
15th Anniversary of The National Domestic Violence Hotline
I am posting this in recognition of the great work the Hotline has done in the past 15 years. Thousands of victims have been given the start to a new life because of this organization's efforts to educate society about the signs of domestic violence. I hope everyone reads this and takes a long look at his/her relationship and of those he/she loves.
The signs can be subtle so you have to look hard. This article gives some of the things to look for and actions exhibited by victims. DO NOT turn a blind eye to the horrors of domestic violence. It can be embarrassing or scary but if you feel like that imagine how the victims feel. The pain of domestic violence is not always bruises and cuts, but also the emotional scars of low self-esteem, depression, and/or suicidal thoughts. Please help those too scared to help themselves. Many women will resist the help because of the embarrassment that her secret will be visible to the world. Many women believe they will be judged for allowing this to happen and not fighting back. The horror is this belief is mostly true. How many shows have you watched and the victim of a violent relationship continues to stay or go back and your first reaction is "Why is she going back?" or "Why doesn't she just leave?". We are all guilty of it, but through love and trust that wall can be torn down and the healing can begin. A soft word of encouragement can be all that is needed, but some instances a confidential talk where the victim feels safe and her secret will be held in complete confidence is necessary. This is the first step to dealing with the pain and starting the healing process. Having a confidant and outlet is important to the emotional and physical reconstruction of the victim's life. NEVER be judgemental, offer nothing more than an ear to listen and allow the victim to lay her story out for you. Absorb the information and make no effort to fix the problem for now. In time the victim will ask for help, but at this point a place to be safe and release the pain is most important. When the time comes to help the victim she will let you know.
I realize I have used a woman as the victim, and men are victims also, but men rarely report domestic violence. Men feel they are weak and unmanly when threatened with the prospect of opening up about their violent relationship. Men are nearly equal to women when it comes to being a victim of domestic violence in relationships, but approximately only 1 man to 100 women report domestic violence against them. That's 1%! They feel emasculated and vulnerable, two traits men fear more than anything. "A man is strong and can handle anything" is a famous idiom taught to young boys from an early age. "Real men don't cry" and "Real men don't show their feelings" have made men turn their feelings inward and hide the reality of what is happening. Helping a man is very different than I woman because many men can become violent themselves toward the person trying to help them. He will feel his manhood is being questioned or attacked and this can explode in a violent rage meant for the abuser and is released on the person coming to his aid. This is a very delicate situation that even society turns its back on. Society will look at a woman as a victim and a man as an attention getter. "A man can overpower the woman abuser." "He can just walk away." "He's lying." LYING??? Who would lie about being the victim of domestic violence? Why the double standard? Men can be victims too people.
Now on to the article published on www.thehotline.org titled "Love is…knowing the signs of abuse to help yourself or a friend"
"In October we launched The Hotline’s 15th anniversary with the debut of our “Love is” campaign. This campaign is aimed not only at raising awareness to our issue, but also ensuring people know they are not alone and help is available.
One component of raising awareness is ensuring people recognize the signs of domestic violence. Everyone needs to know what it is and how to spot it happening in their lives or in the lives of their friends.
Remember: Domestic violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner.
Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone. It happens to all races, ages, sexual orientation, religion or gender. Is domestic violence something that only happens between married couples? No. While domestic violence does apply to married couples, it can also occur between people who are living together or who are dating.
We hope that by discussing what love is, we can help show what love is not – any form of abuse. Please join us in our campaign by telling us what you believe love is and by remembering these warning signs that you – or someone you know – may be in an abusive situation.
• Your partner humiliates you or puts you down
• Your partner makes you feel bad about yourself
• Your partner controls what you do, who you see, who you talk to, where the money is spent
• Your partner prevents you from getting or keeping a job
• Your partner tells you it is your fault he hurts you and if only you wouldn’t make him act this way
• Your partner uses the children to make you feel guilty or threatens to harm the children if you do not do what he says.
Also, remember we’re always here to talk at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) and 1-800-787-3224 (TTY). You are not alone. There is hope and there is help."
I hope everyone has enjoyed this article as much as I have. Please look for the signs and be aware of the subtle queues that a victim may be giving you. Good luck and GOD bless everyone.
The signs can be subtle so you have to look hard. This article gives some of the things to look for and actions exhibited by victims. DO NOT turn a blind eye to the horrors of domestic violence. It can be embarrassing or scary but if you feel like that imagine how the victims feel. The pain of domestic violence is not always bruises and cuts, but also the emotional scars of low self-esteem, depression, and/or suicidal thoughts. Please help those too scared to help themselves. Many women will resist the help because of the embarrassment that her secret will be visible to the world. Many women believe they will be judged for allowing this to happen and not fighting back. The horror is this belief is mostly true. How many shows have you watched and the victim of a violent relationship continues to stay or go back and your first reaction is "Why is she going back?" or "Why doesn't she just leave?". We are all guilty of it, but through love and trust that wall can be torn down and the healing can begin. A soft word of encouragement can be all that is needed, but some instances a confidential talk where the victim feels safe and her secret will be held in complete confidence is necessary. This is the first step to dealing with the pain and starting the healing process. Having a confidant and outlet is important to the emotional and physical reconstruction of the victim's life. NEVER be judgemental, offer nothing more than an ear to listen and allow the victim to lay her story out for you. Absorb the information and make no effort to fix the problem for now. In time the victim will ask for help, but at this point a place to be safe and release the pain is most important. When the time comes to help the victim she will let you know.
I realize I have used a woman as the victim, and men are victims also, but men rarely report domestic violence. Men feel they are weak and unmanly when threatened with the prospect of opening up about their violent relationship. Men are nearly equal to women when it comes to being a victim of domestic violence in relationships, but approximately only 1 man to 100 women report domestic violence against them. That's 1%! They feel emasculated and vulnerable, two traits men fear more than anything. "A man is strong and can handle anything" is a famous idiom taught to young boys from an early age. "Real men don't cry" and "Real men don't show their feelings" have made men turn their feelings inward and hide the reality of what is happening. Helping a man is very different than I woman because many men can become violent themselves toward the person trying to help them. He will feel his manhood is being questioned or attacked and this can explode in a violent rage meant for the abuser and is released on the person coming to his aid. This is a very delicate situation that even society turns its back on. Society will look at a woman as a victim and a man as an attention getter. "A man can overpower the woman abuser." "He can just walk away." "He's lying." LYING??? Who would lie about being the victim of domestic violence? Why the double standard? Men can be victims too people.
Now on to the article published on www.thehotline.org titled "Love is…knowing the signs of abuse to help yourself or a friend"
"In October we launched The Hotline’s 15th anniversary with the debut of our “Love is” campaign. This campaign is aimed not only at raising awareness to our issue, but also ensuring people know they are not alone and help is available.
One component of raising awareness is ensuring people recognize the signs of domestic violence. Everyone needs to know what it is and how to spot it happening in their lives or in the lives of their friends.
Remember: Domestic violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner.
Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone. It happens to all races, ages, sexual orientation, religion or gender. Is domestic violence something that only happens between married couples? No. While domestic violence does apply to married couples, it can also occur between people who are living together or who are dating.
We hope that by discussing what love is, we can help show what love is not – any form of abuse. Please join us in our campaign by telling us what you believe love is and by remembering these warning signs that you – or someone you know – may be in an abusive situation.
• Your partner humiliates you or puts you down
• Your partner makes you feel bad about yourself
• Your partner controls what you do, who you see, who you talk to, where the money is spent
• Your partner prevents you from getting or keeping a job
• Your partner tells you it is your fault he hurts you and if only you wouldn’t make him act this way
• Your partner uses the children to make you feel guilty or threatens to harm the children if you do not do what he says.
Also, remember we’re always here to talk at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) and 1-800-787-3224 (TTY). You are not alone. There is hope and there is help."
I hope everyone has enjoyed this article as much as I have. Please look for the signs and be aware of the subtle queues that a victim may be giving you. Good luck and GOD bless everyone.
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