OK...

Ok...I'm not sure if you can attach an article to a blog.....I see that you can add a photo or a video....but I don't see a way to attach it.  BUT...what I will do is comment on the article on my blog...and then attach the article when I put the link to my blog on the discussion board.


Anyway, this was a really great article.  I think one of the people in our class works for Yum! Brands, so this may be interesting for her to read.


It did have a great point that.....which was that leaders need to be teachers.  In order to get the best results from your staff, you should be more of a teacher instead of a dictator.  


Anyway...check out the article in the discussion board.  :)


~Jen

An Interesting Article

Seeing how much I enjoy the website www.pinterest.com; I was immediately drawn to this article while surfing the web.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204792404577225124053638952.html?mod=WSJ_mgmt_LeftTopNews

It's a prime example of why you need a solid business plan/model in place before you launch; so you aren't stuck in a place of overwhelming growth with no financial benefits.

If you haven't visited Pinterest, you should get right on that!  On the other hand, if you are in my Group, nevermind!  :)  You'll be sucked in for hours at a time...and won't want to work on our business plan!  :P  hahaha....

"I've Got the POWAAAA!" - Week 4 Posting

Isn't there a song with that title??  haha... 

I came across a blog (http://www.hrbartender.com/2010/training/7-types-of-power-in-the-workplace/)

that I really enjoyed!  It talked about the 7 types of power in the workplace.  I think it would be especially good for new leaders just emerging in the management world...so they can get a clue as to where the "power" actually comes from in the workplace....and it isn't just from their title.

I definitely have the power!  :)  I'm not ashamed to say or being boastful when I say it...as the article mentions, "Now, stop being modest and thinking to yourself…I don’t have any power.  As you can see, there are lots of different ways power can manifest itself.  And for that reason, it’s important to realize that power exists in all of us."  Out of the seven types of power listed, I have the following:  Connection power, Expert power (depending on which aspect of my life we are referring to), and Referent power.  

What kinds of power do you hold???  

Week 3 Posting - Managing Social Media

In response to a response to my blog post that I received from Jennifer Hunt on Blackboard, I decided to do a little research into what would be acceptable to post as an employee of a company.  I wanted to go directly to the source from which I based my Week 2 post from.  I emailed him to find out what his thoughts were on social media in management.  His comments were as follows:

1)      Be smart.  Don’t post any content about current, sensitive, or confidential issues.   Don’t post anything that makes your boss or your senior leadership look like dummies.  And don’t post anything that is going to sound like you aren’t in support of your own company.  The blog is not a place to gripe about your employer!  

2)      Most companies have a social media policy, with a standard statement you have to put somewhere on your blog.   Even if they don’t, you should make one up & put a disclaimer out there.  For example my company requires this line: “the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent ACI’s position, strategy or opinions.”  And you will see that in the ‘about me’ page.

I completely concurred with his feedback.  Just because you may have a differing opinion than those in leadership in your company, I do not believe that it is a bad thing to post, as long as you are respectful of the person/idea/company/etc.  I believe that if professionally written, it can just come across as your own ideas - and not necessarily bashing the person/idea/company/etc.  

Also, I think that is a great idea about having a standard disclaimer that you should put on your social media page.  It doesn't link the company with your thoughts/ideas.

Overall, the key is being smart about what you are writing.  There is no need to bash people or talk down about people.  I believe one can disagree with another person without making it personal.  And, you can also be more general when writing posts (i.e. - not using actual names, etc.).

Week 2 Posting

So, a friend of mine has a blog that I have recently started following.  He is in a management position at a company in Waltham, I believe.  Here is the link to his blog:   www.knowbsblog.com


The first post that I read was dated August 28th of this 2011.  The title of the post was, "Build Leadership Like Infrastructure...Cuz It IS Infrastructure."  He told of how he was at a dinner where one of the top executives had said that he believed that leadership development should just be allowed to happen, and that it doesn't need to be planned or devised; however, he disagreed.  He felt that instead of just hoping that a person would become connected to someone who potentially could help him strengthen his leadership potential, that one who exhibits potential leadership abilities should be strategically placed in positions where they can be challenged and trained by those who are already in those positions.  His point wasn't that it should just be left to sheer luck; instead, it should be systematically thought through.  He gave four points that would help with building the leadership infrastructure:

• Don’t rely on anyone else to do this for you!   - Basically, he said that as managers, we shouldn't wait for other people or the HR department in your company to put leadership training at our disposal.  We should go about the business of seeking out leadership training because we are ultimately responsible for our teams.
• Conduct a recurring talent assessment:  His idea here was that a couple times a year, a manager should look at his/her direct reports to see what type of leadership skills they have.  As a manager, it is your responsibility to groom your staff, not to hold them back in the position that they are currently in.  A good manager is someone who can see talent/skill in their employee and isn't afraid of having their job compromised.  
• Codify your own leadership processes, methods, & competencies.  His thought here was that everything should be in writing, so your subordinates know exactly what to expect.  
• Develop your top leaders:  This goes along with #2.  After seeking them out, they must be trained and groomed for a management position, if they exhibit those skills.

Overall, this article reminded me a lot of my current manager.  I feel she does a great job with this.  She saw that I had skills & talents that would be useful in my particular field.  She never tried to make herself look better or put down my skills; instead, she was thankful that I could add something to the environment that she was unable to do.  She has never tried to hold me back or make me feel insignificant.  She always tries to empower me by giving me more and more responsibility that gets me seen in a positive light throughout other divisions of the company.  She is constantly on the lookout for new opportunities that would promote me to different positions, even though that would mean potentially losing me.  She would rather suck it up and find someone else to do my current job than have me stay and be stuck in my current job.  As a woman who enjoys in excelling in my work, I really appreciate this attribute of my manager.