Project 5 (485)
John_matt
replies_needed.docxPlease don’t give me a two to three sentence replies. It has to look burky. At least 7 to 8 sentences. Thank you
From this Section is very Important
Responded to discussion topic with well supported and outside research or assigned readings as appropriate, add value to the discussion, and demonstrate student’s understanding of concepts.
1. Telecommunications in Information Systems (Requires an answer)
Reply needed 2
The description of a conflict is “a situation when the interests, needs, goals or values of involved parties interfere with one another.” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016) I am sure we all know of a time when a conflict has taken over our life. However, conflict in the work environment can be very difficult to deal with. Let’s look some conflict resolution techniques to see how they may work in the work environment.
One technique that I might use and that has been used with me is Smoothing or accommodating. “Smoothing is accommodating the concerns of other people first of all, rather than one's own concerns” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016).
There are many situation in which you could find a tool like this useful: “When it is important to provide a temporary relief from the conflict or buy time until you are in a better position to respond/push back” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016). I know I have run in to this situation at work all the time “When the issue is not as important to you as it is to the other person” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016). It is always important to know when to “accept that you are wrong” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016), and move on from there and this tool would be good to use in this situation. We all have been in the situation where we know we have “no choice or when continued competition would be detrimental” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016) to the situation or to our careers. This would be a good technique to use in such a situation.
The reasons I think Smoothing or accommodating will help when merging a business is because with the smaller issues it is easier to let them pass on by and “protect more important interests while giving up on some less important ones” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016).
Smoothing or accommodating always gave me a moment to think, and “an opportunity to reassess the situation from a different angle” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016). In Reassessing I, can look and see if I need to take the situation further with investigation, if it is really an important issue, or if I can live to fight another issue another day. It saves me sometimes for bigger battles which in a merger there are plenty of to fight.
Somethings to be wary of when using this method. First you run the risk of become the “abused, i.e. the opponent may constantly try to take advantage of your tendency toward smoothing/accommodating.” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016) Make sure you remember what the bigger fights are and when to fight for them. The tool can negatively affect a person’s “confidence in their ability to respond to an aggressive opponent” (HumanMetrics Inc, 2016). Meaning if you use the tool to much you might forget how to stand up for yourself. Don’t become a doormat. I would never suggest the use of this tool all the time, and having a plethora of communication tools in your tool belt is helpful in knowing exactly how to deal with people every day. Also, remember that not everyone is going to like it when you use this tool, and some of them might be people that generally like you. They just think there are better ways to communicate then this tool.
Communication is a key thing is any merger, over all, listening, and clearly and concisely stating goals, will help with all conflict. Many situations can be resolved if both parties can sit down and have an open dialog with each other. When that open dialog gets to a yelling or violent state is when we tend to have issues. Hopefully with using a few of these tools they never get to that state.
HumanMetrics Inc. (2016). http://www.personalityexplorer.com. Retrieved from http://www.personalityexplorer.com: http://www.personalityexplorer.com/FREEResources/ConflictManagementTechniques.aspx
Reply needed 3
Conflict management is a very important skill for everyone to learn. Conflict is often unavoidable when engaging in any collaborative exercise. When attempting to build teams and achieve organizational goals conflict can arise. Conflicts can occur among teams due to pursuit of their own goals (Jiang, Chang, Chen, Wang, & Klein, 2014). It is imperative that these conflicts are resolved in an effective manner to promote team cohesion and meet objectives.
I feel that in a merger compromising will provide the most immediate benefit to the newly formed company. To effectively compromise both parties have to actively engage one another. By engaging one another in an attempt to reach compromise each party can gain a feel of how the other side is use to conducting business. Engagement to achieve compromise will also give the team an opportunity to become more comfortable working with one another for a common goal even if it is trivial at the moment.
When building new teams compromise also limits the feeling of loss of power. If one side uses forcing to achieve their goals without first gaining an understanding of how the other side approaches conflict they will be perceived as bullies. It is inevitable that stronger individuals that drive an argument and force the desired outcome will emerge from any team. This is another reason that forcing should not occur at the onset of team building. Compromise will eventually lead to collaboration because it forces the opposing parties to listen to each other’s position. Proper conflict management will result in increased problem solving confidence for all team members (Caldas, Broaddus, & Winch, 2016). When approaching a conflict with a new team the goal should be to improve comfort and confidence of all team members in an effort to build a stronger team.
Reference
Caldas, S. V., Broaddus, E. T., & Winch, P. J. (2016). Measuring conflict management,
emotional self-efficacy, and problem solving confidence in an evaluation of outdoor
programs for inner-city youth in Baltimore, Maryland. Evaluation And Program
Planning, 5764-71. doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.04.003.
Jiang, J. J., Chang, J. T., Chen, H., Wang, E. G., & Klein, G. (2014). Achieving IT Program
Goals with Integrative Conflict Management. Journal Of Management Information
Systems, 31(1), 79-106.
Reply needed 4
Managing Remotely
Virtual Offices. This technology can change how people communicate and work with each other, transfer information, establish authority and rules, and perform and measure performance. My experience working in U.S. Cyber Command, this seems, to provide successful communication between many of the organizations supporting our overall tasking and objectives.
Remote Access Technology
VPN. Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) enhances your privacy and security when using remote access software. It scrambles the data that is sent and received from one device to another. According to Cisco (2016), VPNs allow secure access to corporate resources by establishing an encrypted tunnel across the Internet. Cisco’s Secure Remote Access VPN’s can be extended anytime, anywhere or to anyone desiring network access to perform to perform IT-related functions.
Deployment Method
IPsec and SSL. There are two primary methods (protocols) for deploying remote-access VPNs: IP Security (IPsec) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which Cisco offers both technologies integrated on a single platform. Cisco’s Secure Remote Access also includes multiple VPN support and site-to-site services. To counter VPN’s vulnerabilities to viruses, worms, and spyware you can also integrate endpoint security into the Cisco Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPN platform.
Appliances
Cisco ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliance. Is a single appliance VPN solution that extends network access safely and easily to a wide range of users and devices. This appliance offers SSL/DTLS, IPsec, and L2TP/IPsec as its protocol solution.
Authentication
VACSO DIGIPASS. This technology offers an additional layer of security that entails strong authentication by the following:
1. When connecting to the Cisco ASA500 Series Appliance, end users will be asked for a One-time Password (OTP) by the VASCO DIGIPASS authenticator.
2. Cisco ASA500 appliance will communicate with IDENTIKEY Server, VASCO’s back-end authentication software.
3. The RADIUS protocol will validate the OTP.
4. Cisco ASA500 appliance will set up the SSL VPN.
Figure 1. See attached word.docx for figure illustration
Figure 2. See attached word.docx for figure illustration
Cisco. (2016). Remote-access VPN’s provide secure access. Retrieved from http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/enterprise-networks/security/networking_solutions_products_genericcontent0900aecd8051f37b.html
Cisco. (2010). Cisco secure remote access. Retrieved from http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/security/asa-5500-series-next-generation-firewalls/at_a_glance_c45-526803_v12.pdf
Cisco. (2016). Secure remote access. Retrieved from http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/enterprise-networks/secure-remote-access/index.html
VASCO. (2010). Secure your remote access with VACSO and Cisco. Retrieved from https://www.vasco.com/images/Cisco-info-leaflet_tcm42-52542.pdf
--Ronald
Reply 5 needed
I can imagine it is very difficult to manage people remotely. However, in this economic climate it is becoming more the social norm that an abnormality. Finding a balance of between remote work and on site time is difficult. Also, how are the workers going to get work done in a timely manner securely? These are all issues a manager must deal with as well as team unity and work load deviations. First, let’s deal with how is the remote worker is going to communicate with the company security. They are going to use a Virtual Private Network or VPN tunnel.
What is “a VPN is just a virtual version of a secure, physical network—a web of computers linked together to share files and other resources” (Geier, 2013) A VPN can “connect to the outside world over the Internet, and they can serve to secure general Internet traffic in addition to corporate assets. In fact, the lion's share of modern VPNs is encrypted, so computers, devices, and other networks that connect to them do so via encrypted tunnels.” (Geier, 2013) it would be the easiest way for a company to go about an organization work us to communicate security with the organizations and the other organizations other workers. For I business “VPNs are particularly useful for connecting multiple networks together securely. For this reason, most businesses big and small rely on a VPN to share servers and other networked resources among multiple offices or stores across the globe (Geier, 2013)
So how do you manage a workforce that is remote? When I think of this question I look back to how I have seen global companies run their remote workforce with weekly one on one meetings and gifts and open door policies. To me it is not all that different from the environment I work in now, yet it is all from home, except for the one or 2 days a week the employee goes in to work and works on site. It made me wonder about good skills for managing remote workers.
So first, “Make time for small talk.” (Lighthouse, 2016). Being short sweet and to the point when you have on a deadline or when you in the middle of a task is an absolute must. Take the time you have to “build rapport with *every* member of your team” Building a rapport with you employees does not just come from working with them it come from “getting to know them as a complete person. Ask them what they’re into, about their family, and where they’re from. Demonstrating you care is important to them and essential for you to truly understand their motivations.” (Lighthouse, 2016) In building a Rapport you make your employees desire to work only for you stronger.
Another thing to do is to “Use video as much as you can.” (Lighthouse, 2016) Beside letting people see your face and their coworkers faces, it helps to build team unity and spirit to put faces with names of individuals that are spoken with every day. “Research shows more than half of human communication is nonverbal. When you don’t get to see someone in the office every day, having any type of visual clue to what someone is thinking is essential. “ (Lighthouse, 2016). Video can be a big asset to gage response and get and over all feel on the environment of a room having enough video with audio is very important.
Some other things you can do to assist in managing a remote work team is “Have longer one on ones” (Lighthouse, 2016) one on one sessions help employees get to know one another. You lengthen the conversation and that can be to your benefit. Also, having time where the employees get to know their coworkers can be a good step towards unity. Managers should try to “NEVER cancel a one on one.” (Lighthouse, 2016) People can feel blown off and decide to go over your head with an issue that is relevant to you. It might eventually ostracize them from the group.
If you have used skype or a smart phone you have seen emoticons. Use them in the business world, they help a break up the day but also express emotions “Use animated gifs and emoticons to convey emotion.” (Lighthouse, 2016)
Now when remote working starts to grow as in global company cases, you may have employees in up to 10 different countries, this is when it is important to “Balance schedule inconvenience” (Lighthouse, 2016). What that means is your main 2 plants are on the east and west cost of the USA have the most workers but you also have remote workers in London, China, and Australia, make sure, to once a month, schedule the meeting so the outliers have a good time. It builds good team structure & makes the teams remember they have remote workers and reminded the US team that their international counterparts who are making sacrifices that they do not have to make.
Now, this may seem trivial, but using skype for business or another secure communication instant message system and “build a culture of adding people on Skype.” (Lighthouse, 2016) By using the instant message people feel closer and not so far away. Make sure everyone is added to everyone else’s list. It is a tactical decision so that at a moment notice people can reach each other, but also, it makes sure people are not left out. In my office, just this week I could add 2 new employees to my skype list, and during their training, I could send them a message welcoming them to our team. So, I knew they felt welcome the moment they would walk in the door. By doing this they knew they could ask me questions and talk to me if they wanted.
Buying little gifts for your employees as incentives for remote workers it is important to, “Send them swag for them and their whole family” (Lighthouse, 2016). This make them feel appreciated for the work they are doing. By including the family, you are showing them the priority is still family oriented, it also makes the family feel nice when the job recognizes the sacrifice the family makes.
As a boss, you always want to make sure your employee is working towards the path they want to be on. So, it is the same with remote workers. Make sure they can be continuing to work toward, “their career paths” (Lighthouse, 2016) Last but not least make sure to, “get together face to face at least once a year” (Lighthouse, 2016). make sure that at least once a year you sit down and meet with every employee you have whether it be for a lunch or for a training talk. Make sure they have the available time to talk to you in person.
Geier, E. (2013, Mar 19). http://www.pcworld.com. Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030763/how-and-why-to-set-up-a-vpn-today.html
Lighthouse. (2016). https://getlighthouse.com/blog/10-tips-manage-remote-employees/. Retrieved from https://getlighthouse.com/blog/10-tips-manage-remote-employees/: https://getlighthouse.com/blog/10-tips-manage-remote-employees/
Reply 6 needed
From this week’s readings and videos, I was most surprised by the lack of preparation used by job candidates. The emphasis placed by recruiters on the availability of information through the internet seemed to me like a natural first step. Hearing recruiters and office managers tell tales of applicants not performing simple google searches very much surprised me. It seems like an easily avoidable mistake.
For me, the jobs I searched and the results that came up through looking were in line with my skillsets. I think that with my job experience and management skills I will have the confidence needed to get through interviews with moderate success at least. I have interviewed enough people over time for positions that finding my way through one will not be as difficult for me as it may be for others.
Living overseas and having a large family, social media has been my friend over the years. I have every social media account you can think of: Facebook, Kik, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, Skype, and Google Hangouts. Each of them are used in different manners to connect with different family members. While it may seem excessive, I have lived overseas for the majority of my 23 years in service. Since I was the one who left, I think that it is only fair that I am the one who adapts to the communication means of those I care about. It is absolutely important for that reason, and for the reasons given in the lessons this week, to be mindful of what is posted about or by me on social networks. I want those things that are connected to me online to be a reflection of me in real life, and that will be the lasting impression of me by those that I care about. That will be an impression that I will be fine with any employer or employee seeing.
I think that I would benefit from an internship in a large construction firm performing project management oversight. It is easy for me to build a strong professional network that focuses on task completion with accuracy, and I think that gaining knowledge of executing projects in the private sector would be highly beneficial.
Reply 7 needed
I must say that nothing I read really surprised me and that could be because of the field that I currently work in. I’m in the HR field and I do participate in the hiring and recruitment of staff. I have participated on interview panels and one of the questions that we ask the candidate is “what do you know about the company?” I can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard some of the candidates try and make up something about the organization. Another interesting fact that was revealed in one of the videos is to have someone look over your resume. This is something that I would highly recommend as well. I’ve seen where some of our hiring managers have reviewed resumes and noticed typos and grammatical errors and they go directly into the no interview pile.
One of the career match position that came up for me was First-line Supervisors of Office & Administrative Support Workers. Some of the things that will set me apart from other candidates will be showing my energy and enthusiasm for the position, researching the organization and those who will be interviewing me, as well as my experience and demonstration of organizational fit.
I currently do not have any social media accounts, I deactivated my Facebook account six years ago because it was a distraction to me with my school work. I plan to reactivate it closer to my graduation date. I am seriously thinking about creating a Linked In account so that I can start networking with others in my field. I think that there are definitely some benefits and risk with social media. Some of the benefits are being able to connect to anyone/companies globally and you’re able to get information in real-time. Some of the risks are invasion of privacy and information posted on these websites are public and can be used against you for job opportunities.
My ideal internship would be to work in various departments in the HR field. So I would love to work or shadow a manager in the following departments: benefits, compensation, training, and payroll.
