Leadership In Action

A.   IntroductionThe paper to be shown herein particularly highlights the leadership skills of an IT Operation’s Team Chief in a Call Center Agency.   Call Centers are primarily known for assisting clients in facing troubleshooting issues with the client’s computer-operating procedures. Through a phone call from the client, the agents are able to connect themselves with the problem and thus be able to solve the issue though instructional details given over the phone towards the clients.The work of Call Center agents is most likely ranging from 24/7. This means that the shifting of schedules are reshuffled every now and then for the agents to be able to meet the 24-hour operation of the company. Indeed, seeing this situation, it could not be denied that this type of organization certainly needs an enthusiastic set of managers who are supposed to lead the tea, in getting the best results of the company while giving the clients the best service that they ought to recei ve.   In this particular manner, the author of this interview report decided to talk to one of the managers of the said Call Center Agency so as to be able to look deeper on how managers of the said type of organizations keep up with the challenges of meeting the different responsibilities left in their care which includes keeping up with business competition and empowering the workers in giving a quality performance for the entire organization.B.    Manager’s Basic InformationsFor the sake of privacy purposes, the manager noted here in would be referred to as â€Å"Mr. Team Chief†. The said individual agreed with the said title to be used in behalf of his identity to be able to cover his true name. He is among the ten other team chief managers of the IT operations management team. Like the others, he is assigned to a certain pool of agents whom he has to work with everyday. For at least two months, they are given the chance to empower a certain group, then after w hich they are transferred to other groups for the sake of establishing camaraderie among all the workers and inciting better motivational procedures to all the employees. (Goleman, 2000)Each pool of agents consists of at least 15 members each. The organization gives incentive to the agents who are able to reach an 80% performance level with the calls that he or she assists each wee. It is then the responsibility of the Operational Management’s Team Chief to help the employees reach this particular goal. Through assisting them with the difficulties of answering some of the most technical questions, the manager is able to give them the support that they need at work. However, the responsibility of a Team Chief does not end there. Aside from particularly supporting the team, he is also responsible for motivating them in a way that although the work id quite tiring, the agents would feel that what they are working for is all worth the efforts. Facing the different conflicts that the employees engage with every now and then is also left in the care of the team chief to resolve.C.   Organizational Behavior Management SectionIt has been mentioned earlier that the manager interviewed herein is held responsible for motivating, assisting and disciplining at least 15 call canter agents left in his care every time he goes to work. Not to mention that his job also requires him to possess a certain amount of considerable knowledge about IT operations, he also is accountable for having and applying sound judgment when several difficult situations arise. TO breakdown the topics on management that have been discussed by the author of this report with the manager, the following subtitles shall separate the issues basing from their impact on human behavior management procedures:People MotivationIt is the company’s protocol to reward a call center agent who was able to reach at least 80% satisfaction on the calls that he or she received in a week. It is then the r esponsibility of the team chief to assist others in reaching that particular goal. To be able to do so, â€Å"Mr. Team Chief† said that he opt to have empowering meetings 15 minutes before each shift. Once he is on the floor, he makes it a point that he is not just staying in his sit but instead he roams around the work areas of his team and sees to it that they are simply doing the right thing, Once a successful call has been delivered by an agent, he never forgets to acknowledge them and give them commendation. He added that in this job, he learned that making the people feel that they are of great worth to the company and the hard work that they put forward for the organization is given high regard is much better than motivating them in terms of monetary allowances.Punishment and PoliciesSince the shift of the agents is reshuffled every now and then, the organization allows at least a lee-way of three minute on floor preparation before the actual job. This means that the t ime listed on the schedule sheet given to the agents are at least three minutes earlier than the actual hour of operation. Hence, there is no excuse for being late. However, there are at times those agents who simply cannot arrive early because of some circumstances. Hence, what he does is to allow them three times of being late then on the fourth, they are held form work for at least an hour away from their schedule, this way they would not be paid for the first hour of their job even though they would work. This is just among the policies that â€Å"Mr. Team Chief† deals with. He usually deals with this particular problem making it one of the most overused policies in his team.Decision MakingThe usual; decision made by Mr. Team Chief is naturally on the track of whether to consider a call successful or not. The 80% satisfaction in the customer service given by the agents to their clients is scaled by the managers themselves. There is not a machine-based program that determi nes this particular progressive report. Hence, it is in their discretion if they are to flag a certain call successful or a failure. This then subjects them to being highly objective, not being influenced by favoritism and is completely guided by the essence of professionalism in their job. (Collins, 2001).Facing ConflictsAt some point, the employees get stuck with conflicts with each other, particularly because of their individual dispositions at work. Form this particular perspective, Mr. Team Chief tries it so hard to become much objective in listening to the disputes of the employees while trying to assess the roots of the problem. Once the root of the dispute has been resolved, the manager tries to fix the issue through helping the employees see the situation in each other’s perspectives, putting each other in other’s shoe on the aim of helping them see the situation in the implication of values depending on the personality of each employee. (Gottee, 2000)Pursuing the Breaking Ground for TeamworkIt is very important to work as one towards one [particular goal for this type of organization. This is the reason why for the manager, it is important to understand what is it that actually empowers his people to work on their performance in giving their job the best shot that they could provide the clients and the organization as well.   (Brown, 2002)The Implication of Leadership PrinciplesIn the book Spiritual Dimension of Leadership, the authors of the said reading material deliver their points of views on how to develop the intellectual insight regarding and spiritual beliefs. Based on the achievements of the authors Dr Paul D Houston and Dr Stephen L Sokolow, their main points are to express by public education the true meaning of faith in leadership and how to become a more enlightened leader, by having a common purpose and common vision. Through the said book, they discussed their hopes and dreams for themselves as well as for the public ed ucation, for the different leaders and for the world.Their major goal is to build a strong public education that will help the children to easily enhance their skills, and to support the needs of the students primarily with regards the moral and spiritual values. Thru public education, the different kinds of beliefs can easily be discussed in formal and legal ways, and public education is the best opportunity to build different essential concepts that will connect the people within the human society. Another goal that these two authors frequently develop is the â€Å"Dimension of Leadership†, though leadership is a great privilege to a person who has the chance in having the skills needed for it, the authors define the exact value of what are the valuable insights that a perfect leader should have. Also the responsibilities of the leader, which should always be his major priority for the benefits of his community; this will lead to a wellness and successful organization in th e society that he serves. Wise leadership in spiritual, moral, and educational program is one of the major keys in a certain country’s future success; it is the best way to create a fruitful result that can give hope to the citizens of a particular society.Moreover, in order to build and have better leadership status in the future, the authors of book entitled â€Å"Spiritual Dimension of Leadership† provide some important guidelines that will fit to the prospective leaders. They offer the eight key principles that can lead to a prospective leader to become a valuable and enlightened leader, it is important to discussed this eight key principle in order to understand and enlightened the important point of views on how to become a better leader and spiritual adviser to the societies and communities. These are the following guidelines that a prospective leader should have to seriously apply and understand carefully in order to empower his leadership.Intention- In leaders hip it is important to know what is the real intention of the leader in his activities and programs, because all the related activities that are usually directed by the leader and provided by the members will always reflect his physical and moral values.Attention- A true leader must always visualize the needs and benefits of his team; in order to develop a progressive idea the leader should always give his full attention to the programs and activities that are very beneficial to the community.Unique Gifts and Talents- Special skills and talents are God given gifts to every individual; it is also temporarily stored to human body, by building and developing a set of better programs and activities, leaders are extending their best to use their skills and intellectual thinking to provide a humanistic and unbiased leadership to his community.Gratitude- Leadership is not all about the giving of commands and duties, in order to achieve the main goal; an acting leader should have an interpe rsonal emotion, greater acceptance, and dipper appreciation for handling a serious obligation, also by receiving a lively sense of favors grateful acceptance is also required in order to have a better leadership practice application.Unique life lessons- Though leadership is always creating some comparisons, developing uniqueness is a big factor to create a better relationship towards other members, by using personal experience to provide a useful knowledge, â€Å"Unique life lessons† is a big contribution in having an enlightened leader.Holistic Perspective- This kind of principle is also required to inspire the members to also achieve their goals. By emphasizing the importance of the members in the society, through the implementations of the holistic perspective true leadership will be more effective.Openness- To achieve a wise leadership especially in education, openness is a big impact to create a better leadership. Leaders should always be open-minded in terms of the idea s and theories that are represented by the members of the public constituents. Any problems should seriously be discussed properly.Trust- The most important things that the leaders in spiritual and educational area should apply is trust, leaders should always create their different perspectives as well as the progressive idea on how to lead a certain group; however, trust is the major factor in continuously aiming and becoming a leader. However, trust remains to be the core reason needed for the leadership skill applications to be successful enough for the organizations being served.If the insights written within the pages of the book being discussed in here will always prevail within the society’s leaders, it could be easily expected that better days are ready to come ahead as the future generation of human civilization sprouts out to serve the different countries around the globe. The book indeed provides the most necessary inspiration that leaders need to posses in leading the nation or any other social organization, trust and knowledge that would lead to a more successful future and a more effective leading procedure.ConclusionFrom this particular presentation, it could be noted that managers are expected to deal with different arenas considering human resource empowerment as well as improving their performance level for the sake of establishing a fine reputation for the organization through the works of the agents. It is very much appealing how Mr. Team Chief insisted on the fact that what managers usually forget is that the motivation needed to fire up the interest of the workers in performing at their best is not at all times based on monetary measures. Sometimes, simply acknowledging them for a job well done already does the trick of motivating them to work well. The sincerity of the manager to help the employees bring out their best makes the essence of management a real gift to any business organization.Interviewee:Patrick Mendoza. (2007) Clie ntlogic Philippines. (Online Interview Through Chat Permission from the Clientlogic Administration). Loakan, Baguio City, Philippines.Further Readings:Collins, J. (2001). Level 5 leadership: the triumph of humility and fierce resolve. Harvard Business Review, 79(1), 67-76.Goffee, R. & Jones, G. (2000). Why should anyone be led by you? Harvard Business Review, 78(5), 62-70.Goleman, D. (2000). Leadership that gets results. Harvard Business Review, 78(2), 79-90.Brown, L. M. (2002). Click here  to access a review of Kouzes and Posner's book, The Leadership Challenge.Paul D. Houston , Stephen L. Sokolow. (2006). The Spiritual Dimension of Leadership: 8 Key Principles to Leading More Effectively. Corwin Press.

Case Study Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study Review - Essay Example Criminal activities and drug usage have adverse effects on both the user and the citizens of a nation. A good example of the negative effects is poor judgment as evidenced in the case study of Mike. Mike is a 20-year-old. His age is sufficient indicator that the youth are most susceptible to drug abuse addiction. Involvement in such activities leads one to a jail term of a specified period. On the case of Mike, his release from prison is quickly followed by strict supervision implying he was on probation or trial periods. According to Shifter (2012), drugs and crime have a great relationship as can be identified from the case of Mike who has been involved in crime to a great extent and is also a suspect of drugs usage. The drug used by Mike is cocaine and is an expensive drug. It is worth noting that the need for drugs triggers the involvement in criminal activity (Shifter, 2012). Using the case of Mike, he uses an expensive drug meaning he needs money to acquire the drug. As a result, he is involved in a criminal activity of stealing a car. Individuals suspected to use drugs can be tested after which the result can either be positive or negative. For Mike, on running the test the probation department finds out that he was positive and that he required counseling. Unfortunately Mike’s issues were beyond drug addiction. It is worth noting, that Mike had a personality disorder. In other words, he was self-obsessed such that he had unstable emotions. As a result, he had little regard for the feeling of others. The use of drugs especially cocaine causes anxiety and irritability (Shifter, 2012). Inevitably, this makes Mike more sensitive to the comments of others. Consequently, this triggers the relationship between the people around you. For example, in the case of Mike her fiancà © did break up with him since he only cared about himself. Mike had impaired judgments that, as a result, made

Strategic Marketing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Strategic Marketing Management - Essay Example It is irrefutable that the business arena is evolving into a hypercompetitive environment characterised by the continuous by more intense rivalry among industry players associated with the growth of buyer leverage (Kotler 2002). This trend forces business organizations to rethink their strategies in order to compete more efficiently and more profitably. On the other hand, these developments in the market also present opportunities for business organizations especially in the way they market their products and services to their specific target markets. In order to choose the strategic path that a company should take, it should first identify the strategic marketing options available for it (Kotler 2002). The identification of strategic marketing options is aided through the use of different strategic management tools. Strategic management tools are essential instruments for managers and decision makers. The use of these tools does not only provide a diagnosis for the business organization but prescribe solutions and strategic responses as well (Thomson 2002). This report will look at the different strategic management tools used by business organizations in order to identify the feasible and available strategic marketing options. The first section will focus on the Ansoff Matrix and how it can be used to evaluate the strategic directions that the company can take. The second part will look at the other analytical tools and techniques which can be employed to develop marketing alternative marketing strategies. This paper will conclude with its findings. The Ansoff’s Matrixis is a tool in strategic management which is utilised in order to aid managers in deciding the product and market growth strategy of a business organization. After its publication in the Harvard Business Review in 1957 in an article entitled, ‘Strategies for Diversification,’ this strategic management tool has gained wide popularity and recognition in the marketing world.

THE Breaking the chins of psychological slavery by na'im akbar Essay

THE Breaking the chins of psychological slavery by na'im akbar - Essay Example In order to break out of the chains of mental slavery, it is essential for people to recognize their character. The author advises people to recognize the characters of other people. The author highlights how religion contributed to the emergence of chains of mental slavery. In the first chapter, the author explored the psychological legacy of slavery. This chapter focused on issues such as work, property, leadership, the clown, community division, personal inferiority, and the family and color discrimination (Akbar 2). I agree with the author’s views on these issues. The first chapter gives a historical background of slavery. Slavery caused long lasting social shock and trauma to African Americans. At work, African American slaves were considered as second-class humans. The Africans were subjected to mistreatment and punishment in their workplaces. In addition, they were given dehumanizing duties. It is vital to note that African American slaves did not have any rights in their workplaces. This animalistic treatment of slaves and the cruelty they faced added to the mental and communal distresses suffered by the affected people. In the case of property, African Americans were not allowed to own property since they were considered as property. The author notes that slaves were disqualified to own things because their owners or masters saw them as things. They could only have the necessary things required for the completion of their duties and tasks. The society expected slaves to live a simple life. Slaves were required to take orders from their masters. In most of the instances, the master’s children even gave orders to slaves. In case the slave refused to act on the orders from the master’s children, they were punished and humiliated. The gap between the master and their slaves led to hatred and disgust that led to the destruction of private and public property. There were usually instances of killing and torture of disobedient slaves.

Hyperthyroidism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hyperthyroidism - Research Paper Example It can be treated in a variety of ways, with the doctor deciding the best method of treatment after studying the age, history and cause of the disease of individual patients . The disease is more common in women than in men and rarely affects children below 15 years of age.It is estimated that about 1% of the US population has hyperthyroidism. It is most often seen in elderly people who are over 60 years of age in the form of thyroid nodules that are lumps in the thyroid gland. The condition is treated with anti-thyroid drugs, surgery, or radioactive iodine. People with hyperthyroidism can live normal, active lives with regular monitoring and medical care. The human endocrine system is made up of glands that secrete hormones that are released into the bloodstream and maintain the body’s metabolism.The endocrine glands are the main hormone producing glands in the human body. The thyroid gland in the neck is one of the glands of the endocrine system, the pituitary gland in the b rain is another. The pituitary gland which is about the size of a pea, is located at the base of the brain. It is often referred to as the master gland because it controls several glands in the endocrine system. ... Iodine is a very important component of the thyroid hormone. When the thyroid gland produces too much of the thyroid hormone, it results in a condition known as Hyperthyroidism commonly known as overactive thyroid. It is sometimes called thyrotoxicosis which is the technical term for too much thyroid hormone in the blood. The term hyperthyroidism refers to a group of disorders that are associated with increased levels of thyroid hormone in the blood. â€Å"Hyperthyroidism affects 2.5 million people in the United States, but could affect up to 4.5 million people because more than half of the people with thyroid disease don't know they have it. Although it occurs at all ages, hyperthyroidism is most likely to occur after the age of 15.†(Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative medicine 2005) The term hyperthyroidism is used to refer to diseases that are caused due to excessive production of the hormones produced in the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland produces two hormones - One contain ing 4 units of iodine called Thyroxin (T4) and the other called triiodothyronine (T3) which contains three units of iodine. These two hormones regulate the body's metabolic rate by helping to form protein ribonucleic acid (RNA) and increasing oxygen absorption in every cell. An increase in metabolic activity, is how cells respond to the thyroid hormone. Metabolic activity, or metabolism, refers to the processes in the body that produce energy. The chemical substances necessary for cells to grow, divide, to form new cells, and perform other vital functions are all processes included under the term metabolism . Metabolism controls the rate at which cells burn fuels from food to produce energy. Increase

Rising of Oil Prices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rising of Oil Prices - Essay Example On the one hand, the western world led by the United States as the world’s largest consumer of energy, has been practicing geo-political policies that would ensure control and supply of this vital natural resource; on the other, the realization of the value of this near monopoly resource by the world’s leading oil producers has upset the supply, demand and price equation in a most significant manner. This conflict of interest has resulted in what we are witnessing today: cartelization of the oil industry, soaring oil prices, weakening the dollar, rising inflation and worst of all, war/threat of further wars in West Asia - the major oil-producing region of the world. At USD 110 per barrel, there are ominous signs of not just in the US but a serious worldwide economic downturn.  In the West Asian region, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the Gulf countries are among the world’s largest oil producers. The US, UK, and other European oil corporations were controlling th e oil exploration and refining industry here and setting the price of this vital commodity. The growing economies of the western countries and Japan needed ever-increasing volumes of the oil products, which had to be imported mainly from the Gulf region. The Arab-Israel conflict and the formation of the oil cartel – Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), led to the first oil price shock. In the words of Meyer et al., â€Å"†¦possession of a monopoly resource by OPEC countries †¦a rising tide of nationalist self-awareness, old resentment at exploitation †¦would force renegotiation of the terms on which petroleum was to be made available†¦ The  outbreak of the Yom Kippur war in 1973 and the subsequent oil embargo led to a quadrupling of the oil prices† (Meyer et al., p.6). The days of cheap oil were over once and for all, although the later fluctuations in the prices were generally in tune with the increased availability of non-OPEC s upplies, the occasional breakdown of cartel arrangement, supply/demand situation etc. For example during 1982 – ’83, oil prices fell by 15% (Meyer et al., p.95) due to a decrease in US demand. Disruption of supplies due to the recent militant events in Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, has also impacted oil prices (Shanmugam & Singh). Similarly, Russia’s stranglehold on supplies of oil and gas to east European nations dictates the energy prices.

Belonging Essay Example for Free

Belonging Essay Belonging is a natural reaction, intrinsic. We search in order to find a community, a group of friends, a country in which we belong. America is a place whereWhen we feel uncomfortable, we say â€Å"I don’t belong here† and when you find a situation in which you are happy, you can be yourself, natural and free you feel as if it was created only for you. It can also be the most wonderfully liberating experience when you find yourself in a culture in which you do not belong. In not belonging, you become someone free of restrictions, free of the expectations, free to creatively exre your imagination without the guilt that often latently lies behind the veiled threat of failure and disappointment. The apparent fact of not belonging is open for everyone, but ittms the course of action taken in light of this cultural segregation which should be the goal of the traveler today. I had, I realized become strangely accustomed to living in Korea, even though a part of me desired to be back on the beach in Thailand. Rules, or lack of, which shaped me more as an individual than any thing else I had experienced in my life. We are expected to increase our spending power as we age, not our understanding of other cultures, not our compassion for each other or for those living on the other side of the economic spectrum. The traveler, if open to the possibility, is in a perfect position to experience this transcendence. America is the ultimate machine, the ultimate company, and the by-product of its hyper capitalist model is the increasingly glaring loss of personal creativity and individualism within its borders. We are consumers and we are resources to be used and abused in a cycle of production of consumption. I didntmt belong, but I could never belong and it was a liberating experience, one which taught me in a way the rules for living on the fringe of a society. I was an outsider, I obviously did not belong into this society, one which is very homogeneous, one in which a foreigner learns to live with the constant attention of being gawked and stared at, around each corner, in each subway car, in every restaurant, everywhere. In our own cultures, where in a sense, at least culturally, linguistically and historically we do belong, life often becomes a stifling world in which our lives are predestined, packaged products.