Leadership and the art of encouraging people

Leadership and the art of encouraging people Leadership is the art of encouraging a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it (Dwight D. Eisenhower). Being a leader is an adventure because one can never be sure whether he will achieve the goal. Leadership is fun, excitement, adventure but more over it means responsibility. A good leader doesnt do different things, but he does the same things differently. The two important things that the leader should deal with are the job and the group. The job: what is to be done, it doesnt mean work but it could be getting innovative ideas. Thus its the leaders responsibility to get the work done at the right time. The group: The people who do the job thus the effective leader should be able to manage the team and make everyone work together in peace. In business, leadership is linked to performance. Active leaders are those who increase their companys bottom lines. Role of a Leader: Leader is the guy who makes the team go. Leader should be self-motivated as they have to help others to do the right things. Once the task has been assigned the leader must set direction, built a simulating idea and produce something unique. Leadership is all about plotting where you need to go to achieve victory as a team or an organization. It is inspiring, dynamic and vibrant. Leader should also use management skills to direct their team, to accomplish the target in a discipline and in an efficient way. Leader vs. Manager: Leaders are people who do the right things, Managers are people who do things right. (Professor Warren G. Bennis) If manager has got traits of leader in them then he can be a true manager. At every stage manager are expected to be the leader of the work group so that the team members willingly participate, accept guidance and carry instruction. As stated by John Kotter Leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary system of action. Both are necessary for success in an increasingly complex volatile business environment. The fact is that leadership and management are both important. They are two distinctive systems of action, both are necessary and each seeks to do different task. Thus one needs to be good in leading and then managing. Personal experience: Leadership is what I have been practicing since childhood. I was the captain of my school volley ball team. Effective communication with the team mates, inspiring them to achieve targets is what I was good at. Later in my higher secondary school I was elected the Students Secretary where I got to show more of my leadership skills. Organizing events, interacting with different people, getting things done in time were some of the skills which I was good at. Working in group helps you to be a good listener. I enjoyed working in team which helped me to become a good team member along with a good leader. Creativity was another quality which I learnt through various technical programmes which were organized, managed and hosted by me. I always think of the broader perspective while performing any task. I see to it that while working in teams, all the team members are willing to work with enthusiasm. Different leadership model: Leadership models are structured approaches to providing actual guidance and decision making within an organization. Various types of leadership theory have developed programs aimed at classifying different models, sometimes explaining when and where certain models are likely to work best for a given situation. Leadership Models: Functional, situational, transformational, inspirational, etc. based on Mullins (2010) Framework of Leadership. Why Situational Leadership Model: As a group we decided to select Situational Leadership model as it is easy to understand and use. Adaptability and versatility are two key requirements needed from a leader using the situational leadership method. Leadership is a skill. The ideal scenario is for a leader to have vast flexibility. The requirement to change ones leadership style according to the circumstances is one of the critical principles underlying standard models such as Situational Leadership (develop by Blanchard and Hersey in the late 1960s). The models examine the needs of the situation youre in, and then use the most suitable leadership style. Based on employees capabilities in their task areas and promise to their tasks, leadership style differs. Condition of situational leadership: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leaders should adjust their style to follower maturity, based on how willing and ready the follower is to perform required tasks (competence and motivation). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There are 4 leadership styles that match the 4 combinations of high/low willingness and readiness. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The 4 styles suggest that leaders should put more or less focus on the task in question and/or the relationship between the follower and the leader. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Assumes that leadership based on how the boss makes judgments. Application of situational leadership: The Air Force professional military education (PME) schools rely completely on the Situational Leadership model to help teach military leadership and management. For more than 40 years, the Center for Leadership Studies (CLS) has trained individual, corporate leaders and trainers on Situational Leadership, the approach that produces todays most preferred, adaptable and strong leaders. Others opinion: After attending the Situational Leadership workshop, our managers are better equipped to lead their employees in taking on projects and/or responsibilities. (Kris Sakowicz, Motorola) Group Activity: A leadership style and quality Questionnaire will help to sort individual leadership style and map it against the leadership requirement of various sectors/ industries. In order to understand the leadership qualities well, we had a group discussion and came across with some good skills a good leader must hold. They are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Communication skills: Interaction, presenting ideas clearly and effectively, listening and explanation skills are also important. It also includes proper eye contact and body language. Good communication can be through thorough listening and commenting. It helps the leader to get connected to his fellow members with trust while boosting the moral while performing a specific task. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Empathy: To show empathy is to identify with anothers feelings. Leaders should have a perspective of the fellow team mates to take a wise decision. This is a quality which a leader should have to be able to judge his people for effective outputs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Inspiration: Its about helping others to achieve their goal and boosting their confidence. Leaders should communicate this thorough action. An inspirational leader has many followers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Integrity: A person of integrity is the same on the inside and on the outside, such individual can be trusted, a leader must have the trust of followers. It can be gained by good behavior with the team members. Each team member should be treated with respect and the leader should be willing to listen to all the team members suggestions. This will eventually help to achieve the integrity of people and will help the leader to perform efficiently in the long run. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Magnanimity: Giving credit where it is due, thus magnanimity helps team member feel good about them and bind the team close together. Rewards should be given by leaders for outstanding performances. These rewards inspire people to perform efficiently. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Creativity: Ability to think differently, its the ability to see things that others have not imagine thus this is how lead supporter in new direction. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sense of Humor: To relieve tension and boredom in order to energize follower. To provide some control over the work environment humor is essential. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Organizational awareness: Understand organizational culture and aims then apply different strategies to achieve the goal. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Team work: Treat all members equally, should be fair to each and every team member. Interact with them in order to gain loyalty, trust and keep positive spirit in the team. Feedback: My group members rated me in different leadership qualities. According to them my communication skills are good as I clearly listen to what other person has got to say and then put my view forth but they failed to observe that I have little stage fear no matter how confident I am. I was also rated as a good motivator as I inspired my team members to participate with zeal throughout the group discussion sessions. Creativity was what they think I am good at. I was rated on an average scale in terms of my sense of humor, it is little difficult for me to work on it. They also rated me good at magnanimity, as I appreciated the views and points put forth my team members. I have always been a good team member since childhood and this was rated as my best quality by my team mates, however sometime due to lack of patience I miss out some important points which might affect my efficiency and I often get irritated when things do not work out well but my team mates believe that I can overcome my weaknesses. Conclusion: Leadership is a quality by which you can drive people to achieve targets. It is a human science which helps you to communicate effectively, teaches you to be a good listener, be a good team player. Situational Leadership models to improve the decision making process. The feedback by my team members will help me to analyze my strengths and my weaknesses and finally will guide me how to work upon it. This Leadership capability was a truly learning session which helped me to improve my leadership skills.

Pros and Cons of Sending Parents to Elderly Nursing Homes Essay

Many adults have elderly parents who could benefit from living in a retirement home. However, it’s hard to decide to send an elderly parent to a retirement home because there are several other care options available. Furthermore, this decision can be made more challenging because most retirement homes have several pros and cons that should be fully considered beforehand. Here is a brief look at some of the most important pros and cons to consider before finding an elderly parent the right retirement home. Perhaps it can help you make a more informed decision about entering a retirement home. On one hand, sending an elderly parent to a retirement home provides elderly people and their families several benefits that are hard to overlook. Many people think it’s a good idea to enter a retirement home because most retirement homes provide many benefits that are hard to pass-up. For example, the biggest benefits that retirement homes provide to residents include around the clock supervision, expert on-site medical care, and individualized help with daily needs. At first glance, these benefits can make a huge difference in the lives of elderly people because they can make their lives more enjoyable. However, many people tend to forget that retirement homes also offer other benefits that are often overlooked by people. Here are some of the most common benefits that retirement homes provide to residents and their loved ones. One of the most overlooked benefits retirement homes provide to residents is a structured environment. Elderly people often need a more structured environment as they grow older. This is especially true if they are mentally or physically disabled because it helps them lead a more normal and happy life. Furthermore, elderly people also tend to be more distracted by changes to their environment. Most retirement homes understand this. That’s why they try to set up a daily schedule that helps their residents lead a normal life. This structured schedule includes set meal times, scheduled activity times and other repetitive activities. Another overlooked benefit of retirement homes is a chance to remain as independent as possible. This benefit will be especially important to Baby Boomers because it will help them still lead the independent life style that their generation is so used to enjoying. This will help them still enjoy living to its fullest because it will allow them still do most of the things they enjoy doing. Finally, many people also tend to forget that retirement homes also help elderly people’s families deal with the logistics of caring with an elderly loved one. Many of us have elderly loved ones that need more help than what we can provide by ourselves. This is true because many of us have jobs and other responsibilities that make it difficult for people to take care of an elderly loved one who needs help with daily activities. As a result, retirement homes also provide several care options for families who need extra help helping their elderly loved ones. On the other hand, sending an elderly parent to a retirement home also poses several potential problems that also need to be considered. Here are some of the most common problems that people encounter: Paying for a retirement home’s services can be difficult for many people because most insurance policies and Medicare coverage plans generally deny covering the cost of living in a retirement home. This can make it difficult for many people to afford a retirement home’s services because many retirement homes charge high monthly fees to residents. In fact, many retirement homes charge â€Å"A la Carte† rates that tend to be expensive because they give consumers more freedom to buy only the services they need. These pricing plans are convenient. However, they also make it more difficult to afford living in a retirement home because many people cannot afford to play for services using these pricing plans. Many elderly people and their families also have problems finding retirement homes that provide top quality care because many retirement homes have difficulty finding qualified staff who can work with elderly people. Furthermore, many elderly people’s families have also had difficulty with staff members who are unwilling to work with clients’ families to resolve concerns. These problems can make it very frustrating to find the appropriate retirement home because it can be difficult to find a retirement home that has a staff that is willing to answer consumer’s questions about their services. Finally, many people also forget that some elderly people have trouble living in a retirement home. This is true for many reasons. For example, some elderly people are so independent that they have a hard time accepting help from others. Other elderly people have problems living in a retirement home because they have a hard time getting along with certain staff members because of personality differences. These problems can make it difficult for many elderly people to live in a retirement home because their personalities make it hard for them to live in some living situations. As you can see, there are many pros and cons to consider before entering a retirement home. This makes it important to research all of your care options before selecting the right option for your elderly loved one. Doing this will not only help you make a more informed decision for your loved one, it can also make a real difference in your elderly loved one’s overall quality of life. As a result, be sure to explore the pros of cons of entering a retirement home to see if retirement homes are your elderly loved one’s best care option.

Graduated Diplomas for Public School Students Essay

Receiving a high school diploma is a significant right of passage for public school students in the United States. The high school diploma represents the student’s academic accomplishments up to that time. In most cases, students cannot go to college without a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED). The lack of a high school diploma places severe limits on the number of jobs that are available to an individual. However, despite the nearly universal recognition of the importance of obtaining a high school diploma, there is little agreement about what the standard diploma actually means in terms of academic achievement and the accumulation of important skills or knowledge. In order to clarify exactly what students have learned, 33 states have instituted multiple diploma options to high school graduates, including diplomas that indicate honors courses, vocational education, and other distinctions (Johnson, Thurlow, Stout, and Mavis, 63). Some states award different diplomas for students who are enrolled in special education, including honors diplomas, special education diplomas. (Johnson, Thurlow, Cosio, and Bremer 1). Uncertainty of the meaning of a high school diploma is also complicated by the lack of any standardized measurement of academic achievement in many states. In 2007, only 21 states required students to pass a state examination before graduation; 27 states did not have any type of exit exams at all (Johnson, Thurlow, Stout, and Mavis, 63). Consequently, while the standard high school diploma signifies that the student has completed at least the minimum requirements of an academic curriculum, the diploma does gives little indication of what the student has actually learned or any degree of proficiency in the subjects that were taken. States that do not use multiple diplomas could eliminate some of the uncertainty surrounding their graduation requirements by adopting a system of graduated diplomas. When properly constructed, graduated diplomas provide a more accurate reflection of the course work that the student has completed as well as the level of proficiency that the student was able to achieve in those courses. This information could then be used by colleges and employers to determine which applicants are most likely to succeed in their chosen endeavors and which graduates may require additional remediation beyond their high school years. It is true that grades and course work are included in the student’s academic transcript; however, a graduated diploma would convey a greater and more formal recognition of the student’s accomplishments in a way that would not require an employer or university admission’s board to study a detailed transcript and portfolio of student work. Finally, graduated diplomas would encourage those students who are most likely to succeed to push beyond the minimum academic requirements of a standard diploma and to work towards a more challenging academic curriculum for which they would receive appropriate recognition and rewards. Public schools should adopt graduated diplomas which better reflect actual student achievement. Standard high school diplomas are such poor indicators of an applicant’s potential for success that they mean little to many potential employers beyond a confirmation that the applicant was able to complete high school (Hartwig and Sitlington 11). Even this slight distinction, however, is still important to employers. Hartwig and Sitlington (12) found that employers who were considering hiring applicants who were enrolled in special education programs prior to their graduation were more likely to consider applicants who received a standard diploma than they were to consider applicants who received a certificate of attendance or an certificate of completion. These employers were also more likely to consider hiring applicants who had received an occupational diploma, a special diploma for students with special needs which indicated specific occupational training, than they were to hire those who had received certificates of attendance or those who had received a GED. Above all, the employers in this study were most likely to hire applicants who received a high school standard diploma. The research by Hartwig and Sitlington showed that although employers may claim that they do not place a great deal of faith in high school diplomas, they recognize and respond to different educational distinctions among job applicants. Although not designated as such, these academic distinctions – the certificate of attendance, the occupational diploma, and the standard diploma – functioned as a graduated diploma system, with each category indicating a different degree of educational achievement. These employers indicated that they used this information when making hiring decisions. Colleges face similar difficulties when trying to predict which high school graduates will be adequately prepared when they arrive at the university. Standard high school diplomas make no distinction between students who perform poorly and students who exceed their schools’ academic expectations. Consequently, although all college freshmen have a high school diploma or a GED, 30 percent of first year students in 2- and 4-year institutions lack the necessary basic skills and are required to take remedial courses in math, writing, and reading (Cohen 22). Graduated diplomas may not reduce the need for remedial classes for high school graduates; however, graduated diplomas would provide another indication of the type of curriculum that the student studied and the level of success that the student experienced. Colleges could be better prepared to meet the needs of lower-achieving students and to provide greater challenges for students who had already experienced academic success. In addition to providing a way to recognize the accomplishment of high-achieving students, graduated diplomas may also provide a safety net for students who are at risk of dropping out. The standard diploma, with its set requirements for credits, is an all or nothing proposition. Students who do not meet these requirements have nothing to show for their efforts. A graduated plan would provide an alternative that could eliminate some of these obstacles to graduation so they may obtain enough education to find a job or go to a two-year college (Viadero 12). This obviously helps students. Keeping students in school through an alternative diploma program could also help schools meet the attendance requirements of No Child Left Behind, the federal education law (Shannon and Bylsma). Care must be taken, however, to ensure that alternative diplomas do not become an alternative to a receiving a diploma. Erickson, Kleinhammer-Tramill, and Thurlow found that alternative exit strategies such as certificates of attendance and other alternatives to diplomas resulted in fewer special education students completing the requirements for a diploma. Conclusion Graduated diplomas reduce the uncertainty about what the student has actually learned and the level of proficiency he or she has achieved. For high-achieving students, the graduated diploma provides a certification of a higher level curriculum and greater academic accomplishment. Students who have special education requirements or who might otherwise drop out of school benefit from having the opportunity to receive a legitimate diploma that recognizes their efforts. In short, graduated diplomas provide benefits for students, for schools, for colleges, and for employers. States that have not done so should implement graduated diplomas. Works Cited

Communication And Relational Closeness Between A Parent...

aaaaaaaThe purpose of this literature review is to gain a better understanding about the way that families communicate during and after a divorce. Moreover, this study will focus on the two communication variables of communication competence and relational closeness to further understand the role of communication in a divorce and its ability to affect the family unit. Ambiguity and Relational Closeness Divorces happen at high rates and, many times, divorces often affect marriages with children (McManus Nussbaum, 2011, p. 501). During the divorce, it is common to find that parents are less committed to particular stances and may rely on ambiguity more often in their comments (McManus Nussbaum, 2011, p. 501). Communication privacy†¦show more content†¦Ambiguity related to communication within a divorce can be a significant problem because it will threaten the strength of the familial bond. During a divorce, a child is seeing their world becoming significantly altered by the severing of their parent’s relationship. If the parent then chooses to use ambiguity as a communicative strategy during the divorce, it is likely that the child will feel even more distanced from the parent. They will feel unsure of their place within the family now that their parent’s relationship has ended. This uncertainty regarding the stature of their relationship will affect the chil d’s perception on other issues because their overall relational closeness will be affected. Ambiguity is not the appropriate approach towards family communication during a divorce because it is likely that relational closeness will be damaged. Divorces are not only significant events for the parents undergoing the dissolution of their marriage, but they are also significant for their child because they will likely question the world as they know it. To avoid the problem of ambiguity rearing its negative head during an already stressing time within the family, parents should actively look to have conversations about divorce related issues with their children (Afifi McManus, 2010, p.85). The ability to have open conversations about the struggles of the marriage willShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Divorce On A Family1489 Words   |  6 Pagesdivorce, communication is a central component of minimizing the stress associated with a divorce taking place within a family. Divorce is often linked to negativity and downgraded relationships throughout the family unit- particularly with respect to children (Thomas, Booth†Butterfield, M., Booth†Butterfield, S., 1995, p. 229). However, research indicates that communication can minimize the negative effects on a family during a divorce. 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