A521.5.4_SeabournBeau

Based on the readings in the Denning text and the assessment you took in A521.5.1 identify in detail the process of developing and aligning organizational values. Identify the three basic components of an ethical community and discuss how they might be applied in your organization. Are there values that are missing from your organization?Discuss how you might develop those values and also align them with the values of the individuals in the organization.

First is Trust. Denning's text describes trust as "the general expectation among members that their fellows will behave ethically toward them" (Denning, 2011). In the case of trust, I do not think that this element is missing in my organization. I would actually argue that trust is actually the most used element and the most important. Being in the aviation field, I think, has to be all about trust. In my company, we all have to share trust across the board. The company is trusting that you as a controller provide the best and safest service you can, daily. If they didn't trust you, they wouldn't allow you to work. They actually have a lot of different safety measures to ensure they can still trust you too. Just making sure you're up to date on procedures and company policy.

Second is loyalty. Denning defines loyalty as "acceptance of the obligation to refrain from breaching one another;s trust and to fulfill the duties entailed by accepting that trust" (Denning, 2011). I believe that in my company we have a loyalty to one another. The company has different measures in place to prevent it's employees from being exposed in the event of a wrong doing. In my opinion, this is being loyal to the employees. They basically will not sell you out to the media or anyone else when something happens. I think that works both ways also. The lower level, newer people, know that company is constantly looking out for them and they know that they can work without fear of prosecution or annoyance.

Third is solidarity. Denning defines this as "caring for other people's interests and being ready to take action on behalf of other, even if it conflicts with personal interests" (Denning, 2011). In the case of my company, like mentioned above, there seems to be a sense of community and trust established. With that come solidarity. I think because we are all able to trust one another, we can work as a large company effectively and efficiently. I do think there is some room for improvement though. I'm not 100% convinced that the top echelon would come rushing to my every need if I stopped serving their needs. What I mean is, if I'm not willing to play by the rules, they shouldn't;t have to be either. That's probably normal anywhere but an observation none the less. I do think that my company would try and resolve and identify any wrong doings it sees and come to the need of any employee to help them out. I would think that we all have to accept consequences for our actions however.



Denning, S. (2011). The Leaders Guide to Storytelling. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

A521.4.3_SeabournBeau

I cannot even imagine the amount of times that I have probably ruined my positive message by some sort of nonverbal communication issue. More recently, I have started researching different conspiracies, the food industry and some other interesting things to me. In Messages it describes how someone might try to show someone or some people how knowledgeable they are at a particular subject. The "I know it all" person. I find myself doing that. I have found lately, that because I have done a lot of research on my own, that I am the expert now. I know that is not even the case, but I realized that I was in a way steam rolling the people that I was around. I didn't know it at the time, I wish I would have. This can easily become boring to guests and it can most certainly de-credit me and effect my trustworthiness overall. I also find it interesting that the more intense I feel about something, the more my body reacts naturally. My voice raises, I move my arms and I do get somewhat aggressive. Knowing what I do now, there are simple fixes to help me keep things like that under control. Breathing and consecrating are two ways to help me reduce the stress I think I'm encountering in the situation. I think breathing is the most essential for me. If I can take time to breath, I can take time to catch myself and slow down, understand my guests point of view and interact politely. Lastly, my messages aren't always the most clear. Although I feel like a resident expert on anything I talk about, I can make the information I'm discussion less interesting to say the least. The combination of bulldozing my guests and pushing passionate ideas on them may have led me to be a bad host and could have caused some hard feelings. Lucky for me, most of this happened with family and close friends. I think I have to watch the meta-messages also. I think I'm hinting at something but in reality, I'm creating a negative environment. The combination of all of that can make for a rough gathering. I see now that there are things i need to be working on, every chance I get!

A521.3.4_SeabournBeau

First Situation

The first instance I would mention that helped shape my actions and feelings would have to be when I was 18 and I joined the Navy. After high school I didn't have a clear plan for my future although I always felt like I wanted to be in the military. I had heard numerous stories from my grandfather about how great it was so I felt that was the best choice. The initial stages of the Navy were the most forming. You basically go from a kid knowing nothing to a kid knowing how to somewhat take care of yourself and how to act decently in public. The secondary school associated with the Navy really gave me some meaning. There I learned a bunch of job skill and how to work together with a small group of other students. It was a 16 week program that was designed to teach us entry level job traits for a particular military job. Between that and boot camp, I would say that my outlook on life changed slightly. I found a more diverse culture working around me and a lot of different people with even more different backgrounds. This made me more aware of my actions and feelings toward people and my career.

Second Situation

Secondly, I'm going to combine my marriage and the birth of my son for changes in my life. I still consider myself somewhat young so, the combination of the two have had a lasting impact on me I feel. First, my son is a whole new ballgame. I haven't ever had to care about someone or give someone so much attention before. It makes a more mature adult out of me. I would also say my marriage did that also. I went from a immature single man, to a married man. There are certain compromises and changes that anyone experiences once they get married. All of mine have been for the better! Between my wife and my son, there are not any two more important things in life. They shape how I handle myself professionally and privately. Having a family has in a way made me a better team player. I never understood why people always had an excuse such as "my kid is sick" or "my wife isn't available" before having my family. I now can directly relate to people with a family. That alone makes me a better leader.

A521.2.3_SeabournBeau

I want to begin by saying that the overall message she presented was strong. Her ability to stay focused on her topic and the ability to reach the audience almost immediately was astonishing to me. She was able to quickly outline what a single story was and was then able to connect the audience to a story that she was actually involved with. It was interesting how she used her personal experience to lay the foundation of her point, and that she was able to give examples of how western culture interprets the continent of Africa and links Africa to every country in it. She correctly identified the audience she was speaking to and then gave perfect examples of different dates and times throughout her life that directly related to the message she was giving. Although it seemed like a story, her entire presentation was focused around helping people being able to understand and identify with how we create a single story with people and places. Her overall presentation was powerful and well spoken. She didn't wonder off topic and it was evident that the stories she shared were carefully selected to help her get the point across. She presented good, bright news and she shared the objectively bad side of stories. There was careful consideration as to when to share what story and how to grab people's attention. I feel as though she did a wonderful job with her audience and things were light and meaningful.