A631.9.2.RB Video Debrief of Team MA Reyes,Cassandra

            After watching the video on Steve Jobs and his attempt at creating NeXT, I was able to better understand the difficulties he and his team experienced throughout the course of their time with this corporation before Apple bought his company. It was clear from the beginning that Jobs was hungry to recreate the success he had achieved at Apple. Jobs and his team are seen struggling to maintain profits and figure out ways to compete with their new technology in the higher education market. Through their difficulties, one thing seemed clear, Jobs and his team needed to keep their lines of communication open and continue to think outside the box in order to hold together the NeXT mission and vision.

            After completing the Management Assessment assignment I was intrigued by the accuracy of the results. After speaking with Tom, it was amazing to hear his knowledge on my personality and attributes by answering just a few questions on the assessment. While I learned how I fit in with my current organization, it was also a learning experience as to how my talents and attributes would fit in with other companies as well. I started to think of what we learned this week and thought of how well I would fit into Steve Jobs company NeXT. Would the attributes I offered somehow make me an asset to the team or would I deviate the team from their missions or visions somehow?

            During my debrief I realized that while I had a number of strengths in my candidate attributes and characteristics placements, there were also a few things that were brought to my attention that I should work on. While I believe that my independence attributes would allow me to be confident and independent which would fit well with the NeXT team, I believe that my weakness would most likely be my goal ambitiousness, goal setting and minimal risk taking. I think these would be my weakness because it was clear that NeXT had to take a number of risks in order to become somewhat successful. It was a risk itself to begin starting a new company after Apple from the ground up. I believe that according to my personality and the results of the management assessment I probably would have not been very comfortable with all of the risks the team members that NeXT had to make.

While I understand there is a certain amount of risk that one must take in order for the business to be successful. I believe that some of the choices that were made would have held me back from wanting to continue with the company all together. It was clear from the retreats that there was a divide with how much risk Jobs and his team wanted to make. Jobs seemed to be very comfortable with risk taking and the challenges he would face while many team members seemed a bit concerned with the consequences of the decision that were being made. I would have most likely felt the same as these individuals.

            One area that I believe I would have been an asset to the NeXT team is with my problem solving ability and creativity. I think I would have been able to think outside the box and find solutions to the problems that NeXT was facing at the time. A major issue with the results of my attributes though would have probably inhibited me from continuing with the company at some point because my results show that I am less driven to create or invent products which is a major part of the goals of NeXT. I think that due to my motivation to create or invent services over products I would have been more successful in another part of the corporation which concentrated on these areas.

            Lastly I believe that my multi tasking abilities, tolerance for interruptions and focus on change would have helped me a great deal to fit well within NeXT as I have a strong desire for diversity which is needed in a business which is just starting up. My leadership style would have also been an added benefit as I fall very close to the middle of both the X and Y axis, meaning I am well rounded in understanding and recognizing other leadership styles and being able to adapt to the environment and the issues of that environment I may be expected to assist in solving.

            All in all, I believe that there are a number of qualities I possess that could have been an added benefit to the NeXT team however, due to some of the characteristics I hold, I do not believe that I would have been comfortable in the environment the startup of NeXT had to experience. I believe that once the company was well established I would have felt more comfortable with the risk that was taking place at the time.

Cassandra R.

A631.8.4.RB Reflective Analysis_Reyes,Cassandra

Develop a reflection blog describing how the MBTI might be useful to you as you develop your leadership capacity. In your blog, touch on your own self-awareness and also your knowledge and awareness of others.

            I had originally taken the MBTI test earlier in the program and had received results stating that I had an INFJ personality. I decided to take the test again just to see if my feelings on any of the questions the test provided had changed as it has been almost a year since beginning the program and in my opinion a lot can happen in a year that can change how people perceive things or certain situations, such as my professional experiences, my marriage and the birth of my daughter. When I retook the test, I did feel as though my answers to some questions had changed but overall I felt I had provided enough feedback to receive the same results I had received on the test the first time around. In my opinion I think that the test had very accurate results of my personality.         

            The Myers Briggs test builds self awareness and emotional intelligence and can be used to enhance and develop leadership skills, coaching mechanisms and team building strategies. I think the MBTI will be useful to me as I progress through my career and whatever leadership roles I may hold in the future because it makes me aware of my personality traits and characteristics so I always have a reminder in how I perceive certain situations. I believe that to some extent I have always been self aware of others emotions. However, as I got older I realized that in a work environment, it is that much more difficult to recognize others emotions as many individuals do a good job in hiding their true feelings in a professional environment. Once I became employed in my first official office job as a file clerk, I began to truly tap into the emotional intelligence of others. The non verbal cues of stress, anger, and frustration of my co workers were at times very hard to recognize as I could tell many of them were trying very hard to hide their sentiments. I began to observe my coworkers and noticed that if I looked closely enough, their emotions were written all over their face passed the forced smiles and kind words they projected.

            My whole life everyone has told me that I wear my heart on my sleeve. It didn’t matter how much I tried to hide my emotions, people knew how I felt by just taking one look at my face. This didn’t help me much considering there were times when I didn’t want others to know how I was feeling or how my day was going because it wasn’t going well. As I continued to hold other jobs, I did my best to become a bit better at hiding my emotions and refraining from being too outwardly emotional. I thought I was doing a great job at achieving this until my current position. One month a year every department’s manager holds an evaluation with each member of their staff. This year’s evaluation went well for me; however my manager did have one minor suggestion. He stated that I needed to be a bit more conscious of my facial expressions in the work environment. I was blown away! I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. Just as I thought I had mastered the art of self awareness, I was being told I needed to work on it. I couldn’t imagine what was different this year than last. Then it hit me. I had been pregnant this year.

            Looking back, I didn’t realize how my actions and personality had changed during my pregnancy. I felt I had done fairly well with the mood changes and felt I had even become less vocal on opinions as I knew my mood might alter them. I asked my boss to elaborate on his suggestion. He stated that because he knew me personally he understood that my facial expressions were not negative and that he understood during those times, I was working really hard or concentrating on a project or other work related tasks, however he informed me that those around me who do not know me as well as he did could possibly take my facial expressions in a negative manner as I could sometimes appear angry instead of concentrated. The  goal he provided to me for next year’s evaluation was to work on my self awareness and awareness of others. When I thought about what my boss said, I felt a bit bad for giving off the wrong impression to my colleagues even during my pregnancy. It was clear I did not have as much control over my emotions as I thought during this time and in turn, self awareness of myself and awareness of others had become nonexistent. I was so in tune with my own feelings of being sick and tired and overwhelmed with what the future of motherhood had to hold, that I had completely lost all sense of my surroundings and the people in them.

            I took what my boss told me seriously and told myself that I was going to work hard on not letting my personal experiences and life interfere with my professional environment. Toward the end of the pregnancy, I could already see and feel a change in the way I was acting and how I was handling my interactions with others. I must admit, some days were difficult, but I had to remind myself to always be conscious of how I was dealing with others and handling difficult situations in my place of work on top of the emotions and changes I was experiencing in my personal life. It has been five months since I have had my daughter and I have recognized the importance of maintaining self awareness and awareness of others in a major way. However, while it was my duty to ensure that I was able to be aware of myself and my actions, I can’t help but feel as though, some of my colleagues needed to work on their own emotional intelligence and consider that my dispositions at that time stemmed from my pregnancy and nothing more. I believe even veteran mothers sometimes forget the difficulties of pregnancy and how it can change someone’s mood. In my personal opinion the men I worked with were more understanding and emotionally aware of my changes than many of the women in my workplace. They did not seem to take my changes in mood and energy toward them personally. Either way I am grateful that my boss informed me of the energy I was giving off and how that energy was being perceived by other people. I am glad I was able to listen to what he had to say, take note, and be able to make some positive changes. Our conversation has made me fully aware of preventing misunderstandings or preconceived notions all stemming from ensuring my own self awareness and that of others.

Cassandra R.

A631.7.4.RB - Future of OD_Reyes,Cassandra

Together, MSLD 630 and MSLD 631 provide an overview of Organizational Development (OD). The courses present an OD view of managing change and organizational transformation. In this final chapter of your textbook, Brown presents two opposing ideas: OD is viewed by some as a rapidly changing field keeping up with the times and by others as a fad that will become irrelevant. Given what you have learned over the past two courses, what do you see as the future of the OD discipline?

In my personal opinion, I believe that OD is en ever changing field that will continue to keep up with times. I believe that organizations especially in this day and age are looking for ways to incorporate change and restructure their departments, concentrate on technological advances and reconfigure the organizational structure. It is important for an organization to be flexible enough where it has the ability to roll with the punches and change not only on an annual basis but weekly, daily and sometimes even hourly. There is a constant need for organizations to improve organizational decision making and team based relationships in order to be successful during changing conditions. Therefore the need for long term strategies such as OD is a must for the future success of many organizations.

While OD has not been around for a long enough time to be considered necessary or substantial to some, the development and experimentation of OD applications “incorporates new and evolving methodologies and philosophies” (Brown) which ensure effective and efficient outcomes  to new organizational approaches to innovation and renewal. Organizations are in a continous state of change and can therefore benefit from the flexibility of OD and its approach to improving effectiveness. However, management of organizations must bear in mind that while OD may be beneficial to its organization, it is absolutely necessary for OD to be evaluated to ensure that the outcome of their efforts are not taken in vain. Evaluation of efforts will assist with the determination on whether or not any modification, changes or discontinuations should be taking place.

The cultural norms of the organization must also be considered when initiating and implementing an OD program to ensure stability of the new changes that are taking place. New behaviors stemming from the placement of OD in an organization should become the norm of the organizations culture so that the desired behaviors will be continued and members can measure their progress in a productive manner. Feedback of information and productivity can also create awareness and commitment amongst organizations members. “Commitment to change emerges from open communications and management’s ability to reinforce new behaviors so that members can see how their contributions affect outcome.

Given what I have learned in this course, through my readings, my studies and the text. I think OD is here to stay. While it is argued that OD has only short term solutions, I believe that as the rate of change in organizations increase, so will the contributing technology of OD. OD is a major factor that has assisted organizations with developing change and seeking innovation from traditional methods of management. OD is a means for development and training and assisting organizations with aligning organizational goals and “revitalizing them in line with the needs of the individuals within the system and environmental constraints” (Brown). As stated in the text, because of the ever changing environment. It is imperative that managers are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques and strategies available to them through OD and how those strategies can and should be used to make a difference in human development and bottomline performance.

Cassandra R.

A631.6.4RB Transformational Strategies, ReyesCassandra

Watch the above videos. Both of these videos highlight leadership in times of transformational change. How do you relate and make sense of the approaches taken by Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale and Stanley McChrystal compared to the information presented in your textbook? Use Figure 15.4 Relative Strength of Corporate Cultures and Figure 15.5 The Strategy-Culture Matrix in your response.

Jim Mcingvale discusses how contacting customers, follow-up with them, prospecting new clients, coaching to team members, providing incentives and data assisted with the success of his company after they had experienced a drop in the market economy and the company fire which resulted in a loss of 80% of their revenue. The first thing that Jim says changed was the sales behavior which increased revenue by 600,000 a year. He also mentioned that the elimination of the reworks of products also assisted with savings for the company of 1,000,000 a year along with customer satisfaction.

Another thing I found interesting was that Jim had incorporated a Wellness program for his employees which assisted with the health of his staff and the way they looked and felt. The wellness program helped reduce health insurance costs for the company which in the end saved their employees money. Jim states that Influencer training helped make his company more profitable even during hard economic times and most importantly increased employee and customer satisfaction across the board.

I think figure 15.5 provides a perfect visual in how to achieve change and more importantly, how to be successful in it. As the graph states step one is to manage the change as change is important and needs to be compatible with the company culture; the second step is to reinforce the culture of the organization by forging a vision that emphasizes shared values, the third step manage around the culture of the organization by reinforcing the value system, reshuffling power and using leverage in the organization, lastly step four is to change the strategy to fit the culture to ensure compatibility with the corporate culture.

Stanley McChrystal's speech paves a bit of a different path in what a leader is. Stanley discusses his various experiences in the military where he provides stories on the importance of leaders building a consensus and sharing a purpose and consciousness. He also discusses the importance of understanding the generational difference and makes a powerful statement when he says " how does a leader stay credible and legitimate when they haven’t done what the people they are leading are doing." I thought that making this statement showed the truth behind McChrystal's ability to comprehend what it takes to be a great leader. Understanding this one statement and living by its purpose, McChrystal was able to become a more transparent leader who was willing to listen and be reverse mentored by all different age groups, sexes, and nationalities.

McChrystal's ability to concentrate on the importance of relationships and how those relationships affect the outcomes of the successes, failures and trust amongst a group of people proved that true leaders are good because they are willing to learn and to trust and understand that relationships is the key to holding the force together. As McChrystal states "Leaders can let you fail and yet not let you be a failure."

I believe McChrystal's speech resonates more with figure 15.4 as it touches upon the difference between a strong and a weak culture. Culture s listed as a product of key components such as structure, systems, people and style. A strong culture is along the lines of the military discussed by McChrystal where basic values are intensely held and widely shared. Weak cultures may be an example of a young company, or a company with major turnover or one that does not share the same mission or vision amongst its employees.

I believe that both speakers experienced an organizational transformation in two very different ways. The idea behind these speeches was to teach us that in order for OT to be successful, it requires a shared vision, willingness to clean house and start from scratch, and the importance of restructure. Without these two individuals being open to change and restructure and most importantly learning from their mistakes or failures, I do not believe they would be the leaders they are today.

 

Cassandra R.

A631.5.4.RB - Leading System Wide Change_Reyes,Cassandra

I think there are many qualities a leader should embody in order to be successful. However, I also believe that success is measured by different people in many different ways. Some leaders may deem themselves successful because they have landed a multibillion dollar deal, while others may feel successful because they are respected by their team and experience minimal hurdles or failures in completing projects. While there are a range of ways a leader can become successful I think it is important to remember that all leaders fail at one point in time and it is from their mistakes as well as others that they learn the qualities it takes to be a great leader.

In my opinion in order for leaders to be successful they should be strong willed and dedicated to their jobs, teams, tasks and projects. Effective interpersonal and communication skills are needed to ensure that they are able to maintain successful and respectable professional relationships. Leaders should be creative, level headed and focused and should offer respect at all levels of an organization. They should be confident and competent in their work and compassionate to their subordinates.

In order to be successful leaders should not command excellence but build it from the ground up. Great leaders maintain a genuine character which assists with the continued development of their skills, traits and ethical values. True leaders are honest, fair, and inspiring. They do not make judgments on others and continuously do their best to better themselves.

There is one leader who I know that inspires me to lead in such a way that challenges me but also encourages me to be exactly who I am. This leader works for Embry-Riddle Worldwide and at one point was my boss. I have seen this gentleman time and time again single handedly run his department as well as a second that was placed upon him not too long ago. His colleagues and subordinates treat him with nothing but respect and he is appreciated by so many others.

This leader has offered to coach me in various areas of both my personal life and professional career and has helped me succeed in the areas of my life I wanted to better myself in. He is compassionate and caring yet expects nothing but your best and will do anything he can to help you offer your best even on your worst day. I think this gentleman is the epitome of what it is to be a leader and has become a great friend of mine over the years. A goal I have set for myself is to one day try to lead a team and department the way he has in the past 5 years that I have known him. I wish there were many more leaders like him in the world, however if there were, it is likely that he would not be as appreciated as he is.

Cassandra R.

A631.4.4CM INSEAD Reflection

In light of the video and the readings from your textbook;

• What do you see as some of the major benefits and drawbacks of self-managed teams?

A few major benefits of a self managed team would be

1. There is no formal manager who instructs the team on what to do and when to do it. Self managed teams have the flexibility and ability to decide how they would like to structure themselves and how they go about organizing their workflow processes

2. Having a team that has the ability to fucnction in all areas and at all levels including production, engineering, quality, profitability, etc.

3. Teams are able to zoom in and out of specific goals and objectives. Their general goals are incorporating success at all levels to ensure the greater focus of organizational objectives are being met.

4. Teams are innovative and resourceful by finding ways to do more with less.

5. The ability of team members to shift roles and responsibilities.

6. Teams have the ability to detect weaknessess and address and strengthen those weaknesses.

7. Team members may experince more job satisfaction as they are directly involved with the running of the organization.

8. Teams have a greater commitment to company goals which in turn leads to improved productivity and loyalty.


A few drawbacks of a self managed team would be

1. Teams are not easy or cheap to implement into an organization and may also take alot of extensive training.

2. The constant issue of self direction and group monitoring may cause stress and burnout in team members.

3. Group processes and values need to be understood by all team members for the group to be successful. The group must be on the same page on the goals of the organization and how they will achieve those goals.

4. May work well in competitive, ever changing organizational environments but may not work well in organizational environments where tasks are simple, easily attainable or where supervision is necessary.

5. Conflict between team members may increase as everyone has a say in how the team is being run and there is no direct supervision on the group.

6. Team members are specialist in a variety of areas allowing for the doomed "too many chefs in one kitchen" effect.

7. Diversity of team members knowledge and talents may potentially slow down the teams progress and refrain from allowing it to reach its full potential.

8. Trust and communication between team members is a must. All members must be able to cooperate with one anothewr, hear each other out and be able to take the "back seat" when needed.

• Would you like to work within such a team?

I think that I would like to work on a self managed team given that the environment suits it. I strongly believe that there is a time and a place for self directed teams and feel as though they can be extremely successful when used and placed in the correct environment to achieve specific goals, however I would never want to be on a self managed team that did not have clearly defined goals or team members who were not dedicated to the task or objectives at hand. If I worked for the govenment or a company such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Grumman, etc. I feel as though I could learn a ton from a self managed team and would love to be part of a team like that, however if my current department was run as a self managed team I do not think it would be very successful. I believe that my department runs very well under the supervision of my manager and director and frankly do not believe that my specific department call for a self managed team.

• What competencies would you need to develop to be an effective external manager of a self-managed work team?

1. Development of my communication skills to be sure that I am clearly defining goals and objectives of the team and organization

2. Ability to understand cross functional teams and environments.

3. Ability to deal with conflict in a constructive manner.

4. Comprhension of all internal and external elements of an organization such as competitors, finances, production, etc..

5. Have a discipline and focus on achieving organizational goals and objectives.

6. Ability to maintain versatility and flexibility especially during difficult stages of a process.

7. Staying dedicated to acheiving organizational goals and committed to the team that helps us get there.

8. Allowing flexibility without forgetting to maintain structure.

9. Maintaining confidence, creativity and optimism to ensure positive reinforcment to the team.

10. Being dependable, reliable and self motivated and expecting the same from the team members.

11. Ensuring active listening and constructive feedback.

12. Always be a team player, respect and collaborate with team members and treat everyone as an equal.

13. Provide resources when necessary.

A631.3.4. Feedback and Goals_Reyes, Cassandra

In a well-written blog, describe your understanding of the importance of feedback and goals to performance. What are your thoughts regarding Brown's contention that there are generational differences in the amount of feedback desired by employees. How much feedback do you generally give and receive? Have you found that for you personally, having specific goals and receiving targeted feedback has led to more engagement, higher performance, or any other benefits (or drawbacks)? What are the implications of your reflection?

 

Brown states that “the combination of goal setting with feedback on individual performance has a positive effect on performance.” He also states that “giving feedback on performance without having previously set goals does not lead to improved performance.” I would have to agree with these two statements as my personal and professional experiences have proven them to be true. In my personal opinion, I think it is absolutely necessary for there to be a combination of goal setting and feedback in order to be successful in any type of business or relationship. Feedback is a form of communication between individuals, departments or organizations and goal setting is the establishment of objectives and the overall purpose of a business. Without clearly defined goals, it would be impossible for a business to “increase efficiency and effectiveness” as there would be no specified “desirable outcomes toward which individuals, teams, and the organization should work.”

 I would have to agree with Brown’s contention that there are generational differences in the amount of feedback desired by employees. I believe that there are very clear differences between Generation X and Generation Y individuals as style of leadership, value of experience, professional expectations, technology and a variety of other factors have changed over the years. Generation X employees “rely heavily on the extensive career experience and hands on work that determines their knowledge in their prospective career fields, so technology may not always be the solution to the problem in their eyes.” On the other hand, Gen Y individuals “seek technology to improve the value of every aspect of their lives. Generation X employees are known to be well educated and take employment very seriously and tend to me more dedicated to even entry level positions, while Gen Y employees are usually looking for the next best thing, promotions, recognition and look to pursue upper level management positions. I think the major differences in these two generations offer the dissimilarity between the desired feedback by Gen X and Gen Y employees that Brown touches upon.

When training or working in a team, I tend to give a ton of feedback to individuals so everyone knows where I stand and to ensure that there aren’t any outstanding questions. I like to give and receive feedback because I believe that communication is important in establishing goals, achieving commitment and overcoming resistance. Performance is a reflection of the results of goal setting and feedback within an organization, without the two, the attainment of goals would be nonexistent.

In my personal opinion, I have found that having specific goals and receiving targeted feedback has led to higher performance, more engagement between departments, teams, and individuals and has also created better team dynamics. Employees who are provided feedback and who are able to make suggestions and discuss opinions, tend to feel “appreciated, important and understood. When employees feel like they have a voice, they won't feel stifled or fearful of sharing their opinions.” This in turn allows for positive change and reinforcement throughout the organization. Feedback bridges people together, and allows for greater productivity, and motivation throughout an organization.
            I believe that the implications of my reflection are due in part to my Gen Y interpretation and experiences and are also due to my personal experiences both professionally and in my personal life. Setting difficult clearly defined goals for myself allowed me to set my sights on obtaining my A&P licenses, attending Embry-Riddle and graduating with my degree, obtaining the current position I am in now, and starting my master’s degree. Feedback has been a huge part of my life as I have had to experience a vast amount of positive and negative reinforcement and critique. I have learned how to keep open lines of communication with each relationship I hold and have also learned to challenge myself with the goals set before me. Without the use of feedback and goal setting I would not have the ability to better myself and become more efficient and effective in my professional career.

 

References

Papa, J. (n.d.). Importance of Feedback in Business Communication | eHow.com. eHow | How to Videos, Articles & More - Discover the expert in you. | eHow.com. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5374330_importance-feedback-business-communication.html

Murillo, A. (2011, January 26). Difference between Generation X and Y | Ashley Ellis. Ashley Ellis-Information Technology IT Recruiting and Staffing Firm Chicago, IL. Retrieved from http://www.ashleyellis.com/2011/01/difference-between-generation-x-and-y/

 

Harvey, D. F., & Brown, D. R. (2011). Goal Setting for Effective Organizations. In An experiential approach to organization development (8th ed., pp. 319-325). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.

A631.2.5.RB Cooperation and Competition _Reyes,Cassandra

1. What behaviors seemed to help your team successfully complete its task?

I believe that each of our group members possessed team interdependence as each member was able to independently contribute to the performance of the team. It was apparent that the success of the group and the task at hand was contingent upon the assistance and performance of the other group members. Cooperation between team member suggestions also helped our team successfully complete its task as everyone was open to the suggestions on how the work would be submitted, how the assignment should have been completed and the group's ground rules in each member's responsibility.

Collaboration was another behavior that assisted with the success of the team as each member was able to interface with one another allowing the team to be effective in its quick decision making. Each team member contributed to the overall objective of the group and the climate of the collaboration allowed for excellent group efficiency.

2. What factors inhibited decision-making or problem-solving?

The group performed well together for its first assignment and we did not have any specific clear issues with decision making or communication, however I did notice that each  member had a very different personal schedule which caused for each of us to be very aware of checking into the discussion board frequently. For instance, Glynn had a number of games she had to attend throughout the week, Richard's wife is pregnant and he informed us he may have difficulty in logging in and checking the discussion board as he may be in the hospital and I had a few appointments throughout the week for myself and my family I had to keep track of. Due to everyone's outside responsibility's it was important for each of us to log in as best as we could to ensure everyone was still on track with who was responsible for what and ensuring the assignment was submitted on time.

Another factor that may have inhibited decision making was role ambiguity. During the first few days of the discussion board everyone stated what their responsibilities would be and the ground rules of the group. Glynn stated she would submit the final product if that was okay with everyone and we all agreed. I informed the group that I would be the "back up" submitter of the assignment, as I thought it was a good idea to have one just in case of an emergency or other responsibilities of the individual who would originally submit the assignment.

By Wednesday I noticed we were done with the assignment and it was ready for submission, as Glynn had informed us earlier in the week she would be busy with her games, I took the initiative in submitting the assignment early so she would not have to worry about it as I knew she was busy. I submitted the assignment and informed the team of the change. While I was a bit hesitant in doing this as Glynn stated she would submit it, and I did not want to cause any confusion, I thought the decision in submitting it was best for the overall team. I think things like this help with bridging the team together and allowing for effective decision making and problem solving.

3. How much time was spent on decision-making and problem-solving?

The group made decisions fairly quickly and there were not any real issues for the first assignment. I think one decision making issue that arose was when Harish had suggested the Team Charter should have been written in a solo voice as a group and Glynn had suggested there were portions of the assignment which should be done individually. I suggested we each incorporate our individual thoughts on each section and then blend everyone’s thoughts together. Harish, Glynn and I listed our thoughts and Richard went ahead and listed everything as a group. The final product came out great and everyone worked very well together.

4. How was information shared among team members?

Information was shared was mostly via the discussion board provided to us, however we also all exchanged numbers and personal emails so we would be able to get in touch with each other easily and just in case there was any major confusion we may have needed to discuss. Any time each member had a suggestion we listed it on the discussion board so each member could see it and make any other needed suggestions.

5. How did issues of authority or power affect the team?

In my opinion, there were no real issues with authority or power as of yet. Suggestions were made to the assignment and we each discussed the outcome. As Harish stated he had previously taken MSLD 630 and was familiar with the group assignment, his suggestion was taken into consideration on how to complete the Team Charter, however his experience did not override other member' suggestions as other team members did offer great input on how to complete the assignment.

6. How did collaboration and competition influence the outcome?

Collaboration was a huge part in completing this assignment as each team member offered a variety of suggestions as to how the group should be run so it could be successful. Suggestions from each member were provided and competition with those suggestions was fairly nonexistent as the group dynamic flowed very well.

7. Did team members make process interventions?

I think a few members made process interventions when suggestions were made on completion and submission of the assignment. The first process intervention was made by the group when the subject of individual assignments arose. Harish suggested the group be written in a solo voice, Glynn suggested a few section should be written individually and I suggested we merge their two suggestions. The second process intervention was when I decided to step out of the box and submit the assignment so the rest of the team could rest easy and know that the work had been done and submitted. While each intervention was suggested by a specific team member, the other members of the team either offered suggestions to the change or ensured communication was delivered to the new process that would take place.

I think our group had great communication and did a good job at managing conflict. I think we all used the Integrating technique as there was a high concern for self and others and there was a concern for problem solving, openness, sharing of information and the examination of differences to reach a consensus decision.

A631.1.5.RB - Eco Seagate

                                                                      EcoSeagate

1.      Do you see value in the EcoSeagate team development process?

I see extreme value in the EcoSeagate team development process. I think the idea of EcoSeagate is amazing and I would love to be a part of a development process such as this. Spending a week with 200 employees gives everyone an opportunity to get to know each other on a more personal level and allows people to step outside of their comfort zone. Teams are formed and individuals build trust, and respect for one another.

While everyone might not walk with an affinity for one another, I strongly believe that the workshops provided and the experiences the firm encounters together, helps bridge a gap to any misunderstood relationships. Communication is a huge factor that is taught and learned in a development process such as this, and communication is key to the success of many teams as well as an organization as a whole.

2.      Why would something like this be necessary in a high-performing organization?

A developmental process such as this is necessary in a high performing organization because all employees participating learn to work together and also learn how to resolve conflicts and come up with solutions that are in favor with the suggestions discussed by each team’s members. High performing organizations require a multitude of individuals from all different levels to work together and respect one another’s area of specialty.

EcoSeagate allows for individuals to be responsible, accountable and dependable on one another. It opens minds and permits people to think outside the box. I think the skills learned in EcoSeagate could not only be used within an organization but within someone’s personal life as well. EcoSeagate helps rebuild an individual’s mind and character, two very important elements of individuals who work and perform in a high performance organization.

3.      Could your organization benefit from a similar activity?

I had actually made a similar suggestion of a developmental process such as this in one of my prior leadership courses, however not to the extent of EcoSeagate of course. I suggested that as an organization we should take on an activity that would allow for individuals to work together, trust one another and bridge gaps between departments. My suggestions were small in scale such as indoor rock climbing, paintball, and a variety of other team friendly sports and tasks. When the suggestion was made in an open discussion I was told that while it was a great idea that it may not work too well as there are shy people who might not want to participate.

While I could see and come to agreement with this statement, EcoSeagate proves my point in the importance and positive effect a developmental process such as this could have on an organization. Embry-Riddle has tons of employees, all over the world. I strongly believe that if provided the opportunity there would be an endless amount of volunteers to take place in an event like this. One outstanding effect I think an event like this could help Embry-Riddle with, would be the development of interdepartmental teams and bridging the gap between Embry-Riddle Headquarters, the Residential Campuses and the satellite locations we offer worldwide.

A521.5.8RB Value Narrative, Reyes, Cassandra

1. In a blog post, create a story from the Concept Map you generated in the previous exercise.

2. Ensure that it is consistent with Denning's "Template for Generating Value Narratives" on p. 150.

3. Describe why this story is important and what you would expect its impact to be on your organization.

            The specific values that I have chosen that create conflict amongst each other are customer intimacy and operational excellence. Customer intimacy is the ability to maintain a positive and substantial relationship with all customers that come into contact with your organization. Operational excellence is having the capability to do your job to the best of your ability while providing the best customer service experience possible. These two values are extremely important to the success of my organization, however have come into conflict just recently due to the implementation of a new student and employee system.

            The incident where conflict arose between these two values was during the recent implementation of a new student and employee system called Campus Solutions. In October of last year the University switched from one system to another to provide better service to our students, staff and faculty, however during this change each group experienced its own set of frustration and difficulty with learning the new aspects of how the system would work.

            When the Campus Solutions system was implemented there were a lot of complaints on managing the new system as there were a lot of errors that continued to occur with finding or obtaining information for our students. On the other hand the students were upset as many current students were already used to the system that we currently had in place and did not take too well to the learning curve of the new system in use. It took many months before the errors were fixed and during this time there was a lot of apologizing to our students for the discrepancies that were taking place. It has now been a few months since the implementation of campus solutions and many of the kinks and quirks of the system have been worked out which have allowed new and current student the ability to maneuver through it in a more effortless way. While problems may arise in the future during use of this or any other system that may be implemented, I believe that it will take time for each group to find the positive aspects of the change rather than the negative, and allow for the system to bypass its kinks to allow for a more streamlined effort in system use for any group.

            The story makes clear the importance of each of my listed values as customer intimacy and operational excellence were both affected by the implementation of the new system. The change from Datatel to Campus Solutions offered a more innovative way for students, staff and faculty to obtain the information they needed to proceed through the course of their degrees or their occupations, however the strive for operational excellence also hindered the customer intimacy we were trying to achieve due to all of the issues that had started to take place. The story has not been stripped of any necessary detail and links to the specific values of the organization that we were and continue to strive to achieve.

            The story shows that the organization is concerned with the operational excellence they offer their customers and also cares for the customer intimacy that we are continuing to try and emulate into the industry of our students. The new system also offers better ratings for the positive customer service we are currently offering as it has made staff and student use much easier. Students are now able to see much more information regarding their accounts and the staff also has the ability to flow through the system to find or change information on their students at a faster rate. This story is also a characteristic of the organization and its values as it shows the importance of training for our staff and how the training of our new system has allowed for a better experience all around for everyone involved with the organizations success.

Cassandra R.

A521 5.4 Aligning Values, Reyes, Cassandra

Denning discusses in detail the process of developing and aligning organizational values. Identify the three basic components of an ethical community and discuss how they might be applied in your organization. Are there values that are missing from your organization?

Discuss how you might develop those values and also align them with the values of the individuals in the organization.

The three main basic components to an ethical community are imperative to assist with the success of an organization. These values help align the organization with its employees and offer a sustainable environment where each individual who takes part in the success of the organization can understand the part they play as well as the part the organization plays in its specific industry. The three values of an ethical community include, trust, loyalty and solidarity. While these things may seem minor or simple in nature, the role each value plays is essential to the success of each employee, the position they hold, their department and the company as a whole.

            Trust. I think Embry-Riddle Worldwide does a great job at incorporating trust into their organization, however there are times when there is also a downside to the trust the organization has as certain individuals have taken advantage of that trust in the past. For example, I am currently pregnant and about to give birth any day now. Due to my current circumstances my boss has allowed me to work from home the past few days just in case I need to be rushed to the hospital or in case of any other circumstances that may take place. Due to having the opportunity to do this, I do not need to use my personal leave as I am able to work from the comfort of my own home, therefore I do not waste any time that I would need to spend with my newborn daughter.

            The instance where trust in the organization has had a downfall, is the teleworking experience I believe they have had. There are a variety of teleworkers from different departments who work from home on a daily basis. While there are a number of excellent teleworkers, there have also been instances where teleworking has not worked out for the organization as certain employees would take advantage of working from home. Their work was either lacking or not getting done and the image of teleworking started to disintergrate. Therefore, teleworking is now looked upon as an absolute last case scenario and is very, very rare to achieve. While I can understand the change of heart the organization has on teleworkers, I also think that it is unfair to those employees who have proven themselves and would do an amazing job if provided the opportunity to telework. While it is common in almost all organizations, it is a shame that one bad apple can ruin the bunch.

            Loyalty. I think Embry-Riddle does a great job at being loyal to its employees but most of all to their students. I believe that each individual strives to place a commitment on assisting each other with leading our prospects, applicants and students to the right people who would be able to assist them. I think that the company is loyal in doing their best to provide the best customer experience and education to their students and help them to pave a path in which they can be content with and proud of. I also believe that as an Embry-Riddle employee we are subject to the loyalty provided to us by our mangers and the organization as a whole. The benefits and opportunitites we each receive are just a few examples of the loyalty the organization has in ensuring that its staff and faculty and all the other individuals who make Embry-Riddle a success are taken care of and provided with the best.

            Solidarity. In my personal opinion, while solidarity does exist as a positive in our organization, I would like to see this value improved in our organization in certain circumstances. While I have seen solidarity take place from individual to individual, I can’t say that I have seen much of it take place from department to department. I believe that with solidarity there comes conflict as it is sometimes difficult for individuals to separate their personal interests from the interests of others. I think it is human nature for individuals to feel as though their interests are more valuable than that of others, which makes it difficult to step back and recognize the importance and value of others suggestions, concerns, and other significant things that make a team what it truly is. When one believes that their interest is of more significance than another’s it can be difficult and sometimes impossible to care for another’s inetersts and even more so, to take action on behalf of something or someone you don’t truly believe in.

            I wouldn’t say that my organization is missing any specific values, as I believe that it is a wonderful organization to work for and it has provided me with a number of opportunities I would have never had. However, I do feel that there are a number of values in any organization that can be improved to always ensure that the individuals who run the organization are content, happy and challenged in their positions. As the years go on companies change, target markets alter, and organizations are constantly faced with challenges that they must overcome in order for them to continue to be successful.

I believe that if Embry-Riddle continues to brush up on its values and challenge themselves in the industry with their competitors along with their staff and faculty, that they will continue to be successful in their efforts. I think that to align the employees of Embry-Riddle with the values of the organization you have to start from the bottom up. Every person needs to be on board to ensure a smooth flowing working system. When it is found that there are individuals who are not align with the values of the organization, then we must ensure that the values of the company are understood and that there is acceptance of what those values are. An overlap of personal and organizational values must take place to ensure that success is mutually enforced. “In the end, each person must find a personal relationship to the organizational values that are important to the company, whether those values are similar to or different from his or her own.”

        References

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative (Revised and updated edition). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons/Jossey-Bass

A521.5.1.RB - Core Workplace Value Assessment, Reyes, Cassandra

Take this assessment, and create a Reflective Blog posting that discusses how your values align with the values of your workplace; be certain to point out the major similarities and differences and address how you might mitigate those differences.

The assessment lists a number of excellent and important workplace values that one should take into consideration when looking into representing who you are and what you are looking to achieve on a professional level. Verifying which values you feel are most important to you is imperative to each individual’s success in their position as well as their long term career. When breaking down which values you feel are absolutely needed in your organization to consider yourself satisfied with your job and what you deem will make or break your success in an organization, it is significant to have a clear and honest opinion about who you are, what your short and long term goals are and where you see yourself in the upcoming years. Without having a defined view of these things, it is unlikely for anyone to be successful in their attempts to gain success without having a full understanding of what it is they are looking to achieve.

After taking the assessment my five core values were listed as follows; (I also listed a sixth as I felt it was just as important as some of the others listed)

1.     Opportunity for balance between work and family life

2.     Stability and security

3.     Teamwork and work groups

4.     Clear advancement tracks and opportunity for advancement

5.     Respect, recognition and being valued

6.     Variety and a changing work pace

The similarities between my work place and my core values relate sufficiently enough to the point where I am comfortable with where I am, what I do and how my career is progressing. The opportunity for balance between work and family life is essential to my success as I am a new wife and soon to be new mother. It is important that I am able to balance between being able to be successful in my profession as well as be a good wife and mother. My manager has offered me a variety of flexibility when it comes to understanding the changes that are taking place in my life which has allowed me to continue to be successful professionally, however the difference between my core values and my position, is that I feel the organization as a whole could be a little more understanding to new mothers, who are continuing to work full time and pursue their education. I feel as though more opportunities for daycares and a bit more flexibility with time would really help out anyone who may be becoming a new parent.

Stability and security offer similarities to my core values as it is imperative for me to offer a stable profession and environment for my family. It is important to know that I will continue to keep my job as long as I continue to work hard and deliver great results, instead of having the worry that I may be laid off in certain industries such as the airline industry. The differences of stability and security as compared to my values, is the fear of becoming too reliant on the security I have at my job. I feel as though many individuals tend to get stuck in a position or organization because they become afraid to leave the security of it. Therefore, I need to remind myself that sometimes taking chances can offer amazing outcomes.

Teamwork and work groups offer similarities to my core values as I believe that teamwork is absolutely necessary in an organization in order for it to be successful. I think that each department should offer team functions and activities to ensure that all team members feel included and take part in the overall success of each other. The differences in teamwork and work groups to my values is that I feel my organization can do a bit more to ensure that the organization as a whole feels like a team instead of just departmentally. This would ensure all levels would feel as though they could coincide with one another on a more personal level as well.

Clear advancement tracks are essential to my professional success and that is why I have listed it as a core value. The similarities and differences this value and my organization hold is that while there is room for advancement in certain departments or areas of the organization, there tends to be a number of competition for opportunity for advancement as there are many individuals who have been with the University for some time who have already proven themselves and are awaiting the chance for a promotion to take place. While Embry-Riddle Worldwide does offer a number of campuses worldwide the opportunity for advancement at the Worldwide Headquarters is less likely as it is fairly small.

The similarities and differences of my core value respect and recognition is important as I feel that these two things are extremely important for an individual to feel job satisfaction. The similarities of this value are true to my organization as Embry-Riddle Worldwide does its best to recognize those special individuals who have stood out amongst the crowd during the year. For instance this year, I received the “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty” award at the Worldwide Headquarters all hands on meeting this month. It was amazing to be recognized for all of the hard work and effort I had put forth throughout the year, however I also believe that recognition and value should be addressed periodically throughout the year. I think this helps employees understand where they stand in their position and also addresses their strengths and weaknesses.

The similarities and differences of the variety and changing work pace value and my organization is that while my current position does offer certain challenges, the job can get a bit redundant and tedious. It is important for me to always continue to be challenged and ensure that I am keeping up with the pace of my job description but that I am also changing my own pace to ensure that I am never too overwhelmed or bored with my job. I think a healthy balance of each would make it possible to maintain job enrichment.

Cassandra R.