Learning Assessment Of Mentor Meetings Personal Development Essay

Learning Assessment Of Mentor Meetings Personal Development Essay 1. What did you learn from the meetings with your project mentor, including the presentation that you gave to your project mentor? First of all, I was aware that three meetings with my project mentor are very important to accomplish the whole project successfully.  Before meeting with my mentor, I  read all the topics and try to choose the topic which is relevant to my previous study. Once the topic has been chosen, I  planned and scheduled the time and place to meet with my mentor as well as organised the  data to use in our first meeting. 1.1 Meeting 1 Before the first meeting, I thoroughly research about the company I chose for my project on the internet to ensure that the sources for this company are available. After that, I prepared all the necessary documents, which contain the chosen topic, aims and objectives, ratios and methods of information gathering of my project. Then I called the mentor to take an appointment and sent the documents I prepared. During the first meeting, as a first step, we discussed about the documents which I sent to her, and she suggested me to keep a diary to make our discussion up to date. She also pointed out my weakness and explained me how to use business models in which situation. She also advised me to read about information gathering techniques and data collecting methods as I intended to rely on the internet so much to collect data. She recommended me to visit City business library to gather information efficiently. From the first meeting, I had learnt that I have some weakness in using business models and information gathering methods. I realised that I should use secondary data rather than primary data as they would be very difficult to find and take a lot of time. I also realised that I should not rely on the internet too much as it is hard to tell that the information on the websites is reliable or not, so I decided to visit the library frequently. After the first meeting, as my mentor mentioned, I visited to the City Business Library and downloaded the business and financial information from Datamonitor, for both Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. Then I read through the reports of both companies. I also read ACCA text books and other relevant books to enhance my knowledge. With the use of Microsoft Excel, I drew financial ratios for three years for both companies and managed to finish Income statement and Financial Position and SWOT and Porters five forces, draft analysis of my project. During research, I noted which area I needed to improve and what question should I ask to my mentor. So I realised that how self- evaluation is very useful and effective in doing research. 1.2 Meeting 2 Prior to second meeting, I emailed my RAP to my mentor and organised documents for the meeting. At second meeting, we discussed about my draft analysis and my mentor pointed out some problems on my analysis. She also explained the importance of improving the critical analysis skill. This time, my mentor was quite pleased about the improvement of my information gathering skill. However, my mentor was critical on my referencing and citations as I had the lack of references in some parts of my project. Then, I asked her what I have to prepare for next meeting. After the second meeting, I had learned that I still needed to improve in accurate referencing and had some weakness in research skill. As my mentor had explained me the importance of critical analysis skill, I tried to read books relevant to analysing skill to improve in this area. On the other hand, I found it difficult to manage the time as I was studying for ACCA exams as well. So I was worried that I could not finish on time. 1.3 Meeting 3 I realised that third meeting was very important for me as this would be the last meeting for us. So, I edited some parts of my research which my mentor mentioned, and I had made sure to finish every section of the project by checking from the beginning to the conclusion, as well as the correct referencing. After that I started to prepare sides for the presentation with Microsoft Powerpoint and read some books to improve my presentation. Before the meeting, I sent my project and presentation slides to my mentor, and also I kept a copy of presentation slides at home to practice as my mentor suggested. Although I prepared carefully for my presentation, I was quite nervous when doing the presentation. I had experienced that good presentation skill is very crucial for my future career. And I also learned that taking feedbacks from others is also important to finish a project smoothly. 2. How well do you think that you have answered your research questions? Although I was satisfied with my whole project, I was not pleased with the depth of the answers to the research questions since I had decided to use secondary data rather than primary data due to the time and fund limitations. If I had been able to collect primary data,I would have been able to research more insightfully and acquire more balanced perspective by using both primary and secondary data. As the companys Annual report was my primary data, I had tried to approach financial position based on information presented in financial statements. Despite the limitations to gather company information, I had managed to collect all the information I needed for my financial analysis by reading news, books and using internet. For non-financial analysis, I would have been able to answer the research questions in more depth if I had to access primary data such as internal audit reports. However, I had managed to analysis the non-financial performance of the company by using secondary sources. To meet the criteria of the project, I was aware that I must answer all the research questions carefully. Answering my research question also reflected the knowledge of the work I had prepared and developed the skills to complete my project. Moreover, I had gained questioning skills during undertaking project. To write a meaningful and reasonable report, I had always tried to use reliable sources to avoid unfair judgments. Choosing Google for my RAP also offered a lot of sources to collect information. I believed that I had done productive ratio calculations to understand the situation of Google Inc comparing to Yahoo Inc. I also concentrated when analysing financial and non-financial data to ensure that they meet the purposes of RAP. After finishing my project, I was able to learn more about the organisation than before. Moreover, I believe that the topic I chose was right for me as I could apply my academic knowledge to the project and help me increase my skills and experiences. 3. How have you demonstrated your interpersonal skills and communication skill during the project work? Communication skills play vital role in our daily life, as how we interact with others can greatly affect our professional and personal lives. Hence when meeting with my mentor, I concentrated on what we were discussing and carefully listened to my mentors feedbacks and suggestions. Before each meeting, I always wrote down the questions I wanted to ask my mentor. So I was able to save a lot of time when meeting with my mentor. Also I tried to visit websites and reading books to improve my communication skills during undertaking project. When I speak to my mentor, I always tried to speak clearly and precisely and my mentor had no difficulties in understanding me. Therefore, I believe that I could communicate with my mentor effectively. Effective communication skills include active listening, praise and encouragement, paraphrasing, questioning, reflecting, and non-verbal communication.(Central TB Division, n.d). Listening skill is also essential when communicate with others. During the first meeting, sometimes, I lost my concentrating when listening to my mentor. Therefore, I had to ask my mentor to repeat what she just said and thus wasted our time. So I realised that I need to pay more attention when my mentor speaking and tried to improve listening skill by reading articles about effective listening skill. By listening to my mentor carefully and followed her useful suggestions precisely helped me gain the confidence and guided me to complete the project in time without difficulties. After all, these communication skills gained during the project period will help me in studies as well as in my future career. 4. How has undertaking the Research and Analysis Project helped you in your accountancy studies and/or current employment role? Undertaking the Research and Analysis Project (RAP) helped me improve my accounting knowledge by applying ACCA accounting concepts into real life project and enhance my interpersonal skills as well as project management skills which are essential to have as an account. First of all, I have noticed the difference between applying financial theory at exams and applying theory onto research project. For practices and exams, I have to use financial ratios to evaluate the case scenarios. However, time is limited so that I just use the significant ratios which come to my mind and which seem to be appropriate based on my study practices. In order to evaluate the financial performance of Google Inc., I need to think carefully what ratios are suitable and for what reasons I have to apply those. By doing so, my understanding on accounting ratios increases and my thinking becomes more practical. Thus, for future accountancy studies, I believe that I can justify the exam scenarios more reasonably by analysing different perspectives. Project management skill is one of the critical success factors for RAP. Without this, I will not be able to complete my project. If I did not undertake this project, I would not see how important the project management skill is. I have learnt how to plan my work and manage time to finish each workload on time through lesson learnt and with help of my mentor. Increased in planning and time management skills would help not only to my study but also to my work. All my work performance has been significantly increased through planning in advance. Another skill I have gained from carrying out this project is communication skill. As a volunteer accountant, I have to deal with my supervisor and colleague two days a week. I feel that my communication skill has been improved and I am now able to discuss the topics and debate all possible solutions with confidence at the meetings. Moreover, utilising presentation idea, I can illustrate things better and persuade them to accept my idea. Eventually I have learnt how to develop a formal report efficiently and effectively using Microsoft Office Word and Excel. Reporting and accountant cannot be separable as an accountant is a key person to interpret all financial data into manageable information via management reports. This project highlights my weakness in reporting skills and gives me a chance to improve those areas. Thus, I would be able to write a good report for my future ACCA exams and all the way through to my career. Writing a report also boost the research and analytical skills. In conclusion, I have achieved a variety of skills by performing this research and analysis project such as project management skill, communication skill and reporting skill. Those skills are useful for both academic and working life. In addition, I have clear understanding on the financial techniques of how to analyse the position of individual organisations. Reference and Bibliography Central TB Division, (n.d). Improving Interpersonal Communication Skills in RNTCP Training[Online]. Retrieved from: [Accessed 19 April 2010]

The Magyars :: essays research papers fc

The Magyars   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval Period in European History saw several waves of â€Å"barbarians† which helped shape the face of European society. The nomadic tribes of people that lived a migratory life, while other groups were founding civilizations with permanent living centers, are today referred to as barbarians. Two great empires, the Chinese and the Roman, ruled on the extreme edges of the enormous Eurasian continent and were separated by vast distances.1 The people that existed between the two empires and roamed the large wasteland were called â€Å"barbarians.†2 They did not have a permanent living center and therefore raided settled towns and cities for food and riches. Because of there roaming ways and raiding tactics, barbarians were feared and hated in the Medieval World. The word â€Å"barbarian† is presently associated with being backwards, uneducated, or indecent; in one word, uncivilized. These wandering people lived in family orientated groups called clans, which combined together to form a tribe. Tribes depended on one another for protection. Among these barbarian groups where a traveling people known as the Magyars. The Magyars had a major impact on the Carpathian Basin in Central Eastern Europe, and directly affected the picture of the European landscape that we have today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The magyars are a mysterious peoples whose origins and connections are highly debated among scholars and historians. The first place to begin when searching for origins, is the language. The Magyar language is a branch of the Finno-Ugrian family of languages, most nearly related to Finnish, although supplemented by numerous Turkic words.3 The language is very unique and their is no other like it in the world. Popular 2 belief places the origin of the people themselves somewhere in the Orient. The Old Magyar Fatherland was probably situated in the ancient Orient, which we call the Near-East, and played an important role in Mesopotamian lands.4 Linguistic evidence places the Magyars among the ancient Egyptians. Contemporary records speak of a Makari Queen5 from the XXth dynasty; between 1080-940 BC6 Egyptian Kings of the XIXth dynasty forced the Magyars out of Africa for good. From their the people dispersed, moved around the European landmass, including Hungary, and mixed with other peoples.7 Much of the Finno-Ugrian peoples mainly dispersed in the widespread region on the west side of the Ural Mountains.8 It was in this region that the Magyars were exposed to the Turks. Their language was enriched with Turkic elements while maintaining its basic Finno-Ugric characteristics. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the Magyars during this period because of their nomadic ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the end of the 5th century the Magyars had begun their southward migration The Magyars :: essays research papers fc The Magyars   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval Period in European History saw several waves of â€Å"barbarians† which helped shape the face of European society. The nomadic tribes of people that lived a migratory life, while other groups were founding civilizations with permanent living centers, are today referred to as barbarians. Two great empires, the Chinese and the Roman, ruled on the extreme edges of the enormous Eurasian continent and were separated by vast distances.1 The people that existed between the two empires and roamed the large wasteland were called â€Å"barbarians.†2 They did not have a permanent living center and therefore raided settled towns and cities for food and riches. Because of there roaming ways and raiding tactics, barbarians were feared and hated in the Medieval World. The word â€Å"barbarian† is presently associated with being backwards, uneducated, or indecent; in one word, uncivilized. These wandering people lived in family orientated groups called clans, which combined together to form a tribe. Tribes depended on one another for protection. Among these barbarian groups where a traveling people known as the Magyars. The Magyars had a major impact on the Carpathian Basin in Central Eastern Europe, and directly affected the picture of the European landscape that we have today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The magyars are a mysterious peoples whose origins and connections are highly debated among scholars and historians. The first place to begin when searching for origins, is the language. The Magyar language is a branch of the Finno-Ugrian family of languages, most nearly related to Finnish, although supplemented by numerous Turkic words.3 The language is very unique and their is no other like it in the world. Popular 2 belief places the origin of the people themselves somewhere in the Orient. The Old Magyar Fatherland was probably situated in the ancient Orient, which we call the Near-East, and played an important role in Mesopotamian lands.4 Linguistic evidence places the Magyars among the ancient Egyptians. Contemporary records speak of a Makari Queen5 from the XXth dynasty; between 1080-940 BC6 Egyptian Kings of the XIXth dynasty forced the Magyars out of Africa for good. From their the people dispersed, moved around the European landmass, including Hungary, and mixed with other peoples.7 Much of the Finno-Ugrian peoples mainly dispersed in the widespread region on the west side of the Ural Mountains.8 It was in this region that the Magyars were exposed to the Turks. Their language was enriched with Turkic elements while maintaining its basic Finno-Ugric characteristics. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the Magyars during this period because of their nomadic ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the end of the 5th century the Magyars had begun their southward migration

Symbolism In The Great Gatsby Essay -- essays research papers

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, uses symbolism throughout the novel to create the characters and events of the post World War I period. Colors are one way symbolism was used to develop the characters’ personalities and set up events. This is shown by colors like the green at the end of Daisy Buchannan’s dock, the color of Jay Gatsby’s car and how Myrtle and Jordan surrounded themselves by white. Other symbolisms used to set up events are the difference in the people of the West Egg and East Egg and the sign in the â€Å"valley of ashes†. Daisy Buchanan has a green light at the end of her of dock on the other side of the bay from Jay Gatsby’s house. The green light represents Jay’s money, jealousy, and the go ahead for Jay Gatsby to get Daisy back from Tom no matter what it takes.. â€Å"Gatsby stretched his arms towards the dark water in a curious way, and as far as I was from him I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward-and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of the dock† (p25-26). Jay Gatsby thinks that money will make his former lover come back to him. Every one that attends the party is very envious of Jay Gatsby’s money. Gatsby is very jealous of Tom because he is married to Daisy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Countryman 2 Gatsby bought a gold car to show of his great wealth. He wanted Daisy to see the car, ...

A South Korean Company that Operates in China Essay -- Asian Economics

A South Korean Company that Operates in China This report address’s the requirements at hand to select a South Korean company that has operations in China Executive Summary: In 1992, Samsung Electronics adopted the form of a wholly owned subsidiary as the entry mode into China. It’s entry into China was in order to maintain growth due to the tough competition in Korea. China was selected in order to take advantage of its low wages for the mass production of low to medium priced products. The initial manufacturing ground was at Tianjin due to its costal location hence making it easy to export abroad and to major locations in China. The original focus of producing low cost products resulted in a cheap image of Samsung in China and led to a loss of US$210,000 in 1998 for its Suzhou division. The 1997 Asian economic crisis led to Samsung shifting its focus towards higher quality products. Samsung realised they could not compete with the Chinese manufacturers in terms of low priced products. In order to remain competitive in China, Samsung shifted its marketing strategy to one based on â€Å"selection and concentration†. After 1997, the focus was on the 10 major cities in China including Beijing, Tianjin, Suzhou, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Samsung came up with the â€Å"5% strategy†, targeting their products at the top 5% earners in China. The intensity of their Research & Development (R&D) in China grew with the expansion of their plant at Suzhou. Recently, there appears to be a shift in their operations from the Pearl River Delta to the Yangtze River Delta. This allows Samsung to take advantage of the better skilled personnel and infrastructure available for R&D. Samsung also set up a second Headquarters in Beijing which is responsible for marketing, personnel recruitment and for shaping of Samsung’s long term ambitions in China. Introduction: The Samsung group has 116 subsidiaries in 67 countries and received sales revenue from local subsidiaries of US$29billion. Over the last 5 years sales and net income have increased 1.6 times and 45 times, respectively. Sales in 2010 are anticipated to be 1.9 times that of 2002, with pre-tax profits expected to increase 2.1 times. Samsung is a heavily diversified company, and in order to best demonstrate its market entry to China, the report will look at the electronics arm to demonstr... ...eman, E., 2003. "Can the Pearl River Delta region still compete?", in The China Business Review, 30(3): 6-17, pages 53-63.  · Skopal, A. and C.J.Zhu, 2002. "An evaluation of entry strategy development in China?", in The 4th International Symposium on Multinational Business Management Proceedings, Nanjing, China, May 19-21, pages 65-73  · New York Times, 1991, (cited 9 May 2005) ‘Korean Companies in China’, late edition (East Coast), New York, pg. D20,  · Christian Science Monitor, 1992, (cited 9 May 2005) ‘High-Tech Giant Gears for Future The president of Samsung Electronics Company’, pre-1997 Full text, Boston, Mass, pg. NOPGCIT,  · Strategic Direction, 1999, (cited 9 May 2005), ‘Samsung Electronics play the China Card’, Bradford: Jul/Aug, Vol.15, Iss. 7, pg. 24  · Sender H., 2003, (cited 9 May 2005) ‘World Business (A Special Report); Back From the Brink: Samsung Electronics got into trouble by being like many Asian firms; It survived by being different’, Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition), New York, Sep. 22, pg. R.5  · Lee, B. J., 2004, (cited 9 May 2005) ‘Gotta Be Chinese’, Newsweek New York: Jun 28, Vol. 143, Iss. 26, pg. E8

Computer Technology Essay

The education system world wide has been vying to raise the quality of education as reflected in the volumes of research regarding quality education and teacher effectiveness. In the light of the rapid advancement of technology, more research attention has been given to the integration of information and computer technology (ICT) with the educational design and curriculum. It has been included for since computers were invented, however because of the rapid rate by which modernization occurs, the ministries of education for every country must be able to cope up by intensifying the rate degree of integration while upholding quality content and instruction as well. In present Saudi Arabia, the application of satellite technology had been the focused issue because of its potential to elevate the quality of teaching and learning at all levels (Al-Sharhan 2000). Studies have shown Australian states as a model for the significant links communication systems provide for students across the nation to interact and add valuable substance to their learning (Al-Sharhan 2000). The potential of such satellite communication new instated in Saudi Arabia and its uses for educational purpose is yet an area to be discovered and studied because of the reduced equipment, maintenance and operational cause that this technological advancement provides (Al-Sharhan 2000). However, the education system in Saudi Arabia must be prepared by properly equipping their teachers, their curriculum, and their students for the changes that would occur as the operation of the satellite communication are full-fledged. The important focus of this management plan is to introduce ICT and integrate it into the method of quality teaching and learning to the highest degree possible. In ten years time the great need to close the â€Å"performance gap† between the schools and colleges in terms of achieving the goals of a world class high quality education would be eradicated if not it would totally minimal compared to the global leaders in education (Kelly 2001). The current status of the education system defined by limited technology. Studies are still underway into how the satellites can be used however, at present; there are still no clear terms in how it must be used before this quality teaching and learning framework. Planning for improvement must be based upon the baseline or the â€Å"initial audit† of the school and college to include the opinions of the parents, the students, and the staff as the starting point for quality management (Kelly 2001). Considerations must be a unified expected outcome, the welfare of the internal customers, the key persons responsible for implementation and task assignments and a means to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan (Kelly 2001). Overview There must be a close consideration for the content and educational design for the integration of ICT into the curriculum and into the classroom instruction (Naidu 2003). Content refers to the information or in the scenario of the ICT integration, electronic information that the students would get as learners (Naidu 2003). Educational design refers to the processes that the educators would use in planning and providing the education for the students (Naidu 2003). The faculty needs to be prepared and guided for the integration of the technology. As the method of instruction would be elevated and modernized, the teaching quality must be improved as well and not be forgotten in the excitement for advanced technology (Fraser 2004). Regulatory and quality assurance would be increased, however there would be a shift from a managerial system to an academic accountability system for the teachers in the college as they have more freedom as well as responsibility when their methods for instruction grows wider (Fraser 2004). The increased emphasis on quality and accountability would be a response to the changes that the colleges and universities would have with a change in their material conditions as the satellite technology become fully accessible and utilized in education (Fraser 2004). As most teachers are used to the traditional technologies, they must be aware that every tool that would become available has something unique and valuable to offer (Clark et al. 2003). Technology can enrich any course subject in ways the traditional method cannot (Clark et al. 2003). In terms of assessment such ICT programs, a web-based assessment reflects the continuum of assessment types because of their nature of improvement (Naidu 2003). Traditional assessments were known to lack a variety and autonomy as well as student choice, they were also lacking in work-based application and project-based learning as well as limited peer and self-assessment strategies (Naidu 2003). ICT-based assessments would be introduced in this plan to be able to evaluate the quality of an ICT-integrated education system. Satellite communications are used for different applications that can both be used for educational purposes; one is for remote sensing, taking pictures and capturing scientific data and the other for telecommunication purposes (Al-Sharhan 2000). Their difference in purpose can point to different themes and school activities by which they would be used. The telephone link would be one of the most important contributions this satellite technology can have for the schools of Saudi Arabia (Al-Sharhan 2000). Theoretical Foundations Expected Outcome Teachers. The computer and all the benefits it can provide have been massively changing the perception for teaching instruction (Nicholls 2002). The expectations have become higher in terms of teacher preparation and delivery in relation to quality education (Nicholls 2002). The teachers can not be one way or the other when it comes to technology; most of the time, some either ignore technology because of the lack of trust and knowledge or rely on them because of familiarity (Nicholls 2002). The implementation of this plan would enable the teachers to be comfortable with teaching with technology. In less than ten years, the staff would become so familiar with ICT that it would be the new normalcy when it comes to quality education. The elevation of standard for the Saudi Arabia schools would reflect that not only a few subjects would make use of such ICT-based curriculum, but it would be a requirement for every subject course and professor. The educators would be the ones introducing technological advancement to their students with their methods and in turn the students would be equipped to use them because of such instruction. Students. The satellite technology would be able to accommodate a large number of students simultaneously and over an extended geographical area (Al-Sharhan 2000). Most of the students are more IT literate and expect technology to be used for teaching by the educators (Nicholls 2002). The teachers, who are well-equipped in operating technology, would be able to customize their activities to fit the needs of the students. It encourages the students to go beyond the lecture to expand their learning and to conduct self-directed study (Nicholls 2002). The school may have web-based discussion forums, electronic mailing lists that enhance student participation and individualized learning (Nichols 2002). The Education System. The integration of ICT and the use of satellite technology can be potential for elevating the standard of the education system in developing countries to overcome specific problems such as loosing high quality teachers due to emigration to other countries, shortage of physical equipment and materials in many schools (Al-Sharhan 2000). The combat against high adult literacy can also be fought better given the Open University potential for online learning (Al-Sharhan 2000). It also provides the solution for segregating male and female students that would be difficult in physical classrooms but would be possible with online classrooms that would give more educational opportunities to women than before (Al-Sharhan 2000).

Human Nature and the Goodness of a Person in Plato’s Republic I Essay

Hailed as Plato’s greatest masterpiece, the Republic is considered one of the best guides of ethics and politics not only in a5th century Greece but in modern and contemporary times. Just like in the Dialogues, throughout all the sections or books of the Republic, the main character is Plato’s mentor, Socrates, whose conversations with prominent Greek personalities on the subjects of ethics and politics the former documents. Book One is particularly important as it opens the series of dialogues that discusses ideas relevant to human nature and the definition of a good man. This paper seeks to present the views of Plato on the subjects of wealth, friendship and justice as it relates to the idea of what a good man should be. The Important Points of Republic I on Human Nature The ideas on human nature and goodness in Book One of the Republic are hinged upon the important points in the conversations among Socrates, Cephalus, Polemarchus and Thrasymachus. On Wealth. Socrates talks to Cephalus in the first part of the first book of the Republic. Socrates is curious about Cephalus’ mild demeanor when it comes to his wealth. First of all, Socrates states that in order for one to value money, he has to make it himself. He speaks of this important concept in the following statement of his to Cephalus: â€Å"Men who have made money take this money seriously as their own creation and they also value it for its uses as other people do† (Plato, Republic I, 330c). Socrates points out further that â€Å"those who have themselves acquired [their money] have a double reason in comparison with other men for loving it† (330c) and â€Å"so [the men who have made money] are hard to talk to since they are unwilling to commend anything except wealth† (330c). In short, Cephalus states that â€Å"the best thing about wealth is that it can save us from being unjust and thus smooth the way for an agreeable afterlife† (Brown). This is clearly one of the best insights on human nature related to wealth. This line implies that a good man is supposed to make his own money in order for him to appreciate it much and to value it. Wasteful men who do not value their money may have been those who did not make their own money and have acquired it only through inheritance. The second important point regarding how wealth relates to human nature is that a good man should know that the importance of money is for him not to cheat his fellowman. Socrates asks Cephalus â€Å"What do you regard as the greatest benefit you have enjoyed from the possession of property? † (330d). And after a long explanation, Cephalus answers, â€Å"I affirm that the possession of wealth is of most value not to cheat any man [and] not remaining in debt to a god for some sacrifice or to a man for money [and] it has also many other uses† (331a-331b). It is clear from a Cephalus’ statement that the purpose of money is not to do harm to one’s fellowman even though this harm is unintentional. He therefore presumes that a man who does not have enough money has a natural tendency to wrong his fellowman. It is therefore imperative that people should make money for such a purpose. On Friendship. From the subject of wealth as it relates to human nature, Socrates concludes that the purpose of acquiring wealth is somehow based on the idea of doing justice to one’s fellowman. And this idea of justice extends to friendship. In the conversations between Socrates and Polemarchus, one of the conclusions they have arrived at is that it is but just for one to do good to his friends and not to do evil. This is explicitly stated by Polemarchus as: â€Å"Friends owe it to friends to do them some good and no evil† (332a). This is based on the saying according to Polemarchus that â€Å"according to Simonides, it is just to give to each what is owed [or due] to him† (Humphrey), which means that because your friends do good to you and not bad, then it is but just to return the favor. Polemarchus also says that in order to do justice to one’s enemies, one should do to him â€Å"what also is proper for him [and] some evil† (332b). This means that since one’s enemies do bad things then one should give them a taste of their own medicine through doing bad things too. On Justice. Both the aforementioned subjects of wealth and friendship as they relate to human nature can be reduced to the idea of justice. The ideas on how justice relates to human nature are somehow lifted from the dialogue between Socrates and Thrasymachus. A just man first of all should not try to take advantage of another man. Socrates asks Thrasymachus, â€Å"Do you think the just man would want to overreach or exceed another just man? † (349b) and he answers, â€Å"By no means† (349b). This means that a just man recognizes the fact that since the other person has not wronged him, he has no right to wrong him either. However, Thrasymachus states that a just man would deem it proper and just to overreach an unjust man, although â€Å"[the just man] wouldn’t be able to† (349b). This means that if someone wrongs a just man, he would think it is but just to retaliate, only that out of kindness he might not be able to do it. However, it is implied here by Thrasymachus that a just man may rejoice when the unjust are punished for the former thinks just punishment is well-deserved. However, it is believed that this provides â€Å"a contrast to the preciseness of Socrates’ claims† (Kanak). Nevertheless the just man is still better than the unjust man, for â€Å"the just man does not seek to take advantage of his like but of his unlike, but the unjust man of both. (349c-349d) From the aforementioned statements, it has been concluded that â€Å"the just man is like the wise and good, and the unjust is like the bad and the ignoramus† (350c). The â€Å"wise and good† man, or the â€Å"just† man, according to the Republic, is not really someone who accepts all ridicule and unjust treatment without question. He is rather someone who treats in a good way those who do good to him and may choose to treat in a similar way those who do bad things to him. This is basically the idea of a just and good man based on the first book of the Republic. Conclusion The good man according to Book One of the Republic is the man who is just. Specifically, he is a firstly a man who makes his own wealth in order that he may appreciate it. He is also one who â€Å"recognizes that the importance of money is for one to be able to treat his fellowman justly and to avoid causing any unjust treatment† (Kozlovic). Moreover, a good man is one who gives to his friend what is due him and to his enemy some evil that he rightfully deserves. Lastly and most importantly, a good man is a man who does to others what others do to him, whether this is good or bad, although out of kindness he may choose not to do something bad. Nevertheless, a good man believes that a just punishment should serve its necessary purpose. We therefore learn so much from the words of Cephalus: â€Å"When a man lives out his days in justice and piety, sweet companion [is] with him, to cheer his heart and nurse his old age. † (331a)

Leading and motivating a team Essay

Leading and motivating a team effectively and understanding leadership †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. is registered charity providing social housing. Its vision is homes and neighbourhood’s we can be all proud of. They put customer’s first, keeping a strong financially viable, socially responsible, well governed business which is learning and growing achieving continuous improvements while obtaining value for money. My team Sustainment and Support(S&S) provides support, advice and assistance to customers who are vulnerable or in need. We successfully sustained tenancies and communities for tenants and will give them a platform to address other challenging issues and circumstances within their lives. The service is tailored to the individuals support needs, which is identified through the initial assessment. The support incorporates an action plan which is reviewed regularly to make sure the actions are being met. The most important characteri stics of a successful organisations is the clarity of purpose, adherence to core values, a distinct identity and a clear vision of the aim of the organisation. A good vision keeps the organisation moving forward and is a good motivator for the staff to achieve the set goals. All teams within the housing directorate have set goals and like the S&S team these have to be achieved. Without goals there would be no direction for the staff to achieve and participating in making the organisation successful. These targets and achievements are discussed at one to ones, and team meetings so team members are aware of how their performance contributes to the overall targets set at strategic level to achieve success overall. Other options available are away days, global emails to staff and group sessions. Not everyone likes to be communicated the same way. Email and literature works for some, but others would rather listen and talk. Respect the person you’re trying to communicate with and use the method they prefer. Clear communication and understanding is essential giving you the ability to deal with any issues or concerns that the staff have effectively and quickly. High performing teams will have clear understanding of roles and responsibility acknowledges the objectives, functions appropriately while carrying out the required task. Monitoring performance and regular 1-1s will indicate areas which require addressing, while allowing the team to be open and honest about what works and doesn’t and encouraging them to provide  feedback will show areas of strength and ways to improve. Receiving support and guidance from senior managers will enhance your own capabilities to lead the team UNDERSTANDING LEADERSHIPS STYLES – Kurt Lewin (phycologist) researched and created a model Lewins leadership Styles putting them in 3 categories .Authoritarian – provide clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. Participative- offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members. And delegation -offers little or no guidance to group members and leave decision-making up to group members. A leader needs to analyse personal abilities, the group and the situation, then select the best leadership style. A leader who chooses the most appropriate style and has the ability to adapt is likely to be successful. There are many factors which could influence choice, size, skill, experiences and knowledge, individuals with different personalities and backgrounds. Large teams may have staff with varying levels of skill. This may require the manager to adopt a more authoritarian style, providing clear communication so that everyone knows what to do to achieve goals and tasks. On the other hand, team leaders may take a more participative approach with other managers of equal standing in order to get their own team functioning efficiently. The delegating leadership style is thought to be most effective when the followers are comfortable taking responsibility, and have the experience to accomplish the necessary tasks. The leader provides guidance in the decision making process; then delegates. Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard were the first to describe the delegating leadership style and recommend that the leader move around the task maintenance grid with a specific situation. Group maturity is a measure of group growth and development High Maintenance and Low Task High Maintenance and High Task Low Maintenance and Low Task Low Maintenance and High Task Low – task behaviour providing direction High Authoritative management styles, which make expectations clear. These styles allow for little input or innovation from subordinates and may breed resentment, which can result in subordinates disengaging from the organization’s vision and lead to lower productivity levels. A leadership style that has significant positive effects on subordinates requires cultivation. It is as important to know the people on your team as it is to know your organization’s vision and policies, take time to learn about their families and hobbies. Developing your knowledge will enhance your respectability, and getting to know your team will create camaraderie and mutual trust. Willingness to listen, flexibility and mutual respect are, crucial to developing a leadership style likely to produce the coveted effects of high productivity, flexibility, innovation and loyalty on subordinates. Self assessment survey carried out as part of my ILM learning indicated scores of 34 participative (democratic) ,28 authoritarian(autocratic),24 delegation(free reign).During my Housing Diversity Network(HND) mentoring program I completed a more in depth assessment which highlighted my strengths weaknesses and potential leadership qualities sharing the report with my line manager, colleagues and mentor then receiving feedback I reviewed criticism constructively, examined my own skills and developed an action plan to address weakness’s to expand my leadership capabilities ,which included additional training, coaching, mentoring and attending workshops and seminars. Participative leadership is a managerial style I consider to have the attributes to succeed with, this links in with organisations working practices allowing structured teams to empower them selves delivering services which are flexible and adaptable while working within the guild lines of the companies policy and procedures. Motivate and developed at team To motivate a team to successfully achieve the set goals and to work effectively while maintaining and improving performance I feel the use of Abraham Maslow’s motivation theory as guidance that will ensure that the team are kept motivated The basis of this theory is that people are motivated by unsatisfied needs and that certain lower factors need to be satisfied before higher needs can.  As long as we are motivated to satisfy these cravings, then we are moving towards growth and self actualisation. Satisfying needs is healthy while preventing has a negative effect. My Sustainment and Support(S&S) south team was created in mid 2012 bringing together staff with various skills and different personalities. I assisted my manager to help motivate and drive the team forward to be successful in obtaining the objectives of the organisation within this new structure. This included having discussions in team meetings to see if any obstacles would hinder staff from functioning to their full capacity, identifying needs then implementing with team building exercises, which was forefront of the process. Maslow’s model mirrors this by making sure our working environment and personal needs are met, providing all aspects of s afety. Love and belonging created great team spirit and high moral which was required as to the intensive nature of the post, enhancing the team’s wellbeing by bringing in Yoga and meditation which created a team that functions well and gaining a reputation of successful tenant engagement where others have found it difficult, e.g. Tenant facing court proceedings for rent arrears ,not responding to Income management (IM) but engaging with S & S while we stabilise the tenancy. When these pre court visits were introduced team members initially refused to carry out this task stating it was not part of their job role. it was an IM function, discussions during team meeting about the subject matter became heated creating low moral .The following week I explained to the team if we carried out this task, was successful we could show case the talents of the team to the organisation, talked about the positive effects this would have on our clients and encouraged everyone to take on board , bein g able to communicate in this fashion proved successful. I supported and motivated a member of the team who I shall refer as C who was not functioning at the correct level and not achieving the teams and his own individual set goals. I was given this task as part of my own leadership development plus the manager had used all the resources and C was still not operating team’s objectives, this was having an impact on the rest of team as case loads increased. With the threat of disciplinary action and the impact this could have on the team I felt I had experience and knowledge to assist having previously been part of a team which included C for a number of years and was well aware their learning style. I now realise the process I used symbolises two theory  models working alongside each other Maslow’s and Hershey and Blanchard situation leadership style Looking at that model the four headings of Directing, Coaching, Supporting, Delegating I feel covers the method I used to resolve this problem Directing – Provide specific instructions clear and simple while closely supervising task accomplishments Coaching – Continues to direct and closely supervise task accomplishments, but also explains decisions, solicits suggestions and supports progress Supporting – Facilitates and supports subordinates efforts toward task accomplishments and shares responsibility for decision making with them Delegating – Turns over responsibility for decision making and problem solving to subordinates. If we look at the Maslow triangle Physiological – In this case study for C there was a lack of confidence, knowledge and understanding Security – C felt threatened in his new role that perhaps he couldn’t achieve but now he feels his expertise is being recognised Loving and belonging – C initially felt isolated that the team had developed quicker than him, with the team being a strong supporting group they also assisted in the process Esteem- self esteem was low but grew as C developed Self actualisation – This is about reaching full potential, where I feel there has been significant change and is more motivated, there is still more room for development Looking at the actions taken below I do feel that in the process, styles were combined together to achieve a result. Bibliography www.teambuilding.co.uk/team-building-theory-maslow.html ILM learning material