A521.4.3RB_StevensEric

When I look at the messages learned in this section of the module I can see the benefit of using body language in delivering a message which can incorporate hidden messages. This message can be planted into the audience without the audience even knowing that they are being subjected to them. The sub conscious can catch these messages and transfer the intended messages to listener.

The message and the manner that the presenter is trying to convey is just as important as the words themselves. The listener can understand and process only a certain amount of verbal data and this can be increased by the presenter relying on non-verbal communication with the audience.

I have used this type of delivery as an academy instructor with basic law enforcement recruits. I convey stories of past experiences to convey the message of the meaning of a topic that I am trying to get these recruits to learn. In this portion of the lesson plan I use movement body gestures and voice tone to convey the message. I can say based upon years of training these recruits I have been told that my style of teaching which reflects these styles or techniques that were presented in these chapters were very effective training tools. These tools can convey the intended message without the audience ever realizing that they are learning a new thought or skill.

A521.3.4.RB_StevensEric

It was the late summer of 1995 and I had just completed my tour of active duty army and I was honorably discharged and now a member of the Florida Army National Guard. I was 21 years old and looking for a job to support my wife and newborn son. I interviewed with the St. Johns County Road and Bridge Department as an entry level maintenance worker. I received the news that I was hired and this was my first full time civilian job making $6.85 an hour.

I was excited about the job since now I can support my family and move on with my future. I thought I had made a good choice in taking this job since I was raised to be responsible for my family and to take care of all the family’s financial needs. I quickly learned that making $350.00 every two weeks was not cutting it and I was falling further and further behind on the bills. I than made the decision that I was not going to settle for this entry level position and I was going to move up through the ranks at this job and make more money and gain more responsibility. I became the model employee always eager to learn new trades and develop my skills. I would go to all the supervisors and ask to be placed with the most knowledgeable employees so I could be like a sponge and learn skills needed to succeed.

I was asked one day by one of the supervisors why I was so eager to learn so quickly and my response was blunt and straight to the point. I said to them so I too can become a supervisor in a very short time. I think that they found this troubling and a threat to their own careers. I soon found myself on menial tasks that required only physical labor and no problem solving skills. Instead of verbally protesting this change in attitude toward me I just kept my head up and continued to work hard.

In the summer of 1996 I was set to attend two weeks of annual training with my National Guard unit. The day before I was leaving for this training I received word that I was being fired from this job due to lack of ambition, absence during probation, and lacking the skills needed to perform this job function. I was horrified that the management of this organization had turned against me which I had given 100% of my dedication too.

I filed a complaint with the United States Labor Division on the basis that they had discriminated against me based upon my service as a National Guardsman due to one of the circumstances of my termination. During this year of service I was absent two days for military duty, and all my evaluations were superior. The end result was I was the first case in Florida under the 1994 bill that protected Guardsman from termination based upon absence during military service. I won this decision and was placed back in the organization with all back pay, seniority, and vacation time after a year of being out of the job.

I learned that in some organizations you have to be careful not to appear to be overzealous and be careful in making some of the management feel threatened about their own job security. This changed my way of how I approached promotional opportunities and to keep my intentions to myself based on the circumstances of the environment. I have never lost that same desire to succeed but have reevaluated the method that I attain these goals that I have set for myself.   

A521.2.3.RB_StevensEric

Adichie in her story gives a powerful account of not only her childhood in Nigeria but also the lessons and biasness that she faced. She did an outstanding job in my opinion in tying the springboard story to what she was trying to accomplish. I liked how she set the entire presentation up by quickly acknowledging her own faults as a child growing up in a middle class family in Nigeria.

She explained how the fact that as a child she did not distinguish at first between white or black, rich or poor as a child until her parents told her about these differences. Once told of these differences she began to look at other people in a different manner. She now understood from her parents the difference between rich and poor. I use the term rich and poor in this blog as a generic reference encompassing the middle class. The portion

It seemed ironic when she explained that when she came to the United States she felt the immediate bias behavior of her roommate thinking she was a poor African student. Adichie says that she then began to understand the true nature of her thought process and how she indeed discriminate against other people based solely on their economic status. Now she was faced with an entirely different type of discrimination based upon as she says the “chocolate” colored skin. She also brought up a different by unique point how the world classifies Africa as a country but not a continent.

I do like the reference to the imagination aspect to capture the audience’s attention and try to have them put images into their own minds. She was able to find the example which in this story was accurate in details of past examples in which she faced challenges. She did however have some issues being lively. This did not retract the notion that she was entertaining. I did notice that she stood behind the podium during the entire presentation and did not use any visual aids.

 The module has a lot of material that can be used in adequately telling a springboard story. This is a great example how all or most of these examples can create an effective presentation. Adichie demonstrated the effect this can have an audience and how they can relate to the presenter.

A521.1.4.RB_StevensEric

Describe a common story in your organization and discuss its implications on the organization. Does this story promote the goals and ideals of the organization? Does it help describe "who we are and what we stand for?" What is the story's impact on the culture of the organization?

The organization that I work for has a motto of “Riding for the Brand”. I at first was unsure what exactly this term meant and what was the message the Sheriff was trying to convey to the employees of the organization.  I asked a supervisor one what exactly does this mean and how does it affect me? The reply that I got was that the Sheriff was trying to promote his core values on how the employee is supposed to act. 

As a public servant the Sheriff said that we are to be held to a higher standard of excellence since we were charged with the safety and security to the citizens of Duval County. I asked what he thought the core values meant to him so I could replicate this effort in my own ideals. The supervisor said that the Sheriff viewed the core values as pillars holding up a structure. When one of this pillars fails than the whole structure seems to topple down.  The supervisor asked what I thought the six pillars of the core values meant when one of them were compromised. I thought upon this and found that my definition was very similar to his. I thought that without one pillar holding up the organization the entire structure becomes compromised and unsteady.

 The Sheriff’s “Riding for the Brand” analogy can be viewed in different forms by the individual employee. The title of Deputy Sheriff or Police Office is a label or brand that can be associated with this. The Office of the Sheriff Jacksonville Police which is our formal name or commonly referred to as The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is a brand name. This is what I believe the Sheriff was implying as a whole in the term riding for the brand. The Sheriff is saying that you should be proud of being a law enforcement officer and you are representing the agency.  

  

I think that this story does represent who we are and what we stand for. This is a good analogy of the law enforcement profession and the agency as a whole. The story does promote the goals of the organization and the path that is promoted to take. The impact of this story is one to develop pride within the employees of the organization.

A520.9.5.RB_StevensEric

• Are you comfortable developing sources of personal influence to gain power?

I feel comfortable using personal influence to gain power is okay in some instances. I think this gives a degree of automatic respect of knowledge and respect in some situations. I do however feel that it is very important not to over use this influence in the decision making process of people’s future without gaining the advice or suggestions of the people as a whole. The employees or subordinates should have some say in the decision making process and a balance in respecting their suggestions should be taken into consideration but this should not be the deciding factor. What this is saying if the subordinates see that all they have to do is speak out against your decision and the environment of the leader/manager can be influenced can be undermined by not respecting the leaders decision.

• Do you embody the characteristics of likeable people depicted in Table 5.4 (p. 290)?

I would say that I do employ some of these characteristics of the likeable person. I have always been the type of leader to take into account the feelings of the subordinates but I have been careful not to allow this to totally rule my decision making. I feel that I like to have the advice of my subordinates and show them that they do have a say in some of the decisions that I have made. I am very careful not to allow this to dictate my response to certain situations when the decision should be made alone. I have always been open to explaining the reason I have made the decision and not come back with the simple response “because I said so”. I have learned this can damage the open lines of communication that I have worked on to have with my subordinates.

• Are you able to use influence both up and down your organization considering the information in Table 5.5 (p. 293)

I have been able to use these examples in my decision making by first gaining the respect of my subordinates by showing them that I am reliable and competent in my knowledge of the work asked of the employees. I have shown my subordinates that I have an approachable attitude and if there are issues that arise then I can help these employees and show them that I believe they can approach me if a problem is found. I feel that being dependable and not going back on my word to my subordinates is very important and gives the leader legitimacy to the decision made by me.

MSLD520.7.3.RB_StevensEric

I think that it is very important in your career to have both a coach and a mentor in your professional career. The reason for having a coach first and then a mentor second is very important to me. The coach status at first is important because this is the stage where the new employee needs someone to help with their confidence. Once this confidence is instilled in the employee the new employee can then focus on the skills necessary to become a productive employee.

I can say that I have been in my career for over 10 years now but I still remember my first day on the job. When I entered my profession I thought I had a basic understanding on how to do my job. My job required me to attend months of training to even get the chance to practice what I have learned.

I entered the profession and joined a field training program known as FTO in the law enforcement. during this phase of my career I quickly learned that I had more than one coach, I had several coaches during this phase showing me the basics of the profession. These coaches were able to help me focus on the basics and I learned to take a little from each of these coaches. I found something that one coach did and I took this and put it in what I like to call my tool shed so I can use it later. I did this from each of the other coaches and used this at a later time.

I then learned that once I achieved a basic understanding of the job I found a senior officer or employee who took the time to walk me through problems that I have may not have faced before and they showed me how to handle the issue. The mentor helped me become confident in the decisions that I have made on calls. The mentor helped develop me into the confident and productive employee that I am today. I can credit my mentor with helping me become a better supervisor I am today by showing me patience that is needed to be a successful supervisor. I can say that I have learned ti slow my thinking down and analyze all different options in a situation that I am facing, so in closing having a coach and mentor in your profession is very important to a successful career.