I am at the last part of my paper now ...The Forces are working hard against me, but I know there are even greater Ones working for me. I just have to decide who will win for my time.
Being done is within my reach. People are cheering for me, but I am the only one who can cross the finish line. Only I can do it and it is something I have to do alone. Everyone who is cheering for me is waiting on the other side.
So, I have to set goals that when I accomplish one thing, I can reward myself with something else. Right now, it is going out to see Eat Pray Love next week. My second one is getting back on facebook. I haven't really missed it, but I have certain responsibilities that require it.
I have learned over these last few weeks that it is nice to disconnect. It is nice to just sit and enjoy nature and the world around us. I can't wait until I am done with this and will be able to have time to spend in the outdoors and reconnect myself with those things I love most.
Connection is important. Connection to God, real people, the earth, and yourself.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Progress
For the past week I have been sick and sleeping a lot. I haven't had much motivation to do anything. The deadline is fast approaching and I am beginning to freak out a little ... Just a little ...
Today I am on page 16 of my literature review. I haven't even gotten to my 10 required articles. Verbose ... But it's my first draft ... I think we will be OK. I would rather start with too much than not have enough.
This week my goal is to have my literature review done. I know once that is complete I will be one the downhill slide ... I hope ... And pray ...
Pray for me! :)
Today I am on page 16 of my literature review. I haven't even gotten to my 10 required articles. Verbose ... But it's my first draft ... I think we will be OK. I would rather start with too much than not have enough.
This week my goal is to have my literature review done. I know once that is complete I will be one the downhill slide ... I hope ... And pray ...
Pray for me! :)
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
What is art?
This is my final project for COML 502. I do not know that it will make as much sense to those who watch as it does to me. We were supposed to put something together examining those things we learned during our time on campus for Leadership & Imagination.
I put together a series of photographs, quotes, and movies that are particular to me. They focus on art and leadership, and some have particular meaning. Enjoy and I would enjoy your comments in response :D
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
On my way
I got an e-mail back and I am good to go. My adviser said all I need to do is attach a more clear theory of what I am going to base my project on and make sure I keep my focus narrow. So yesterday and today I have been researching theory. I think I found what I am going to add to my proposal and the theory that will define, in a sense, my project.
The theory will be the Anxiety / Uncertainty Management Theory. William B. Gudykunst created the theory based upon Berger & Calabrese's Uncertainty Reduction Theory. However, his twist is on the focus of intercultural communication.
I am excited to be moving forward. So far, I have been pulling all kinds of articles. There is a lot to build on. My goal is to write 10 pages per week and be mostly done and ready for first round edits by the first week of August. The final goal is to be done by the end of August :D
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
First go at the Capstone Project Proposal ...
DIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS & LEADERSHIP
___________________________
A Project
Presented to the Faculty in Communication and Leadership Studies
School of Professional Studies
Gonzaga University
___________________________
Under the Mentorship of
Heather M. Crandall, Ph.D.
Communication and Leadership Studies
__________________________
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership Studies
___________________________
By
Brandy A. Lee
June 2010
Thesis Proposal and Preliminary Reference List
Brandy A. Lee
COML 680
Gonzaga University School of Professional Studies
June 15, 2010
THESIS PROPOSAL
The Star Trek Mission Statement is, “To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.” Oftentimes seeking diversity in education seems to mirror this statement. For many educators, they don’t know how to work with persons or teach students from another culture; and for other educators, it is a step in directions no one knows how to seek.
At Roy High School, the need for understanding diversity and how to capitalize on it is growing exponentially every year. The diversity of the school doesn’t deal with just ethnicity, but with demographics such as finance, family structure, and educational support at home. The faculty at RHS is 100% Caucasian. There are a handful of teachers who have spent anywhere from 18 months to two years outside of the United States and who speak other languages.
In speaking with Gina Buttars, the new administrator at RHS, she states the need for diversity training for faculty and staff in the school is one of the key factors for student success. Many teachers are working with the stigma that the Latin American students don’t care about education, or that they will not succeed; or that the Special Education students are in school just to go through the motions; or are uncomfortable with promoting the idea for students to step outside of their social, academic, and cultural boundaries.
This project will focus on building part of the Professional Development Plan for RHS this coming year, with a focus on Diversity Communications & Leadership. This project will focus on creating tools to facilitate diversity communications and leadership training among the faculty and staff at RHS. Also within this project there will be surveys and other methods of measurement created to help measure the progress, successes and failures of the materials.
Methodology
My intended method for the creation of the Diversity Communications & Leadership component of the PDP at RHS is to research theory and other scholarly information in order to create a base for the project. I will also be creating survey instruments to be used as part of the instrumentation to gauge progress, opportunities for improvement, and the overall success of this portion of the PDP.
Participants of the end product will consist of faculty and staff at RHS. There are more than 100 at RHS who teach a varying array of subjects. The project will focus on helping teachers not only understand, but to implement this Diversity Communications & Leadership training into their classrooms, thereby helping to increase the success rate of students across the board.
Additional Information Collection
In addition to the information that will be gathered within RHS and Weber School District, information will also be gathered from other local schools and districts who have been working to impliment similar diveristy trainings. This will help to ensure the efficiency of information being discemninated and not to repeat previous fauxpa’s. Information will also be continually sought from outside professional development agencies, etc. to ensure that all of the necessary components are included.
Preliminary References
Bertelsen, D. A., & Goodboy, A. K. (2009). Curriculum planning: Trends in communication studies, workplace competencies, and current programs at 4-year colleges and universities. Communication Education, 58(2), 262-275. doi:10.1080/03634520902755458
Buys, W. E., Carlson, C. V., Compton, H., & Frank, A. D. (1968). Speech communication in the high school curriculum. Speech Teacher, 17(4), 297. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=9565933&site=ehost-live
Caruso, T. (1972). High school speech and english: A communication department. Today's Speech, 20(4), 33-37. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=22096357&site=ehost-live
Dannels, D., Housley Gaffney, A., & Martin, K. (2008). Communication competencies in design education: An unconventional scholarship of teaching and learning protocol for communication across the curriculum. Conference Papers -- National Communication Association, , 1. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=44853279&site=ehost-live
De Marzio, D. M. (2010). Dealing with diversity: On the uses of common sense in descartes and montaigne. Studies in Philosophy and Education, 29(3), 301-313. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ879815&site=ehost-live; http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11217-010-9179-6
Hanson, T. L. (2008). Teaching speech in texas: The challenges (and rewards) of teaching speech communication in texas public schools. Texas Speech Communication Journal, 33(1), 74-77. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=33662924&site=ehost-live
McDevitt, M., & Kiousis, S. (2004). The civic bonding of family and school: Bridging the domestic sphere and the public sphere. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, , 1. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=45284058&site=ehost-live
Mills, C., & Ballantyne, J. (2010). Pre-service teachers' dispositions towards diversity: Arguing for a developmental hierarchy of change. Teaching and Teacher Education: An International Journal of Research and Studies, 26(3), 447-454. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ872970&site=ehost-live; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2009.05.012
Miron, G., Urschel, J. L., Mathis, W. J., Tornquist, E., University of Colorado at Boulder, Education and the Public,Interest Center, & Arizona State University, Education Policy,Research Unit. (2010). Schools without diversity: Education management organizations, charter schools, and the demographic stratification of the american school systemEducation and the Public Interest Center. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED509329&site=ehost-live
Ngo, B. (2010). Doing "diversity" at dynamic high: Problems and possibilities of multicultural education in practice. Education and Urban Society, 42(4), 473-495. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ880431&site=ehost-live; http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013124509356648
Ryan, J., Pollock, K., & Antonelli, F. (2009). Teacher diversity in canada: Leaky pipelines, bottlenecks, and glass ceilings. Canadian Journal of Education, 32(3), 591-617. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ859264&site=ehost-live; http://csse.ca/CJE/Articles/FullText/CJE32-3/CJE32-3-RyanEtAl.pdf
Cinder Blocks
Q. In the Architecture and Imagination section of class, we looked at how Mario Botta envisioned the concrete block as significant and we listened to a new way to "see" music (and PVC piping) by The Blue Men Group. We recognized various ways to conceive of an arch (from the Romans to Antonio Gaudi) and we thought about how to "see and see again" the way something as simple as a doorway can inform our behaviors. We finished our face to face time with images of Louis Sullivan of the Chicago Style (and Frank Lloyd Wright) and with the quote "form follows function."
Discuss any relationship you see between Architecture and leadership. As you think about your role as a leader, how do you envision the "functioning" of an organization/group that is significant in your life (family, work, volunteer groups, religious communities, or any other group of significance to you) - specifically, what is your vision of the group's purpose or mission? As you "see and see again," how does our journey through Architecture and Imagination inform your ability to design the form that will help to achieve that vision? Feel free to draw from any of the material from the class.
A. I thought a lot about the cinder block. Strange, I know. But I was intrigued by it. The question was posed, "How would you phrase that in the sense of positive and negative space?"
The block not only builds, but it takes up space. It can create many different things. The block is strong, but it can also be demolished in a fell swoop. It can do some great good, or some serious damage. Things made from cinder block and either be really ugly, or something beautiful.
There are many metaphors that can be pulled from these descriptions. I see leadership with the potential of all of the aforementioned and more. In my functioning life, I see a need to build block by block and have a secure foundation for which to build upon.
In art & architecture I see much of my life. There are iconic things, there are historical things, modern things, and the like. History is part of who we are, it informs much of the design of who we are today. We all have iconic moments throughout our lives for the good or the bad. And somehow, we need to keep up with the trends of the life that will swoosh by us if we are not cognizant of it.
Some of my notes I had written for pondering were:
- Home: Finding your place in the world ... How does your home make you feel?
- We must be purposeful about making space, about being divergent.
- Any answer is a good answer.
- Small things can mean a lot.
- Be creative and it is only as strong as the weakest link.
- There are many things we can duplicate, but we can't duplicate people. We need our people!
- One-point perspective = One vanishing point
- How do you create possibilities?
- The arch ...
-> How can we use the arch in leadership? What are the existing metaphors?
-> How can we create openings?
-> How can we cause people to look up?
- Form follows function ...
- Less is more ...
I am still pondering on the cinder block ...
Discuss any relationship you see between Architecture and leadership. As you think about your role as a leader, how do you envision the "functioning" of an organization/group that is significant in your life (family, work, volunteer groups, religious communities, or any other group of significance to you) - specifically, what is your vision of the group's purpose or mission? As you "see and see again," how does our journey through Architecture and Imagination inform your ability to design the form that will help to achieve that vision? Feel free to draw from any of the material from the class.
A. I thought a lot about the cinder block. Strange, I know. But I was intrigued by it. The question was posed, "How would you phrase that in the sense of positive and negative space?"
The block not only builds, but it takes up space. It can create many different things. The block is strong, but it can also be demolished in a fell swoop. It can do some great good, or some serious damage. Things made from cinder block and either be really ugly, or something beautiful.
There are many metaphors that can be pulled from these descriptions. I see leadership with the potential of all of the aforementioned and more. In my functioning life, I see a need to build block by block and have a secure foundation for which to build upon.
In art & architecture I see much of my life. There are iconic things, there are historical things, modern things, and the like. History is part of who we are, it informs much of the design of who we are today. We all have iconic moments throughout our lives for the good or the bad. And somehow, we need to keep up with the trends of the life that will swoosh by us if we are not cognizant of it.
Some of my notes I had written for pondering were:
- Home: Finding your place in the world ... How does your home make you feel?
- We must be purposeful about making space, about being divergent.
- Any answer is a good answer.
- Small things can mean a lot.
- Be creative and it is only as strong as the weakest link.
- There are many things we can duplicate, but we can't duplicate people. We need our people!
- One-point perspective = One vanishing point
- How do you create possibilities?
- The arch ...
-> How can we use the arch in leadership? What are the existing metaphors?
-> How can we create openings?
-> How can we cause people to look up?
- Form follows function ...
- Less is more ...
I am still pondering on the cinder block ...
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Reflections about COML 502
Q. After experiencing art, film, and drama on the Gonzaga campus in Spokane, what are your initial thoughts about each of the sessions? Which session was your favorite, and why? What surprised you the most during your three days on campus? How would you describe Spokane to a friend?
A. I mentioned before that this is a lot of information to take in over 2.5 days. But it was good to soak everything in and enjoy learning how to think about leadership from a different aspect. Each professor brought their own unique view and everything seemed to building upon each other.
Perhaps my favorite session was either the Art session or the Architecture session. I am a little biased since I teach art, but it was interesting to ruminate on all the different angles (no pun intended).
In the Art session I was able to let go and be who I am. As I mentioned in an earlier post, when we did the drawing portion I watched as people nervously stared at their paper, gripped their pencil tightly, and tried to grasp the drawing from an angles perspective. It was all very interesting to me. In the end, I didn't care if I had an exact replica as long as I came pretty close and made my personal interpretation (a leadership rumination for another time ...).
I enjoyed the Architecture portion mostly for the sheer fact that we were outside doing some practical application. I also enjoyed pondering how it tied in to imagination, leadership, and our lives in general. Every building speaks to a certain time in architecture. Our own leadership styles and lives speak to influences from moments in time. We are all intrinsically tied together and it is awesome to be in awe of the plethora of events happening all around us.
In reflection of the classes, I also noticed a difference between my two on-campus experiences. This is a simple observation and nothing to take offense at, but the persons who are in the ORGL program seem to be much more left-brain oriented, get the task done, and not-so-touchy-feeley. I had a hard time synthesizing with those who were there, and other ORGL-like classes I have taken, because my approach if different.
I am the all-inclusive, lets go do things, let's create together. And perhaps that is the difference in the experiences. Last time I was here we were creating all the time; we were applying all the time; and we needed to come together as a team in order to have a successful experience. This time around was all about information sharing and not so much the application process (which I thought we were going to experience both).
At first I felt alone. And I admit I did it to myself. I am a middle ground introvert/extrovert. When I am not in my element, I stay inside and observe, process, and enjoy things happening on the outside. When I am in my element, I am all about participating. I did not do a very good job about pushing myself this weekend to get outside of my comfort zone as much as I could have.
Overall it was a good experience. I have a friend from the COML program that is there this weekend and it was fun to share with her all the fun places we went to. Also, I have two other college friends who are in this program and it has been fun to share about our experiences as I am now finishing and they are about half-way through. Spokane is a wonderful place and Gonzaga makes the experience that much more fun. GO ZAGS!!
A. I mentioned before that this is a lot of information to take in over 2.5 days. But it was good to soak everything in and enjoy learning how to think about leadership from a different aspect. Each professor brought their own unique view and everything seemed to building upon each other.
Perhaps my favorite session was either the Art session or the Architecture session. I am a little biased since I teach art, but it was interesting to ruminate on all the different angles (no pun intended).
In the Art session I was able to let go and be who I am. As I mentioned in an earlier post, when we did the drawing portion I watched as people nervously stared at their paper, gripped their pencil tightly, and tried to grasp the drawing from an angles perspective. It was all very interesting to me. In the end, I didn't care if I had an exact replica as long as I came pretty close and made my personal interpretation (a leadership rumination for another time ...).
I enjoyed the Architecture portion mostly for the sheer fact that we were outside doing some practical application. I also enjoyed pondering how it tied in to imagination, leadership, and our lives in general. Every building speaks to a certain time in architecture. Our own leadership styles and lives speak to influences from moments in time. We are all intrinsically tied together and it is awesome to be in awe of the plethora of events happening all around us.
In reflection of the classes, I also noticed a difference between my two on-campus experiences. This is a simple observation and nothing to take offense at, but the persons who are in the ORGL program seem to be much more left-brain oriented, get the task done, and not-so-touchy-feeley. I had a hard time synthesizing with those who were there, and other ORGL-like classes I have taken, because my approach if different.
I am the all-inclusive, lets go do things, let's create together. And perhaps that is the difference in the experiences. Last time I was here we were creating all the time; we were applying all the time; and we needed to come together as a team in order to have a successful experience. This time around was all about information sharing and not so much the application process (which I thought we were going to experience both).
At first I felt alone. And I admit I did it to myself. I am a middle ground introvert/extrovert. When I am not in my element, I stay inside and observe, process, and enjoy things happening on the outside. When I am in my element, I am all about participating. I did not do a very good job about pushing myself this weekend to get outside of my comfort zone as much as I could have.
Overall it was a good experience. I have a friend from the COML program that is there this weekend and it was fun to share with her all the fun places we went to. Also, I have two other college friends who are in this program and it has been fun to share about our experiences as I am now finishing and they are about half-way through. Spokane is a wonderful place and Gonzaga makes the experience that much more fun. GO ZAGS!!
Monday, June 7, 2010
COML 502 - Day 3
Wow! I would have to say this is a TON of information to take in over the course of three days. But it has been good for me to learn and to recognize some things not only about myself, but about others.
Leadership and Architecture
Dr. Hoover was animated in her delivery as we talked about architecture, spaces, and how it is all around us. Perhaps it spoke to me because it is something I truly enjoy and I will be teaching in the Fall. Or that it is something I would like to actively engage in to integrate into my Capstone Project.
It was also nice because we got to go outside for about 30 minutes. That broke up the time in class to allow us to stretch, create, and enjoy what we were learning. It was also an engaging opportunity to apply our learning.
Upon finishing the morning session I hiked over to Dr. Cradall's office to talk about my Capstone Project. She was unaware I was doing an independent study this summer, so I am about three weeks behind. Thankfully I don't have full-time work this summer. I am looking forward to pushing through and getting this completed over the next few months.
She is awesome and gave me some very helpful information. I am looking forward to working on my project. I feel good about it and most importantly, I feel inspired about it.
I was supposed to head to the library after meeting with her, but I had a temporary freak-out moment because I couldn't find my debit card or ID. I thought perhaps it dropped out of my pocket in the Law Building, but to no avail it was not there. But I got a nice speed walk across campus in the meantime ;)
Eventually, after tearing things apart in my car I found them. Few! I promptly put them in my wallet and left for class.
Imagination and History
We are learning about the Rule of St. Benedict. It is an interesting concept. I am having a hard time staying awake and perhaps it will mean more to me once I read it. Dr. Carey isn't the most imaginative, engaging speaker. Or perhaps it is because it is the end of the course and we have been bombarded with information and learning over a period of 2.5 days and we've been in this classroom for the majority of the day.
During the first part of his presentation not only was I sitting on the front row, but I was falling asleep ... Oops ... So, to combat the issue I had to move and sit where I could plug my computer in and keep my fingers busy and my mind awake. There are a lot of people who are struggling as I look around the room. I don't feel so bad anymore ;)
But while I was sitting in the back there was a concept that struck me. The whole idea of the Benedictine Law is to become like Christ, to become one with Him, and basically how one attains Charity. I pondered on this and the question was raised: If one is to attain these things, they need to be a Benedictine Monk?
My background gives me way to say "No." Christ teaches us many times in the scriptures, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48) and then later on after His ressurection, "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (3 Ne. 12:48). So, if it is a commandment in the scriptures are we all to become monks?
Perhaps I am completely misunderstanding and will gain greater enlightenment once I complete the reading, but it seems so contradictory to so many other things we are asked to do by our Father in Heaven. One of my comforts comes in the greek translation of the word "perfect". In greek it means to become complete, made whole. I know that as I continue to rely on Him, I will one day become complete through His Atonement.
The day ended with dinner and good laughs. I sat at a table with people I hadn't really socialized with and it was awesome. Tony Andonoro was the only male at the table, but these women are strong, intelligent, and fun. It is so wonderful to be around women who are pushing themselves and striving to create something better not only for themselves, their workplace, and for those who associate with them each day.
I have been fed! (intellectually, temporally, and spiritually ...)
Leadership and Architecture
Dr. Hoover was animated in her delivery as we talked about architecture, spaces, and how it is all around us. Perhaps it spoke to me because it is something I truly enjoy and I will be teaching in the Fall. Or that it is something I would like to actively engage in to integrate into my Capstone Project.
It was also nice because we got to go outside for about 30 minutes. That broke up the time in class to allow us to stretch, create, and enjoy what we were learning. It was also an engaging opportunity to apply our learning.
Upon finishing the morning session I hiked over to Dr. Cradall's office to talk about my Capstone Project. She was unaware I was doing an independent study this summer, so I am about three weeks behind. Thankfully I don't have full-time work this summer. I am looking forward to pushing through and getting this completed over the next few months.
She is awesome and gave me some very helpful information. I am looking forward to working on my project. I feel good about it and most importantly, I feel inspired about it.
I was supposed to head to the library after meeting with her, but I had a temporary freak-out moment because I couldn't find my debit card or ID. I thought perhaps it dropped out of my pocket in the Law Building, but to no avail it was not there. But I got a nice speed walk across campus in the meantime ;)
Eventually, after tearing things apart in my car I found them. Few! I promptly put them in my wallet and left for class.
Imagination and History
We are learning about the Rule of St. Benedict. It is an interesting concept. I am having a hard time staying awake and perhaps it will mean more to me once I read it. Dr. Carey isn't the most imaginative, engaging speaker. Or perhaps it is because it is the end of the course and we have been bombarded with information and learning over a period of 2.5 days and we've been in this classroom for the majority of the day.
During the first part of his presentation not only was I sitting on the front row, but I was falling asleep ... Oops ... So, to combat the issue I had to move and sit where I could plug my computer in and keep my fingers busy and my mind awake. There are a lot of people who are struggling as I look around the room. I don't feel so bad anymore ;)
But while I was sitting in the back there was a concept that struck me. The whole idea of the Benedictine Law is to become like Christ, to become one with Him, and basically how one attains Charity. I pondered on this and the question was raised: If one is to attain these things, they need to be a Benedictine Monk?
My background gives me way to say "No." Christ teaches us many times in the scriptures, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48) and then later on after His ressurection, "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (3 Ne. 12:48). So, if it is a commandment in the scriptures are we all to become monks?
Perhaps I am completely misunderstanding and will gain greater enlightenment once I complete the reading, but it seems so contradictory to so many other things we are asked to do by our Father in Heaven. One of my comforts comes in the greek translation of the word "perfect". In greek it means to become complete, made whole. I know that as I continue to rely on Him, I will one day become complete through His Atonement.
The day ended with dinner and good laughs. I sat at a table with people I hadn't really socialized with and it was awesome. Tony Andonoro was the only male at the table, but these women are strong, intelligent, and fun. It is so wonderful to be around women who are pushing themselves and striving to create something better not only for themselves, their workplace, and for those who associate with them each day.
I have been fed! (intellectually, temporally, and spiritually ...)
Saturday, June 5, 2010
COML 502 - Day 2
Well, the day started off rough ... I didn't get up until 7 a.m. and needed to be in class by 8 a.m. So, I was about five minutes late getting to class ... When I walked into the class there was one seat left at the tables and I watched someone "conveniently" move their stuff to make it look like it was taken. For a moment, I thought someone may have stepped out for a moment. But I have been sitting here for nearly an hour and no one has come through the door. Good start ...
This morning's session is Leadership and Drama. It has been a pretty interesting morning. The very person who excluded me from the table ended up being in my first group. She is interesting along with the other people who we also in the group. We participated in activities that caused reflection about how drama plays a role in our everyday leadership lives.
At one point, Tony said, "The floor is dirty ... The floor is dirty ... This floor is dirty ..." Then he stood for a while at the front of the room, and within about 30 seconds someone got up and took a stick and started to "sweep" the floor. A few others followed after her and "vacuumed", "mopped", and got the leftovers.
While we were conversing about the experience I brought up hint dropping. This simple remark incited about 45 minutes worth of conversation and debate. Was it better to be a hint dropper? Or was it better to be a direct communicator? What are your thoughts?
In the end, I came to the conclusion of how important it is to know your team. Each person communicates differently and we have mostly been raised with different communication patterns. In certain groups stronger communication works better than other groups where softer communication is needed to create buy-in and ownership.
The afternoon session was Leadership and Film. We watched Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), a Woody Allen film. It was really interesting to watch it 3-4 scenes at a time and to dig deep into the film in the sense of relationships, religion, and ethics. In the theme of "Seeing and seeing again" it was interesting to think about stopping to see again. What happens if you stop for a moment? What will you gain by sleing down to see?
We were also looking at the idea of pentamento. It is the idea of repentance. This film visits this idea in an interesting manner. Woody Allen does a nice job of weaving a interesting tapestry of lives, morals, and virtues. I would be interested in viewing the film again all the way through without interruptions and seeing that I observe the second time through.
At the end of the session people were planning on dinner. I was thinking I would spend another night by myself. But I had some people invite me to go with them to the Irish pub downtown. I explained to Mary that I didn't drink, but I would love to go for the social. She said she was going for the food and it was no worries. It was a good time. We ended up hanging out for a while, chatting, and eating some good food :)
So, for a day that started off pretty crappy, it ended pretty well. You never know what a day will offer. But if you allow one small thing at the beginning to ruin the rest of it for you, you never know what you will have had the opportunity to enjoy. So, keep going on even when you feel it is a crappy day. You just might be surprised ;)
This morning's session is Leadership and Drama. It has been a pretty interesting morning. The very person who excluded me from the table ended up being in my first group. She is interesting along with the other people who we also in the group. We participated in activities that caused reflection about how drama plays a role in our everyday leadership lives.
At one point, Tony said, "The floor is dirty ... The floor is dirty ... This floor is dirty ..." Then he stood for a while at the front of the room, and within about 30 seconds someone got up and took a stick and started to "sweep" the floor. A few others followed after her and "vacuumed", "mopped", and got the leftovers.
While we were conversing about the experience I brought up hint dropping. This simple remark incited about 45 minutes worth of conversation and debate. Was it better to be a hint dropper? Or was it better to be a direct communicator? What are your thoughts?
In the end, I came to the conclusion of how important it is to know your team. Each person communicates differently and we have mostly been raised with different communication patterns. In certain groups stronger communication works better than other groups where softer communication is needed to create buy-in and ownership.
The afternoon session was Leadership and Film. We watched Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), a Woody Allen film. It was really interesting to watch it 3-4 scenes at a time and to dig deep into the film in the sense of relationships, religion, and ethics. In the theme of "Seeing and seeing again" it was interesting to think about stopping to see again. What happens if you stop for a moment? What will you gain by sleing down to see?
We were also looking at the idea of pentamento. It is the idea of repentance. This film visits this idea in an interesting manner. Woody Allen does a nice job of weaving a interesting tapestry of lives, morals, and virtues. I would be interested in viewing the film again all the way through without interruptions and seeing that I observe the second time through.
At the end of the session people were planning on dinner. I was thinking I would spend another night by myself. But I had some people invite me to go with them to the Irish pub downtown. I explained to Mary that I didn't drink, but I would love to go for the social. She said she was going for the food and it was no worries. It was a good time. We ended up hanging out for a while, chatting, and eating some good food :)
So, for a day that started off pretty crappy, it ended pretty well. You never know what a day will offer. But if you allow one small thing at the beginning to ruin the rest of it for you, you never know what you will have had the opportunity to enjoy. So, keep going on even when you feel it is a crappy day. You just might be surprised ;)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
ORGL 502 - Day 1
Today was a good day. But in reality, what day that starts out with a bike ride isn't a good day. I spent a few hours riding around the streets of Spokane in probably some less favorable places. But it was good to see the area and I sincerely adore some of the homes that are here.
Once I arrived at the river I found some trails and spent some time milling around in the woods. I watched the river flow vigorously while birds swooped about picking up bugs and who-knows-what-else. I also saw tons and tons of gophers. They were everywhere!
Upon finishing my ride I came home and enjoyed a nice warm shower and got ready for three days of information that is sure to come like a fire hose to the face. It was fun to play with my new make-up I purchased yesterday and to feel ready to go. But it was strange because upon arriving to the location for the meet and greet, I didn't feel like socializing with people ...
I was in my focused learning mindset. I was ready to soak in everything that came my way, but not in socializing. I know it is a necessary component, but I couldn't help but sit back and observe. One gentleman from Monterrey, CA came up and introduced himself. Then I found out there are four persons from Utah in our group. That was nice :)
After socializing we made our way over to the classroom where we will be spending most of our time while here. Like Frankie said, it is perhaps one of the least inspiring classrooms to be in for a class like ours. I enjoyed the rooms we were in for COML 517. They were varied around campus and lighted with natural windows. But it is not to say that creativity cannot happen.
Our first class centered around art, creativity, and using the right brain while letting the left brain go. For the majority of the people there, it was a hard thing to do. The people on both sides of me were wigging out and not really willing to be participants in the activity. I told them to just let go and draw. It is the only way to start.
The first exercise we participated in was drawing upside down. We had a Picasso sketch we were observing upside down and conversely had to draw upside down. It was interesting to observe everyone else struggling with it. I watched them ponder in geometric shapes, gripping their pencil tightly, trying to make sense of the drawing before them. Many people did well with the activity; others struggled.
While I am not a magnificent drawer, I had fun with it. It was redeeming to let go and sketch something out. I also had fun interpreting the drawing as it was not an exact replica of the drawing before me. It was a nice ice breaking activity for people to get into the part portion of the class.
Continuing on with the class we talked about Impressionism and Cubism. Of all the movements to talk about I wondered why those two. Then I realized that Impressionism raised perhaps the most ruckus and caused people to think beyond the bounds they had known, and Cubism almost speaks to the left-brained person ...
The last three activities involved drawing and CLAY! We did a negative space drawing as well as a blind contour drawing. Then we had to create in clay with our eyes closed. I had fun making a mess. Perhaps I was the only one who enjoyed making a mess ;)
Through all of this I had some fine ruminations about leadership, creativity, and how I can improve not only myself but my teaching. Some of the thoughts I had were:
- The process is more important that the product
- Sometimes the process becomes the art (think Jackson Pollock)
- Why do we do it this way? Is there a better way?
- Once you have set preconceived notions you cut yourself off to the discovery of new things.
- Are you taking risks with your work?
- Creativity is just a moment. A moment when we turn the ordinary in to the extraordinary.
- Passion! How do you connect with yours every day?
- How do you add value to what you do? How can you add it to make you lives extraordinary every day?
- Creativity is falling in love with the world!
- Our lens when seeing a problem is critical. If we can't change lenses, we're trapped.
- There is more than one right answer. Don't stop at the first right answer!
- Once you push beyond the boundaries, suddenly you begin to frame a problem into an opportunity more comfortably and confidently. But you can't be afraid of it.
- Don't think about the mistakes. Thin about the next right answer.
- Execute the problem with the best information you have.
- Break the pattern / systems in your life or it will become your prison.
- When you break the pattern then you will really learn to fly and discover you can do a lot more with a lot less.
- Creativity is about technique and perserverance.
- Train your technique. Then put yourself in the place of most potential.
- The light that really lights pictures isn't the light that comes from the outside, but the light that comes from within.
- How do I hold my process and product up to its vision?
- Negative Space: What do we miss because we are so focused on what is there and not so much on what is not there?
- Understanding what isn't there helps to inform what is there.
- What is it that isn't obvious in what we are doing? Don't be afraid to look at the negative spaces. It is everywhere and once you find it the positive space becomes that much better :)
- People struggles with the Impressionist movement because the didn't want to be surprised. They wanted to walk in and know what they were going to see. How often do we think the same in our leadership and everyday roles as people? How often are we too scared to go beyond the normal?
Anyway, enjoy and I am sure there will be much more to share over the next few days! AND once I have had a moment to fully chew on everything I have learned today.
Once I arrived at the river I found some trails and spent some time milling around in the woods. I watched the river flow vigorously while birds swooped about picking up bugs and who-knows-what-else. I also saw tons and tons of gophers. They were everywhere!
Upon finishing my ride I came home and enjoyed a nice warm shower and got ready for three days of information that is sure to come like a fire hose to the face. It was fun to play with my new make-up I purchased yesterday and to feel ready to go. But it was strange because upon arriving to the location for the meet and greet, I didn't feel like socializing with people ...
I was in my focused learning mindset. I was ready to soak in everything that came my way, but not in socializing. I know it is a necessary component, but I couldn't help but sit back and observe. One gentleman from Monterrey, CA came up and introduced himself. Then I found out there are four persons from Utah in our group. That was nice :)
After socializing we made our way over to the classroom where we will be spending most of our time while here. Like Frankie said, it is perhaps one of the least inspiring classrooms to be in for a class like ours. I enjoyed the rooms we were in for COML 517. They were varied around campus and lighted with natural windows. But it is not to say that creativity cannot happen.
Our first class centered around art, creativity, and using the right brain while letting the left brain go. For the majority of the people there, it was a hard thing to do. The people on both sides of me were wigging out and not really willing to be participants in the activity. I told them to just let go and draw. It is the only way to start.
The first exercise we participated in was drawing upside down. We had a Picasso sketch we were observing upside down and conversely had to draw upside down. It was interesting to observe everyone else struggling with it. I watched them ponder in geometric shapes, gripping their pencil tightly, trying to make sense of the drawing before them. Many people did well with the activity; others struggled.
While I am not a magnificent drawer, I had fun with it. It was redeeming to let go and sketch something out. I also had fun interpreting the drawing as it was not an exact replica of the drawing before me. It was a nice ice breaking activity for people to get into the part portion of the class.
Continuing on with the class we talked about Impressionism and Cubism. Of all the movements to talk about I wondered why those two. Then I realized that Impressionism raised perhaps the most ruckus and caused people to think beyond the bounds they had known, and Cubism almost speaks to the left-brained person ...
The last three activities involved drawing and CLAY! We did a negative space drawing as well as a blind contour drawing. Then we had to create in clay with our eyes closed. I had fun making a mess. Perhaps I was the only one who enjoyed making a mess ;)
Through all of this I had some fine ruminations about leadership, creativity, and how I can improve not only myself but my teaching. Some of the thoughts I had were:
- The process is more important that the product
- Sometimes the process becomes the art (think Jackson Pollock)
- Why do we do it this way? Is there a better way?
- Once you have set preconceived notions you cut yourself off to the discovery of new things.
- Are you taking risks with your work?
- Creativity is just a moment. A moment when we turn the ordinary in to the extraordinary.
- Passion! How do you connect with yours every day?
- How do you add value to what you do? How can you add it to make you lives extraordinary every day?
- Creativity is falling in love with the world!
- Our lens when seeing a problem is critical. If we can't change lenses, we're trapped.
- There is more than one right answer. Don't stop at the first right answer!
- Once you push beyond the boundaries, suddenly you begin to frame a problem into an opportunity more comfortably and confidently. But you can't be afraid of it.
- Don't think about the mistakes. Thin about the next right answer.
- Execute the problem with the best information you have.
- Break the pattern / systems in your life or it will become your prison.
- When you break the pattern then you will really learn to fly and discover you can do a lot more with a lot less.
- Creativity is about technique and perserverance.
- Train your technique. Then put yourself in the place of most potential.
- The light that really lights pictures isn't the light that comes from the outside, but the light that comes from within.
- How do I hold my process and product up to its vision?
- Negative Space: What do we miss because we are so focused on what is there and not so much on what is not there?
- Understanding what isn't there helps to inform what is there.
- What is it that isn't obvious in what we are doing? Don't be afraid to look at the negative spaces. It is everywhere and once you find it the positive space becomes that much better :)
- People struggles with the Impressionist movement because the didn't want to be surprised. They wanted to walk in and know what they were going to see. How often do we think the same in our leadership and everyday roles as people? How often are we too scared to go beyond the normal?
Anyway, enjoy and I am sure there will be much more to share over the next few days! AND once I have had a moment to fully chew on everything I have learned today.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Personal Ethic Experience
This is my last paper for Ethics. I was a little disappointed by the content of the class and interaction of the professor, but I feel I have a better understanding of ethics and how it plays in our lives. Maybe it is a lifetime pursuit of learning that I don't quite understand yet.
PERSONAL ETHIC EXPERIENCE
Brandy A. Lee
ORGL 503 - Ethics
March 4, 2010
PERSONAL ETHIC EXPERIENCE
Brandy A. Lee
ORGL 503 - Ethics
March 4, 2010
PerSONal Ethic Experience
Introduction
Ethical issues arise each day in many shapes, sizes, forms, patterns, and experiences. Perhaps the most difficult arise at the administrative level. And it isn’t necessarily at the top where the difficult questions arise, but sometimes in the middle. Administrators who are in the middle have to work to make those above and below them satisfied with what is happening.
My personal ethical experience doesn’t have to do with being in a leadership position, but with dealing with a mid-level administrator. During my second year out of college I was working for a mid-sized construction firm doing marketing and design. When I interviewed for the job, I was lured in by a “family-friendly” company who “valued” their workers. They explained to me that the workload was distributed evenly allowing people to work 40 hours per week and be able to go home at 5 p.m. This was a wonderful thing in comparison to my previous job where I was working about 60 hours per week doing about the same thing.
There was part of me that was hesitant to take the job, but also a part of me that feared I wouldn’t find another job. It was at the beginning of the recession we find ourselves in and I had recently bought a house and had other obligations to take care of. I took the job and I was very happy for about three months.
About the time I was to complete three months at the company, I practically had to beg for an evaluation so I could be taken off “probation”, receive my raise, and obtain benefits. In the end, I didn’t get my evaluation until I was there fourth months. My bosses were too busy with other things. Apart from my initial feeling about the job, this should have given me another clue.
The ethical dilemma, however, added a third dimension to my struggle at the company. Being over marketing, I was also in charge of planning the company customer appreciation golf tournament. I was tasked with doing this as well as several other projects. Between doing all of this, I was not able to get everything done in a 40-hour workweek. I turned in some hours of overtime I had put in one week and they about lost it. I was a little confused because I knew there were others who were regularly turning in a few hours of overtime here and there without question. All of a sudden I was a less-effective employee because I had several time-sensitive projects that were placed on my desk, as well as the golf tournament, and could not cram it all in to 40 hours.
This started a downhill slide for another month that led to “goal-setting” and a re-evaluation a month later. I ended up quitting the job within six months. There were a lot of things I was being asked to do, and they expected me to do it for free. Being that I was giving them intellectual property in a sense, I couldn’t justify giving it away. In my life there have been jobs I have loved and I haven’t worried about giving extra time without being paid. But the way I was treated by this company didn’t make me want to buy in and sacrifice for the company. Maybe that was part of my trouble, but I know I am not the only one there who has felt like they were treated unethically.
I felt like there was a mix of ethical, professional, and moral issues happening. The ethical and moral issues came with everyone at the company being treated the same with regards to workload, overtime, and other treatment. While the company had a mission statement and a few other things in place, I wasn’t sure if there was a clear outline of ethics for those who hadn’t been to their “special leadership training.” It was an injustice to those who were doing the best they knew how without being fully immersed into the culture.
How the situation was handled was not professional at all. An employee shouldn’t have to beg for an evaluation or feel belittled because of a few overtime hours. Kouzes and Posner quote Gayle Hamilton of Pacific Gas and Electric in their book Credibility saying, “You can’t follow someone who isn’t credible, who doesn’t truly believe in what they’re doing – and how they’re doing it”. Kouzes and Posner then go on to write, “It is meaningless to talk about leadership unless we believe that individuals can make a difference in the lives of others. And unless each of us believes that we can make a difference” (2003, p. 27).
ETHICS CODES
When the company hired me, they had never had an in-house graphic designer, photographer, etc. They didn’t understand the time consuming process it was to create such items. I am not sure if the companies who did work for them before were just cheap-and-easy companies, or what they were doing. But I would judge that whoever was doing their graphic design before wasn’t all that professional, and the photos they were using were taken by job-site foremen.
In the world of graphic design and photography there are ethics of being paid for not only your time, but for sharing your intellectual property. The business of art is being lost in the world of technology where everyone thinks things should be able to be created quick and easy. Unfortunately, or fortunately, people don’t understand it is still a time-consuming process. There are also young people who think they are doing someone a favor by only charging $50 for a four-hour job and then giving the piece away. But when they give it away, they are also giving a piece of their intellect away and not getting paid for it.
I am not saying we should be getting paid each hour of each day for what we share with others. There is a difference between business and teaching. When an artist does something for the financial benefit of another, they should be paid for their time. Then there is the issue of teaching. Each day I share many pieces of my intellectual self with my students. They are artists in embryo and some day they will go on to create their own pieces of work. There is no financial benefit for them in the moment they come through my class.
For a while I thought these were my own personal views that an artist should get paid for both their time and their intellect. But a professor I had in art school taught me a lot about the business of art. He taught that once you put something out into the world, people say it is out there for anyone to take (contrary to copyright laws). So, if you’re going to do that, you need to make sure you are making it worth all the time and effort you put into the piece. So, I wasn’t very far off base and as I worked in building my photography business, I gained a firmer testimony of this.
Like a photographer needs to get paid for their intellectual property and time, employees need the same respect. If an employee signs on to a company with the understanding there is no overtime, then they need to make sure they are using every minute wisely and be willing to put in a few extra hours here and there without pay. But if a company has no written policy and they are willingly paying other employees for extra time worked, the policy needs to spread across the whole company to every employee, new or old. Employees should feel valued and want to sacrifice time if necessary. Because compliance from employees produces adequacy, not the greatness they could be producing.
ALTERNATIVE COURSE OF ACTION AND PROBABLE CONSEQUENCES
Being a new employee, in a newly created position, with two very different bosses is a challenge. When I was hired into the position, there wasn’t an outlined job description, and it was 3-4 months down the road before I received one. Personally, I believe a job description is the biggest help and employee can have to make sure they are completing their job to the full extent of their abilities. If a company is going to create a new position, there should be an outline at least of their expectations.
Without knowledge of expectations, how can someone perform to the expected standards? Even as teachers we must be very specific for our students to have a successful experience. Kouzes and Posner write in reference to their Credibility-Building Process Model, “Commitment to credibility begins with the clarification of the leader’s and the constituent’s needs, interests, values, visions, aims, and aspirations” (2003, p.48). Being on the same page is a key component to success for all parties involved.
Apart from Clarity comes Unity. Kouzes and Posner further explain, “To build a strong and viable organization, people must be united in a common cause – united on where they are going, on why they are headed in that direction, and on which principles will guide their journey” (2003, p. 49). Their quote is reminiscent of Brazilian ants. Each year there will be a mass crossing the Amazon River and it is a conglomeration of ants. If one ant alone were to try and ford the river, it would most likely die. But together as a colony, they take turns swimming, riding, being in front, being in back, etc. Together, unified, they can make it successfully to their destination.
The third part of the Model is Intensity. “Intensity exists when principles are taken seriously, when they reflect deeply felt standards and emotional bonds, and when they are the basis of critical organizational resource allocations” (2003, p. 49). When an employee is new, it is important to integrate them in to the company so they sustain the same level of intensity other employees feel for the company.
Terry L. Cooper writes, “Most of the time we are ad hoc problem solvers, not comprehensive moral philosophers” (2006, p. 22). It would be nice if we could foresee the consequences of every decision we make (both good and bad), but we can only make educated guesses. For the most part, we must allow our ethical principles to guide our decision-making. Cooper further explains, “An ethical principle is a statement concerning the conduct or state of being that is required for the fulfillment of a value; it explicitly links a value with a general mode of action” (2006, p. 22-23).
Using Kouzes and Posner’s Credibility-Building Process Model I believe can only bring positive outcomes. This helps to build not only the administration / leadership of a company, but those who work with them. Kouzes and Posner state, “To take people to places they have never been before, leaders and constituents must be on the same path” (2003, p. 48). When these three principles are brought together, it helps to reduce the amount of ethical, moral, and professional problems in a company. There will be positive deontological and teleological consequences for the company.
In a continuing education class I had for my teaching license, the professor’s first rule was “If I’m not happy, ain’t nobody happy.” She wasn’t putting herself on higher ground to look at her “minions”, she put herself on higher ground so students would look up and rise to the occasion. This model can serve as a base, or a starting point for any organization.
COURSE OF ACTION
In Cooper’s model, there are four elements necessary to consider in ensuring balance and proportion for the course of action. Firstly, moral rules need to be considered. When implementing the Model, it is important for leaders to be on the highest moral ground. If a leader fails, and then tries to hide it then credibility is at stake. It has been shown that people have more confidence in a leader if they admit their mistake and move forward.
Secondly, there must be a rehearsal of defenses. If a leader is living on a higher moral ground and they are making decisions according to the policies and procedures of the company, there should be no argument or need to defend. I have found that I am most confident in what I do as a leader when I know the policies I am enforcing, and when everyone else is clear about what is expected of them. Perhaps this is one of the more important aspects of the rehearsal. Communication needs to happen so everyone knows where they stand and what the Policies and Procedures are.
Third, discern the implicit ethical principles at stake. In Kouzes and Posner’s Model there is a healthy balance between a balance of duty and consequences (positive and negative). If leaders are acting in a certain way and employees are being treated in a positive manner, then employees will act accordingly. If everyone is one the same plane of treatment and they feel they are being treated justly for the most part, it will also give then a reason to conduct themselves in a manner according to the ethical values of the organization.
Each day I encounter teachers on both ends of the spectrum. There are teachers who believe in what they are doing and in the mission they have been hired to accomplish. There are other teachers who say they won’t do something unless they are getting paid for it. In an organization there will always be both kinds of people because you can’t make everyone happy. People must experience a change of heart. Those who believe in the mission spend many extra hours without pay because they believe in their students and in the reason they became a teacher.
Lastly is the test of self-appraisal. Employees must evaluate if the moral values of the company are in line with their personal moral values. They must also take a personal introspection of how well they are doing their outlined job. For me, mine were not in line with the company so it was better for me to leave rather than be unhappy and feeling like I was constantly being criticized. But my job now gives me a sense of pride and enjoyment and honestly I can experience what Cooper calls “self-approval.”
CONCLUSION
My recommendation would be for leaders to evaluate their practices and work to implement Kouzes and Posner’s Credibility-Building Process Model. When that is done, I would recommend the company go through the four elements of proportion and balance in establishing their best fit for a further course of action. If they find their employees are not in agreement with events that are happening, it would be wise to do a communication survey and see how effective and ineffective leadership, communication, and other activities are within the organization.
Had I experienced some of these activities, perhaps it would have been a more successful experience. As I stated at the beginning, “You can’t follow someone who isn’t credible, who doesn’t truly believe in what they’re doing – and how they’re doing it” (2003). A company must establish credibility with their employees and live a higher standard of moral values so that they can lift others up and not drag them down.
REFERENCES
Cooper, T.L. (2006). The responsible administrator : An approach to ethics for the
administrative role (5th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Cooper, T.L. (1998). Ethical decision making model. Retrieved from
http://jesuitnet.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_4541_1%26url%3D on February 24, 2010.
Kouzes, J., & Posner, B. (2003). Credibility: how leaders gain and lose it, why people demand it.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
[MC1]Please forgive me for concentrating my comments in this final comment box, but given the need to get grades in on Tuesday, this seemed wise.
I appreciated your observations. Good stuff. I could also clearly see the stages of the Cooper model in your paper.
For narrative purposes, your transition between narrative and principles in the paper was clean and well organized.
You understand some of the important common issues in leadership ethics. This paper is prudent.
Thanks for taking my class. It was a pleasure to interact with you in this virtual medium. It’s my sincere hope you get to follow up on the ungraded recommendations I made in the video posts, especially the hour long reflection on the course. I would also love to hear from you in the future, perhaps through email, how our 8 weeks of class has helped you, and the things that you would recommend I do to make the class better for students in the future.
Best of luck in Gonzaga’s MA ORGL/COML program!
Invention: 7.9
Arrangement: 1.9
Style: 1.9
Research: 1
Mechanics: 2
Total: 14.7 A
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Love and Leadership
· Reflect (do not post) on Freud's view of happiness and why he thought it was/is illusive. Reflect (do not post) on how Freud and Lewis's views of love differ? Write/post about how your worldview affects your ability to experience happiness, satisfaction or fulfillment on the job.
A. "What is more natural than that we should persist in looking for happiness along the path in which we first encountered it?" -Freud
My philosophy of life is to live every day to its fullest. You never know when it will be your last day, when it will be the last day for a person with whom you associate with, or if you could have made a difference in someone's life had you been more kind and less selfish.
I live every day to make a difference, to help create light where there was none. I live every day because that is what my Savior would have me do. He never once shrunk from a challenge, He loved every one, and He did good continually. I live every day to one day become and emulate the perfect example He set forth for me.
Because of God I have what I have in my life. He is the center, my life, and my Light. And because of these things it is easy for me to be optimistic. My happiness comes from a source that is "the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow." In the end, it is my choice to accept what God has given me and to be happy or not. I cannot blame anyone but myself if I am not happy.
My ability to experience satisfaction comes in sharing. I am not a perfect human being when it comes to being selfless (unfortunately). But I feel my best when I am lifting others. I identify with Lewis who said that when he was converted, he lost himself. It parallels with the scripture, "when ye are in the b service of your c fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17).
Fulfillment in my job is attached to both of the previously mentioned experiences. I mentioned in my first post about what my worldview is that I have been praying to see people how God sees them. When I include God in my commitment, my days go better than when I don't. It has helped me to be more kind and less short tempered when things don't turn out how I want them to. We are all children of God and we need to feel that; and sometimes, we feel that through other people.
There are so many things we can be negative about in life. That is easy. The difficult step is to not only look for the good, but to make it a consistent habit in our everyday lives. I know that some day I will have to answer for some of my decisions, but I would rather be living a life where the good ones will outweigh the not-so-good ones. When I am living in accordance with those things I know to be true and right, I have no reason to be unhappy.
· Do you agree with Freud that the precept of "love your neighbor as yourself" is impossible to fulfill? Please explain. Do you agree with Lewis's assertion that the key to understanding the precept "to love your neighbor as yourself" lies in the understanding of the phrase "as yourself." How would this apply to the organizational setting, servant leadership and your role in the organizational setting.
A. Playing devil's advocate, the statement " love your neighbor as yourself" all depends on how much you "love" yourself. I do not believe it is an untrue / impossible statement. We have a tendency to treat others within the same realm with which we treat ourselves.
It is easier to love others when we first love ourselves. I love the analogy about the condition of our hearts. In life there are people you can approach and around their heart is a nice, white picket fence. You can walk up to it, open it and walk right in. The person is that accessible. On the other hand, there are people who have 10-foot razor-wire fences, gun towers, block walls, and it's pretty uninviting.
When we "feel" love and understand how it affects our lives, it is easier to share it with others. In large measure, I believe it depends on the condition of our hearts. The parable of the rich young man teaches us a lot about this. In Matthew 19 we are taught:
16 ¶ And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have a eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none a good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into b life, keep the c commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no a murder, Thou shalt not commit b adultery, Thou shalt not c steal, Thou shalt not bear d false witness,
19 a Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt b love thy c neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be a perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and b give to the c poor, and thou shalt have d treasure in heaven: and come and e follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had a great possessions.
His love for his possessions was greater than his desire for eternal life. It may not be our riches, but there are "possessions" we have in life we aren't willing to give up in order to have the blessings we want. That being said, I believe Lewis was correct in saying that the key to understanding the precept "to love your neighbor as yourself" lies in the understanding of the phrase "as yourself." What is it that holds our desires hostage? Do we really love ourselves? Do we really believe the positive things people say about us? Or do we say a polite 'thank you' and run the comment over in our mind?
My personal belief is that the best leaders know who they really are, love themselves, love the people around them, and desire success for the whole. In all of my studies about leadership, those who are most effective have experienced formative moments where they have had to learn to love themselves for who they are, weaknesses and all.
One of the best experiences I have had is talking to others about how they see me as a leader and person. It is not that I want to hear the "good" comments, but I talk to people who will be honest with me. I ask them what I can to do improve; and I ask them what they see my faults to be. Whether I agree with it or not, I believe it is an opportunity for me to learn and grow.
There is a new show about CEOs going undercover to learn more about the inner workings of their company. Many have had eye-opening moments that have helped them to improve their company. It is unfortunate that CEOs should have to go undercover, but I think we all need to come down sometimes and learn if we are "loving" others as much as we think we are.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Worldview, Leadership and Ethics
1. Do you think every person on Earth has a worldview? Explain your answer.
In short, yes. We all observe the world around us and how it affects us, and we affect it. We all have a totality of beliefs and a philosophy about life, whether we realize it or not.
Some persons may have a negative view because of what they have been taught. Others may have a more positive view because they have extended themselves to learn more about what is around them. We all have a belief about the world that surrounds us. Some of us are just more cognitive about it.
2. How has your background (family, culture, education, life events) influenced your worldview?
My past has played a big role on how I see the world today, for the better or for the worse. For example, having lived through three divorces as a child I am more careful in my choice of persons I date. I am sure I will be a little more hesitant about marriage.
My religious background is deeply seeded in family, culture, education, and life events. Because of my religion I would say I am who I am. It has been the light in the dark parts of my life. Without it, I am not sure who I would be today. I have been given many opportunities to become a better daughter of God and a more able servant in His hands because of His gospel.
3. How does your worldview influence your life? Your leadership style or perhaps existence in an organization? How you respond to ethical problems?
My worldview influences my life everyday. Being an educator, I work to educate my students about the world that is beyond the walls of the high school. I encourage them to take advantage of the opportunities I never had.
In some ways, it is frustrating to view the world as I do and see my students disregarding the valuable information. Some days I wish I could pound it into their heads and force them to "get it." But I cannot, so I have to find ways to help them understand and desire better than what they have. This has taught me to be a better "leader" in not necessarily forcing people, but helping them to find the desire to be better. It's a little trickier than I thought it would be.
Because of my worldview, I see a lot of potential for me. I work everyday to become a better example of what I believe a leader should be. Some days I am successful, and other days I fail miserably. But I believe it is all a work in progress.
One of my biggest struggles is pressure to pass all the students I can. In my heart I don't believe it is right to give a student a grade and / or credit they haven't earned. But pressure from up top begs that I do. In order to avoid the dilemma, I need to become the kind of teacher who does everything in her power to instill a sense of desire to succeed in her students. How this is done, I am still working on. But sometimes we have to work harder in order to avoid the ethical questions.
In short, yes. We all observe the world around us and how it affects us, and we affect it. We all have a totality of beliefs and a philosophy about life, whether we realize it or not.
Some persons may have a negative view because of what they have been taught. Others may have a more positive view because they have extended themselves to learn more about what is around them. We all have a belief about the world that surrounds us. Some of us are just more cognitive about it.
2. How has your background (family, culture, education, life events) influenced your worldview?
My past has played a big role on how I see the world today, for the better or for the worse. For example, having lived through three divorces as a child I am more careful in my choice of persons I date. I am sure I will be a little more hesitant about marriage.
My religious background is deeply seeded in family, culture, education, and life events. Because of my religion I would say I am who I am. It has been the light in the dark parts of my life. Without it, I am not sure who I would be today. I have been given many opportunities to become a better daughter of God and a more able servant in His hands because of His gospel.
3. How does your worldview influence your life? Your leadership style or perhaps existence in an organization? How you respond to ethical problems?
My worldview influences my life everyday. Being an educator, I work to educate my students about the world that is beyond the walls of the high school. I encourage them to take advantage of the opportunities I never had.
In some ways, it is frustrating to view the world as I do and see my students disregarding the valuable information. Some days I wish I could pound it into their heads and force them to "get it." But I cannot, so I have to find ways to help them understand and desire better than what they have. This has taught me to be a better "leader" in not necessarily forcing people, but helping them to find the desire to be better. It's a little trickier than I thought it would be.
Because of my worldview, I see a lot of potential for me. I work everyday to become a better example of what I believe a leader should be. Some days I am successful, and other days I fail miserably. But I believe it is all a work in progress.
One of my biggest struggles is pressure to pass all the students I can. In my heart I don't believe it is right to give a student a grade and / or credit they haven't earned. But pressure from up top begs that I do. In order to avoid the dilemma, I need to become the kind of teacher who does everything in her power to instill a sense of desire to succeed in her students. How this is done, I am still working on. But sometimes we have to work harder in order to avoid the ethical questions.
My Worldview
1. How would you describe your “worldview” – your philosophy of life and reason for living? How does that impact your personal and professional life? Who/what is at the center of your worldview?
My philosophy of live is to live every day to its fullest. You never know when it will be your last day, when it will be the last day for a person with whom you associate with, or if you could have made a difference in someone's life had you been more kind and less selfish.
Today I attended a funeral and they always give me great cause for reflection on my personal life. Am I living my life in such a way that people will say the things I would hope they'd say when I'm gone? Will I live my life in such a way that people from all walks of life would want to come pay their respects? Am I living my life in such a way that I am prepared to meet God whenever He calls me home?
I live every day to make a difference, to help create light where there was none. I live every day because that is what my Savior would have me do. He never once shrunk from a challenge, he loved every one, and he did good continually. I live every day to one day become and emulate the perfect example He set forth for me.
My view impacts my personal and professional life greatly. Lately I have been praying to see people around me as God sees them. It has helped me to be more kind and less short of temper when things don't turn out how I want them to. We are all children of God and we need to feel that; and sometimes, we feel that through other people.
Because of God I have what I have in my life. He is the center, my life, and my light. This last week has been a growing experience for me as I have ruminated on these very questions. Being a teacher has taught me that even though my students struggle behaviorally, they need compassion in their lives too. That doesn't mean I give away grades, but it means that we all struggle and we all need some kind of connection to love.
2. This series considers two "diametrically" opposed worldviews. What are your initial impressions of the secular, or “scientific,” worldview? The “spiritual” worldview? Explain how these impression contribute to or mediate your worldview?
I learned some interesting things watching these videos. Actually I watched them a few times because I caught something new every time. I believe in science, but I don't believe it all came from a "big bang." There are so many things that point to a Higher Being.
Science fascinates me quite honestly. There are many things that have been pigeon holed into scientific equations. At one point a man talks about an "Orderer" because science contains order. Another points to "Naturalism" and says things exist because of nature.
I was not aware that Freud was actually raised a Jew. He also had some Catholic and Christian influences. His mother called him her "Golden Child." Religion, family and education consumed his life. His life was associated with many sharp changes; none of which were really explained. It makes me wonder if her turned to science to try and explain change because it was never explained to him.
C.S. Lewis on the other hand took everything for face value. He too was raised with family and religion as a center in his home. Lewis too had a bit of a rough go as a child with the loss of his mother and his father threatening to ship them to the Americas. He even prayed to God to save his mother but nothing happened. However, he held on to the "joy" that he had found one day in the garden.
I believe that sometimes the "joy" we find in our lives serves as an anchor for hard times. All of us have hard times in life, and we feel that God has not heard our cries. However, it is the times of happiness that help to keep us going from day to day.
Science is intriguing, but I believe in the Divine more than the secular. I am interested to learn more and to watch the remainder of the program. The more we know, the more tools we have in order search to find the answers we have been seeking.
Like Lewis, sometimes we feel faith has failed us. So we turn to science that never seems to fail. But is that the best thing to do? Do we really believe Science will outperform the Divine?
My philosophy of live is to live every day to its fullest. You never know when it will be your last day, when it will be the last day for a person with whom you associate with, or if you could have made a difference in someone's life had you been more kind and less selfish.
Today I attended a funeral and they always give me great cause for reflection on my personal life. Am I living my life in such a way that people will say the things I would hope they'd say when I'm gone? Will I live my life in such a way that people from all walks of life would want to come pay their respects? Am I living my life in such a way that I am prepared to meet God whenever He calls me home?
I live every day to make a difference, to help create light where there was none. I live every day because that is what my Savior would have me do. He never once shrunk from a challenge, he loved every one, and he did good continually. I live every day to one day become and emulate the perfect example He set forth for me.
My view impacts my personal and professional life greatly. Lately I have been praying to see people around me as God sees them. It has helped me to be more kind and less short of temper when things don't turn out how I want them to. We are all children of God and we need to feel that; and sometimes, we feel that through other people.
Because of God I have what I have in my life. He is the center, my life, and my light. This last week has been a growing experience for me as I have ruminated on these very questions. Being a teacher has taught me that even though my students struggle behaviorally, they need compassion in their lives too. That doesn't mean I give away grades, but it means that we all struggle and we all need some kind of connection to love.
2. This series considers two "diametrically" opposed worldviews. What are your initial impressions of the secular, or “scientific,” worldview? The “spiritual” worldview? Explain how these impression contribute to or mediate your worldview?
I learned some interesting things watching these videos. Actually I watched them a few times because I caught something new every time. I believe in science, but I don't believe it all came from a "big bang." There are so many things that point to a Higher Being.
Science fascinates me quite honestly. There are many things that have been pigeon holed into scientific equations. At one point a man talks about an "Orderer" because science contains order. Another points to "Naturalism" and says things exist because of nature.
I was not aware that Freud was actually raised a Jew. He also had some Catholic and Christian influences. His mother called him her "Golden Child." Religion, family and education consumed his life. His life was associated with many sharp changes; none of which were really explained. It makes me wonder if her turned to science to try and explain change because it was never explained to him.
C.S. Lewis on the other hand took everything for face value. He too was raised with family and religion as a center in his home. Lewis too had a bit of a rough go as a child with the loss of his mother and his father threatening to ship them to the Americas. He even prayed to God to save his mother but nothing happened. However, he held on to the "joy" that he had found one day in the garden.
I believe that sometimes the "joy" we find in our lives serves as an anchor for hard times. All of us have hard times in life, and we feel that God has not heard our cries. However, it is the times of happiness that help to keep us going from day to day.
Science is intriguing, but I believe in the Divine more than the secular. I am interested to learn more and to watch the remainder of the program. The more we know, the more tools we have in order search to find the answers we have been seeking.
Like Lewis, sometimes we feel faith has failed us. So we turn to science that never seems to fail. But is that the best thing to do? Do we really believe Science will outperform the Divine?
Ethical Ruminations
Week two questions at hand. Here we go! I would be interested to know what your response would be ...
Several years ago Phillipa Foot drew attention to an extraordinarily interesting problem:
Suppose you are the driver of a trolley whose brakes have just failed. On the track ahead of you are five people; the banks are so steep that they will not be able to get off the track in time. The track has a spur leading off to the right, and you can turn the trolley onto it. Unfortunately, there is one person on the right-hand track. You can turn the trolley, killing the one; or you can refrain from turning the trolley, killing the five.
Question:
1. Is it morally permissible for you to turn the trolley? Why? Explain.
A.
I am not sure what my response would be. In my head would be running the questions: How old are the people at stake? Are there children involved? Aged persons? Would I run more risk to the people on my trolley by taking the right turn which could potentially kill more than the five or one persons ahead of me? Are there potentially more people ahead of me that I would kill before I could get the trolley stopped, either direction? Does the track veering to the right loop back around, thus costing me six lives instead of five?
In reality I would have perhaps seconds, if not less, to run through the scenarios. Of course, my conscious would go for the situation that would be the least deadly. Honestly, I am not sure what I would actually do because I am not experiencing all of the variables. My right turn could be so sharp at the speed I am going down the hill that I could cost not only the life of the person ahead of me, but potentially everyone on board. Heading straight could potentially put me in the path of even more people thus costing me my passengers plus five ahead of me.
Argh! I am not sure... Perhaps I would head straight in the hopes that the hill levels off and I could save all of my passengers. If the turn were not very sharp, I would take the turn knowing it was a safe turning speed for as fast as I were traveling.
I know this doesn't provide a concrete answer to the question. But like I said, I am not experiencing all of the variables and thus cannot make a correct assessment of the situation.
Now consider this:
You are a great transplant surgeon. Five of your patients need new parts - one needs a new heart, the others need, respectively, liver, stomach, spleen, and spinal cord - but all are of the same, relatively rare, blood-type. By chance, you learn of a healthy specimen with that very blood-type. You can take the healthy specimen's parts, killing him, and install them in your patients, saving them. Or you can refrain from taking the healthy specimen's parts, letting your patient's die.
Questions
2. Is there a moral difference between the two cases? Explain.
A. Situation 1 is an accident, an unforeseen failure of the brakes. Situation 2 is consciously taking a live to save others. I believe Situation 2 would be a failure of the moral compass to take one persons life to give to others. The only way I could see pulling the plug on someone in Situation 2 is if the healthy specimin were on life support with no hope of having a quality of life (loss of brain function). I would speak with the family and hope they saw the benefit of giving up one to save many. But I am not sure I could purposely sacrifice one to give to others.
3. What are the distinction between the two? Explain
A. Like I mentioned earlier, one is an accident and the other is not. There are times when you are subject to the nature of the beast, and there are other times when you can consciously choose with time to ponder on the situation.
4. Why is it that you may turn that trolley to save five, but may not cut up one healthy specimen to save five lives? Explain.
A. This question reminds me of Seven Pounds. He took five or six lives, and then turned around and essentially "gave back" those lives through unethical use of a federal ID and then suicide. Was what he did an ethical way to repay his "debt"?
Thinking about the organs at hand, I wonder if taking the whole organ is necessary. One can donate part of a liver and stomach; You don't really need a spleen; And a spinal cord transplant is not even possible right now. There has been transplantation of embryonic spinal cord, but that's it.
Turning, or not turning, the trolley is an "accident." Purposely sacrificing someone is considered murder in the justice system (unless the previous situation were true, see A2). I would still struggle living with myself no matter the situation, however the justice system looks at the outcomes differently.
Do I worry about me? Yes. Do I worry about my family, as a result? Yes. Whether it's right or not, I would also calculate into the risk my public appearance. Both would certainly get media attention and affect me for the rest of my life.
5. Does the solution to the trolley problem lie somewhere in the theory of rights, utility, justice, consequences, virtues, good will, egoism...
A. I believe the solution, or lack thereof, does lie in the afore mentioned words. Right now I cannot say to what extent because I have not completed all of my reading. But I hope to have an answer by the end of this course :)
Foot, P. (1978). The problem of abortion and the doctrine of the double effect. Virtues and Vices and Other Essays in Moral Philosophy, 19.
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