A511.4.3_SeabournBeau

 In your own words, summarize key points related to managerial motivation, traits, and effectiveness. Then assess your own leadership skills, traits, and competencies. Where are you strong? How can you leverage those strengths to improve your value to organizations like your employer? How might contingency theory and situational variables assist in that process?

 This week we were presented with insight on how to look within ourselves and others for important traits and abilities. In my reading, I learned that there are areas in which managers can be quite strong and areas in which managers can improve. Managers can have a strong emotional intelligence and be able to harness their feelings into something constructive. On the other hand, a manager might be weak in a social setting or in their social intelligence. Having the ability to understand the situation you're in and then make an appropriate response can be a difficult task and attribute to master. Knowing that you should not be emotional is one thing, but if a situation calls for empathy and understanding, you as a leader, need to know how to handle that situation. The combination of attributes and effectiveness allows people to become better leaders. If you can determine the role you're in and then effectively apply leadership skills to that role, you can ultimately have leadership success.

To access myself, I feel as though I have a good sense of self-awareness and good interpersonal skills. I believe that I can relate to people and or recognize a situation, and try to apply my leadership skills appropriately. I do have a slight weakness in the emotional intelligence department. I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve, which can hinder my ability to effectively lead and control the situation I am in. It would be in my best interest to try and detach myself emotionally from some of the situations that I can get involved in. Sometimes I tend to allow other people to influence me with their emotions also. Although that is not always bad, I have to be better at trying to limit the amount of emotional energy I put into one situation.

Lastly, if I were to become more level headed and less emotional, I could become a better leader. That would allow me to make more clear decisions and apply learned knowledge to a situation without getting to upset or angered. If my employer knew that I could be level headed, that could increase my credibility and the potential for future promotions. Relating to the cognitive resource theory, being a boss who limits the pressure on his workers could lead to a better organization and better work results.

A511.3.3_SeabournBeau

Demonstrate your knowledge of the theory of power and influence

Power and influence are all around us,used by each and every person. Understanding that principle can be rewarding or it can be a negative. Mostly however, the people that know how to utilize power and influence are much more successful and they can choose methods to help themselves and their company succeed. The ability to understand people and their strengthens and weaknesses allows leaders to be most effective. In the reading it mentioned that if a company is in major need or change, there may be more need for a powerful leader. When a leader is to powerful however, they simply forget to use skills such as persuasion and consultation (Yukl, 2013). There are several different ways to use power, those are dictated by specific situations and personnel. Likewise, the ability to show influence is equally important. People need a boost sometimes. Like power, there are a number of ways in which someone can influence a person or situation. In order for a leader to be effective, they need to demonstrate the ability to both use their power effectively and influence people or situations when needed.


Reflect on the power that you personally bring to your work place; What are the sources of that power? What is the nature of that power? How is it used or not used? How is that power related to your ability to lead or follow?

For me personally, there are some circumstances that allow me to be in a power role. One of those being when I'm in charge of a tower cab and all the airport operations. I feel that legitimate power is gained here. In these situations, I'm in a work power role. I'm directly responsible for everything that is happening. Although I am not the overall boss, in these cases, I'm in charge. Second, have an expertise allows me the ability to have some expert power. In some cases, there are questions that get brought up about technique or knowledge. In those cases and when my boss is unavailable, I can step into the power role. Offering my expertise on a specific situation. Lastly, when I'm running the tower, I am in an ecological power position. Here, i am in charge of everything, like mentioned before. That means that I have all of the abilities needed to run technological sources and that gives me the ability to influence other tower team members.

I feel as though those power traits are helping shape me as a leader. Understanding that they are actual traits and that I can specifically try to change my approach to them has helped me become a better follower. As odd as that might sound, I can better understand my boss's approach even if he doesn't understand the techniques he's using. By me identifying them, I can choose which one of those will help make me a better leader. When I do have the opportunity to lead a group, I will be able to apply my gained knowledge and apply techniques that I have observed as successful in the past. This ultimately makes me a stronger leader without having to actually be in the leadership role.

A511.2.3_SeabournBeau

Assuming that these leadership behaviors are appropriate at all levels of organizations, do you use these behaviors in your work with others? Subordinates? If so, how are they effective in producing results? If not, could they be added to your personal repertoire of leadership behaviors?

So after this week's reading, and to be honest, I don't or haven't intentionally used any of these techniques. At least not in the sense that I knew about them and then applied them. I would however say that I have used some of them indirectly. Here are some examples:

Observe operations directly - Being an air traffic controller, I have the opportunity to monitor and evaluate people as they move through our evaluation process. With that in mind, I am often in the postilion to monitor the operations and the procedures being implemented at our facility. Although I am not in a leadership role, I am able to offer my criticisms and praises when they come. Likewise, my coworkers do the same. That makes us stronger controllers in general.

Show acceptance and positive regard - I have been on both sides of this particular guideline. In the Navy, I was a supervisor in the tower. There were many times when people more senior to me, were having a hard time grasping the whole air traffic control concept. I think it meant a lot to them when someone would take the time and tell them that they have the abilities they need to be successful and that you want them on your tower team. On the flip side, those people were often supportive of me being promoted and would help me in that perspective. In both cases, we each helped the overall goal of the team.

Be willing to help with personal problems - I wasn't sure if this actually happened in the actual business world. This is actually, to me, one of the best techniques a leader can employ to help his business or position succeed. How can someone be successful or succeed if they're to occupied with third party concerns? I think to be successful you have to show that you're willing and able to help coworkers and subordinates succeed. If a company is willing to help one worker, all of the workers see that and might in turn help the business thrive.

To finalize, there were some techniques that I learned this week that I could try and utilize to be more successful in the future. I could do a way better job of bolstering people's self-esteem and confidence. I, like other people wanted to get ahead in life. I personally believe that I have probably hurt some people's feelings or not boosted people up when I should have. I'm not saying I did that intentionally, I think it was the nature of the environment I was in. I need to try and be aware of other people's feeling and help them succeed. If I was more willing to help other people, they might be willing (or others) might be more willing to help me later.

A511.1.3_SeabournBeau

 For this assignment I want to select Joel Osteen. To start, I think that he is both inspiring as an individual and I support the cause in which he enlisted people's attention. There are a few reasons that I think he is exceptionally effective and why is church as a business is abundantly successful. First, prior to him being the main focus of attention at the church and taking over the role of leader pastor, he worked in a management role behind the scenes. The reason this key fact is important is because he was not simply selected to become a leader. He was actually able to appreciate the hard work that people are putting in to help make his church successful. In a recent sermon, he mentions that there is an actual difference in the needs and roles of everyone at the church. He said that the ushers are just as important as the pastor who is just as important and the congregates. There are roles that people have to fill in each organization. In his current role, Joel is the spokesperson and the resource allocator. I would assume just like anyone, he has some issues with making sure the church runs smoothly. That is particularly hard to do the fact that he is a large attraction and the church has grown exponentially since his take over as head pastor.

I personally think that there is a fine line in the leadership to management communication. The leadership cannot force ineffective processes down to the managers and then expect them to always succeed. What I mean is, if a person in a leadership role makes a decision about something involving change in the organization, they have to take responsibility for its success and failure. Sometimes there seems to be a breakdown after processes are implemented and often times the lower management personnel are blamed for it not succeeding. Ultimately, I think that the intersection of management and leadership is a tough one. There will always be  conflicts and personality issues; I think, like Southwest, you have to find something that allows people to relate to success and then try and emulate that business plan. Sometimes the oddest ideas can make a company successful. I think that is why Joel Osteen is so effective. He doesn't follow what some pastors do. He actually only speaks about the happiness people can receive and the good things that can happen with God. He breaks the mold from what other pastors do. I think that the managers learn from that and they make things successful as well.