British Literature Essay Example for Free

British Literature Essay Literature is one of the most effective ways to protest against the society, iniquities in this society. From early times writers and poets used rhythms and stories for ridiculing the upper class of a society. Why do poets use poems to tell about social injustices? The answer is simple. This way a poet can catch and hold the reader’s attention, his emotions. Usually poets in their works present facts in order to capture attention of many people. These are not new facts that are presented to an audience. From early times poets used the words effectively to make people think about the situation and make want them to act in order to change the present state of things. Poets and writers know the exact words and phrases that can influence people’s attitude to this or that situation so that they start acting. Poems are always aimed to reach feelings of people and thus, to pull strings. Literature of every state shows all the complexity of every epoch. When the situation is the same at several countries, it has a worldwide significance. Before talking about poetry, we should answer the question: What is poetry? Poetry is a special way of describing situations, things, ideas, feelings. Poets present their ideas in short phrases. They use rhythm to emphasize their feelings and ideas. Besides, a poet can appeal to reader’s emotions via poems. That is why a poem is easily remembered. A poem can be compared to a photograph as it reflects real life, real situations and feelings. In a poem a poet captures the exact moment and represents it the way he/she has seen it. When you read a poem you see the poet’s subjective evaluation of facts, situations and the epoch in general. Poets of Romantic Movement wrote their poems to share their feelings. They wrote to help people understand their time from the poet’s point of view. This paper is about Romantic Movement in Great Britain. It is devoted to William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, William Blake, Robert Burns, Mary Wollstonecraft and Joanna Baillie who became a radical group in British literature of their epoch. In the paper special attention is paid to the use of lyric poetry (ballads) and blank verse in poetry of the nineteenth century. British poetry. â€Å"The poem on the page is only a shadow of the poem in the mind. And the poem in the mind is only a shadow of the poetry and the mystery of the things of this word.†    Stanley Kunitz Before analyzing the British poetry of the nineteenth century it is necessary to mention the changes in political, industrial, scientific and cultural spheres of life of that time and caused the changes in British literature having challenged the standards of form and structure in poetry. From 1776 the American and French Revolutions and later the Industrial Revolution astounded Great Britain and Europe and caused disturbances among people. In the second half of the century Charles Darwin published Origins of Species and The Descent of Man that caused the revolution in scientific thought. This was an unrest period and people were forced to evaluate their values and beliefs again. There is no wonder that the British poets changed their world outlook. The first stage of Romanticism in English literature began in 1790s. William Blake was the first major poet who reacted to these changes. His poems were far from standard patterns. The poetry of Blake is characterized by long, unrhymed lines, a steady interplay of opposites (Damrosch 458). A metaphor can be found in titles of Blake’s works. For instance, his series of poems: Songs of Innocence in 1789 and Songs of Experience in 1794; The Marriage of Heaven and Hell etc. Blake believed that opposites are integral parts of life. He wrote about things that we too often forget making the reader look at events from another point of view. Blake tried to use the joy of words. He used figurative language to describe things in an unusual, in a completely new way breaking down the traditions in poetry of his time. Blake’s beginnings were supported by the efforts of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. They have written a collection of poems, anonymously authored, famous for its poems and its preface, entitled Lyrical Ballads in 1798. In the preface a poet deems that poems must regard ‘situations from life’ in ‘the everyday language’. Wordsworth describes poetry as ‘the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’. This expression was the manifesto of the Romantic Movement in poetry presenting revolutionary idea for that time. Moreover, the poet emphasizes on the avoidance of artificial poetic style. He believes language must be understandable and enjoyable for ordinary people. Lyrical Ballads is one of the most significant books which became a major change in the history of English poetry (Damrosch 462). Poems from the collection are written in simple, everyday language. They are concentrated on the appreciation of the power of nature, examination of human personality, inner feelings, emotions and thought with an emphasis on imagination. Lyrical Ballads starts from Coleridge’s long poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner and continues with poems manifesting the nature appreciation, the superiority of emotions and feelings over reason. The romance emphasizes individuality, beauty of nature contrasting to formality and artificiality of the standards in poetry of that epoch. A collection contains Tintern Abbey, The Idiot Boy and other controversial poems of Wordsworth written in everyday language. Poets used an every day language before, thus, they did not use it so that they broke down the rules and standards. Samuel Taylor Coleridge is famous for marvelous The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and the ‘conversation poems’, for example, Frost at Midnight and This Lime-Tree Bower My Prison, as well as for his unfinished works Christabel and Kubla Khan, which is like an obsession that haunts your mind (Damrosch 466). Dorothy Wordsworth, William’s sister, is an English prose writer. Her famous Alfoxden Journal and invaluable Gramere Journals were published in 1897. Her works are full of imagination while describing nature and personalities of unusual qualities. Dorothy’s prose is sudden, clear and natural. You may disagree with her ideas or conclusions. However, the writer could possibly say that it is enough that a reader reflects on her ideas. William Wordsworth wrote many short poems which were aimed at breaking down neoclassical verse. He included new poems in the second edition of the collection – The Brothers and Michael. In his works the author tries to speak about life truthfully sharing his feelings with a reader. Sometimes they share ideas, sometimes – a question. These poems and marvelous lyrics were written in his great decade. Thus, the most famous poem of William Wordsworth is his autobiographical philosophical poem The Prelude. This is a spiritual autography in which the author puts questions of philosophical value, about the purpose of his existence, of his value as a poet. In this work William Wordsworth is the major hero. The author places imagination on the first place among human talents. This work is better to call an epic as it consists of 8000 lines and is separated into 14 books (Damrosch 471). It is necessary to mention Joanna Baillie, a poet and dramatist. She wrote plays in verse which were highly appreciated. However, she is famous largely for her first published work, a collection of lyrics Fugitive Verses in 1790. Another talented English writer is Mary Wollstonecraft. She is famous for her works about equality of women concerning education and social life. Mary Wollstonecraft was a member of a radical group together with William Blake and later William Wordsworth. All her life Mary Wollstonecraft remained a passionate defender of women rights. In her works she was bringing up a fulmination against social inequality of women. She wrote Thoughts on the Education of Daughters in 1787 and A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, which contains a fulmination and a plea concerning equality for women, in 1792. The second stage of Romanticism began in 1805 and was marked by appreciation of history value, attention to origins, to works of Renaissance time. One of the most noted poets of the second stage is George Gordon, Lord Byron. He put the poet in the central place and spoke about imagination in his works (Damrosch 458). Romantic Movement reached its high point of art in the works of Byron. In his poems he emphasizes the individual feelings, emotions of a person, not of several ones; expression of feeling opposes to morality and value of nature to a state. The works of Byron are unique and brilliant, his poetry is an outstanding event connected with the Epoch of Romanticism. When an artist puts paint on canvas, he/she attentively traces shapes and colours for attaining a needful effect. The same Byron does when he writes a poem – he arranges words so that a poem is simple and comprehensible. Byron uses language in unusual way: he chooses words for sound and meaning. He carefully selects and arranges each word to achieve the desirable sound and effect. His major hero is a romantic person who is out of the society. In his poems the author raises the question of immortality. Besides, his works are notable for their flippancy. In 1820s there was a third stage of Romanticism that spread romantic ideas in literature worldwide (Damrosch 458). Summarizing, the Romantic Movement in Britain has three stages; every of stages is famous for poets and their works. At this time poets broke with tradition and tried the relaxed rhythms, everyday language and imagination in their poems. Conclusion. The paper briefly analyzes the three stages of Romantic Movement in Great Britain in general and poets who contributed greatly to the poetry of their country in a more detailed way. Besides, the paper analyzes the peculiarities of literature of that epoch. Having examined the works of William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, William Blake, Robert Burns, Mary Wollstonecraft and Joanna Baillie, it is clear it was a new generation of poets in the British literature. References: Damrosch D., Wolfson S. J., Manning P. J. (2005). The Longman Anthology of British Literature, Volume 2A: The Romantics and Their Contemporaries, Longman, 3rd Edition, 1120pp.

Outline and Speech Essay Example for Free

Outline and Speech Essay My life before becoming a non-traditional student was very typical and average. At 34, I was a mother of two kids and was trying to juggle between my family and work life. I did not have a particularly hard time between the two and even felt dissatisfied about my professional life. I had been working as a salon manager for about 15 years and I was also into retail management at that time. For some people, this can be regarded as a big achievement. However, I was not contented at all and it got to the point where I felt that I had already reached the end. There was no room for growth and there were not much opportunity to make more money, which I needed to support my family. I toyed with the idea of going back to school for a very long time. I felt that my life was too complicated for me to go back. I had a family with two children to think about and it is important for me to not miss any quality time with them. Although I knew that there were many other non-traditional students out there and that the idea of going back to school is not new anymore, I still had my doubts and I thought of my decision for quite some time. I did think about the advantages for me and the negative effects it would bring mainly to my family. I also had questions regarding the cost of receiving a degree, as well as the financial aid options that are available for me. I was also very conscious of the fact that this generation is very different from what I knew when I was still in school. Young people nowadays are very liberated and have many bright ideas, which would help them excel in their fields. As for me, I was this middle-aged woman trying to fit in in this new world. See more: what is essay format However, this feeling did not last long because I discovered that I was not the only non-traditional student in the school and that the school is very accommodating to students like us. The younger students are liberated but this fact also helped because they are more open to things like non-traditional students. The most important factor that led to my decision of going back to school was my thirst for more and for better things for my family. I had my second daughter in December of 2005 and I was able to take an extended leave of one year after that pregnancy. When I went back to work, I felt something different. I had manager hours, which is very convenient for me and the pay was not that bad either. However, I was bursting with so much drive, ambition, and motivation and I felt that I had so much more to offer than just become a salon manager all my life. In 2007, after 15 years of working, I finally had the courage to leave my job and go back to school. To say that I was nervous is an understatement. I was giddy, excited, and scared all at the same time. I did not know what to expect after 16 years of being out of school. Sure, I can read about the latest news on the Internet and even see some of what is going on but experiencing it first-hand is very different. Still, the thing that made me survive and take it all in was the fact that this decision while it can affect my family, it will ultimately be beneficial for me and nobody else’s. I was doing it for me because I wanted to achieve greater things in life. I have a very busy life as a non-traditional student at this time. I am now in my third semester here at NSU and I believe that I am doing great in terms of school work. Contrary to what I feared before, I have no problems handling my personal and family life. Both of my kids are very active socially and academically and I make sure that I still have the time to guide them with their activities. After finishing my courses, I believe that I will be better equipped and prepared to take greater responsibilities. I would be more confident that my career path would not be a dead-end like before. I would therefore like to state that this decision of becoming a non-traditional student has proved to be beneficial to me and to the people around me.

Personal And Professional Development

Personal And Professional Development For this essay I have audited my leadership skills using theoretical models and referred to specific situations and experiences. This encompasses personal, academic and professional reflections and explores opportunities for my career paths and personal development with an Action Plan for the future. This has required critical evaluation of my own development needs in light of my own aspirations, establishing an understanding of my transferrable skills and how these can be enhanced. For this I have considered situations in which my leadership traits, styles and skills have been utilised to help create successful outcomes. Background My career path has involved working closely with and taking an interest in people, both clients and colleagues alike. In developing my management skills, I am continually pursuing further ways of improving the effectiveness of these interactions which is immensely rewarding for me. On leaving school, my first employment was within the travel industry. From the outset, I sought to improve skills and enjoyed the challenge of meeting the needs of customers, budgetary targets, training of staff, problem solving, through to the opening and management of a travel agency branch several years later. Apart from the GCSE qualifications gained at school, any further academic or professional learning has been gained whilst in employment. The skills and achievements in my personal life are equally transferrable to my work life. For example, as Chairman of a genealogical society for several years and public speaking engagements both serve as reminders that I have organisational, research and presentation abilities which I can and should be utilising and developing along my career path. I am a prison officer and, three years ago, I learnt that my establishment was funding a Foundation Degree in Offender Management. My initial reaction was one of excitement as I had, for several years, considered some form of Higher Education by way of personal and professional development, but had never explored the options. It was a source of immense satisfaction to pass the course and achieve Distinction grade. My learning journey, experiences and personal developments, undertaken in the last three years, would take more than the word count of this essay allows, yet there are key points to reflect on in order to analyse my own leadership skills and continue their development. Theoretical Models and Personal Experience of Reflection in my Professional Development: From my earliest days in retail employment, then Care Work and on to prison officer, I have been fascinated by people and behaviour. Working alongside others, as well as empowering and training gives me great personal and professional satisfaction. Using reflective models such as Gibbs (1998), shown in Appendix III, I came to realise that how I interpret situations influences my interactions with others. As I will illustrate, this relates directly to my personality style and how I manage people and situations. Linked to this is the importance I place on how I am viewed by others and naturally seek collaborative and open relationships. Many of these values are found in Carnegie (1938), listed in Appendix I. The Study Skills Self-Assessment which I completed on 23 October 2007 (Appendix II) highlighted three main employability skills I need to develop as: Improving own learning and performance Application of number (data collection and interpretation) Information and technology proficiency Alongside these, to develop, are my personal attributes of Self confidence Flexibility and adaptability Judgement In this assessment I also reflected on my own specific weaknesses which include being too self-critical and not praising my own achievements enough which can affect my ability to be objective about my performance. I have a strong underpinning need to defend others and leap to their rescue which I have come to see as a hindrance to my own development and of those I seek to help. This is a particularly important area for me to address as future management roles will require me to allow others to take their own personal responsibility and only offer guidance as appropriate. This rescuer style is schema-related and I have considered schema theory and how this applies to me. Beck, (1967:233), described a schema as ..a cognitive structure for screening, coding, and evaluating the stimuli that impinge on the organism. In short, schemas are the filters or core beliefs we have about ourselves or the world around us which influence how we interpret different situations in our lives. The nature of the work I do in offender rehabilitation requires me to undertake regular de-briefing, supervision, yearly health reviews and bi-monthly counselling. This, together with schema theory and other therapy models I use with prisoners, which I have also applied to myself, means I spend a lot of time being introspective and sharing reflections with colleagues. This helps define practical steps for a successful future but also enables me to gain wider perspectives in understanding, leading and managing others with a range of resources and situational analysis capabilities. Whereas, in the past and even recently, I have questioned the decision making processes of management, this has reshaped into a desire to gain a holistic overview of the work environment. Understanding the way we think and manage ourselves and others has been an important facet of my learning over the last three years. Straker (2008) who expands on the work of Gardner (2006) was helpful in appreciating that how we interact with people, at all levels, and is crucial for self development. Overcoming objections to understanding others, for fear that this might disprove our own theories about ourselves and the world are key hurdles of which I must continually be mindful. Negative experiences in this have resulted in an unhealthy view of the workplace but, as I said earlier, the benefits of a more engaging view have proved beneficial in my work and personal well being. As well as using Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1998), Kolb (1984) also helped me to evaluate experiences and test hypotheses but I did not find it took me to the point of action whereas Gibbs sets out the plan for ongoing development which is crucial for me so as not to remain procrastinating. Moon (2004) has been a useful resource on reflective practice, reminding me that reflection is not just important in itself, but must also lead to positive change, In observing what gets in the way, rather than being stuck in analysis, to move beyond and set goals for positive development has been essential learning for me and has been a surprising benefit which I had not expected several years ago. Leadership Employability Skills I recently completed an Employability Skills self assessment exercise which we first undertook in the first semester of the Foundation Degree. On doing this, I compared the results from the two. It was encouraging that one of my main developments appears to have been in problem solving and I consider my Higher Education studies over the last three years as contributing to my deeper analysing abilities. In light of earlier descriptions of my learning journey and reflective logs, it is gratifying to see that I have come a long way in, not only overcoming my own obstacles to learning, but making measured and significant achievement which then enables me to guide others in their roles. Among the key learning experiences for me, alongside the above, are a recognition of the roles of others, networking and effective communication. My career path has involved working closely with and taking an interest in people, both clients and colleagues alike. This was particularly apparent when I recently updated my Curriculum Vitae (Appendix IV), which was last compiled almost fifteen years ago. In developing my management skills throughout my degree studies, I have discovered further ways of improving the effectiveness of these interactions which is immensely rewarding for me. Through networking with management and departments for resources on researching prison policy, security and management skills, I am now feeling positive and motivated to succeed in career development. Not only is this important from a practical, self-development perspective, but also the fulfilling sense of achievement this will bring. Until recently, I was Supervisor of the Core Sex Offender Treatment Programme which was an important role in developing my leadership skills, promoting staff well-being as well as guiding staffs professional development. Another important aspect of this was to remain flexible yet consistent in balancing these needs whilst focussing on the goals of the establishment Business Plan and Key Performance Target (KPT) priorities. This mirrors Handy (1987) who argues for such flexibility in his Trust Control Theory. I find myself taking the opportunity to develop the skills of others very seriously and is personally rewarding and empowering. The values I attribute to this mirror those of Kandola and Fullerton (1994) in their Mosaic Vision which I have included in Appendix V. In Transactional Analysis Theory (Bern, 1961), every individuals personality is made up of three parts Parent, Adult and Child. An assessment of my own revealed a predominantly Nurturing Parent relationship style which is immensely rewarding personally, but can prove emotionally draining and is not without its practical problems. However, developing assertiveness skills in establishing my own identity and skills base has the benefit of overcoming any negative rumination and keeps lines of communication open. An example of achieving this was in challenging my line manager over my yearly performance review where I was rated Achieved and not Exceeded which I felt was deserved. I could have overlooked this and ruminated unhelpfully, believing him to be responsible for not recognising my achievements, but chose instead to manage my manager and argued my case. I found the www.h2training.com website interesting which had useful strategies for reminding me how to maintain my own degree of self-determination. Quoting from this site: Its unreasonable to expect your manager to be entirely responsible for accelerating your career: ultimately, its your own responsibility. Remember that an expectation is also resentment waiting to happen, and it is very difficult to hide resentment. http://h2training.com/managing_manager_tips.html [accessed November 2010] Suffice to say, my performance record was amended accordingly. I recently had to step down from Sex Offender Treatment work which I found difficult to accept. I, therefore, reappraised my personal development and used reflective skills (Kolb, 1984 and Beck 1967) to help evaluate the experiences and to understand how I was interpreting them. By doing this, I was able to negotiate a role within the drugs support team after originally being offered an office based assessment position which I would have found unfulfilling. Indeed, on reflection, assertiveness and negotiation are two core management attributes which are now part of my skills set. Drawing together the range of experience and interests I have enjoyed over successive years keeps me, first and foremost, actively engaged in working for and alongside others. My role as a drugs support worker requires the key skills I possess with the realisation and expectation that they can be further developed with a particular emphasis on evaluating the management requirements of this work. This is encouraging and, in this period of change, I have come to realise the importance of job satisfaction as a key motivator for me. An important element of my professional life is to uphold personal and corporate values of decency and ethical practice including cultural diversity. I was pleased to be able to highlight these values in my Diversity Foundation Degree project from January 2009 where I made recommendations for valuing the diversity of staff and prisoners and improving ethical practice in Programmes Awareness training at Full Sutton. This was well received by the treatment management team resulting in the training being strengthened in this area. On sharing the findings of my Transactional Analysis with a work colleague, my nurturing parent style was acknowledged and confirmed through my perceived empathic nature. In looking at my management style, it is important that I maintain a balance between this and being careful not to go into White Knight schema-driven mode, where I need to defend others at all costs. Developing a style which cares for others yet enables them to function on their own merits allows me to function better as a genuinely caring person in my work and as a leader. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs theory (1943), reminds me that my own needs count as well as those of other people. In other words, putting other people first all the time is detrimental to my own well-being and valuing myself is, in itself, a key assertiveness skill. I continually remind myself of the announcements on aircraft during safety briefings where, in the event of oxygen masks being deployed, you are instructed to put your own on first before aiding anyone else. If you dont, you might pass out beforehand and then no one is saved. Critically evaluating My Leadership and Management Style Some years ago, a colleague of mine who has since retired, told me his thoughts on a particular Senior Manager. He used a phrase which, though meant in a derogatory sense, I have never forgotten. He said ..as a leader of men, I would only follow him out of curiosity. This colleague had spent many distinguished years in the Armed Services as a Regimental Sergeant Major and had been in the Prison Service for around 15 years. He had, therefore, some considerable experience of different management and leadership styles. Using established theory I continually analyse my own strengths and weaknesses in areas of leadership and management. Fayol (1916) highlighted five commons elements of management which are essential to the role. These include the ability to look to the future, to be organised and co-ordinate the organisational objectives, leading (though he defined it as commanding which is unhelpfully autocratic) and, finally, to control the above elements using all means at his or her disposal. Whilst this was written at the beginning of the last century, the basic tenets of management Fayol lists are still valid though ones own personality also engenders an effective workforce which can achieve results. The latter is personally important as I seek to have followers rather than delegates and makes me, as a manager, more of a leader. I recently completed the Myers Briggs Personality Type Questionnaire. Having done this a couple of years ago, I decided to redo this using an internet-based assessment resource (www.teamtechnology.co.uk) [accessed 15 September 2010], which produced a comprehensive 200 page report. Summary in Appendix VI The results proved very interesting and formed a cohesive assessment which affirmed the beliefs about my personality and leadership attributes gained over the last few years. This was confirmed through the initial questionnaire together with a separate subtest which had similar outcomes and, interestingly, the results were very similar to my previous assessment two years previously. Essentially, I have a strong focus on values, feelings, compassion and important beliefs where current experiences hold great learning importance. Team values are high and my role in ensuring the well-being of those with whom I work is important to me. There are, however, elements of this personality type which I am aware can be problematic if not managed appropriately. I do have a tendency to avoid conflict yet can be stubborn where my own values come into conflict with corporate ideals in which I run the risk of failing in objectivity. These are negative traits which I have been consciously working on over the last few years and serve to remind me that, whilst having a default style, this does not preclude effective working on these to the benefit of all concerned. Interestingly, the top two best matches of jobs for me based on enjoyment are actor and musician; for match came out as counsellor and customer care and a combination of match and enjoyment came out as counsellor and actor. All of these I have both experience and interest in and the traits from these have indeed shaped my leadership style. The Humanist approach described by McGregor (1964) looked at how individual attitudes can affect behaviour. He purported that there are 2 types of leader (using an X and Y continuum ranging from a negative to positive view of subordinates respectively). The latter, he showed, have a greater chance of effective performance from the workforce through a nurturing approach which I can identify with. A reflective log from December 2009 is included in Appendix VII. Again, as with most models, there is a typical style for each individual manager but even the most open and supportive one can revert on occasions to X-typical strategies and responses. This can be somewhat confusing and lacking in continuity for the workforce and, potentially unsettling as I will illustrate later in this essay. The model is similar to Tannenbaum and Schmidt (1958) who use the continuum from Authoritarian Task Orientation to Democratic Relationship Orientation where I operate towards the latter and Goleman (2000) on which I identify with the Affiliative (people come first) stage. Operational leaders, as covered by Maxwell (2002) have great value to an organisation in providing stability, devising systems and solving problems with positive engagement. However, because of their focus on detail they can overlook the bigger picture, sometimes lack motivation and are not effective in dealing with conflict. Very often, paraphrasing Maxwell here, operational leaders are not very good at getting their hands dirty but readily raise the flag at the moment of achievement. Thankfully, whilst viewing myself as an operational leader, I do like to share in tasks as well as delegate. John Adair (2002) in his range of leadership treatises, (which, incidently, build on the previous models of Maslow (1943), Herzberg (1964) and Fayol (1916) highlights three key management responsibilities under his banner of Action Centred leadership. Achieving the task Managing the team or group Managing individuals Whilst advocating a shared responsibility between the individual and external factors, it does not, however, take stock of the individual in the leadership role which I view as crucial. A similar but more complex model I have become interested in, is known as Crew Resource Management (CRM) which was originally devised by NASA to explore the human factors in civil aviation accidents in the 1970s. Several industries have adopted and adapted their own models accordingly and my interest will culminate in a dissertation for my Degree on the benefits of adopting a CRM approach to Prison Service critical incidents. Tasks or people? Workforce or Team ? It is clear that leadership is different to management though a good leader will have good management skills. In considering whether I impose myself as leader to focus on task or allow the team to flourish utilising their own skills, I completed the T-P leadership questionnaire (Appendix VIII). This scored exactly midway between the two, highlighting my awareness and flexibility to respond to both important aspects. How we respond to a leader gives some indication of our own skills and that of the one in the supervisory role. As one who aims to lead by inspiration, I am more inclined to follow Kolbs (1984) model of learning and encourage people to adapt concrete way of doing things to update their skills base and find more effective ways of working (feeling, watching, thinking, doing). An autocratic leader would be less inclined to allow such flexibility and attempt to ensure compliance from those who might be more inclined to kick and scream in and against the process. An effective leader should also take individual learning styles into account as no one method fits all. Honey and Mumfords Learning Style Inventory (1982), highlights the differences that exist, as I have found even within small teams, yet we all work together and effectively, notwithstanding that everyones experience of being under the same leadership will be different. One of the most important sources of reflection in considering my own style of leadership, plus a reinforcement of my own beliefs and values, is represented in the Style Theory of Leadership developed by Blake and Mouton (1964). This, essentially, follows on from McGregors X-Y theory and is more relevant to those predominantly on the Y axis and where a level of trust in management structure exists in the workplace. However, Blake and Mouton explored the benefits of those that put tasks before people and vice versa. Ultimately they considered whether concern for people or concern for production was more important for leaders. As with other models, the day to day style of individuals in leadership roles can vary but everyone has their own default mode. Where productivity appears more important than the maintenance and well-being of the staff, I can find myself at odds with the management and perceived ethos of the establishment at which I work. With the Blake Mouton model, I was relieved to have my default leadership style confirmed as Team Leader. This is indicative of high concern for both people and production where emphasis is placed on a spirit of teamwork and mutual co-operation. This also engenders a safe environment in which commitment from all sides is more readily forthcoming. However, in completing a recent practical assessment for a promotion board I failed to attain the required grade. I knew this as soon as the assessment was over, though I had to wait two months for the official result. In fact, I knew during the assessment, I was reacting totally contrary to my normal sense of priorities when faced with a constant stream of problems to solve. I found myself focussing primarily on the tasks and not enough on the personnel. For example, when faced with a member of staff who was emotionally upset at a domestic issue, I asked if he was okay to continue to get his landing unlocked and would look to help him with his problem later. Afterwards I learnt that the assessors were looking for Utopian responses in all scenarios assuming all needs could be immediately provided so I could have put staff welfare first, getting his role covered immediately so he could then get home to sort his issues. However, I reverted to my current work role where the pressure to meet deadlines sometimes overrides well-being. As this was completely at odds with how I believed I would normally have reacted, I was left feeling ill at ease and questioned why I persisted in this way when I am naturally Y (using McGregors model, 1960) and more team focused than task orientated (Blake Mouton, 1964). Whilst I may not fully understand why, at least it is a recognised trait à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..theory X managers (or indeed theory Y managers displaying theory X are primarily results oriented Internet source http://www.businessballs.com/mcgregor.htm [October 2010] On reflection, I am convinced that the culture and environment of the higher management structure (which demands and focuses on results and targets) filters down and, no matter how much one tries to resist or even kick against it, it permeates ones own work practice after a while. The climate in which I work consistently places emphasis on the meeting of Key Performance Targets (KPTs) and now, the Service Level Agreement (SLA). In meeting these as well as ever increasing budgetary constraints, every facet of work culture is placed under the microscope and, wherever possible, cut, yet the targets must be met regardless. However, no matter the circumstances in which we find ourselves or expectations laid at our office door, it is how we respond that is important and the acceptance of our personal responsibility to be channelled into effective working. An important element of relationships, at all levels including personal and business, is trust. Where one perceives this to be eroded or not present due to conflict in aims or values, it can have a destructive affect on effective co-working. As can be seen above, this is something I am struggling with in the corporate ethos where I am constantly second-guessing the motives behind management decision-making. However, to be an effective manager, I am mindful of maintaining a healthy approach to embracing the mission of the workplace even though I may not fully understand or have access to the full rationale behind the decision making processes from Higher Management. As a leader, I have to convey to those I wish to work effectively under me, that this mission is achievable and in the common interest despite my own such uncertainties. Maintaining personal integrity and establishing trust are essential in my personal, professional and leadership identity. Straker (2008:208) talks of transaction cost and trust boundaries. Essentially he argues that trust, if allowed to erode or not fostered within an organisation can impact on delivery and there has to be a cost on both sides to re-establish this. As he says .. the overall cost can be minimised with up-front investment in, and subsequent maintenance of, trust. If one does not have that sense of belonging within the trust group then there is something wrong with the work relationship and part of effective management and leadership performance is to be pro-active in fostering trust and encouraging people to enter the trust boundary. It begs the question, therefore, who and under what conditions will we follow? Should we be expected to lead and expect blind faith? What criteria and principles should be presented in order for others to set out on the journey with us ? Handy (1987) suggests that in order for an outcome to remain constant, the Trust-Control balance might need to shift between leader and subordinates and I can see merits in this as relationships, as well as work pressures, are fluid in nature. There are three established styles of leadership: autocratic, paternalistic and democratic. History records successful leaders who have exhibited all of the above. Each style can work and produce results but demands a flexibility on the part of the workforce to fit in with the style and it is that response which can be acknowledged and worked with or not as the case may be, As for my own style, confirmed as a nurturing parental approach, this has immense benefits for myself and for those who work under me as they feel supported and, more importantly in my opinion, affirmed in their roles with their own skills base recognised and developed. As with any style there are costs and, as I am finding, where my own sense of values conflicts with the demands laid upon me, this can have a detrimental effect to my own sense of purpose within the organisation. It is important, therefore, that structures and lines of communication are open which allow for that expression of view. However, this, in itself, is not without the potential cost. As I found when raising my head above the parapet on several occasions, to express concern and personal frustration with the direction expected by senior managers, it can blot ones copybook. Again, it is important for me to consider how much of this is down to my own personal perception and how able I am to see my subordinates perspective and, crucially, the aims and focus of the establishment delivery objectives. Conclusion In terms of future roles, I am best placed to consider managerial positions. The Foundation Degree and BA(Hons) are regarded as valuable qualifications both for their content relevant to the Criminal Justice System and Leadership and Management but also symbolising the desire and commitment I have and have shown for continued self development (Appendix IX). In the final analysis, the human dynamic is the most beneficial resource in the workplace but it is also the most fickle and, at times, fragile. To lead is a privilege and to follow is an opportunity. I can only strive to make myself worthy of the trust placed in me to, not only get the job done, but to enable others to be the very best they can be and, in the process, ensure I am followed out of respect and not coercion or, indeed, curiosity. Appendices: I. Excerpt from Carnegie (1938) II. Study Skills Self Assessment III. Gibbs (1998) Reflective Cycle IV. Curriculum Vitae V. Kandola and Fullerton (1994) Mosaic Vision VI. Myers Briggs Personality Type Questionnaire VII. Reflective Log on McGregor X,Y Theory VIII. T-P Leadership Questionnaire IX. Professional Development Plan Appendix I Excerpts from How To Win Friends and Influence People Carnegie (1938) Fundamental Techniques in Handling People Dont criticize, condemn, or complain. Give honest and sincere appreciation. Arouse in the other person an eager want. Six Ways to Make People Like You Become genuinely interested in other people. Smile. Remember that a mans Name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves. Talk in the terms of the other mans interest. Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely Twelve Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking Avoid arguments. Show respect for the other persons opinions. Never tell someone they are wrong. If youre wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. Begin in a friendly way. Start with questions the other person will answer yes to. Let the other person do the talking. Let the other person feel the idea is his/hers. Try honestly to see things from the other persons point of view. Sympathize with the other person. Appeal to noble motives. Dramatize your ideas. Throw down a challenge. Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment Begin with praise and honest appreciation. Call attention to other peoples mistakes indirectly. Talk about your own mistakes first. Ask questions instead of directly giving orders. Let the other person save face. Praise every improvement. Give them a fine reputation to live up to. Encourage them by making their faults seem easy to correct. Make the other person happy about doing what you suggest. Appendix II. Study Skills Self Assessment Appendix III. Gibbs (1998) Reflective Cycle Appendix IV. Curriculum Vitae Appendix V My Personal and Pr

The SAT Controversy :: essays papers

The SAT Controversy 1) According to the video and the article, who and how was the SAT developed and for what purpose? The SAT, or as it was called in the beginning, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, had its debut in the late 1930’s. In 1933, a gentleman by the name of James Bryant Conant became the president of Harvard University. At the time he became president, only the elite in the area were admitted into Harvard. This distinct social group was all male, all white, all Protestant, most Episcopalian. They basically were descendents of the Puritans who had come from Europe. These were decent people but they had formed a very closed group, almost a club, and controlled everything. James Conant was not particularly fond of this group and he wanted to unlock the hold they had not only on Harvard but on all of America. He had a vision, which actually originated with Thomas Jefferson, that there were people across America who were very intelligent, very talented, and very successful and you needed to find them, educate them and then let them run the country. His goal was a classless society. However, he needed a way to identify these people so he could bring them to Harvard to get that education. As a step in that direction, Conant instituted a new scholarship program for boys who were academically gifted and who did not come from the elite Eastern boarding schools where Harvard had always received its students. However, Conan needed a way to evaluate these students. He gave that task to his assistant dean, Henry Chauncey. Henry Chauncey was a very ambitious individual who loved mental testing. Chauncey met a man, named Carl Brigham who had been part of the army’s IQ testing team during World War I. Eventually, Carl Brigham adapted the army’s IQ test for use in college admissions and Chauncey reported back to Conant about the new SAT test. Conant wanted assurance, however, that this test was a test of pure intelligence and not of the quality of the education a student had received. It was important to him that boys of low or modest means and schooling not be penalized. Chauncey reassured Conant and the SAT was adopted to evaluate the applicants for the scholarship to Harvard. Later it was accepted as the entrance exam into Harvard for all students and eventually all Ivy League schools.

Running The Front End :: Home Depot cashier

Running The Front End   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Day after day, I work at Home Depot. I’ve worked at Home Depot for 6 months. My position there is a cashier. A few months have gone by and all I do is show up and do my job as a cashier. The cashiers have someone who runs the front end along with every register in the store, and that person is a head ashier. After what I see the head cashiers go through, I would never want to be a head cashier for the rest of my life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After four and a half months of working, I am just getting the hang of it. Being a cashier might sound easy, but over at Home Depot, it’s not. There are so many responsibilities for a cashier to do; it is just as hard as being a bank teller. You have to be quick at looking up items, being familiar with items in the store, checking every item for the right tag, and the list goes on. The cashiers are tested weekly with a secret shopper to make sure the cashiers are on their toes. The money has to be added up at the end of the day, each slip, coin, dollar bill, check and card. If it doesn’t add up, you don’t leave until you find out where it went. The cashier draw cannot hold more then 500$ at one time. Each time you collect up to five hundred you have to send it to the book keeping. All these responsibilities add up and are overwhelming for a cashier. A head cashier is responsible for every register and transaction in that store, along with the flow of lines and customer satisfaction. It is a job I would never want.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Coming into work one day, I knew something was wrong. When I saw long lines forming down each Isle, people complaining that the wait was too long, and register lights flashing for help. There were no head cashiers available or supervisors who knew anything about the front end. At that time I was the only cashier who had been there the longest, so I was asked to try and be head cashier for the day. I did, and I knew what I was getting myself into.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was handed a set of keys and I was in charge of the entire front end. This was a job I had never done or been trained to do, It started out fine no one had any problems Three hours passed, and I ran into my first problem. Running The Front End :: Home Depot cashier Running The Front End   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Day after day, I work at Home Depot. I’ve worked at Home Depot for 6 months. My position there is a cashier. A few months have gone by and all I do is show up and do my job as a cashier. The cashiers have someone who runs the front end along with every register in the store, and that person is a head ashier. After what I see the head cashiers go through, I would never want to be a head cashier for the rest of my life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After four and a half months of working, I am just getting the hang of it. Being a cashier might sound easy, but over at Home Depot, it’s not. There are so many responsibilities for a cashier to do; it is just as hard as being a bank teller. You have to be quick at looking up items, being familiar with items in the store, checking every item for the right tag, and the list goes on. The cashiers are tested weekly with a secret shopper to make sure the cashiers are on their toes. The money has to be added up at the end of the day, each slip, coin, dollar bill, check and card. If it doesn’t add up, you don’t leave until you find out where it went. The cashier draw cannot hold more then 500$ at one time. Each time you collect up to five hundred you have to send it to the book keeping. All these responsibilities add up and are overwhelming for a cashier. A head cashier is responsible for every register and transaction in that store, along with the flow of lines and customer satisfaction. It is a job I would never want.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Coming into work one day, I knew something was wrong. When I saw long lines forming down each Isle, people complaining that the wait was too long, and register lights flashing for help. There were no head cashiers available or supervisors who knew anything about the front end. At that time I was the only cashier who had been there the longest, so I was asked to try and be head cashier for the day. I did, and I knew what I was getting myself into.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was handed a set of keys and I was in charge of the entire front end. This was a job I had never done or been trained to do, It started out fine no one had any problems Three hours passed, and I ran into my first problem.

Distinguish Between the main Features of Perfect Competition and Monopo

Distinguish Between the main Features of Perfect Competition and Monopoly Market Structure There are three main features that distinguish between a perfect competition and monopoly market structure: the type of firm, the freedom of entry and the nature of the product (Sloman and Norris 1999, pg, 161). A table of these features is contained in Appendix A. These two market structures are on opposite ends of the scale and consequently, the features and benefits of each structure vary quite dramatically. Firms In a perfectly competitive market structure, there must be many firms in the market competing for business. In contrast to this, within a monopoly there is only one firm operating in the market. A firm that is operating within a perfect market is referred to as a price taker. Duffy (1993, pg. 107) explains that a condition of working within a perfectly competitive market is that â€Å"a price taker cannot control the price of the goods it sells; it simply takes the market price as given.† In a monopoly, the firm does not have to take the given price. It is able to search the market for the best price to charge relative to the demand for the product, profitability and availability of the resources for manufacture. This is particularly relevant when there is a shortage of supply. As there is only one seller of the product, consumers are forced to purchase the goods at a higher price. The International Encyclopaedia of Economics (1997, pg. 1041) states, ...

Flying Ashtray

First officer Rob Brydon left his home in south Essex to go to work at Heathrow. He was on the M25 when he heard a news bulletin on the radio informing him that said that mount fujmore had erupted 32km south of the Indian island. It was early when Rob arrived at the airport and entered the pilots lounge and prepared for his flight. Rob and his captain realised that his route would take him over the path of the ash erupted from Mount fujmore. They came to the conclusion that the ash would clear by the time they were near the mountain. As Rob walked into the gate he was worried that his decision would come back to bite him, but the captain assured him that in the 30 years of service he had flew in the same situation numerous amounts of time and that it would be fine. Rob and his captain were now on board the plane and had begun their pre-flight checks and were ready for clearance. As usual Rob was asking for clearance. Rob was unusually busy and didn't have time for this ands his look of the passengers, but he figured that he would take a look once he was cruising in the air. Before Rob knew it he was at cruise level and was eating breakfast, as a precaution just in case they were in a collision course with the volcanic ash. Soon after Rob had forgotten about the volcanic ash but what he didn't know was going to make his day much harder. As Rob crossed through the ash his whether monitor didn't pick it up because it was dry and could not see it because his blinds were down. The passengers saw the ash but informed the pilot but they discussed it and they said it was harmless. But then the planes started to have problems. The fuel indicators started to flash about low fuel and low fuel pressure. The auto pilot changed courses then changed back. They looked at their systems to see where they were and discovered they were near India. The plane stopped having problems until they noticed their engines were glowing red hot with some of the volcanic ash. They began to panic but soon they were on air traffic control asking for a clear landing spot, but there were east of the Indian Ocean and with no viable runway to land on. The closest one was in Thailand which was hours away from them. They began to start to calculate the damage that could be done to the plane when engine 3 shut down completely and they began to get warnings of low fuel and the filtration system was damaged by the volcanic ash. They then got transmissions and sent out warnings that problems could occur if you followed their flight path. All of a sudden over their radio they got the radio transmission they should have had before take-off. That the ash was dry which would explain why it didn't come up on the radar. They the had engine 2 shut down and had to descend to prevent them from stalling in mid air. They also decided that they should take their flight path out of the volcanic ash. They tried to change their course but all the ash had damaged the planes computer chips, they decided to ask tower what they should do. All of a sudden engine 3 went out and their navigation system went out so they had to rely on a rough idea of where they were. They were now 16,200ft above ocean level and it couldn't escape the crew's mind of abandonment of the plane in the ocean. Though it had never been done before on this model of aircraft the pilots knew that it was possible. Not long later the last engine went out and their fears of abandonment became a reality. But they had bigger problems on their mind such as how to control the plane, hen there is no power being generated. They decided to try to start the engines again but nothing happened. They tried to restart the engines 3 more times and all of a sudden engine 3 came on and quickly shut down again. At this point they were 10,000ft exactly about sea level and were assessing their problems when they came to an agreement to start the engines one more time before they seriously considered abandonment. They tried and waited. They waited more and engine 3 came to life and was immediately put on full power and they decreased their descent rate and started to restart the other engines, but only engine 2 came on and they levelled of their altitude and started to ask ATC where to land but it wasn't easy as there was heavy fog and ice in the area they wanted land in. They had permission granted and they were allowed to land at a nearby airport. As they started to line up with the airport they had to rely on the towers navigation system until they could see the runway lights. The task that was ahead of them was extremely big as they had only done thus in simulators. 19 miles away from the airport and 3,500 ft above the ground they had the correct configuration and all they needed was more power but the ash had clogged the engine intakes so that only a certain amount of power could be used at any one time. They started to sink too low and desperately needed power so for a short period the engines power was increased, but then they were overwhelmed and went red-hot. As they approached the runway they could make out the light of another plane coming onto the. They quickly contacted tower but the declined saying they had no report of a plane on the runway but they checked their navigation system and they were wrong. The captain quickly informed tower that they would be landing whether or not that plane was on the runway. They knew it was going to be a tight landing as they came closer and closer to the runway. The plane was now crossing the threshold. The point of no return and they narrowly missed the tail fin of the plane but they landed and swiftly evacuated.