Professor Kern

Classmates

Linda:

The results of the Locus of Control were that I appear to have a moderately strong Internal Locus of Control.  I would tend to agree with the results of the quiz as I am engaging in activities with a strong emphasis on achievement.  Also, I have a tendency to have a strong desire to figure things out and put the pieces of the puzzle together.

 One of the major drawbacks of having a strong Internal Locus of Control is to be so focused on achievement that one tends forget about other people’s feelings.  I personally can attest to this being especially challenging when working with people who have a low Internal Locus of Control.  I’m sure they feel steam rolled when I’m pushing full steam ahead on getting the job done. 

 What I have learned is that I need to work more on being easy going when pushing through projects. 

 The videos I watched were: Conflict Resolution, Win Win Negotiations and Thought Awareness, Rational Thinking and Positive Thinking. 

 1.     Conflict Resolution – The 5 step rule; 1) set the scene, 2) Gather information, 3) Agree on the Problem, 4) Brainstorm Solutions and 5) Negotiate a Solution

This is a good step-by-step process that can work in both business and personally.  I think it makes everyone feel like they participate in identifying the issues and also the solution process. 

 2.     Win Win Negotiations – We just had a seminar on negotiations for women and the same rules were covered such as preparation, strategize what you want and what the other party wants and always have a BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement)

 3.     Thought Awareness, Rational Thinking and Positive Thinking – If you have a tendency to be negative, this is a good exercise in changing your thinking patterns.  1) Having thought awareness and keep a stress diary 2)Rational Thinking – Rational responses to each negative thought 3) Prepare positive affirmations and then look for positive opportunities. 

 

 Nicola

The three videos I watch: are Leadership; Decision making;  Communication skills.

Leadership: An organization that is established as an instrument or means for achieving defined objectives has been referred to as a formal organization. Its design specifies how goals are subdivided and reflected in subdivisions of the organization. Divisions, departments, sections, positions, jobs, and tasks make up this work structure. Thus, the formal organization is expected to behave impersonally in regard to relationships with clients or with its members. According to Weber's definition, entry and subsequent advancement is by merit or seniority. Each employee receives a salary and enjoys a degree of tenure that safeguards him from the arbitrary influence of superiors or of powerful clients. The higher his position in the hierarchy, the greater his presumed expertise in adjudicating problems that may arise in the course of the work carried out at lower levels of the organization. It is this bureaucratic structure that forms the basis for the appointment of heads or chiefs of administrative subdivisions in the organization and endows them with the authority attached to their position.  Leadership is more than just someone willing to make decisions for everyone. There are skills developed to leadership. Having the ability to be responsible for the decisions you make. Honesty, and integrity are skills that get others to follow your plan and directions. Organization, planning and adaptability are skills used to see a project through - able to adjust a plan to include unforeseen changes and events that occur. 

 Decision making:

Decision making is a prime process of management executive.It is like sharpening the Axe before going for tree cutting.If decision is effective and efficient you can accomplish your objective with lesser cost,pressure and time.Here we deduct a problem, analyze it,process for core action,after planning implementation take place.Decision making consist of choosing the problem or things to be changed, compare with other solutions, see all factors to choose the solutions(Grid analysis),valuation of options(Decision Tree),Seeing pros and cons(Plus minus and interesting PMI),for and against pressure,Analyzing through different perspective(Six hats),Cost benefit analysis. Communication skills:

 Communication skills is all about conveying your messages to other people clearly and unambiguously. It's also about receiving information that others are sending to you, with as little distortion as possible. Doing this involves effort from both the sender of the message and the receiver. And it's a process that can be fraught with error, with messages muddled by the sender, or misinterpreted by the recipient. When this isn't detected, it can cause tremendous confusion, wasted effort and missed opportunity. In fact, communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information as a result of the communication. By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you actually send do not necessarily reflect what you think, causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals both personally and professionally.

In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many individuals continue to struggle, unable to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively; whether in verbal or written format. This inability makes it nearly impossible for them to compete effectively in the workplace, and stands in the way of career progression. Being able to communicate effectively is therefore essential if you want to build a successful career. To do this, you must understand what your message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will be perceived. You must also weigh-in the circumstances surrounding your communications, such as situational and cultural context. I took the locus of control: My locus of control says a lot about how I view the world and my role in determining the course of your life. When I believe I have the power to control my own destiny and determine my own direction, I have a strong internal locus of control. In most cases, this is an important attitude to have if you want to be successful. People with an internal locus of control tend to work harder and persevere longer in order to get what they want. This is not to say that having an external locus of control is always bad: There are some situations where this approach can work well. The key for my own personal development is to understanding my natural tendency and then adapting it to the situations I am faced with.

I agreee with the result 110% that is me all around, I believe i have control of what happen in my life, or to me. 

Well this week chapter talks about moral leader, Servant leadership, leadership courage, 

 

A moral leader have to be able to motivate people to follow you. Morals are subjective, but generally if this leader is making choices which are meant to promote the wellness of others (not just his or her followers), selflessly and without greed, I think he'd be considered a moral leader even if one doesn't entirely agree with his values.

Servant leadership” very simply reflects the understanding that true leadership begins with service to others  as in devoting oneself to improving the quality of life of others in a community. It is leadership which appreciates that if the health of the community is not attended to, his/her leadership of that community will be ineffective. It is based on the notion that one who is willing to attend to the needs of others is wise enough to lead them because she places their best interests before his or her own. 

Courage is doing the right thing when the wrong thing seems to produce better results. Courage is looking past your personal goals and dedicating your life for the betterment of mankind. Courage is doing what you were born for, against the odds. Courage is leaving behind those things you value with the hopes that they will return to you. Courage is taking the first step. Courage is getting up to ride again after a really bad fall. Courage is standing up for your future when your past keeps knocking you down.