I do not believe that Lay was a victim of an agency problem as he claimed. He obviously used Enron to better his own family, as it is proven in the case when it states that he used his sister’s travel agency even after being told that it would be more economical for the company to use a different one. He also used Enron to help his family as shown when it states that he hired his son even was facing fraud and embezzlement charges. Finally, he even allowed his daughter to use the Enron jet for personal use.
Even if he didn’t personally fix the books, he should bear a lot of legal responsibility for the demise of Enron. Being CEO and taking advantage of your company for personal benefit and not stopping an unethical operation, that he was fully aware of, is cause for legal action to be taken against him.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Enron - Question #2 - Amanda Guay
If I was an employee for Enron during the late 1990s I would believe that Enron's board of directors were performing their fiduciary duties. A few years later I would have been proven to be a fool. The board of directors of Enron were clearly not performing their fiduciary duties during the late 1990s because they lied, cheated, and cooked the books every way that was humanly possible.
The effectiveness of the board may have been limited by the fact that Kenneth Lay was chairman because even though he may not have been calling the shots, he still had a very strong influence on a lot of the illegal transactions that occurred. This proves to me that a board of directors can be influenced at any time by a dollar sign, even if it means hurting the futures and retirement funds of their employees. Though I know not all board of directors scam, Enron's board of directors does make me second guess their intentions.
The effectiveness of the board may have been limited by the fact that Kenneth Lay was chairman because even though he may not have been calling the shots, he still had a very strong influence on a lot of the illegal transactions that occurred. This proves to me that a board of directors can be influenced at any time by a dollar sign, even if it means hurting the futures and retirement funds of their employees. Though I know not all board of directors scam, Enron's board of directors does make me second guess their intentions.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Senior Business Seminar- Assignment #6
Read chapter 2 and the case study at the end of the chapter, "The Collapse of Enron". By 10:00 AM on October 2, please do the following. Your group will be assigned one of the five questions at the end of the case. The first person in your group to post should publish a new post labeled: Enron-Question #_- their first and last name. The rest of your group members should publish their remarks under comments to their fellow group member. They should specifically state whether they agree or disagree with the original post and support their position. The last person in the group to post must summarize the best thinking of the group.
Level 3 Communication Question #4- Brendan Stribula
The emergent strategies of Level 3 have been to purchase the two companies, Software Spectrum and Corporate Software. These two companies sell, install, and do the maintenance for software made by companies. These two companies serviced nearly 9,000 people. Originally it was not in the plan to purchase these companies but with the possible threat of bankruptcy on the horizon, Level 3 had to act fast. By purchasing these companies, Level 3 could use its fiber-optic network to not only dispense but maintain the upkeep of the software. This would in fact lower their own costs, and strengthen the views of the company by investors.
Another strategy made by Jim Crowe was to acquire one of its bankrupt competitors for a fairly low price in order to consolidate the industry and get rid of competitors. The market was changing, and therefore Crowe's strategies changed as well as his company decided to offer Voice over Internet Protocol services to its customers.
Another strategy made by Jim Crowe was to acquire one of its bankrupt competitors for a fairly low price in order to consolidate the industry and get rid of competitors. The market was changing, and therefore Crowe's strategies changed as well as his company decided to offer Voice over Internet Protocol services to its customers.
Level 3 Communication # 3 by Adam McClellan
Jim Crowe though that internet traffic was increasing by 1,000 percent, but in reality it was increasing by 100 percent a day. The reason why Crowe and his company was so succesful was because he was putting so much money back into the company. With all the money he put into the company he began to invest in certain software to improve his company. These investments lead to stockholders having security when investing in Crowes company. This also helped secure Level 3 communication. Jim was not succesful at first but with the use of Level 3 communication and smart investing he brought his company to the top of fiber optic companies.
Level 3 communication #3
Jim Crowe though that internet traffic was increasing by 1,000 percent, but in reality it was increasing by 100 percent a day. The reason why Crowe and his company was so succesful was because he was putting so much money back into the company. With all the money he put into the company he began to invest in certain software to improve his company. These investments lead to stockholders having security when investing in Crowes company. This also helped secure Level 3 communication. Jim was not succesful at first but with the use of Level 3 communication and smart investing he brought his company to the top of fiber optic companies.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Level 3 Communications Question #3 Chris Ciota
Jim Crowe’s planned strategy is unrealized in present time. Crowe believed that internet traffic was growing by 1,000 percent when in actuality it was growing 100 percent a year. Many of the companies failed and went bankrupt, but Crowe’s company did not because of large sums of money thrown back into the company. With this abundance of money, Crowe decided to invest in Software Spectrum and Corporate Software two companies that helped secure Level 3 Communications and ensure investors and stockholders to have faith in their company.
Jim Crowe still believes that in the end his dream of huge traffic on the internet and the necessity for the amount of fiber optics his company is able to supply will bring him the same if not more of a gold rush when he owned MFS’s UUNet. So even though Crowe’s strategic planning didn’t work out at first, the company of Level 3 Communications still believes Jim Crowe’s “original vision will be vindicated”.
Jim Crowe still believes that in the end his dream of huge traffic on the internet and the necessity for the amount of fiber optics his company is able to supply will bring him the same if not more of a gold rush when he owned MFS’s UUNet. So even though Crowe’s strategic planning didn’t work out at first, the company of Level 3 Communications still believes Jim Crowe’s “original vision will be vindicated”.
Level 3 communications #1- Michael Garland
Jim Crowes had a very clear strategic plan. He felt that "he was convinced that the growth of the internet was the mother of all business opportunities. The goal was to raise money, rapidly build a high-capacity fiber-optic network. The company was funded by a number of wealthy investors."(Hill pg23) Crowe felt that demand was going to take over supply and stated that a growth rate was over 1,000 percent a year.
Crowe had a shift in strategy. The shift "involved the purchase of two software distribution companies."(Hill) Both companies specialized in selling, stalling and maintaining software. The logic behind this shift was that "Level 3 xould use its fiber-optic network to distribute a nd maintian the software, as opposed to doing manually. This reduced cost (Hill, pg 23)
Crowe had a shift in strategy. The shift "involved the purchase of two software distribution companies."(Hill) Both companies specialized in selling, stalling and maintaining software. The logic behind this shift was that "Level 3 xould use its fiber-optic network to distribute a nd maintian the software, as opposed to doing manually. This reduced cost (Hill, pg 23)
Level 3 Communications
I think that Crowes approach to take over the fiber optic network market was a very smart idea because the demand for the product was so high, and still on the rise. Crowe's strategy to basically corner the market and force other major telecommunications and internet providers to help with the creation of this network, that links throughout all major corps in every major city in the United States is genious in the sense of strategic business planning. Even though some of the numbers of the rise of the market weren't completely correct, his business strategy for a market with high demand can definetly be a successful plan.
Level 3 Communications Question #3- Karli Mae Ferris
I believe that their planned strategy was intended because Crowe was a "big advocate of strategic focus". Crowe knew what he was doing in the beginning and even after the market fell and most of his competitors went bankrupt, he still had a strategy. He knew that acquiring the companies Software Spectrum and Corporate Software would be a highly strategic move for his company because it showed his investors that he has long term plans for his company that he intended to use. To this day he still believes in his original vision and knows that his company will be successful in the future because of his strategies.
Level 3 Communications Question #2- Jenn Omasta
Why was level 3 communication able to raise so much capital?
In 1998 the company had gone public and immediately started building a fiber-optic network. This allowed the company to raise $13 million dollars by 2001, most of this money was in the form of debt. The goal of this plan was to raise money and rapidly build a high-capacity fiber-optic network that linked major cities in the United States, and then cut pieces to attract demand from major users of fiber optic network, including corporation, internet networks, etc.
Another way that the level 3 communication company was able to raise so much money was through the internet researcher at AT&T. He was able to show that the demand for internet accesses was going up 1,000percent a year. His prediction was right and in 2002 less that 3 percent of the fiber that had been laid in the ground was actually being used.
In 1998 the company had gone public and immediately started building a fiber-optic network. This allowed the company to raise $13 million dollars by 2001, most of this money was in the form of debt. The goal of this plan was to raise money and rapidly build a high-capacity fiber-optic network that linked major cities in the United States, and then cut pieces to attract demand from major users of fiber optic network, including corporation, internet networks, etc.
Another way that the level 3 communication company was able to raise so much money was through the internet researcher at AT&T. He was able to show that the demand for internet accesses was going up 1,000percent a year. His prediction was right and in 2002 less that 3 percent of the fiber that had been laid in the ground was actually being used.
Level 3 Communications Question # 1 –Charles Handy
The planned strategy of Level 3 Communications during the early 1990s was fairly simple. According to Jim Crowe, the growth of the Internet was the mother of all business opportunities.” With this in mind, Crowe set out to “raise money, rapidly build a high-capacity fiber-optic network that linked major cities in the United States, and then cut prices to attract demand from major users of fiber-optic networks.” This would be possible, Crowe assumed, because he was under the belief that demand was going to “far outstrip supply” and that network growth was over “1,000 percent a year.”
The second part of Crowe’s Level 3 Communications strategy was to work exclusively for “service providers and corporations.” These clients would be the one to utilize Level 3’s fiber-optic network more than any other potential client, which helped with Crowe’s financial model because the profits that would be garnered from these clients would be equal to or leveraged against the volume and once the built in costs were covered, money would come rolling in.
The second part of Crowe’s Level 3 Communications strategy was to work exclusively for “service providers and corporations.” These clients would be the one to utilize Level 3’s fiber-optic network more than any other potential client, which helped with Crowe’s financial model because the profits that would be garnered from these clients would be equal to or leveraged against the volume and once the built in costs were covered, money would come rolling in.
Level 3 Communications Question #1 - Lindsy Girard
Jim Crowe's planned strategy was to start up a fiber optic network. He wanted to do it because the chief scientist O'Dell said that the network traffic was doubling every 100 days which was 1,000% a year. In doing this Crowe believed that there was no way his plan could go wrong.
The plan that Crowe had, which was to raise funds and build a high capacity network then cut prices to attract demand from high usage customers such as large corps, but it didn't work because O'Dell was wrong about the numbers, they weren't even close to 1,000% a year. Because of this Crowe saw his company almost go out of business.
The plan that Crowe had, which was to raise funds and build a high capacity network then cut prices to attract demand from high usage customers such as large corps, but it didn't work because O'Dell was wrong about the numbers, they weren't even close to 1,000% a year. Because of this Crowe saw his company almost go out of business.
Level 3 Communications Question #2 - Steve Moore
Level 3 Communications was able to raise so much capital by using a clear strategic plan. CEO Jim Crowe knew exactly what he was doing when in 2001, Level 3 Communications raised nearly $13 billion dollars, which came in the way of debt. It seems that Crowe had been researching the field of fiber-optic networks and found that there was a large demand in that sort of market. He aimed his focus on the major users of fiber-optic networks, including several corporations, AOL, and other telecommunications companies. The plan that was put in place is explained in this quote, "The goal was to raise money, rapidly build a high-capacity fiber-optic network that linked major cities in the United States, and then cut prices to attract demand from the major corporations, Internet providers, and telecommunications companies.
Jim Crowe and his Level 3 Communications company was nearly run out of business by other companies that were entering the business with almost the same exactly plan to gain capital. As I see it Crowe made this best decision yet when he purchased two software distribution companies that carried over 9,000 corporate clients. Level 3 was able to make progress and move forward into 2004, when they had the idea to use its network to offer Voice over Internet Protocol services to its customers. Crowe knew how to run a business and with the risks the took he rebuilt Level 3 Communications into a powerhouse in its industry.
Jim Crowe and his Level 3 Communications company was nearly run out of business by other companies that were entering the business with almost the same exactly plan to gain capital. As I see it Crowe made this best decision yet when he purchased two software distribution companies that carried over 9,000 corporate clients. Level 3 was able to make progress and move forward into 2004, when they had the idea to use its network to offer Voice over Internet Protocol services to its customers. Crowe knew how to run a business and with the risks the took he rebuilt Level 3 Communications into a powerhouse in its industry.
Level 3 Communications Question #2-Pete Wilson
Level 3 Communications was able to raise so much capital due to the fact that Jim Crowe was so smart and saw the potential opportunity of Level 3 in which he could established a company to build a state of the art fiber-optic network. Level 3 quickly raised 3 billion dollars. By 2001 Level 3 raised 13 billion dollars. This was because Crowe had a very clear strategic plan. The goal was to raise money, rapidly build a high capacity fiber-optic network that linked major cities in the United States, and then cut prices to attract demand from major users of fiber-optic networks, including Internet service providers such as AOL.
Crowe was also a big advocate of strategic focus, believing that Level 3 should concentrate exclusively on carrying Internet traffic for service providers and corporations. The financial model was straightforward; because most of the costs of the business were fixed (the costs of building out the network), profitability would be highly leveraged to volume. Once the fixed costs were covered, it would be like printing money. Basically, Crowe was very business savy and created this very productive network in which millions of businesses and people around the world could use in order to communicate with one another.
Crowe was also a big advocate of strategic focus, believing that Level 3 should concentrate exclusively on carrying Internet traffic for service providers and corporations. The financial model was straightforward; because most of the costs of the business were fixed (the costs of building out the network), profitability would be highly leveraged to volume. Once the fixed costs were covered, it would be like printing money. Basically, Crowe was very business savy and created this very productive network in which millions of businesses and people around the world could use in order to communicate with one another.
Level 3 communications question #2- Jeff Scott
Level 3 communications has a company funded by a number of wealthy investors, including Crowe. Crowe was CEO and level 3 quickly raised $3 billion achieving the goals Crowe had. The biggest goal was to raise money, rapidly build a high-capacity fiber-optic network that would link major cities in the United States, and then cut prices to attract demand from major users of fiber-optic networks, including corporations, Internet service providers such as AOL, and traditional telecommunications companies.
Crowe's strategic shift involved the purchase of two software distribution companies- software Spectrum and Corporate Software that specialized in selling, installing, and maintaining software made by companies such as Microsoft on the PCs and servers of some 9,000 corporate clients. The logic underlying the acquisitions was that level 3 could use its fiber-optic network to distribute and maintain the software, as opposed to doing that manually, thereby reducing costs.
Crowe's strategic shift involved the purchase of two software distribution companies- software Spectrum and Corporate Software that specialized in selling, installing, and maintaining software made by companies such as Microsoft on the PCs and servers of some 9,000 corporate clients. The logic underlying the acquisitions was that level 3 could use its fiber-optic network to distribute and maintain the software, as opposed to doing that manually, thereby reducing costs.
Level 3 Communications Queston #1- Jason Shaker
Jim Crowe's planned strategy of level 3 communicatons in the late 1990's was to go public and immediately start buiding its fiber-optic network. The reason that he wanted to do this is because a UUNet's cheif scientist Michael O'Dell stated that nework traffic was doubling every one hundred days. O'Dell went on to say that there was not enough fiber-optic capacity to go around and that "demand will far outstrip suply for the foreseeable future."
Crowe quickly raised $3 billion by 1998 which was when Crowe went public. By 2001 Level 3 raised some $13 billio, much in the form of debt. The goal was to raise money, rapidly build a high-capacity fiber optic network that linked major cities in the United States, and then cut prices to attract demand from major users of fiber-optic networks, including corportations, Internet service providers such as AOL, and traditional telecommunicatons companies.
Crowe quickly raised $3 billion by 1998 which was when Crowe went public. By 2001 Level 3 raised some $13 billio, much in the form of debt. The goal was to raise money, rapidly build a high-capacity fiber optic network that linked major cities in the United States, and then cut prices to attract demand from major users of fiber-optic networks, including corportations, Internet service providers such as AOL, and traditional telecommunicatons companies.
Level 3 Communications Question #3- Jason Grier
Crowe's strategy for Level 3 Communication is unrealized because Crowe "was able to use the acquisitions to convince investors that Level 3 still had a viable long-term strategic vision." Even though the original strategy failed, which was the purchase of two companies -- Software Spectrum and Corporate Software-- that specialize in selling, installing and the maintaining software, the latter down the road would be a plus because the investors were convinced that it would work. The strategy will also work because Level 3 bought Genuity for less then $300 million, which means that Level 3 now has the customers from Genuity. So everything that has happened was almost unintentional and it was not planned but it ended up working in the end.
Level 3 Communications Question #4- Joe Boulanger
The latest strategy for Level 3 Communications has been the purchasing of two software distribution companies. These companies are Software Spectrum and Corporate Software. They specialize in selling,installing, and maintaining software made by companies. The reason why Level 3 purchased these companies was because Level 3 could use it's fiber optic network to distribute and maintain the software, as opposed to doing that manually, thereby reducing costs.
By making these two acquisitions Crowe was able to convince investors that Level 3 still had a viable long term strategic vision. Since Level 3 made a great profit in the purchase they were able to buyout one of their competitors Genuity for under $300 million, and by doing this Level 3 brought on Genuity's customers and more business for themselves. This new way of going about their strategic planning goes along with their original ideas. The reason why this company was started and any business for that reason is to make a profit, and the new steps that Level 3 is taking is making the competition run for their money along with making a profit.
By making these two acquisitions Crowe was able to convince investors that Level 3 still had a viable long term strategic vision. Since Level 3 made a great profit in the purchase they were able to buyout one of their competitors Genuity for under $300 million, and by doing this Level 3 brought on Genuity's customers and more business for themselves. This new way of going about their strategic planning goes along with their original ideas. The reason why this company was started and any business for that reason is to make a profit, and the new steps that Level 3 is taking is making the competition run for their money along with making a profit.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Level 3 Communications Question #1-Anne Acerra
Crowe's strategy was to build a fiber-optic network to accommodate the rapidly growing network traffic. Crowe based his strategy on Michael O'Dell's data which stated that the traffic was growing at 1,000 percent a year. With this rapid growth rate Crowe believed he had a plan that couldn't go wrong.
Crowe's plan for the fiber-optic network was to raise funds and build a "high-capacity" network then cut prices to attract demand from high usage customers such as large corporations. This plan would have worked if O'Dell's numbers had been correct. It turns out Crowe should have listened to Andrew Odlyzko who predicted the numbers were not even close to 1,000 percent a year. Odlyzko was correct in his prediction and Crowe almost saw his company go down.
Crowe's plan for the fiber-optic network was to raise funds and build a "high-capacity" network then cut prices to attract demand from high usage customers such as large corporations. This plan would have worked if O'Dell's numbers had been correct. It turns out Crowe should have listened to Andrew Odlyzko who predicted the numbers were not even close to 1,000 percent a year. Odlyzko was correct in his prediction and Crowe almost saw his company go down.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Level 3 Communications Question #1- Beth Ellis
The planned strategy of Level 3 Communications in the late 1990s was very direct and purposeful. Jim Crowe, CEO of Level 3, believed that “there was not enough fiber-optic capacity to go around and that ‘demand will far outstrip supply for the foreseeable future’” (Hill 23). He purposed that Level 3 build a state-of-the-art fiber-optic network, which would help with this supply issue. He wanted to raise money to build the fiber-optic network, and then cut the prices so that it would attract potential users. His main focus was on corporations, Internet service providers, and traditional telecommunication companies. Research had shown that this supply and demand issue was of such a huge issue that many other companies thought of the same exact planned strategy.
This was what would be the downfall of Level 3 Communications. It was only after the company was more than $13 billion in debt that research showed that the growing percentage of Internet traffic was not actually 1,000 percent a year, but actually at a mere 100 percent a year. With a growth rate such as that, Level 3 Communications and its competing corporations would not find that the supply of fiber-optics would run out, making it nearly impossible to stay afloat.
This was what would be the downfall of Level 3 Communications. It was only after the company was more than $13 billion in debt that research showed that the growing percentage of Internet traffic was not actually 1,000 percent a year, but actually at a mere 100 percent a year. With a growth rate such as that, Level 3 Communications and its competing corporations would not find that the supply of fiber-optics would run out, making it nearly impossible to stay afloat.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Strategic leadership
I feel that A leader should be someone that is concentrated on a goal and is willing to do anything to achieve it. With this said, a good leader's enthusiam will impact who he/she is leading. For example, Welsch from General Electric is a good leader. But for what reason? He is a good leader because he believes that his job is managing people effectively. He believes that if he assesses people in the right manner he will get the right results out of them. He believes in the philosphy of appraising people, but only if you are completely honest. Being dishonest with a person regarding their work is the worst thing that you can do to that particular person because it doesnt help them, it hurts them. Welsch, in some ways is a different type of leader because of his attitude, but how can you hate someone who is always honest. It's easy to understand why he is so succesfull. His "straight shooter" ethics have made him billions of dollars, so it's impossible to argue with his methods.
Senior Business Seminar- Assignment #5
By 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 25th, read the case study at the end of chapter 1,"Shattered Dreams: Level 3 Communications". Select any question at the end of the case that has yet to be answered by 4 students. Publish your answer in a new post of no more than 2 paragraphs. Label your post: Level 3 Communications Question #_-
Your first and last name.
Your first and last name.
Strategic Leadership - Steve Moore
"You want your leaders to be the kind of people who embody the promises your company makes to its customers. To build this capacity, follow these five principles" (Ulrich, 1). The authors Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood believe that the same five characteristics that are listed in the book are needed for good strategic leadership. The article lists several companies that they call "leader feeder" firms. Companies like PepsiCo, Disney, Boeing, etc. are producing leader after leader because they are focusing on the broader topic of building a more general leadership capability. "In observing 150 successful leader feeder firms of various sizes over the past decade, we have found that most of them have developed a similar outside-in approach, which helps them produce an excellent pipeline of leaders generation after generation" (Ulrich, 2). This shows they while conducting their research they have found that the five principles listed in our text on pages 19-21 and the article are exactly what is needed to build strong strategic leadership skills.
My view of what constitutes a strategic leader has not really changed that much. I had somewhat of an idea that a leader needed the five principles listed but I had no such order in which they went. The article has proven why companies like PepsiCo and Disney are lead so well and have made the name that they have made for themselves. This is because they have had great leaders that have made all the right moves and have lead with strategy. Listening to Jack Welch speak in the movie we watched, made me realize why he was a great leader. The first thing that he has going for him is that he was committed to General Electric. I could tell that he was a great leader because of the way he spoke and the confidence that he had in himself and his company to get the job done. I believe that become a great leader starts with vision, confidence, and then committing to the job.
My view of what constitutes a strategic leader has not really changed that much. I had somewhat of an idea that a leader needed the five principles listed but I had no such order in which they went. The article has proven why companies like PepsiCo and Disney are lead so well and have made the name that they have made for themselves. This is because they have had great leaders that have made all the right moves and have lead with strategy. Listening to Jack Welch speak in the movie we watched, made me realize why he was a great leader. The first thing that he has going for him is that he was committed to General Electric. I could tell that he was a great leader because of the way he spoke and the confidence that he had in himself and his company to get the job done. I believe that become a great leader starts with vision, confidence, and then committing to the job.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Strategic Leadership- Ryan MacKinnon
After reading a short description from the Harvard Business Review, it seemed to me as if they were stating the same leadership strategies as the text just in different words. Unfortunately I could not find the full article, but even with the short description I found on google, I can say that in management if you are going to take on the role as a leader you need to have a good vision, a plan and execute the plan to perfection. If you don't have enough knowledge on the situation then your company won't go very far. With GE they had and still have a great vision and the capability to stay atop their market.
Being a leader in any business is like being a leader on any sports team. If you understand how a business is supposed to be run and know where it should be in a few years then its a piece of cake. Now take a sports team and if your the captain/leader you know exactly what your supposed to be doing well in advance. The Walch video has helped me realize how to approach being a leader in a way that I have always been, and thats being a competitor. However I have never really thought of it as being a failure by coming in second place. I basically knew what it took to be a strategic leader but now after watching the movie and reading the text and the brief discription my understanding of how to be the best leader you can be has definately changed. I always knew what it took to be a leader, but not an excellent leader.
Being a leader in any business is like being a leader on any sports team. If you understand how a business is supposed to be run and know where it should be in a few years then its a piece of cake. Now take a sports team and if your the captain/leader you know exactly what your supposed to be doing well in advance. The Walch video has helped me realize how to approach being a leader in a way that I have always been, and thats being a competitor. However I have never really thought of it as being a failure by coming in second place. I basically knew what it took to be a strategic leader but now after watching the movie and reading the text and the brief discription my understanding of how to be the best leader you can be has definately changed. I always knew what it took to be a leader, but not an excellent leader.
Strategic Leadership-Michael Garland
After reading the Article titled " Building A leadership brand", I think the authors agree with the characteristics of leadership that's stated in the text. The authors in this article "asked the representives from each organization to send us their leadership competency model which, listed the "unique" characteristics that they sought in their leaders (has a strong vision," "fosters teamwork," demonstrates emotional intelligence," and the like."(Ulrich 95) They found that these company leaders concentrate on having a focus of where the company is going to go. They make sure that everyone with in the organization has a common vision based off their customers needs. These representitives have also stated (as in the quote above) the attributes of emotional intelligence which makes up an effective leader.
My idea of a leader has changed after watching the DVD of Jack Welch. He has a very strong personality and you can tell he really understands what it takes to be an effective leader. He said that you have to have more passion than the others. I've always thought that if you have more passion in a subject than someone else, you will be that much more successful. You get what you see when it comes to Jack Welch. He states having the edge, which is apart of the 4 E's, is a big part of leadership. Having the edge means saying yes or no and not maybe. I'm the type of person that would probably say maybe and after seeing the DVD, it made me want to strive to change that. I think that's something that has definitely changed my vision of leadership. When you say "maybe" your trying to put something off till later and when it comes to business there seems to be no later. It's now or never.
My idea of a leader has changed after watching the DVD of Jack Welch. He has a very strong personality and you can tell he really understands what it takes to be an effective leader. He said that you have to have more passion than the others. I've always thought that if you have more passion in a subject than someone else, you will be that much more successful. You get what you see when it comes to Jack Welch. He states having the edge, which is apart of the 4 E's, is a big part of leadership. Having the edge means saying yes or no and not maybe. I'm the type of person that would probably say maybe and after seeing the DVD, it made me want to strive to change that. I think that's something that has definitely changed my vision of leadership. When you say "maybe" your trying to put something off till later and when it comes to business there seems to be no later. It's now or never.
Strategic Leadership - Amanda Guay
The authors of the Harvard Business Review article and our textbook go hand in hand. For example, our textbook identifies the key characteristics of good strategic leadership as (1) vision, eloquence, and consistency, (2) commitment, (3) being well informed, (4) willingness to delegate and empower, (5) astute use of power, and (6) emotional intelligence. In the article, the authors talk about how they asked representatives from nine companies that were household names what their leadership models were. They listed "has a strong vision," "fosters teamwork," "demonstrates emotional intelligence," and the like. This was an obvious comparison to our textbook because not only did the authors of the article have this in mind, so did the representatives. The article also talks about how to build a leadership brand through principles. One of the principles is "nail the prerequisites of leadership." This principle also goes hand in hand with our textbook because the prerequisites of leadership are the key characterisitcs of leadership.
After reading the pages in the textbook, reading the article, watching the Jack Welch DVD, and learning in depth about these characteristics, I have concluded that my personal views about strategic leadership have not changed. My views and feelings about strategic leadership agreed with the textbook and the article to begin with which did not create anything for me to disagree with. It takes a great leader to make a company a household name. It takes character, knowledge, articulation, skills, and perspective just to name a few, and I think that is what the authors were trying to convey in this article.
After reading the pages in the textbook, reading the article, watching the Jack Welch DVD, and learning in depth about these characteristics, I have concluded that my personal views about strategic leadership have not changed. My views and feelings about strategic leadership agreed with the textbook and the article to begin with which did not create anything for me to disagree with. It takes a great leader to make a company a household name. It takes character, knowledge, articulation, skills, and perspective just to name a few, and I think that is what the authors were trying to convey in this article.
Strategic Management- Beth Ellis
I feel that the authors of the article “Building a Leadership Brand” do agree with the ideas presented in the text on strategic leadership. The text talks about strong leaders as “needing a clear and compelling vision of where the organization should go, and being eloquent enough to communicate this vision to others within the organization” (Hill 19), while the authors present the same idea simply in different terminology when they say that a strong leader should be able to say that “we know how we want to be viewed by our target customers, and we have articulated a clear company identity based upon this” (Ulrich 5). Another example where I found that the text and the article preached in a similar manner about quality leadership feel under the idea of being well informed. The text states that “effective strategic leaders develop a network of formal and informal sources who keep them well informed about what is going on” (Hill 19). In a similar manner the article states that a good leader should “develop plans to acquire skills, knowledge, and perspective that matter to the target customer” (Ulrich 5). While the text may differ slightly from the article in terminology, both the authors of the article and the authors of the text are for the majority in agreement with what makes a strong leader.
If anything, my view of how a strategic leader should act has been reinforced from reading this article and viewing the video on Jack Welch. Welch obviously has a great wealth of knowledge in the area of leadership, so hearing him reinforce the way I previously thought that a leader should act was a great thing. I have always believed that in order to be a strong leader, one much be committed to the activity in which they are leading. I have always believed that being able to adhere to emotional qualities, understanding the moods of one's self and others plays by far the largest role in being a good leader. So, while Welch and Ulrich made some interesting points that I may not have previously thought of, the basic ideas were quite similar to ideas that I came into the course with.
If anything, my view of how a strategic leader should act has been reinforced from reading this article and viewing the video on Jack Welch. Welch obviously has a great wealth of knowledge in the area of leadership, so hearing him reinforce the way I previously thought that a leader should act was a great thing. I have always believed that in order to be a strong leader, one much be committed to the activity in which they are leading. I have always believed that being able to adhere to emotional qualities, understanding the moods of one's self and others plays by far the largest role in being a good leader. So, while Welch and Ulrich made some interesting points that I may not have previously thought of, the basic ideas were quite similar to ideas that I came into the course with.
Strategic Leadership- Joe Boulanger
For the most part the authors of this article agree with the same concepts that are stated in our text books on leadership. One of the first aspects that they talk about is having vision and not to concentrate on enhancing individual strengths, but enhancing the company as a whole. To have a great business, the company must have a vision and great leaders that can show others how to do a job right, and that is what both the article and text book refer to. Both the article and the text refer to a 5 point and 6 point guideline. Even though the text and the article are worded differently, they both refer to the same points.
My view of how a strategic leader should be has not changed from before I watched the video on Welch, and reading the text until now. I have been in leadership roles before, and I learned from experience what it takes to be a good leader and what qualities one must posses in order to be an effective leader. One thing I have learned from both personal experience and the last week in class is that effective leaders must be knowledgable, present a good working environment, and to give them intitiatives to do a good job at work.
My view of how a strategic leader should be has not changed from before I watched the video on Welch, and reading the text until now. I have been in leadership roles before, and I learned from experience what it takes to be a good leader and what qualities one must posses in order to be an effective leader. One thing I have learned from both personal experience and the last week in class is that effective leaders must be knowledgable, present a good working environment, and to give them intitiatives to do a good job at work.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Senior Business Seminar- Assignment #4
By 10:00 AM on Thursday,September 20, read "Building A Leadership Brand," by Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood in the July-August 2007 edition of the "Harvard Business Review" (available on-line in the university library). Write a 2 paragraph new post addressing the following: Do the authors agree or disagree with the views on strategic leadership presented in our text on pages 19-21? As a result of reading this article and viewing the DVD on Jack Welch, how has your view of what constitutes a strategic leader changed? Label your posting:Strategic Leadership- your first and last name.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Leadership
I would have to say that comitment would have to be my strongest leadership area out of the six. Once I get myself into something I stick it out no matter what. For example this summer I was in northeastern Pennsylvania working at a lacrosse camp in order to get internship credits. I had to live at this camp with hundreds of kids for seven straight weeks. There were mulitple times where I wanted to hop back on a plane and go home, however I stuck it out and got my credits and will be graduating on time.
I would say that my weak point in leadership would be staying well informed. Organization is a little hard for me because I often have a lot going on with school and athletics. Sometimes I will forget something or misplace something I need for class.
I would say that my weak point in leadership would be staying well informed. Organization is a little hard for me because I often have a lot going on with school and athletics. Sometimes I will forget something or misplace something I need for class.
Leadership
I believe my strongest leadership skill is dedication. When I focus on a certain project or topic I am 100% involved to do anything it takes to get the task completed efficiently. An example of my dedication could be from high when I was the leader of running a fundraiser for my school so the senior class could all go to Florida for a weekend. This took long hours and a lot of communication.
My biggest weaknesses of strategic leadership would probably be organization. The reason why I chose this as my weakness because I feel sometimes in the middle of a task I become unorganizied. During my internship this summer I realized this when many tasks would come about it and it would be difficult for me to stay organized with all the different jobs to complete.
My biggest weaknesses of strategic leadership would probably be organization. The reason why I chose this as my weakness because I feel sometimes in the middle of a task I become unorganizied. During my internship this summer I realized this when many tasks would come about it and it would be difficult for me to stay organized with all the different jobs to complete.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Leadership self-assessment- Karli-Mae Ferris
Out of all of the characteristics listed in our text book, I would have to say that my greatest strength is my willingness to delegate and empower the people in my group. I believe that a leader should divide out the work equally between the members of the group so that everyone feels like an important part of the process. I believe that everyone should be able to have an opinion and be able to express it to the group. The leader should be able to combine every ones ideas into one strategic plan and be able to communicate with the entire group to make sure everyone is doing their jobs and are happy with the work the other members of the group are doing. I have demonstrated these kinds of beliefs in past school projects I've worked in and during my group internship project this summer.
My weakness would probably be the amount of commitment I would be able to give for this project because of all the other projects I have to do for other classes and having Rugby practice every night for the couple months. This summer I was able to give 100% to my internship and I felt confident that I was doing a good job contributing to my project. However, being at school and having a lot more responsibilities and obligations here, I don't know how much time I can commit into leading a project such as this.
My weakness would probably be the amount of commitment I would be able to give for this project because of all the other projects I have to do for other classes and having Rugby practice every night for the couple months. This summer I was able to give 100% to my internship and I felt confident that I was doing a good job contributing to my project. However, being at school and having a lot more responsibilities and obligations here, I don't know how much time I can commit into leading a project such as this.
Leadership self-assessment- Michael Garland
The characteristic that defines me as a leader is committment. When I have my mind set on something I really take the advantage of every opportunity to better the task at hand. I go all the way untill I personally feel satisfied. I currently play in a band. We play all over the boston area. When we practice new tunes I have to make sure its as perfect as possible to be able to feel comfortable playing that tune at the gig. My other bands mates tend to feel comfortable on the tunes that will just get by. I feel we have played places such as The Paradise Lounge because of me saying "Maybe we should play that a few more times" or "I think we should play again tomorrow because i dont think we have this down yet". I was also the captain of my high school football team. I played defense and I would be constantly asking the coach to repeat the same formations even if I already understood it. I wanted to make sure that everybody understood what we were trying to do.
I would say my weakest characteristic is the ability to be informed. I always seem to feel im the last one to know or if I know something I can easily forget. I tend to procrastinate on finding information. I did my intership at the South Shore Conservatory in Massachusetts and I was out in certain scituations where I should have known what was going on and in reality I had no idea. I realized that I really needed to stay on top of the information that is giving to me to be able to do a good job and to not embarress myslef when someone asked me a question that i'm probably suppose to know. I really like repetitive things so I can sink the information in.
I would say my weakest characteristic is the ability to be informed. I always seem to feel im the last one to know or if I know something I can easily forget. I tend to procrastinate on finding information. I did my intership at the South Shore Conservatory in Massachusetts and I was out in certain scituations where I should have known what was going on and in reality I had no idea. I realized that I really needed to stay on top of the information that is giving to me to be able to do a good job and to not embarress myslef when someone asked me a question that i'm probably suppose to know. I really like repetitive things so I can sink the information in.
Leadership self-assessment- Jenn Omasta
Chapter one states 6 strategic leadership characteristics; vision, eloquence, and consistency, commitment, being well informed, willing to delegate and empower, the astute use of power, and emotional intelligence. Out of all of these characteristics I feel that I am strongest in commitment. Commitment is shown through vision, strategy by actions and words, and are often lead by example. I feel that I show commitment through the leadership roles I have both on and off campus. I have always pursed my education in business through clubs such as S.I.F.E and SBA. In SBA I am the chair, which is the position who helps delegate the meetings and keep the team together and communicated between the team and the client. I have also participated in 4 internships, 3 being for the same company. Each summer I worked at my internship I showed commitment to the projects I was working on and therefore gained a raise every year I worked there.
One of the characteristics that I feel I am weak in is the astute use of power, which is to use one's skill and attempt to build consensus for their ideas rather than using their authority to force ideas through; they act as members or democratic leaders of a coalition rather than dictators. I feel that I am weak in this area because I haven't developed the skills well enough to lead others in this form. I feel that I need to work on becoming as stronger leader not as a dictator but to help others push their ideas with out forcing it out of them. For example, during group meetings or practices I need to help out my teammates more than dictate to them how to do things, etc.
One of the characteristics that I feel I am weak in is the astute use of power, which is to use one's skill and attempt to build consensus for their ideas rather than using their authority to force ideas through; they act as members or democratic leaders of a coalition rather than dictators. I feel that I am weak in this area because I haven't developed the skills well enough to lead others in this form. I feel that I need to work on becoming as stronger leader not as a dictator but to help others push their ideas with out forcing it out of them. For example, during group meetings or practices I need to help out my teammates more than dictate to them how to do things, etc.
Leadership Self Assesment- Beth Ellis
Of the six key characteristics of a good strategic leader, I believe that I excel with commitment. The book states that “strong leaders demonstrate their commitment to their vision and strategy by actions and words, and they often lead by example” (Hill 19). This is a characteristic that I have shown through many activities in my life. I am currently the captain of the field hockey team here at Franklin Pierce and lead daily by the examples I set. I tell the girls to give 110% every time they step on the field, and I always give 110% and more. I tell the girls keep their grades up, and I lead the team with the highest GPA. I tell the girls to communicate with coach and myself, and I make sure that the lines of communication are open. I give everything I have to the team, whenever one of the girls needs me, I’m there. Whenever coach needs me, I’m there. If I start something in my life, I have a strong sense of commitment to it, and that is why I feel that my strongest strategic leadership characteristic is my commitment.
Of the six key characteristics of a good strategic leader, I believe that my biggest weakness falls under the willingness to delegate and empower category. I have always found difficulties in being able to delegate effectively. I have been the leader of numerous group projects, and always I find that I end up with a huge portion of the work. This is in large because I have a hard time delegating different responsibilities and feel the need to play a role in every part of a project so that it comes out exactly as I envisioned it. As the book states if a leader does not know “how to delegate effectively, they can quickly become overloaded with responsibilities” (Hill 20), and this is something that I always struggle with and need to work on.
Of the six key characteristics of a good strategic leader, I believe that my biggest weakness falls under the willingness to delegate and empower category. I have always found difficulties in being able to delegate effectively. I have been the leader of numerous group projects, and always I find that I end up with a huge portion of the work. This is in large because I have a hard time delegating different responsibilities and feel the need to play a role in every part of a project so that it comes out exactly as I envisioned it. As the book states if a leader does not know “how to delegate effectively, they can quickly become overloaded with responsibilities” (Hill 20), and this is something that I always struggle with and need to work on.
Leadership Self Assessment
I think that I have very strong leadership qualities. I work for Camron painting, which is the biggest painting company in Western Mass. Over the last two summers I was responsible for my own crew, which at times consisted of 10 people. With this said, my job as a foreman was, at times, very demanding. The ability to manage a large amount of workers while always making them effective to the crew\company is a very valuable skill, no matter what your occupation is. Not to mention, meeting deadlines that are required. I've worked on jobs as big as painting the rides in amusement parks such as Six Flags. The Superman being one of the many.
Besides working, I also enjoy playing soccer for the Franklin Pierce Men's soccer program. I think that being an athlete teaches us how to lead ourselves and others throughout good and bad times. This is a very useful tool throughout life because the road that we travel will never be easy or without bumps. Also, being a student athlete requires much discipline and time management skills.
I feel that my ability to get along with all types of people could also be a weakness because it is a quality that some people take for granted. For example, if someone who works with me is "slacking", im usually the person who will make up for their inefficiencey. I usually will never say anything but it's something that I dislike.
Besides working, I also enjoy playing soccer for the Franklin Pierce Men's soccer program. I think that being an athlete teaches us how to lead ourselves and others throughout good and bad times. This is a very useful tool throughout life because the road that we travel will never be easy or without bumps. Also, being a student athlete requires much discipline and time management skills.
I feel that my ability to get along with all types of people could also be a weakness because it is a quality that some people take for granted. For example, if someone who works with me is "slacking", im usually the person who will make up for their inefficiencey. I usually will never say anything but it's something that I dislike.
Leadership self Assessment- Jeff Scott
The strategic leadership skill that I believe is my strongest would be commitment. I am a good person to rely on and when I want to achieve something I always give a hundred percent. Last year I worked as an intramural official and I worked hard enough to earn the position as a supervisor this year. I am committed to my job and I have to make sure that the intramural staff is doing a good job.
The strategic leadership skill that I would consider my weakness is vision, eloquence, and consistency. When I first meet someone I find it hard to open up and be comfortable communicating with that person. At times I can be a tough person to communicate with but once I get to know you well enough I can be the easiest person to talk to.
The strategic leadership skill that I would consider my weakness is vision, eloquence, and consistency. When I first meet someone I find it hard to open up and be comfortable communicating with that person. At times I can be a tough person to communicate with but once I get to know you well enough I can be the easiest person to talk to.
Leadership self assessment- Pete Wilson
My strongest strategic leadership skill is Committment. All my life I have been committed to everything I do. My Freshman year I made a committment to the school hockey team. My committment to the program has paid off as I am a tri-captain of the hockey team this year. My committment skills have helped me in the classroom also, I am a reliable group member when put into groups and am always committed to my school work and doing the best I can to help my group get good grades.
My weakest leadership skill is Emotional Intelligence. Sometimes I have trouble understanding and controlling my moods and emotions. I tend to let my emotions get the best of me and do not always think about how it affects my classmates or group members. I have gotten better at this problem as the years passed and I will continue to improve on this as I do more group projects.
My weakest leadership skill is Emotional Intelligence. Sometimes I have trouble understanding and controlling my moods and emotions. I tend to let my emotions get the best of me and do not always think about how it affects my classmates or group members. I have gotten better at this problem as the years passed and I will continue to improve on this as I do more group projects.
Leadership self-assessment- Jason Shaker
I believe that my strongest strategic leadership skill is Commitment. Over my last four years here at school and in high school, I have always been involved in group projects and I believe that my commitment to group projects has always been one of my strong points. Another example of my committment would be during my internship in the summer of 2006 when I worked for the North Adams SteepleCats who are a college baseball summer league team. I always had to work long hours especially on game days and it required a summer long committment that I was willing to do because the internship was very important to me.
My biggest weakness of the strategic leadership skills is probably being well informed. The reason I choose this as my weak point is because I usually don't like to plan everything in advance, I tend to just go with the flow of something and accomplish it as it comes my way. My summer internship with the SteepleCats never really had a consistent flow, I would just do things as they came my way and if a problem arose I would take care of it. I would probably get things done faster if I did everything in a set order and I can work on that as I get older
My biggest weakness of the strategic leadership skills is probably being well informed. The reason I choose this as my weak point is because I usually don't like to plan everything in advance, I tend to just go with the flow of something and accomplish it as it comes my way. My summer internship with the SteepleCats never really had a consistent flow, I would just do things as they came my way and if a problem arose I would take care of it. I would probably get things done faster if I did everything in a set order and I can work on that as I get older
Leadership Self-Assessment- Ryan MacKinnon
Throughout my life I have wanted to be a leader in many situations. However, I did not have enough confidence in myself to really take on that role. As I have made transitions from high school to college or from job to job I really figured out that being a leader is a lot easier than I thought. Out of the six key characteristics of good strategic leaders my strengths shine in the commitment category. To me commitment is the most important characteristic out of the six as well. You can not be a leader without having the commitment to be there. Committing to a job, sport or volunteer work is a huge task to take, and you need to make sure you have the time to finish the task and be a team player/leader. When I take on the role of a job, sport or any volunteer work I have never missed a day or called out because I would not want anyone doing it to me. Commitment is the only way someone can make a lot of money in a business scenario.
My weakness in a leadership position would have to fall under the vision, eloquence and consistency characteristics. The reason I say this is because as of right now I am nowhere close to being a billionaire like a "Bill Gates, or Sam Walton". Besides the fact that I still do not know exactly where I am going to be in ten years. So once I do that then maybe it won't be such a weakness. I have never had a good sense of direction for myself, never mind a company. I believe the only way I would be able to know exactly where something would be is with the help of others and their thoughts. There aren't many in the world today that know exactly where they will be in 10 years. Thus communicating with my other employees would help me out tremendously in this.
My weakness in a leadership position would have to fall under the vision, eloquence and consistency characteristics. The reason I say this is because as of right now I am nowhere close to being a billionaire like a "Bill Gates, or Sam Walton". Besides the fact that I still do not know exactly where I am going to be in ten years. So once I do that then maybe it won't be such a weakness. I have never had a good sense of direction for myself, never mind a company. I believe the only way I would be able to know exactly where something would be is with the help of others and their thoughts. There aren't many in the world today that know exactly where they will be in 10 years. Thus communicating with my other employees would help me out tremendously in this.
Leadership self-assessment Lindsy
A characteristic that i feel is one of my strong ones is Commitment. In the work place i have always been one to get a project or assignment and finish it even if it gets really frustrating and difficult but i stay with it and i am committed to getting it done. In sports i have quit two things because i wanted to not because i had to and i shouldn't have because i loved them both, it had to do with personal issues with coaches. But when it comes to serious work i don't give up i stick with it and get it done.
A weak characteristic i have is delegating and empowering. I have been a captain for a sports team before so i know how to have power and keep most people in line but i dunno how to have power over people who have attitudes and feel as though they are very powerful. Also I'm not very good at explaining things to people even if i know what I'm talking about and i can do it myself. I need to learn how to delegate things and be able to talk in front of people.
A weak characteristic i have is delegating and empowering. I have been a captain for a sports team before so i know how to have power and keep most people in line but i dunno how to have power over people who have attitudes and feel as though they are very powerful. Also I'm not very good at explaining things to people even if i know what I'm talking about and i can do it myself. I need to learn how to delegate things and be able to talk in front of people.
Strategic Leadership Skills-Jason Grier
Out of the six choices, I would have to say that Emotional Intelligence is my strong point. Running my own landscaping company this past summer, I had to deal with many customers and many employees. With the employees, I had to know what type of mood they were in and to know if they were going to be polite enough to talk to the customers. If they werent i would find another employee to do so. With the customers it was a little more difficult. The customers were hard because their moods would change so fast. Another reason I chose Emotional Intelligence is becuase I have patience and the willingness to make a friend to keep a customer. I am not all about the money either, I loved to work and didnt care how much money I bring in.
I would have to say that being well informed is my weak point. The reason for this is that my job changes day to day. There really is no set job schedule so it is hard to be well informed. But this can be a plus because it does not make the job repetitive. This is also bad for me because my employees are always asking, "what is going on for the rest of the week", and all I can tell them is "I dont know".
I would have to say that being well informed is my weak point. The reason for this is that my job changes day to day. There really is no set job schedule so it is hard to be well informed. But this can be a plus because it does not make the job repetitive. This is also bad for me because my employees are always asking, "what is going on for the rest of the week", and all I can tell them is "I dont know".
strategic leadership skills- charles handy
I have had many chances to figure out what my leadership skills are through sports, jobs, and group projects. But I think my most important skill that I have is my Emotional Intelligence, i used this skill all the time when I was in my mangement position this summer. When talking to my employees I needed to understand their moods and how they think and feel this way when I talk to them I can relate to them and I can get my point across without being over emotional. Also when I speak to large group such as a sports team or class I can get the attention of the people through my social skills. I find myself being able to relate and become friends with anyone.
I think my weakest leadership skill is my abilty to be well informed. I am very lazy when it comes to finding information whether its for my work or school. This past summer I would put off getting the information that my superiors wanted from me. I would most likely wait till the last minute and do a half ass job. So I need to work on my abilty to get my information.
I think my weakest leadership skill is my abilty to be well informed. I am very lazy when it comes to finding information whether its for my work or school. This past summer I would put off getting the information that my superiors wanted from me. I would most likely wait till the last minute and do a half ass job. So I need to work on my abilty to get my information.
Leadership self-assessment- Chris Ciota
Out of the six key characteristics of good strategic leaders, I feel that commitment is my best quality. I feel that I am committed most of the things I do, whether it be a job at work, an assignment for school or a task at home. For example, when I have already worked a full, eight-hour day and my boss asks me to put in six extra hours on that same day, I never hesitate to say yes. Not only could I use the money but it is important to me that my I maintain a good reputation about my work ethic.
Out of the six key characteristics I would say that willingness to delegate and empower is the one I need to improve on the most. When a leadership opportunity opens up I do not often shoot for it. The reason is not because I do not want to hold an authoritative position but because I am relatively shy in empowering situations. If I can have more confidence in my work I will be more likely to delegate. For example, when I was in high school I was a JROTC officer. This means that I was a mentor and leader to the underclassmen in my military high school.
Out of the six key characteristics I would say that willingness to delegate and empower is the one I need to improve on the most. When a leadership opportunity opens up I do not often shoot for it. The reason is not because I do not want to hold an authoritative position but because I am relatively shy in empowering situations. If I can have more confidence in my work I will be more likely to delegate. For example, when I was in high school I was a JROTC officer. This means that I was a mentor and leader to the underclassmen in my military high school.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Leadership self-assessment- Katie Prentiss
I believe that i am a strong leader because i hold the characteristic of consistency. I think that it is hard to keep a group consistent not only in the work that they are processing or creating but also in the high standard of ethics. In the many groups that i have worked in between my management classes, marketing classes, and volunteer work i have usually been considered the leader in all of them. As the leader i helped the group stay focused but what i really tired to help with was consistency. As previously stated i wanted the group to stay in a consistent manner with work ethic, final quality, and effort put forth. It was a task as times but it was my real strength in all my projects.
My weakness on the other hand is Self awareness in the Emotional intelligence, although i have a knack for correcting these errors it is hard for me to look over my own work and find errors or things that i can improve on. That is why team work is one of my favorite things. When working in groups i like to be able to help structure them yet when i am doing something wrong i have help to let me know this. You can't ask for help if you think you are doing it right.
My weakness on the other hand is Self awareness in the Emotional intelligence, although i have a knack for correcting these errors it is hard for me to look over my own work and find errors or things that i can improve on. That is why team work is one of my favorite things. When working in groups i like to be able to help structure them yet when i am doing something wrong i have help to let me know this. You can't ask for help if you think you are doing it right.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Leadership Self-Assessment - Amanda Guay
A characteristic I believe I am particularly strong in is Vision, Eloquence, and Consistency. Using the same example as Blog #1, I was a part of a group in my Management class where we had to research a company. We had to meet on our own time, keep minutes, and conduct the meetings as if it were a "real" business meeting. From the peers in my group, I was selected as the group leader. Throughout the entire project, I felt as though I had a clear vision of what direction our group should go in. I also felt as though I showed eloquence by being able to effectively communicate the vision and motivate the group members; and I demonstrated consistency by being able to articulate their vision time and again.
A characteristic that I believe to be a weakness of mine is Emotional Intelligence, in particularly Motivation. I have motivation, but to a certain extent. I certainly have a prosperity to pursue goals with energy and persistence, and when I want/need something, I will go after it and not give up until I get it; however, having a passion for work that goes beyond money...well...I would be lying if I said that money is not a good motivator for me...because it is, and I am sure I speak for other students as well! This is something that is a downfall for me and it could probably use a "patch job."
A characteristic that I believe to be a weakness of mine is Emotional Intelligence, in particularly Motivation. I have motivation, but to a certain extent. I certainly have a prosperity to pursue goals with energy and persistence, and when I want/need something, I will go after it and not give up until I get it; however, having a passion for work that goes beyond money...well...I would be lying if I said that money is not a good motivator for me...because it is, and I am sure I speak for other students as well! This is something that is a downfall for me and it could probably use a "patch job."
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Senior Business Seminar-Assignment #3 A & B
3A) Read chapter 1 and analyze your own strengths and weaknesses as a leader. By 7:00AM on Monday, September 17th, write a new 2 paragraph post. Pick one of the 6 characteristics of good strategic leadership that you believe to be your strength. Give us evidence of that strength by providing examples from your own experience in a work, school, sports, or volunteer setting. Pick one of the 6 characteristics that you believe to be your weakness and use examples to support your assessment of this as your weakness. Label your entry: Leadership self-assessment- your name.
3B) Read your classmates' postings on their leadership self-assessment. By 7:00AM on Tuesday, September 18th, choose 3 classmates you think would be effective student leaders in this course. Send each of them a comment telling them why you'd want to be in a group that they led. Label your comment: In support of your leadership- your name.
3B) Read your classmates' postings on their leadership self-assessment. By 7:00AM on Tuesday, September 18th, choose 3 classmates you think would be effective student leaders in this course. Send each of them a comment telling them why you'd want to be in a group that they led. Label your comment: In support of your leadership- your name.
Monday, September 10, 2007
CASE STUDY METHOD- Ryan MacKinnon
Just figured out the right way to blog instead of leaving a comment, there is no difference in the two. I just want to put it here as well because it looks better.
To the students,
When it comes to dealing with case studies, my experience is limited, but my understanding has greatly improved with the real life circumstances they often entail. A case study usually starts off with a brief history and background of a said company. These grassroots’ details regarding the firm birth and inspiration may be important in figuring out the answer to future problems. What a company stands for and its values can ensure future success, by relying on what made them successful in the first place. Even with changing markets, and companies changing with the times, there is more often than not value to what made the company successful to begin with.
There are a few different ways a case study can be analyzed depending on the information desired. One way that I have dealt with case studies in the past is the S.W.O.T. analysis method. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This basis of information is a crucial element when attempting to understand a case study. This is also a good basis for understanding a problem, and finding a solution. Depending on the situation of the company and the information that needs to be processed, a solid base of knowledge is crucial for anyone who is analyzing a case study.
To the students,
When it comes to dealing with case studies, my experience is limited, but my understanding has greatly improved with the real life circumstances they often entail. A case study usually starts off with a brief history and background of a said company. These grassroots’ details regarding the firm birth and inspiration may be important in figuring out the answer to future problems. What a company stands for and its values can ensure future success, by relying on what made them successful in the first place. Even with changing markets, and companies changing with the times, there is more often than not value to what made the company successful to begin with.
There are a few different ways a case study can be analyzed depending on the information desired. One way that I have dealt with case studies in the past is the S.W.O.T. analysis method. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This basis of information is a crucial element when attempting to understand a case study. This is also a good basis for understanding a problem, and finding a solution. Depending on the situation of the company and the information that needs to be processed, a solid base of knowledge is crucial for anyone who is analyzing a case study.
CASE STUDY METHOD - LINDSY GIRARD
Dear Student,
When doing a case study i start out by skimming highlighted words and key points then i read the whole case very carefully. Then i look through the questions and re-read the case and try and answer them as well as possible. After that i go through the whole thing and make sure it sounds right and then i end it with my conclusion.
Lindsy Girard
When doing a case study i start out by skimming highlighted words and key points then i read the whole case very carefully. Then i look through the questions and re-read the case and try and answer them as well as possible. After that i go through the whole thing and make sure it sounds right and then i end it with my conclusion.
Lindsy Girard
CASE STUDY METHOD- Jenn Omasta
Dear Student,
When working on a case study you need to break it down. First read the whole case, then re-read it and highlight the important parts. A case study is important to do when learning about business because it helps you look at problems that different businesses are having and it lets you break them down and figure out how to fix the problem.
After you have taken notes and highlighted look back on information that you have learned to find a solution to the case. Reflect on what you read in the case and what business knowledge you know to help develope a solution to the case.
When working on a case study you need to break it down. First read the whole case, then re-read it and highlight the important parts. A case study is important to do when learning about business because it helps you look at problems that different businesses are having and it lets you break them down and figure out how to fix the problem.
After you have taken notes and highlighted look back on information that you have learned to find a solution to the case. Reflect on what you read in the case and what business knowledge you know to help develope a solution to the case.
case study method - Steve Moore
Student-
When first looking at a case, the amount of information displayed may be overwhelming. The Case Study Method is a great way to erase the useless information and get to the point of the story. A quick read through is what I would use to get an overall understanding of the case at hand. I can usually come up with an assumption of what the case will be about from reading the case introduction at the very beginning. The Case Study Method is, to me, a technique used to organize and locate main points throughout a case.
The first step to breaking down a case would be to funnel through the case and locate main points. When locating the main points I like to highlight those areas and maybe write a side note if needed. The side notes would serve good purpose when the case study needed to be written. Depending on the individual, highlighting and side notes can be done in two different steps. My next step would be to take all the hightlighted information and copy it down onto a seperate sheet of paper and add other notes to what I already jotted down. That step does not need to be done, again depends on the individual. The concluding step would be to pull everything together and build the case study from the beginning to end with the notes that you have taken.
When first looking at a case, the amount of information displayed may be overwhelming. The Case Study Method is a great way to erase the useless information and get to the point of the story. A quick read through is what I would use to get an overall understanding of the case at hand. I can usually come up with an assumption of what the case will be about from reading the case introduction at the very beginning. The Case Study Method is, to me, a technique used to organize and locate main points throughout a case.
The first step to breaking down a case would be to funnel through the case and locate main points. When locating the main points I like to highlight those areas and maybe write a side note if needed. The side notes would serve good purpose when the case study needed to be written. Depending on the individual, highlighting and side notes can be done in two different steps. My next step would be to take all the hightlighted information and copy it down onto a seperate sheet of paper and add other notes to what I already jotted down. That step does not need to be done, again depends on the individual. The concluding step would be to pull everything together and build the case study from the beginning to end with the notes that you have taken.
Case Study Method - Amanda Guay
Dear Student,
The case-study method brings real-world situations into the classroom. When you discuss cases with your peers you will learn, as I did, that decision making is often a challenging activity involving people with different points of view; and you will learn how to work towards a compromise while dealing with differences of opinion. You have to develop the ability to apply the skills you obtain through the classroom to real world situations so you can learn how to (1) make decision making easier, (2) improve the analytical quality of decisions, (3) reduce the time required to make decisions, and (4) increase the occurance of correct decisions.
I was involved in a semester long case study in a Management class. Our task was to research a major corporation, but conduct our research as if we were a management team. We had to meet as a team on our own time and evaluate each other. This also meant that if someone was not doing their fair share, the "team leader" had the right to fire that member, and consequently their grade would suffer. It was a completely different approach from what I was used to, but I learned a lot more by participating in a "real life" situation rather than reading about it in a textbook. Using the case study method can take some "getting used to," but I have found that it is more effective.
The case-study method brings real-world situations into the classroom. When you discuss cases with your peers you will learn, as I did, that decision making is often a challenging activity involving people with different points of view; and you will learn how to work towards a compromise while dealing with differences of opinion. You have to develop the ability to apply the skills you obtain through the classroom to real world situations so you can learn how to (1) make decision making easier, (2) improve the analytical quality of decisions, (3) reduce the time required to make decisions, and (4) increase the occurance of correct decisions.
I was involved in a semester long case study in a Management class. Our task was to research a major corporation, but conduct our research as if we were a management team. We had to meet as a team on our own time and evaluate each other. This also meant that if someone was not doing their fair share, the "team leader" had the right to fire that member, and consequently their grade would suffer. It was a completely different approach from what I was used to, but I learned a lot more by participating in a "real life" situation rather than reading about it in a textbook. Using the case study method can take some "getting used to," but I have found that it is more effective.
Cast Study Method- Anne Acerra
Case studies are a great way to understand a subject by using a real life event to understand a subject that is being studied. A student can read about a subject for hours and not fully understand what they're looking at. But with a case study, they can read a document and put the subject into context and understand it perfectly within minutes. The use of case studies is popular in many college classes and is a great tool to learn.
When I do a case study, the first thing I do is read the title, the author, and the date it was written. I then read the entire document at least twice to make sure I fully understand it. Then I go through and pick out key points in the story and I write them down on a separate sheet of paper. I then spend time looking at the key points and thinking about what I've read. After I have digested the document and I'm certain that I fully understand it, I write an analysis on how I feel about it. I write down what I feel is important in the document and how I feel on these key issues.
When I do a case study, the first thing I do is read the title, the author, and the date it was written. I then read the entire document at least twice to make sure I fully understand it. Then I go through and pick out key points in the story and I write them down on a separate sheet of paper. I then spend time looking at the key points and thinking about what I've read. After I have digested the document and I'm certain that I fully understand it, I write an analysis on how I feel about it. I write down what I feel is important in the document and how I feel on these key issues.
Case Study Method- Beth Ellis
The case study method is one of the most effective methods of learning in a business environment. A case study is a real scenario and usually there is a problem that needs to be solved. In order to fully understand the case, a person should read through it a couple of times and highlight or remember the most important issues or points brought up in the case. Since most cases have questions that need to be answered at the end, it is very helpful to understand the most important parts in order to answer the questions in a knowledgeable manner.
Since case studies are usually real life situations that have happened to a company in the past, there are usually reasonable methods that could be used to solve the problem or to make sure that the problem never happens again. Once you’ve completed the reading of the case and answered the questions, it is a good idea to write up a summary of the case including the answers to the questions so that it not only increases your understanding of the case, but so that anyone reading the summary would get a clear idea of the problems and solutions that you’ve come up with.
Since case studies are usually real life situations that have happened to a company in the past, there are usually reasonable methods that could be used to solve the problem or to make sure that the problem never happens again. Once you’ve completed the reading of the case and answered the questions, it is a good idea to write up a summary of the case including the answers to the questions so that it not only increases your understanding of the case, but so that anyone reading the summary would get a clear idea of the problems and solutions that you’ve come up with.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
CASE STUDY METHOD- KATIE PRENTISS
Dear Student,
The Case study method is a very good way to help improve your outlook on a particular subject, yes you can get this knowledge from reading about it in a book but when you look at the real world scenario that you can find in cases it really puts what you learned in to play. I takes what you are being taught and puts it in to real world scenarios and let you see where you will eventually use it in the really world. Just like in high school sitting in biology or chemistry class wondering when you will ever use it again. Plus it give you a sense of a real scenario not just one someone made up in a book.
The way that cases can be analyzed are all different depending on the individual. When i am analyzing a case i usually briefly skim over the case to get a feel for it in its entirety then i will jot down a short outline (depending on the length of the case a one page or two page case this isn't really practical) then i will dig in to the case. Reread it and being to pull out the key elements and depending on what you are reading the case for or what you are using it for will determine what you are to take out of the case. Pull the relevant information out and then at the end of that i usually put a couple of sentences to a paragraph about how i felt about the case. Was it Helpful? Written well? Was the information and conclusions relevant? etc.
Analyzing a case is not hard it just takes a little work but in the end you will come up with some very interesting evidence found in cases for any subject.
Katie Prentiss
The Case study method is a very good way to help improve your outlook on a particular subject, yes you can get this knowledge from reading about it in a book but when you look at the real world scenario that you can find in cases it really puts what you learned in to play. I takes what you are being taught and puts it in to real world scenarios and let you see where you will eventually use it in the really world. Just like in high school sitting in biology or chemistry class wondering when you will ever use it again. Plus it give you a sense of a real scenario not just one someone made up in a book.
The way that cases can be analyzed are all different depending on the individual. When i am analyzing a case i usually briefly skim over the case to get a feel for it in its entirety then i will jot down a short outline (depending on the length of the case a one page or two page case this isn't really practical) then i will dig in to the case. Reread it and being to pull out the key elements and depending on what you are reading the case for or what you are using it for will determine what you are to take out of the case. Pull the relevant information out and then at the end of that i usually put a couple of sentences to a paragraph about how i felt about the case. Was it Helpful? Written well? Was the information and conclusions relevant? etc.
Analyzing a case is not hard it just takes a little work but in the end you will come up with some very interesting evidence found in cases for any subject.
Katie Prentiss
Assignment #2
By 10:00 AM on the day of our second class meeting (Tuesday, September 11), write a 2 paragraph letter to a classmate who has never been exposed to the case study method. Tell him or her about your experience in another class that used this method. Identify the steps you go through to analyze a case. Label your entry: CASE STUDY METHOD- YOUR NAME.
Assignment #1 - Amanda Guay
1. What should I expect to walk away from this class with?
2. What is the stucture of the class? Are there quizzes, exams, etc.?
3. How long have you been teaching at Franklin Pierce?
2. What is the stucture of the class? Are there quizzes, exams, etc.?
3. How long have you been teaching at Franklin Pierce?
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