Scribe post. Gaukhar Smailova

During class time we saw 4 presentations: Friday night light, Shawshank, Fantastic 4, and Saving private Rayan. They were very interesting. Also we went over review and discussed different questions.

Refleciton 2 Brett B

Talking about motivation and different types of work in Chapter 7 was interesting to me. I have played sports my entire life all the way to the professional level until recently and there is nothing greater than seeing your hard work come to life in front of you. The greatest motivation for me is being able to see how you have benefited from the work you have put in and having success from it.

Missing Scribe Posts

So, it seems we have a few missing scribe posts from last week.  To keep us on track, I will pick the next scribe...

The next scribe for Monday, 10/25 will be Gaukhar!

Reflections 2

The last couple of chapters have been pretty interesting. In chapter 7 we discussed motivation in the work environment. If you have a job that isnt exciting or interesting then you are more likely to not be motivated to do your best. I can attest to this from personal experience. I have had jobs where all I was doing was sitting in an office doing paperwork. I couldnt stand it, I was bored all day everyday. Im an outdoors kind of guy, being born and raised on a ranch all I have ever known is working outside using my hands to fix fences, feed livestock, or plant fields. Sitting in an office and counting the number of ceiling tiles doesnt really appeal to me. I need some scenery to look at. I like to work up a sweat and get dirty and be able to see my accomplishments at the end of the day. Because of all of the things that interested me I was able to keep my motivation very high while on the ranch.

Reflections 2

I'm still thinking about the Ch7 motivation stuff we covered. I'm of the opinion that making decisions because of emotions never ends well in the long run. What makes people happy is always changing and eventually people will run out of emotionally satisfying things that they can do to make a living and wish that they had made decisions for other reasons. Very few people that are higher up in management positions started working hard for promotions because of the title they would receive, they did it to have a more comfortable life style. The ones that did do it for reasons like title and power over others are not going to be deserving and are not going to perform well when they get to the highest position they wanted to achieve. However, if you are doing your work for the tangible benefits then you are likely to keep working hard to continue to receive bonuses and raises and commissions and benefits, because as long as you continue to perform better there is always more you can do at your current spot to get the tangible benefits that can be used to do anything you want.

Reflections 2

In the past few chapters the two things I found most interesting were chapter 6 and 7. In chapter six we went over communication. I started to think what it was like when all people could do is write letters to one another. To think that people had to travel on sail boats just to trade items a long time ago would really be horrible. Now people can set up web cam conferences from all around the world, and have the items just shipped to that person. Then ebay also gives you potential buyers from all around the world at just a click of the button. Chapter 7 was also interesting in learning the different ways to motivate people. I have always looked at it as if you just need to offer more money to the person doing a job if you really want them motivated. If I really think about it though I guess Albert Haynesworth of the Washington Redskins got that 100 million dollar contract but couldn't even show up to camp and be able to pass the conditioning test.

Reflections 2

Chapters 7 and 8 have been the most interesting chapters to me of the ones we have covered up to this point. In Chapter 7 we learned about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and how with intrinsic motivation you experience more satisfaction in the success of your work and a feeling of accomplishment than with extrinsic, where you are focusing more on the results of your work. In Chapter 8 on leadership, I enjoyed learning about the Situational Leadership Model which consists of four areas: Delegating, Participating, Selling, and Telling. The most confusing part so far in my opinion is in Chapter 6 where the book covers all the different types of communication, along with the different styles and techniques of verbal and non-verbal communication.

Reflection 2

In the section dealing with technology and communication, I started to think about how I use this new devices and I can say that I would not know what to do with out my cell phone. It is a way that I communicate with others no matter where they are at. Technology that allows us communicate with each other has changed us in some way either good or bad.

Reflections 2

In Chapter 6, we discussed Communication. Communication is a vital aspect of a managers role in leading others effectively. In my job at the sandwhich shop my manager would costantly communicate with each of her employees. She would ask about personal life, school, or task that she asked to be done in the store. In doing this she would keep a relationship with me and the other employees but also get answers to the task that she asked to be performed. For instance my manager would constantly ask if we had the meats, vegetables, soups, desserts, and any other ingredients stocked and ready for a lunch rush. The way she asked us to make sure wasn't blunt or aggressive, but instead she would say it calmly and repeat herself at any given time just to remind us to always make sure the ingredients were stocked. In being calm and collected, it made us employees not to stress about the ingredients being stocked right away, but it allowed us time to finish our tasks, then tend to the ingredients, but since she constantly repeated herself the thought of restocking always lingered in our heads, so we would restock on instinct right when we finished whatever we were doing before hand. I think communication is the most important aspect of managing because without effective communications tasks would not be done correctly or time appropriate.

Reflections 2

The last few chapters have been very interesting to me. In chapter 7 we learned about motivation. This is appealing to me because I have been in a lot of situations were employees lacked motivation and did a poor job. I now see the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. There are plenty of theory's for every situation. In chapter 5 we disscused delegation and empowerment. The process is very easy to understand. One very interesting thing from chapter 5 is the different types of power Reward, coercive, legitimate, control of information, reverent and expert. Chapter 6 communication was interesting as well the models of how communication flow made it allot easier to understand.

Reflections

One of the most critical aspects to maintaining a reputable business is good communication on every level of management. There are many different ways that are used to communicate effectively. Whether it be via email, phone call, newsletter, text or face to face communication is essential. Though 90% of communication is non verbal the it is still no substitute when the problem is personal. The "flow of communication" must be in every direction, downward:manager to employee; upward:employee to manager; and laterally:employee to employee. However, some information is passed "through the grapevine." This informal method of communicating can sometimes be distorted and therefore isn't always reliable. No matter who you are communication is a skill that must be mastered.

Reflections

I feel like I learned a lot about management throughout the last few chapters we covered, but especially in Chapter 8 when we covered the different styles of leadership. It's interesting how we have to adapt to each individual situation in order to decide which "leadership style" is best in a particular case. I think the most challenging part of being a leader is dealing with the unusual and unpredictable situations that arise. You have to decide for yourself--am I going to be a heroic leader, or a developmental leader? a transactional leader, or a transformational leader? etc.
I also think, after studying this chapter, there is a thick line between a manager and a leader. For example, in my opinion a transactional leader hardly stands up against a transformational leader. A transformational leader wants to build up his followers, while a transactional leader likes things they way they are and wants everyone to maintain their level of skill and knowledge. However, I realize that sometimes a transactional manager would be best for certain situations. Everything about leadership depends on the situation involved, and I find this to be the most challenging and interesting aspect of leadership itself.

Reflections 2

So in Management 1327 we have been going over the chapters for exam 2. They have all been fairly interesting but my favorite for this stretch would have to be the lecture on motivation we had on 10-13-10. I found it interesting because I often contemplate what the people I encounter through my days are thinking, but I never went the extra step and thought about the things that are most likely motivating them to act the way they do. Another lecture that kept me interested was the one we had over chapter 5 "delegation and empowerment." I really enjoyed it because it made me think about the different ways to interact with my coworkers in the future and how to make the best choices, especially if I ever find myself in a managerial position.

Reflections 2

The topics we have been discussing in class are very applicable to general management. I've always enjoyed my job since I moved to our location here in Brazos Valley from our Conroe store but I never really understood why. I work at a welding supply and sometimes the work is tedious and other times its not but it seemed that when I moved to this location things got alot better. After discussing the last few chapters in this class I began to understand why. Management is the reason my job now seems less like work and more like something i feel the need to accomplish. It is no longer just a task I complete to earn a paycheck but I feel more a part of something, more involved. My manager here is a great motivation, communicates effectively and leads by example. Although he is the boss, he is willing to get out of the office and do the grudge work as well from loading trucks, filling cylinders, helping customers and even cleaning the warehouse. He truely is a hard worker. Although he never attended college, I feel as if he is the most successful manager I have ever had the pleasure to work for. He appreciates the work his employees put in and rewards them both monetarily and with praise. He leads people by motivating them to want to do their job effectively and not just count out the hours. He will talk to people one on one and it usually very understanding when difficulties come up. For example, he allows me to work around my school schedule and take off when i have tests and projects coming up so i can be successful in my school as well as my job. He shows his employees utmost respect and treats them as equals rather than subordinates. It's been very surprising to me to see that kind of managerial skill in a boss who never attended college and got to where he is by working his way up.

Cooper Reflections

Today while working at Texas Landscape creations I was thinking about chapter 7, Motivation. I read it before I went to bed last night therefore it was still fresh in my memory when I woke up at 7 a.m this morning. As I was driving to TLC I was thinking to myself, why am I even working here, what motivates me to continue waking up early and driving to work at 7 am in the morning every day. The dissatisfiers out weight the satisfiers 3:1. I make $8.00/hr, work outdoors in the heat, and the owners and supervisor could care less about the employees health and working conditions as long as the job gets done in a timely manner. The factor that does motivate me to show up to work every day is the challenging work I am faced with every time I clock in, each day is a new experience. Although the work is very challenging and in some cases somewhat dangerous I enjoy it. I've worked for many reatil stores and restaraunts in the cool A/C but I never got to see the results of all the long hours I put in, with landscaping each and every project you encounter is very difficult but is very rewarding in the end. Spending a whole day moving 1,000 base boulders for a water fall, digging a 4 by 4 hole, lining it with rubber lining, installing an electrical pump for water circulation, and watching all your hardwork finally come to life with an awesome 6 ft waterfall is a sense of self fullfillment, although it's not yours to enjoy every day, knowing the fact that you built this magnificant creation in somebodys front yard  in 1 day and will give the house owners years of happiness and delight every time they walk out the front door makes any person feel a sense of pride in the hardwork and long hours they've put in. I get bad pay, work in bad conditions, wake up at the crack of dawn, and have bad bosses so I guess the only thing that keeps me motivated everyday is the fact that my work is challenging, and tough, but at the end of the day knowing that I busted it for something that will last forever and make many people happy makes it all worth it and that's why I'm still here doing my thing. Challenge is the best motivator.

Scribe Post for 10/13

In class we discussed Chapter 7, Motivation. We define motivation as the willingness of individuals and groups, as influenced by various needs and perceptions, to strive towards a goal. There are two types of motivation, Intrinsic and Extrinsic. Intrinsic is the behavior that an individual produces because of the pleasant experiences associated with the behavior, while extrinsic is performed not for its own sake but rather for the consequences associated with it. We also discussed the different theories of motivation. Maslow's Hierarchy of needs theory says that people's needs can be arranged in a hierarchy and once a need has been satisfied it no longer serves as a primary motivator of behavior. Other theories discussed were Herzberg's theory, the Reinforcement theory, the Expectancy theory, the Equity theory and the Hawthorne studies. These theories are used by managers to help motivate employees. The following five actions are applied broadly to all types of organizations.

• Help make employees jobs intrinsically rewarding.
• Provide clear performance objectives.
• Support employees performance efforts.
• Provide timely performance feedback.
• Reward employees performance.

The next scribe will be Trey

Scribe Post 10/11

In class we went over Chapter 6 which covers communication- The process of information exchange. We talked about non-verbal communication and also the flow of communication - Downward, Upward, laterally, and Informal communication flow - Grapevine. We also Discussed the Managerial Communication Matrix and talked about how people want different things and some might want to talk to their boss as little as possible but most of the class seemed to agree that number 4 on the Matrix was the best - Offering High Disclosing and High receiving or maximum communication. We also went over Barriers to effective communication. Organizational which includes layers of Management, Authority or Status, And Jargon. Interpersonal includes our perceptions and stereotypes. As well as language and Linguistics. The main linguistics example was men to women and the PowerPoint gives a list of things things they do differently. We then went over technology and its affects on communication. How it has improved many things about communication but also how it has had a negative impact too. It has improved how we can do business with emails, video meeting, phone meeting and many other things that help improve efficiency and allowing us to do more and more. However its negative impact is that the technology is making communication less personable. We have text messages, instant messengers and things that make it more difficult to understand the emotions behind words and that can severely change the statement. Finally, we covered ways of improving communication which include,

• Set the Climate- Establish trust and minimize status barriers
• Plan - Anticipate Situations, Select proper channel, consider the receivers frame of mind.
• Reinforce through repetition
• Encourage Feedback
• Become a better listener

This is what we covered in class Monday, October 11.
The next scribe is Robert.

Scribe Post 10/6

In class we discussed Chapter 5, Delegation and Empowerment. Delegation is something that is outside your general job description that you might not do but will help your manager or company get ahead. The three aspects of delegation are responsibility, authority, and accountability. We also discussed the two views of authority. First was the formal view that states when someone gives you a task then the authority automatically becomes yours. Second was the acceptance view that states that you do not have authority over anyone until they accept that you do and actually start listening to you. After that we talked about the difference between power and leadership. The main goal of power is to get you to do what I want, and the leadership goal is to get you to want to do what I want. Next thing we talked about was the empowerment part of the chapter. Empowerment is the idea that you can get your employees and grant the authority to do more than just their assigned task which in return gets more done for the company. The last thing we talked about was how delegation affects the work place. Managers fail to delegate to their employees because of the fear of not having complete power, a lack of trust in their employees, a fear that employees will be better at their job, and the employees just do not have the right training. The employees want delegation because they will learn new skills, increase their power, and gives them a chance for a possible promotion in the future. The only down side to that is a fear of failure and the increased stress which might make them not want to be delegated to. The benefits to a company using delegation with their employees is employee development, improved control, improved time management, and enhanced power.

The next scribe will be Zach