In order for an institution to function like a learning organization, its constituents need to take time to reflect on their professional practice, learn from their experiences and design new actions to keep up with the ambiguity of challenges prevalent in volatile times (Yeo, 2006). Chris Argyris described two types of learning: 1) single-loop learning, and 2) double-loop learning (Osland, Kolb, Rubin, & Turner, 2007). According to Osland et al. (2007, p. 64), single-loop learning or adaptive learning is defined as “a coping approach that focuses solving problems and making incremental improvements using the prevailing mental model.” In other words, it is the ability to cope without questioning, solve problems without investigating other options, and makes improvements within the organization without using creativity or without changes the status quo. Adaptive learning provides a pedagogical framework to accommodate learning styles, media, and interactivity. Adaptive learning provides a pedagogical framework to accommodate learning styles, media, and interactivity. “Adaptive,” or student-centred learning was influenced by formal theories of knowledge representation, connectionist approaches to learning, and symbolic representations of knowledge creation (Sonwalkar, 2008).
Single-loop learning involves using knowledge to solve specific problems based on existing assumptions, and often based on what has worked in the past. This writer has experienced this when dealing with the subordinates in handling human resources problems with reference to the guided rules and procedures as given by the Malaysian Civil Service Department. Actually the writer gave an example of Adaptive Learning when handling human resources problems with reference to the guided rules and procedures as given by the Malaysian Civil Service Department. In Malaysia, all of the public universities are under the control of Malaysian Government and any employees' services matter must be referred to the Malaysian Civil Service Department. In this situation normally the writer just need an ability to cope without questioning, solve problems without investigating other options, and makes improvements within the organization without using much creativity or without changes the status quo. In most of the cases, the writer just need to refer to the guidelines and procedures that stated in the Handbook given by the Malaysian Civil Service Department and cannot even change the status quo.
Double-loop learning or generative learning “consists of continuous experimentation and feedback in an ongoing analysis of how organizations define and solve problems” (Osland et al., 2007, p. 64). In double-loop learning, people question the assumptions that underlie their theories and ask themselves hard questions. Double-loop learning is developed when people not only reference predetermined rules; they constructively challenge rote responses as well (Blackman et al., 2004). Double-loop learning contributes to organizational members’ capacity to enlarge their responsibilities, enhancing their responsiveness to things around them in turn. They construct alternative scenarios in anticipation of likely outcomes, test potential ideas and replace old rules with new ones (Blackman et al., 2004). Consequently, they enhance their personal and meta-competences by being more confident in the way they relate to people and being more creative in the way they approach problems (Cheetnam and Chivers, 1998). The capacity to learn and perform is largely motivated by the alignment between personal values and organizational vision. This writer has experienced this when doing her doctorate program in NOVA through blended-learning. This program is an example of a new mental map about how students learn without being physically present in a classroom.
The writer gave an example of Generative Learning by sharing her experiences in doing her doctorate program in NOVA through blended-learning method because this program is an example of a new mental map about how she learn without being physically present in a classroom. The writer was able to gain some new experiences, getting used to a new way of study, familiarized herself with the learning technology and meet new people. She has an ability to enlarge her responsibilities, enhancing her responsiveness to things around her, enhancing her personal and meta-competences by being more confident in the way she relates to people and being more creative in the way she approach problems.
The writer consider herself learning in single loops when she just need to refer to the Handbook given when dealing with the services matter and is regarded as minimal as she tend to be inward-looking merely performing tasks as part of her routine. The writer is in double-loop learning when she joined the blended-learning program as she goes a step further and questions existing assumptions in order to create new insights. The writer change from single-loop learning to double-loop learning as she move from simply performing to improving daily tasks, and as a result, it is a coping response to a creative response.
References
Argyris, C. (1993), Knowledge for action, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA.
Blackman, D., Connelly, J. & Henderson, S. (2004), “Does double loop learning create reliable knowledge?” The Learning Organization, 11: 1, pp. 11-27.
Cheetham, G. & Chivers, G. (1998), “The reflective (and competent), practitioner: a model of professional competence which seeks to harmonize the reflective practitioner and competence-based approaches”, Journal of European Industrial Training, 22: 7, pp. 267-76.
Kolb, D. A., Osland, J. S., Turner, M. E., & Rubin, I. M. (2007). The Organizational behavior: Behavior reader (8th ed.). Upper River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Sonwalkar, N. (2008). Adaptive individualization: the next generation of online education. On the horizon, 16: 1, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1074-8121, pp. 44-47.
Yeo, R. K. (2005). Learning institution to learning organization: Kudos to reflective practitioners. Journal of European Industrial Training, 30: 5, pp. 396-419, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. DOI 10.1108/03090590610677944.
Looking Forward...
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up, and never give up!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Identify Your Own Personal Theories
According to Osland, Kolb, Rubin & Turner (2007), successful organizations are characterized by good fit among strategy, structure, systems, staff, style, skill, superordinate goals, and also fit the environment. In order to achieve that, managers should do their job or the best way to manage people, and their successful management involves a careful balancing act and the ability to manage paradox (Osland et al., 2007). According to Osland et al. (2007), excellent managers have an unusual ability to resolve paradox, to translate conflicts and tensions into excitement, high commitment, and superior performance. It shows that managers should be able to make the organizations to be adaptable, flexible, stable, and controlled. In fact, managers should work toward growth, resourced acquisition, external support, tight information management, and formal communication. Managers should also emphasis on the value of human resources, planning, and goal setting.
The first step in managing the paradoxes of organizational effectiveness understands one’s own theories of management. Theories are constructed to give an explanation of phenomena (Stam, 2000). Managers have their theories and mental maps about what makes successful managers and organizations. A relevant theory of leadership can then serve as a valuable tool for diagnosing the situation and determining the most relevant aspects of leadership behavior. According to Denzin (1970), there are three functions of a theory: permitting organization of descriptions, leading to explanation, and furnishing the basis for prediction of future events. This is to ensure that managers do not approach leadership problems and situations using trial and error tactics but base their decision-making on principled actions.
Managers need to be aware of the leadership theory or theories they ascribe to because these will determine and provide insights to who they are and the enduring concepts that really define everything about them as leaders. In the effort to understand the various elements that impacts on leadership and organizational effectiveness, much attention and research has been conducted on leadership theories. The notion of leadership has been defined and conceptualized from numerous perspectives. Managers must find the appropriate method to match a given situation because there is no one best way to manage in every situation. There are many leadership theories that can assist leaders confront the complex leadership phenomenon. These converge and create a new framework for thinking about and leading complex change.
According to Osland et al. (2007), some of the theorists’ model of excellent organizations and managers are:
1. Taylor’s Scientific Management, the managers scientifically determined the goals that needed to be accomplished, divided the work up in the most efficient way, trained workers to do the job, and rewarded them by wage incentives.
2. Administrative Theory, the organization would succeed if managers designed the organization correctly and followed the proven principles of management. Managers emphasizes on understanding the basic tasks of management and developed guidelines or principles for managing effectively.
3. Human Relations School, the effective managers were expected to pay attention to people’s social needs (i.e., feelings and attitudes that affected productivity) and elicit their ideas about work issues. Cohesion and morale as a means of increasing the value of human resources.
4. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y described two ends of a continuum of assumptions about people and human nature. Whether managers incline more to the carrot (Theory Y) of the stick (Theory X) approach to motivation may be rooted in these assumptions.
5. Decision-Making School, the effective managers have to take into account workers’ “minds,” set the premises for employee’s decisions and relied on their rationality to make choices that would be best for both themselves and the organization. Managerial effectiveness consisted of a thorough understanding of decision making.
6. Contingency Approach, the good managers (and employees) analyze the situation and choose the most appropriate action because they believe that effectiveness varies according to the particular situation. They converged on the idea that there was no “one best way” to manage, and they tried to identify which variables would be successful for particular situations.
Each model suggests a mode or type of organizing. Manager must be able to analyze a situation, determine what pattern of leadership behavior is needed to influence processes that are important for optimal performance, and then carry out the behavior in a skilful way (Yukl, 2002). The writer understands that effective organizations exhibit different kinds of leadership. None of the leadership theories offers a perfect solution for all contexts. Each suffers limitations that may make it inappropriate in a particular situation. It can be concluded that appropriate leadership depends on a broad range of internal and external factors. A fruitful approach into choosing an effective leadership theory or theories is for the individual leader to carefully diagnose the situation and choose a leadership approach that best fits the context. Ultimately, our leadership will be judged as effective or ineffective not by who we are as a leader but by what leadership we induce in others.
References
Denzin, N. (1970). The research act: A theoretical introduction to sociological methods. Chicago: Aldine.
Kolb, D. A., Osland, J. S., Turner, M. E., & Rubin, I. M. (2007). The Organizational behavior: Behavior reader (8th ed.). Upper River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Stam, H. J. (2000). Theoretical psychology. In K. Pawlik & M. R. Rosenzweig (Eds.). International Handbook of Psychology (pp. 551-569). London: Sage Publications.
Yukl, G. (2002). Leadership in organizations. (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River. N.J.: Prentice Hall.
The first step in managing the paradoxes of organizational effectiveness understands one’s own theories of management. Theories are constructed to give an explanation of phenomena (Stam, 2000). Managers have their theories and mental maps about what makes successful managers and organizations. A relevant theory of leadership can then serve as a valuable tool for diagnosing the situation and determining the most relevant aspects of leadership behavior. According to Denzin (1970), there are three functions of a theory: permitting organization of descriptions, leading to explanation, and furnishing the basis for prediction of future events. This is to ensure that managers do not approach leadership problems and situations using trial and error tactics but base their decision-making on principled actions.
Managers need to be aware of the leadership theory or theories they ascribe to because these will determine and provide insights to who they are and the enduring concepts that really define everything about them as leaders. In the effort to understand the various elements that impacts on leadership and organizational effectiveness, much attention and research has been conducted on leadership theories. The notion of leadership has been defined and conceptualized from numerous perspectives. Managers must find the appropriate method to match a given situation because there is no one best way to manage in every situation. There are many leadership theories that can assist leaders confront the complex leadership phenomenon. These converge and create a new framework for thinking about and leading complex change.
According to Osland et al. (2007), some of the theorists’ model of excellent organizations and managers are:
1. Taylor’s Scientific Management, the managers scientifically determined the goals that needed to be accomplished, divided the work up in the most efficient way, trained workers to do the job, and rewarded them by wage incentives.
2. Administrative Theory, the organization would succeed if managers designed the organization correctly and followed the proven principles of management. Managers emphasizes on understanding the basic tasks of management and developed guidelines or principles for managing effectively.
3. Human Relations School, the effective managers were expected to pay attention to people’s social needs (i.e., feelings and attitudes that affected productivity) and elicit their ideas about work issues. Cohesion and morale as a means of increasing the value of human resources.
4. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y described two ends of a continuum of assumptions about people and human nature. Whether managers incline more to the carrot (Theory Y) of the stick (Theory X) approach to motivation may be rooted in these assumptions.
5. Decision-Making School, the effective managers have to take into account workers’ “minds,” set the premises for employee’s decisions and relied on their rationality to make choices that would be best for both themselves and the organization. Managerial effectiveness consisted of a thorough understanding of decision making.
6. Contingency Approach, the good managers (and employees) analyze the situation and choose the most appropriate action because they believe that effectiveness varies according to the particular situation. They converged on the idea that there was no “one best way” to manage, and they tried to identify which variables would be successful for particular situations.
Each model suggests a mode or type of organizing. Manager must be able to analyze a situation, determine what pattern of leadership behavior is needed to influence processes that are important for optimal performance, and then carry out the behavior in a skilful way (Yukl, 2002). The writer understands that effective organizations exhibit different kinds of leadership. None of the leadership theories offers a perfect solution for all contexts. Each suffers limitations that may make it inappropriate in a particular situation. It can be concluded that appropriate leadership depends on a broad range of internal and external factors. A fruitful approach into choosing an effective leadership theory or theories is for the individual leader to carefully diagnose the situation and choose a leadership approach that best fits the context. Ultimately, our leadership will be judged as effective or ineffective not by who we are as a leader but by what leadership we induce in others.
References
Denzin, N. (1970). The research act: A theoretical introduction to sociological methods. Chicago: Aldine.
Kolb, D. A., Osland, J. S., Turner, M. E., & Rubin, I. M. (2007). The Organizational behavior: Behavior reader (8th ed.). Upper River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Stam, H. J. (2000). Theoretical psychology. In K. Pawlik & M. R. Rosenzweig (Eds.). International Handbook of Psychology (pp. 551-569). London: Sage Publications.
Yukl, G. (2002). Leadership in organizations. (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River. N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Humility-Inducing Experiences
Organizations are much more than only a means for providing goods and services. They create the settings in which most of employees spend their lives, and they have profound influence on employees’ behavior. When employees join, they have a very deliberate process of socialization, where they learn the culture and the present organization. Organizational socialization has been defined as “the process by which organizational members become a part of, or absorbed into, the culture of an organization” (Jablin, 1982, p. 256), “the process by which a person learns the values, norms, and required behaviors which permit him or her to participate as a member of the organization” (Van Maanen, 1978, p. 67), and “the process of ‘learning the ropes,’ being indoctrinated and trained, and being taught what is important in the organization” (Schein, 1968, p. 2). Socialization is the process by which organizations bring new employees into the culture.
Organizational socialization is the process of showing new people in an organization what the organization is about--the how and why of the way things are done in that particular institution, and getting the new people to understand and accept this. Organizational newcomers typically have high uncertainty regarding how to do their job, how their performance will be evaluated, what types of social behaviors are normative, and what personal relationships within the organization might be beneficial to them (Miller, 1996). Socialization of new employees consist of learn role, and appropriate values and behaviors. Socialization of new employees is crucial. It fulfilled expectations correlate with job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and the intention to remain with the organization. Effective socialization reduces these uncertainties, helps newcomers cultivate productive relationships at work, and ensures that individuals and organizations benefit from their working relationship (Jablin, 2001). Consequently, newcomers and experienced organizational members typically engage in formal and informal organizational socialization activities before, during, and after their entry into the organization.
Socialization often starts with a humility-inducing experience that shows the person that they really do not understand how things work. Humility is the state or quality of being humble; absence of pride or self-assertion (Webster’s Dictionary, 2010). This is followed by an in-the-trenches immersion that inculcates the culture. In solidifying culture, the use of humility inducing experiences causes one to question their values and beliefs and whether to accept them. Humility-inducing experiences that cause newcomers to question prior behavior, beliefs, and values. Humility-inducing experiences promote openness toward accepting organizational norms and values (Gibson et al, 2003). Humility-inducing experiences show the new worker that they still have a lot to learn, especially the organization’s pattern of beliefs, expectations, and values as manifested in organization practices.
References
Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly and Konopaske, (2003). Organizations: Behavior, Structure, Processes, McGraw Hill.
Jablin, F.M. (1982). Organizational communication: An assimilation approach. In Roloff, M. E. & Berger, C. R. (Eds.), Social cognition and communication. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Jablin, F.M. (2001). Organizational entry, assimilation, and disengagement/exit. In Jablin, F. M. & Putnam, L. L. (Eds.), The new handbook of organizational communication: Advances in theory, research, and methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Miller, V. D. (1996). An experimental study of newcomers’ information seeking behaviors during organizational entry. Communication Studies, 47, 1-24.
Schein, E. H. (1968). Organizational socialization and the professional management. Industrial Management Review, 9, 1-16.
Webster's New World College Dictionary. Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Van Maanen, J. (1978). People processing: Strategies of organizational socialization. Organizational Dynamics, 7, 18-36.
Organizational socialization is the process of showing new people in an organization what the organization is about--the how and why of the way things are done in that particular institution, and getting the new people to understand and accept this. Organizational newcomers typically have high uncertainty regarding how to do their job, how their performance will be evaluated, what types of social behaviors are normative, and what personal relationships within the organization might be beneficial to them (Miller, 1996). Socialization of new employees consist of learn role, and appropriate values and behaviors. Socialization of new employees is crucial. It fulfilled expectations correlate with job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and the intention to remain with the organization. Effective socialization reduces these uncertainties, helps newcomers cultivate productive relationships at work, and ensures that individuals and organizations benefit from their working relationship (Jablin, 2001). Consequently, newcomers and experienced organizational members typically engage in formal and informal organizational socialization activities before, during, and after their entry into the organization.
Socialization often starts with a humility-inducing experience that shows the person that they really do not understand how things work. Humility is the state or quality of being humble; absence of pride or self-assertion (Webster’s Dictionary, 2010). This is followed by an in-the-trenches immersion that inculcates the culture. In solidifying culture, the use of humility inducing experiences causes one to question their values and beliefs and whether to accept them. Humility-inducing experiences that cause newcomers to question prior behavior, beliefs, and values. Humility-inducing experiences promote openness toward accepting organizational norms and values (Gibson et al, 2003). Humility-inducing experiences show the new worker that they still have a lot to learn, especially the organization’s pattern of beliefs, expectations, and values as manifested in organization practices.
References
Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly and Konopaske, (2003). Organizations: Behavior, Structure, Processes, McGraw Hill.
Jablin, F.M. (1982). Organizational communication: An assimilation approach. In Roloff, M. E. & Berger, C. R. (Eds.), Social cognition and communication. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Jablin, F.M. (2001). Organizational entry, assimilation, and disengagement/exit. In Jablin, F. M. & Putnam, L. L. (Eds.), The new handbook of organizational communication: Advances in theory, research, and methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Miller, V. D. (1996). An experimental study of newcomers’ information seeking behaviors during organizational entry. Communication Studies, 47, 1-24.
Schein, E. H. (1968). Organizational socialization and the professional management. Industrial Management Review, 9, 1-16.
Webster's New World College Dictionary. Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Van Maanen, J. (1978). People processing: Strategies of organizational socialization. Organizational Dynamics, 7, 18-36.
Friday, April 9, 2010
We are now moving from the Industrial Age to the Information Age in an increasingly integrated global economy (Clawson, 2010). In management, administrators now in the midst of a major managerial paradigm shift that is changing the way they think about management, the way they organize to manage, and the problems and dilemmas that management presents. Understanding and becoming effective in this emerging new context requires a fundamental shift in management thinking and modes of leadership. Principles of organization and leadership are being replaced with new principles based on new assumptions about people, economies, and how to organize. Understanding this new paradigm is essential to becoming a leader in the world of today leading to tomorrow (Clawson, 2010). Due to this paradigm shift, leaders with their knowledge are expected to post a change within their work setting that reflects social responsibility. It focused on the role and responsibilities of a leader as an ethical role model, decision-maker, and teacher. The new paradigm also demands of its leader that they develop some new core values and skills (Clawson, 2010). Administrators should be able to add new concepts, new principles, and new ideas to their present skill sets to enhance their effort to lead and be more effective leaders.
Administrators are regularly call upon to make ethical judgments, and expected to demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fortitude in all of the public activities in order to inspire public confidence and trust in the university. In order to do that, administrators must oblige to develop civic virtues because of the public responsibilities that they have sought and obtained. Respect for the truth, for fairly dealing with others, for sensitivity to rights and responsibilities of citizens and for the public goods must be generated and carefully nurtured and matured. Administrators are responsible for the performance of others, share with them the reasons for the importance of integrity, hold them to high ethical standards and teach them the moral as well as the financial responsibility for public funds under their care.
Administrators must accept as a personal duty the responsibility to keep up to date on emerging issues and to administer the organization with professional competence, fairness, impartiality, efficiency, and effectiveness. According to Brown and Trevino (2006), the practice of ethical leadership is a two-part process involving personal moral behavior and moral influence. Ethical leaders earn that label when they act morally as they carry out their duties and shape the ethical contexts of their groups, organizations, and societies (Johnson, 2009). Both components are essential. Leaders must demonstrate such character traits as justice, humility, optimism, courage, and compassion; make wise choices; master the ethical challenges of their roles; and also responsible for the ethical behavior of others (Johnson, 2009). Leaders act as role models for the rest of the organization. How followers behave depends in large part on the example set by the leaders. According to Johnson (2009), ethical climates promote the moral development of leaders as well as followers, fostering their character and improving their ability to make and follow through ethical choices; while ethical environments have safeguards that keep both leaders and followers from engaging in destructive behaviors.
Administrators must know how to use the strengths of opposing views to improve the process of finding the best decision. They must also know how differences should be taken not as threats or competitive factors in finding answers but as opportunities to increase one’s knowledge and broaden one’s understanding. Administrators have to be aware of the methods for handling decision-making situations in which people share similar values but have different assumptions and situations in which people share assumptions but have different values. They must always remember that empowering employees through trust, guidance, and ethical standards goes a long way to making the organization a good place to work for all concerned.
They must also remember that ethical reflection can empower people and increase their responsiveness to important organizational and social issues. Last but not least, they should know that engaging in ethical reflection as a learning process and can create learning and changing organization. Each and everyone need to learn to be responsible, have a role to play in the organization, and know that they are accountable for their actions. Each organization should be run ethically and treat their employees with dignity and respect. According to Brown (1990), the best ethical guides do not tell people what they should do; rather, they show people how to discover the best course of action for themselves; the purpose of ethics is not to make people ethical; it is to help people make better decisions. All these changes would benefit the organization and the university as a whole.
References
Brown, M. E., & Trevino, L. K. (2006). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. The Leadership Quarterly, 17, 595-616.
Brown, M. T. (2000). Working ethics: Strategies for decision making and organizational responsibility. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Clawson, J. G. (2002). Level three leadership: Getting below the surface (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Johnson, C. E. (2009). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow (Edition 3). Los Angeles: SAGE.
Administrators are regularly call upon to make ethical judgments, and expected to demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fortitude in all of the public activities in order to inspire public confidence and trust in the university. In order to do that, administrators must oblige to develop civic virtues because of the public responsibilities that they have sought and obtained. Respect for the truth, for fairly dealing with others, for sensitivity to rights and responsibilities of citizens and for the public goods must be generated and carefully nurtured and matured. Administrators are responsible for the performance of others, share with them the reasons for the importance of integrity, hold them to high ethical standards and teach them the moral as well as the financial responsibility for public funds under their care.
Administrators must accept as a personal duty the responsibility to keep up to date on emerging issues and to administer the organization with professional competence, fairness, impartiality, efficiency, and effectiveness. According to Brown and Trevino (2006), the practice of ethical leadership is a two-part process involving personal moral behavior and moral influence. Ethical leaders earn that label when they act morally as they carry out their duties and shape the ethical contexts of their groups, organizations, and societies (Johnson, 2009). Both components are essential. Leaders must demonstrate such character traits as justice, humility, optimism, courage, and compassion; make wise choices; master the ethical challenges of their roles; and also responsible for the ethical behavior of others (Johnson, 2009). Leaders act as role models for the rest of the organization. How followers behave depends in large part on the example set by the leaders. According to Johnson (2009), ethical climates promote the moral development of leaders as well as followers, fostering their character and improving their ability to make and follow through ethical choices; while ethical environments have safeguards that keep both leaders and followers from engaging in destructive behaviors.
Administrators must know how to use the strengths of opposing views to improve the process of finding the best decision. They must also know how differences should be taken not as threats or competitive factors in finding answers but as opportunities to increase one’s knowledge and broaden one’s understanding. Administrators have to be aware of the methods for handling decision-making situations in which people share similar values but have different assumptions and situations in which people share assumptions but have different values. They must always remember that empowering employees through trust, guidance, and ethical standards goes a long way to making the organization a good place to work for all concerned.
They must also remember that ethical reflection can empower people and increase their responsiveness to important organizational and social issues. Last but not least, they should know that engaging in ethical reflection as a learning process and can create learning and changing organization. Each and everyone need to learn to be responsible, have a role to play in the organization, and know that they are accountable for their actions. Each organization should be run ethically and treat their employees with dignity and respect. According to Brown (1990), the best ethical guides do not tell people what they should do; rather, they show people how to discover the best course of action for themselves; the purpose of ethics is not to make people ethical; it is to help people make better decisions. All these changes would benefit the organization and the university as a whole.
References
Brown, M. E., & Trevino, L. K. (2006). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. The Leadership Quarterly, 17, 595-616.
Brown, M. T. (2000). Working ethics: Strategies for decision making and organizational responsibility. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Clawson, J. G. (2002). Level three leadership: Getting below the surface (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Johnson, C. E. (2009). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow (Edition 3). Los Angeles: SAGE.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Decision Making
Leaders are regularly confronted with problems that require decisions. A number of approach, tools, and techniques have been developed over the years to help leaders improve their decision-making capabilities. Robbins and DeCenzo (2007) composed a seven step process that provides a rational and analytical way of looking at decision. The steps include identification of the problem, collection of relevant information, development of alternatives, evaluation of alternatives, selection of the best alternative, implementation of the decision, and follow up and evaluation. Leaders may face three conditions as they make a decision: certainty, risk, and uncertainty (Robbins et al., 2007). Certainty exists when the outcome and every alternative is known. As we know, most leaders’ decisions aren’t as clear-cut as this. A far more common situation leaders face is one of risk, in which they must estimate the likelihood of certain outcomes. Leaders are said to be making a decision under a condition of uncertainty when they are not certain about the outcome, and can’t even make a reasonable probability estimate.
Based on the above information, how to utilize this within my organization to assure effective decision making in human relations? I would prefer decisions in my organization being made by groups rather than by individual. In my opinion, if the adage “Two heads are better than one” translates into groups, it would be able to generate a greater number, and potentially a more creative set, of decision alternatives. Furthermore, it’ll provide more complete information, generates more alternatives, increases acceptance of a solution, and increases legitimacy. When members of a group meet face to face and interact with one another, they create the potential for groupthink. Robbins et al., (2007) suggested three ways of making group decision making more creative: brainstorming, the nominal group technique, and electronic meetings.
I should try to understand each other’s styles so that I can get along better. Instead of condemning people, let’s try to understand those with different views. It would be ethical to try to figure out why they said what they said. That’s a lot more profitable and intriguing than criticism; and it breeds sympathy, tolerance, and kindness. It should be alright to be provocative, but it would be better not only on one side but on all sides and with a fuller view. Let people listening to each other and changing their views in the process of reaching a “common ground.” We should have been less in confrontational format and change to a more positive and learning format by trying to learn something from the other person, even though we don’t agree with them. With a greater understanding of these differences, rather than collide, our words can come together in greater harmony, cooperation and collaboration. Differences do not have to create separation and tension. With a clear and positive understanding of our differences, mutual respect and trust between us increases and all levels of the discussion are enriched.
Group members must believe that the discussion will be fair, and trust one another in order to increase understanding of the issues, the organization, and themselves. People need to think about their personal values and the group’s values and beliefs. Inclusion allows for gathering information from significant stakeholders and we become aware of our own previously unknown assumptions. According to Brown (2008), different stakeholders can help to question strategic assumptions. Role flexibility allows for switches in roles, and enables the group to see the issues from different perspectives. It will also bring new understanding and the discussion itself becomes more public because the group will search for common values, reliable information, and shared assumptions.
I believe that through public discourse, participants have the information necessary to make a decision, that the arguments and reasons that determine the outcome are available to all, and that everyone has the opportunity to participate. Then decisions are made solely on the basis of their outcomes or consequences, and to provide the greatest good for the greatest number. The right view given is concerned with respecting and protecting the basic right of individuals—for example, the right for free speech. It also requires individuals to impose and enforce rules fairly and impartially so there is an equitable distribution of benefits and costs. This justice perspective protects the interests of the underrepresented and less powerful, besides it can encourage a sense of entitlement that reduces risk taking, innovations, and productivity (Robbins et al., 2007).
Besides establishing the right conditions, training is also important for the organization to practice ethical reflections (Brown, 2000). Training will enables decision makers at all levels to acquire appropriate skills and tools that are necessary for participation in the process. The right training can ensure that the decision makers understand the decision-making process as a process of choice and aware that it involves choosing one of several alternatives; therefore, they must consider a variety of options and develop arguments on issues that interest them. With a right training, the decision makers will able to handle opposing views, examine the merits of different position, become proficient in the argumentative strategy, better understand the issues and hence more confidence in making decision. As mentioned by Brown (2000, p. 204), “if its members become competent in argumentative analysis and ethical reflection, then organizational ethics will become a creative and innovative human activity in the organization.” From the writer’s view, ethical reflection must be part of the process in decision-making. Thus, the members will become competent in argumentative analysis, and ethical reflection then organizational ethics will become a creative and innovative human activity within the organization.
Reference
Brown, T. (2000). Working ethics: Strategies for decision making and organizational responsibility. Berkley, CA: Basic Resources.
Robbins, S. P. & DeCenzo, D. A. (2007). Supervision Today! (5th. ed.). New Jersey: Upper Saddle River, Prentice-Hall.
Based on the above information, how to utilize this within my organization to assure effective decision making in human relations? I would prefer decisions in my organization being made by groups rather than by individual. In my opinion, if the adage “Two heads are better than one” translates into groups, it would be able to generate a greater number, and potentially a more creative set, of decision alternatives. Furthermore, it’ll provide more complete information, generates more alternatives, increases acceptance of a solution, and increases legitimacy. When members of a group meet face to face and interact with one another, they create the potential for groupthink. Robbins et al., (2007) suggested three ways of making group decision making more creative: brainstorming, the nominal group technique, and electronic meetings.
I should try to understand each other’s styles so that I can get along better. Instead of condemning people, let’s try to understand those with different views. It would be ethical to try to figure out why they said what they said. That’s a lot more profitable and intriguing than criticism; and it breeds sympathy, tolerance, and kindness. It should be alright to be provocative, but it would be better not only on one side but on all sides and with a fuller view. Let people listening to each other and changing their views in the process of reaching a “common ground.” We should have been less in confrontational format and change to a more positive and learning format by trying to learn something from the other person, even though we don’t agree with them. With a greater understanding of these differences, rather than collide, our words can come together in greater harmony, cooperation and collaboration. Differences do not have to create separation and tension. With a clear and positive understanding of our differences, mutual respect and trust between us increases and all levels of the discussion are enriched.
Group members must believe that the discussion will be fair, and trust one another in order to increase understanding of the issues, the organization, and themselves. People need to think about their personal values and the group’s values and beliefs. Inclusion allows for gathering information from significant stakeholders and we become aware of our own previously unknown assumptions. According to Brown (2008), different stakeholders can help to question strategic assumptions. Role flexibility allows for switches in roles, and enables the group to see the issues from different perspectives. It will also bring new understanding and the discussion itself becomes more public because the group will search for common values, reliable information, and shared assumptions.
I believe that through public discourse, participants have the information necessary to make a decision, that the arguments and reasons that determine the outcome are available to all, and that everyone has the opportunity to participate. Then decisions are made solely on the basis of their outcomes or consequences, and to provide the greatest good for the greatest number. The right view given is concerned with respecting and protecting the basic right of individuals—for example, the right for free speech. It also requires individuals to impose and enforce rules fairly and impartially so there is an equitable distribution of benefits and costs. This justice perspective protects the interests of the underrepresented and less powerful, besides it can encourage a sense of entitlement that reduces risk taking, innovations, and productivity (Robbins et al., 2007).
Besides establishing the right conditions, training is also important for the organization to practice ethical reflections (Brown, 2000). Training will enables decision makers at all levels to acquire appropriate skills and tools that are necessary for participation in the process. The right training can ensure that the decision makers understand the decision-making process as a process of choice and aware that it involves choosing one of several alternatives; therefore, they must consider a variety of options and develop arguments on issues that interest them. With a right training, the decision makers will able to handle opposing views, examine the merits of different position, become proficient in the argumentative strategy, better understand the issues and hence more confidence in making decision. As mentioned by Brown (2000, p. 204), “if its members become competent in argumentative analysis and ethical reflection, then organizational ethics will become a creative and innovative human activity in the organization.” From the writer’s view, ethical reflection must be part of the process in decision-making. Thus, the members will become competent in argumentative analysis, and ethical reflection then organizational ethics will become a creative and innovative human activity within the organization.
Reference
Brown, T. (2000). Working ethics: Strategies for decision making and organizational responsibility. Berkley, CA: Basic Resources.
Robbins, S. P. & DeCenzo, D. A. (2007). Supervision Today! (5th. ed.). New Jersey: Upper Saddle River, Prentice-Hall.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A 360 DEGREE EVALUATION
Gathering valid and honest information, especially at the executive and managerial levels, is difficult (Denton, 1994). Individuals within an executive’s circle of influence are often reluctant to give feedback openly for fear of reproach. As a result, many top executive do not receive the feedback necessary to change and improve their performance. Thus, it is necessary to have leadership skills assessed in order to find skills and behaviors that need improvement, and 360-degree-feedback instruments are the most effective type of leadership assessment available by providing a complete picture of performance and effectiveness. What we call “360-degree feedback” is a method of systematically collecting opinions about a manager’s performance from a wide range of coworkers, include peers, direct subordinates, the boss, and the boss’s peers, along with people outside the organization, such as customers, suppliers, and in some cases even family members (Chappelow, 2004). These instruments are designed to provide feedback on managerial strengths and weaknesses, and provide more accurate evaluation and effective communications. Three techniques for assessment are offered here: psychological testing, multisource assessment, and individual competence assessments. In addition, 360-degree feedback has many psychological aspects: person perception, impression formation, individuals’ conceptions of self, impression management, and behavioral change.
Developmental activities using 360-degree feedback is now widely used by human resources professionals and in leadership development programs, and has become one of the most popular methods for developing managers in organizations. More and more organizations are using this process to help improve the effectiveness of their managers. When a 360-degree-feedback instrument was used, besides showing managers their strengths and weaknesses, it will also assist managers with an individual development plan. The instruments decrease bias and provide candid data to channel managers into appropriate training programs or interventions. One of the more important ways that employees can develop is to receive ratings of their performance from their co-workers—bosses, peers, subordinates, and others. The 360 degree-feedback is a self-other rating agreement, and is the degree to which self-perceptions are congruent with the perceptions of others. It shows that very positive individual and organizational outcomes are expected for individuals whose self-ratings are in agreement with others that their performance is good.
Along with the increasing use of multi-rater feedback for development, there is an increased use of feedback for appraisal and decision making for pay and promotion. Bracken (1994) mentioned that a successful multi-racer process: (1) is reliable and provides consistent ratings, (2) is valid because it provides job-related feedback, (3) is easy to use, understandable, and relevant, (4) it creates positive change on an individual and organizational level. Feedback, once provided, will enable individuals to develop along these standards. Performance standards not only are essential for individual development, but they represent the link to organizational strategy. Carey (1995) asserts that 360-degree feedback can create productive relationships between managers and employees. These assessments can assist career planning, leadership development, cooperation and communication between individuals and departments, as well as foster preferred leadership styles. It also provides executives with understanding of the difference between performance and expectations. The purpose of 360-degree systems is not only assessment but also to provide feedback to stimulate improvement and to promote an organization’s strategic business objectives.
Each rater possesses a unique and valid perspective from which the performance of the focal manager can be assessed. When valid performance ratings from multiple perspectives are linked to developmental planning, goal-setting, and organizational support, the 360-degree feedback process can lead to positive outcomes for the focal managers as well as the organizational as a whole. A comprehensive 360-degree approach provides the opportunity to identify critical behaviors and the opportunity to determine qualified sources of feedback that can provide valid and useful data (Bernardin, Dahmus, & Redmon, 1993). The trend toward using 360-degree feedback allows employees to have control over evaluations. By the way, the appraisal system and the feedback assessment must fit within the organizational culture (Budman & Rice, 1994).
The implementation of 360-degree-feedback systems requires “ample planning and precaution.” The experience has shown that 360-degree-feedback can be a powerful tool, but it must be used wisely. Careful preparation will allow users to implement a 360-degree system that will meet organizational needs. Coates (1996) discusses his seven suggestions for preventing 360-feedback assessments from losing impact and effectiveness: (1) Learn the technology before inventing in it. (2) make sure the organization is prepared for the 360-degree process. (3) Use sell-researched and well-constructed survey items. (4) Protect the confidentiality of raters. (5) Use skilled facilitators to implement the process. (6) Follow up with developmental activities. (7) Separate developmental feedback from personnel and compensation decisions.
In the writer’s point of view, managers would be more concern on accountability when ratings by the rater. The outcomes will improve employee satisfaction with the work environment, significant behavior changes aligned with the organization’s objectives, and better individual and team performance that extends to external customers. Regardless of how it is collected, feedback should provide information about appropriate behaviors that can be recognized and changed. Organizations are best served when they provide employees with information necessary for their own leadership development, and this can best be achieved with multi-rater feedback. Organizations should encourage managers to take initiative in self-development and consider mandating extensive development-planning sessions for 360-degree-feedback programs. Receiving 360-degree feedback was generally helpful, but follow-through on development was the most critical factor in improving skills. How do managers’ skills develop after feedback? What affects the level of effort managers put into their development?
References
Bernardin, H. J., Dahmus, A. A., & Redmon, G. (1993). Attitudes of first-line supervisors toward subordinate appraisals. Human Resource Management 32: 2&3, pp. 315-324.
Bracken, D. W. (1994). Straight talk about multirate feedback. Training and Development, September, pp. 44-51.
Budman, M. & Rice, B. (1994). The rating game. Across the Board 31:2, February, pp. 35-38.
Carey, R. (1995). Coming around to 360-degree feedback. Performance, March, pp. 56-60.
Chappelow, C. T. (2004). 360 degree feedback. In MacCauley, C. D. & Van Velsor, E. (2004) (Eds.), Handbook of leadership development (pp. 58-84). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Coates, D. E. (1996). Multi-source feedback: Seven recommendations. Career Development International 1:3, pp. 32-36.
Denton, W. E. (1994). Developing employee skills to match company needs. Credit World, May/June, pp. 19-20.
Velsor, E. V., & McCauley, C. D. (2004). Our view of leadership development. In MacCauley, C. D. & Van Velsor, E. (2004) (Eds.), Handbook of leadership development (pp. 1-22). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Developmental activities using 360-degree feedback is now widely used by human resources professionals and in leadership development programs, and has become one of the most popular methods for developing managers in organizations. More and more organizations are using this process to help improve the effectiveness of their managers. When a 360-degree-feedback instrument was used, besides showing managers their strengths and weaknesses, it will also assist managers with an individual development plan. The instruments decrease bias and provide candid data to channel managers into appropriate training programs or interventions. One of the more important ways that employees can develop is to receive ratings of their performance from their co-workers—bosses, peers, subordinates, and others. The 360 degree-feedback is a self-other rating agreement, and is the degree to which self-perceptions are congruent with the perceptions of others. It shows that very positive individual and organizational outcomes are expected for individuals whose self-ratings are in agreement with others that their performance is good.
Along with the increasing use of multi-rater feedback for development, there is an increased use of feedback for appraisal and decision making for pay and promotion. Bracken (1994) mentioned that a successful multi-racer process: (1) is reliable and provides consistent ratings, (2) is valid because it provides job-related feedback, (3) is easy to use, understandable, and relevant, (4) it creates positive change on an individual and organizational level. Feedback, once provided, will enable individuals to develop along these standards. Performance standards not only are essential for individual development, but they represent the link to organizational strategy. Carey (1995) asserts that 360-degree feedback can create productive relationships between managers and employees. These assessments can assist career planning, leadership development, cooperation and communication between individuals and departments, as well as foster preferred leadership styles. It also provides executives with understanding of the difference between performance and expectations. The purpose of 360-degree systems is not only assessment but also to provide feedback to stimulate improvement and to promote an organization’s strategic business objectives.
Each rater possesses a unique and valid perspective from which the performance of the focal manager can be assessed. When valid performance ratings from multiple perspectives are linked to developmental planning, goal-setting, and organizational support, the 360-degree feedback process can lead to positive outcomes for the focal managers as well as the organizational as a whole. A comprehensive 360-degree approach provides the opportunity to identify critical behaviors and the opportunity to determine qualified sources of feedback that can provide valid and useful data (Bernardin, Dahmus, & Redmon, 1993). The trend toward using 360-degree feedback allows employees to have control over evaluations. By the way, the appraisal system and the feedback assessment must fit within the organizational culture (Budman & Rice, 1994).
The implementation of 360-degree-feedback systems requires “ample planning and precaution.” The experience has shown that 360-degree-feedback can be a powerful tool, but it must be used wisely. Careful preparation will allow users to implement a 360-degree system that will meet organizational needs. Coates (1996) discusses his seven suggestions for preventing 360-feedback assessments from losing impact and effectiveness: (1) Learn the technology before inventing in it. (2) make sure the organization is prepared for the 360-degree process. (3) Use sell-researched and well-constructed survey items. (4) Protect the confidentiality of raters. (5) Use skilled facilitators to implement the process. (6) Follow up with developmental activities. (7) Separate developmental feedback from personnel and compensation decisions.
In the writer’s point of view, managers would be more concern on accountability when ratings by the rater. The outcomes will improve employee satisfaction with the work environment, significant behavior changes aligned with the organization’s objectives, and better individual and team performance that extends to external customers. Regardless of how it is collected, feedback should provide information about appropriate behaviors that can be recognized and changed. Organizations are best served when they provide employees with information necessary for their own leadership development, and this can best be achieved with multi-rater feedback. Organizations should encourage managers to take initiative in self-development and consider mandating extensive development-planning sessions for 360-degree-feedback programs. Receiving 360-degree feedback was generally helpful, but follow-through on development was the most critical factor in improving skills. How do managers’ skills develop after feedback? What affects the level of effort managers put into their development?
References
Bernardin, H. J., Dahmus, A. A., & Redmon, G. (1993). Attitudes of first-line supervisors toward subordinate appraisals. Human Resource Management 32: 2&3, pp. 315-324.
Bracken, D. W. (1994). Straight talk about multirate feedback. Training and Development, September, pp. 44-51.
Budman, M. & Rice, B. (1994). The rating game. Across the Board 31:2, February, pp. 35-38.
Carey, R. (1995). Coming around to 360-degree feedback. Performance, March, pp. 56-60.
Chappelow, C. T. (2004). 360 degree feedback. In MacCauley, C. D. & Van Velsor, E. (2004) (Eds.), Handbook of leadership development (pp. 58-84). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Coates, D. E. (1996). Multi-source feedback: Seven recommendations. Career Development International 1:3, pp. 32-36.
Denton, W. E. (1994). Developing employee skills to match company needs. Credit World, May/June, pp. 19-20.
Velsor, E. V., & McCauley, C. D. (2004). Our view of leadership development. In MacCauley, C. D. & Van Velsor, E. (2004) (Eds.), Handbook of leadership development (pp. 1-22). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The Making of Ethical Leaders
Throughout EDD 8442 Ethics and Responsibility course, all of the students have conducted an in-depth examination of ethics. With that knowledge, all of us hope to post a change within our work setting that reflects social responsibility. This course takes a broad view of the subject of Ethics. It focused on the role and responsibilities of a leader as an ethical role model, decision-maker, and teacher. Brown (1990) demonstrates that ethics can be a powerful tool for better decision making. Brown presents an argumentative approach to ethical decision making, demonstrating how the open expression of opposing views can enable the managers and employees to consider the full range of options for dealing with important ethical issues—and to draw on this ability in all decision making. I did reviewed and analyzed current ethical issues for professional learning communities. Through the use of case studies and a problem-based approach to learning, I had an opportunity to analyze and developed the decision-making skills within the context of an ethical and moral framework. I was encouraged to reflect upon and understand my own ethical behavior and to explore ways to apply this knowledge to the professional practice. I had an opportunity to interact with a national cross-section of students and practitioners from many different organizational settings, all of whom confront similar challenges in their work.
As an administrator, and one of the leaders in the university, I have regularly called upon to make ethical judgments, and expected to demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fortitude in all of the public activities in order to inspire public confidence and trust in the university. I am obliged to develop civic virtues because of the public responsibilities that I have sought and obtained. Respect for the truth, for fairly dealing with others, for sensitivity to rights and responsibilities of citizens and for the public goods must be generated and carefully nurtured and matured. I am responsible for the performance of others, share with them the reasons for the importance of integrity, hold them to high ethical standards and teach them the moral as well as the financial responsibility for public funds under my care. I have an ethical obligation to seek adequate equipment, software, procedures, and controls to reduce the organization’s vulnerability to misconduct. As an administrator, I have to accept as a personal duty the responsibility to keep up to date on emerging issues and to administer the organization with professional competence, fairness, impartiality, efficiency, and effectiveness,
Throughout my experiences, I realized that it is not easy to be a leader. Leaders are the people having the greatest impact on the group or organization (Johnson, 2009). Leaders are change agents engaged in furthering the needs, wants, and goals of leaders and followers alike. Important leader functions include establishing direction, organizing, coordinating activities and resources, motivating, and managing conflict. Leadership is the exercise of influence in a group context (Bass, 1990). Am I able to be called as an ethical leader? For many years, I thought ethics simply means a list of rules and regulations for controlling worker behavior. Weston (2001) recommends several guidelines, such as welcoming diversity, being fair, clarifying values, and recognizing emotions. Using guidelines, leaders can understand values and give relevant values a voice. According to Brown and Trevino (2006), the practice of ethical leadership is a two-part process involving personal moral behavior and moral influence. Ethical leaders earn that label when they act morally as they carry out their duties and shape the ethical contexts of their groups, organizations, and societies (Johnson, 2009). Both components are essential. Leaders must demonstrate such character traits as justice, humility, optimism, courage, and compassion; make wise choices; master the ethical challenges of their roles; and also responsible for the ethical behavior of others (Johnson, 2009). Leaders act as role models for the rest of the organization. How followers behave depends in large part on the example set by the leaders. According to Johnson (2009), ethical climates promote the moral development of leaders as well as followers, fostering their character and improving their ability to make and follow through ethical choices; while ethical environments have safeguards that keep both leaders and followers from engaging in destructive behaviors.
After going through this course, I realized I have to make sure what needed to be considered in developing working ethics: the place of ethics in the decision-making process, the power dynamics of the organizational system and how justice and individual rights can serve as guidelines for maintaining the system, and the role of basic assumption in the development of responsible organization. I have to use an ethical perspectives as a way of interpreting oneself, others, and organizations. This perspective will allows me to see people as moral agents who can be responsible and organizations as moral communities and moral agents. I realized the necessity of value judgments and assumptions in making policy decisions; shows how to include opposing views so that they function as resources for making better decisions. Now I know how to use the strengths of opposing views to improve the process of finding the best decision. I also know how differences should be taken not as threats or competitive factors in finding answers but as opportunities to increase one’s knowledge and broaden one’s understanding. This course taught me on how to deal with disagreements, and how to use ethical approaches for analyzing policy issues and decisions. I hope that I can use the knowledge on the analysis of factual statements, such as the relationships between parts and whole, cause and effect, generalizations and specifics, abstract and concrete, and comparison and contrast.
Now I know a way to analyze basic assumptions, especially assumptions concerning how things work out or get done. I have to be aware of the methods for handling decision-making situations in which people share similar values but have different assumptions and situations in which people share assumptions but have different values. I must always remember that empowering employees through trust, guidance, and ethical standards goes a long way to making the organization a good place to work for all concerned. I must always remember that ethical reflection can empower people and increase their responsiveness to important organizational and social issues. Last but not least, I have learned engaging in ethical reflection as a learning process and can create learning and changing organization. Each and everyone need to learn to be responsible, have a role to play in the organization, and know that they are accountable for their actions. Each organization should be run ethically and treat their employees with dignity and respect. According to Brown (1990), the best ethical guides do not tell people what they should do; rather, they show people how to discover the best course of action for themselves; the purpose of ethics is not to make people ethical; it is to help people make better decisions. All these changes would benefit the organization and the university as a whole.
References
Bass, B. M. (1990). Bass and Stogdill’s handbook of leadership (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press.
Brown, M. E., & Trevino, L. K. (2006). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. The Leadership Quarterly, 17, 595-616.
Brown, M. T. (2000). Working ethics: Strategies for decision making and organizational responsibility. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Johnson, C. E. (2009). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow (Edition 3). Los Angeles: SAGE.
Weston, A. (2001). A 21st century ethical tool-box. New York: Oxford University Press.
As an administrator, and one of the leaders in the university, I have regularly called upon to make ethical judgments, and expected to demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fortitude in all of the public activities in order to inspire public confidence and trust in the university. I am obliged to develop civic virtues because of the public responsibilities that I have sought and obtained. Respect for the truth, for fairly dealing with others, for sensitivity to rights and responsibilities of citizens and for the public goods must be generated and carefully nurtured and matured. I am responsible for the performance of others, share with them the reasons for the importance of integrity, hold them to high ethical standards and teach them the moral as well as the financial responsibility for public funds under my care. I have an ethical obligation to seek adequate equipment, software, procedures, and controls to reduce the organization’s vulnerability to misconduct. As an administrator, I have to accept as a personal duty the responsibility to keep up to date on emerging issues and to administer the organization with professional competence, fairness, impartiality, efficiency, and effectiveness,
Throughout my experiences, I realized that it is not easy to be a leader. Leaders are the people having the greatest impact on the group or organization (Johnson, 2009). Leaders are change agents engaged in furthering the needs, wants, and goals of leaders and followers alike. Important leader functions include establishing direction, organizing, coordinating activities and resources, motivating, and managing conflict. Leadership is the exercise of influence in a group context (Bass, 1990). Am I able to be called as an ethical leader? For many years, I thought ethics simply means a list of rules and regulations for controlling worker behavior. Weston (2001) recommends several guidelines, such as welcoming diversity, being fair, clarifying values, and recognizing emotions. Using guidelines, leaders can understand values and give relevant values a voice. According to Brown and Trevino (2006), the practice of ethical leadership is a two-part process involving personal moral behavior and moral influence. Ethical leaders earn that label when they act morally as they carry out their duties and shape the ethical contexts of their groups, organizations, and societies (Johnson, 2009). Both components are essential. Leaders must demonstrate such character traits as justice, humility, optimism, courage, and compassion; make wise choices; master the ethical challenges of their roles; and also responsible for the ethical behavior of others (Johnson, 2009). Leaders act as role models for the rest of the organization. How followers behave depends in large part on the example set by the leaders. According to Johnson (2009), ethical climates promote the moral development of leaders as well as followers, fostering their character and improving their ability to make and follow through ethical choices; while ethical environments have safeguards that keep both leaders and followers from engaging in destructive behaviors.
After going through this course, I realized I have to make sure what needed to be considered in developing working ethics: the place of ethics in the decision-making process, the power dynamics of the organizational system and how justice and individual rights can serve as guidelines for maintaining the system, and the role of basic assumption in the development of responsible organization. I have to use an ethical perspectives as a way of interpreting oneself, others, and organizations. This perspective will allows me to see people as moral agents who can be responsible and organizations as moral communities and moral agents. I realized the necessity of value judgments and assumptions in making policy decisions; shows how to include opposing views so that they function as resources for making better decisions. Now I know how to use the strengths of opposing views to improve the process of finding the best decision. I also know how differences should be taken not as threats or competitive factors in finding answers but as opportunities to increase one’s knowledge and broaden one’s understanding. This course taught me on how to deal with disagreements, and how to use ethical approaches for analyzing policy issues and decisions. I hope that I can use the knowledge on the analysis of factual statements, such as the relationships between parts and whole, cause and effect, generalizations and specifics, abstract and concrete, and comparison and contrast.
Now I know a way to analyze basic assumptions, especially assumptions concerning how things work out or get done. I have to be aware of the methods for handling decision-making situations in which people share similar values but have different assumptions and situations in which people share assumptions but have different values. I must always remember that empowering employees through trust, guidance, and ethical standards goes a long way to making the organization a good place to work for all concerned. I must always remember that ethical reflection can empower people and increase their responsiveness to important organizational and social issues. Last but not least, I have learned engaging in ethical reflection as a learning process and can create learning and changing organization. Each and everyone need to learn to be responsible, have a role to play in the organization, and know that they are accountable for their actions. Each organization should be run ethically and treat their employees with dignity and respect. According to Brown (1990), the best ethical guides do not tell people what they should do; rather, they show people how to discover the best course of action for themselves; the purpose of ethics is not to make people ethical; it is to help people make better decisions. All these changes would benefit the organization and the university as a whole.
References
Bass, B. M. (1990). Bass and Stogdill’s handbook of leadership (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press.
Brown, M. E., & Trevino, L. K. (2006). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. The Leadership Quarterly, 17, 595-616.
Brown, M. T. (2000). Working ethics: Strategies for decision making and organizational responsibility. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Johnson, C. E. (2009). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow (Edition 3). Los Angeles: SAGE.
Weston, A. (2001). A 21st century ethical tool-box. New York: Oxford University Press.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Visionary Leader
Sashkin & Sashkin (2003) establish three contexts of visionary leader as: visionary leadership behavior; visionary leadership characteristics; and visionary culture building. Visionary leadership behaviors are described as: intelligence, persistence, patience, confidence, analysis, friendliness, energizer, sincerity, independence, creativity, honesty, and forcefulness. Visionary leadership characteristics consist of listening well, supporting, risks taking, communicating, mentoring, giving other credits, sharing feelings, consistently acting, giving feedback, coaching, explaining, and delegating. Visionary culture building comprise of involving the team, grabbing attention, committing to aims, having a vision, looking for info, understanding the system, having astute politic, viewing broader, and understanding environment.
Throughout our life, we surely hope to work with someone who would be considered as a visionary leader and with special personalities; who would be able to move people and organization to success. According to the author, by the character, wisdom, and vision, the particular leader should be able to lead others to find their own inner greatness. This remarkable leader should be someone with unique personalities who could inspire us to live according to our own highest ideals. The leader should have a clear vision of the future state of the organization. The vision should be simple, understandable, beneficial, and energy creating. It should be an image of an attractive, realistic, and believable future. With the clear vision, it would be easier for the people within the organization to learn how to fit in with the overall direction of the organization. A leader is a social architect for the organization. A leader should be able to create a shape or form for the shared meaning people maintained within the organization. A leader should communicate a direction that would transform the organization’s values and norms. A leader should be able to create trust in the organization by articulating a direction and then consistently implementing the direction. A leader should give the organization a sense of integrity analogous to a healthy identity. A leader should use creative deployment of self through positive self-regard, and emphasize on strengths rather than dwelling on the weaknesses.
A leader should model the way, able to inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart. A leader should practice exemplary leadership, and always opens to new ideas, opportunities, and approaches. A leader should be a positive person, and not afraid to take risks. A leader’s optimistic approach has had a significant influence on the organization’s achievements and its organizational climate. The success of the organization should be resulted in many changes that have affected the leadership at the organization. A leader should always inspire employees to accomplish great things. A leader should be a change agent who is a good role model, who can create and articulate a clear vision for an organization, able to empower employees to meet higher standard, who acted in ways that make others want to trust the leadership, and who gave meaning to organizational life. A leader should be able to treat clients with respect, provided information when needed, and assured of immediate follow-up on the performance of the service. A leader should be able to teach subordinates to work longer hours without complaint, trust colleagues more, and have higher performance ratings by developing team royalty around ideas and shared values. A leader should encourage us to improve the knowledge and skills and build a higher-performing team. In order to make vision happen, a leader should be able to place the welfare of others first, and serve those others. A leader’s persistence and the determination to enlist others would be able to cause the vision to happen. Hopefully we would be able to have this leader……
References
Nanus, B. (1992). Visionary Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Sashkin, M., & Sashkin, M.G. (2003). Leadership that matters. San Francisco: Berrett-Koecher Publishers.
Throughout our life, we surely hope to work with someone who would be considered as a visionary leader and with special personalities; who would be able to move people and organization to success. According to the author, by the character, wisdom, and vision, the particular leader should be able to lead others to find their own inner greatness. This remarkable leader should be someone with unique personalities who could inspire us to live according to our own highest ideals. The leader should have a clear vision of the future state of the organization. The vision should be simple, understandable, beneficial, and energy creating. It should be an image of an attractive, realistic, and believable future. With the clear vision, it would be easier for the people within the organization to learn how to fit in with the overall direction of the organization. A leader is a social architect for the organization. A leader should be able to create a shape or form for the shared meaning people maintained within the organization. A leader should communicate a direction that would transform the organization’s values and norms. A leader should be able to create trust in the organization by articulating a direction and then consistently implementing the direction. A leader should give the organization a sense of integrity analogous to a healthy identity. A leader should use creative deployment of self through positive self-regard, and emphasize on strengths rather than dwelling on the weaknesses.
A leader should model the way, able to inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart. A leader should practice exemplary leadership, and always opens to new ideas, opportunities, and approaches. A leader should be a positive person, and not afraid to take risks. A leader’s optimistic approach has had a significant influence on the organization’s achievements and its organizational climate. The success of the organization should be resulted in many changes that have affected the leadership at the organization. A leader should always inspire employees to accomplish great things. A leader should be a change agent who is a good role model, who can create and articulate a clear vision for an organization, able to empower employees to meet higher standard, who acted in ways that make others want to trust the leadership, and who gave meaning to organizational life. A leader should be able to treat clients with respect, provided information when needed, and assured of immediate follow-up on the performance of the service. A leader should be able to teach subordinates to work longer hours without complaint, trust colleagues more, and have higher performance ratings by developing team royalty around ideas and shared values. A leader should encourage us to improve the knowledge and skills and build a higher-performing team. In order to make vision happen, a leader should be able to place the welfare of others first, and serve those others. A leader’s persistence and the determination to enlist others would be able to cause the vision to happen. Hopefully we would be able to have this leader……
References
Nanus, B. (1992). Visionary Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Sashkin, M., & Sashkin, M.G. (2003). Leadership that matters. San Francisco: Berrett-Koecher Publishers.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
LYING
I have chosen to place “lying” as a topic for this week’s discussion. According to Bok (1979, p.16), lying is “an intentionally deceptive message in the form of statement.” Other than the taking of human life, the moral issue of lying is usually considered the most important and the least acceptable moral violations humans can perform (Thiroux, 2007). I believe that most of us feel lying is wrong in general because it tend to destroy the trust that is so essential to vital human relationships. We like to think, for example, that others will not lies to us, yet many are realistic enough to realize that someone may do that. The recipients of lies often feel disappointed, resentful, angry, and upset, reactions that do not engender contentment or happiness. In addition, their ability to trust the offenders is diminished and may lead to a general distrust of all human relationships.
Should we lie or should we not? Is it ever accepted to lie? Are there ever circumstances when people should be allowed to lie? Through the ages, it has been debated whether it is sometimes acceptable to tell lies. In the business ethics, false or misleading advertising is lying. McDonell (2006) stated that in business, surveys indicate that the vast majority of executives believe it is wrong for their employees to lie to them, but one-third approve of their employees telling untruths to their customers and one-half think it is acceptable to lie to safeguard the company. Some assert that lying is never acceptable. Others argue that a lie told to avoid unnecessarily offending someone is reasonable. Some might thinks that lying to avoid giving offense is wrong, and some even thinks it is sometimes acceptable to lie to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. For example, the husband normally will tell the wife that the food is delicious, even though it is disgusting. He is telling a lie though he taught his children to be honest and always tell the truth. Why can’t he practice what he preached? As for me, there are many ethical and moral issues to consider when people lie, especially during the performance of their duties.
In my opinion, most people will not hold to principles of “never” or “always” where lying is involved; though generally against them, they will permit them in certain circumstances. In the area of medical ethics or bioethics, lying can be involved in the decision as to whether to tell patients about the seriousness of their illnesses. It used to be common that the children would lie to “protect” the parents, and not tell them if they had a fatal disease such as untreatable cancer. The children normally will keep on saying that “you’re going to get better. There’s no need to worry”. As the parent’s situation worsens and more procedures have to be done (or when a doctor deems there is nothing more to be done), causing more lies to be told. In refusing to tell dying parents the truth about their condition, a situation is set up in which many other lies must follow so as to back up the first. According to Dr. Kubler-Ross (1969, p. 262), “the irony of all this, the dying patients knew the seriousness of their illness whether or not they had been told, and many even knew when they were going to die.” According to Fawler (2004), today, physicians and nurses continue to wrestle with the ethics of lying to patients.
Once a lie has been told, further lying in other situations becomes easier, often to the point where liars no longer can distinguish between what is or is not the truth as they know it (Thiroux, 2007). And if a liar gets away with one lie that he has told in order to “save his neck,” then future lying becomes easier and sometimes almost a way of life. According to Thiroux (2007), habitual lying increases the chance of discovery, leading to the breakdown of trust and the dilution, if not destruction, of vital human relationships.
Some people may in favor of lying all the time without realizing that one has a greater chance of being found out and of losing at least the semblance of trustworthiness, something a “good” liar needs to maintain. Most argument for lying suggest that sometimes there are good reasons for telling lies, and in some cases, they say, lying should be encouraged, especially when they need to or when lying could prevent the occurrence of a more serious moral infraction, such as killing. Curtis (2008) highlighted and discussed the two situations where law enforcement officers lie on a regular basis, involved prostitution stings and drug stings. The undercover female officer faces an ethical dilemma when asked by the violator “are you a cop?” If the officer tells a lie, it may go against the morals that have been instilled in her and lower the ethical standard that she has set for herself. If she tells the truth, the case will be blown and it may put her safety at risk. Does this type of behavior make the law enforcement officer involved unethical? Is there justification for when officers lie? There are circumstances where lies and dishonesty are benefits to society. On the reverse, there are also instances where officers lie and society suffer the consequences. Conducting oneself with integrity, ethics and morals will guide him or her through a successful and rewarding career. As for me, it is unacceptable for oneself to conduct him or herself immorally and unethically when an innocent person’s life or liberty is at stake.
References
Bok, S. (1979). Lying: Moral choice in public and private life. New York: Vintage, p. 16.
Curtis, W. C. (2008). Is there justification for when officers lie? Sheriff: Winter. Florida.
Fowler, E. (2004). An ethical dilemma: Is it ever acceptable to lie to a patient? Br J Perioper Nurs; 14: p. 448-451.
Kubler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying. New York: MacMillan, p. 262.
McDonell, P. J. (2006). Is it ever acceptable to lie? Ophthalmology Times, 31: 18. Career and Technical Education, p. 4.
Thiroux, J. P., & Krasemann, K. W. (2007). Ethics: Theory and practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Leading Through Rough Times: An Interview with Novell's Eric Schmidt
I would like to share my thoughts and personal reflections based on the interview with Eric Schmidt that has been presented in “Leading through rough times: An interview with Novell’s Eric Schmidt.” Although the interviewer posed only 8 questions, there were a number of pertinent ideas and perspectives projected in the responses. The most important perspective into leadership is that the way a leader responds and reacts in rough times often provides the truest test of his/her leadership. This is clearly proven when Eric Schmidt, the highly respected CTO at Sun Microsystems, who surprised the business world by accepting an offer to become the beleaguered company's third CEO as well as its chairman. Here’s what he learned about facing adversity, and taught us when you enter a downturn, as he said, we have to fight the instinct to be overly cautious.
Schmidt shared his experience in facing the challenges involved in Novell that was struggling with a slowdown in demand, in bringing a once proud company back to life and then leading it through yet another tough stretch. Schmidt taught us on how to lead through rough times by doing a turnaround in a company’s management. There were times when he had to do a big layoff, get rid of 80% of the executives, and be honest by announcing the shortfall. In order to bring Novell back to life requires the kind of tough and fast action, like stopping the bleeding and stabilizing the patient. He had to cut cost drastically, laid-off more than 1,000 employees, replaced most of the executive management team, and reduced seven layers of management to four. He had to take those painful steps, but they were necessary to save the company. Then the company launched an aggressive PR campaign, announced new products or product upgrades every month. Besides those tactical moves, he also repositioned the company strategically and refocused on the core networking strengths. The biggest challenge for him was to retain the company’s key talent – the ones he called as “smart people” – and kept them motivated.
Schmidt identified the engineers as the most creative and the smart people, the ones who control the company’s future. He met and talked with each of them, understood their intellectual and technological needs and what their concerns were. Then they told him about their experiences and their frustrations, they were demoralized; no one had listened to them for a long time, and they basically decided to lie low and keep their mouths shut. As a result, lots of great ideas were being lost. Schmidt found that Novell had a “dysfunctional culture”; a sick culture in which he called is as the “culture of fear”. It is a common condition in companies going through rough times, people are always worried about getting laid off, and so they suppress their feelings. Instead of complaining to their bosses, whom they fear might fire them, they complain vociferously to their peers. This situation created a kind of pervasive bellyaching, a corporate cynicism. People would sit in a room, listening to someone talk and nodding in agreement, but then as they left the room, the actually disagree with what they heard.
Schmidt also taught us on how to overcome a culture of fear by encouraging people to say what was really on their minds. As a leader, we should try to get people to open up and to give voice to the ideas they’d buried inside themselves. We have to give people freedom to pursue their passions, keep them focused and inspired. We must show them that we understand what the cultural problems are and that we are committed to fixing them. For him, most of them will be honest if we give them the opportunity to discuss their concerns. We should offer opportunities not only to motivate people and get them excited about new products or directions but also to address cultural issues on a broad scale. Schmidt reminded us that the cultural issues have been extremely difficult to eradicate because the cultural problems are like cancer, and they keep coming back.
Schmidt kept the smart people from leaving through his management styles by repeating the same message 20 times, training the trainers, getting in front of people, cheering them on, and also sometimes includes counteroffers. According to Schmidt, the best way to manage smart people is to let them self-organize so they can operate both inside and outside the management hierarchy. Keeping people motivated can be done through recognition, at which we recognize individual accomplishment. We have to change our reward systems to make sure people stayed focused on our key objectives. Make sure they knew that the objectives had to be clearly communicated down the line. We also need to make them feel that they are part of the solution. Most of the companies make the mistake of putting their most creative people in places where their contributions are limited or where they’re resented by others. If the people get frustrated and need to blow off steam, we should invite them to talk to us directly – no go-betweens. To win the heart and minds of our key employees, we have to communicate directly and physically with them. As mentioned by Fryer (2001, p. 189), “eighty percent of winning is just showing up.” In order to keep the organization buoyant through the ups and downs, we must take our cash position very, very seriously – as if the cash were our personal money.
As mentioned by Schmidt, it’s easy to sit on the outside and criticize the one who’s making the decisions. Taking harsh criticism is part of any top executive’s job. No wonder the allowances increased when we’re at the higher position! For Schmidt, real leadership involves taking the heat and staying focused on the way to achieve the desired outcome. People trust leaders who have toughed it out through crises more than those who’ve had easy sailing. Gone through crises will make us a more credible leaders and still fighting for the organization. What we need to do is to keep things in perspective – flying and doing a difficult maneuver called “circle to land”. According to Schmidt, as long as we pay attention to the important things, we’ll survive. Hopefully…..
Reference
Fryer, B. (2001). Leading through rough times: An interview with Novell’s Eric Schmidt. Harvard Business Review on What Makes a Leader. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.
Schmidt shared his experience in facing the challenges involved in Novell that was struggling with a slowdown in demand, in bringing a once proud company back to life and then leading it through yet another tough stretch. Schmidt taught us on how to lead through rough times by doing a turnaround in a company’s management. There were times when he had to do a big layoff, get rid of 80% of the executives, and be honest by announcing the shortfall. In order to bring Novell back to life requires the kind of tough and fast action, like stopping the bleeding and stabilizing the patient. He had to cut cost drastically, laid-off more than 1,000 employees, replaced most of the executive management team, and reduced seven layers of management to four. He had to take those painful steps, but they were necessary to save the company. Then the company launched an aggressive PR campaign, announced new products or product upgrades every month. Besides those tactical moves, he also repositioned the company strategically and refocused on the core networking strengths. The biggest challenge for him was to retain the company’s key talent – the ones he called as “smart people” – and kept them motivated.
Schmidt identified the engineers as the most creative and the smart people, the ones who control the company’s future. He met and talked with each of them, understood their intellectual and technological needs and what their concerns were. Then they told him about their experiences and their frustrations, they were demoralized; no one had listened to them for a long time, and they basically decided to lie low and keep their mouths shut. As a result, lots of great ideas were being lost. Schmidt found that Novell had a “dysfunctional culture”; a sick culture in which he called is as the “culture of fear”. It is a common condition in companies going through rough times, people are always worried about getting laid off, and so they suppress their feelings. Instead of complaining to their bosses, whom they fear might fire them, they complain vociferously to their peers. This situation created a kind of pervasive bellyaching, a corporate cynicism. People would sit in a room, listening to someone talk and nodding in agreement, but then as they left the room, the actually disagree with what they heard.
Schmidt also taught us on how to overcome a culture of fear by encouraging people to say what was really on their minds. As a leader, we should try to get people to open up and to give voice to the ideas they’d buried inside themselves. We have to give people freedom to pursue their passions, keep them focused and inspired. We must show them that we understand what the cultural problems are and that we are committed to fixing them. For him, most of them will be honest if we give them the opportunity to discuss their concerns. We should offer opportunities not only to motivate people and get them excited about new products or directions but also to address cultural issues on a broad scale. Schmidt reminded us that the cultural issues have been extremely difficult to eradicate because the cultural problems are like cancer, and they keep coming back.
Schmidt kept the smart people from leaving through his management styles by repeating the same message 20 times, training the trainers, getting in front of people, cheering them on, and also sometimes includes counteroffers. According to Schmidt, the best way to manage smart people is to let them self-organize so they can operate both inside and outside the management hierarchy. Keeping people motivated can be done through recognition, at which we recognize individual accomplishment. We have to change our reward systems to make sure people stayed focused on our key objectives. Make sure they knew that the objectives had to be clearly communicated down the line. We also need to make them feel that they are part of the solution. Most of the companies make the mistake of putting their most creative people in places where their contributions are limited or where they’re resented by others. If the people get frustrated and need to blow off steam, we should invite them to talk to us directly – no go-betweens. To win the heart and minds of our key employees, we have to communicate directly and physically with them. As mentioned by Fryer (2001, p. 189), “eighty percent of winning is just showing up.” In order to keep the organization buoyant through the ups and downs, we must take our cash position very, very seriously – as if the cash were our personal money.
As mentioned by Schmidt, it’s easy to sit on the outside and criticize the one who’s making the decisions. Taking harsh criticism is part of any top executive’s job. No wonder the allowances increased when we’re at the higher position! For Schmidt, real leadership involves taking the heat and staying focused on the way to achieve the desired outcome. People trust leaders who have toughed it out through crises more than those who’ve had easy sailing. Gone through crises will make us a more credible leaders and still fighting for the organization. What we need to do is to keep things in perspective – flying and doing a difficult maneuver called “circle to land”. According to Schmidt, as long as we pay attention to the important things, we’ll survive. Hopefully…..
Reference
Fryer, B. (2001). Leading through rough times: An interview with Novell’s Eric Schmidt. Harvard Business Review on What Makes a Leader. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.
Friday, November 13, 2009
My Puzzles - My Life
When I was studying at the university, my lecturer asked me to answer this question: “What is the biggest lesson you have ever learned?” I told him that the most vital lesson I have ever learned is the importance of what we think. I said that because if I knew what people think, I would know what their mindsets are. I always believed that our thoughts make us what we are and our mental attitude is the factor that determines our fate. I even realized that the biggest problem people have to deal with-is choosing the right thoughts because our life is what our thoughts make it. Each of us, we have our own mindsets and over the years, we have developed certain rules to discipline our mind and filter information. Most of the time, we are doing our judgment and that judgment are driven by mindsets. Naisbitt (2006) has introduced 11 mindsets and after reading all those mindsets, I choose Mindset #5 “See the future as a picture puzzle” and Mindset #7 “Resistance to change falls if benefit are real” to be the most important and meaningful to me.
My first puzzle in life started when I was born in a small village and grew up with my mother at my grandparent’s house. I started school when I was seven years old and during those days, I was a particularly distinguished student. My grades were good but obtained more by steady work than any brilliance on my part. I vividly remember my mother told me that I have to work hard because it is not easy to be rich and it is not difficult to be poor. At that time, there seemed to be an unwritten rule that I have to pass all of my examinations with flying colors. I dedicated this achievement to my mother and my grandparents, who were very supportive and concerned about my grades in academic. Although, they themselves never had an opportunity to go through formal education, but their endless support has given me an inspiration to succeed in the future. Childhood is such a memorable time for me, a time of discovery and innocence.
My second puzzle created when I reached adulthood, my parents divorced and my grandfather passed away, a time when I experienced a roller coaster of emotions, a difficult time but it’s also a time of adjusting my feelings and awareness. There were times that I get bored and felt depressed, but my mother made my life better. As a single mother, it was not easy for her to manage our life but her spirit and encouragement was the only thing that brought me through. Those memories made a lasting impression on me and becomes the forces that have shaped me and as a driving force of my life. Her strength and passion acted as a trigger for me to look for a better future. Since then, I believe intelligence, talents, and abilities can be developed over time. I believe, abilities can be improved through hard work and persistence.
I have created a few more puzzles while working as an administrator for almost 23 years. Working in various departments enabled me to deal with different types of people. When presented with an obstacle, my mindset tends to rise to the challenge. Often my mindsets do not fear failure; instead, I choose to see failure as an opportunity for personal growth. As mentioned by Naisbitt (2006, p.43) that the future is a collection of possibilities, directions, events, twists and turns, advances and surprises. According to him, as time passes, everything finds its place and together all pieces form a new picture of the world.
As usual, whenever I have a group of people working together, I can expect that some sort of resistance will occur, especially when I wanted to make changes. I was trying to do some changes in the office when I was transferred to a new department. One of the changes that I wanted to do was to move a few sections to the other side of the office. I have to do that because the existing office was so crowded. It was not easy to do that because each person has his or her own ideas about how the work should progress or how things should be done. Each has different attitude, values, beliefs, mindset, and needs. Difficult people are everywhere and I have to deal with one. Difficult people are disruptive, and they always challenge my ability to accomplish what I need to do. I have to call a special meeting to enable me to make it transparent. I make it understood why changes are made and communicate the benefit of change. Then I realized that it is always importance of making benefits transparent before change can be expected to be embraced. Through that experience, I found that people embrace change when they truly believed they will benefit or when they perceived that it is to their benefit. As mentioned by Naisbitt (2006, p.57) that resistance to change falls if benefits are real.
As a mother, I found that children nowadays are very demanding and difficult to deal with. It was very difficult to do some changes at home, especially when dealing with my children. They refused to adapt changes unless I make it understood why changes are made and communicate the benefit of change. Due to that I have learned to look for their resisting or if there are good reasons for them to resist. My mindsets begin in childhood and extend into adulthood. These mindsets can drive every aspect of my lives, with a wide range of influences including parenting, relationships, and work. The mindsets that I possess help me to achieve personal goals and dreams.
References
Naisbitt, J. (2006). Mind Set! Reset your thinking and see the future. NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
My first puzzle in life started when I was born in a small village and grew up with my mother at my grandparent’s house. I started school when I was seven years old and during those days, I was a particularly distinguished student. My grades were good but obtained more by steady work than any brilliance on my part. I vividly remember my mother told me that I have to work hard because it is not easy to be rich and it is not difficult to be poor. At that time, there seemed to be an unwritten rule that I have to pass all of my examinations with flying colors. I dedicated this achievement to my mother and my grandparents, who were very supportive and concerned about my grades in academic. Although, they themselves never had an opportunity to go through formal education, but their endless support has given me an inspiration to succeed in the future. Childhood is such a memorable time for me, a time of discovery and innocence.
My second puzzle created when I reached adulthood, my parents divorced and my grandfather passed away, a time when I experienced a roller coaster of emotions, a difficult time but it’s also a time of adjusting my feelings and awareness. There were times that I get bored and felt depressed, but my mother made my life better. As a single mother, it was not easy for her to manage our life but her spirit and encouragement was the only thing that brought me through. Those memories made a lasting impression on me and becomes the forces that have shaped me and as a driving force of my life. Her strength and passion acted as a trigger for me to look for a better future. Since then, I believe intelligence, talents, and abilities can be developed over time. I believe, abilities can be improved through hard work and persistence.
I have created a few more puzzles while working as an administrator for almost 23 years. Working in various departments enabled me to deal with different types of people. When presented with an obstacle, my mindset tends to rise to the challenge. Often my mindsets do not fear failure; instead, I choose to see failure as an opportunity for personal growth. As mentioned by Naisbitt (2006, p.43) that the future is a collection of possibilities, directions, events, twists and turns, advances and surprises. According to him, as time passes, everything finds its place and together all pieces form a new picture of the world.
As usual, whenever I have a group of people working together, I can expect that some sort of resistance will occur, especially when I wanted to make changes. I was trying to do some changes in the office when I was transferred to a new department. One of the changes that I wanted to do was to move a few sections to the other side of the office. I have to do that because the existing office was so crowded. It was not easy to do that because each person has his or her own ideas about how the work should progress or how things should be done. Each has different attitude, values, beliefs, mindset, and needs. Difficult people are everywhere and I have to deal with one. Difficult people are disruptive, and they always challenge my ability to accomplish what I need to do. I have to call a special meeting to enable me to make it transparent. I make it understood why changes are made and communicate the benefit of change. Then I realized that it is always importance of making benefits transparent before change can be expected to be embraced. Through that experience, I found that people embrace change when they truly believed they will benefit or when they perceived that it is to their benefit. As mentioned by Naisbitt (2006, p.57) that resistance to change falls if benefits are real.
As a mother, I found that children nowadays are very demanding and difficult to deal with. It was very difficult to do some changes at home, especially when dealing with my children. They refused to adapt changes unless I make it understood why changes are made and communicate the benefit of change. Due to that I have learned to look for their resisting or if there are good reasons for them to resist. My mindsets begin in childhood and extend into adulthood. These mindsets can drive every aspect of my lives, with a wide range of influences including parenting, relationships, and work. The mindsets that I possess help me to achieve personal goals and dreams.
References
Naisbitt, J. (2006). Mind Set! Reset your thinking and see the future. NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
NSU Day 17, May 23, 2009
We went to Sawgrass Mills for a 2nd time..more things to buy!..sales..sales..because Monday is a holiday for Memorial Day..so sales is everywhere. Believe it or not..Levis or Wrangler jeans only for USD 5, 7, 0r 20? Timberland shirt for USD 17? Reebox shoes only for USD 23? Corelle 76 pieces for USD 170?..Nike, Puma, Adidas, Polo, Arrow shirts or t-shirts..all on sales. Wuh...tough time..more money gone..how to bring back? We reached home at 6 pm..time to study and do our threaded discussion..have to sleep at 3 am..
NSU Day 16 - May 22 2009
Today we have to do our assignments..each of us staying in our room and sitting in front of our computer. I just cannot imagine what our life could be without computer! every moment we have to deal with computer..what ever!..assignment should be submitted on time..for sure.
NSU Day 15, May 21, 2009
Today we attended our housekeeping session with Ale at 9.30 am at the Computer Lab 2, Arvin Sharman Library. Then followed by our session on "Endnote"..given by Aleena. A new things to be learned..very useful for data keeping especially when preparing for writing our dissertation. Then together with Hasimah, Collen and Christine, we went to Allie's Cafe for our lunch..Nasi Beriyani Ayam and Beef Curry..huuh!..really delicious..worth journey!.
Then we attended our 2nd lecture for Methods of Inquiry with Dr. Fawzy. Another assignment coming in!. As usual, very interesting lecture..and today Dr. Fawzy brought "Baglava"..a traditional Egyptian food prepared by his 'boss'. Dr. Fawzy is a very kind person. After lecture, he gave us 4 tray of Rice and Beef plus the vegetables soup and chicken. May God bless himand family..they all very nice people!. So tonight we're having our 2nd kenduri at the tv room.
Then we attended our 2nd lecture for Methods of Inquiry with Dr. Fawzy. Another assignment coming in!. As usual, very interesting lecture..and today Dr. Fawzy brought "Baglava"..a traditional Egyptian food prepared by his 'boss'. Dr. Fawzy is a very kind person. After lecture, he gave us 4 tray of Rice and Beef plus the vegetables soup and chicken. May God bless himand family..they all very nice people!. So tonight we're having our 2nd kenduri at the tv room.
NSU Day 14, May 20, 2009
Today we attended Dr. Manburg's class on Instructional Media. We have our elluminate session by listening to Dr. Schlosser about Photography. Our next assignment will be on this topic and should be submitted in two weeks time. Take a photo of someone in his/her work setting and one close-up, and put it on the Power point..but must make sure to do it according to the rules and technique in photography..wow!.. not easy ha?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
NSU Day 13 - May 19, 2009
Hasimah and I went to the library in the morning to print articles for Academic Writing and also Methods of Inquiry. It was really nice and comfortable to be there..how nice if we could spend the rest of the program here. We'll get a lots of experiences and our study would be much easier. On the way back, we've an opportunity to meet graduates attended their convocation. Then, we attended our Academic Writing lecture in the afternoon (2 - 5 pm.). Prof. Pritchard was very nice, and she took her time to discuss personally with each of us about our writing mistakes in our previous homework/articles. Personally, I've learned a lot from this class..and another assignment coming in..to be submitted next class and also a threaded discussion to be done before Sunday 12 pm...huh..huh..
NSU Day 12 - May 18, 2009
There's no lecture today. We went to the Publix to buy some groceries. It's much easier now, especially when we knew how to get things done on our own. We really enjoyed the trip and our life getting better here!.
NSU Day 11 - May 17, 2009
8.00 am. - we went to the Swap Market by town bus. We just need to pay USD3 and we would be able to use the bus service for a day. It was such a long journey because we have to wait for certain buses.. We had an opportunity to see the various housing areas, and most of it occupied by the Black. So many things at the Swap Market..vegetables, fruits, shirts, bags, anything..name it. It was like Petaling Street..too many immigrants and cheap things..but we're a bit sceptical about the quality. Anyway..it was really good to have an opportunity to meet various types of people and to have our first seafood meal (lunch) at the Mexican stall. Wow..the big plate of fried seafood, big fried snapper and rice with green chilli (if belacan is available, it'll taste like sambal belacan!). At the end of the day..everyone exhausted!
NSU Day 10 - May 16, 2009
8.30 am. - We went to Miami Beach, accompanied by Ronald, CJ and Colleen. We really enjoyed the trip although it was raining at the beach. We spent about 2 hours there before leaving to Sawgrass Mills, the second largest shopping mall in Florida. It was really good to be there and the four hours time given passed by without notice. We just spent our time mostly at the Marshall because we're told by CJ that the price there cheaper than other places. We reached our room at about 5.30 pm. Such a wonderful trip!.
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