User:Bmatkin

Jun 25 Think Piece 6:
You are the leader of a major project in the Midwest region. A series of severe storms and tornados come through your region and there is vast amounts of damage and destruction through a three state region. How has your preparation using the Mastery Pathways as your guide help prepare you for the actions you would take as a leader during the inital stages of the crisis. What actions would you take upon finding out that there is quite possibly impact on your specific project? Good Luck with your responses and they will be found in Ch 12 and 13! --Bmatkin (talk) 16:42, 24 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Think Piece 6



Lawrence Henderson - As with any crisis situation or situation for that matter first understand how you are feeling about what just happened. Second, here is what you have been preparing for, take action make the objective clear, coordinate individuals and evaluate the situation. Once you have all of the damage reports check with your original plan and make changes accordingly. Now is time to dig deep within. Put your plan in action and mobilize your team. Contain immediate threats to people and the environment. Act as the voice for the action plan ask for feedback from the people involved. Take the time to re-evaluate, reflect, and focus on the important things. Now encourage others into action and follow through until the task is complete. Thank everyone for their efforts in making the project a success. LAHEND11--74.42.104.102 (talk) 08:34, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

Shortly after a series of severe storms would sweep through the region, I would first attempt to assess the severity of the damage and what would be the three or so most essential things to do first to provide relief. I would take the first step and try to assess how any and all of my actions would be duplicated by others, so that everyone was making the most essential use of their time. As the group leader I would make sure to show that others could see how and why I was doing the things I was in the cleanup effort, and let the followers know what they should be doing based on their particular skill sets. I think it would be important to let people know that I could not do everything, nor could the government agencies that would be involved, and heavily solicit volunteers based on various skill sets. Under pathway number three, I would help people remember the way things were, and with each project completed beyond the initial emergency actions, I would emphasize the importance of putting things back together better than they had been before the storms initially hit. Although I would not have all of the interpersonal skills needed to become friends with every individual worker, I would try as best I could to work on my own interpersonal competencies to help everyone realize the overall objective of what we were doing. By trying to help everyone see that what we were doing was bigger than ourselves, I would hopefully overcome any of the petty differences or beliefs of those involved. During periods of rest for the workers I would try to make it enjoyable using the little things such as music playing loud over a car or construction radio as the workers were recouping and having meals, and try to spread that action to all of the hundreds of individual worksites. I would largely try to do the type of things that motivate myself, to help motivate others to see the larger picture and fix the situation in the most productive ways possible. Travis Kern--70.215.193.158 (talk) 16:11, 29 June 2009 (UTC)--70.215.193.158 (talk) 16:11, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Good discussion...Always remember "What is the objective" for most any situation crisis or otherwise....the mantra "What is the objective"...good answer!--Bmatkin (talk) 11:57, 1 July 2009 (UTC)

Think piece 6 Brett Cook If I was placed in charge of a group of people that were in the initial stages of cleaning up a major storm the seven pathways of personal mastery would be important. The first one is the idea that you have to believe in yourself and the people around you and that would be very important when it comes to a something like this because storm clean up is a touchy subject and if you don’t believe in yourself then nobody will. The second pathway is knowing your purpose and being there because you want to. Knowing your purpose is self explanatory and being there because you want to makes a lot of sense because there is no reason in doing anything that you don’t believe in or else you are just setting youself up for failure. The third pathway is basically being able to accept change and that is something that you would have to get used to because the living coditions would be totally different and every step in the project would be a whole new adventure. The fourth is interpersonal, which kind of goes back to saying that you must believe in yourself and know what you are up against. The fifth is giving yourself time to relax which would be important in consideration that you are putting yourself in the middle of destruction and even death, you would want to take a break away now and again from that. The sixth is balance, which means that you need to spend time with people that you enjoy being around such as you friends and family, by doing this it will be a lot like taking a break from what you actually have to deal with. The last one is action and that is pretty basic in any situation, but it would mean that you would have to do whatever it takes to get the job done and help out where ever you are needed.--Luckycook (talk) 01:29, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

I definitely deleted the word definitely at least 12 times and nearly all of the definitely(s) were spelled differently...What I just did is something that is transparent and yes self correcting with the wiki concept. I adjusted some of your sentence structures and also corrected some other spelling. You can check the difference between the two versions (minor changes) by clicking history and the reason for change.--Bmatkin (talk) 12:52, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Think Piece 6 Justin Monahan As the leader of a cleanup project following a major disaster I would have to include thorough preparation within my plan. With the help of the mastery pathway I would have a good grip on myself before I ever starting leading others through the situation. In fact Truett Cathy said that “the number one reason leaders are so unsuccessful is their inability to lead themselves.” The mastery’s first pathway personal mastery would allow me to understand who I am and what I believe about people and leadership. Personally answering these questions will bring my values out and funnel all my leadership efforts. Knowing yourself isn’t the only element though; you must also know how to make a difference. Everyone isn’t good at everything but they do have their special talents that can add value to people around them. This would be a key element in the disaster example because the devastation is so widespread that you couldn’t do everything yourself. Although you could do everything yourself you could figure out what you and everyone else is good at and allocate them wisely, making every person use their gifts and talents to the full potential. You could take action by allocating fire and rescue to remove large trees and debris from homes while power workers could help restore power. This is where the purpose mastery will help a leader find his purpose in life. The change mastery on the other hand will allow leaders to find new and effective approaches to leading. Change allows leaders to see new ways. This would be a key approach because every cleanup project would be different. Not only would the type of destruction vary from case to case but also the terrain and people involved in the crisis. The change mastery would allow you to evaluate every situation differently to develop the most effective cleanup plan. For example a flood cleanup plan would take an entirely different approach than a tornado one. Pathway four which is interpersonal mastery focuses on creating relationships with people you work with. In the disaster relief case relationships would be vital because of the scale of the project. As a leader you may be unfamiliar with the region so locals could help you navigate through the ruble in addition to multiple other things. Being mastery would probably be one of the hardest pathways to follow in the disaster example because quiet moment would be tough to come by in times of crisis. But if you practiced this before arriving at the scene it could help you have a clear mind going into the project with no other interruptions. Leaving for a project of this magnitude it would be important for you to have some balance going into the project. You would want to spend time with family and friends before leaving. This will allow you to be inspired, focused, and calm going into a project that would include lots of stress. The last pathway is action mastery which means to lead as a whole. This pathway expresses one’s self to others and allows people to see the true you. In order to properly manage a crisis you must initiate action, coordinate activities, act as a spokesperson, engage in vigilant decision making, and connect with your vision and values. All of these steps go hand in hand with the pathways. While a project of this magnitude would be tough to lead, the help of the mastery pathways could guide you through it.--Monahanj660 (talk) 15:59, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

Solid response...good use of actually using the mastery pathway to develop your answer.--Bmatkin (talk) 11:57, 1 July 2009 (UTC)



The first pathway is personal mastery, which is believing in yourself, other people, life and leadership. The second pathway is knowing your purpose and doing it because you want to. The third pathway is change, and that is basically being willing to change and accepting change around you. The fourth pathway is interpersonal and this is just saying that you need to focus on developing your competencies. The fifth pathway is being, which this one is stating to take time for yourself and relax, enjoy being you. The sixth pathway is balance, make sure to take the time to spend with your family and people you like spending time with. The seventh is action, get involved, find out where you need to help and just do it! I think by using a combination of all of these will help get through this crisis. Be a leader and take charge of the situation, you can do this by creating a Crisis Management Plan. Our book says for leading during a crisis event do the following: intiate action and coordinate activities, act as a spokesperson, engage in vigilant decision making, and connect with vision and values. Also postcrisis leadership needs to happen by rebuilding the organization’s image, learn from the experience and promote healing.--Karleydavis (talk) 23:05, 25 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Think piece 6 by Karley Davis

Ah yes, the short and concise answer and as mentioned in previous response...whether it is a crisis or strategic planning type of situation you always first need to establish an objective. --Bmatkin (talk) 11:57, 1 July 2009 (UTC)



Final Exam
Same rules as mid-term...due by 30 Jun: GOOD LUCK! 1. Explain the five primary sources of power (Ch 5)...As the appointed leader of the Widgit project which source of power did you apply and why...is there a difference in your situation that caused you to choose a certain course of action...If power is the currency of leadership "what is the influence" (Ch 6). Define the 4 sets of tools regarding influence and using a movie clip from one shown in class or any that come to mind demonstrate 'influence' at work...Did the 'influence make you react in some way ...why or why not.

2. When you put your widgit project team together (hypothetically) explain how you were able to change your identified group into a team (Ch 7) why is this an important step to understand...Would you rather be a part of a team or a group...Explain...How did you balance your role as Project leader with the other members from the viewpoint of "Appointed vs Emergent" leader...what are the differences...provide an example of a meeting agenda that you would hold at the beginning of a shift...

3. What are the three levels of organizational culture (Ch 8)...Why are symbols important as a means to communicate within large organizations/corporations...What would be the core values you would look for to identify with a corporation...As a public leader (Ch 9) Why is public relations an important shaping activity...Discuss how public speaking is a tool for successful public relations. What role does persuasion have with campaigning.

4. What type of a team or group make-up would you prefer to work with ....a singular based culture consisting of same gender and age or would you rather be a part of a widely diverse group/team of individuals ranging in age, gender, and cultures (Ch 10). Why or why not. What are some of the organization wide strategies you would apply to promote diversity...would you place a female in charge of a large group or team...why or why not...what are the differences between women and men in leadership positions...What movie clip do you believe portrays diversity in leadership and why...(Kindergarten Cop/Principal/Dead Poets Society/Sandlot/Wizard of Oz...

5. Why are ethics important to leadership (Ch 11)? List the 6 challenges to ethical behavior and what ethical challenges do you deal with on a daily basis and how do you confront the possible situations...What role does communication have in ethics...What are the components of ethical behavior and provide an example of applying a component in a organizational situation...How do political leaders apply ethics in their positions...What impact does ethics have on followership...provide an example.

--Bmatkin (talk) 04:06, 22 June 2009 (UTC)

Jun 18 Think Piece 5

 * Personal reminder is that Thinkpiece #5 was accomplished during class. The task was for each student to develop an outline for a presentation highlighting a topic of their interest. Their individual outlines were discussed in class and measured against the books identified 'must haves' to be considered a successful leadership presentation. All students were present and successfully fullfilled the requirements.

Jun 9 Think Piece 4
Think Piece (4) Group assignment

-The students and faculty of Buena Vista would like to than you for your donation to the Council Bluffs Center. Your donations will help Buena Vista reach future goals and enable them to continue to benefit the Council Bluffs area. Our first objective would be to move the Council Bluffs center to an alternative location. In addition to expanding outside of Iowa Western,Buena Vista would also like to offer an array of new majors along with more academic scholarships. -With limited space available for BV to expand, building or purchasing a new campus in the Omaha metro area would enable the university to expand its current student population. As enrollment rises,day classes would steadily be added, which is something that is not currently possible at the Iowa Wester campus. -In addition to the new building we would also like to offer scholarships to continue to be able to attract new, incoming students with proven academic performance. As a way of showing our gratitude we would like to offer scholarships in your name. The students considered for the scholarships will not only excel academically but also be a good representative for Buena Vista University. -Offering more programs of study would allowthe university to stay current with the ever-changing job market. Opening new programs would allow the university to appeal to more students that have the drive to excel in something that we don't currently offer. ---Karleydavis (talk) 02:14, 9 June 2009 (UTC)Once again Buena Vista would like to thank you for your generous donation and is looking forward to your continued support in the future. We hope that you support all of our ideas and if you have any questions or ideas please feel free to contact us.--Karleydavis (talk) 02:06, 9 June 2009 (UTC) Karley Davis, Brett Cook, Justin Monahan, Travis Kern, Lawrence and Mr. Nichols

Mid-Term is due on Monday in class the 8th of Jun.
 * Reminder

CPER 370

Mid-Term Exam
Choose any three of the following to discuss consisting of three 'para' for each response (about one page). If you have missed one or more sessions of class please answer all five questions. I would prefer that you copy and paste the mid-term questions on a word document and submit your solutions. Do not place your answers on the wiki. Due date is 8 Jun or earlier. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask and best of luck to each of you.--Bmatkin (talk) 15:15, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

1) In the development of making 'widgets' you were put in position and tasked with increasing production 15%-20% during the next three months: Explain the relationship between leadership and communication and identify three of the five principles that are discussed as the basic components of human communication. (Ch 1) Discuss the three leadership communication styles and choose which one you would use to initially inform the team of the challenge. Why would you choose that method? Explain why or why not. (Ch 2)

2) Explain the role of follower and then leader. what is your role in increasing widget production? How do you distinguish between follower and leader in your situation? What makes you the leader? Can a leader be a good leader without being a good follower? Explain. What is the difference between Leader and Manager? (Ch 1 & 2) Explain 'envisioning' and identify how you would apply it. (Ch 2)

3) Compare and contrast the communication styles of Theory X and Y and explain what your beliefs are towards your preferable model and discuss why. With your requirement being relatively short notice for increasing the 'widget' production during the spring, how would you apply the Blake and McCanse leadership diagram and explain why. (Ch 2) Describe the 4 leadership approaches and identify which would best fit the style you feel would be most effective. Would there be a need to institute the path-goal theory of leadership given this situation? Why or why not? (Ch 3)

4) Relate an example of any of the traits of leadership similar to a situation you have listed in your journal that you could benefit from in assisting you to meet production requirements. If its a negative example of bad leadership list how, why and the lesson learned from the situation. Is the traits approach the best example of leadership? Have you ever been involved as a follower of an individual who displayed the trait approach to leadership? Was it a good experience? Explain why or why not. (Ch 3)

5) How has Maslows Hierarchy of needs impacted your ability to follow and lead? Provide examples of both as discussion points. Have you ever recognized situations that may reflect your behavior as related to Maslows theory? Do you believe this theory to be an important factor in determining your ability to accomplish the objective of increasing 'widget' production? List the 5 primary characteristics of Transformation leadership and explain which would be the most effective in your situation. Would a charismatic leadership approach be successful in increasing 'widget' production? If so why was the production down or is it the fact that a new leadership has been appointed, you, and you have just began the task of attempting to turn things around. (Ch 4)

Jun 1 Think Piece 3:
Think Piece (3)

3) Provide two examples of a leadership situation in the movie Tombstone that demonstrates a characteristic associated with Transformational leadership by one or more of the main characters! Was the approach effective? Did the character use the same approach in each situation where they were involved as a leader/follower? Did the person use the same characteristic as a follower? --Bmatkin (talk) 15:15, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

Lawrence Henderson – In Tombstone one incident of transitional leadership was when Wyatt’s older brother who up to this point was following Wyatt became a sheriff. Wyatt was upset and continued the act as the leader until the gun fight then he became a follower and was sworn in. That did not last long though before they made it one city block Wyatt was back to calling the shots. Incident two after the Earp’s women were shot at the two cowboys denounced the gang and approached Wyatt. Due to their affiliation with the gang Wyatt had to listen to what they had to say. Even though he wanted all cowboys dead he knew the two cowboy,s expertise would benefit him in his over all goal so he took the time to hear what they had to say.LAHEND11--74.42.104.102 (talk) 04:06, 8 June 2009 (UTC)

Two good examples of leadership in transition based on situations.--Bmatkin (talk) 13:04, 3 July 2009 (UTC) -Justin Monahan-One of the first cases of transformational leadership in the movie Tombstone was when Wyatt Earp was getting showed around the city by the town sheriff and he was pointing out all the establishments. He went on to talk about the saloons and how the nicest one in town was being run down by a thug dealer. Without hesitation Wyatt walked over to the bar to take a look for himself and to his surprise that was exactly what was going on. He instantly took action by calling out the dealer, knocking some sense into him, and barring him from the place forever. Wyatt took a leadership role when everyone else was afraid to take action, even the town lawmen. While Wyatt solves multiple leadership situations differently in nearly all cases he does consistently use empowerment to make his followers feel powerful and usually only acts on situations where people’s safety is in jeopardy. The second example of leadership was when Doc Holiday saved Wyatt’s life by participating in a dual for him. While most leaders should not lie to accomplish goals, pretending to be sick ended up working for doc. You mentioned in class that sometimes you have to tell a little white lie to motivate people, although this situation was much different than keeping time during track practice. Doc used a trait that most leaders have and that is the ability to problem solve. He realized that the only way Wyatt was going to stay alive was if he fought for him. The characters used different forms of leadership and followership throughout the movie and never stuck to just one. The interesting thing about Tombstone is that there wasn’t just one leader, in fact Doc, Virgil, and Wyatt where all great leaders. Also while they were all great leaders, they were also great followers. They all showed the ability to follow when they felt it was right to and were also able to take charge when the situation called for it.--Monahanj660 (talk) 00:18, 3 June 2009 (UTC)

Excellent answer....track timer guy....--Bmatkin (talk) 20:29, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

Think piece #3) Provide two examples of a leadership situation in the movie Tombstone that demonstrates a characteristic associated with Transformational leadership by one or more of the main characters! Was the approach effective? Did the character use the same approach in each situation where they were involved as a leader/follower? Did the person use the same characteristic as a follower? Travis Kern.
 * 1) 1) The first case of transformational leadership was shown as Wyatt Earp and his brothers first came into the town of Tombstone. Wyatt had convinced them to get into the “honest” business of gambling despite the reluctance his brothers felt after looking at just how badly the town needed new lawmen.  By Wyatt using his past reputation and a little persuasion his plan was an almost instant success, bringing in huge profits almost over night.  Although he demonstrated many different styles of leadership to get the goals accomplished, Wyatt tended to follow in the same ways as he would lead.
 * 2) 2) The second major occasion of transformational leadership I noticed in the movie was when Wyatt’s brother Virgil decided that he had seen enough of the townspeople suffer and influenced his brothers to join him as lawmen for the town. Virgil convinced the younger brother fairly easily that it was time to do what was right, instead of just taking money in gambling revenues from the townspeople.  When it was time to get Wyatt to join the two as lawmen the approach had to be changed dramatically from doing the right thing and protecting the town as Wyatt had done for many years already back in Kansas, to being their as the expert and making sure his brothers didn’t die.  As Virgil recruited Wyatt to his service, he knew that others such as Doc Holiday would join in and help to eliminate the outlaws and make the town safer for everyone.  Even as the original task of recruiting Wyatt and Mr. Holiday was nearly impossible, it obviously had the lasting effect needed to secure the original goal even after Virgil was shot and nearly killed.

Recognizing different leaders based on different events is key to understanding Leadership/Followership and communication.--Bmatkin (talk) 20:56, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

Brett Cook The movie that I watched instead of Tombstone since I missed that class was “Young Guns”. The two movies are very similar in that they are in fact two westerns like every other westerns where there are as they say “the good the bad and the ugly”. But these two movies are even more similar in the idea that there are sort of two leaders in both movies. In Tombstone there is Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday, and in Young Guns there is Dick and Billy the Kid. The difference is that Dick gets shot in one of the very first gun fights and Billy takes his place, but even before that they newspapers were always saying that Billy was the true leader of the gang and it really pissed Dick off. As far as showing transformational leadership in Young Guns, Billy did that very well. Billy was the opposite of Dick in the idea that whatever got in his way he took care of it, it didn’t matter if he had to kill them or just knock them out cold. A good example of that is when the mass of the gang wanted to run and hide from the people that were after him he just kept wanting to head into it even deeper. He just kept making the rest of the gang believe in what he wanted to do and they would do it. Another good example of transformational leadership is in the very beginning of the movie. There was a rancher by the name of John Tunstal and he took all of the gang in one by one to his ranch and made something of each and every one of them. He wouldn’t hire just any normal guy he always hired the ones that were the “loose strings’ of the town and work with him. He would take them in to his home and teach them to read and write, proper table manners and more stuff like that. --Luckycook (talk) 01:41, 18 June 2009 (UTC)--Luckycook (talk) 01:41, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

Solid recognition of 'transformational leadership' in action. While I have not actually seen "Young Guns" your examples appear to reflect certain elements of transformation with an identifiable leadership approach.--Bmatkin (talk) 13:04, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Karley Davis 3) Provide two examples of a leadership situation in the movie Tombstone that demonstrates a characteristic associated with Transformational leadership by one or more of the main characters! Was the approach effective? Did the character use the same approach in each situation where they were involved as a leader/follower? Did the person use the same characteristic as a follower? I ended up watching Syriana, because it was a movie I had wanted to see for a while.  In the movie, their are two Prince brothers that are up for reign over their country Iran because their father is ill.  Prince Nasir wants to shut off communication with the U.S. and not allow them to have military bases in his country. His brother, Prince Meshal, is the opposite he wants communication with the U.S. The father ends up giving the kingdom to Prince Meshal. In the end, Prince Nasir is assassinated for his beliefs by the CIA. Prince Nasir was a leader because he had his own beliefs and wanted to do things his own way. Prince Meshal was a follower because he was doing what his father and others wanted him to do. --Karley Davis --Karleydavis (talk) 15:55, 4 June 2009 (UTC)

So what it appears you are saying is that in the movie Syrianna, the follower becomes the annointed leader based on their ability to demonstrate being a good follower.--Bmatkin (talk) 20:56, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

May 28 Class: As a reminder, we will be watching a movie in class this evening. There will be questions associated with the movie and the practical applications of leadership approaches by characters provided certain situations in the mid-term which will be available on-line next week. --Bmatkin (talk) 17:12, 28 May 2009 (UTC)

May 26 Think Piece 2
Think Piece (2)

2) Provide a simple example for each situation of a leadership approach based on applying Hersey Blanchards Theory. Discuss your most recent leadership opportunity and the situational approach you applied and does it fit within the Hersey Blanchard model? --Bmatkin (talk) 14:38, 26 May 2009 (UTC)

Lawrence Henderson: My example would be coaching Under 10 soccer players. Players’ ages range from seven to nine. Players’ skills are range even more. The Hersey Blanchard model is a perfect fit for this leadership in this situation. (R1) There are players who lack both the skills and motivation. Players at this readiness level require the participation of the coach and must be shown exactly what they are expected to do. (R2) The majorities of the players lack skills but have a high level of motivation and are committed. Players at this readiness level require that the coach sells the players. With their commitment to learn the skills will come. (R3) Very few players are skilled and lack the motivation to succeed. Players at this readiness level require encouragement. Helping these players work through their fears and telling them their skills are proven. (R4) Even rarer at this level are players who are skilled and motivated. Players at this readiness level require a sense of involvement. Having these players teach others will increase their interest.-Lawrence Henderson--Lahend11 (talk) 04:59, 4 June 2009 (UTC)

The little league soccer program is an excellent model of utilizing various skills and for leadership/followership recognition.--Bmatkin (talk) 20:51, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

Justin Monahan After viewing Hersey’s and Blanchard’s Leadership model I believe that a perfect example of a R1 follower would be a Burger King employee because they are rarely willing to perform at their best. Due to poor compensation plans and crappy work environments staff is reluctant to perform. And if you have ever went through the drive through you have figured out that they are unable to perform their job as well. Although all burger king employees may not follow this model I have seen many that have. Moving into an R2 Follower I found that the most appropriate example would be a high school kid that just got his first job although he would jump through hoops to help you and work his butt off to impress you, he will probably screw more things up than be completes correctly. An Example of an R3 worker or skilled but not motivated would be an employee that works at Hy-Vee for multiple years. While they know everything there is about the company the pay is bad and they have no ambition to work hard. An R4 worker on the other hand would be a manager at a top company, not only are they extremely qualified they are also paid well. Because of this they come to work every day bringing there A game. My last leadership situation is on memorial weekend when my buddies and I went four wheeling at Timber Ridge, which is a 4,500 acre riding park. We went deep into the park on Saturday night with our Jeeps and one of my friends ended up getting a stick in his tire. With no flat and into the woods over 5 miles I had to act quickly to get the vehicle back to camp. I was the only one that knew how to navigate the park so I lead the group back to camp safely. This doesn’t sounds like a big deal but the park is so big and has very difficult terrain so it may take hours just to find where you were last. I used the R2 model of approach because my friends were very motivated to get back over getting stranded but they didn’t exactly know how to get back and needed guidance.--Monahanj660 (talk) 23:33, 2 June 2009 (UTC)

You were placed in a situation where someone had to lead and you did. Nice job!--Bmatkin (talk) 20:53, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

Brett Cook  The example that I thought of was people and there computer skills. A person that was at R1 would be a lot like my uncle, because he has never used a computer and doesn’t know how to for that matter because nothing in his life has required him to do so. R2 people would be like kids that are 5 or 6 years old, they really want to learn but when it gets right down to it they don’t know all that much. R3 to me would be like a high school level kid who really doesn’t care about anything but girls and his friends, he has the knowledge but doesn’t really care to use a computer to its full potential. R4 people are like the mass of the population, in which they have both the skills and the motivation to know how to use a computer because they know they have no choice but to accept the fact that they will more then likley do something on a computer every single day of there lives.--Luckycook (talk) 17:20, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Got it ..thanx for the quick response and good job--Bmatkin (talk) 13:56, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

Karley Davis Think piece #2 2) Provide a simple example for each situation of a leadership approach based on applying Hersey Blanchards Theory. Discuss your most recent leadership opportunity and the situational approach you applied and does it fit within the Hersey Blanchard model? S1- A good example for this would be a manager in a factory telling their employees the way to make something properly. S2- I am thinking that a good example for this one would be selling to an employee that if they go to school and further their education they will for surely have a promotion. S3- A good example for this style is when the manager jumps in and helps out their employees if their is a rush of business. I think a great leader will do that with a smile on their face. S4- An example for this would be a foreman delegating jobs to his employees to get a job done.

This past weekend I helped out with a family picnic and people were asking me what needed to be done, and I delegated jobs to be done. Yes I do think this situation fit into the Hersey Blanchard model. --Karley Davis

And when the picnic was all over were you able to leverage the assistance neccesary to clean-up?--Bmatkin (talk) 20:46, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

Think Piece (2) Travis Kern 2) Provide a simple example for each situation of a leadership approach based on applying Hersey Blanchards Theory. Discuss your most recent leadership opportunity and the situational approach you applied and does it fit within the Hersey Blanchard model?

R1-S1 (follower lacks skills and motivation) I believe the best example of this form of leadership would be a fast food restaurant chain that would be required to get followers to do the needed level of work during their shifts.

R2 (lacking skills but is committed) An example of this selling style of leadership could be a new bank employee who has received a promotion to a new department. The employee would be unsure of what needs to be done and the procedures to be followed in the new department. With the new job reflecting a promotion, the employee should be highly committed to learning the new job functions necessary. The manager according to Hersey and Blanchard, should sell and reassure the employee that the new skills can be attained.

R3 (skilled but not motivated) A good example of this could be any employee who has been in their current position for a few years, and understands exactly what to do and how to do it. The employee however has become bored and unmotivated in their current position, and thus needs to be pushed to perform their job to their abilities. According to Hersey and Blanchard’s model, the leader should discuss problems the followers may be experiencing and get them involved in some of the decision making to help motivate them once again.

R4 (skilled and motivated) In the delegating sector, the employees are both skilled and motivated to to their jobs to the best of their abilities. According to Hershey and Blanchard’s model the leader should provide support and recognition periodically to maintain or improve upon the current levels of performance. Recent example:

While on vacation down in Florida, I had to teach my fiancée how to sail. Although she was very excited and motivated to learn how to sail, she had very little ability and had to be taught from scratch in a short amount of time. The R2 model from Hersey and Blanchard was the obvious choice to use. After teaching a few of the basics, I had to simply convince her that she could manage a few basic things to make the boat move in the direction she wanted.


 * Excellent answer with terrific examples identifying each followers readiness level and mode of leadership needed to impart desired influence.--Bmatkin (talk) 15:25, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

Anthony Nichols R1. A good example of that would be the new dishwashers that we higher on. They don’t have many skills and are not motivated to work a crappy job for crappy pay. R2. An example of these workers would be our evening crew workers. They do not have the skills needed to do their jobs but they have good motivation to be there. I would hire people who worked well together because we can teach them the skills they needed. R3. An example of this would be a line cook who has been in the same restaurant for years and just can’t seem to move up the ladder. He has all the skills he needs but without being able to move up he doesn’t have the same motivation as when he first started. R4. An example of this is someone who has just gotten their first chef position. They have the skills needed to make the business work and are very motivated to make a good name for themselves. My last experience as a leader is during one of our dinner caterings after the food was served the manager decided to go home early and left me in charge for the rest of the night. I would say that R4 fit the best because off the other employees knew their jobs and what to do and were motivated to do them because that meant we could leave sooner after they have finished eating. All I had to do was just keep an eye on things in case a glitch happened. --Asnichols (talk) 19:09, 6 June 2009 (UTC)

May 18 Think Piece 1:
Think Piece (1)

1) Can a shy person become a leader or does a leader always need to be 'charismatic'? Could technology make a difference in changing the leadership example for an individual? Is the military a good model for demonstrating communication models for leadership or is the corporate a more realistic model for identifying communication and leadership? Provide examples using the two communication models related to their 'styles' demonstrating either military or corporate cases!

Brett Cook

I think that a shy person can be a great leader anyday. You don't have to be loud or obnoxious to lead people. All that you have to do is lead them a general direction and be very supportive in the way you back them up. Technology could definently make a difference in being a great leader. For example a person could use emails as a form of communication to do there leading. The military is a great way of demonstrating leadership but it is almost a little communist because basically it comes down to you get told to do somthing and you do it or your punished. In the corporate world you need to be a great leader because you can't punish people like you can in the military so you have to be more supportive in the way you lead.--209.56.12.153 (talk) 23:56, 21 May 2009 (UTC)


 * Remember that the key for any person to 'lead' is to have the ability to 'influence'. The collaborative tools that technology brings to the communication process are essential elements to the leadership equation. --Bmatkin (talk) 12:00, 22 May 2009 (UTC)

Justin Monahan

A shy person can also be a leader; leadership is not just determined by charisma. While charisma can be an effective tool in being a leader it is just one of many. Leadership is about using communication skills to motivate people not how you look and rub off on people. Although the most well know leaders may have been charismatic, it is not a trait required to be one. On the other hand, technology has and will continue to change the leadership model. Since the creation of the internet in the 1980’s the ability to lead has become more complex. Today people don’t have to meet in person to be given direction. In fact you can be an entire ocean away and still be a leader for another individual. In addition to the internet, advanced cell phones have also allowed someone to lead without even seeing the individual. At the pace technology is moving it is hard to say how the leadership model will be even in five years.

The military is a better model for demonstrating communication models for leadership than the corporate world because the corporate world is more concerned with the bottom line numbers where the armed forces have to concentrate on the whole communication process. Beginning with interaction and finishing with storytelling, emotional communication, and impression management. Military personnel are probably also better able to control their emotions and others to achieve goals and flourish relationships within a group. Both groups on the other hand incorporate extensive amounts of technology into the communication process to get the message though effectively and quickly, whether it be through an online wiki or an advanced military communication devise. While I do think the Military process is the better way of demonstrating leadership I don’t think it’s the most realistic because it isn’t everyday that you have to make life or death decisions. Deciding whether to launch a new product line or project is probably a little more common than figuring out what hill you’re going to take first. --173.29.36.56 (talk) 02:46, 20 May 2009 (UTC)--173.29.36.56 (talk) 02:46, 20 May 2009 (UTC)


 * Good...--Bmatkin (talk) 21:03, 21 May 2009 (UTC)

Travis C. Kern Think Piece #1

Can a shy person become a leader or does a leader always need to be 'charismatic'? Could technology make a difference in changing the leadership example for an individual? Is the military a good model for demonstrating communication models for leadership or is the corporate a more realistic model for identifying communication and leadership? Provide examples using the two communication models related to their 'styles' demonstrating either military or corporate or both in each case!

Question #1) I believe a shy person can definitely be in a position of leadership where they will succeed. Our textbook for the class cites several examples in which a shy or introverted individual has succeeded in such a position, and I remember multiple examples of this from my past experiences.  It is my personal opinion however that a leader would gain a significant advantage from learning to communicate well (or become extroverted), to get followers and others to understand what the mission and goals actually are.  In my father’s career as corporate executive for Wietz Corp. he said it was a great challenge to get my mother to be more outgoing when she would attend corporate events.  When asked to elaborate, he said, “There needs to be a sense of openness and trust between the leaders and the followers within any successful corporation to have a “well oiled” team.”  He went on to say that charisma is probably not the word he would use, due to some dishonest connotations, but rather that people should be open and honest and communicate fluently with others within the organizational structure.

Question #2) While technology will make the flow of communication a little easier, I believe we have yet to see many of the drawbacks that this could have within a business or teamwork structure. Obviously, people can communicate much more effectively with the use of cellular phones, satellite phones, and online communications.  There are, in my opinion, however many drawbacks to the abundant waste of time that all of this communication has created.  I have talked with many people lately who are not even that high up in a company and yet they receive well over a hundred emails per day.  Yet my father could run 100 million dollar construction projects around the country with no cell-phone, no e-mail, and no smart device!  Yes, this was 15 years ago, but you get my point.

Question #3) I believe either corporate or military models should provide a valuable framework for looking at leadership. I also believe that many of the basic underlying principles could be transferred back and forth between the two.  My future father-in-law started in the army straight out of high school, slowly rising through the ranks, although I am unsure of what position he reached before leaving the military, he says the Army gave him a solid management experience base to work from.  He is now a district director for Pitney Bowes, in charge of Iowa and Nebraska. Although the military is popularly portrayed as having an action model of communication, I do not intend to join to figure out for certain the reality of this perception.  In my personal opinion, I would imagine that as the intellectual base of knowledge on the given subject for the followers, the mode of communication would progress from action to interaction to a transactional model of communication. However, my opinion could be wrong, and corrected by this class.


 * Interesting...--Bmatkin (talk) 21:07, 21 May 2009 (UTC)

Lawrence Henderson: Shy leaders, any person with the right combination of leadership traits can be a leader. People follow for different reasons; the shyest person in the room may be the one with the most knowledge regarding an objective. Charisma helps attract followers but if their needs are not being meet they may stray. With the use of technology communication becomes less personal. People will have a different response; good or bad, face-to-face then they would on the phone or via e-mail. This would be a great tool to allow a leadership role to be achieved by a shy person. The military with its’ long history is a great indicator of communication models for leadership. Followers tend to be more apt to perform when the ultimate result of failure could be death. The military has had to adapt its models to keep up with current situations of modern warfare. They have proven that their direct model was very effective in coordinating troops movements and actions. The direct model ensured that all soldiers were where they needed to be when they needed to be, and the soldiers followed orders. Now with the use of technology the military can utilize more of the transitional model. Their leadership can be more effective through the gathering of real time information leaders can make wiser decisions. When all else falls though do what your told. -Lawrence Henderson--Lahend11 (talk) 22:06, 21 May 2009 (UTC)

WOW...three yrs later...MIDEAST Spring..."Occupy"...the whole "Flash Mob scene"... b
 * BINGO...technology has the potential to allow anyone to be the leader including the shy person. Why?...Less personal...it in essence becomes faceless and less personal however the use of technology can rally individual members towards a common objective. --Bmatkin (talk) 12:04, 22 May 2009 (UTC)

Karley Davis Think piece #1 Yes, I do believe a shy person can be a leader, just because they are shy doesn't mean that a person isn't charismatic also. A person can be shy, but as long as they are willing to communicate the message they are trying to put out there should not be any problems. I am a shy person in some situations, such as big groups, but put me in a small group and I have no problem taking leadership in a conversation. Technology is making it easier for communication but I don't think it is necessarily always a good thing. For instance most of my friends love to text a conversation, but I rather make a quick phone call. Texting is good for when you can't talk on the phone. The military I don't think is about leadership, it's more dictorial. You are given orders and expected to do them. I am not saying that people with a military background can't be leaders, but they have to learn to be charismatic and empathize with people. I think that the corporate setting is good for leadership and communication, but lately there have not been very good leaders of companies. The military is related to the action model of communication because an order goes from a sergeant to a soldier, really no feedback. The transactional model matches with the corporate world. For example, a CEO asks you to speak with a supplier and get back to him with the information.

Thanks...business world can be viewed as having an atmosphere for greater opportunity to provide feedback reflective of the transactional model...moreso than the military. Have a safe trip and we shall see you next week.--Bmatkin (talk) 16:58, 28 May 2009 (UTC) --Kerntra (talk) 18:20, 28 May 2009 (UTC)--Kerntra (talk) 18:20, 28 May 2009 (UTC)

Think Piece #1 Anthony Nichols A shy person or a person who is not very charismatic can become a leader. All it takes is for people to look to you for guidance. I can be described as shy and probably not very charismatic but was put into a leadership role because the people around me looked to me to show them the way. Technology could change how a leader communicates but he must be careful because a good portion of communication is not just what is said but also how it is said and body language. So it can actually restrict the ability of a leader to impart direction on his followers. The military can be a good model in emergency type of situations where one person needs to take charge like in a situation where there is a fire. There really isn’t a great need for feedback or dialogue. But otherwise the corporate model is a better way to identify roles. With better transactional communication a more effective solution can be reached with greater consensus.


 * Good answer linking not only verbal but tone and body language within a particular situation of delivering the message. Yes the military is probably a more understandable of a direct approach provided the 'crisis' environment.--Bmatkin (talk) 15:25, 31 May 2009 (UTC)