Saturday, September 7, 2019
Hunting life Essay Example for Free
Hunting life Essay Throughout the pastoral poem, there are several different symbols. The symbols I used were deer, dreams and fear. The deer symbolizes a trophy. I used it as a trophy because if you get your winning deer then that means you have gotten out of this small town and moved onto bigger and better things. Another symbol was dreams because the only way to be able to follow your dreams is to actually be successful and get away from the town/area that is holding you back. Last, I used fear because you get scared to actually take control of your future and to take controlà of your dreams to get away and be successful in life without being judged or held back. These symbols were used throughout the entire pastoral poem and relate to real life. Death and Mourning The theme that was used in my pastoral poem was death and mourning. Death is used by the symbolization of the deer. Even though the deer did not physically die, it shows the death of getting out of town. Being in this small town shows that you cannot go out and see what you want to see or pursue your dreams because you are stuck. This is causing you to die on the inside. Mourning is incorporated into this pastoral poem by dreading not ââ¬Å"killingâ⬠the deer. This is because if you would have just killed it you would be out of this town but now you really are stuck until you ââ¬Å"killâ⬠it. Death and mourning is shown throughout this pastoral poem as the theme. Grove 2 Hunting Life Silence all around deep in the woods. Isolated for the good sitting in my tree stand, Up in the tree stand waiting for my deer,But after several days I am beginning to fear. Aside from the fear, the fear of not getting my deer, I think about life and embrace silence, While dreaming about succeeding as I breathe in the cool air. As I sit in my tree stand I finally think I hear a deer. Slowly I raise the gun to my chin, getting him centered in my sight. That kill shot is right there. I cannot help but to grin because I have been waiting so long. Waiting so long in my tree stand for my deer. So I take a deep breath, let it out and squeeze. Adrenaline has now gotten the best of me. Shaking, thinking and hoping to please, And then I see the monster is instantly down. I fly down my stand, run to his side and kneel in the blood, He is my 10 point prize. But then I realize this is just a dream, The dream of actually getting anywhere. Grove 3 In this town you can only dream, Dream of succeeding and getting away from this life. Silence is always the key, Keep quiet, breathe in the cool air and maybe you will get your prized deer.
Friday, September 6, 2019
Early Marriage Essay Example for Free
Early Marriage Essay Why do Americans get married so early? Growing up in Germany Iââ¬â¢ve been living in America for one and a half year and I honestly have to say that I got used to the culture, values and traditions pretty quickly. But one thing I never understood and Iââ¬â¢m still doubting about is why Americans get married with an age of 21 or even younger. In European countries and many other ones like China and Japan the average age of marriage is 30. There is a world out there, new things to experience and people to meet ââ¬â so why settle down so early? All of the American couple friends I made dated in High School and got married after College. They have been together for a couple of years and seem very happy with what they have in each other. They know each other well, enjoy their comfort in consistency and have history together. I personally doubt if they are just staying together because they are afraid of the unknown or do they think theyââ¬â¢ll never find somebody better? In my opinion you havenââ¬â¢t really experienced life when you go and settle down with somebody you met in High School. In the High School age you are still trying to figure out who you are in life, develop characteristics and are very influential of others. So is it a good idea to decide who you are gonna spend the rest of your life with in a stage of age you are still trying to find yourself? The twenties are dedicated to just you. You go out and travel, explore what you ever dreamt of and live your own life. Of course it is always challenging to be single and go on dates. No doubt about that! But being single and not ââ¬Å"tied downâ⬠offer you experiences which enlarge your personal horizon immense. The kinds of different people you meet and experiences youââ¬â¢ll have, if bad or good, will help you figure out who you are and what you want in life and certainly in a relationship. The biggest fear I had if I were married with 21 is what happens if you get divorced. You donââ¬â¢t know a life without the person you met as a teenager and probably canââ¬â¢t imagine anything like that. My personal conviction of not getting married at an early age doesnââ¬â¢t result of that, but itââ¬â¢s definitely scary to devote yourself to somebody in an age where you havenââ¬â¢t explored yourself. Iââ¬â¢m personally convinced that Iââ¬â¢ll find the right person to marry after intensely living my twenties. And that doesnââ¬â¢t mean that I just want to sleep around ðŸËâ° I hope by that time Iââ¬â¢ll definitely know what to expect from my partner and be mature enough to decide who is the right one for me. The intention of my opinion is definitely not to disrepect anybodyââ¬â¢s lifestyle or marriage. If two people love each other and get married it is one of the most beautiful things! I personally doubt that it is a good decision to get married in an early age, but this is up to everybody themselves of course.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
An Essay on Loss and Grief
An Essay on Loss and Grief Choose one event on loss and construct an academic essay supported by relevant academic sources INTRODUCTION This essay explores my experience of loss and grief after the death of my father in 1997 and how my grieving process relates to theories put forward to explain and deal with bereavement. Hall (2014) suggests that loss and grief are fundamental to human life..Harvey (1998) perceives loss as a life experience relating to something irreversible and emotions towards what is lost. Hall (2014) defines grief as the response to the loss in its totality ââ¬â including its physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioural and spiritual manifestations ââ¬â and as a natural and normal reaction to loss. It has been argued that in order to understand grief it is important to understand the role of attachment. Mallon (2008) observed that in order to have loss there must be attachment. As a result many theories of attachment play a major role in bereavement counseling. Bowlby (1980) emphasised the role of attachment in relationships. He suggests that a childs emotional growth will be compromised i f the child does not have attachment to a significant other person. The consequences can be that the individual may have difficulties connecting with others. This essay will first explore some of the salient theories on grief and bereavement. Secondly, a discussion of my experiences grieving my fathers death drawing on some key elements of bereavement theories will follow. Finally, a summary of the discussion will conclude the essay. THEORIES OF BEREAVEMENT AND LOSS Freud (1953 ââ¬â 1974) was the first major contributor to the theory of grief. His theory stressed that grieving individuals search for an attachment that has been lost. His work involved the process of breaking the links that bonded the survivor to the deceased. He identified three elements namely: Freeing the bereaved from the bondage to the deceased Readjustment to life without the deceased Building new relationships. Parkes (1971, 1996) argued that Freuds concept of grief was useful in considering grief to be part of a rebuilding process which he calls psychosocial transition. Freud (1953-1974) argued that the grieving experience for the bereaved requires that they acknowledge their separation from the deceased by going through a process that includes painful emotions of guilt and anger. Furthermore, these emotions must be expressed. Key to Freuds approach was the idea that if the bereaved failed to work with or complete their grief work, then the grieving process would become complicated and compromise recovery. This model stresses the importance of moving on as quickly as possible in order to return to normal functioning. Influenced by Freud (1953-1974), several grief theorists including Kà ¼bler Ross (1969), Bowlby (1980) and Parkes Weiss (1983) conceptualised grief as a process of predictable phases and tasks. One of the most recognised was Kà ¼bler Ross (1969), who proposed the five-stage model that constituted the following stages: Shock and denial Anger Resentment and guilt Bargaining Depression and Acceptance. The model insists that failure to complete the stages would result in acute mental health complications. Hall (2014) argues that the stage theories were popular because they suggest a sense of conceptual order while offering hope of recovery and closure. Despite their popularity, most stage theories attracted criticism in the same way that Freuds proposition attracted criticism for their lack of empirical evidence and their rigidity. Furthermore, the stage theories have been challenged for their inability to capture the complex, diverse and multi-faceted nature of the grieving experience. Baxter and Diehl (1998) argue that since grief is considered to be fluid, it is unlikely that individuals are able to go through the stages in a methodical manner as advocated by the stage theorists. In short, they do not take account of factors such as the physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual needs that impact on the bereaved people, their families and intimate networks (Hall 201 4). Despite these criticisms, early stage theories have provided great groundwork and influence on current theories such as the Dual-Processing theory developed by Stroebe and Schut (1999) and Worden (2008). Hall (2014) argues that these theories take account of many of the risks and protective factors identified by research and provide an important context for appreciating the idiosyncratic nature of attachment to the deceased that is lacking in the earlier stage theories. Both models provide frameworks that guide intervention. Richardson and Balaswamy (2001), when evaluating the Dual Processing Model, suggested that avoiding grief can have both positive and negative outcomes. They proposed that this is where bereavement is perceived as including Loss of Orientation and Restoration Orientation. The griever in the loss-orientation is preoccupied with emotions, yearning and ruminating about the deceased, whereas, restoration orientation involves taking over the responsibilities and the ro les undertaken by the deceased and making lifestyle changes, setting up a new identity without the deceased (Richardson, 2007; Bennett, 2010a). Worden (2008) suggests that grieving should be considered as an active process that involves engagement with four tasks: Accepting the reality of the loss Processing the pain of grief Adjusting to a world without the deceased (including both internal, external and spiritual adjustments) Finding an enduring connection with the deceased whilst embarking on a new life. To understand what the client is experiencing, Worden identified seven determinants that need to be considered: Who the person who died was The nature of the attachment to the deceased How the person died Historical antecedents Personality variables Social mediators Concurrent stressors EXPERIENCES OF GRIEF In discussing my grieving process, I am going to draw on Wordens (2008) four tasks indicated above. The seven determinants indicated above will be used to guide the discussion and interpret the experience utilising relevant theoretical perspectives. i. To accept the reality of the loss I was in the UK undertaking my nursing course when my father died in Zimbabwe from a sudden heart related problem. I was informed early in the morning soon after my brother received news of his death. Since I was living alone, I had to make several phone calls home to confirm his death and to ascertain how he died and establish why more was not done. I remember crying but the tears did not correspond to my emotions. For a long time I felt detached from my feelings. My emotions appeared to be bottled up and were difficult to release. My immediate response to the news reflects Bowlby and Parkes (1970)s proposed first stage of grief where the individual experiences numbness, shock, and denial. I had always dreaded the day my father would die. I remember pacing up and down my bedroom, feeling very alone and helpless. During one of the calls from my brother, he mentioned that he needed me there. That was the time that I realised that this was real. It was at this moment that I started to call friends and informing them of the news. I cannot remember most of what happened but I remember one of my friends took over and made the necessary travel arrangements and spoke to my family in Zimbabwe. I believe that I only accepted the loss much later when I found that I could not share with him that I had bought a beautiful house. I desperately needed his comments and praises. My letter with the surprise information and pictures was in the post box when he passed away. ii. To process the pain of grief I believe I experienced the pain of losing my father when I returned to the UK after going through three weeks of the funeral and other rituals related to death in my culture. The cultural rituals are a mixed bag of tears, laughter, praying, singing and sharing memories and kinship with the deceased. This, to a large extent, eased me into the grieving process. However, the real pain of his loss took place when I returned to the UK where I could grieve in private. I found myself avoiding friends and other associates. It was as if my identity had been taken away and that made me tearful. This echoes the suggestion by Caserta and Lund (1992) that the bereaved may have to redefine their identity. Prompting questions like Who am I now that I am no longer a daughter? Hall (2011) and Caserta and Lund (1992) suggest that this can set in motion a process of re-learning ourselves and the world. On reflection, friends and associates reminded me of the me that I had lost. The pain would come and go. I often cried on my own. The crying and anxiety concurs with Bowlbys proposition that loss of the affectional attachment results in emotional disturbances such as anxiety, crying and anger (Freeman, 2005). I experienced this for over a year and felt lost. Although functioning, I was no longer myself. I started having frequent dreams of my father and would look forward to going to bed where I could be with my father. iii. To adjust to a world without the deceased It is difficult to identify exactly when it was that I adjusted to a life without my father. It took a long time. Although we lived far from each other, my father played a major role in most of my decisions and reassurances. Two events contributed to my adjustment. Firstly, my mother encouraged me to register for a Masters course that I was talking myself out of. Suddenly, I saw my fathers qualities in her. The security and trust I had in my father had transferred to my mother. Secondly, crying uncontrollably at a church in the UK the day I received news that my brother had died in a car accident. On reflection I realised that although I was crying for the loss of my brother, I was also finally crying for my father. Taking over care for my brothers children added to the adjustment of living without my father. iv. Finding an enduring connection with the deceased whilst embarking on a new life Being ancestral believers, the bond between my late father and me remains but it manifests in a different form to the bond we had when he was alive. I believe that spiritually, my father and my forefathers protect me and help me achieve my ambitions by chasing away bad spirits and creating luck and opportunities for me. My family and I participate in cultural rituals in remembrance of him and our forefathers. Psychologically, my bond with my father remains as he continues to be my role model. As a result, I dedicate most of my achievements to him. This continued connection and perceived role played by my father 18 years after his death confirm Datson and Marwits (1997) argument that continued bonds with deceased can have positive outcomes. Therefore, letting go is not necessarily the requirement for successful grieving. According to Hall (2014) this idea represents recognition that death ends a life, not necessarily a relationship. CONCLUSION The discussion above illustrates that the theoretical perspectives of loss and bereavement have developed from emotional attachment to more holistic approaches. These theories not only carry on the influences of the early work focused on emotions and attachment but take account of the social, economic, cultural and spiritual needs experienced by bereaved people. Significantly, these theories do not center letting go as a requirement of successful grieving. On the contrary, a continued bond with the deceased can be positive. My experience largely confirmed the complexity of the grieving process. Some of the experiences indicated above confirmed some of the early theorists observations such as the emotional rollercoaster and the early stage theorists suggestions of shock in the early stages. I did not however experience the full stages of grieving in chronological order, and the experience was by no means quick. Factors such as my culture and spiritual beliefs contributed significantly to my grieving process and influenced the outcome of my continued bond with father. In view of this it can be argued that there is a place for the different approaches to loss and bereavement in supporting bereaved people. However, the multi-cultural society encouraged by globalisation requires that we take account of the wider aspects of the bereavement process. REFERENCES Baxter, E. A. and Diehl, S. (1998). Emotional stages: Consumers and family members recovering from the trauma of mental illness. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 21(4) Bennett, K. M. (2010a). You cant spend years with someone and just cast them aside: Augmented identity in older British widows. Journal of Women and Aging, 22, (3), 204-217 Bennett, K. M. (2010b). How to achieve resilience as an older widower: Turning points or gradual change? Ageing and Society, 30 (03), 369-382. Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss. Volume 3, Loss, sadness and depression. New York: Basic Books Bowlby, J. and Parkes, C. M. (1970). Separation and loss within the family. In E. J. Anthony C. Koupernik (Eds.), The child in his family: International Yearbook of Child Psychiatry and Allied Professions (pp. 197-216), New York: Wiley Caserta, M. S. and Lund D. A. (1992). Bereavement stress and coping among older adults: Expectations versus the actual experience. Omega, 25, 33-45. Datson, S. L. and Marwit, S. J. (1997). Personality constructs and perceived presence of deceased loved ones. Death Studies, 21 , 131 -146 Freud, S. (1953/1974). Mourning and melancholia. In J. Strachey (Trans.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 14). London: Hogarth. (Original work published in 1917.) Freeman, S. (2005). Grief and Loss: Understanding the Journey. Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/ Cole. Hall, C. (2011). Beyond Kubler-Ross: Recent developments in our understanding of grief and bereavement.Retrieved June 19, 2015, fromà http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/2011/december/hall/ Hall, C, 2014. Bereavement theory: recent developments in our understanding of grief and bereavement, Bereavement Care, 33:1, 7-12, .Retrieved June 19, 2015, from:http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/2011/december/hall/ Harvey J. H. (1998). Perspectives on Loss, a Sourcebook. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor and Francis Kà ¼bler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying . New York: Springer Mallon, B. (2008). Attachment and loss, death and dying. Theoretical foundations for bereavement counselling. In Praise for the Book: Dying, death and grief: Working with adult bereavement. (pp. 4-17). London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Parkes, C. M. (1971). Psycho-Social Transitions: A field for study. Social Science and Medicine, 5. 101-115 Parkes, C. M. (1996). Bereavement: Studies of Grief in Adult Life (3rd Ed.). London, London: Routledge Parkes C. M. and Weiss R. S. (1983). Recovery from bereavement. New York: Basic Books. Richardson, V. E. (2007). A dual process model of grief counseling: Findings from the Changing Lives of Older Couples (CLOC) studyJournal of Gerontological Social Work, 48 (3/4), 311-329. Richardson, V. E. and Balaswamy, S. (2001). Coping with bereavement among elderly widowers. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, 43 (2), 129-144. Stroebe M. S. and Schut, H. (1999). The dual process model of coping with bereavement: rationale and description. Death Studies 23(3) 197-224. Worden J. W. (2008). Grief counseling and grief therapy: a handbook for the mental health practitioner (4th ed.). New York: Springer
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Antigone Essay examples -- English Literature Essays
Antigone ââ¬Å"Make these excuses, I will heap/ The earth over my brotherââ¬â¢s bodyâ⬠(63). Although no one would help her, Antigone took a stand against injustice and honored her brother by burying him, even though Creon said this act would be punishable by death if anyone committed this act of insubordination. Especially in the age that Antigone lived in, it was considered foolish to simply go against a manââ¬â¢s orders, let alone the Kings. Not to mention that Antigone was related to the King, making the situation even worse. She committed a supremely precarious action, especially for a woman. Not only does she bravely follow her morals, but she does a great job of justifying them in her arguments. Antigone was a civil disobedient by disobeying Creonââ¬â¢s orders and accepting the consequences, but she did a great job of justifying them through her arguments throughout Antigone. One of the reasons that Antigone is able to have the best argument is because of her great use of pathos. In the begging of the play, she starts using pathos with Ismene when she tries to convince her to help bury Polyneices. She says that if she does not bury her brotherââ¬â¢s body, the dogs and birds will pick away at his body. Also, she says that she will not dishonor him and that it is actually her ââ¬Å"dutyâ⬠to bury her brother. Antigone refuses to ââ¬Å"betrayâ⬠him and will defend his honor by doing what is right and burying his body. Antigone then challenges Ismene by asking her if she is willing to defile the gods by ...
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Censorship of the Internet :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays
Censorship of the Internet The censorship of the Internet is a big argument today in the world of computer technology. The government is trying to control something that is to many people an extension of the First Amendment Right, Freedom of Speech. Just this one point should be a slap in the face of every American anywhere, because the government is trying to take something away that has no right to be taken away. The Bill of Rights is the foundation that our country is based and built on and now the government that was created to protect that Bill of Rights, that piece that declares our rights and freedoms, is trying to change one of those twelve rights to make some conservative people more happy about how our country is and how it is run. The world is so concerned today with the petty things that are being done that they do not look to the larger picture of what is actually happening. The government is trying to censor something that they created over thirty years ago to possible send information much more harmful to humanity than pornographic materials or information on how to create bombs that do not work. The Internet was created over thirty years ago by the military for a alternative means of communications other than telephones communications in case of a nuclear strike by the Russians that rendered our great country basically helpless, this previous Internet went under such names as ARPANET, MILNET, and other acronyms similar to these. This great idea by scholars was next adopted by very well known colleges of the United States to provide a quick means of communications and data transfer, such as research information transfer or transcript transfer, between the students and college professors of diff erent city and state colleges. Some of the first colleges that took that great step into this new unknown frontier were CALTECH, MIT, Harvard, and other great prestigious colleges of the United States. During this time period of the Internet the government had no problem at all with what was happening. The colleges were putting large amounts of information on the Internet so other scholars could observe and comment on ongoing experiments, and the government was happy with the large computer network they created for their own personal dastardly deeds.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Behavioral Therapy Essay -- Psychology, Illness, Hypnosis , Pain
Most contemporary psychological treatment approaches are predecessors of the ancient and medieval philosophies and theories. Cognitive behavioural therapy as one of the modern treatment method in not an independently formed treatment, different theories have contributed to its present shape and application. The purpose of this paper is analysing the contributing treatment approaches that resulted in the emergence of the Behavioural Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The paper presents and analyses the contributions that previous psychological treatment methods made in culminating the CBT. To this end, the paper presents the main treatment methods that are assumed to be most important and analyse their main arguments in detail. It also tries to show the logical transition of the previous treatment methods to CBT. For the purpose of this paper it is better to start from the medieval time where the modern psychological treatment started. Many writers would claim that the contemporary psychology and psychological treatment has its beginning from Sigmund Freudââ¬â¢s and post Freudian psychoanalysis movement. However, it is equally correct to appreciate the legacy of Franz Anton Mesmer(1734-1815) who should be credited for introducing the Hypnosis, the evolution and development of which lies the unlocking of the mysteries of a unifying theory of all therapy and healing (Franz Anton Mesmer believed that illness is caused by an imbalance of magnetic fluids in the body that can be corrected through "animal magnetism." He asserted that the hypnotist's own personal magnetism can be transferred to a patient Tommy Hanchen, (2009). Mesmer contributed to psychology in various ways firstly, by revealing that illne... ...cticing RETâ⬠. Ellis further says in this book that he is considered to be the father of RET and the grandfather of CBT. However, evidences show that any single therapeutic technique canââ¬â¢t be responsible for the generation of CBT In conclusion therefore, CBT as the modern therapeutic method, was as a result of several developments that activities within clinical psychology and laboratory experiments being faced with that led to advent of techniques such as cognitive therapy. have evolved from the start of the modern psychological treatment method by Mesmer who developed the hypnosis and the concept of suggestibility that follows. We can now see that the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy encompasses different techniques that it received from previous generations of treatment. Similar development also brought Behaviour Therapy and Cognitive Therapy together.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Identifying and defining problems Essay
Leaders are at the forefront of every organization. They are looked upon by their subordinates in initiating the plans and goals of the organization. In essence, leaders are the guiding light of every organization whenever the latter is experiencing financial and economic woes, turmoil within the organization or disruption in the organizationââ¬â¢s work processes. A leader has the power to lift an organization out from the ashes of ruins and into the world of success. But with great power comes great responsibility, hence a leader should have, within him, the element of skill in identifying and defining problems. Whenever an organization, say a company or a corporation, loses its edge in competing in the market wherein it is situated, there is a need for it to innovate and change. Therefore, it is the leaderââ¬â¢s duty to instill discipline among the employees, so as to push the whole organization into motion. Although ââ¬Å"itââ¬â¢s difficult to put together a group with enough power to guide the effort or to convince key individuals to spend the time necessary to create and communicate a change visionâ⬠, (Kotter, p.36) a leader should have a sense of empathy with the organizationââ¬â¢s employees, so as to let him be aware of what the whole organization is feeling about the whole effort of innovating and changing the organization. For problems to be identified and defined there is a need for the cooperation of both the managerial leaders and the rank and file employees. In undertaking a change within an organization, people often ââ¬Å"underestimate the enormity of the task; the work requires great cooperation, initiative, and willingness to make sacrifices from many people. â⬠(Kotter, p. 35) Empathy comes into play here. When the people within the organization know that there leader is to be trusted, they would not hesitate to cooperate in the leaderââ¬â¢s efforts. Innovation and change will come eventually. The absence of a major visible crisis, low overall performance standards or a lack of sufficient performance feedback contribute to complacency which, in turn, contributes to laxity in doing the work processes below quality standards. Leaders should be adept at noticing or recognizing these sources of complacency so as to remove any hindrance to an organizationââ¬â¢s effort to innovate and change. Add to this, as requirement for a leader, the skill of good listening; for through this, misinformation within the organization would be greatly decreased. It is said that opportunity is problem turned inside out; hence organizational problems often open many windows for innovation and change. The first step in managerial problem solving is problem and opportunity identification. Tushman and Oââ¬â¢Reilly (2002, p. 40) said that just as physicians first focus on their patients presenting symptoms, managers must identify their organizationââ¬â¢s critical problems. This done, they can then diagnose the causes of these problems and, in turn, take action to address themââ¬âwhile avoiding unexpected side effects. Similarly, once opportunities are identified, managers can analyze those aspects of the current organization that will get in the way of achieving the unitââ¬â¢s aspirations. With the authorsââ¬â¢ idea in mind, a leader should know the actual assessment of the organization so that he can properly implement the right strategy to a particular unit in an organization. In doing this, a leader or ââ¬Å"manager (and his or her team) needs to be clear about the strategy, objectives and vision of the unit. Such clarity is the bedrock of managing innovation and change. Only when strategy, objectives, and vision are defined can managers move on to an honest appraisal of the current performance of their organization. â⬠(Tushman & Oââ¬â¢Reilly, p. 41) After the mission and goals have been set and are clear in the minds of the unit members within the organization, efforts should be made in determining how the proposed strategies will fare considering the current performance of the organization. This will provide a situation wherein the management can gauge whether the mission and goals of the organization are realistic or not. As Tushman and Oââ¬â¢Reilly have stated, organizational performance gaps are the differences between desired and real performance. These performance gaps can be termed as opportunity gaps. When we arrive at knowing these gaps, we would really be able to clearly formulate a clear and definite strategy to use in a particular situation. But strategies wonââ¬â¢t materialize on their own; it needs painstaking efforts to be able to arrive at these strategies. What can a leader do about this? A good leader knows that he cannot steer the whole organization, especially if it is a big one, towards its goals on his own. He needs the help of all his subordinates. It is needed for the leader to encourage the management and the rank and file employees to join him in formulating and implementing these strategies for innovation and change to be realized. It is a fact that ââ¬Å"creative thinkers tap into their imaginations by combining and recombining ideas or concepts to make new connections. Creative thinking is really about discovering new connections through the use of the imagination, diverse stimuli, and ââ¬Ëcreative-connections power toolsââ¬â¢. â⬠(Dundon, p. 42) In addition to these approaches for identifying and defining problems and opportunities for innovation and change in an organization, Dundon stated (2002, p. 64) that a preferred method for idea generation is having an ââ¬Å"Innovation Groupâ⬠which, because of its comprehensiveness and rigorous design, goes beyond the more common brainstorming method. This allows discussing and formulating ideas at a higher level within the group. Once these approaches have been taken, what a leader should do now is to carefully evaluate how the organization reacts to these implemented strategies so as for him to make necessary corrections when the need arises. ABSTRACT There are many approaches to identify and define problems that confront a particular organization. These problems would not be addressed and be made visible without the guidance or skill of a good leader. Hence, it is needed that a leader is knowledgeable of the processes of an organization, empathic and, best of all, a great innovator himself who believes in positive results that innovation and change bring to an organization. Sources: 1) Dundon, Elaine (2002). The Seeds of Innovation. New York, American Management Association 2) Kotter, John P. (1996). Leading Change. Massachusetts, Harvard Business School Press 3) Tushman, Michael L. , & Oââ¬â¢Reilly, Charles A. (2002). Winning Through Innovation. Massachusetts, Harvard Business School Press.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)