Project Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Project Risk Management - Essay Example A co-operation considered less informal in terms of risk management results in a number of gains. This requires a long term relationship or co-operation among actors of project network. For example, a risk management engagement considered less informal, results in a reduced transaction costs since, it limits the need for rather, expensive contractual engagement. In addition, a risk management process that engages co-operation minimizes dyadic relationships and introduces a network-level engagement. A co-operative means of managing risks results in efficiency and at the same time, pinpoints ineffective and expensive practices resulting into risks. In the construction field today, risk management for projects is gaining recognition as a result of the critical procedures involved. Shortfalls witnessed in construction projects results from the complex nature of various implemented projects. The idea of subcontracting is taking precedence as a result of construction companies concentratin g on their main businesses. This creates a situation where, involvement in projects becomes complex due to many project participants. Uncertainty related to implementing successful projects is caused by various sources. Effective risk management for projects is tenable by developing an understanding of the relationship manifesting between risks and project networks. The stakeholders responsible for implementing a project need to recognize risks attributable to each participant in the project. This provides a reliable mechanism for risk allocation; on the other hand, risks within construction projects often arise because of the involvement of various sources. Construction projects often involve a continuous process in relation to decision making. This results from the existence of many sources that create uncertainty and risks. In most cases, such decisions are beyond the control of the bonafide project participants. Further, most construction projects fail in terms of meeting cost t argets and stipulated timeline (Abdou 7). As a result, it is crucial for contractors to recognize risk sources earlier. For example, in regions such as the Far-East, delays often results from, interference by the owner, lack of experience on part of the contractor, poor planning and financial constraints. Such risks are often network-related, in order to execute a successful project, there is need for guarantee in terms of project participant’s experience and skills. Other factors to consider involve the network undertaking the project (Abdou 8). As a good practice, risk management within projects requires improvements for contracts, providing incentives for quality and recognizing capabilities. According to Baloi and Price, there are two categories of risks related to construction projects (262); this is illustrated in the tables below. Table 1: Typical Risks Technical Social Construction Economic Legal Financial Natural Commercial Logistics Political Table 2: Risks by Impac t Dynamic vs Static Corporate vs Individual Internal vs External Positive vs Negative Acceptable vs Unacceptable Insurable vs Non insurable As suggested in both tables, the major source of risks for construction projects, are networks, this occurs either directly or indirectly. On another note, risks attributed to constructio

Being on Time Essay Example for Free

Being on Time Essay Time: It is the universes theoretical constant that governs, sometimes with an iron fist, the everyday lives of humans. Time has many different measurements. There are stellar measurements, such as the phases of the moon or the rotation of the Earth around our Sun. There are extremely long measurements of time, like the geological epoch that can span for tens of millions of years, and there are very small measurements such as planck time, a unit commonly used to measure events in quantum mechanics and is so small that a single unit of planck time is the equivalent of 10-43 seconds. People have always measured time in one form or another. Beginning with our ancestors, who began to measure the phases of the moon almost 30,000 years ago, to the Egyptians who began to measure time using shadows cast by large Obelisks, effectively being the very first sundials. Today, we use a common standard of time in our day-to-day lives. Sixty minutes in an hour, twenty-four hours in a day, three hundred sixty-five days in a solar year; but time has always been used to measure and record important events. This has never been more evident as it has been in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In this era of human history, punctuality is one of the key elements of our workforce, and particularly in the military. In our world, being on-time carries more with it than just a smooth operation of events. Here, being at the right place at the right time can mean the difference between life and death. As members of the United States Army, we have made a commitment to obey our unique laws and regulations, of which precision and conscionable timing is reflected. In our Uniform Code of Military Justice, timeliness is addressed under our Punitive Articles. Chapter 10, Article 86: ABSENCE WITHOUT LEAVE Any member of the armed forces who, without authority– (1) fails to go to his appointed place of duty at the time prescribed; (2) goes from that place; or (3) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. With this being said it is very important for an individual to be at his/her appointed place of duty at least 15 minutes prior to the time stated. Every soldier knows the military motto â€Å"If you are 15 minutes early you are on time; if you are on time you are late! † This is something that was drilled into us during Basic Training and AIT. I understand the punishment I have been given is not to humiliate me, but make sure I adhere to the military standard at all times. I am an epitome of the soldier’s creed and I wear my uniform proudly. All though I am not perfect I strive for perfection every waking moment of everyday. I am currently paying for my actions in a previous incident and by completing the task I was given I hope to prove that I am not a loss; but someone that can be counted on when needed. I will from this point and all those times in the future; make sure I am at my appointed place of duty. If for any reason I am not able to make it on time, I will be sure to contact my chain of command and let them know why and bring evidence of the incident if instructed.

A comparison between Roald Dahls Lamb to the slaughter and Sir Arthur Conan Doyles The Speckled Band :: English Literature

A comparison between Roald Dahl's Lamb to the slaughter and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Speckled Band Murder Mystery Coursework - A comparison between Roald Dahl's "Lamb to the slaughter" and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Speckled Band For my Murder Mystery Coursework I am going to be comparing two Murder Mystery stories, "The Speckled Band," and "Lamb to the Slaughter" "Lamb to the Slaughter" was written by Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl is best known for writing children's books, such as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "The Twits," and "James and the Giant Peach." Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, Wales in 1916 and lived until 1990. Dahl was also an author of series short stories for adults, which were later made into a TV series. His stories were so popular because they were unusual. They were called "Tales From The Unexpected." One of Dahl's more popular short fiction stories for adults is "Lamb to the Slaughter." I am going to be using this story in my comparison against another Murder Mystery called "Speckled Band" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is best known for his Sherlock Holmes stories. Although he did many more, these proved to be the most popular to this very day. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859 and lived until 1930. The time in which Sir Conan Doyle lived, had a great influence on his work. Doyle served in the South African Wars as a doctor. This influenced him because when he returned to England he wrote "The Boer War," and "The War in South Africa: Its Causes and Conduct" which justified England's participation. For these works he was knighted in 1902. During World War I he wrote the "History of British Campaign in France," and "Flanders" as a tribute to British bravery. One of Doyle's famous Sherlock Holmes story is "The Speckled Band." This is the murder Mystery I am using to compare to Roald Dahl's "Lamb to the Slaughter" Murder Mysteries are stories that are written to intrigue you, make you wonder who has done it. They certainly live up to the title "Murder Mystery" because there is a murder and you have to find out who has done it. Typically a murderer is male, looks shifty, and has a motive that you don't find out until the end. You usually are told the story through the eyes of an inspector. They survey the evidence, but you do not always see what they do.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 12

My brief conversation with Kayla tormented me for the rest of the evening as I corralled kids at the mall. I couldn't shake the image of her eyes as she told me about â€Å"the Darkness.† It was one of those times I both blessed and cursed her psychic abilities. If she hadn't had them at all, I never would've known anything was amiss in the Mortensen household. But with her imprecise understanding of her powers, I was left with too many questions about what she might have sensed. Erik would've known instantly. There was another thing for me to worry about. Erik. Murdered because of me. And if we were operating on the assumption that Hell had directly acted against him, then what was I supposed to think about Kayla? In the past, any unusual supernatural activity in the area had been the result of rogue forces outside of the Heaven and Hell system. After all, Heaven and Hell had certain rules they were supposed to follow. Milton was proof, however, that Hell wasn't above breaking those. So was it possible someone from my own side had been visiting Andrea Mortensen – coincidentally during the times her condition worsened? And if so, why? That, as Roman had pointed out, was a question with an answer that would crack all of this wide open. My only pause in ruminating on immortal affairs came when I tried to coax Walter into doing a house call to the Mortensens. Two mothers had gotten in a fight in line, so we were all on an impromptu break while mall security sorted matters out. â€Å"Santa doesn't do house calls,† Walter told me. â€Å"Last time I checked, that's exactly what Santa does,† I countered. â€Å"Every Christmas Eve.† â€Å"Santa can't just be hired out for entertainment. Children must either wait until Christmas morning or come visit the retail wonderland Santa's gazebo is in. Those are the rules.† â€Å"Of course you can be hired out,† I said. â€Å"It's why you're working here to begin with! Come on, I'll pay you. I'll buy you a drink. Both, if you want. These are little girls who need to see Santa. Their mother has cancer, for God's sake. How can you not be moved by that?† He peered at me through his spectacles. â€Å"I'm very sorry for their plight, but I can't do it. Taking on this role is a commitment for the holiday season, a vow to stay true to the spirit of Santa. If I'm outside this mall while playing this role, and Bob is here playing the same role, then what does that say to the children?† I stared at him incredulously. â€Å"Well, unless these children are capable of breaking the rules of time and space, none of them would know there's a Santa here, in Lake Forest Park, or in any of the other thousands of malls in this country.† â€Å"I would know. I can't be Santa while Bob is playing Santa. It would break our sacred pact.† † ‘Sacred pact?' It's just a job!† I was seriously considering breaking the drinking rule. If I got him tipsy enough, surely he'd agree to what I wanted. â€Å"Not to us, it isn't,† he told me solemnly. Security finished up their intervention, and the line began moving again, bringing the discussion to a halt before I could point out that last I'd checked, liters of whiskey weren't part of the â€Å"spirit of Santa† either. I might as well have been Grumpy for the rest of my shift. I appreciated Walter's dedication to the role, but honestly, it was kind of pushing absurdity. I stayed at Seth's place that night, in spite of my earlier plans to talk to Roman about what Kayla had told me. But when I called Seth on my way home, there was just something so sad and strained in his voice that I knew it was more important to be with him. Andrea's worsening condition had hit him hard. He and I spent the night chastely, but there was a desperation in the way he held me, a sense that I was all that was keeping him going in this madness. â€Å"Oh, Thetis,† he whispered, kissing my cheek as we snuggled in bed. â€Å"What am I going to do without you?† â€Å"Don't worry about it,† I said automatically. â€Å"I'm still here for a while.† â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"But then . . .† Silence. My heart lurched. â€Å"I know,† I said at last. â€Å"I know you can't leave them. It's okay.† â€Å"At least until she gets better. . . .† His words faltered for a moment. I could guess his emotions because I shared them. We were both worried about that looming, unspoken fear. That maybe Andrea wouldn't get better. And the really, really awful thing was that if she didn't, then eventually, Seth might be able to come to me in Las Vegas. But how could I live with myself knowing what the price of my happiness was? He finally managed to find his words again. â€Å"I understand why you get so frustrated with the universe,† he said. â€Å"I've never wanted anything so much as I've wanted to be with you. I finally got you . . . and now this happens. People talk about throwing everything away for love, but reality doesn't work out that way. And honestly, if I was the kind of guy who could ignore his family for his own selfish wants . . . well, then, I don't think I'd be worthy of you. So here we are.† â€Å"It's okay,† I repeated, forcing more bravery than I felt. â€Å"We'll be fine. They need you. Do what you have to do.† â€Å"Georgina.† â€Å"Seth.† I brushed my lips against his. â€Å"This is more important right now.† â€Å"Than us?† he asked. It took me a long time to answer. But I did. â€Å"Yes.† The next day I had an early shift at the mall, working with Bob. I attempted the same bargain I had with Walter, in the hopes of arranging a visit to the Mortensen girls, only to be met with the same response. I'd kind of hoped that since Bob wasn't a blatant alcoholic, he'd be more reasonable. No such luck. He was full of the same nonsense about the magic and integrity of the Santa role. Fortunately, things improved when I found Roman at home afterward. We had bowling practice that night, but I'd wanted to talk to him in private. My other immortal friends could be coaxed on board with a lot, but as Hell's hand became more obvious in all of this, I was hesitant to get them involved. Roman didn't face the same repercussions, and I didn't mind exposing myself to the wrath of my employers. I was less excited about subjecting my immortal friends to that same wrath on my behalf. â€Å"Did she say anything else about this ‘Darkness'?† Roman wanted to know, once I'd recapped everything for him. â€Å"Greater immortal, lesser immortal, outside deity?† â€Å"She doesn't understand what any of that is,† I said. â€Å"She's only four. Five now, I guess.† â€Å"She needs to understand it,† he said darkly. â€Å"You should train her up.† â€Å"With everything else going on in her life? I think that's the last thing she needs.† â€Å"Not if some supernatural creature is making her mom sick!† Roman perched on the edge of the couch, his sea green eyes both thoughtful and angry. â€Å"And let's face it, Georgina. If something is, I really can't imagine it's because the powers that be have singled out that family by random. If something's targeting Andrea Mortensen, it's because of her connection to you.† I felt ill. More consequences, laid at my feet. â€Å"So Andrea suffers because of me,† I said, sinking into a chair. â€Å"Wonderful.† â€Å"It's Hell,† said Roman. â€Å"What do you expect? If they want back at you for something, then they're going to find creative ways to do it.† â€Å"Seems like there are more direct ways to make me ‘pay,' † I noted. â€Å"Especially seeing as they own the contract on my soul. We're assuming a lot that this is Hell.† Roman shrugged. â€Å"Not really. We already know they're interfering with your life. And healing and injuring are specific powers given to angels and demons.† â€Å"Do you think Carter could tell what visited her?† I asked. â€Å"If he looked at Andrea?† â€Å"I think he could.† Roman considered for a few moments. â€Å"The question is if he would get involved with it at all. You know how he is. Heaven, at least, makes a pretense of playing by the rules.† I nodded slowly, remembering my last conversation and how reluctant Carter had been to intervene. â€Å"True,† I murmured. â€Å"Well,† said Roman, straightening. â€Å"You can ask him right now.† â€Å"Huh? How?† â€Å"He's coming to practice. I overheard him and Jerome talking about it yesterday.† Apparently, Seth wasn't the only one with a perverse interest in watching Jerome's misfits bowl for his honor. I stood up as well. â€Å"Then let's go. I'll drive.† As we headed downstairs, I gave Roman a sidelong look. â€Å"Have you ever wondered how you'd look in a white beard and Santa hat?† Roman returned my look warily. â€Å"No, I have not.† I quickly explained how the Mortensen girls hadn't seen Santa yet this year. He was already shaking his head before I finished the story. â€Å"Come on, Roman. They need to see Santa. And I know you don't have any of those hang-ups like Walter does about multiple Santas existing together.† â€Å"Nope,† agreed Roman. â€Å"My hang-up is about preserving my dignity, no matter how good the cause. Besides, I don't feel that guilty. If you really wanted them to see Santa, you could shape-shift and put us all to shame.† I scowled. It was annoying because it was true. Roman and I were the last to arrive at the bowling alley, much to my dismay. I'd hoped to speak with Carter privately, but he and Jerome were already deep in conversation (and in their cups). The rest of the Unholy Rollers were waiting anxiously for their leader and gave me no end of grief for not wearing my shirt. â€Å"I forgot,† I said. â€Å"It's no big deal. I'll wear it for the real game.† Peter sighed. â€Å"But it helps build team solidarity now. And that sense of bonding and closeness will make us better.† â€Å"Actually,† said Jerome, â€Å"hitting more pins would make you better.† â€Å"Look,† I told Peter. â€Å"If I have to use the bathroom at some point, I'll shape-shift the shirt on.† â€Å"It's not the same,† he grumbled. Fortunately, Jerome's impatience allowed little time for further debate on the matter. He hadn't seen how our last practice had ended and was anxious to know if we'd improved. We had, to be fair, but I think Jerome was expecting us to all be throwing strikes every time. When it was clear that wasn't the case, he grew impatient and angry. â€Å"How can you do that?† he demanded, after Cody made an impressive 9-1 spare. â€Å"Why can't you just hit them all the first time?† He glared at Roman. â€Å"Do something.† Roman eyed his father irritably, not liking his teaching skills questioned, especially since Cody was the best of us. â€Å"Why don't you? Why don't you give it a shot, Pop?† Jerome had been up pacing by the lane but wouldn't deign to actually touch a ball himself. â€Å"Because it's not my job,† Jerome retorted. Roman rolled his eyes. â€Å"Then let me do mine.† While they bickered, I leaned over to Carter. â€Å"I need to talk to you. In private. Can you stick around after this?† Carter had been watching the father?Cson exchange, but his eyes flicked briefly toward me when I spoke. He gave a small, barely perceptible nod. And when Jerome returned to his seat a few moments later, saying he wanted to leave and drink off his annoyance at the Cellar, Carter declined the offer. â€Å"Nah,† he said lazily, stretching. â€Å"I think I'll see how this pans out. There's no way Peter can keep throwing splits like that every time. It defies all the rules of physics.† Peter looked torn on whether he should be flattered or not by that. â€Å"Fine,† said Jerome. â€Å"If you've got any miracles you can work to help them, now's the time to cash them in.† â€Å"Noted,† said Carter, waving as Jerome left. My lesser immortal friends were agitated by our boss's disapproval, so I focused on the game and didn't bring anything up with Carter until we finished our practice. Jerome could criticize all he wanted, but Roman really was a good teacher. I think our greatest triumph was when Peter went four frames in a row without a split, thus returning the laws of physics back to their rightful state. True, he didn't get any strikes or spares either, but by that point, we were all so exhausted that we were willing to take what victories we could. Roman, Carter, and I let the others leave ahead of us – once I'd promised I would definitely wear my team shirt next time, of course. As soon as we had relative privacy, I explained my problem to Carter. His face grew graver and graver as he listened. â€Å"Daughter of Lilith,† he said when I was done, â€Å"you know I can't interfere.† â€Å"I'm not asking you to,† I said. â€Å"Not exactly. I just want to know if you could tell if someone – like a demon – had made Andrea Mortensen sick.† Carter's gray eyes were unreadable. â€Å"Yes. I can tell.† â€Å"Will you go see her with me and tell me what you sense? That's it. I'm not asking you to break any rules.† Well, I didn't think I was. Honestly, I didn't understand half of these â€Å"rules† he was always talking about. â€Å"I just need the information.† â€Å"Okay,† he said, after what felt like forever. â€Å"I'll go with you. Giving you that information doesn't violate anything.† â€Å"I don't suppose,† said Roman, â€Å"that telling us why Hell would do this wouldn't violate anything either?† I answered before Carter could. â€Å"We already know. To get to me. I've pissed somebody off, and they're going to make me suffer by making those I love suffer.† â€Å"Yeah, but why Andrea?† asked Roman. â€Å"I mean, no offense, but there are other ways to hurt you more. Why not make Seth suffer?† I couldn't help but scoff. â€Å"Well. With this transfer, I kind of feel like he already – † I came to a screeching halt, once I realized what I'd been about to say. Roman was sitting opposite me in one of the worn leather chairs, and from the rabid look in his eyes, I thought he was going to reach over and shake me. â€Å"What?† he demanded. â€Å"What did you just think of?† â€Å"Andrea's sickness is terrible,† I said slowly. â€Å"A horrible, unfair thing that could hurt her whole family. But there's something else. As long as she's sick, as long as the whole family needs help . . . Seth has to stay with them. He can't go to Las Vegas with me.† â€Å"And there it is,† said Roman, wonder lighting his eyes. â€Å"That's what this transfer is about. To get you out of Seattle, away from Seth, and to make sure he can't follow.† â€Å"Eventually . . .† My stomach was twisting again, just like it always did when I thought of people being affected because of me. â€Å"Eventually he'd be able to. Andrea will either get better, or . . . or she won't.† â€Å"Yes, but how long?† demanded Roman. â€Å"How long will that take? Long enough for you to fall even more in love with your picture-perfect scenario – the one that they handcrafted for you? Long enough for you to move on with some other artsy introverted mortal? By the time he's free, it won't matter.† I was staring off at Roman but not really seeing him. Jerome had always been annoyed at my relationship with Seth, chastising me for being too attached to a mortal and letting it affect my job. Carter himself had said I was doing something that Hell didn't like. Was it possible this was it? That all of these forces were moving to keep Seth and me apart? â€Å"If Hell wants me away from Seth, then why not just forbid it?† I asked. â€Å"Jerome's given me a hard time before. Or why not just drop me somewhere . . . anywhere . . . that isn't here? Why should they care that it's a place I'll fall in love with?† â€Å"So that you'll forget him,† said Roman. â€Å"So that you won't look back. If they ordered you apart, a teenage forbidden romance complex would kick in like that.† He snapped his fingers. â€Å"You'd never stop pining for him. But this . . . this is more subtle. And effective.† â€Å"It is,† I agreed, still reeling. â€Å"Even after all of Jerome's criticism, I never thought . . . I never thought Hell would be this upset over me being with a human.† Roman had no answer for me but lifted his eyes to Carter. â€Å"You're being awfully quiet.† Carter shrugged, face neutral. â€Å"You two have plenty to say. No need for me to chime in.† â€Å"Are we right?† I asked the angel. â€Å"Of course we are,† said Roman. â€Å"You've always known Hell thought you were too distracted by Seth. This explains everything.† â€Å"Doesn't explain Erik,† I said. â€Å"Are you sure you have nothing to add?† asked Roman, gaze still on Carter. â€Å"I think we should get to the Mortensens' before it gets much later,† said Carter mildly. â€Å"I'm sure those girls have respectable bedtimes.† I stood up, knowing we'd get nothing else from him. â€Å"I have to drop Roman off at home first. Then we can go over there.† â€Å"How are you going to get me in to see her?† asked Carter. â€Å"It'll be a little weird bringing in a stranger to a sick woman's bedroom. Do you want me to go invisibly?† I'd been about to suggest that very thing when a new idea struck me. I gave Carter a once-over. â€Å"Have you ever wanted to put on a Santa suit?† â€Å"I have always wanted to do that,† said Carter gravely. Roman groaned. Once I explained the situation to Carter, however, he was totally on board. In fact, he told me not to worry about the costume arrangements and promised to meet me at Terry's in an hour, once I'd had a chance to drop Roman off. As soon as we were in the privacy of the parking lot, Carter vanished into thin air. â€Å"I hope he doesn't get an outfit from wherever it is he normally does his shopping,† I mused to Roman as we drove. â€Å"We don't want a hobo Santa. Although, if Ian's there, he'd probably approve and say we were breaking out of the mainstream's iron grip.† â€Å"Goddamned hipsters,† said Roman. He leaned his head against the car's window. â€Å"You're rolling the dice a little with Carter, but something tells me he won't mess this up, not for a bunch of girls with a sick mother. He's an angel, after all. He's got to earn his keep somehow.† â€Å"And thank goodness he doesn't have any hang-ups about Santa being at more than one place at the same time,† I joked. â€Å"No space?Ctime contradictions there.† Roman jerked up so fast, I nearly slammed on the brakes, thinking I was about to hit something. Half a second later, I realized whatever had startled him was in his own head. â€Å"Oh God,† he said. â€Å"What?† I asked, acting like him earlier. â€Å"What did you just think of?† â€Å"I think . . . I think I've figured this out.† There was awe in his voice. â€Å"What? This mystery we've been beating our heads against? We already figured it out.† Roman shook his head, wide-eyed. â€Å"No . . . oh, Jesus. Georgina, if I'm right . . . how do I even prove if I am?† He leaned back in dismay. â€Å"How do I get proof?† â€Å"Tell me what you're thinking,† I demanded. â€Å"No. Not yet. Just drop me off, and we'll talk when you're done. I have to figure this out.† There wasn't much that was more infuriating than that. I hated having the lure of a secret being dangled before me. I hated the â€Å"I'll tell you later† stance. But no matter how much I badgered him, he refused to say any more. With Carter on his way to Terry's, I couldn't linger long over Roman. I had to get to Lake Forest Park first. With much grumbling, I left Roman to his machinations, after first warning him that he'd better be ready to spill when I got home later. When I arrived at the Mortensens' soon thereafter, I was relieved to see that Seth was around and that all the girls were still awake. Recalling Carter's joke, I'd worried on my drive over that it might be past the littler ones' bedtime. Most of them were in their pajamas, but it was clear from their excited reaction to me that sleep was the farthest thing from their mind. Returning their hugs, I couldn't help but imagine their response when the real act showed up. Only Brandy stayed on the couch when the others hugged me. She still smiled and nodded in greeting, but there was a haunted, hollow look that hadn't been there yesterday during our outing. My heart ached for her. After letting her have her night out, they must have told her the truth today about her mom. I sat down on the other end of the couch. â€Å"Did you have fun last night?† â€Å"Yeah,† she said. â€Å"It was okay.† â€Å"Do you want to see the pictures?† asked Kendall excitedly. She nudged Brandy. â€Å"Show her!† Smiling at her sister's enthusiasm, Brandy produced her cell phone and gave it to me to scroll through. It was filled with the kinds of pictures girls her age like to take, group shots of her and her friends crowded in, some with silly faces. I was pleased to see that it looked like any other school dance. I hadn't been sure what to expect from a church. The shots of her in particular were stunning. Margaret had done a good job with the French twist. One picture showed Brandy grinning next to a cute boy with sandy blond hair. He looked like a smart surfer. I glanced over at her and raised a questioning eyebrow. She nodded. â€Å"Nice,† I said. A knock at the door brought everyone's excited chatter to a halt. Terry looked up in surprise from where he'd been leafing through a picture book with McKenna. â€Å"Who on earth is that?† He glanced around the room, as though doing a head count to make sure anyone who might possibly stop by was already here. I suppose with that many daughters, there was always the risk of losing track of one. Ian, Margaret, Seth, and I were also accounted for. There weren't too many others who would drop in unannounced. â€Å"I don't know,† I said cheerfully. â€Å"Seth, why don't you answer the door and see?† Seth immediately picked up on the tone in my voice. He shot me a questioning look but walked over to the door anyway. He turned the knob and leaped back in astonishment when Carter burst in through the door. Well, I was taking it on faith that it was Carter, based on our earlier conversation. Because really, the man who entered the living room looked nothing like the disreputable angel I knew. In fact, he didn't look like any of the Santas I knew. He looked better. There was magic in the way he moved his round frame. His red suit seemed to shimmer, and his rosy cheeks looked like he'd just come in from the North Pole, not a dreary Seattle winter. He had out-Santa'ed Santa. â€Å"Ho ho ho!† he bellowed, in a voice that filled the entire house. â€Å"Merry Christmas!† Dead silence and wide eyes met him for a few moments. Then Kendall and the twins began squealing in delight as they ran over to him. â€Å"Santa! Santa!† â€Å"What are you doing here?† demanded Kendall. â€Å"You aren't contractually obligated to come here until Christmas Eve.† â€Å"True,† he said in a booming voice that I still couldn't believe was Carter's. â€Å"But I have to find out what you want for Christmas, don't I?† This was met with more oohs and ahhs, and the twins urged him to sit down on the couch. Brandy scrambled out of the way, and Kendall immediately took her turn first, claiming Santa's lap. Margaret and Terry looked like they were going to burst into tears. Ian looked dumbfounded. Seth caught my arm and pulled me to the side. â€Å"Is that one of the guys you work with?† he whispered. I grinned. â€Å"In a manner of speaking. It's Carter.† Seth did a double take, wearing the amazement I'd felt earlier. â€Å"Really? But how . . . I mean . . . even his body . . .† â€Å"Mysterious ways,† I replied. Kendall was rattling off a list of board games and economics books. Nearby, the twins stood quivering with excitement, eager for their turn but too well bred to show bad manners in front of Santa. After a few subscriptions to prominent business magazines and newspapers, Terry gently cut Kendall off and suggested she let her sisters take a turn. Kendall agreed eagerly, but not before throwing her arms around Carter and thanking him. â€Å"Okay,† said Seth, drawing me near. â€Å"This was kind of amazing. Not that I should be surprised by anything you do anymore.† He kissed my forehead. â€Å"We definitely have to make the most out of your last month. If we're going to be apart for a long time, then we have to find a way to work around my schedule here.† I started to protest and tell him not to change his plans with the family because of me but stayed silent instead. Some desperate part of me wondered, what did any of it matter? If Hell wanted us apart, then we couldn't stand against that. â€Å"A long time† would become â€Å"never.† Maybe I really should be trying harder to maximize these last precious days. And yet if I did . . . would that make Hell work harder against us? Glancing up, I saw Morgan had now replaced McKenna on Carter's lap. They were having a discussion on the virtues of two different kinds of pony action figures. Morgan wasn't sure what kind she wanted. â€Å"Princess Ponies come in more colors,† she told him seriously. â€Å"True,† he said. â€Å"But some of the Power Prism Ponies are unicorns. And you can do more stuff with their hair.† Across the room, I saw Kayla curled up in a chair, watching Carter raptly but making no moves to talk to him. Slipping away from Seth, I walked over and knelt beside her. â€Å"Are you going to tell Santa what you want?† I asked in a very soft voice. It took Kayla several moments to tear her gaze from him. â€Å"He's not Santa,† she said. I was grateful she spoke as quietly as me. No one else heard. â€Å"Of course he is,† I said. â€Å"Who else would he be?† â€Å"He's not Santa.† She smiled and studied him again. â€Å"He's beautiful. He's more beautiful than anything.† No human could see an angel in his or her true form, unless the angel revealed it. Even then, a human would be destroyed by it. No, Kayla wasn't seeing Carter's true form, not exactly, but she was seeing something. Some piece of his true nature. I felt a moment of envy, wondering what it was she saw, what her senses allowed her that mine didn't. Whatever it was, I'd never know, but the enchanted look on her face made it clear it was wonderful. â€Å"Beautiful,† she repeated. She looked back at me. â€Å"Can he stop the Darkness?† â€Å"He'll try,† I said. Not the entire truth, but it would have to suffice. â€Å"Can you pretend he's Santa? Tell him what you want for Christmas?† She nodded solemnly, just as Morgan finished and Carter beckoned toward us. I walked Kayla over. I helped her onto his lap, and he glanced up at me with twinkling gray eyes. Those, if nothing else, were definitely Carter's. I stepped back and let them talk. Kayla continued staring adoringly at him, but no one except me knew what truly captivated her. She looked like any other child starstruck by Santa as she related her list, making no mention of his beauty or supernatural creatures prowling through her home at night. Leaving them to it, I quietly went upstairs and peered in Andrea's room. She was awake, reading a book. Dark circles hung under her eyes, and her face looked gaunter than last time. She nonetheless gave me a cheery smile. â€Å"Georgina,† she said. â€Å"I should've known you were the source of all that commotion.† I laughed. â€Å"Not all of that. A friend of mine is here, playing Santa for the girls. He's taking their Christmas orders right now.† Her expression softened, resembling the near tears I'd seen on the others' faces. â€Å"That's very sweet of him. And of you.† â€Å"Would you like to meet him before he leaves?† I asked. Andrea grimaced and absentmindedly patted her hair. â€Å"Yes, in theory . . . but Lord. I look terrible.† â€Å"Believe me,† I said. â€Å"He doesn't care.† When I went back downstairs, Kayla had finished, and Carter was trying to get a list out of Brandy who told him point-blank there was no way she was getting on his lap. â€Å"I think you have plenty to work on with their orders,† she told him good-naturedly. â€Å"And there's nothing you want?† he asked in his best echoing Santa voice. â€Å"Nothing you can give, I'm afraid,† she said. Her smile faltered. â€Å"But thanks.† Carter peered at her with that piercing look he sometimes used on me, the one that seemed to look right inside me. â€Å"No,† he agreed. â€Å"You're right. But I can give you all my prayers. And my hopes for the best.† Brandy stared at him, caught up in that gaze, and simply nodded. I don't think she knew what a powerful thing it was, for an angel to offer all of his prayers, but she most certainly sensed the sincerity and intention in his words. â€Å"Thanks,† she repeated. I caught hold of Carter's arm. â€Å"Their mom wants to meet you, Santa.† He stood up and followed me to the stairs. We passed Ian along the way, who watched us condescendingly. â€Å"Aren't you going to ask what I want?† Carter paused and looked him over from head to toe. â€Å"Sorry. My workshop doesn't do shabby chic.† Carter continued following me, despite Ian's protest that his style was â€Å"vintage† and that â€Å"shabby chic is for wannabes.† If Andrea felt insecure at the thought of meeting a stranger, she did a good job of hiding it. Indeed, when Carter walked into her bedroom, a little awe passed over her face, reminding me of Kayla. Andrea couldn't see what her daughter had, but I think she sensed some of Carter's grace. He came to a halt at the foot of her bed and took of his red hat in a genteel style, revealing rows of white curls. â€Å"This is my friend Carter,† I said, after first making sure no one small had followed us. â€Å"Mrs. Mortensen,† he said, dropping the showmanship. â€Å"It's very nice to meet you.† She smiled, and the joy in it made her beautiful, despite her weary state. â€Å"Nice to meet you too. Thank you for coming over and seeing the girls.† Their exchange was brief. He said something nice or funny about each girl, making Andrea's smile grow and grow. She in turn couldn't stop thanking him. When the pleasantries were finally done, I bid her farewell and stepped outside the room with Carter. I closed the door and was about to head downstairs when he caught my hand. â€Å"Did you see what you needed to?† I asked quietly. He nodded, face grave, looking more like Carter than ever. â€Å"You were right. Her condition was made worse – by a demon.† â€Å"Can you tell which demon?† I asked. I knew Jerome didn't have my best interests at heart, but it was a hard thing to think of him purposely harming those I cared about. â€Å"No,† said Carter. â€Å"But it probably wasn't Jerome. It's the kind of dirty work a minor demon would do. I can also tell you that her illness, originally, was natural. Nothing gave this to her.† â€Å"They just made her relapse when she was starting to get better.† To get to me. To keep Seth busy. Carter nodded. â€Å"Okay. Thank you for coming here tonight. I appreciate it.† I started to turn, and he again stopped me. â€Å"Georgina . . .† There was an odd, troubled note in his voice, one I didn't usually associate with confident, laconic Carter. â€Å"Georgina, I've told you over and over that there are rules about what I can and can't do, how much I can be involved. As a general rule, I'm really not supposed to do too much active interference in mortal lives.† â€Å"I understand,† I said. â€Å"But what happened to her . . .† He frowned slightly. â€Å"That was another breaking of the rules, something that shouldn't have happened. And in this situation, two wrongs can make a right.† I stared up at him in amazement. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"I'm saying that I can heal her. I can't completely eradicate the cancer, but I can take it back to the level it was at before she was harmed this week. I can undo what they did to her and clean the slate.† My jaw wanted to drop. â€Å"That . . . that would be amazing !† Carter still looked sad, and I couldn't figure out why. Did he feel like he was violating a rule, even if he was righting a wrong? â€Å"What's the matter?† He sighed. â€Å"What you and Roman said earlier . . . about Hell wanting to keep you and Seth apart? About how her condition keeps him here? Well . . . it's possible, this is exactly what they want. She got better, then they made her worse again. Then, if she gets better on her own – or because of me – then everyone gets hopeful again, until they come back and make her worse. I'm not saying they will come back. But that they could. A limbo state like this ensures Seth stays around. If I heal her now – and I will if you want – I might be perpetuating that.† There were two key things I pulled out of that. One was a very, very subtle acknowledgment that Roman and I were right. Oh, Carter wasn't saying for sure that Hell was after Seth and me, but he certainly wasn't denying it either. It was all part of that careful angel way of his. The other thing – the most startling one – was the implication that thwarting Hell meant keeping Andrea out of the limbo they wanted her in. Seth would always be tied to his family if she moved in and out of health. If she completely recovered, he would be free. And if she died . . . â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"It doesn't matter. Heal her. I don't care if he stays here forever, so long as it keeps her alive.† Carter nodded, and something shone in his eyes, something a little like pride . . . and sadness. â€Å"I thought you'd say that.† He knocked gently on Andrea's door before stepping back inside. â€Å"Sorry to bother you,† he said. â€Å"But I forgot to ask what you wanted for Christmas.† Andrea laughed, eventually degenerating into coughing. Reaching for a glass of water beside her bed, she finally recovered herself. â€Å"That's nice of you, but I'm too old.† â€Å"Never,† said Carter. â€Å"There must be something.† Andrea was still smiling, but it grew a little wistful. â€Å"There is something,† she said. I wondered if she'd ask to be cured, which was obviously what Brandy had wanted as well. â€Å"I want . . . I want my girls to be happy. No matter what happens to me, I want them looked after and cared for.† Carter-as-Santa studied her with that soul-searching gaze, and it was as though something passed between them, something I wasn't part of. At long last, he said, â€Å"I swear, it will be so.† He walked over to her bedside and extended his hand to her. A chill ran down my spine as he did. I swear. Those weren't words an angel could say lightly. I'd thought what he'd said earlier to Brandy was powerful, but it was nothing compared to this. Tentatively, Andrea took Carter's hand. I saw nothing blatant, no blinding flash of light or anything like that. I didn't even feel anything with my immortal senses. But Andrea's face transformed, growing radiant and dreamy, as though she were seeing and hearing the most beautiful things in the world. When Carter released her hand, she smiled at him and closed her eyes, drifting into sleep. â€Å"You healed her?† I asked, deciding not to mention the promise. â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"She won't remember much of my visit.† â€Å"Probably just as – â€Å" My cell phone rang, and I hurried out of the room to answer it before Andrea woke up. It was Roman. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"Hey, are you still with the Mortensens?† â€Å"Yeah, why?† â€Å"Because I think I've figured out how to prove my theory,† he said, voice stern and strained. â€Å"I still don't even know what your theory is,† I said. â€Å"You will soon enough. Ask Seth how he feels about hypnosis.†

Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting Experience Essay

I decided to attend a meeting based first (and almost solely) on convenience of the location. So I decided to attend a meeting right here in Batavia. The â€Å"Batavia 12 & 12† at the Holy Trinity Church down on 6th & Wood St. They hold meeting on Mondays around 11:00am. The main focus is to follow the 12 steps in order and work on them in a more traditional fashion. They do have the big book, but follow it more in a step by step focus. However karma decided to rear its head and make it a Closed Meeting, meaning that it is not as open to the public to sit on and they only allow members who are coming with a problem related to alcohol. So at first I was turned away but, I was lucky enough to know a person (local firefighter) who attends the church, and talked the host into letting me sit in on a meeting. So with the awkwardness of getting into the door out of the way, it was time for the meeting. Obviously due to the location itself, it came as no surprise that the meeting cons isted of roughly around 15-20 people, including the person in charge of the meeting and myself. All the chairs were set up like a classroom. I will be honest; the atmosphere of the meeting was actually much more mono-tone than I was lead to believe. Not that an A.A. meeting is always upbeat or depressing but, it seems like this was a mix between. Some were drinking their coffee, others just sitting and fiddling with their hands. One man however, seemed to be uncomfortable with me. I guessed it was because I was the newcomer to the meeting, and the youngest looking guy in the room. He kept staring at me and glancing at me from his chair at the front. Then the meeting got underway. Everyone started with a sort of, hello and how are you, type of thing. Everyone went around saying their name, how long they have been attending the meetings and, something interesting related to how they have been working on staying sober. One man briefly talked about how he almost broke his sober strike at a local party, another was a bit worried that with Halloween coming up, how he would be able to stay away from temptation. Most everyone see med to have a similar type of intro, which in retrospect would explain for the less than stellar atmosphere. Then the gentlemen who had been staring at me spoke up as they were beginning to discuss the step they were currently working on with their group, Step 6 if I recall. He wished to draw attention as to why I was not called on to speak up, and introduce myself like the rest. Although the host attempted to specify, I decided to take the opportunity to just speak up myself. I explained that I was not here as an alcoholic seeking to get help, but that I was a student at the University up the hill. Immediately he asked what business I had attending this closed meeting and I explained why I was here and my Major of study and the details of the assignment. Everyone else seemed to find the assignment interesting and was ok with my presence; one gentleman welcomed me to this â€Å"enriching† experience. However the aforementioned man obviously did not wish to be, as he put it, â€Å"spied on† by a student. (I say ‘student’ but his wording was a bit ruder) At this point I did not say much more, as everyone else started to try and calm the gentleman down and another pulled him aside, talked to him for a minute, then everyone sat back down and basically continued the meeting at normal. One thing of note, as they began discussing Step 6, o ne thing that was thrown in by some of the attendees, was the concept that God, should be able to help remove not just the defects of character towards oneself, but towards others. To me this meant that one should be able to act nice towards others despite any preconceived notions of flaws. At the end of the meeting, as I was walking out, the same gentleman who seemed to have issues with my presence stopped me as I was out the door and pulled me aside. At first I was prepping myself for some sort of tongue lashing but, instead was greeted with an apology, and he explained that he was having some â€Å"issues with his own sobriety†, that the â€Å"week was just off† for him. I told him I understand, wished him luck with his program and went on my merry way. Overall the meeting was what I expected, on the part of how they discussed God and his involvement of the Steps, and the general behavior of most of the group, as I have come to understand it at least. However, I think from this experience I have gained a crucial piece of information that, although I was aware of it, had no real first hand understanding of it; People fear judgment from those who are designed to judge them. A simple statement, and in many respects obvious but, what I mean is that people tend to fear judgment from those who should not judge them, and expect criticism and judgment rom those who are meant to. Anyone who has succumbed to alcoholism or drug use, knows what to expect from their immediate peers, but I was not expecting how much they would, or in the case of the gentleman I encountered, fear someone who is making a career of judging them. This  experience has helped me better understand why some many in recovery wish for anonymity, or try to get help from people they know, or are quick to stop recovery if they are feeling looked down upon. I can see more clearly now why we as helping professionals must do everything in our power to not put judgment or criticism on those who are in need of help.​

Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope Essays

Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope Essays Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope Essay Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope Essay NANYANG BUSINESS SCHOOL MBA 2012-2013 TRIMESTER 1 B6018 LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR Course Coordinator/Instructor: Assoc. Prof Lim Beng Chong Office: S3-B2B-63 / E-mail : [emailprotected] edu. sg Class Schedule: Wed evenings 6:15pm 9:30 pm (or Saturday mornings 9:00 am -12:00 noon for extra/postponed sessions) Class Venue: NTU @ one-north SR 502 COURSE DESCRIPTION A leader is a man (woman) who has the ability to get people to do what they don’t want to do, and like it – Harry S. Truman (1954) Few organization and management issues have attracted as much interest and research work as leadership. From politics to the business world to military institutions, people are always searching for that someone, whom they called LEADER, to lead and inspire the people to achieve success or to bring about change. So what is leadership? There are many definitions of leadership in organizations. Almost every author of books has one. Bass (1990), after reviewing the literature, suggests that there are at least 12 different approaches to the definition. What is your definition of leadership? What type of leader are you? How can you be a better leader to your work team or organization? I hope you will begin to think about these questions as you embark on your leadership journey with me in this course. Essentially, effective leaders are those who can mobilize others to get extraordinary or exceptional things done in their work teams or organizations. In today’s organizations, managers are not only responsible for the planning, organizing and controlling functions in their work teams or organizations; they have to accomplish these goals by leading their people. Hence, their success as managers is dependent on their ability to motivate and inspire others. In other words, being leaders of their people. From this perspective, success and failure as managers rest squarely on the ability of the managers to understand and manage people at work. Therefore, critical to leadership success is a good knowledge of managing people in organizations or a good grounding in the fundamentals of work behaviour in organizations. Given the above, this course will bring together the leadership literature and the insights on human nature at work from Organization Behaviour. The learning objectives are: Increase participants’ understanding of people at work as well as of organizations as complex systems by examining organizational behaviour at 3 levels: the individual (self and others), the work team and the larger organizational context. Increase participants’ understanding of leadership processes and how these are intertwined with an understanding of organizational behaviour. Develop participants’ repertoire of leadership capabilities through greater self-awareness a deeper understanding of the impact of their actions on others – and building leadership habits to better equip them to lead and take effective actions in today’s organizations. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 1 COURSE OUTLINE â€Å"The Law of Intentionality – Growth doesnâ €™t just happen† Life is now in session. Are you present? Maxwell (2012) The appendix provides a summary of the topics that would be covered for each session. The approach to all sessions will be grounded on participation-centered learning and the course design includes a range of participation-centered activities such as case studies, group exercises and assignments, peer conversations, debates, self-reflection activities and talks by invited guest speakers. [See attached Course Outline table] READINGS PRE-CLASS PREPARATION The study of leadership and work behaviour, given its multidisciplinary nature, entails a fair amount of reading in preparation for the classes. Pre-class readings are essential and participants are expected to prepare the case studies or exercises prior to discussion in class. Two books have been prescribed and each covers different topics and levels of analysis. The relevant chapters for reading from each textbook and additional readings will be given in the detailed course outline. RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS IVANCEVICH, J. M. , KONOPASKE, R. and MATTESON, M. T. (2011). Organizational Behavior and Management 9th edition. McGraw – Hill Internation. New York. ULRICH, D. (2010). Leadership in Asia. McGraw-Hill OPTIONAL REFERENCES JOHN MAXWELL (2007). The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership. Thomas Nelson DANIEL LEVI (2007). Group Dynamics for Teams. 2nd edition. Sage Publication ROB GOFFEE and GARETH JONES (2006). Why should anyone be led by you? Harvard Business Press PARTICIPATION ASSESSMENT Class Participation/Sharing. The course is designed to provide ample opportunities for participants to contribute to the class learning by participating actively in the various class activities and by offering proactively their own experiences and insights for the benefits of other participants. This will constitute an important component of participants’ continuous assessment (10% of the total marks). â€Å"The law of Contribution – growing yourself enables you to grow others† – Maxwell (2012). Class Quizzes. Weekly seminars may commence with a short quiz to assess participants’ basic understanding of the concepts and key terms in the prescribed readings for that week. The purpose is to help participants develop a habit of continuous learning- a critical leadership habit. Hopefully, by the end of the course, participants will have built up a repository of knowledge on leadership and organizational behavior. Again, this will constitute another component of the participants’ Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 2 continuous assessment (10% of the total marks). â€Å"the law of Consistency: motivation gets you going – Discipline keeps you growing. † Self Case Study (real life leadership/OB challenge). John McDonnell once said, â€Å"Every problem introduces a person to himself†. As a leader/manager, you are likely to encounter different types of work situations – both positive and negative. As leaders, we can make the mistake but not lose the lesson. Hence there is much to be learned from one’s experiences especially from less positive ones. The objective of this individual assignment is to provide an opportunity for participants to learn from their experience at work or working with others by overlaying the concepts and theories covered during the course on the real life challenges. (10% of the total marks). The law of Pain: good management of bad experiences leads to great growth. † Reflection PaperLeadership Journaling. As we embark on this learning journey together, I strongly encourage course participants keep a journal to note their reflections and thoughts throughout the course. These reflections and thoughts on leadership and organizational behaviour can form the basis for the reflection paper (less than 1000 words) to be submitte d at the end of the course (10% of the total marks). â€Å"The law of Reflection: learning to pause allows growth to catch up with you. Up to 4 x Mini-Group Assignments. Working in teams is part and parcel of organizational life. As leaders, we are expected to lead a team of diverse individuals to achieve a common goal. Many times, we are also members of other teams. Hence being able to lead and willing to be led is an integral part of being a manager. These mini-team assignments are designed to allow participants to work together to achieve a common goal. Hopefully, they can apply the science of leadership and OB in the process and hone their leadership skills (20% of the total marks). The law of influence: the true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less. † Final Examination. The examination will be an open-book exam of two and a half hours. Summary of Course Assessment and Requirements: B6018 Max pts Class Participation / Sharing 100 Class Qu izzes 100 Self Case Study (real life leadership/OB challenge) 100 Reflection paper/leadership journaling 100 Up to 4 x Mini-Group Assignments 100 Final examination (open-book) 100 Total 600 ? subject to changes by the instructor during the course % Final score 10 10 10 10 20 40 100 Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 3 ASSESSMENT PLAN Learning Goal Course Learning Objectives Assessment Method -class Quizzes -Self Case Study -Reflection Paper min-group assignments -Open-book examination -Self Case Study -Reflection Paper mini-group assignments -Open-book examination -Peer assessments of the skills demonstrated during Mini-group assignments Acquiring Applying Knowledge To gain an understanding of various concepts of leadership and organisational behaviour, such that students can use the â€Å"most useful† concepts for their professional lives. Assessment Rubrics* Written Assignment Rubric Critical/Creative Thinking To show critical/creative thinking in the evaluation of written ideas and case examples about leadership/OB. Written Assignment Rubric Teamwork and interpersonal skills To improve students’ skills for working with others. Peer Assessment Rubric Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 4 Written Assignment Rubric Criteria Acquiring knowledge and Critical Thinking Description This refers to the breadth and depth of understanding and analysis of the subject/content. Quality of answer assessed by well-considered and supported assertions, arguments, explanations, logic and inferences drawn from accurate interpretation and appropriate use/citation of literature. Range Poor Answer and/or literature cited do not address the question well. Answer is descriptive rather than analytical. Arguments are implicit rather than explicit. Logic and inferences are not clear. Average Answer and/or literature cited generally address the question. There is analysis and arguments but they are weak and broad. Arguments and logic are piece-meal and not integrated. Some issues are discussed adequately and others, less adequately. Minimum description of appropriate application of knowledge, experience and insights. Good Answer addresses the question directly. Literature is appropriately cited to support assertions and arguments. Writing is generally logical and integrated. Nonetheless, answer falls short of the highest standard in some ways, e. g. possible lines of assertion or argument may be missed or neglected. Well argued application of knowledge with clear and logical linkage to personal experience. Relevant insights and new ideas that have considered the practical constraints. Nonetheless, answer falls short of the highest standard in some ways, e. g. , lapses in one or more arguments, inadequate description. Excellent Answer addresses the question directly with breadth and depth. Literature is appropriately cited to support assertions and arguments. Writing is relevant, logical, and well integrated. Mark Awarded Application of knowledge and Creative thinking This refers to the appropriate application of knowledge and linkages to personal insights and experience. Creative insights and ideas are welcome when they are relevant and anchored to realistic/practical challenges. Inappropriate application of knowledge. Inadequate description of experience and insights. Little or no insights. Irrelevant or impractical ideas. Very well argued application of knowledge and boundaries, with clear and logical linkage to personal experience. Relevant insights and new ideas that have considered the practical constraints. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 5 Quality of Writing – clarity of expression Quality of Writing – Organization and Formatting This refers to how effectively arguments, ideas and thoughts put forth in the essay are communicated and comprises word usage, sentence usage, paragraphing and fluency of expression. This refers to the overall organization, integration and flow of the essay. Format following the submission guidelines and proper use of footnotes/endnotes; references and bibliography. Has difficulties expressing ideas. Expresses ideas fairly clearly and coherently. Expresses ideas fluently and eloquently. Expresses ideas very fluently and eloquently. Has some limitations organising the ideas and following submission guidelines. Satisfactorily organized. Integration and flow can be better. Some lapses in following submission guidelines. Well organized, integrated and flowing. Format follows guidelines almost completely. Very well organized, integrated and flowing. Format follows guidelines completely. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 6 Teamwork Interpersonal Skills Rubric (For Peer Rating) Learning Objective: The ability to work effectively with others in a group setting. Your ratings will not be revealed to your team members. Group Name: _______________________________________________ Name of Rater: ______________________________________________ Fill in your members’ names below and Rate on a scale of â€Å"1† to â€Å"6† for each trait Name1 Name2 Name3 Name4 Traits Roles and Responsibility Behaves professionally by upholding responsibility and assuming accountability for self and others in progressing towards the team’s goal. Communication Identifies appropriate mechanisms to coordinate and correspond with team members. Performance Scant Unclear about his/her own role; refuses to take a role in the group; insists to work individually and has limited coordination or communication with others. Evaluation: Scant 1 2 3 4 5 Scant Modes of communication are not appropriate, causing confusion and miscommunication among team members. Evaluation: Scant 1 2 3 4 Scant Does not recognize conflicts or is unwilling to resolve conflicts. Evaluation: Scant 1 Substantially Developed Always fulfills responsibilities; performs his/her role within the group with enthusiasm and demonstrates willingness to work collaboratively. Name5 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Modes of communication are appropriate, and maintains timely communication and correspondence with team members. 5 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Consistently resolves conflicts through facilitating open discussion and compromise. Conflict Resolution Resolves conflicts using a variety of approaches. Contributions Contributes positive input for the team; effectively utilizes one’s knowledge and expertise. 2 3 4 5 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Actively attends and participates in all activities and provides meaningful contribution in articulating ideas and opinions. Scant Largely disinterested in working in a group and refuses to participate; observes passively or is unwilling to share information with other team members. Evaluation: Scant 1 2 3 4 Scant Rarely listens to others and does not acknowledge the opinions that differ from his/her own. 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Engages in respectful relationships with all other members in the team. Embraces and accepts diverse points of view without prejudice. Relationship Maintains cooperative interaction with other team members regardless of individual /cultural differences and respects diverse perspectives. Evaluatio n: Scant 1 2 3 4 5 6 Substantially Developed Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 7 Self Case Study The law of Pain: Good management of bad experiences leads to great growth. † Maxwell (2012) The objective of this individual assignment is to provide an opportunity for participants to learn from their experience at work or working with others by overlaying the concepts and theories covered during the course on the real life challenges. There are two parts to this individual assignment. a. Part 1. To be handed in on Week 3 of the course. The participants will describe some of the challenges/issues/problems about people’s behaviors they encountered at work or when working with people. As a guide, try to limit to not more than 3 challenges. Part 1 should not be more than 1500 words. Try to identify for yourself what you want to learn from this course which will be useful in helping you understand and deal with people you work with in an effective manner. While the list of questions below may not exhaustive, I hope it will help you identify some of the potential issues/problems/challenges you may want to consider: o Think about a conflict which has arisen with one of your co-workers o Do you or your company have any major problems in motivating your or its work force? o How effective is your work group? o Describe your relationship with your boss – do you find it satisfying/dissatisfying? Are there problems in the way in which people use power and influence in your company? o How is change brought about in your company? b. Part 2. The complete assignment is to be handed in during Week 10. In total, this should be no more than 4000 words. The assignment should have the following sections a. Part 1 i. Title of the case ii. Description of the case (from week 3) iii. Why it happened the way it did? iv. What was done about it? b. Part 2 i. Your own analysis of the situation ii. What theories, concepts and frameworks covered in LOB course that may be useful here? iii. Based on your analysis and the theories, concepts and frameworks highlighted, how should the case be resolved? iv. What is your biggest takeaway from this case as a leader? Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 8 OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Late Submission of Assignments Penalties will be imposed for late submissions that are not supported with valid reasons. A penalty of 10 marks will be imposed for each day that the assignment is submitted late. For example, a mark of 65% would become 55% if the assignment is submitted a day late and 45% if it is two days late. In order to ensure equity, students are reminded to stay within the word limit set for each assignment. Academic Integrity Truth, Trust and Justice are at the core of NTU’s shared values. Good academic work includes to a very large extent, honesty and ethical behaviour. The quality of your work as a student is therefore subjected to adhering to principles of academic integrity and to the NTU Honor Code, a set of values shared by everyone in NTU. The content of assignments submitted for grading purposes must be that of your own. You should therefore be diligent in identifying and acknowledging the sources of information used in completing your work (full details must be provided in your reference section). If you feel that the use of the exact wordings from a reference source is the best way to present the ideas, then you must use quotation marks and acknowledge the source. If you choose to summarise the words from a reference, the source must also be acknowledged, as this is not an original piece of work from you. Submitted work must be your own effort and must not duplicate (in whole or in part) the work of others (including other students). As a student, the responsibility falls on you to be familiar with and to apply the principles of academic integrity in all the work you do at NTU. Hence you will need to proactively familiarise yourself with the strategies to avoid all forms of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, academic fraud, collusion, cheating, etc. Detailed information can be obtained via the academic integrity website at http://academicintegrity. ntu. edu. sg. Pleading ignorance or claiming that one is unaware of the requirements for maintaining academic integrity does not excuse academic dishonesty. As members of the NTU family, this is a responsibility that students and faculty staff alike must uphold at all times. Use of edveNTUre (Blackboard) The edveNTUre system (Blackboard) will be used to facilitate the posting of assignments, course materials and announcements, as well as for interacting with your coursemates and myself. Do ensure that your personal particulars especially your hand-phone number (if you have one) is updated in edveNTUre. This will allow you to receive urgent messages e. g. change in timing for lessons, via SMS from me. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 9 Overview of Class Schedule Date Mar 13 Mar 20 Mar 27 Mar 3 April 10 April 17 April 24 April 2 May 8 May 15 May 22 May Topic Overview of Organizational Behaviour and Leadership Process Know Yourself: You as a leader (I) Know Yourself: You as a leader (II) Understanding Others: Your Followers (I) Understanding Others: Your Followers (II) Dialogue with A Group Executive Chairman Ov erview of Team Effectiveness Leadership in Teams Overview of Organizational Effectiveness Leadership in Organizations Conversation with a Leadership Coach Conclusion: Leadership in An Age of Uncertainty Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 10

WRACK TECHNIQUES Essay Example

WRACK TECHNIQUES Essay Example WRACK TECHNIQUES Essay WRACK TECHNIQUES Essay Maps were a symbol of power. Because the secrecy meant they got lost it also shows the reader that discoveries can be lost. In the shifting patterns of time This links to the reoccurring images of SHIFTING SANDS. And WRACK/WRECK/ SHIP. David and Kurt are linked by their mutual quest to discover/ rediscover the shipwreck. Their problems are symbolized by the shifting sands. The image of footprints both as a heading and within narratives suggests evidence -? someone has been there but couples with images of sand show evidence can be lost like the ship/wreck. Again history is inconclusive. USE OF NARRATIVES. There are 3 stories all interwoven Davits search, his current research. This collides with Curts story about his search. The writer uses Curts voice but it represents a problem for the reader as Kurt is articulate when we are told he is in a maze and rambles. We need to decide what is true and accurate. His monologues are reflective narratives and the events took place at least 50 years ago. How true would be the memory of a drug addict We also have to rely on his version of events. Both share similarities in they are emotionally damaged (Tania and Veronica) so the reader discovers and speculates about the nature of relationships. The second story is Davits quest for both the ship and for some contentment in his personal life. His Story is revealed by 3rd person narration . David is tormented by his wifes death and is struggling to find love and friendship with Claire.. The description oftener relationship draws on the language of navigation and discovery. She is seen as undiscovered country p. 2 and David is a battered vessel. The narrator suggests there is no map for love Trust in mass is like trust in love little is what it seems. Both stories suggest on a personal level that the mind is uncharted and difficult to understand. We see Claire working at self-discovery. David too has to navigate through his emotions; his grief to find some middle ground with Claire. The third story is about the age of discovery. This involves comments about maps along with examples some true some not of explorers. All serve to suggest science is not exact and the process of discovery holds many angers. The historical narrative uses a factual and formal language to contrast the richer more poetic language of the 3rd person narrator. All three stories are linked by the theme of discovery and the metaphors and symbols of sand, ghosts and the idea that there are no exact sciences in the process of discovery both concrete and personal. THE SETTINGS Setting and weather e. G. Rain, wind are an important technique in the novel shadowing the emotional state of characters. Curts story is set against the backdrop of World War 2 and fall of Singapore. The chaos of their world was eke the chaos in their personal life. Ironically it was only in midst of this chaos and destruction that Veronica can finally admit her love. It has been suggested Singapore was symbolic because it heralded the fall of the British Empire which in the historical narratives shows white men triumph over indigenous people and rewrite their history and geography. THE BEACH SHACK. Was a perfect location for the isolation Kurt craved for his escape from the world. The dilapidated state of the shack represents the physical and moral decay of Kurt. Claire calls it a sinkhole THE SAND DUNES AND SEA. Symbolism the mysterious and uncertain nature of the past history. The sand and sea suggest shift and change the remote nature of the dunes reinforce the characters isolation and loneliness. The landscape is both beautiful and dangerous as shown by the dead body and the suggestions of landmines during the war years. The very suggestion of a ship wreck shows the dangers present then and now. The sea used for so many journeys can bring wealth, prosperity but can also destroy. Claire takes joy in swimming in the sea. THE UNIVERSITY allows the writer to develop his ideas about the tauter and process of academic discovery and coupled with the historical narratives provides many of the reasons why people embark on discoveries.