The Apostle Paul and his Pastoral Epistles Essay - 1

The Apostle Paul and his Pastoral Epistles - Essay Example Though Titus is not mentioned in the book of acts, he and Timothy were Paul’s Spiritual children who he was mentoring for Pastoral ministry, with Titus being mentioned in the book of Galatians 2:1 for the first time (Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf). Paul wrote the three epistles, known as pastoral letters to provide instructions to his two sons pertaining to their pastoral duties and to warn them about false teachings and occult practices which could easily have affected the churches they were pastoring. Both Timothy and Titus were young and Paul as their mentor also wished to encourage them, like he tells Timothy not to let anyone despise him because of his youth but to be an example 1 Tim 4:12. Paul was imprisoned twice in his life in Rome, in 60-63A.D and in 67-68A.D (NewApologia). He wrote 1Timothy during his first imprisonment, wrote Titus upon his release and 2 Timothy during his second imprisonment, after which he was killed by beheading. The letters contained instructions for ministry to Timothy and Titus, and thus he was able to continue with his work even while in prison. Timothy had been a companion of Paul in his missionary journeys and now was serving God in Ephesus. The different vocabulary and writing style from other Pauline letters should be understood from the view point that their theme is common, as they are aimed mostly to address the issue of Pastoral care and that is why between them they are very similar. Linguistic evidence to prove that they were not written by Paul could be countered by the fact that there is much that is not known pertaining to the conditions of production of the three epistles and also the other Pauline letters (Smith). There is also general concurrence that the Pastoral letters do not provide an adequate sample by which to make comparisons with the other Pauline letters. The differences are not also as great

Byzantine Art Essay Example for Free

Byzantine Art Essay There are many differences and similarities between the following two pieces of art; the Toreador Fresco and the Egyptian Fowling Scene. The Toreador Fresco is a fresco depicting a bull-leaping ceremony. It is from the palace at Knossos(Crete), Greece and from around 1450-1400 BCE. The Egyptian Fowling Scene is a mural painting from the tomb of Nebamun. It is from Thebes, Egypt and from the 18th Dynasty, ca. 1400-1350 BCE. The styles between these two periods are very different, but there are still a few similarities found between the two pieces of art. The Toreador Fresco depicts a bull in the center, and a man leaping over its back. There is a woman on each side of the bull. Unlike the Fowling Scene, this fresco includes a border. In the Egyptian Fowling Scene, Nebamun is standing in his boat, flushing birds from a papyrus swamp. He is holding his throwing stick in one hand and three birds in the other hand. He is accompanied by his wife and daughter who are both shown holding lotus flowers. In the Toreador Fresco, the bull is the central figure of the painting while in the Fowling Scene every space was filled with lively details such as lotus flowers and butterflies. As for the depiction of the human figure, in the Toreador Fresco, the human figures have stylized shapes with pinched waists and they are highly animated. Also, in order to distinguish between male and female, the artist painted the young women with fair skin and the man with dark skin. This was a widely accepted ancient Minoan convention. This is very different from the depiction of human figures in the Fowling Scene. The skin color of Nebamun, his daughter and his wife are all the same dark color. The artist scaled down their figures in proportion to their rank. The wife and daughter were much smaller than Nebamun. Also, in the Fowling Scene, the animals show a naturalism based on careful observation. One similarity between the paintings was that the human figures were painted with the profile pose with the full-view eye. Another similarity between the two paintings would be that they both represent rituals and traditions. The Toreador Fresco depicts the Minoan ceremony of bull-leaping while the Fowling Scene is a tomb painting showing that Nebamun is enjoying himself in the afterlife. Another difference would be that in the Toreador Fresco, the artist used curved lines to suggest the elasticity of the living and moving beings unlike the Fowling Scene where the depiction of movement was not represented very well. In the Toreador Fresco, the artist also elongated the animal’s shape to show the powerful charge of the bull and used sweeping lines to form a funnel of energy. It is easily seen how the depiction of movement is better represented in the Toreador Fresco than in the Fowling Scene. In the Fowling Scene, the artist used many different and lively colors whereas in the Toreador Fresco, there is not a great variety of colors used. In the Toreador Fresco, you can tell that it is Minoan art by the elegance of the Cretan figures, with their long, curly hair and proud and self-confident bearing. This distinguishes them from all other early figures styles. You can also see a few cultural differences between the two periods just by comparing the two paintings. The human figures in the paintings are all dressed much differently. Also, in ancient Egypt, the artists often used hierarchal scale in their paintings. They would make the size of the human figures larger based on their social status. That is why in the Fowling Scene, the wife and the daughter of Nebamun are much smaller than him. Whereas, in the Toreador Fresco, you do not see a hierarchal scale, the human figures are all the same size. In conclusion, there are many differences and similarities between the Toreador Fresco and the Fowling Scene. Both paintings represent rituals and traditions. Also, they both have figures painted with the profile pose. In the Toreador Fresco, it includes a border and the bull is the central figure. The human figures are wasp-waisted, and highly animated. The depiction of movement is much better represented in this piece of art than the Fowling Scene because the artist used curved lines to emphasize the movement of the figures. He also elongated the bull’s shape to show the powerful charge of the animal and used sweeping lines to form a funnel of energy. In comparison, in the Fowling Scene, the artists filled every space with lively details. The marsh is full of lotus flowers and butterflies. Although the depiction of movement is not shown as well as the Toreador Fresco, a variety of lively colors is shown in the painting. Unlike the Toreador Fresco, the hierarchal scale is shown in the Fowling Scene.

Leadership Skills Theory at HSBC Life Assurance Malta

Leadership Skills Theory at HSBC Life Assurance Malta Chapter 1 Introduction Leadership skills are the focus of this study and therefore the author will be, in this chapter introduce leadership and the concept of the leader versus the manager as a primary source. In this section the author will define the meaning of leadership enabling one to understand better the next stages of this study. Furthermore one can find the objective of this study and the organisation studied. The structure section will define the construction of the complimenting chapters. 1.1 Objective The scope of this organisational case study is to compare and contrast the leadership skills theory and the selected organisations leadership and provided the concept of leadership versus management in order to understand better leadership skills which are defined later on in this study. Leadership skills will be reviewed by means of secondary research. Subsequently the leadership skills within the organisation will be studied by means of a primary research methodology. This will enable the author to reach the main objective which aim is to highlight the theory of leadership skills and present findings of the selected organisations current leadership practices. One will eventually benefit from the authors recommendations and conclusions based on the out come of the data analysis. 1.2 The Organisation The selected organisation for this study was HSBC Life Assurance Malta Limited. HSBC Life Assurance Malta Limited was set up in 1995 and is a fully owned subsidiary of HSBC Bank Malta Plc, regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority. Over the years, HSBC Life has developed into one of the leading life assurance product providers on the island with its full and diversified product range, including group and individual term assurance products, mortgage protection policies, etc. This study research thus moves towards assessing all the concepts of leadership styles, skills, coaching, team building. The organisation is in the direction of the Managing Director. 1.3 Structure The structure of this study will be based on 5 chapters. The introduction, chapter 1, has highlighted leadership and the concept of leadership versus management, the objective and the organisation under investigation. Chapter 2 will follow with a literature review of leadership skills from previous studies whilst chapter 3 will cover the research methodology. Chapter 4 will present the findings and finally chapter 5 will cover the authors views and recommendations. Chapter 2 2.0 Leadership Leadership can be defined as: The ability to persuade others willingly to behave differently. The function of team leaders is to achieve the task set for them with the help of the group (Michael Armstrong 2003: 259). Another definition of leadership is: The task of a great leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been Leaders must invoke an alchemy of great vision. Those leaders who do not are ultimately judged failures, even though they may be popular at the moment (Henry Kissinger). Clawson (2006) explains that leadership consists of three components: the ability to influence others; the willingness to influence others; and the exercise of influence in a way that others respond voluntarily. Thus, while leadership included the use of power, not all uses of power are leadership. The highlight of leadership within an organisation is an emphasis on the importance of a strong human relation and the importance of creating rewarding high-performance teams of motivated and empowered employees. Human understanding and sensitivity are absolutely critical for leadership success. Leadership also consists of identifying proven talent within an organisation and optimising on this talented human resource by developing, retaining and partnering smartly together. Leadership has been perceived to be a primary key to successful strategy implementation. One of the key factors in implementing a strategy is building consensus. A consensus built by motivating, persuading people and by shaping culture and values within an organisation to support the new strategy (Ashby and Miles, 2002). Taking IBM as an example CEO Sam Palmisano has embarked on a leadership mission to get people within the organisation to focus on strategy formulation and implementation. He embarked on a mission to persuade people to focus on the on-demand vision and communicating clear directions. With this positive attitude and employee empowerment he made employees feel motivated and challenged to follow new strategic goals. In this changing world of globalisation, organisations are constantly facing changes within their set ups and therefore leadership plays an important role. Three important aspects of leadership would be people, influence and goals. In order to influence, the relationship between the leader and the follower must not be passive but assertive (Draft, 2006). Within an organisation, leadership directly impacts the effectiveness of costs, revenue generation, service, satisfaction, earnings, market value, share price, social capital, motivation, engagement, and sustainability. In this view one can identify the importance of vision within leadership. In order to move a group successfully towards its goal the leader must communicate the vision or visions with his or her followers. For effectiveness, a vision should appear to be simple, appear desirable enough to energise followers and should describe the organisations future position, which must be credible and preferable to the present state. The leader must communicate these visions adequately to ensure the followers feel as if the vision has been created by themselves (Renesch, 1994). Nonetheless one would need to understand that although leadership focuses on people, influence and goals it cannot be easily defined in such a generic context. However according to Scott (2007) a leader needs to understand that the follower may value a leader differently. Some may prefer a task oriented leader where others may prefer a people oriented leader. In this view the leader must identify the followers needs and how they construe effective leadership. One can see that self awareness is the foundation of effective leadership and one ought to communicate the vision and help the followers fit into that vision. Effective leaders need to change their approach according to the situation, as with one follower, a leader may need to be directive while with others, a leader may need to coach. 2.1 The History of Leadership Leadership, and the study of it, has roots in the beginning of civilisation. Egyptian rulers, Greek heroes and biblical patriarchs all have one thing in common leadership. There are numerous definitions and theories of leadership; however, there are enough similarities in the definitions to conclude that leadership is an effort of influence and the power to induce compliance (Wren, 1995). Our work, our environment, the motivation to work, leaders, leadership, leadership style, and a countless of other work-related variables have been studied for almost two centuries. The organisational focus of the leader has evolved over this same period. Early organisations with authoritarian leaders who believed employees were basically lazy transitioned into way to make work environments more conducive to increased productivity rates. Today, organisations are transforming into places where people are empowered, encouraged, and supported in their personal and professional growth throughout their careers. As the focus of leaders has changed over time, it has influenced and shaped the development and progression of leadership theory. 2.1.2 Early Leader Studies The Industrial Revolution shifted Americas economy from an agriculture base to an industrial one and, thereby, ushered in a change how leaders would treat their followers. The Industrial Revolution created a paradigm shift to a new theory of leadership in which common people gained power by virtue of their skills (Clawson, 1999). New technology, however, was accompanied and reinforced by mechanisation of human thought and action, thus creating hierarchical bureaucracies (Morgan, 1997). One major contributor to this era of management and leadership theory was Max Weber, a German sociologist who observed the parallels between the mechanisation of industry and the proliferation of bureaucratic forms of organisation (Morgan, 1997, p. 17). He noted that the bureaucratic form routinized the process of administration in the same manner that the machine routinized production. 2.1.3 Classical Management Theory and Scientific Management Webers concerns about bureaucracy, however, did not affect theorists who set the stage for what is now known as classical management theory and scientific management. Classical theorists focused on the design of the total organisation while scientific managers focused on the systematic management of individual jobs. In contrast to Weber, classical theorists such as Henri Fayol and F. W. Mooney, staunch advocates of bureaucratisation, devoted their energies identifying methods through which this kind of organisational structure could be achieved (Bass, 1990; Morgan, 1997). Collectively, these theorists set the basis for many modern management techniques, such as management by objectives. Scientific management, an approach heralded by Frederick Taylor, was technological in nature (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 1996). Taylor fused the perspective of an engineer into management with a strong emphasis on control, ruthless efficiency, quantification, predictability, and de-skilled jobs. He initiated time-and-motion studies to analyse work tasks to improve worker productivity in an attempt to achieve the highest level of efficiency possible. Consequently, he has been accused of viewing people as instruments or machines to be manipulated by leaders. The function of the leader under scientific management theory was to establish and enforce performance criteria to meet organisational goals; therefore, the focus of a leader was on the needs of the organisation and not on the individual worker. Although the classical and scientific approaches were different, the goals were similar organisations are rational systems and must operate in the most efficient manner possible to achieve the highest level of productivity (Morgan, 1997). Both theories relied on the machine metaphor with a heavy emphasis on mechanisation of jobs, which undermined the human aspect of the organisation and failed to recognise organisations as complex organisms. Although mechanistic organisations proved productive, there were limits to hierarchical bureaucracy. Emerging theorists encouraged leaders to recognise that humans were not machines and could not be treated as such. A post bureaucratic shift in the mid-1940s moved toward everyone taking responsibility for the organisations success or failure (Heckscher Donnellon, 1994). Researchers began to examine the relationship between leader behaviour and follower satisfaction level and organisational productivity and profitability. 2.1.4 Hawthorne, Maslow, and Herzberg Environment and Worker Needs Much organisational research during this era focused on overcoming the perceived shortcomings of the classical and scientific schools of management. Elton Mayos Hawthorne Studies focused on the work situation and its effect on leaders and followers, indicating that the reactions of human beings influence their work activities as much as the formal design and structure of the organisation. Early on leaders could focus their attention on the environment factors of the organisations. The early theories and studies provided researchers with tangible and measurable performance outcomes that were directly transferable to profitability and spreadsheet bottom-lines. A new theory of organisations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied. Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs posited that once a workers physiological, security, and social (intrinsic) needs were met, productivity would only be possible of the employees ego and self-actualising (extrinsic) needs were also met. Leader focus became redirected toward worker needs. Herzbergs Dual Factor Theory, the evolution of intrinsic and extrinsic needs, furthered Maslows work stating the employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs could, and should, be met simultaneously. Herzbergs (1966) Motivation-Hygiene theory furthered the work of Maslow by providing insights into the goals and incentives that tend to satisfy a workers needs. Herzberg concluded that people have two categories of needs, which he termed hygiene (environmental factors such as working conditions, company policies, etc.) and motivators (factors involving the job itself). According to Herzberg, an employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs could and should be addressed simultaneously. 2.1.5 The Shift to Behavioural Factors Leader focus had moved to understanding the relationship between a leaders actions and the followers satisfaction and productivity. Theorists began to consider behavioural concepts in their analysis of organisational leadership. For example, Chester Barnard was instrumental in including behavioural components (Bass, 1990). Barnards work emphasised the ways in which executives might develop their organisations into cooperative social systems by focusing on the integration of work efforts through communication of goals and attention to worker motivation (Hatch, 1997). Barnard, for example, identified an effective organisational leader as one who determined objectives, manipulated means, initiated action, and stimulated coordinated effort (Bass, 1990, p. 31). Barnard (1938), whose work focused on the functions of the executive, was instrumental in including behavioural components in his analysis of organisational leadership, which claimed that leadership involves accomplishing goals wit h and through people. The theorists of this age argued that in addition to finding the best technological methods to improve output, it would behove management to address human affairs as well. It was claimed that the real power centres within an organisation were the interpersonal relationships that developed among working groups (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 1996, p.100). A new theory of organisations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied. Additionally, when this happens they are more likely to increase their productivity which in turn impacts the organisations bottom line. According to McGregor (1960), the traditional organisation with its centralised decision making, hierarchical pyramid, and external control of work is based on certain assumptions about human nature and human motivation. He dubbed these assumptions Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X assumes that most people prefer to be directed, are not interested in assuming responsibility, and want safety above all else. Accompanying the Theory X philosophy is the belief that people are motivated by money, fringe benefits, and threat of punishment. Managers who espouse Theory X assumptions attempt to structure, control, and closely supervise employees. Although McGregor himself questioned whether Theory X was as accurate view of human nature, the assumptions persisted for a long time in leadership theory circles because it explained à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"some, though not all, of human behaviour within organisations (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Drawing heavily from Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs, McGregor ultimately concluded that Theory X assumptions about human nature, when universally applied, are often inaccurate and that management approaches that develop from these assumptions may fail to motivate individuals to strive toward organisational goals (Hersey, Blanchard, Johnson, 1996). McGregor (1960) believed that management needed practices based on a more accurate understanding of human nature and motivation. The resulting concept, Theory Y, proposed that individuals are not, by nature, lazy and unreliable. People can be self-directed and creative at work if properly motivated (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Therefore, an essential task of management is to unleash this potential. Consequently, the goal of effective leadership was evolving and moving away from the earlier concepts of the classical and scientific management theories that treated workers as machines. Leaders were now challenged to actively involve followers in achieving organisational goals. McGregor (1960), whose work was closely linked to that of the behavioural theorists, is a reflection of that era, providing a foundation for the future emergence of the transformational leadership. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y assumed that employees and leaders had progressed beyond Taylors productivity models that employees could find ways to satisfy their needs within the organisations structure. McGregor assumed employees far more complex that the trait and behavioural theories of leadership assumed and that their complexity and the leaders response to that complexity would affect how and whether the leader and followers worked in tandem to reach mutual organisational goals. McGregor proposed a replacement of direction and control of employees with humanistic motivation. The resulting concept, Theory Y, proposed that individuals did not inherently dislike work and, and that under certain conditions, work could actually be a source of great satisfaction. Theory Y assumed individuals would exercise self-direction and self-control, accepting and seeking responsibility (Pugh Hickson, 1993). The essential concept McGregor and other behaviourists proposed was that organisations are interacting groups and that leaders are a part of these groups. The leaders interaction and relationship with the employee must be a supportive relationship so all members of the organisation feel the organisations objectives and their achievement, are of personal importance to them (Pugh Hickson, 1993). 2.1.6 Situational/Contingency Theory The Circumstantial Focus Unprecedented social change in the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s shifted societal focus from increasing economic wealth to ensuring social rights and equality. Along with this social change, technology was again preparing to jolt American businesses. The advent of the computer age was shifting employee requirements from brawn to brains. Leadership became an intricate process of multilateral brokerage where leaders were forced to focus on constituencies within and without the organisation to survive (Vanourek, 1995). The internal and external environments of organisations were changing. The transference of power from those doing the work to those possessing knowledge about how to organise work more closely levelled the playing field for leaders and followers. Society acknowledged that traditional methods of leadership were no longer effective. McCollum (1995) implied that companies in the information age were unsuccessfully trying to conduct their business using obsolete industrial age leadership theories. Change was the only thing of which everyone could be sure, a factor requiring leadership research and society to consider contingency/situational approaches to leadership if businesses were to remain successful and profitable in an ever-changing and increasingly complicated environment (Contee-Borders, 2003). Heysey and Blanchard (1996) proposed a contingency/situational theory advocating a leaders use of differing leadership behaviours dependent upon two interrelated maturity factors: (a) job maturity relevant task and technical knowledge and skills, and (b) psychological maturity the subordinates level of self-confidence and self-respect (Yukl, 1998). An employee who has a high level of job and psychological maturity requires little supervision; while an employee who has a low level of job and psychological maturity requires hand-on attention. Fielders contingency theory is viewed as the opposite of Hersey and Blanchards theory, maintaining that leaders are less flexible in their ability to change their behaviour based on followers maturity (the basic concept of Hersey and Blanchards theory) (Hughes, Ginnett, Curphy, 1993). Fielders contingency theory posited that leader effectiveness is determined by not the leaders ability to adapt to the situation, but by the ability to choose the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"right leader for the situation (though this theory does not identify who would be responsible for making this choice). Some leaders are simply better for specific situation than others and the situation determines the identified leaders success, though leaders would need to be capable of understanding when they were not right for the situation and remove themselves a task of humility. 2.2 Leadership Styles From a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. The most familiar model is the leadership scale devised by Tannenbaum and Schmidt. In this model, the leader is advised to choose a leadership style that it appropriate for the particular situation. These styles or behaviours, can be placed along continuum ranging from boss-centred at one-end of the scale to subordinate-centred at the other end, as illustrated in Figure 1.1 Inevitably, the opposite poles of this continuum have been labelled Authoritarian (or task-centred), and Democratic (or people-centred) and the inference has been drawn that a concern forgetting the job done is at the opposite end of the scale of the people involved. Tannenbaum and Schmidts article is not as shallow as that, but, like it or not, the impression is left that the two concerns are somehow incompatible. Other commentators advised that authoritarian leadership styles would be most effective in situations that were favourable to the leader and democratic styles would better suit situations that were unfavourable to the leader. Favourable in this context means that the leader has high formal authority, relations between the leader and the staff are good, and the task is highly structured. This further reinforces the assumption that democratic styles are for the leaders to fall back on when things are not going entirely their way; they would not want to be democratic if it could be avoided. The Democratic styles should be the preferred option, falling back on authoritarian styles only when circumstances require it. For example, when the fire alarm sounds tell everyone to leave the building; do not hold a decision about the best course of action. Or, when something bad can not be avoided, accept your responsibility as a manager and give instructions clearly and assertively. Otherwise, the benefits of the bringing several brains to bear on an issue, and the commitment that democratic approaches tend to foster, usually outweigh the inevitable untidiness of getting everyone involved in decision-making . Interestingly, research into animal social groups has found that decisions arrived at communally or democratically are usually more beneficial for the group and its individual members than despotic decision-making, and tend to be less extreme. Whether lessons drawn from the observation of animal behaviour can usefully be applied directly to human groups depends on how much corroborating evidence there is. 2.3 Leadership versus Management Creech (1995) defines the manager versus the leader. She explains how a manager is typically well-educated and would generally possess very high conceptual skills. Managers are mostly focused on the latest management literature. Furthermore managers are very aware of the system, rules and procedures both documented and undocumented. They tend to be very productive oriented rather than people oriented persons and this style proves that they are usually inaccessible or have very little time to listed to the people they manage. This also results form their heavy busy schedules. In addition managers face highly intensive stresses and become very intolerant of any mistakes. They rarely motivate their people to take significant risks to improve operationally or personally and in moments of crisis they can easily consider to re-establish who is in charge, believing that they will achieve the expected performances and organisational goals. Nonetheless, they are very conscious of what others think about them and expect to be liked, despite being aware that this is rather impossible, due to the conflicting roles between management and workers. Furthermore managers ask subordinates for participative input, but rarely encourage real dissent with their own views (Creech, 1995). In contrast, leaders are very people oriented and although they are conscious of what people think of them they are generally less concerned. However, leaders feel themselves as helpers to the organisation as opposed being in command. They are inventive and imaginative movers and participate in achievement of goals. Arguably, leaders have a more positive style to achieving goals and during time of financial or operational turbulences they focus on asking team members for help in strategies and innovation in order to regain competitive advantage. Opposed to this, managers would consider downsizing and cost cutting (Creech, 1995). One can that this is visionary and leaders do communicate widely with simple clear cut visions and goals. They intend to simplify communication to ensure the message gets through without ridiculing anyone in the event of misunderstandings. Additionally they are tolerant of mistakes during the process of development and goal achievement and they are fond of acknowledging their mistakes and do not fear to take whatever measures are required to rectify them (Creech, 1995). Bennis and Goldsmith (1997) define the difference between manager and leader using the following paired contrasts: The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager maintains; the leader develops. The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it. The manager focuses on systems and structures; the leader focuses on people. The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon. The manager imitates; the leader originates. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. The manager is the classis good soldier; the leader is his or her own person (Bennis and Goldsmith, 1997, p.9). Chapter 3 Literature Review For the purpose of this literature review it has been classified as follows: Human Relation Skills including follower leader relation, and conflict management and counselling as intrapersonal skills. Intrapersonal Skills includes self confidence, stress management, and time management whilst Organisational Skills include leadership styles and motivation and finally Creativity Skills. Human Relation Skills and Intrapersonal Skills follow the same paths and are the abilities how one interacts with others. However Intrapersonal Skills is ones own personal development whilst Organisational Skills is the skill to have a conceptual focus. Finally, Creativity Skills are the having of new ideas. The author introduced these skills in the above sequence as she believes that without having human relation skills one cannot help ones personal development and cannot encourage motivation or creativity. Needless to say, that without motivation one would find difficulties creating new ideas. 3.1 Human Relations and Intrapersonal Skills 3.1.2 Follower Leader Relation In order for a leader to achieve effectiveness through human relations, Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt (2001) shared four important insights and beliefs about the nature of their relationships with their followers: Firstly, they explain how positively effective it is, to gradually and gently direct the follower towards the established goals rather than throwing them into heavy burdens to accomplish corporate purposes. When a mutual agreement of mutual interest is established leaders would smartly lay down the red carpet to the follower and will satisfy the goals of both parties. Rigid commands from the hierarchy within an organisation normally lead to unsatisfactory results and frustration (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001) Secondly, it is in the leaders interest to strongly understand their followers, by recognising their needs, what motivates them , their various stages of personal development, and their goals. This is seen through a flow of communication and observations. The leaders challenge in such scenario would be to reach satisfactory levels of both the follower and the organisation. During such a process of identifying the followers needs the leader must show sensitivity, ingenuity and judgement when putting together corporate and personal objectives through communication. The leader should address those areas identified to be low in self confidence and capability by the follower in order to achieve maximum results (Isaac, Zerb and Pitt, 2001) Thirdly, leaders have to establish motivating conditions not only to motivate the follower but to encourage self motivation. One of the motives encouraging the self motivation process would be organisational rewards however this makes the leaders responsibility intense, as he/she would need to determine the various intrinsic or extrinsic rewards to followers. Intrinsic motivational states are beyond leaders control however they can possibly enhance such feelings and emotions by: Spending time with the follower and enhancing, rather than undermining, self-confidence. Increasing follower knowledge, skills and abilities through exposure to various educational and training programs, as well as experiences. These activities enhance both follower capability and self-confidence. Establishing realistic, meaningful and attainable goals with the follower to both parties. Creating a climate of mutual respect. Showing appreciation when the follower meets or exceeds expectations, or addressing problematic issues regarding the followers performance by focusing upon the work rather than the individual. (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001, p.212) The fourth and final insight relates to the importance of honesty and consistent behaviour showed to the followers. Leaders can loose credibility through promises that are rather difficult to fulfil at a later stage, and will also be exposed to deducting the followers motivation. On the other hand consistency generates a clear path to the followers especially in matters such as fairness, expectations and personal cose of conduct. In addition, leader must reduce distinctions of status that might cause some followers to feel degraded and not regarded (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001). Relationship closeness, is the extent to which an employee has a sharing, open, familiar relation with management. Thus, relationship closeness is a broad concept that encompasses several specific constructs like interaction, open communication, and informal relations between employees and management(Mcknight, Ahmad and Schroederet, 2001, p.466). As one can see from the above four insights of human relations skills incorporates a strong degree of interpersonal skills and as Leadership Skills Theory at HSBC Life Assurance Malta Leadership Skills Theory at HSBC Life Assurance Malta Chapter 1 Introduction Leadership skills are the focus of this study and therefore the author will be, in this chapter introduce leadership and the concept of the leader versus the manager as a primary source. In this section the author will define the meaning of leadership enabling one to understand better the next stages of this study. Furthermore one can find the objective of this study and the organisation studied. The structure section will define the construction of the complimenting chapters. 1.1 Objective The scope of this organisational case study is to compare and contrast the leadership skills theory and the selected organisations leadership and provided the concept of leadership versus management in order to understand better leadership skills which are defined later on in this study. Leadership skills will be reviewed by means of secondary research. Subsequently the leadership skills within the organisation will be studied by means of a primary research methodology. This will enable the author to reach the main objective which aim is to highlight the theory of leadership skills and present findings of the selected organisations current leadership practices. One will eventually benefit from the authors recommendations and conclusions based on the out come of the data analysis. 1.2 The Organisation The selected organisation for this study was HSBC Life Assurance Malta Limited. HSBC Life Assurance Malta Limited was set up in 1995 and is a fully owned subsidiary of HSBC Bank Malta Plc, regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority. Over the years, HSBC Life has developed into one of the leading life assurance product providers on the island with its full and diversified product range, including group and individual term assurance products, mortgage protection policies, etc. This study research thus moves towards assessing all the concepts of leadership styles, skills, coaching, team building. The organisation is in the direction of the Managing Director. 1.3 Structure The structure of this study will be based on 5 chapters. The introduction, chapter 1, has highlighted leadership and the concept of leadership versus management, the objective and the organisation under investigation. Chapter 2 will follow with a literature review of leadership skills from previous studies whilst chapter 3 will cover the research methodology. Chapter 4 will present the findings and finally chapter 5 will cover the authors views and recommendations. Chapter 2 2.0 Leadership Leadership can be defined as: The ability to persuade others willingly to behave differently. The function of team leaders is to achieve the task set for them with the help of the group (Michael Armstrong 2003: 259). Another definition of leadership is: The task of a great leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been Leaders must invoke an alchemy of great vision. Those leaders who do not are ultimately judged failures, even though they may be popular at the moment (Henry Kissinger). Clawson (2006) explains that leadership consists of three components: the ability to influence others; the willingness to influence others; and the exercise of influence in a way that others respond voluntarily. Thus, while leadership included the use of power, not all uses of power are leadership. The highlight of leadership within an organisation is an emphasis on the importance of a strong human relation and the importance of creating rewarding high-performance teams of motivated and empowered employees. Human understanding and sensitivity are absolutely critical for leadership success. Leadership also consists of identifying proven talent within an organisation and optimising on this talented human resource by developing, retaining and partnering smartly together. Leadership has been perceived to be a primary key to successful strategy implementation. One of the key factors in implementing a strategy is building consensus. A consensus built by motivating, persuading people and by shaping culture and values within an organisation to support the new strategy (Ashby and Miles, 2002). Taking IBM as an example CEO Sam Palmisano has embarked on a leadership mission to get people within the organisation to focus on strategy formulation and implementation. He embarked on a mission to persuade people to focus on the on-demand vision and communicating clear directions. With this positive attitude and employee empowerment he made employees feel motivated and challenged to follow new strategic goals. In this changing world of globalisation, organisations are constantly facing changes within their set ups and therefore leadership plays an important role. Three important aspects of leadership would be people, influence and goals. In order to influence, the relationship between the leader and the follower must not be passive but assertive (Draft, 2006). Within an organisation, leadership directly impacts the effectiveness of costs, revenue generation, service, satisfaction, earnings, market value, share price, social capital, motivation, engagement, and sustainability. In this view one can identify the importance of vision within leadership. In order to move a group successfully towards its goal the leader must communicate the vision or visions with his or her followers. For effectiveness, a vision should appear to be simple, appear desirable enough to energise followers and should describe the organisations future position, which must be credible and preferable to the present state. The leader must communicate these visions adequately to ensure the followers feel as if the vision has been created by themselves (Renesch, 1994). Nonetheless one would need to understand that although leadership focuses on people, influence and goals it cannot be easily defined in such a generic context. However according to Scott (2007) a leader needs to understand that the follower may value a leader differently. Some may prefer a task oriented leader where others may prefer a people oriented leader. In this view the leader must identify the followers needs and how they construe effective leadership. One can see that self awareness is the foundation of effective leadership and one ought to communicate the vision and help the followers fit into that vision. Effective leaders need to change their approach according to the situation, as with one follower, a leader may need to be directive while with others, a leader may need to coach. 2.1 The History of Leadership Leadership, and the study of it, has roots in the beginning of civilisation. Egyptian rulers, Greek heroes and biblical patriarchs all have one thing in common leadership. There are numerous definitions and theories of leadership; however, there are enough similarities in the definitions to conclude that leadership is an effort of influence and the power to induce compliance (Wren, 1995). Our work, our environment, the motivation to work, leaders, leadership, leadership style, and a countless of other work-related variables have been studied for almost two centuries. The organisational focus of the leader has evolved over this same period. Early organisations with authoritarian leaders who believed employees were basically lazy transitioned into way to make work environments more conducive to increased productivity rates. Today, organisations are transforming into places where people are empowered, encouraged, and supported in their personal and professional growth throughout their careers. As the focus of leaders has changed over time, it has influenced and shaped the development and progression of leadership theory. 2.1.2 Early Leader Studies The Industrial Revolution shifted Americas economy from an agriculture base to an industrial one and, thereby, ushered in a change how leaders would treat their followers. The Industrial Revolution created a paradigm shift to a new theory of leadership in which common people gained power by virtue of their skills (Clawson, 1999). New technology, however, was accompanied and reinforced by mechanisation of human thought and action, thus creating hierarchical bureaucracies (Morgan, 1997). One major contributor to this era of management and leadership theory was Max Weber, a German sociologist who observed the parallels between the mechanisation of industry and the proliferation of bureaucratic forms of organisation (Morgan, 1997, p. 17). He noted that the bureaucratic form routinized the process of administration in the same manner that the machine routinized production. 2.1.3 Classical Management Theory and Scientific Management Webers concerns about bureaucracy, however, did not affect theorists who set the stage for what is now known as classical management theory and scientific management. Classical theorists focused on the design of the total organisation while scientific managers focused on the systematic management of individual jobs. In contrast to Weber, classical theorists such as Henri Fayol and F. W. Mooney, staunch advocates of bureaucratisation, devoted their energies identifying methods through which this kind of organisational structure could be achieved (Bass, 1990; Morgan, 1997). Collectively, these theorists set the basis for many modern management techniques, such as management by objectives. Scientific management, an approach heralded by Frederick Taylor, was technological in nature (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 1996). Taylor fused the perspective of an engineer into management with a strong emphasis on control, ruthless efficiency, quantification, predictability, and de-skilled jobs. He initiated time-and-motion studies to analyse work tasks to improve worker productivity in an attempt to achieve the highest level of efficiency possible. Consequently, he has been accused of viewing people as instruments or machines to be manipulated by leaders. The function of the leader under scientific management theory was to establish and enforce performance criteria to meet organisational goals; therefore, the focus of a leader was on the needs of the organisation and not on the individual worker. Although the classical and scientific approaches were different, the goals were similar organisations are rational systems and must operate in the most efficient manner possible to achieve the highest level of productivity (Morgan, 1997). Both theories relied on the machine metaphor with a heavy emphasis on mechanisation of jobs, which undermined the human aspect of the organisation and failed to recognise organisations as complex organisms. Although mechanistic organisations proved productive, there were limits to hierarchical bureaucracy. Emerging theorists encouraged leaders to recognise that humans were not machines and could not be treated as such. A post bureaucratic shift in the mid-1940s moved toward everyone taking responsibility for the organisations success or failure (Heckscher Donnellon, 1994). Researchers began to examine the relationship between leader behaviour and follower satisfaction level and organisational productivity and profitability. 2.1.4 Hawthorne, Maslow, and Herzberg Environment and Worker Needs Much organisational research during this era focused on overcoming the perceived shortcomings of the classical and scientific schools of management. Elton Mayos Hawthorne Studies focused on the work situation and its effect on leaders and followers, indicating that the reactions of human beings influence their work activities as much as the formal design and structure of the organisation. Early on leaders could focus their attention on the environment factors of the organisations. The early theories and studies provided researchers with tangible and measurable performance outcomes that were directly transferable to profitability and spreadsheet bottom-lines. A new theory of organisations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied. Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs posited that once a workers physiological, security, and social (intrinsic) needs were met, productivity would only be possible of the employees ego and self-actualising (extrinsic) needs were also met. Leader focus became redirected toward worker needs. Herzbergs Dual Factor Theory, the evolution of intrinsic and extrinsic needs, furthered Maslows work stating the employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs could, and should, be met simultaneously. Herzbergs (1966) Motivation-Hygiene theory furthered the work of Maslow by providing insights into the goals and incentives that tend to satisfy a workers needs. Herzberg concluded that people have two categories of needs, which he termed hygiene (environmental factors such as working conditions, company policies, etc.) and motivators (factors involving the job itself). According to Herzberg, an employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs could and should be addressed simultaneously. 2.1.5 The Shift to Behavioural Factors Leader focus had moved to understanding the relationship between a leaders actions and the followers satisfaction and productivity. Theorists began to consider behavioural concepts in their analysis of organisational leadership. For example, Chester Barnard was instrumental in including behavioural components (Bass, 1990). Barnards work emphasised the ways in which executives might develop their organisations into cooperative social systems by focusing on the integration of work efforts through communication of goals and attention to worker motivation (Hatch, 1997). Barnard, for example, identified an effective organisational leader as one who determined objectives, manipulated means, initiated action, and stimulated coordinated effort (Bass, 1990, p. 31). Barnard (1938), whose work focused on the functions of the executive, was instrumental in including behavioural components in his analysis of organisational leadership, which claimed that leadership involves accomplishing goals wit h and through people. The theorists of this age argued that in addition to finding the best technological methods to improve output, it would behove management to address human affairs as well. It was claimed that the real power centres within an organisation were the interpersonal relationships that developed among working groups (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 1996, p.100). A new theory of organisations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied. Additionally, when this happens they are more likely to increase their productivity which in turn impacts the organisations bottom line. According to McGregor (1960), the traditional organisation with its centralised decision making, hierarchical pyramid, and external control of work is based on certain assumptions about human nature and human motivation. He dubbed these assumptions Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X assumes that most people prefer to be directed, are not interested in assuming responsibility, and want safety above all else. Accompanying the Theory X philosophy is the belief that people are motivated by money, fringe benefits, and threat of punishment. Managers who espouse Theory X assumptions attempt to structure, control, and closely supervise employees. Although McGregor himself questioned whether Theory X was as accurate view of human nature, the assumptions persisted for a long time in leadership theory circles because it explained à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"some, though not all, of human behaviour within organisations (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Drawing heavily from Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs, McGregor ultimately concluded that Theory X assumptions about human nature, when universally applied, are often inaccurate and that management approaches that develop from these assumptions may fail to motivate individuals to strive toward organisational goals (Hersey, Blanchard, Johnson, 1996). McGregor (1960) believed that management needed practices based on a more accurate understanding of human nature and motivation. The resulting concept, Theory Y, proposed that individuals are not, by nature, lazy and unreliable. People can be self-directed and creative at work if properly motivated (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Therefore, an essential task of management is to unleash this potential. Consequently, the goal of effective leadership was evolving and moving away from the earlier concepts of the classical and scientific management theories that treated workers as machines. Leaders were now challenged to actively involve followers in achieving organisational goals. McGregor (1960), whose work was closely linked to that of the behavioural theorists, is a reflection of that era, providing a foundation for the future emergence of the transformational leadership. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y assumed that employees and leaders had progressed beyond Taylors productivity models that employees could find ways to satisfy their needs within the organisations structure. McGregor assumed employees far more complex that the trait and behavioural theories of leadership assumed and that their complexity and the leaders response to that complexity would affect how and whether the leader and followers worked in tandem to reach mutual organisational goals. McGregor proposed a replacement of direction and control of employees with humanistic motivation. The resulting concept, Theory Y, proposed that individuals did not inherently dislike work and, and that under certain conditions, work could actually be a source of great satisfaction. Theory Y assumed individuals would exercise self-direction and self-control, accepting and seeking responsibility (Pugh Hickson, 1993). The essential concept McGregor and other behaviourists proposed was that organisations are interacting groups and that leaders are a part of these groups. The leaders interaction and relationship with the employee must be a supportive relationship so all members of the organisation feel the organisations objectives and their achievement, are of personal importance to them (Pugh Hickson, 1993). 2.1.6 Situational/Contingency Theory The Circumstantial Focus Unprecedented social change in the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s shifted societal focus from increasing economic wealth to ensuring social rights and equality. Along with this social change, technology was again preparing to jolt American businesses. The advent of the computer age was shifting employee requirements from brawn to brains. Leadership became an intricate process of multilateral brokerage where leaders were forced to focus on constituencies within and without the organisation to survive (Vanourek, 1995). The internal and external environments of organisations were changing. The transference of power from those doing the work to those possessing knowledge about how to organise work more closely levelled the playing field for leaders and followers. Society acknowledged that traditional methods of leadership were no longer effective. McCollum (1995) implied that companies in the information age were unsuccessfully trying to conduct their business using obsolete industrial age leadership theories. Change was the only thing of which everyone could be sure, a factor requiring leadership research and society to consider contingency/situational approaches to leadership if businesses were to remain successful and profitable in an ever-changing and increasingly complicated environment (Contee-Borders, 2003). Heysey and Blanchard (1996) proposed a contingency/situational theory advocating a leaders use of differing leadership behaviours dependent upon two interrelated maturity factors: (a) job maturity relevant task and technical knowledge and skills, and (b) psychological maturity the subordinates level of self-confidence and self-respect (Yukl, 1998). An employee who has a high level of job and psychological maturity requires little supervision; while an employee who has a low level of job and psychological maturity requires hand-on attention. Fielders contingency theory is viewed as the opposite of Hersey and Blanchards theory, maintaining that leaders are less flexible in their ability to change their behaviour based on followers maturity (the basic concept of Hersey and Blanchards theory) (Hughes, Ginnett, Curphy, 1993). Fielders contingency theory posited that leader effectiveness is determined by not the leaders ability to adapt to the situation, but by the ability to choose the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"right leader for the situation (though this theory does not identify who would be responsible for making this choice). Some leaders are simply better for specific situation than others and the situation determines the identified leaders success, though leaders would need to be capable of understanding when they were not right for the situation and remove themselves a task of humility. 2.2 Leadership Styles From a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. The most familiar model is the leadership scale devised by Tannenbaum and Schmidt. In this model, the leader is advised to choose a leadership style that it appropriate for the particular situation. These styles or behaviours, can be placed along continuum ranging from boss-centred at one-end of the scale to subordinate-centred at the other end, as illustrated in Figure 1.1 Inevitably, the opposite poles of this continuum have been labelled Authoritarian (or task-centred), and Democratic (or people-centred) and the inference has been drawn that a concern forgetting the job done is at the opposite end of the scale of the people involved. Tannenbaum and Schmidts article is not as shallow as that, but, like it or not, the impression is left that the two concerns are somehow incompatible. Other commentators advised that authoritarian leadership styles would be most effective in situations that were favourable to the leader and democratic styles would better suit situations that were unfavourable to the leader. Favourable in this context means that the leader has high formal authority, relations between the leader and the staff are good, and the task is highly structured. This further reinforces the assumption that democratic styles are for the leaders to fall back on when things are not going entirely their way; they would not want to be democratic if it could be avoided. The Democratic styles should be the preferred option, falling back on authoritarian styles only when circumstances require it. For example, when the fire alarm sounds tell everyone to leave the building; do not hold a decision about the best course of action. Or, when something bad can not be avoided, accept your responsibility as a manager and give instructions clearly and assertively. Otherwise, the benefits of the bringing several brains to bear on an issue, and the commitment that democratic approaches tend to foster, usually outweigh the inevitable untidiness of getting everyone involved in decision-making . Interestingly, research into animal social groups has found that decisions arrived at communally or democratically are usually more beneficial for the group and its individual members than despotic decision-making, and tend to be less extreme. Whether lessons drawn from the observation of animal behaviour can usefully be applied directly to human groups depends on how much corroborating evidence there is. 2.3 Leadership versus Management Creech (1995) defines the manager versus the leader. She explains how a manager is typically well-educated and would generally possess very high conceptual skills. Managers are mostly focused on the latest management literature. Furthermore managers are very aware of the system, rules and procedures both documented and undocumented. They tend to be very productive oriented rather than people oriented persons and this style proves that they are usually inaccessible or have very little time to listed to the people they manage. This also results form their heavy busy schedules. In addition managers face highly intensive stresses and become very intolerant of any mistakes. They rarely motivate their people to take significant risks to improve operationally or personally and in moments of crisis they can easily consider to re-establish who is in charge, believing that they will achieve the expected performances and organisational goals. Nonetheless, they are very conscious of what others think about them and expect to be liked, despite being aware that this is rather impossible, due to the conflicting roles between management and workers. Furthermore managers ask subordinates for participative input, but rarely encourage real dissent with their own views (Creech, 1995). In contrast, leaders are very people oriented and although they are conscious of what people think of them they are generally less concerned. However, leaders feel themselves as helpers to the organisation as opposed being in command. They are inventive and imaginative movers and participate in achievement of goals. Arguably, leaders have a more positive style to achieving goals and during time of financial or operational turbulences they focus on asking team members for help in strategies and innovation in order to regain competitive advantage. Opposed to this, managers would consider downsizing and cost cutting (Creech, 1995). One can that this is visionary and leaders do communicate widely with simple clear cut visions and goals. They intend to simplify communication to ensure the message gets through without ridiculing anyone in the event of misunderstandings. Additionally they are tolerant of mistakes during the process of development and goal achievement and they are fond of acknowledging their mistakes and do not fear to take whatever measures are required to rectify them (Creech, 1995). Bennis and Goldsmith (1997) define the difference between manager and leader using the following paired contrasts: The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager maintains; the leader develops. The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it. The manager focuses on systems and structures; the leader focuses on people. The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon. The manager imitates; the leader originates. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. The manager is the classis good soldier; the leader is his or her own person (Bennis and Goldsmith, 1997, p.9). Chapter 3 Literature Review For the purpose of this literature review it has been classified as follows: Human Relation Skills including follower leader relation, and conflict management and counselling as intrapersonal skills. Intrapersonal Skills includes self confidence, stress management, and time management whilst Organisational Skills include leadership styles and motivation and finally Creativity Skills. Human Relation Skills and Intrapersonal Skills follow the same paths and are the abilities how one interacts with others. However Intrapersonal Skills is ones own personal development whilst Organisational Skills is the skill to have a conceptual focus. Finally, Creativity Skills are the having of new ideas. The author introduced these skills in the above sequence as she believes that without having human relation skills one cannot help ones personal development and cannot encourage motivation or creativity. Needless to say, that without motivation one would find difficulties creating new ideas. 3.1 Human Relations and Intrapersonal Skills 3.1.2 Follower Leader Relation In order for a leader to achieve effectiveness through human relations, Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt (2001) shared four important insights and beliefs about the nature of their relationships with their followers: Firstly, they explain how positively effective it is, to gradually and gently direct the follower towards the established goals rather than throwing them into heavy burdens to accomplish corporate purposes. When a mutual agreement of mutual interest is established leaders would smartly lay down the red carpet to the follower and will satisfy the goals of both parties. Rigid commands from the hierarchy within an organisation normally lead to unsatisfactory results and frustration (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001) Secondly, it is in the leaders interest to strongly understand their followers, by recognising their needs, what motivates them , their various stages of personal development, and their goals. This is seen through a flow of communication and observations. The leaders challenge in such scenario would be to reach satisfactory levels of both the follower and the organisation. During such a process of identifying the followers needs the leader must show sensitivity, ingenuity and judgement when putting together corporate and personal objectives through communication. The leader should address those areas identified to be low in self confidence and capability by the follower in order to achieve maximum results (Isaac, Zerb and Pitt, 2001) Thirdly, leaders have to establish motivating conditions not only to motivate the follower but to encourage self motivation. One of the motives encouraging the self motivation process would be organisational rewards however this makes the leaders responsibility intense, as he/she would need to determine the various intrinsic or extrinsic rewards to followers. Intrinsic motivational states are beyond leaders control however they can possibly enhance such feelings and emotions by: Spending time with the follower and enhancing, rather than undermining, self-confidence. Increasing follower knowledge, skills and abilities through exposure to various educational and training programs, as well as experiences. These activities enhance both follower capability and self-confidence. Establishing realistic, meaningful and attainable goals with the follower to both parties. Creating a climate of mutual respect. Showing appreciation when the follower meets or exceeds expectations, or addressing problematic issues regarding the followers performance by focusing upon the work rather than the individual. (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001, p.212) The fourth and final insight relates to the importance of honesty and consistent behaviour showed to the followers. Leaders can loose credibility through promises that are rather difficult to fulfil at a later stage, and will also be exposed to deducting the followers motivation. On the other hand consistency generates a clear path to the followers especially in matters such as fairness, expectations and personal cose of conduct. In addition, leader must reduce distinctions of status that might cause some followers to feel degraded and not regarded (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001). Relationship closeness, is the extent to which an employee has a sharing, open, familiar relation with management. Thus, relationship closeness is a broad concept that encompasses several specific constructs like interaction, open communication, and informal relations between employees and management(Mcknight, Ahmad and Schroederet, 2001, p.466). As one can see from the above four insights of human relations skills incorporates a strong degree of interpersonal skills and as

The difference between Classical music and classical music? :: essays research papers

In this essay I am going to look at the differences between Classical music and classical music. There are many differences between the two, one is an era and the other is a type of music. Classical is an era, it is from about 1730 to just after 1800. There are 5 different periods in time (for music), Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern (20th Century). At this moment in time, we are still in the Modern period of time even though we are in the 21st, not 20th century. A few people who contributed to the music in the Classical era are: Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The period that came before the Classical period, the Baroque, was a time of ornamentation and cluttered sounds. The Classical period focused on the opposite types of sounds- music during that period was orderly, uncluttered, well planned and precise. Music was expected to be technically pleasing and grounded in certain traditions and styles that had been "approved" by the public, often quite formal. Composers were seen as workers who were hired to write music that would please their employer. Vienna, Austria was the center of musical activity during the Classical period. Composers traveled from near and far to study with music teachers in Vienna. Vienna was such a hot spot for musicians that a style was even named for much of the music composed during the time: the "Viennese Style." The size of the symphony orchestra was growing, allowing composers to create more complicated pieces calling for new instruments that made unique sounds unheard before this time. Opera remained very popular, as did symphonies (large works with several sections composed for entire orchestras to play), concertos and sonatas (pieces featuring one instrument). Classical music (with a lower case ?c?) is completely different from Classical music (with a capital ?c?), classical music is music that is quite formal, and usually played by an orchestra that has lots of string instruments.

My Technologically Challenged Life Essay

Monica’s parents play a huge role in limiting her access to technology. They choose to not use technology which I think is the main reason why they wouldn’t buy a computer for their daughters. Their reasoning sounds extremely familiar to me because my parents have done the same kind of thing to me. I begged my parents for a cell phone from seventh grade until my sophomore year when I finally bought my own but they would always tell me I don’t need a cell phone while my mom had one and my dad had THREE for his work. Anyways, I can relate to Monica on many levels. 2. I don’t think Monica is to blame for her technological difficulties at all. I think the main reason she is having troubles is her parents except for the lack of technology in her car which is obviously the manufacturers doing and not her parents. The lack of technology at the health-care facility is a pretty big issue if you ask me. The technology the workers could be and probably should be usin g would greatly improve the efficiency of the jobs they do. 3. Wunderlich’s reference to the weekend when terrorists were â€Å"supposed to be blowing up† the bridges in san Francisco was her way of adding some comedy to the story because there was probably a bomb threat that day and she could have potentially died simply because she didn’t have a GPS and got lost. If she had owned a GPS at the time, she wouldn’t have gotten so lost and never would have been on both of the bridges on accident.

Mrs. Alving From Henrik Ibsens Ghosts

Mrs. Alving From Henrik Ibsen's 'Ghosts' Henrik Ibsens play Ghosts is a three-act drama about a widowed mother and her prodigal son, who has returned to his dreary Norwegian home. The play was written in 1881, and the characters and setting reflect this era. The Basics The play focuses on the unraveling of family secrets. Specifically, Mrs. Alving has been hiding the truth about her late husbands corrupt character. When he was alive, Captain Alving enjoyed a benevolent reputation. But in reality, he was a drunkard and an adulterer- facts that Mrs. Alving kept hidden from the community as well as her adult son, Oswald. A Dutiful Mother Above all things, Mrs. Helene Alving wants happiness for her son. Whether or not she has been a good mother depends upon the readers point of view. Here are some of her life events before the play begins: Tired of the Captains drunkenness, Mrs. Alving temporarily left her husband.She hoped to be romantically embraced by the towns local priest, Pastor Manders.Pastor Manders did not reciprocate her feelings; he sends Mrs. Alving back to her husband.When Oswald was young, Mrs. Alving sent her son to boarding school, shielding him from the true nature of his father. In addition to the above events, it can also be said that Mrs. Alving spoils Oswald. She praises his artistic talent, gives in to his desire for alcohol, and sides with her sons bohemian ideologies. During the plays last scene, Oswald (in a state of delirium brought on by his illness) asks his mother for the sun, a childhood request which Mrs. Alving had somehow hoped to fulfill (by bringing happiness and sunshine into his world instead of despair). In the final moments of the play, Oswald is in a vegetative state. Although he has asked his mother to deliver a fatal dose of morphine pills, it is uncertain whether Mrs. Alving will adhere to her promise. The curtain falls while she is paralyzed with fear, grief, and indecision. Mrs. Alvings Beliefs Like Oswald, she believes that many of societys church-driven expectations are counterproductive to achieving happiness. For example, when she discovers that her son has a romantic interest in his half-sister, Regina, Mrs. Alving wishes she had the courage to allow the relationship. And lets not forget, in her younger days, desired to have an affair with a member of the clergy. Many of her tendencies are highly unorthodox- even by todays standards. It is important to note, however, that Mrs. Alving did not follow through on either impulse. In Act Three, she tells her son the truth about Regina- thus preventing a potentially incestuous relationship. Her awkward friendship with Pastor Manders reveals that Mrs. Alving not only accepted his rejection; she also does her best to live up to societys expectations by continuing the facade that her feelings are purely platonic. When she tells the pastor: I should like to kiss you, this could be seen as a harmless quip or (perhaps more likely) a sign that her passionate feelings still smolder beneath her proper exterior.

Suzanne Roles Bio And Analysis Essay Example

Suzanne Roles Bio And Analysis Essay Example Suzanne Roles Bio And Analysis Essay Suzanne Roles Bio And Analysis Essay Oil paint is particularly suitable for recreating the rich and voluptuous nature of fruit. l work in layers building up the image with varying thickness of paint, allowing each layer to dry before continuing, and finally finishing with glazing. Analysis of the image- The image is 2 full raspberries and 5 parts of raspberries drawn with Oil pastels, the raspberries are a shade Of warm light to dark crimson and with whites and blacks as the background. The image has very vivid and lively colors which makes the raspberries look juicy and full. The light is coming from the left-middle, this is shown by the reflection of the light on the raspberries mostly on the left top. The image was most probably drawn from sight with the raspberries being in front of her because the raspberries are drawn with exceptional detail and with accurate size and shape. The image looks very realistic and AD because of the color and light, the overall shape of the raspberries are a uneven oval-circles. The composition of the raspberries are crowed together to maybe give the effect of there being a lot of them. The texture of the raspberries are shiny and moth which means that it was drawn by long full strokes to make each bead of the raspberries look fat and round. The media that Suzanne used was oil pastels, the techniques she probably used was with long strokes and using white or other colors on top to avoid the oil pastel coming off. Suzanne might of started her work from the inside of each raspberry and worked her way outwards as this is probably the most easiest and non- smudging technique. I think that Suzanne drew her drawing the first time and didnt do any sketches as even if she did make a mistake in the shape, cause it is a natural form, it wouldnt make much of a difference or be noticed unlike a building. Also I think that the drawing took time, around a day, to completely finish the look. The skills she had to do this work was- accuracy, hand eye coordination, patience, observation as to look at a AD object and draw it on a canvas with the same effect and look. The work makes me feel hungry for raspberries as they look plump and juicy,it also makes me feel positive and warm because of the vibrant colors used.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety Disorders Free Online Research Papers Introduction We have all felt the effects of stress at one time or another. Our bodies tell us when we need to slow down because we are overloaded. If stress continues unchecked, it can develop into a more serious problem called anxiety. It has been estimated that over 20 million Americans suffer from an anxiety disorder at any one time and that another 30 million will experience the problem at least once during their lifetime (Hunt, 2005). However, anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. Slight anxiety can actually motivate us in school or at work to perform better and achieve results. However, high levels of anxiety, especially over extended periods of time, is quite detrimental and often requires some kind of medical intervention. Individuals affected with this disorder experience an inappropriate and excessive level of arousal, which is often followed by feelings of uncertainty, fear, and apprehension. Consistent stress and anxiety can greatly affect our spirit, making life seem less meaningful. However, there is no one theory of anxiety that explains the various clinical and biological data. Many theories have suggested possible etiological factors in the development of anxiety; the three main theories are psychodynamic, behavioral, and biological (Hansell and Damour, 2005). Psychodynamic View Freud proposed that anxiety is the result of unconscious psychic conflicts. When these conflicts, or forbidden impulses, threaten to become conscious, anxiety is experienced. Anxiety then becomes a signal to the ego to take defensive actions to suppress it. When the defense mechanism is successful, anxiety is lowered and a sense of security returns. However, if the conflict is intense and the defense mechanism is not successful, symptoms will display in the form of phobias, regression or ritualistic behaviors. Cognitive Behavioral View Behavioral theory suggests that anxiety is a result of learned or conditioned responses. Techniques utilized in the treatment of phobias and obsessive-compulsive behaviors support this theory. According to this hypothesis, anxiety results from a series of responses to certain stimuli. Over time, a person would develop a learned or conditioned response to the stimuli. This concept suggests that anxiety can be learned and unlearned as a result of experience. Biological View From the biological perspective, manifestations of anxiety may be experienced by physiological irregularity. Anxiety may be a warning of an underlying physiological process. In this case, anxiety could be caused by physical disease or abnormality and not necessarily by an emotional conflict. For example, people with multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, diabetes, or, anemia may experience anxiety stemming from their physiological processes. Examples of Anxiety Disorders Though there are varying categories of anxiety disorders, the most common are Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Phobias, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) manifests itself with feelings of chronic and persistent anxiety that last for six months or longer. A person who is experiencing GAD often feels as if they have no control or management capacity over their anxiety. This person may experience insomnia, restlessness, fatigue, uncontrolled behavior, and muscle tension. GAD can also result in a number of physical symptoms such as sweating, dry mouth, and tension headaches. This disorder can be debilitating enough to interrupt an individual’s social and professional life. Generalized Anxiety Disorder Generalized anxiety disorder originates from two main factors: biological vulnerability to anxiety and stress due to negative environmental stressors. An individual may be genetically predisposed or have a natural inner tendency to live life in a tense manner. Any undue amounts of stress can move this naturally tense person into a level of nervousness that gradually moves into worry, then create physiological changes, and finally lead to GAD. Individuals affected with GAD show less responsiveness on most physiological measures such as heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate. They often experience chronic muscle tension, as well as intense cognitive processing in the frontal lobes, especially in the left hemisphere of the brain. This indicates worry without images, which cause the individual to experience extreme levels of worry without having the ability to create images for their current thought. Individuals with GAD are extremely sensitive to threat, especially threat with personal bearing. They seem to be more aware and attentive than people without GAD, and this awareness seems to be unconscious. They usually avoid negative effects associated with the threat at hand; therefore overlooking what may be a solution to their problem. This prevents the person from facing the feared situation and makes adaptation difficult. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive Compulsive Disorder also known as OCD is a chronic mental disorder most commonly characterized by intrusive, repetitive thoughts. These thinking patterns produce a compulsive behavior that the person feels driven to perform. Often, the sufferer would follow a personal routine applying special rules aimed at preventing some imagined anxiety-producing events. The obsession aspect of OCD is where individuals experience troubling repetitive thoughts, images, or impulses that are not only upsetting, but may not make much sense to the individual. Typical obsessions are in the area of cleanliness, such as a fear of germs, contamination, and dirt. The compulsion aspect of OCD is where individuals seek to cope with or manage their anxiety using routine, methodic actions known as rituals. These compulsions somehow help the sufferer negate worrying thoughts, but usually the impact of the rituals is short-lived causing the person to repeat them. Both obsessions and compulsions are troubling and embarrassing, so many people with this condition often hide their fears and rituals though they are not able to stop acting on them. A majority of the people affected by OCD have both obsessions and compulsions with only a small amount having only one aspect of the malady. There are a number of treatment methods for OCD ranging from psychotherapy to self-help and medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to be the most effective form of therapy for because it challenges the dysfunctional and irrational beliefs and thoughts that lie underneath the obsession, as well as the fear that such obsessions produce. During this type of therapy, an OCD sufferer may have a dual approach of gradual exposure to the feared stimulus combined with medication that tempers the anxious emotional state. In regard to the latter, it is believed that individuals with OCD have a lower level of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin has an important role in regard to proper regulation of mood, sleep, and other functions. A class of antidepressant that has been shown to treat OCD most effectively is the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Antidepressants can help with the treatment of OCD because they increase levels of serotonin in which OCD sufferers have been known to have a lesser amounts. Specific antidepressants that have been effective in treating OCD include Clomipramine (Anafranil), Fluvoxamine (Luvox), Fluoxetine (Prozac), Paroxetine (Paxil), Sertraline (Zoloft), and Citalopram (Celexa). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In comparison to GAD and OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be the most experientially troubling of the anxiety disorders. Also known by popular phrases such as railway spine, stress syndrome, shell shock, and battle fatigue, the sufferer of PTSD is haunted by horrific experiences that have attached the person’s emotions, psyche, and senses (visual, auditory, and even olfactory). Such events might be rape, various forms of abuse, natural disasters, and battle experience, all coming back to the sufferer in such forms as flashbacks and nightmares that can significantly impair social and occupational functioning long after the event has passed. Similar to GAD, there also seems to be a negative impact in certain brain functioning with PTSD. For example, soldiers who experienced intense fighting in the Vietnam War with PTSD showed a 20% reduction in the volume of their hippocampus compared with veterans who did not have PTSD. In addition to this evidence, it has been theorized that the amygdala may be in a semi-permanent state of hyperarousal, where the sufferer is not able to â€Å"turn off† the hypersensitivity of the amygdala, which regulates the fight or flight response. Treatment of PTSD has been greatly helped by Horowitz’s creation of the Stress Response Syndrome. This is a model that maps a common pattern of typical responses to stressors, real or imagined. In regard to the sometimes unpredictable and shifting symptoms of PTSD, the Stress Response Syndrome has helped therapists with a logical and phased outline of emotional or impulsive states in which to guide a PTSD sufferer through. These states are: Stressful event, Outcry, a dual state of Intrusion and Denial, Working through, and finally Completion. It has been theorized though, because of the sometimes shocking memories associated with PTSD events, that sufferers may not adequately ever reach the final state of completion. This may be especially true because PTSD often enter deep episodes of depression, substance abuse as a coping method, and even periods of psychosis. Like other anxiety disorders, treatment is varied for PTSD sufferers with psychotherapy and medication. Again, a cognitive behavioral approach is advised, especially by using gradual exposure or remembrance of the stressor with the therapist being careful to not have the patient experience the exposure too deeply. Medications are meant to manage PTSD symptoms from intrusive flashbacks (antidepressants and antipsychotics), hyperarousal (antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and anticonvulsants), psychosis (atypical antipsychotics and anticonvulsants), depression (antidepressants), and panic attacks (antidepressants, MAO inhibitors, and benzodiazepines). A Non-Traditional Setting for Anxiety Besides traumatic situations, anxiety can also surface in areas that are not seen as traditionally stressful, for example, sports. Athletes must often experience and manage various levels of nervousness, apprehension, and fear. Sport psychologists believe that anxiety is a reaction that is measured using various scales through the observation of cognitive and physiological symptoms that appear in reaction to a stimulus. In relation to the environmental stressors associated with sports, this could be upcoming performance, intense competition, or possibly the expectation put on athletes by friends and family. Anxiety in connection with sports is a provocative topic for research since its management can affect a persons athletic performance positively or negatively (Mellalieu, Hanton OBrien, 2004). The relationship between anxiety and sports is a complex one, since it involves anxiety responses that are unique for each athlete along with the variable of different sports. For example, anxiety responses felt by athletes in an individual, non-contact sport (such as tennis) might differ greatly from anxiety responses felt by athletes in a team, contact sport (such as football). This disparity elicits different anxiety responses due to the divergent task demands of the sports (Mellalieu, Hanton OBrien, 2004). Unlike general sufferers of anxiety disorders, athletes on the other hand have a kind of built-in outlet for the anxiety as well. In fact, there is a great amount of literature regarding the beneficial relationship of anxiety in conjunction with sports. In particular, there have been many studies that have exclusively focused on children, and how beneficial sports activities have done to improve their self-esteem, confidence, mood, and mental health, in spite of the presence of anxiety as well. For an in depth look at this specific subject, further research is required. References Carlson, Neil R. (2007). Physiology of Behavior. Boston, MA: Allyn Bacon Antai-Otong, D. (2003). Current treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 41, 20-28. Gioia, M. C., Cerasa, A., Di Lucente, L., Brunelli, S., Castellano, V. Traballesi, M. (2006). Psychological impact of sports activity in spinal cord injury. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine Science in Sports 16, 412-416. Hansell, J., Damour, L. (2005). Abnormal psychology. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Hunt, D (2005). What your doctor may not tell you about anxiety, phobias, panic Attacks. The all-natural program that can help you conquer your fears. New York, New York: Grand Central Publishing. Mellalieu, S. D., Hanton, S. OBrien, M. (2004). Intensity and direction of competitive anxiety as a function of sport type and experience. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine Science in Sports 14, 326-334. Research Papers on Anxiety DisordersThree Concepts of PsychodynamicThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenGenetic EngineeringThe Project Managment Office SystemUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy

History of the Olympic Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History of the Olympic Games - Essay Example Olympic Games have advanced through various developments from the time they started. This paper will analyze the history of the Olympic Games. Specifically, the paper will look into the developments that have occurred since the Olympic Games started up to the present day. The Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 B.C. when the first Olympic Games were held in Greece. The purpose of these games was to honor Olympian gods, and they used to take place on the plains of Olympia, hence the name Olympics. A son of Zeus by the name Heracles is credited to be the father of Olympic Games. During the first Olympic Games in 776 B.C., an athlete run naked for about 192 meters and successfully completed the race, emerging as the sole winner in the event. The athlete’s name was Coroebus, a cook who hailed from Elis. Following the victory in the first Olympic Games, Coroebus became the first Olympic Champion (Guttmann 7-50). Among the Greeks, Olympic Games had significant religious, political as well as social influences. The Greeks believed that the Olympic flame used for the first time during the games was lit from the sun rays. Olympic Games were of such immense importance that the Greeks calculated time with regard to the cycle of Olympics, which ran for a period of four years. The Greeks treated winners of the Olympic Games with a lot of respect; they would immortalize the images of the winners in Olympia by erecting statues. Those who won the Olympics could receive many benefits from the society, unlike those who never won the games or did not participate in them. For example, if a prisoner won during the Olympic Games, he or she would be released and treated with a lot of respect in society. On the other hand, those who lost during the Olympic Games would be regarded as a disgrace to their respective societies (Young 102-155). The Olympic Games held during the ancient times

Leadership style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Leadership style - Essay Example Transformational leadership occurs when the leader broadens and elevates the followers’ interest and stirs the followers to look beyond their own interest for the good of others (Shermerhorn & Hunt & Osborn, 2003. p. 301). President Obama could be considered a transformational leader. Four characteristics of transformational leaders are idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration (Thompson, 2009). In my workplace I have seen how managers have applied different leadership styles in order to motivate employees to achieve higher levels of performance. Different managers within the organization used alternate leadership styles. The company’s general manager is a very outgoing person whose actions inspire the entire staff. His leader style could be categorized as being a transformational leader. One of my supervisors only cares about the operating results. On the few instances this supervisor has spoken to me it has been to provide criticism and exaggerate things. Despite her lack of personality the supervisor gets the job done. Her leadership style can be classified as a transactional leader. Transactional leaders involve leader-follower exchanges necessary for achieving routine performance agreed upon among the leaders and the followers (Schermerhorn, et. al., 2003, p. 301). After a corporate restructuring a few years ago at my workplace the managers wanted to changed the corporate culture. The executives believed that applying a new leadership style was a good initiative that would help deal implement change. The leadership chosen was House’s path-goal theory. The used of this leadership theory requires for the leader to adjust his / her behavior to support situational contingencies. There are four types of leadership that can be applied with the use of House path-goal. The four types of leaderships are directive, supportive, achievement-oriented,

Analysis of the Impact of the Macro Environment on the Pharmaceutical Assignment

Analysis of the Impact of the Macro Environment on the Pharmaceutical Industry - Assignment Example â€Å"Changing market forces and growing public expectations† (Wilson, 2000, p.12) have added business ethics to the mix. The external environment includes both competitive and industry factors. Interestingly, Johnson et al (2008) expect all competitors to be within the same industry when this might not be the case. Equally, not all industry players compete in the same markets. Thus the diagram reflects the less-than-tidy reality of players who exist within any industry, yet compete across industry boundaries and within different competitive environments, falling outside the rational approach to strategy. The underlying factor is the organization’s ability to control the external environment. An organization has influence in the competitive arena, using marketing tools to influence others, but no control over the macro (PESTEL/STEEPLE) factors and must react to changes when they happen. Strategy traditionally focused on rational future planning, what Whittington (2001) calls â€Å"classical† and Mintzberg and Waters (1985), â€Å"deliberate† strategy. But the effects of changing macro factors fall within Whittington’s (2001) â€Å"systemic† and Mintzberg and Waters’ (1985) â€Å"emergent† strategy as such changes cannot be predicted and consequently would not feature in any strategic planning. In analyzing the external environment, de Kluyver and Pearce (2009 p.59) use global tectonics, defined as â€Å"the process by which developing trends in technology, nature, and society† change the external environment. Three tectonics are identified:

How do the simple actions of individuals add up to the complex Essay

How do the simple actions of individuals add up to the complex behavior of a group - Essay Example In this view, the author introduces the concept of ‘Swarm Intelligence’ which is based on self-organization and decentralized control. With reference to colonies of termites and ants, flocks of birds, schools of fish, various land animal herds including elephants, and swarms of bees, it is evident that these swarms utilize collective intelligence to coordinate the various activities conducted by various subgroups to ensure the key objectives of the swarms such as collecting of food, protecting the habitat, and finding shorter paths to food sources are performed (Miller). This can be employed in the organizational setting with inclusion of mechanisms that would allow self-sufficiency of each of the members towards a collaborate approach towards the goals of the organization. For instance, a company referred to as American Air Liquede based in Houston employed the behavior of foraging Argentine ants in establishing a pheromone trail through which successive ants can follow in going to get more food for the colony. In this case, Air Liquede merged the ants’ approach with techniques of artificial intelligence to regard all permutation of weather, plant scheduling, and truck routing decisions. The model allows for inclusion of daily forecasts of manufacturing costs and customer demand (Miller). An important lesson that I learnt from the ants is decentralized control, through which my assignment group members can be allowed to make independent decisions without reliance on any form of supervision from a group leader, towards meeting the predetermined objectives of the