CYT Volunteering

On Saturday, April 15, Delicious Leadership had the opportunity to help the Fredericksburg Christian Youth Theater (CYT) with the stage breakdown and cleanup in the CYT warehouse. Our team met at 8am to discuss ideas for our upcoming presentation, devise a plan of attack and get to joke around a bit as we got to know each other. At 9am, we met with Andy, who told us more about Christian Youth Theatre and shared the passion and commitment that these students and their families have for this program. Once we had learned a little bit more about why we were here and how appreciative Andy was that we were willing to spend our time helping a greater cause, he gave us our work assignments for the morning. 

When we first walked in the warehouse, there was a gigantic pile of 2x4's, plywood and green board, some of which was attached and some was not. Andy told us that our job was to disassemble the plywood and 2x4's from the green board, save as much green board as we could as the students were able to reuse almost everything in the warehouse, and this also saved the organization a quite a bit of money. 

Andy gave us the 5 of us 3 power drills to unscrew all of the screws that secured the green boards to the 2x4's. We were also asked to organize and stack the wood at the back of the warehouse once all the screws had been removed from the wood. 

I was not lucky enough to get one of the power drills, so I began organizing the green boards which had already been detached from the wood and needed to be placed like books on a bookshelf in what looked like a gigantic closet for murals. While this was not the most important task of the day, this was the task I enjoyed most because as I was putting away the backdrops and scenery, I was able to examine some of the previously used scenery for other productions. And might I just say, these students are very talented artists!! The bookshelf of artwork was a beautiful memoir of all the hard work students, families and volunteers have contributed over the years. 

Once the green boards had been put away, a pile of wood had started to accumulate. At first I began to look for a power drill so I could help my team members complete the task faster. When I did not find one, I was saddened at first, but then I realized - hey - Sarah, if you start organizing and putting away all of the wood, we'll be done faster than if you were removing the screws from the wood! This has been a leadership skill that has slowly started to develop over the past 4 years for me. Growing up a millennial and a result of extremely, and probably too helpful parents, I've become very good at doing things that I'm told to do, but realized within the last four years that I really need to work on doing things that I see a need for, taking more of an initiative and making my own expectations and rules. I was so happy that I was able to do this at the CYT warehouse. While it may not have been the most visible task, and as I examined what I was doing I couldn't help but judge myself for 'just cleaning up' but I was proud that I found a need on my own, didn't ask anyone's permission and just went about it and did it on my own. 

All the while I thought it was outstanding that we all found our little niche where we were most needed and we felt most useful. I even broke out my phone about two thirds of the way through the session and we all bonded over the Allman Brother's Pandora radio station. We all left sweaty, stinky, satisfied and starving. We took several funny pictures before we left the warehouse, which will remind us of the seemingly small but terrific things we did that day, and as a bonus our team got along exceptionally!

Afterwards, Dan had to leave to see his family, but the remaining members of Delicious Leadership sauntered over to Adventure Brewing, which was fatefully across the parking lot. We all filled our stomachs as we laughed over stories and new found friendships.

Team of Rivals Reflection

Team of Rivals, written by Doris Kearns Goodwin is all about Abraham Lincoln's rise to presidency, his presidency, and his everlasting legacy across the globe. The book, although roughly 800 pages, really caught my attention and I often times felt that I could not put it down. I would read it before and after work every day. One of the main reasons why the book was so interesting to me was how diverse all of the people were in regards to leadership styles and organizational behaviors.

Throughout the book, it astonished me on how many failures and trials Lincoln had to face both prior to becoming president and during his presidency. I feel that the trials assisted in molding him into one of the best leaders that the United States has ever seen. Since the beginning of the book, Lincoln was never as fortunate as his future cabinet members when it came to education and money. Lincoln was a self educated man who borrowed books from anyone that he could. He understood the true meaning of hard work and did not take it for granted.

During Lincoln's presidential campaign and during his presidency, he showed astonishing emotional intelligence. He was able to continuously make decisions without letting his emotions or personal desires influence him. Lincoln would often write the emotional letters but store them away for a couple days, reread them, than either keep them locked up forever or throw them away. He was on the level of self actualization and often sacrificed his personal health for the better of the country.

Lincoln was also a master negotiator and influencer of people. Although Carnegie's book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, was not written at the time; Lincoln possessed many of the attributes. He would also listen to anyone's personal opinion fully, even if he did not agree, and would often be seen sitting back and listening rather than trying to lead any argument. Lincoln was a master tactician and timed his comments precisely. He would often start with a story that would bring all sides together and have a meaningful purpose. This would calm the opposing sides down while slowly instilling his ideas into their heads. He would then give his points, and wait while the opposition would determine that it was their idea and agree with Lincoln.

I was also astonished with how diverse Lincoln's cabinet was. Lincoln knew that a more diverse cabinet leads to a more successful one. Having opinions from all sides of the spectrum does lead to more arguments, but it also brings about the best solutions. In the book it was said that Lincoln believed that a cabinet of like minds is the same as a single ruler. This personally touched me because in the past, I have often times found myself only wanting to be around my close group of friends. We are all similar with similar beliefs and backgrounds, which leads to similar ideas. If I want to lead a more diverse lifestyle I will need to reach out to more diverse minded individuals.

Overall, Team of Rivals improved my intelligence of Lincoln and the Civil War much more than I have ever known. Previously, I only know as much as school had taught me, which was minimal. The book also lead to a lot of self-reflection. I need to be able to have the self awareness that he had and listen and surround myself with more intelligent people. Understanding that I know little motivates me to learn more. I also need to be a better listener. Listening, for Lincoln, assisted him with maintaining friends all over the political spectrum. Lastly, I need to spread out and surround myself with more diverse minded people. In doing so, I will continue to improve my intelligence, and will learn better ways to solve problems that I would have never previously conceived.

CYT

Our most recent volunteer experience was through the Fredericksburg organization Christian Youth Theater or CYT.  CYT is an extracurricular performing organization for children ages 4-18.  Not only do they offer 10-week classes in the areas of performing (dance, theater, and music) but they put on a musical theatrical performance every 10 weeks.  This means that at the conclusion of each show a breakdown of the sets required for the previous performance needs to take place, which includes not only deconstructing set pieces but also organizing the pieces so that they can be repurposed later for future productions.

Our group will participate in three volunteer experiences overall, this being the second.  Although I do not know how I will feel about the third opportunity, a competition for high schoolers hosted by Germanna, I believe my experience with CYT will be my favorite.  While I recognize that our experience at the multicultural fair at UMW was helpful, the type of work we were doing for CYT was more enjoyable for me.  I was able to work with my hands and use my construction skills, knowledge, and experience as we broke apart set pieces from their previous production of Willy Wonka.  It also provided a sense of accomplishment because you could see the immediate results of your work.  Additionally, because my wife is a theater director and I have often worked on or designed sets for her shows, I am aware of the amount of work that goes into building and breaking down sets.  I, therefore, know how helpful the work we were doing was for the current production crew and how any amount of help given to them is immensely appreciated.  

Volunteer Work Stage Breakdown

Today our team did our second of three volunteer opportunities. We were fortunate that one of my team member's significant other works for a nonprofit that does theater productions for children of all ages. The nonprofit just finished one production and needed the equipment broken down so that their next production, Shrek, could start.

We went to a giant warehouse where the nonprofit keeps all of their stage and prop equipment. We were tasked with unscrewing all of the wood from the stage and background, save and organize wood, screws, and other prop equipment. Our team, as a very functional team, took right to the task. While two of us focused on unscrewing the wood with power drills, another person moved the wood, and another separated the styrofoam. We were very efficient and able to enjoy ourselves while doing it. As a team we also rotated the jobs to ensure that each of us were able to have an equal share in the work.

The theater breakdown was a great bonding experience for our group. We were able to organize how we wanted to get the job done, which utilized all of our strengths. All of us were able to talk and have fun which kept the work enjoyable. Being able to assist with a nonprofit was also very humbling. Although we did non see the show, the stage and props that were used were extremely well made. Doing our small part to ensure that the children are able to continue to learn all aspects of theater make it extremely worthwhile.

Reflections of Lincoln-Team of Rivals

I recently finished the Lincoln book, and while I know we are going to be talking it out and analyzing the details of the leadership qualities that Lincoln showed in his presidency, I wanted to take a minute to reflect back on some impressions I received and thoughts I had while reading the book.

I have never been a big Civil War buff, my dad and grandpa are, and when my parents lived in Fredericksburg my folks would go to battlefields and tours and dad would tell me all the interesting tidbits he picked up.  I nodded along politely, but it was too removed for me to get to invested in more than just some interesting history facts.  So when I learned we would have to read this very large book in a very short period of time, on a subject that at first glance didn't really seem to relate to the class topic, I was not thrilled.  I learned very quickly how wrong I was, on many counts.

To make efficient use of my time, I got an audio version of the book so I could listen while I commuted to work.  I quickly became so engrossed in the book that I would sit in the car a few extra minutes when I got to my destination just to finish a story or thought from the author.  I would laugh at the images that were created by the authors words, get saddened by the characters losses, and be fully outraged and aggravated on the Presidents' behalf from some slight or scheming done by his rivals. It made me laugh and depressed at the same time as I listened to the beginning of story as the author described the political climate of the day and the marches on Washington, and the outrage of the country and the radical change they felt was needed, and reflect on how 150+ years later, it resonated so deeply still with our current political climate.  With a few technology upgrades, Goodwin could have been describing the lead up and months of the 2016 election, right down to the backlash against immigrants.

I was fascinated by the description of the rivals and marveled at Goodwin's' research and depth of information on each of them.  Her descriptive style and evocative phrases painted a vivid picture in my mind of the men, the times, and the personality of each.  When the Civil War started and the Battle of Bull run was described, it made me want to drive to Manassas to walk the battlefield and contemplate the mistakes and missed opportunities.  The same was true for all the battles in places I have driven past, but never took the time to really see.

I told my dad about the book, he had already read it of course, but I shared my fascination and how the author made me feel like it just happened and my desire to see these places now so close to me. When I told him I was ready to strangle Chase and kick him back to OH he laughed and agreed. I marveled with him how Lincolns ideas were changed over time and how that made made him such a powerful leader that he was then able to change a counties collective mind.

Though I knew how the story must end, everyone knows, it was heart-wrenching to hear of Lincoln's assassination and how his once bitter rivals mourned him.  I couldn't help but think of all the good he could have done, had he lived and finished his term.  What would the present have been like, if Lincoln had been able to bring the South back into the Union in his way?  How much more progress would have been made in bringing the people together if he had been around and his genius with people and understanding and compassion been available to heal the wounds of war?

Lincolns' true genius was not his vision of what could be, but of how he made that vision a reality and why he wanted to.  He truly felt that all men were equal and deserved to be treated as such.  He felt that each person brought value and strengths and was humble enough to want the best for his nation, to include bringing all those strengths into his cabinet to be the best for everyone, though he had to work harder to manage their differences.  His self-mastery and ability to understand what motivates different people and therefore utilize that so they came around to his way of thinking was both subtle and powerful.  It was more than charisma, more than likability, Lincoln had a true fascination and caring for each person.  I wondered, as the book drew to a close, if perhaps he was a bit of an empath, for the level of emotional intelligence he was able to use is not seen in many.

While I am not sure this book will turn me into a Civil War nut like my dad, it definitely brought history alive and presented the challenges of political life and how to be a true leader.  I think we should all strive to have more leadership qualities that Lincoln showed; compassion towards everyone, restraint when in the face of anger or insult, patience and thoughtfulness before decisions, and a resolute determination to do the right thing with no wavering of your path. It made me think of the leader I want to be, where I can appreciate, value and seek those with different opinions, because it is ultimately better for the collective.  I will strive to remember compassion towards everyone, and to value and truly listen to anyone who has something to share, because of the value they feel from being listened to.  I love how Lincoln used stories to make his meaning clear and I want to develop that skill, so I don't come across as blunt but rather can convey and nudge my listener in a subtle way that they may not even realize.  So a book that I was skeptical of for a leadership class, imparted the best leadership lessons to me, all in a way that was subtle and fascinating.  :)

Volunteer work at UMW Multicultural Fair

My experience at the UMW multicultural fair was close to what I expected of these types of events; we got up early, everyone was ready to go, then we have to wait for someone in charge to tell us what to do and where.  

While we were given an initial assignment, and the folks organizing it seemed to have a good idea of what was going on, there were still periods of waiting, and looking for direction or opportunities to be useful.  For this group of highly motivated folks, in the absence of leadership, we all jumped in when needed.  Our initial assignment of setting up tables and chairs in one specific area was hampered by delays of supplies.  As a group, I think we used this time well to discuss the books we are reading for the class, upcoming assignments, and just in general getting to know each other better and bond more as a team.  Once the materials got there, we sprang into action and worked efficiently to get everything set up. 

When our initial assignment was done, we looked to make ourselves useful by going to the next big setup and helping.  When we ran into more classmates, we definitely had a lot more personalities and leaders to work with!  I think everyone worked well together, but in my opinion, we could have used at least one UMW person who knew the plan!  But we didn't let that get in the way, and by unstructured leadership, figured out a layout of tables and chairs that would meet the needs of the intended goal. 

It was a good day, and I had fun getting out and helping at a fun community event.  I think best of all, the Delicious Leadership team got to know each other better and learn each others individual strengths so at our next volunteer event we will make an even stronger team.  

Multicultural Fair

The Multicultural set up at UMW was a huge success but it did not come without some sacrifice. It was the first time I was outdoors doing work before the sun rose in a long time. Waking up at 4:30am was a challenge but once I was on my feet it was awake and engaged.

As a group, we were tasked with assisting the set up of tables, chairs, and anything else that the student supervisors lead us to do. Setting up tables and chairs for the various student groups uses team work to organize the set up, carry and set up the tables. We were continuously engaged as a team and all of us participated fully.

After setting up the seating in front of a stage, we assisted another team from the class with setting up the main extra large tent, tables, and chairs. Both our group and the other group were being instructed by the owners of the tend who rent it out to various events. Between all of us, we had a very smooth system to the set up and eventual 24 plus tables and 250 chairs. We were all able to align them efficiently and was done in a much shorter amount of time than I initially thought.

Overall, the multicultural fair was a huge success with multiple vendors and activities set up. As a team we all took the lead at various times depending on our strengths. We all then had a perfect systematic team work to accomplish all of the tasks. It was personally humbling to see the final product of the whole fair and that our small sacrifice of waking up early was able to have a direct impact on the outcome of the fair.

Who I am as a Leader

This class as taught me a lot about self-reflection and how I am as a leader. Using the Self-Handicapping book (Decker and Mitchell, 2015) I have been able to recognize some of my strengths and opportunities as a leader. I consider myself to be strong an analytics. I have always appreciated data and trend analysis. I also consider myself strong at reading my employees and understanding their concerns which leads to a collaborative solution.

My opportunities, however, are plentiful. I must concentrate to reduce my tunnel vision as too much analysis makes me miss what is occurring directly in front of me. Also, being able to properly hold others accountable has always been an area of opportunity. I must be able to trust my employees and peer to do their jobs and when they fail I must be able to hold them appropriately accountable.

As a leader I am a collaborator. I do not believe that every scenario must follow every rule 100 percent of the time. There are always certain situations that warrant different reactions and results. I pride myself in the ability to read and understand the employees that I am in charge of. Gaining an understanding from their viewpoint is extremely important to me. It allows me to understand why they made a certain choice and it allows me to lead them to the proper solution or it may teach me a new way of doing things. Being a collaborator also gives me more employee buy-in. Showing that their opinion matters and it is directly used in the solution makes them feel self-accountable and that the goal is obtainable.

Throughout this class I have learned that I need to be more outspoken as a leader. I generally sit and listen more at meetings and brainstorming sessions and wait until it is appropriate for me to speak. At I miss my chance to be outspoken and this has developed into a quieter, less outspoken brand that I need to break. Since starting this class I understand that not just being more outspoken, but my body language will allow me to break this brand. I have begun to overcome this by first realizing what I am doing and stopping it. This can mean being too focused on a task on the computer and not realizing what is occurring throughout my section. I need to make a point to catch myself, stand up, and walk around the section to listen to my employees and see how the interact. I also need to be able to provide my opinion more frequently. I have been catching myself with this by setting goals to speak a certain amount of times in meetings. This does not mean just speak to speak, but it does mean speak if there is an intellectual engaging thought. Being more engaging and outspoken, along with my ability to analyze, will allow me to maximize my potential as a leader.

How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie has been provided me with the most feedback on how to be more outspoken and to influential amongst my peers and employees. The book is an easy read and it kept me engaged by putting the practices into reality. The small things that it includes, giving compliments and continuous smiling, has already assisted me in being more approachable and engaging as long as I can catch and correct myself. There are other numerous hints in the book that I will continue to use in order to shape myself into the progressive and proactive leader. I want to become a leader that is able to develop my associates in both work and life. Providing overall development to my employees will lead them to a more overall successful and happier life.

Delicious Leadership Volunteers with Multicultural Fair

April 1, 2017 - UMW Fredericksburg Campus

On Saturday, April 1, 2017 (April Fools Day), Delicious Leadership had the opportunity to participate and volunteer with the set-up for the Multicultural Fair. While I remember the event distinctly, there was something in particular that made me reminisce today, Tuesday, as I passed Ball Circle. I was walking back across campus from a late afternoon meeting, when I noticed what a distinct transformation Ball Circle had made from Saturday to Tuesday. On Saturday, the perimeter of Ball Circle was full of food, tents, slow cookers and inflatable rentals all preparing for the fair goers. Whereas today (Tuesday), Ball Circle was chock full of students in Adirondack chairs, reading and talking while laying in the sun. On Saturday, we got to play the unsung heroes which helped contribute to the success of the 27th Annual Multicultural Fair.

On Saturday, our group met at the University Center before 6:00am to meet with the rest of the volunteers and be given our assignments for the morning. The fair was expecting between 5,000 and 6,000 fair-goers to be on campus on this day, and there were plenty of volunteers ready to help. All volunteers were given assignments at 6:30am and by daybreak, we were on our way to our first assignment. Our first assignment consisted of setting up the tables, chairs and the stage in front of Monroe. Each group of volunteers was partnered with a student employee who had carried out the assignment in a previous year. Our student coordinator, Miriam, was helpful, encouraging and appreciative of our help. Once we were finished setting up the Monroe stage, we met back at the information tent to be given new assignments.

Once at the information tent, we did not find a coordinator there who was able to tell us where we were needed, so we began to look around for a project that could benefit from our help. Across from Lee Hall, the large tent was being assembled and raised. We agreed it looked like they needed help, so we made our way across Ball Circle to help with the big tent. Like much of the tables, chairs and equipment at the fair, the tent was rented and delivered by and set up by the company, but the employees were more than happy to teach us how to set up and secure the tent posts. Once the tent was set up, our group and another group in our class assembled the tables and chairs which were placed under the tent, so as to protect lunchers from the heat or elements. There was a good deal of disorganization and confusion with regard to the tables and chairs, first as to how the tables should be set up, and secondly once the tables were set up how many chairs should be seated at each table. I felt as though a) we were not given enough information b) we were not familiar with how to best organize the tables and chairs and c) as though this was a test of our leadership and participation skills. Among the two groups, several people were clearly outspoken leaders who differed on their opinion as to how to best organize the tables and chairs, whereas others were just happy to help. In this situation, it would have been more favorable to have a diagram of how to best organize the tables and chairs as well as specifications as to how many tables and chairs were expected. After two reorganization attempts, the two groups were able to come organize the tables and chairs which proved satisfactory and mindful of space.

The great thing about volunteering as a group is that your efforts are twofold, you are contributing to and are a part of something larger, but it also gives you an opportunity to bond as a unit. I find this to be evident in all groups, whether it be young children, college-age students or working adults; there is something about working together that makes people get along. Delicious Leadership was able to discuss Carnegie, the beginnings of Lincoln as well as things that make us laugh and the things that are important to us while volunteering our efforts to set up for the 27th Annual Multicultural Fair.

UMW Multicultural Fair Volunteer Refelection

I woke up at 4:00am this past Saturday and was out the door 45 minutes later en route to UMW. I immediately thought back to my time while on active duty. I regularly woke up at this time for 5 years! I needed to arrive by 5:30am. I found parking along College Ave. a few blocks down from the meeting spot. Mike spotted me walking by and we arrived together for the event. When we walked through the door, Kim greeted us with a pleasant smile and I immediately noticed that most of the volunteers were those from my class. By 6:15am we had received our assignments. My group was to set up a stage and 75 chairs. It was an enjoyable experience working with my group. After the initial assignment was completed, we started roaming the area to see where to help next. We worked with another group helping them set up a large tent that accommodated 250 people. As I was setting up for this event, I felt like I was back on the ship setting up for a command picnic or something. Needless to say, I was experiencing many fond memories from my time aboard the USS Monterey. I felt our team worked well together and I enjoyed watching Kim and Sarah chase down Sammy D. Eagle for a group photo opportunity. They were literally running after that mascot! I have to say that was the best part of day. Those girls were on a mission and were not to be denied.

Class Reflections

Class Reflections

Thus far there has been a lot of reading in this class.  Don’t misunderstand – I enjoy reading but usually only when I am able to pick the material.  I find that I struggle to read when I am assigned the reading, even if I may enjoy the book.  Despite this fact, I found that I did enjoy the first book we read by Dale Carnegie.  He makes a lot of valid points and his lessons were presented in an interesting and thought provoking manner.  Additionally, I noticed that all the concepts he was mentioning in his book were ones that I have been taught throughout the years in various leadership and management classes and yet his book or his name were never mentioned.  This leads me to believe that, although his book was written several decades ago, the lessons he teaches are timeless.   By far the greatest thing about the book, because it was written so long ago, were the dated references and how some of the companies he mentions in the book, such as Sears, still exist today.

  

The second book, Self-Handicapping Leadership, was a much more difficult read for me.  The information might be interesting but it is presented in such a way that the reading itself is very dry and therefore difficult to get through.  While I recognized the importance of the information in the book and felt convicted regarding certain topics and how they applied to myself, I struggled to get past the delivery of the information which in turn made it harder to me to internalize the information.  Many of my classmates must have felt convicted by the topics in this book as well because during our class discussion last week, I felt as though it was less of a discussion and more of a therapy session.  Other than that, I still am enjoying the structure of the class and the discussions in particular.

Reflections on Volunteering – Mary Washington Multicultural Fair

My initial thought regarding the volunteer experience at the Mary Washington Multicultural Fair was to wonder who usually helped to set up the event as out of the perhaps 20 people there, roughly 75% of them were graduate students from our class.  We were given 4 hours to set everything up which seemed to be much more time than we needed.  However, I believe we were given that time out of previous experience as few people, particularly college students, want to get up at 6:00a on a Saturday morning.  For the most part, the Mary Washington staff seemed very competent and knew what needed to be done but the equipment that was rented did not arrive until 8:00a so the first few hours of our volunteer experience were spent mostly standing around, waiting. 

One thing I did observe was that many of the graduate student volunteers, which were most of the volunteers, were type A personalities, or “chiefs.”  As a result, they seemed to struggle with the idea of simply serving and responding to another’s leadership and instead attempted to lead themselves.  Yet with so many leaders, there was more struggle and personality conflicts than I believe there may have been had more people taken a more serving mentality.  Although my team blended and worked well with each other, observing some of the other teams attempting to manage each other rather than working as a cohesive unit was, quite frankly, amusing and made me very thankful that my team did not have that problem.

Volunteering is not something I have the opportunity to do often.  Between work, spending time with my family, and taking care of things at my house there is not a lot of free time left over, let alone the time needed to volunteer for an event.  Yet it was nice to be a part of a group and to work towards a common goal, specifically one that was not completely self-serving or self-seeking.

Self Reflection Weeks 1-3

Week 1

Where to begin? After the first class, I felt, overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by the amount of material to cover in such as short amount of time. Where am I going to fit this ONE class into my daily life? How is this going to come together? Our group met over at Kim's house. Kim was hospitable and gracious. Mike was energetic and enthusiastic.  Sarah was unexpectedly funny and well organized. Ray was insightful and sincere. I felt the group worked well together, and we were off to a great start!

Week 2

Trying to maintain a regular reading schedule so I won't fall too far behind  on my reading. I work second-shift from 3-11 every night and have to work weekends every two weeks. Biggest challenge is staying awake at night after I get home from work while reading. This was not working for me in the least. After I get my daughter around and ready for school, it is approximately 8:45. The way I see it, I have 3.5-4.0 hours of productive time for my studies. Time to clear myself of distraction and learn better time management skills. I am struggling with time management.

Week 3

I am now fully aware that I need to dedicate at least an hour a day to my group activities, so as not to play catch up. We are doing our first group volunteer at the multicultural event this Saturday. I am looking forward to helping set up the event and interacting with the members of the group. The more I am writing in this blog, the more comfortable it is. I view it as a "message in a bottle". Throwing my thoughts out to cyber space. 

Toolkit 3.1, 4.1, 5.1

Toolkit Activity 3.1 Generations at work

I belong in the Gen X category
40 years

1. What is the preferred length of a workday and the number of days worked per week?

I prefer to work 8 hours a day, Monday thru Friday 9:00am-5:00pm. 

2. Are you interested in flexible working hours? Working from home? Why or why not?

Flexible hours do not work well for me because of having two small children in daycare and school. Being on a regular schedule helps with managing my professional and family life. Working from home would be difficult. There would be so many distractions that may take you away from work. I would have to possess excellent time management skills.

3. Do you multitask  (do more than one thing at once) ?

I multitask and have no problems multitasking while in the workplace. It helps to be flexible and understand that multiple distractions occur.

4. What frequency and form of team meetings do you prefer?

I prefer small team meetings on a weekly basis.

5. What leadership style do you prefer? Why?

I like the transformation leadership style.   It inspires motivation while treating everyone as an individual.

6. What organizational rewards are meaningful to you? Why?

Organizational respect is the most meaningful to me. Of course, more pay is a close second.

7. How important is a balance between work and personal life to you? Explain.

Maintaining a balance is tricky between the two. I find it best not to overcompensate in either. Too much in either leads to the other one getting neglected.



Toolkit Activity 4.1 What Do Workers Want From Their Jobs

Promotion in the company - 4
Tactful discipline - 9
Job security - 3
Help with personal problems - 10
Personal loyalty of supervisor - 7
High wages - 5
Full appreciation of work being done - 6
Good working conditions - 2
Feeling of being in on things - 8
Interesting work - 1

1. In comparing the different ratings, what might account for the different opinions between you and your group?

Ratings are subjective and reflect each individual's mind set within the group. Some factors are age, what stage they are in their career, etc.

2. What might be the cause of the supervisor's rankings being so different from the employees?

The supervisor's ranking would differ from the employee's because of their mindset within the company. The supervisor may be well seasoned and has been with the company for a number of years already, thus, potentially ranking job security lower than an employee who is new and out to prove their worth to the company.

3. Do you think the results of this survey would change over time?

Absolutely. Rankings are dynamic and will change with an employee's experience and growth within the company.



Toolkit Activity 5.1 Understanding the Pygmalion Effect

Scenario 1

1. Is the manager communicating high or low expectations to the employee by his or her behavior?

The manager is presenting a daily status report outlining each employee's productivity. This does not communicate the manager's expectations.

2. How do you think the employee(s) will react to the manager's behavior? Choose several adjectives that you believe describe this reaction (e.g. , angry, motivated).

defeated, hostile, complacent, and jubilant

3. If low expectations are being communicated by the manager in the scenario, answer this question: If you were the manager in this scenario and wanted your employee(s) to respond in a positive manner, what would you have done differently?

I would set benchmarks for goals and have an award system in place for those who exceed them first.

4. If high expectations are being communicated by the manager in the scenario, discuss what benefits might result. For the sake of contrast, pretend the manager in the scenario held low expectations for the employee(s). What might that low expectation manager have done in these scenarios, and what would the result be?

The low expectation manager should get on the floor and observe the work habits of his employees. The observations could determine the causes of low productivity and error rates within the production line.

Case Study 5.1 Lombardi's Packers: From Last in the League to the Best Legs in the League

1. How did Lombardi’s actions help change the players’ perceptions of themselves and their abilities?   Coach Lombardi set a clear guideline outlining his expectations for the players and the team. He held everyone accountable for their actions, even the superstars and veterans.  

          

2. The Packers culture was tolerant of losing before Lombardi took over. How might this culture have created a Golem effect?  The coach prior held low expectations for the team which enabled the team to accept and tolerate loss.

3. How did Lombardi’s changes to the team's’ professionalism and physical ability help change the identity the Packers had created for themselves and their team? Coach Lombardi was teaching them how a professional football player should act and feel like. He empowered his players and made them accountable for their actions off and on the field.

4. Lombardi instituted a rule that players could not drink standing at a bar.  While not all players would drink alcohol or visit bars, the actions of those who did would be attributed to the entire team.  What kind of effect is this?  Why is it important to manage perceptions held not only by oneself but also by others?  The primacy effect. Perception is everything within any organization. This is important as your peers will hold you accountable as well, creating strength and unity throughout.

Team Toolkit and Case Study 5.1

Team Toolkit and Case Study 5.1

Team Toolkit 5.1: Understanding the Pygmalion Effect

As a group, we chose to review Scenario 1.
1. We felt that the manager is not communicating his expectations clearly and effectively. It does appear the manager has high expectations but he is not setting them in an appropriate manor.

2. Some employees may use the chart as a competitive tool and will improve in order to be ranked higher against their peers. Other employees will be embarrassed by their results which will lead to negativity and a decrease in both results and employee loyalty.

4. To better portray the manager's expectations, they first need to find the root cause of the decrease in results. The manager should meet with the employees and ask for their opinion in order to find the root cause and what motivates them to improve. More manager and employee interaction and collaboration will increase productivity and moral. 

Case Study 5.1: Lombardi’s Packers: From Last in the League to the Best Legs in the League

1. How did Lombardi’s actions help change the players’ perceptions of themselves and their abilities?

        

         Lombardi was able to set high expectations and hold all players accountable. He did not

         pick any favorites. Holding the players to a higher standard gained the buy-in, 

         which evolved into them holding one another accountable for their actions on and off the

         field.

2. The Packers culture was tolerant of losing before Lombardi took over. How might this culture have created a Golem effect?

The prior coach did not set any penalty for any players who behave against the rules or if the team losses. Not holding anyone accountable for their behaviors and actions lead to the Golem effect. The coach prior to Lombardi did not set any expectation, which, in turn lead to a team culture that was use to losing.

3. How did Lombardi’s changes to the team's’ professionalism and physical ability help change the identity the Packers had created for themselves and their team?

The high expectations off the field let to the players feeling more confident in themselves. The professionalism that was required taught the players self-worth. This lead to the high expectations on the field which lead to higher performance and more games won.

4. Lombardi instituted a rule that players could not drink standing at a bar.  While not all players would drink alcohol or visit bars, the actions of those who did would be attributed to the entire team.  What kind of effect is this?  Why is it important to manage perceptions held not only by oneself but also by others?  

The main effect was the primacy effect- if one person was caught drinking at a bar, the whole team was. This leads to a higher level of holding yourself and others accountable. When all of the players are effected by one individual, it leads to that person behaving at a higher professional standard.

Team Toolkit 4.1: What do workers want from their jobs?

Team Toolkit 4.1: What do workers want from their jobs?

Factor	Ray	Mike	Kim	Sarah	Group
Promotion in the company	4	3	6	4	5
Tactful discipline	8	9	8	8	8
Job Security	5	4	1	5	4
Help with personal problems	9	10	10	10	10
Personal loyalty of supervisor	7	6	9	7	7
High wages	3	1	4	3	2
Full appreciation of work being done	2	6	2	2	3
Good working conditions	6	5	5	6	6
Feeling of being in on things	10	8	7	9	9
Interesting work	1	2	3	1	1

1. In comparing the different ratings, what might account for the different opinions between you and your group?

There were actually several factors in which the group was close in their answers, just one or two rankings apart.  For areas where there were larger differences, some reasons for this may be from our age ranges, where we are in our careers (fairly new or mid-career and stable), as well as the things that are important in our lives now such as growth and building a family versus more stability in our personal and professional positions.

2. What might be the cause of the supervisor's rankings being so different from the employees?

Some of the times of difference between the supervisors and employees could relate to position in the company, their current level of involvement in decisions or the perception of decision making.  Additionally, differences could be from differences in drive or ambition and experience in the workplace.

3. Do you think the results of this survey would change over time?

These results may likely change over time, as individual priorities shift depending on life and career choices and events. They could also shift if current factors change at work and someone's personal values are infringed on, they would change what their priorities are overall.