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.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
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.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Reflection on readings and Outsourced
“All employees work to achieve goals, primarily economic ones, and a system that rewards them for following established rules and procedures and maximizing their individual performance would seem to be in everyone’s self-interest” (Conrad & Poole, 2005, 82-83).
In reflecting on the reading and Outsourced (2006), I think about organizational communication in a cultural sense. In the United States, we are so focused on achieving economic goals, that perhaps we lose sight of the not-so-economic oriented ones. On that path, we run over others, refuse to see where they are coming from, and force “our ways” on them.
In the film, Todd needed to get his call center to finish the sale in six minutes. When he arrived the time was 12 minutes, and earlier it was 15 minutes. One day he wakes up and offers them an incentive, a reward, in order to get their time down. The people are allowed to bring in personalized things and photos, and even offered rewards, in exchange for improving call time. Improving his or her times was in everyone’s best interest so the call center would stay active.
“The cultural strategy suggests that humans are emotional beings and that feelings of connectedness and community are important aspects of all social structures, including organizations” (Conrad & Poole, 2005, 156). People in the movie lived, worked, and partied together. They shared part of themselves by bringing photos of their family, trinkets, and their dress to the work place. It was when this door was opened that success began to unfold for the call center as a whole.
One point in the movie that I found of particular interest was an interaction between another businessman and Todd. All he wants is a cheeseburger, in India. He is fighting for something he can’t have, and fighting against those who won’t give it to him. The man then tells Todd, “The quicker you embrace it, the less struggle you’ll have.”
Conrad & Poole (2005) state that, “To work, rules must be clear enough to be easily understood, specific enough to give employees precise guidelines for acting, and general enough so as not to seem trivial or persnickety” (83).
Perhaps there are times in our business career where conforming would be to our benefit. But is it a positive move, or a negative one? Does the move go against our standards, or does it improve our standards?
This was one of the major struggles I had in corporate work. One company in particular was focused on a “family work environment.” They touted all these values, but did not live them on so many levels. I struggled for six months trying to conform, to assimilate, but in the end it was more than me. The company wanted something from me I was not willing to compromise.
Often, management looks for ways to cut costs, but it may not be a real benefit for the company. Dave, the manager, states at the beginning of the movie, “We get eight heads for the price of one… We’ll pay the new manager $11,000 a year.” And then later on, “China’s the new India. Twenty heads for the price of one.”
Costs are cut, but quality is diminished as cultural lines are crossed. In the movie the person in the call center takes a customer by surprise. The customer is trying to buy school supplies for her grandchild and the worker asks if she needs “rubbers.” The meaning for that word in the Unites States is different from the meaning of it in India. There come the realization of “identities”, “reality shock”, and a sense of “internalization” (Conrad & Poole, 2005, 159). They begin to “act as the organization wants them to because they believe that it is natural and normal to do so” (160).
However, all are not so willing. Asha speaks up against internalization when she calls Todd on the carpet. He wants them to “act American” so the caller doesn’t feel so alienated. She states, “Isn’t that a little dishonest. I’m not going to lie. When I was hired to do this job I was hired to sell products on a phone, not to lie to people… I did not know we had to be deceptive.”
There was a point where Todd was participating in “self-surveillance” (177). He did what the company wanted him to do because he felt positive emotions (mostly in his pocket book) when he complied. But in the end, he participated in “externalization” (158) seeing that there was more to life than working it away, but living it everyday and enjoying the association of those around you.
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