New Skills for Career fulfillment and Job Satisfaction Essay

New Skills for Career fulfillment and Job Satisfaction - Essay Example The Saudi Export business plays an important part in the economic decisions of many countries with quite a few economies tied directly to it, with many being indirectly affected thereby. The position I am aiming for is influential indeed and it is, therefore, imperative that the candidates for the position have the finest and most up to date education possible. This is exactly what I expect from my proposed program of study at this esteemed educational establishment i.e. I expect that enrolling for, and then obtaining, this degree would enable me to stand next to, if not ahead of, the finest qualified people in this field as this program offers a state of the art syllabus. To ensure getting a glimpse of the bigger picture, I opted for International Business and Information Systems (IBIS) as a major for my undergraduate studies, at the University of Tampa, Florida. This was to study the impact of computer technology and information systems on global business(es). I believe it is time to further supplement my knowledge and skills in the international trade area by enrolling in the M.Sc. Finance program. The combination, I believe, will give me the skills needed to enter the race towards my objectives and put me ahead of the competition in achieving them. I am honoured to be considered for the M.Sc. Finance program and greatly appreciate you going through my application. I shall eagerly look forward to being accepted into the Texas A&M University-Commerce community, and am anticipating a positive response from your end.

A multimedia Analysis of ‘A Doll’s House’ Essay Example for Free

A multimedia Analysis of ‘A Doll’s House’ Essay In Henrik Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’, the1973 movie version by Joseph Losey better depicts a more compelling story than the written version, specifically with the character of Christine Linde. The play ‘A Doll’s House’ takes place in the late 1800’s in Norway, where men seemed more superior than women. Men usually take up the role of the sole breadwinner and take care of the household. Christine is a friend of Nora, was once engaged to Krogstad who was convicted of fraud. Christine was forced into marrying another person because of her responsibilities towards her family. She became a very independent woman who worked very hard in her life. But now she came to Nora looking for a purpose to live for. She sees how happy Nora is with her husband and children. She wants to work for someone else rather than just herself. However, Krogstad was working at Nora’s husband bank and Torvald is to be the now Bank Manager, is strongly contemplating on firing him because of his past and his reputation that he has within the community. What makes the movie version a more compelling than the written one is that, the movie uses a new script to which gave more effectiveness in the scenes whiles creating a good path towards character development, another reason is that the order in which the three acts were played out were significantly different in the movie which helped in the audience to have a better understanding of each character’s background. In the written version, Christine is shown as a friend to Nora, however, in the movie with its first scene, shows how more deeply and close the relationship with Christine and Nora is. As in the written version, Nora is unable to remember her friend even though Christine is in front of her, ‘Nora- (doubtfully). How do you do—Mrs. Linde You don\t recognize me, I suppose. Nora No, I don\t know—yes, to be sure, I seem to—(Suddenly.) Yes! Christine! Is it really you?’ (Ibsen; Act I). This scene took place in Helmer’s house according to the written version while the opening scene of the movie shows Christine and Nora chatting in a small diner, their conversation shows how close they are as friends. As Nora says to Christine, ‘We must write to each other†¦every week†¦you must come to visit us whenever you wish’ (Losey – A Dolls House; 1973). This drastically contrasts the written version, and while the movie scripts a re not 100% in line with the written version, it does give a better understanding of the relationship between Christine and Nora. In the written version, Christine is shown as a woman that has gone through a lot, having experiences with life and its hardship, but somehow the notion that she feels she is more knowledgeable, smart, and even sometimes, discourteous type of friend, is embedded within the story. As in the scene, where Nora talks about Dr. Rank with Christine, Christine’s response is completely left out in the movie version in order to have the character’s relationship with Nora to seem questionable. ‘Mrs. Linde Listen to me, Nora. You are still very like a child in many ways, and I am older than you in many ways and have a little more experience. Let me tell you this—you ought to make an end of it with Doctor Rank. Nora What ought I to make an end of? Mrs. Linde Of two things, I think. Yesterday you talked some nonsense about a rich admirer who was to leave you money—Nora An admirer who doesn\t exist, unfortunately! But what then? (Ibsen; Act II). That scene wen t on with Nora having no understanding of what Christine is implying or accusing her of but Christine’s response is, ‘Don\t prevaricate, Nora. Do you suppose I don\t guess who lent you the two hundred and fifty pounds’ (Ibsen; Act II). The whole use of the word ‘prevaricate’ highlights the difference between the two versions, whereas, in the movie, Christine’s response was ‘Nora, don’t you think I know that Dr. Rank loan you the money?’ (Losey – A Dolls House; 1973) with Nora’s response, ‘Are you mad? I wouldn’t have dreamed of such a thing’. The movie scene stays in line with each character and their development. The use of Christine in the story is to serve as a direct comparison to Nora’s character, the movie supports this notion. So that Christine does not seem to be patronizing Nora and creating a type of conflict between the two characters since their decision at the end of the story are very different which makes their choice more effectively.

How do You Determine Asking Price when You Sell a Website? :: Sell Websites Buy Web Sites

How do You Determine Asking Price when You Sell a Website? Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com When you have finally made the difficult decision to sell your website the first thing that needs to be established is the asking price. Setting the asking price is not an arbitrarily process. If a website is priced well below where it should be, two things will most likely happen: First, you will not sell the business for the profit you should and you and or your co-owners/shareholders have been poorly served at best. And second, you might find that you will have more trouble selling it than if priced appropriately higher. If your website is priced too low, it will appear to most buyers that the deal must be too good to be true. And we all know what we have been told about that. So beware, low pricing may actually scare away otherwise interested buyers. Of course, it goes without saying that if the website is priced too high then there will be little or no interest on the part of serious buyers. An irrational asking price is not going to help you achieve your goal of finding a buyer for your website. Now that we have discussed the importance of pricing and what not to do, let me next say there is no exact science for coming up with an exact asking price. We must deal with a strange mix of art and science. The best asking price is that which will attract the greatest number of potential buyers. In our effort to determine this optimal price, we must resort to guidelines and â€Å"rules of thumb.† One of the most popular â€Å"rules of thumb† being used today is the Cash-flow or Revenue Multiple Method. Essentially you multiply your annual pre-tax earnings by some multiple of x and you have your price range. When a website has little or no earnings, then a similar method is applied on the revenue number. Both buyers and sellers widely use this method because of the relative consistency and measurability. Also for buyers, they can easily determine their ROI (return on investment) as the multiple can be viewed as some number of years. For instance, XYC.com has annual net profits of $500,000 and they will use the range of for a low-end of two times (or â€Å"2 X† as you will often hear) and an upper range of six times.

Criticism on the Poem Do Not Go Gentle

The first poem that Dylan Thomas ever published, when he was only eighteen, was an early version of â€Å"And Death Shall Have No Dominion. † The cycle of life and death formed a constant underlying theme throughout his poetry since that earliest effort. In â€Å"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,† a moving plea to his dying father, death takes on a new and intensely personal meaning for Thomas. David John Thomas was an important influence throughout his son Dylan’s life. A grammar school English teacher, he had a deep love for language and literature which he passed on to his son. In a 1933 letter to a friend, Dylan Thomas describes the library he shared with his father in their home. His father’s section held the classics, while his included modern poetry. It had, according to Thomas, everything needed in a library. â€Å"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night† was in all likelihood composed in 1945 when D. J. Thomas was seriously ill; however, it was not published until after his death on December 16, 1952. Thomas sent the poem to a friend, Princess Caetani, in the spring of 1951, telling her that the â€Å"only person I can’t show the little enclosed poem to is, of course, my father who doesn’t know he’s dying. After his father’s death, the poem was included in the collection In Country Sleep. Ironically Dylan Thomas himself died just a year later. The poem discusses various ways to approach death in old age. It advocates affirming life up until the last breath, rather than learning to accept death quietly. Poem Summary Lines 1-3 The first tercet introduces the poem’s theme; it also introduces the two recurring refrains that end alternate stanzas. Although these two lines, the first and the third, both state Thomas’s basic theme about resisting death, they contrast in several ways. Each of the predominant words in line one finds its opposite in line three. â€Å"Gentle† is paired with â€Å"rage,† â€Å"good† with â€Å"dying,† and â€Å"night† with â€Å"light. † The tone of the two lines also is quite different. Line one is subdued; the verbs are deliberately simple, vague. Thomas uses the predicate adjective â€Å"gentle,† making it describe the personality of the individual, rather than the more obvious choice â€Å"gently,† an adverb which would only refer to the action of the verb. â€Å"Good night† when it refers to dying becomes a paradox for Thomas, meaning a good death. Although this line may be an exhortation to resist death, its entire tone is gentle. Compare this to the beginning of line 3 where â€Å"rage† is repeated twice. Here the poet urges a furious resistance to death. The second line introduces Thomas’s advice to those who near death. The idea of burning is frequently associated with the passion of youth; however, Thomas wants the elderly to cling as passionately to their lives as anyone would. The phrase â€Å"close of day† establishes a connection with the â€Å"good night† of the previous line, while the words â€Å"burn† and â€Å"rave† move the reader into the third line of the stanza. Line 4 The next four stanzas describe four different types of old men and examine their attitudes and feelings as they realize that death is approaching. The first type Thomas mentions are the wise men. They may be considered scholars or philosophers. Perhaps because of this, intellectually they accept the inevitability of death. Thomas begins the line with the word â€Å"though,† however, to indicate that their knowledge has not prepared them to accept the reality of death. Line 5 This line explains why the wise men are unable to act in accordance with their knowledge. Scholars are known and measured by their words. These men have many words still left unwritten or unspoken, so their goals have not been accomplished. Thomas ends this line in mid-thought, leaving the rest of the idea to the next line. This parallels the unfulfilled lives of the wise men, with their messages only partially delivered. Line 6 In many villanelles, the refrains simply serve as a chorus. Here, Thomas makes it an integral part of the meaning of the stanza. Lines 7-8 â€Å"Good† seems to be used in a moral sense here, describing men who have lived worthy, acceptable lives. The phrase â€Å"last wave† presents readers with a dual image. The men themselves are a last wave, the last to approach death; they also seem to be giving a final wave to those who they are leaving behind. â€Å"Crying,† as well, has two meanings here. In one sense, it simply means speaking out, but it also carries the sense of weeping and mourning. Like the wise men, the good men have not accomplished what they wished to in life. Their actions failed to stand out. Thomas uses rhyme for different purposes here. Rhyming â€Å"bright† at the end of line 7 with â€Å"might† in line 8 erves to emphasize both words and link the two stanzas. Also, the rhyming of â€Å"by,† â€Å"crying,† and â€Å"dying† unites this stanza, while the use of â€Å"deeds† and â€Å"danced† is an example of alliteration. Line 9 The intensity of the refrain contrasts with the nature of the good men as Thomas has presented them. They seem passive, their actions weak. Now at the end of life, they must finally behave passionately, finally be noticed. Lines 10-12 Thomas’s wild men are very different from the good, quiet men in the previous stanzas.  The image, â€Å"caught and sang the sun,† is joyous and powerful when compared to frail deeds. These men have lived live fully, not realizing that they, too, will age and die. Since Thomas himself cultivated an image as a wild Celtic bard, this stanza seems ironically prophetic about his own death. Line 13 The word â€Å"grave† carries two meanings here: seriousness and death. These are the men of understanding; paradoxically, although they are blind, they are able to see more clearly than those with sight. Lines 14-15 The mentions of blindness are references to his father. Thomas spoke of this blindness again in the unfinished elegy he wrote after his father’s death, describing him as: Too proud to die, broken and blind he died †¦ An old kind man brave in his burning pride. In this stanza, Thomas contrasts light and dark imagery; for instance, the term â€Å"grave† is countered by â€Å"gay,† just as â€Å"blind† is contrasted with â€Å"sight. † Lines 16-17 While the last stanza referred to Thomas’s father only obliquely, this stanza is addressed to him. The â€Å"sad height† refers to his closeness to death. There are Biblical overtones to Thomas’s request in line 17, as he asks for a final blessing or curse; the patriarchs delivered such parting messages to their sons. As in many Bible verses, with their parallel structure, blessings and curses are paired together. If this line is read as iambic pentameter, however, the emphasis will fall on the words, â€Å"bless† and â€Å"now. † The image of â€Å"fierce tears† shows contrast: the tears acknowledging the inevitability of death, while the use of â€Å"fierce† indicates resistance until the end. â€Å"I pray† reinforces the Biblical imagery; however, the prayer is addressed to his father, the agnostic, rather than God.

Ilm M4.01 Essay

Managers have subordinates – people who operate at levels below the managers’. 10 In summary10 Leadership and Adaptability10 4. Communication and interpersonal relationships11 4. 1 Explanation11 4. 2 Barriers11 5. Development opportunities12 5. 1 Personal style14 5. 2 Personal development16 M4. 01: Understanding the management role (Work based assignment) 1. Introduction 1. 1 My Role – Principle Desktop Engineer †¢ Medway Council. The council employs around 7,000 people in a wide variety of general and specialist roles. Staff are based in the two main offices: Gun Wharf Chatham Maritime and Civic Centre in Strood. As well as in schools, social services centres and leisure, countryside, heritage and arts centres. †¢ My role within the organisation is Principle Desktop Engineer. I currently have a team of 8 engineers and an apprentice. †¢ The main purpose of the job is to manage the desktop engineer team, providing an effective and efficient desktop service to Medway Council. A full Job description (JDQ) is listed at appendix 1. 2. Medway Council[1] Medway Council is a unitary council responsible for providing services, including education and social services, in Rochester, Strood, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, the nearby rural areas and the Hoo Peninsula. The council also ensures that people comply with regulations, supports business and tourism in Medway and works to include everyone and regenerate the area. Services People who need services can find information on our website or at the council’s main offices, the town centre contact points as well as in local papers and radio and in the free magazine for residents, Medway Matters. You can also pay online for many services, including council tax, rent and parking fines and also complain if services are not up to your expectations. Decisions Decisions about our services are made after asking people for their views about, for example, what core values should underpin decisions and much more. Councillors make decisions about everything from refuse collection to regeneration of the area. It is their job to ensure that services are provided cost effectively, where they are needed and without discrimination. Council meetings are publicised in advance and members of the public are welcome to attend. Partnership Working in partnership with others to tackle problems effectively and campaign is co-ordinated through the Local Strategic Partnership and set out in the community plan. Other examples of partnership working are the Children and Young People’s Partnership and Community Safety Partnership (CSP). Employer As an employer of around 7,000 people, Medway Council offers full and part-time career opportunities. 2. 1 The council’s vision †¢ The Council’s vision for Medway is that Medway will be thriving, confident and healthy, a place where people are proud to live, work and learn. There will be opportunities for everyone to achieve and succeed, and to get the most out of life. We will celebrate the diversity of our communities, tackling disadvantage in all its forms. The local economy will grow an increasing number and range of jobs created by the expansion of existing businesses and the attraction of new ones. With a University for Medway offering opportunities for all local people, we will have a highly educated and skilled workforce, able to meet the needs of employers. Economic prosperity and progress will not however, be achieved at the expense of the environment. People living in Medway will enjoy a high quality of life, with decent, affordable housing. There will be a responsive transport system, helping to reduce traffic congestion. We will improve the environment and maintain it for future generations. †¢ This can only be achieved through the participation of all – the community, the Council, businesses and others sharing ambition and responsibility. We will listen to local people and jointly take pride in improving the place where we live. Networks of voluntary groups working with local people will be encouraged. Medway Council will provide high quality services, always working to improve value for money. Over and above this the Council will consult and involve local people so that decisions are taken on spending limited resources together. The Council will co-coordinate partnerships across boundaries to achieve common objectives. Medway Council will seek to set an example as a good and fair employer. †¢ Medway matters â €“ there is no limit to what we can achieve. Working together we will shape the future of Medway and create an environment of flourishing communities with people who fulfil their potential. . 2 Organisational structure The council is made up of two directorates: †¢ Children and Adults †¢ Regeneration, Community and Culture An additional partnership with NHS Medway includes: †¢ The Public Health Directorate An organisational chart can be found at appendix 2 with a management role table at appendix 3. 2. 2. 1 Functional areas and managerial roles in relation to its purpose Under the Medway Council Personal Development Review (PDR) there are several personal qualities and attributes (PQAs) which middle managers are assessed against: Commitment to diversity and integrity – promoting and managing diversity and demonstrating a fair and ethical approach in all situations †¢ Openness to change – proactively supporting change, seeking opportunities to pr omote improved organizational effectiveness †¢ Confidence and resilience – consistently projecting and promoting a confident, controlled and focused attitude in highly challenging situations †¢ Working with others – leading, involving and motivating others both within Medway and in the community †¢ Effective communication – communicating effectively oth orally and in writing †¢ Commitment to development – committed and able to develop self, individuals and teams to improve organisational effectiveness †¢ Problem solving – understanding and applying relevant information to make appropriate decisions which reflect key priorities and requirements †¢ Situational awareness – maintaining an active awareness of the environment to promote safe and effective working †¢ Commitment to excellence – leading groups to achieve excellence by the establishment, maintaining and managing performance requirements †¢ Planning and implementing – creating and implementing effective plans to deliver a range of organizational objectives †¢ Political/organizational awareness – recognizing the potential political impact and implications of actions from a strategic perspective These are primarily for operational staff but there is an expectation that all middle managers fulfil these roles. 2. 3 Stakeholders and their objectives A stakeholder is any individual or organisation that is affected by the activities of a business. They may have a direct or indirect interest in the business, and may be in contact with the business on a daily basis, or may just occasionally. Our main stake holders are: †¢ Members – they are elected, accountable and drive values and activities. †¢ Staff – they will be interested in job security and pay. †¢ Agencies – Shools, NHS, Housing, Police, Highways, Waste and Building Control. †¢ Other authorities – SE7, a partnership of seven councils that have committed to working together to improve quality of services and to achieve savings. Stakeholders have an interest in the company but do not own it. I would suggest that most people would say the public would be the main stakeholder as the end-user. However there is a stakeholder matrix which is used to assess how much power and influence they have to an organisation. Using this then influences how much attention/priority the organisation should allocate to each. [pic] 3. The role of management in achieving goals To achieve its goals and ensure that the stakeholder’s interests are continually analysed and met, the council employs middle managers. The council goals can only be achieved if everyone works as a team and supports the council vision and values. Middle managers are an important component of this team. Middle managers have a responsibility within the organisation to implement at an operational level, the policy and programs set out by the senior managers and directors. They have a strong impact on the outcome of customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and the efficiency and development of the organisation. Middle managers within the company also act as role models who interpret and represent the company; they communicate and track the different goals and policies ensuring information flows up as well as down. 3. 1 Responsibilities of middle managers Middle managers relay strategic objections from senior managers to their subordinates. They set local targets, review and evaluate, and report back to senior managers. Communication is therefore crucial in the organisation to ensure everyone fully understands their roles and responsibilities. Middle managers play an important role in promulgating information to their staff from senior managers in an appropriate manner and understandable language to ensure duties are carried out efficiently and effectively, as we have a duty as â€Å"public servants† to provide value for money. In essence they make it â€Å"real†. Various systems are in place to enable middle managers to provide evaluation on targets to senior managers, and provide data for Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs). Adair’s Action Centred Leadership model can be used to show how middle managers can show achievement towards the organisation’s goals: By Achieving the Task By Developing the Team By Developing Individuals Importantly as well, Adair set out these core functions of leadership and says they are vital to the Action Centred Leadership model: Planning – seeking information, defining tasks, setting aims †¢ Initiating – briefing, task allocation, setting standards †¢ Controlling – maintaining standards, ensuring progress, on-going decision-making †¢ Supporting – individuals’ contributions, encouraging, team spirit, reconciling, morale †¢ Informing – clarifying tasks and plans, updating, receiving feedback and interpreting †¢ Evaluating – feasibility of ideas, performance, enabling self assessment Following training, Medway Council middle managers are involved in recruiting staff, conduct appraisals and performance management and absence management, in accordance with service procedures. Middle managers are specialists within their department or team. . 3. 2 Leadership/Management styles How you talk to your staff, how you motivate, how you delegate, how you solve problems and how you make decisions will depend on you view your role as a manager or as a leader. The table at appendix 4 lists the different styles. 3. 3 To lead or to manage You need both. The old proverb says that leadership is doing the right thing; management is doing things right. The difference between the two is not as sharp as the saying would suggest, and both are required for effective corporate growth: leadership risk creates opportunities while management strictness turns them into tangible results. â€Å"If your organization is not on a journey don’t bother about leadership – just settle for management† advises John Adair. â€Å"There is a direct correlation between the way people view their managers and the way they perform† [2] Leadership vs. Management What is the difference between management and leadership? The biggest difference between managers and leaders is the way they motivate the people who work or follow them, and this sets the tone for most other aspects of what they do. Many people are both. They have management jobs, but they realize that you cannot buy hearts, especially to follow them down a difficult path, and so act as leaders too. Managers have subordinates – people who operate at levels below the managers’. Leaders have followers, leaders do not have subordinates – at least not when they are leading. Many organizational leaders do have subordinates, but only because they are also managers. But when they want to lead, they have to give up formal authoritarian control, because to lead is to have followers, and following is always a voluntary activity. In summary The table at appendix 5 summarizes the differences between being a leader and being a manager. This is, of course, an illustrative characterisation, and there is a whole spectrum between either end of these scales along which each person can range. Leadership and Adaptability We know that what will inspire or motivate one staff member, will not inspire or motivate another; managers therefore need to be adaptable in their responses to staff. 4. Communication and interpersonal relationships 4. 1 Explanation[3] Interpersonal communication is a crucial part of your everyday life, yet you probably rarely think about the way in which you interact with other individuals. DeVito defines interpersonal communications as â€Å"communication that takes place between two persons who have an established relationship; the people are in some way ‘connected’ Thus, as interpersonal communication can occur between romantic partners, business associates, doctors and patients, etc. , it permeates our lives. Often, you devote your interpersonal interactions to attempts at influencing the other individual in some way. 4. 2 Barriers One thing I’ve seen as an inhibitor is people like to communicate in different ways. So as a manager, we need to really seek to understand for each person, what they prefer. Some may like short 1-1 sessions that focus on quick communication of facts. Some may like longer communication sessions and be comfortable talking about personal life. Some may want weekly 1-1s, some bi-weekly. Trying to tailor the communication style in personal interactions is important. Another inhibitor I’ve seen is globally dispersed teams where communication can often take the form of instant message conversations and emails. I find that at least on occasion, suggesting a quick 5 minute call to cover something can really be of value – allows a more personal level of communication and can also allow for â€Å"off topic† communication which can help people connect. Management is based on communication but being able to transfer that into drivers, performance, motivation and sustainability needs leadership and empowerment skills. It is the basis of trust building. You can give someone a reprimand or praise and even both over a coffee and with genuine commitment you have a strong bond to build on. It converts into motivation when focused right. It’s not just about communicating – it’s about several crucial interplays of trust, motivation, inspiration, support and leadership. The main barriers we come across are solved on a trust related basis. Even a simple barrier like arriving late for work is a mountain without trust. Bottom line is each team player is different – respect will give you the ability to enter and discuss. Trust will aid the action plan†¦ then follow up and reward progress mechanisms facilitate team building and mentoring. 5. Development opportunities Every council employee has a PDR covering: †¢ Performance over the last 6/12 months, achieved objectives/targets, areas of good performance. †¢ Areas of performance to be developed further or any other problems or constraints. †¢ Agreed priority objectives/targets for next 12 months (including any Corporate Plan objectives/targets). †¢ Review of development and training over last 12 months. †¢ Agreed future development. †¢ section/department/authority. †¢ Manager’s comments. †¢ Employee’s comments All managers will manage differently as no two people are the same. However if a manager is able to critically appraise their own performance they will be able to identify areas to be developed, or at least to be aware of. The Johari Window (Loft and Hingham) is a widely used model for understanding and training self-awareness, personal development, improving communications, interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, team development and inter-group relationships. [4] [pic] 1. The public area contains things that are openly known and talked about and which may be seen as strengths or weaknesses. This is the self that we choose to share with others 2. The hidden area contains things that others observe that we don’t know about. Again, they could be positive or negative behaviours, and will affect the way that others act towards us. 3. The unknown area contains things that nobody knows about us – including ourselves. This may be because we’ve never exposed those areas of our personality, or because they’re buried deep in the subconscious. 4. The private area contains aspects of our self that we know about and keep hidden from others. 5. 1 Personal style The main two styles used by myself now are Negotiating and Facilitating I carried out a self-assessment and had three of staff carry out the assessment for comparison. All four assessments are fairly well balanced showing my main two styles are: Negotiating and Facilitating. Appendix 6 is my self-assessment. Appendix 7 is an assessment by one of my senior engineers. This shows a lower result for Directing and a higher result for Laissez-faire when compared to the other two staff assessments. This person is experienced, knowledgeable and trustworthy and has pride in his work. Appendix 8 is an assessment by one of my junior engineers. This shows an increase in Directing and a small decrease in Laissez-faire. This person is competent but still requires a little coaching at times. Appendix 9 is an assessment by a fairly new member of staff. This shows a significant increase in Directing and a small decrease in Laissez-faire. This person being fairly new to the team still requires Directing while he gets used to the policies and working practices of the organisation. From the assessment results, it is clear that my main two leadership styles are Negotiating and Facilitating, this fits in well with the organisation and is both encouraged and supported by the business. I believe I use the following styles: †¢ Style 1 – the directing or telling leader. This style I use on new members of staff and for projects that are high priority and need to be completed by the book. †¢ Style – 2 the coaching or selling leader. I use this style when dealing with the every day workloads, I have two senior engineers who manage the internal and external work queues seperately. I leave them to orghanise there own schedule but monitor both queues and expect feed back from them. †¢ Style 3 – the supporting or participating leader. I use this style during when I have smaller projects that I can delegate to my engineers knowing that they are fully capable of achieving the goals laid down. †¢ Style 4 – the delegating leader. I use this when I delegate more complex projects to my senior engineers knowing that they are fully capable of achieving the goals set out and will seek my advice/approval if any changes are required during the project. 5. 2 Personal development My areas for self improvement would be: 1. Communication, change leadership is enhanced when leaders communicate a little at a time, as often as possible, in as many different ways as possible, and providing as many different perspectives as possible. Once team members have built their own personal model of the future and have checked it out against the reality of what is happening on the ground, so that they can once again begin to make their own decisions, the communication process will have served its purpose. This could be achieved by allowing time for more team meetings to pass on any changes that may be in the pipeline, get an update on how the team feel in general. What has worked – can we improve on current working practices to give an improved and more efficient service to the organisation. What hasn’t worked and why, analyse where the task went wrong and see if it can be avoided in the future, lessons learnt. Finally to give praise/rewards where/if appropriate. 2. Self awareness, more patience with both team members and customers, being an autocratic leader for 20 years leaves its mark. My own personal development plan can be found at appendix 10 Possible organisational improvements: 1. Review working practices on a regular basis and try to improve on them making work more productive, efficient leading to a more effective service to the organisation [pic][pic] ———————– [1] Medway Council website [2] Adair, 1997 [3] DeVito, J. A. (2004). The interpersonal communication book, 10th ed. Boston: Pearson-Allyn & Bacon. [4] Google Images