*****For Essays Guru Only*****

Reply to MIFR 1

In order to maintain a good relationship between himself and Sue, Joe needs to assure her that he trusts her to produce good results but that she needs to use a different strategy to achieve such results. According to Atkins, involving people in decisions directly affecting them is one of the ways of building trust. As such, Joe should involve Sue in coming up with a strategy to train the workers on the new procures and in turn, Sue should involve the workers in deciding which procedures best suit them. Heathfield also states that it is important to listen to others with respect and full attention. Accordingly Joe should advice Sue to listen to her subordinates and in this way they will not be forced to come to him with complaints. In this case, Joe will be changing the organizational culture by having subordinates participate in making decisions that affect their work, thus building their trust in both Joe and Sue.

On her part, Sue should work towards building her relationships with others at the workplace by improving her self-image and striving to be more trustworthy and ethical. For example, Sue acted contrary to fair-based ethics (Martin) when dealing with john especially when she promised to send john to a conference and instead sent someone else without informing him. Personal integrity, according to Peterson, is essential for leaders seeking to have good relationships with their subordinates. For Sue, this means that she should follow up and do the things she promises to do, such as getting John the supplies and equipment she promised him. When dealing with the workers, Sue should set high expectations (Heathfield) on the number of circuit boards to be produced per week but also let them know that she trusts them to meet the expectations.

Reply to JERU 2

Leadership presence is determined by one’s values, beliefs, thought processes, how they carry themselves, what they say, how they act, and what they do (Keyser, 2014). To stand out and increase my chances of moving up the corporate ladder, I would create a leadership presence by encouraging and empowering my employees; seeking out and listening to individual team members; keeping promises; being self-aware and accountable; walking the talk; maintaining open lines of communication; promoting diversity, inclusion, and multicultural viewpoints; sparking innovation by creating safe environments to fail; and working tirelessly to gather as much information as possible before making decisions while ensuring the process is as transparent as possible (Richards-Gustafson, n.d.). Since I am seen as more of a collaborator by my colleagues, I need to focus on improving my voice of self by being distinctive and dedicating more energy to achieving my vision and professional goals (Moore, 2013).

To meet my career goals, I can employ ACE conditioning that encompasses three key concepts: embracing my positive assumptions including confidence, perspective, and clarity while discarding my negative ones; working to improve my communications strategies by clearly articulating what I want to say and determining how best to say it in an engaging and compelling manner to connect with my audience; and ensuring that my energy in the form of my mood and the non-verbal cues I use are positive and consistent with the messages I want to deliver (Moore, 2013). I have also experienced positive outcomes in my workplace by being complimentary, organizing volunteers for charitable organizations, staying informed of current events and politics, smiling frequently, participating in team-building and social activities, and learning historically significant quotes and sayings to inject when appropriate (Foo, 2010).

The specific techniques that I currently apply in my career include being an effective listener, giving helpful feedback, seeking advice, speaking clearly, handling problems quickly, dressing appropriately, and remembering names; whereas, the techniques that I need to improve on to meet my career goals are trying to always be early, showing vulnerability, taking the time to cultivate authentic relationships, and working to ensure my frustrations do not send the wrong signals to my colleagues.

Reply to EVHA 2

John Baldoni (2010), author of What it Means to Lead with Presence, defines leadership presence as “earned authority”. Baldoni (2010), expresses that leadership presence exudes “sincerity, values, and conviction”. The first step I would take to stand out is to read the book, Own the Room, by Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins. The second step I would take is to strengthen my signature voice by working on my communication strategies. Specifically, choosing the right strategy to convey the message (Moore, 2013). I do well in one-on-one conversations or group discussions. However, my weakness is being the only speaker to a group of people. To strengthen this area, I would volunteer for opportunities to practice speaking in front of groups. I may join a toastmasters group. Another way, I would attempt to “stand out” is to network with everyone and try to identify one personal thing about them. Making a connection to another human leaves a lasting impression. I do need to work on the voice of the self, part of my signature voice. I am most definitely stronger in the voice of others (Moore, 2013).

As a whole, I have a good understanding of my weaknesses and am equipped with the tools to strengthen them to create a balanced signature voice.