Sunday, April 15, 2012

EQ test



Your Score: 44
35 - 44
You have slightly above average EQ - with room to grow! You are likely sensitive to the emotional climate of the people around you - your peers, friends, family and key clients. You are well aware of the effect your behavior has on others. Still, while you may be adept at tuning into others and their needs - you must remember your own! Don't be afraid to honestly communicate these difficult needs and feelings. The world is well stocked with martyrs - it doesn't need any more! Think also about your passion for work (or whatever constitutes your main roles in life - manager of people, doer of tasks, 'meeter' of clients' needs, etc). We spend countless hours in our given roles - sometimes without much joy or satisfaction. In the process we become tranquilized by the trivial. Sedated by the small details of life. Sure, the laundry needs doing, the groceries need getting, the kids need chauffeuring, the deadlines must be knocked off, but we also need to stop and remember what gives us great joy and meaning. If we fail to remind ourselves (on a regular basis), we risk becoming hostile and cynical. We lose our purpose. And this translates to a diminished ability to be effective, at ease and fulfilled. Areas to work on: Ask yourself: - What situations generally create tension and stress for you? How are you handling these situations? - What negative thoughts play over and over in your mind on a regular basis? Are these a true picture of reality? - Are you afraid to share your needs and feelings with others? Is it because you are taking care of everyone else - being a martyr - or acting 'the strong, silent type'? What 3 things give you the greatest meaning in your life? If you work on gaining clarity in these areas, you will move toward maximizing your full potential and finding greater effectiveness, happiness, and fulfillment in your life. As William James said: I have no doubt whatever that most people live, whether physically, intellectually, or morally, in a very restricted circle of their potential being. They make use of a very small portion of their possible consciousness... much like a man who, out of his whole body organism, should get into the habit of using and moving only his little finger... We all have reservoirs of life to draw upon, of which we do not dream.

THE TEST


The Introvert-Extrovert Test -- Create and Take a Fun Quiz @ NerdTests.com's User Tests!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Right Brain/ Left brain quiz!













Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz
The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others.
Left Brain Dominance: 12(12)
Right Brain Dominance: 7(7)
Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Case Study : Forgotten Group member

1: Identify the 5 group development stage


First stage - (Forming) - Ice breaking starts here. (Introduction, team leader election)
- (In the case) A group was formed having Christina as the 'team coordinator' along with 4 of her members Diane, Janet, Steve and Mike in the first meeting.

Second stage - (Storming) - Brainstorming process takes place here along with different perception, opinions and ideas regarding the work.
- (In the case) As different group members have different personality such as Diane she's quiet, Steve being a business-like person, Janet being the reliable one, and Mike being absent due to his reasons.

Third stage - (Norming)- This stage is where responsibilities are being distributed among team members, and having a goal alongside working hard with each other.
- (In the case) Well assuming, the goal is set and responsibilities distributed; however with Mike not present, the team does not achieve a maximum potential of 'norming'.

Fourth stage - (Performing) - Having their workload done, and performing transcendentally in each of their part effectively best describe this phase.
- (In the case) All the team members including Mike handed in their part although he only hand in a rough handwritten note

Fifth stage - (Adjourning) - The phase wear the team fulfill its purpose and can be disbanded.
- (In the case) The project is done but based on the peer evaluation marks of each of the member might be different depends on how Christine sees it.



2. Identify and describe the causes if conflicts in the case

-> One of the major causes of the conflict revolves around Mike, as he has a different personality compare to the rest

-> Workload was distributed but not time management

-> Mike felt offended when there was a 'meet up' and he felt 'left-out'. (As a result of not resolving the problem earlier)


3. Suggest the approach to leadership best suitable for the case

->Country-Club Management approach

Assignment 3 : Of Theories and hierarchy




Limitations of McGregor's Theory X Theory Y

What is theory x?

-> Managers believe that most of the people are self-centered

-> Motivated by only physiological and safety needs

-> The team have negative elements (lack of ambition, creative ideas, problem solving skills, avoid taking risk)

-> Managers in this theory 'distrust' their employees, therefore leads them to be authoritarian




What is theory Y?

-> Managers set their trust into their employees

-> They believe employees have their own set of skills and perform well in one or many parts of the project/work

-> They also believe, the team would take responsibilities, risks, and are self-disciplined.(blank cheque)

-> Last but not least, most employees are motivated by the matter of needs which actually is as contrast as the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs




Limitations

->the methodology was flawed ( as his sample does not fall at both end of the extreme instead to be on a continuum of both)

->A company rather should not focus on one theory as the working environment requires both theory to be on the table. (One person can 'wear many hats' and if an employee is exposed and involve alongside learning the authoritarianism side of his/her leader, he would know more 'tricks of the trade'.



Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs .




(Physiological needs) -> Air, water, food, clothing, and shelter

(Safety needs) -> Physical, environmental and protection

(Social needs) -> Need for love, affection, belonging, and friendship

(Esteem needs) -> Internal esteem and external esteem

(Self-actualization needs) -> Urge of becoming what you are capable off, need for gaining more knowledge, experience, creativity and finding room to grow.




Limitations

-> Not all employees has the equivalent set of needs (most powerful unsatisfied need motivates the individual)

-> 'Starving artist' issue (basic needs not satisfied yet striving for fame and recognition)

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Bob Knowlton (Assignment 2)








Analyzing their roles
Bob Knowlton (team leader) - prefers, team collaboration, dishonest, conform, hardworking

Fester (a newcomer in the team)- Self-confident, Aggressive, Intelligent, prefers to work alone (not participative), grab every opportunity given
Jerrold (superior) - does not analyze, does not take concern, high expectations and expects good results






1) Discuss the reasons why what happened.

Bob Knowlton, a head project person with a team often get the job done. With his superior, Jerrold considers his work performance to be very competent and efficient. Alongside, came a newcomer named Fester who was a self-confident, experienced and intelligent person. With Fester on the same team under Bob Knowlton, team dynamics were starting to crumble and Knowlton felt his position was challenged and threatened. Fester also did not attend meetings and prefers not to attend them. At one presentation, Fester presented about a project given by Knowlton himself and performed transcendentally. Soon after, Knowlton praises towards Jerrold about Fester work but at the same time he begin to consider a new job at a new company.

Terms that affect these events.
- Did not take note off
- Does not take the initiative
- Does not voice out







2) Consider the personalities involved, especially Knowlton and Fester and the organizational characteristics.

- Knowlton resigned at the end although still have a bone of contention regarding Fester

- There was not much of a decision making approach between Knowlton and Jerrold when she brought Fester over to the firm.

- Fester being part of team, Knowlton felt his losing his identity. To add on, Knowlton felt that his power was being threatened.

- There were not much of Socialization although, Knowlton insisted Fester to attend the meeting

- Jerrold did not think twice on the the team dynamics when she put Fester under Knowlton's care, she was just seeking for equifinality. Also, as one part of the organizational works in teams, Fester was not a team-oriented person as he is more of a solo person which did not lead to value congruence.





3) Imagine yourself in the position of Dr. Jerrold at the end of the case, reflecting back over the events. Is there anything you could have done, on the basis what you knew or could have known at the time. that would have led to a more favorable outcome? State your reasoning.

If was Dr. Jerrold I think twice before taking in Fester as hiring him could be a double- edged sword situation. One of them leads to team disorientation such as Bob Knowlton's case, however; the other end is if such person is hired in the near future, communication between peers and subordinates are harder to coordinate as one or a few of them prefers to work or take a bulk of work for themselves. Although, it seems like a benefit to the other
team members, but if they wanted to be part of it, that particular individual would be a loggerhead. However; if Knowlton has already resigned, I would ensure his resignation would not be as water under bridge instead understanding and learning why did he resign under such short notice.



Thursday, February 2, 2012

continue tutorial week 2+

Which of the 3 approaches (functional, Meaning-Centered, or Emerging Perspectives) to organizational communication do you think better describes organizations? Why?

Functional approach - understanding organizational comm by describing what msg do & how they move (main 5 surveillance, correlation, transmission, entertainment, and mobilization)


Describe a circumstance you have observed when organization communication influenced effectiveness.

(no experiences) but as customer I see many organization communication