Day: August 7, 2020

Essay: Examining Communication as a function of team dynamics 

Objective: Examine team communication dynamics and performance to identify and develop people who have the potential to make significant contributions to a team or organization.

Introduction: This lesson focuses on how individuals on a team can be developed to improve the teams effectiveness. It also gives you an overview of how leaders can help diagnose and develop their teams for higher levels of performance.

Deliverables: The essay for this lesson is required to be a minimum of 3 pages which clearly demonstrate your understanding of the activity. Essays should have a clear introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion, written in APA format (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/).   

Activity Details       
       
Step 1:  Read the following questions, and use what you have learned about Team Dynamics to address each of the items below, and summarize your responses in a 3-4-page paper (APA formatting required):       

You have been managing a small group on a project for several months. For some reason, the project seems to be at a halt. Your project sponsor wants to know what is happening. What are the possible reasons for your team being in trouble?  Include a description of symptoms of a team in trouble, and an explanation of common team problems.

How are you going to resolve the problems?  Provide a solution that includes a description of tools to resolve and prevent stalled team problems.

References
Viswanathan, R. (2010). Fundamentals of Communication. From Business Communication.

Fapohunda, T (2013). Towards Effective Team Building in the Workplace, International Journal of Education and Research, 1(4), pp. 1-12. 

Problem Complexity and Problem Solving in the 21st Century from Marquardt, M., & Yeo, R., Understanding problem solving through action learning strategy (pp. 9-29).

Action Learning and Breakthrough Problem-Solving from Marquardt, M., & Yeo, R., Understanding and resolving team dynamics through action learning teams (pp. 30-58).

Use APA 6th edition style including 12pt font, Times New Roman, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, page numbers. Each paper will have7 references from the original textbook (at least 4) and other course material or approved academic resources (at least 2).
Be sure to structure your paper as follows:
A title page (1 page),
Reference page (1 page) and
4 pages of analysis and reflection = 6 page paper.
Each paper will use a personal example of a conflict or difficult conversation or negotiation that you participated in or observed. The narrative of the example is applied to course content to illustrate your analysis for what worked or could be done differently to achieve a better outcome in the future.

Using the text, Getting to Yes, analyze a negotiation you have personally experienced in the last 12-18 months. Include the following in your analysis:

Introduction
What are principled negotiations?
What are the characteristics of a negotiation that is both efficient and effective?
Describe your negotiation.
Use the framework of the 4 keys of principled negotiation (as outlined in the textbook).
Analyze your example of a negotiation. Answer the following questions in your paper:
o How could you separate people from the problem?
o What are the interests v. positions in this negotiation?
o What options for mutual gain are available?
o What are objective criteria that could be used in this negotiation?
Does your MVS give you any insights as to patterns you have when it comes to handling negotiations?
What would you do differently in the future to produce a better negotiation?

Project 2: Business Correspondence
Read these instructions carefully.  There is no peer review for this project.  Your final Project 2 is due at the end of this week.

Overview
For this project, you will write four documents: three correspondence messages in response to the following scenarios and a cover memo to your instructor in which you outline the business writing strategies you employed as you composed your messages.

A scenario overview and four options are provided below.  Select any three of the options you prefer. The choices are:

a complaint letter from a customer to a construction firm;
an email from a customer service representative to his or her manager;
a memo from that manager to all employees within the firm explaining the specifics of company policy;
a letter from customer service responding to the customers complaints.
Note:  Be sure to follow the scenarios, but feel free to make up details where needed.

Scenario Overview
Denison Construction and Renovations is a thriving construction firm with offices in New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada. The company specializes in high end projects and therefore employs master craftspeople to build custom cabinets, bathrooms, kitchens, and other projects to the precise specifications of very demanding clients. All Denison craftspeople have a minimum of five years of industry experience and come highly recommended from either previous clients or employers (or both).

In recent months, a team of workers from Denison has been building a 2,000 square foot indoor/outdoor addition (including an indoor sun room and an attached, outdoor patio) at the home of Mr. Kenneth and Mrs. Karen Hatcher, 353 Park Avenue, Kingland, Arizona. While the Hatchers are quite pleased with the work that the Denison team has been provided (both in terms of its quality and the rapid pace of its advancement), the family is less than fully pleased with the decorum of Denison workers. In particular, Mr. Hatcher is upset that the craftspeople tend not to wear shirts while completing many of their outdoor tasks.

Given that the Hatchers live in an exclusive, gated community, they are concerned that the immodesty of Denison workers may be reflecting negatively upon them. Given that the weather in Arizona is extremely hot, the Hatchers understand why the workers may choose such apparel, but they would strongly prefer that the craftspeople choose more suitable attire (either sleeveless t-shirts or tank-tops would be fine with you). The Hatchers also understand that some construction workers (as do many adults) use obscene language, but they have overheard a troubling amount of this language. Though they are hardly prudish, the Hatchers are worried that these obscenities can be heard by the children who play outside on their quiet, residential street.

Details
The Cover Memo
In this memo to your instructor, explicitly note which three of the correspondence options you have chosen to write. Explain the strategic choices that you made while composing your messageswhich details did you decide to include, which did you decide not to include, and so forthand describe the rationale for these decisions (i.e., explain why you did these things). Also note any challenges that you faced while writing, or explain why any of your strategic decisions were particularly difficult to reach.

The Correspondence Options (complete three out of four)
Option 1: Write a complaint letter from Kenneth or Karen Hatcher (whichever persona you prefer) to Delilah Flores, a customer service representative at Denison.

You are quite happy with the quality of the work being conducted and that you have no intention of cancelling your contract with Denison at this time. However, you want Denison workers dress more appropriately and speak more politely, given the nature of your residential community. You are uncertain whether or not Denison has corporate policies on these matters, and you do not particularly care if they do. In your mind, the customer is always right, and these Denison employees should do whatever can be reasonably asked of them to comply with your demands.

Option 2: Write an email from Delilah Flores to Patrick Gordon, Manager of Customer Service at the Denison site in Kingland.

You (this time you are Delilah Flores) and Mr. Gordon have already spoken about the problems at the Hatcher property so you need not explain the entire situation.  You need information from Mr. Gordon in order to act on this issue and respond to the Hatchers.

You understand why the Hatchers could have these objections about dress and language, and you’re not sure whether the company has a dress-code for employees at construction sites (unlike office workers, who must comply to a fairly strict dress code), nor do you know whether an official policy on language use exists. You need to know if the company has official policies on these issues and what, if any, action you should take if they exist (should customer service send out reminders to site managers to avoid future complaints?). You have a scanned copy of the Hatchers’ letter.  Would a copy help Mr. Gordon?

Option 3: Compose an inter-office memo from Patrick Gordon to all construction site managers who are employed at the Denison branch in Kingland.

You (now you are Patrick Gordon) want to tell them that, because of a recent complaint, you are hoping to clarify a few company policies. Policy 137k concerns professional attire at the workplace and states (you are paraphrasing here) that employees must wear shirts (sleeveless t-shirts and tank tops also count) at all times. This policy has not been strictly enforced in the past, but you are hoping that workers will comply in the future.

Also note that Policy 162g prohibits profanity or abusive language. The statement itself states, Denison Construction prohibits the use of vulgar, profane, insulting, obscene, derogatory, or offensive language of a vile nature toward the employer, the employer’s representatives, or any customers when such remarks are unjustified under the circumstances, and not within the normal exchange and customary good-natured banter between the employer or the employer’s representative and the employee. In short, you dont necessarily want to get rid of all cursing (you are not the profanity police), but you need employers to be mindful of the situations in which they operate.  You imagine that this news may not be entirely welcome, but you know that your site managers and employees are hardworking and professional.

Option 4: Compose a letter of apology from Delilah Flores to Kenneth and Karen Hatcher.

You (Delilah again) need to let the Hatchers know that you have received their complaint and that your company plans to honor their request (in other words, your employees will start dressing appropriately and stop cursing). The Hatchers should also know that your manager, Patrick Gordon, has circulated a memo to all construction site managers reminding them of company policies in reference to these two points. You know that companies are often glad that customers bring them their concerns so that they have a chance to correct the problem and make the customer happy.  You also know that your company (Denison) takes seriously its responsibility to provide excellent customer service.

Evaluation Criteria
Adaptation and Organization.  The responses demonstrate an understanding and effective application of genre conventions for everyday business communication.  Organizational strategies are clear, effective and appropriate.  The writer understands organizational strategies and is able to adapt them to specific rhetorical situations. 

Content.  The writer includes specific, focused requests, explanations, goodwill, and/or instructions with appropriate use of buffer or context, when needed. Evidence to support requests or claims is clear, accessible and written from the readers perspective.

Style, Tone and Design.  The messages are correct and concise.  Tone is appropriate to the rhetorical situation but is in all ways professional, approachable, conversational and tailored to the specific audience.  Design conventions are followed accurately.

Project 2: Business Correspondence
Read these instructions carefully.  There is no peer review for this project.  Your final Project 2 is due at the end of this week.

Overview
For this project, you will write four documents: three correspondence messages in response to the following scenarios and a cover memo to your instructor in which you outline the business writing strategies you employed as you composed your messages.

A scenario overview and four options are provided below.  Select any three of the options you prefer. The choices are:

a complaint letter from a customer to a construction firm;
an email from a customer service representative to his or her manager;
a memo from that manager to all employees within the firm explaining the specifics of company policy;
a letter from customer service responding to the customers complaints.
Note:  Be sure to follow the scenarios, but feel free to make up details where needed.

Scenario Overview
Denison Construction and Renovations is a thriving construction firm with offices in New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada. The company specializes in high end projects and therefore employs master craftspeople to build custom cabinets, bathrooms, kitchens, and other projects to the precise specifications of very demanding clients. All Denison craftspeople have a minimum of five years of industry experience and come highly recommended from either previous clients or employers (or both).

In recent months, a team of workers from Denison has been building a 2,000 square foot indoor/outdoor addition (including an indoor sun room and an attached, outdoor patio) at the home of Mr. Kenneth and Mrs. Karen Hatcher, 353 Park Avenue, Kingland, Arizona. While the Hatchers are quite pleased with the work that the Denison team has been provided (both in terms of its quality and the rapid pace of its advancement), the family is less than fully pleased with the decorum of Denison workers. In particular, Mr. Hatcher is upset that the craftspeople tend not to wear shirts while completing many of their outdoor tasks.

Given that the Hatchers live in an exclusive, gated community, they are concerned that the immodesty of Denison workers may be reflecting negatively upon them. Given that the weather in Arizona is extremely hot, the Hatchers understand why the workers may choose such apparel, but they would strongly prefer that the craftspeople choose more suitable attire (either sleeveless t-shirts or tank-tops would be fine with you). The Hatchers also understand that some construction workers (as do many adults) use obscene language, but they have overheard a troubling amount of this language. Though they are hardly prudish, the Hatchers are worried that these obscenities can be heard by the children who play outside on their quiet, residential street.

Details
The Cover Memo
In this memo to your instructor, explicitly note which three of the correspondence options you have chosen to write. Explain the strategic choices that you made while composing your messageswhich details did you decide to include, which did you decide not to include, and so forthand describe the rationale for these decisions (i.e., explain why you did these things). Also note any challenges that you faced while writing, or explain why any of your strategic decisions were particularly difficult to reach.

The Correspondence Options (complete three out of four)
Option 1: Write a complaint letter from Kenneth or Karen Hatcher (whichever persona you prefer) to Delilah Flores, a customer service representative at Denison.

You are quite happy with the quality of the work being conducted and that you have no intention of cancelling your contract with Denison at this time. However, you want Denison workers dress more appropriately and speak more politely, given the nature of your residential community. You are uncertain whether or not Denison has corporate policies on these matters, and you do not particularly care if they do. In your mind, the customer is always right, and these Denison employees should do whatever can be reasonably asked of them to comply with your demands.

Option 2: Write an email from Delilah Flores to Patrick Gordon, Manager of Customer Service at the Denison site in Kingland.

You (this time you are Delilah Flores) and Mr. Gordon have already spoken about the problems at the Hatcher property so you need not explain the entire situation.  You need information from Mr. Gordon in order to act on this issue and respond to the Hatchers.

You understand why the Hatchers could have these objections about dress and language, and you’re not sure whether the company has a dress-code for employees at construction sites (unlike office workers, who must comply to a fairly strict dress code), nor do you know whether an official policy on language use exists. You need to know if the company has official policies on these issues and what, if any, action you should take if they exist (should customer service send out reminders to site managers to avoid future complaints?). You have a scanned copy of the Hatchers’ letter.  Would a copy help Mr. Gordon?

Option 3: Compose an inter-office memo from Patrick Gordon to all construction site managers who are employed at the Denison branch in Kingland.

You (now you are Patrick Gordon) want to tell them that, because of a recent complaint, you are hoping to clarify a few company policies. Policy 137k concerns professional attire at the workplace and states (you are paraphrasing here) that employees must wear shirts (sleeveless t-shirts and tank tops also count) at all times. This policy has not been strictly enforced in the past, but you are hoping that workers will comply in the future.

Also note that Policy 162g prohibits profanity or abusive language. The statement itself states, Denison Construction prohibits the use of vulgar, profane, insulting, obscene, derogatory, or offensive language of a vile nature toward the employer, the employer’s representatives, or any customers when such remarks are unjustified under the circumstances, and not within the normal exchange and customary good-natured banter between the employer or the employer’s representative and the employee. In short, you dont necessarily want to get rid of all cursing (you are not the profanity police), but you need employers to be mindful of the situations in which they operate.  You imagine that this news may not be entirely welcome, but you know that your site managers and employees are hardworking and professional.

Option 4: Compose a letter of apology from Delilah Flores to Kenneth and Karen Hatcher.

You (Delilah again) need to let the Hatchers know that you have received their complaint and that your company plans to honor their request (in other words, your employees will start dressing appropriately and stop cursing). The Hatchers should also know that your manager, Patrick Gordon, has circulated a memo to all construction site managers reminding them of company policies in reference to these two points. You know that companies are often glad that customers bring them their concerns so that they have a chance to correct the problem and make the customer happy.  You also know that your company (Denison) takes seriously its responsibility to provide excellent customer service.

Evaluation Criteria
Adaptation and Organization.  The responses demonstrate an understanding and effective application of genre conventions for everyday business communication.  Organizational strategies are clear, effective and appropriate.  The writer understands organizational strategies and is able to adapt them to specific rhetorical situations. 

Content.  The writer includes specific, focused requests, explanations, goodwill, and/or instructions with appropriate use of buffer or context, when needed. Evidence to support requests or claims is clear, accessible and written from the readers perspective.

Style, Tone and Design.  The messages are correct and concise.  Tone is appropriate to the rhetorical situation but is in all ways professional, approachable, conversational and tailored to the specific audience.  Design conventions are followed accurately.

Essay

Objective: Explore attributes of the whole-person paradigm approach model to leading and managing in the workplace.

Introduction: You will identify and describe the parts of the whole-person paradigm, describe the whole-person paradigm and its impact on organizational and team effectiveness, examine leadership approaches and applications of the whole-person paradigm models in the workplace, and compare and contrast leadership and management functions in context of the knowledge worker era trends in the workplace.

Deliverables: The essay for this lesson is required to be a minimum of 975 words (to exclude title and reference pages) which clearly demonstrate your understanding of the activity. Essays should have a clear introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion, written in APA format.

Activity Details:

Step 1: Read the following questions, and use what you have learned about the Whole-Person in the Workplace to address each of the items below, and summarize your responses in a paper that is a minimum of 975 words (to exclude title and reference pages).  APA formatting required:

Analyze the dilemmas in assessing ethical leadership when a leader needs to create enthusiasm for a risky strategy or project.

Analyze the dilemmas in assessing ethical leadership when a leader needs to 2) induce followers to change their underlying beliefs and values to accomplish organizational goals.

Analyze the dilemmas in assessing ethical leadership when a leader needs to influence decisions that will benefit some people at the expense of others.

References

Covey, S. R. (2006, Summer). Leading in the Knowledge Worker Age. Leader to Leader, 41, pp. 11-15.
Describes how changing a leadership paradigm makes quantum improvements in managerial efficiency and effectiveness

MacGregor, S.P., &Semler, K. (2012). Towards whole person learning through sustainable executive performance. Journal of Management Development, 31 (3), pp. 231-242.
Improving whole-person learning by changing how executives manage subordinates

Nelson, W., Taylor, E., & Walsh, T., (2014). Building an Ethical Organizational Culture. The Health Care Manager, 33(2), 158-164.

The paper should be thoroughly researched and thought through. The paper should clearly spell the topic, hypothesis/research question, methods and a literature review discussing issues, challenges and opportunities around the topic based on annotations of 3 scholarly journal articles.

The paper should be 1500 words (excluding references),12 point font, double spaced, proofread, and original. The paper should include a cover page with the title and the name of the student. Use APA Style (American Psychological Association) for your citations and references.

Please read the word document I uploaded.

Topics to include for Research Paper #1

Overview of Logistics and Supply Chain
What is the behavior of the supply chain of the product you have selected?
Explain importance of technology
Discussion of key topics in demand planning and forecasting
Include types of forecasting methods and describe a method that you will use for your product
Product line management from pre-design to pre-production
Discuss main steps
Research target demographic, research trends impacting your product, discuss preliminary components of your product (color, materials, ingredients, etc)