In 2000, I began my career in human resources working for a large aerospace manufacturer in Long Beach, California.  Being that this was my very first H.R job was I excited about all the possibilities that lied ahead of me.  Six months into my employment, I was asked by the Director of Human Resources, If I was interested in joining a team that would be traveling to China later that year.   Excited about the opportunity, I like most people began to research the history of the country and areas of interest I wanted to visit.  Prior to our visit, our team met on several occasions to discuss our initiatives.  The goal of our visit was to introduce a new applicant tracking software (ATS) to our two manufacturing facilities.  The new ATS would be utilized by everyone employed at these two facilities.  Excited about our project and destination, I couldn’t wait for the day to arrive.

On June 14, 2000, we left the U.S. en route to China.  The flight was extremely long, but the idea of what lied ahead kept the adrenaline flowing. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by four managers from one of our facilities.  I greeted everyone by addressing them by their first name and a firm handshake. Once everyone collected their luggage, we headed to our hotel room which was about an hour and a half away from the airport. During our long drive, I began to get hungry so I decided to chew a piece of gum I had in my laptop bag.  Everyone in the van began to discuss the agenda for the next few days along with our plans. The driver asked if I was planning to do any site seeing during my stay.  Like a child in a candy store, I smiled and began to share my agenda and the history that I learned prior to my visit.  After a few minutes, I noticed that the driver was not interested, so I stopped talking.

The next day we arrived at the facility and began to schedule meetings with staff members across several departments.  As the day went on, I became hungry so I decided to chew on another piece of gum. The day went on with little to no disruptions.  Exhausted from my flight and time change, I decided to call it an early night. The next morning, I was called into the office of the Vice President of Operators for our oversees operations.  Not expecting a call from him, I assumed that he wanted to greet us and ask a few questions about our project.  As soon as I entered his office I felt something was wrong.  I began to get nervous so I grabbed another piece of gum from my shirt pocket.  As I sat in front of him, he simply stared at me.  Awkward about the silence, I asked if everything was okay, his reply was “No”.  He then informed me that he had received a couple of complaints from the four individuals who picked me up from the airport a couple of days ago. Astonished by the news, I asked what they complained about.  The V.P gave me a run-down of all the things I had done wrong during my visit.  He first started with how I greeted our host at the airport.  He was told that I had called each person by their first name, shook their hand as if I wanted to break it and gave them my business card with one hand. He then added that I continuously chewed gum while talking with my host.  Shocked by the news, I simply sat there in dismay.  He ended his list of wrong doings by asking if I knew why they would complain about such actions. Dumbfounded by the news, I said no.  I didn’t think anything was wrong since I do these type of things at home all the time.  The V.P was quick to say “well you are not at home and here these types of actions are considered unprofessional and insulting”.  When he said this, I almost fell out of my chair.  I replied “what, what do you mean, how were my actions unprofessional and insulting”.  He then asked if I had done any research on China and of course I said yes, with a big smile.  He asked what kind of research, I replied: “well I know some of the history of China and places I wanted to visit while I was there”.  He replied “Is that it”, I said, “yea, what else would there be”.  He got up from his chair and began to walk towards me.  He stopped and said, “Kid you got a lot to learn”.  At this point, I was embarrassed and wanted to run out of his office.  The V.P began to tell me that cultures vary from country to country and some cases region to region.  He also said that I shouldn’t assume that what I did at home was okay to do in foreign places.  He added that instead of spending time trying to learn the history and sites to visit, I should have focused my time on learning the business culture.  He went on to tell me that calling someone by their first name, the shaking of hands was not a part of their culture.  Chewing gum in front of others while talking or working together was seen as insulting. Dumbfounded again by the news, I repeatedly apologized to him for my actions and lack of education on foreign culture. After a few minutes of discuss the V.P handed me a book and asked that I read it quite quickly. The book was about Chinese culture and how one should behave while doing business in China.  Not wanting to repeat the same mistake twice, I spent the next couple of hours reading the book.  The next day, I returned to the facility and apologized to everyone for my actions and lack of education.

The moral of my story is educate yourself on becoming culturally sensitive prior to arriving in a different country. In our reading of “Managing Cultural Differences” authors Mora, Abramson, and Moran write

Cultural sensitivity should teach us that culture and behavior are relative and that we should be more tentative, and less absolute, in human interactions.  First step in managing cultural differences effectively is increasing one’s general cultural awareness.  We must understand the concept of culture and a foreign language.  Further, we should appreciate the impact of our specific cultural background on our own mindset and behavior, as well as those of colleagues and customers with whom we interact in the workplace.

To accomplish such task, training is necessary prior to one’s interactive in a foreign culture.  To increase effectiveness across cultures, training must be the focus of the job, while education thought of with reference to the individual… (Mora, Abramson and Moran, 2011, p. 26). One should also focus on obtaining two additional skills that are of fundamental importance for global people.  The first skill is listening to understand.  Many global leaders, particularly of nation-states, do not seem to possess this skill to a high degree. Listening is a symbol of respecting the dignity of others (Mora, Abramson and Moran, 2011, p. 26). The second is the skill of locating and using many very sophisticated cultural interpreters. Cultural interpreters can educate individuals on the complexity of foreign cultures and in my case this would have been an ideal resource to use.

References

Moran, R.T., Harris, P.R., & Moran, S.V. (2011). Managing Cultural Differences: Leadership Skills and Strategies for Working in a Global World. Jordan Hill, Oxford, UK: Elsevier.

The ever-expanding advances in the technology industry has made it significantly easier for businesses of all kinds to expand globally. But are they ready to? For a business to go global and stay global, it needs to learn how to traverse the dense waters of cultural differences. Many companies jump into this water without the skills to keep them afloat, and these cultural mistakes or gaffes can be very costly to them. Therefore, it is extremely important for the leaders of businesses which are going global to be global themselves. Being a global person is defined as being aware that other cultures live their lives and have views that are different from our own and are interested in worldly issues (Managing Cultural differences, 2014). Without recognizing that other cultures may act and think differently from your own you are very likely to accidentally miscommunicate a message or offend a business counterpart who comes from a different culture than your own.

The successful globalization of a business can be due to multiple complicated reasons, but every successful venture has an important starting point. “The first Step in managing cultural differences effectively is increasing one’s general cultural awareness” (Managing Cultural differences, 2014). Just becoming educated on the fact that there are many different cultures who do things differently can put your business on the path to success. According to Fortune, “Companies will need to put in place the cultures, platforms, and processes to make collaboration easier and equip people with the right skills to foster effective cooperation” (Royal & Stark, 2015). The businesses that succeed in globalization know that they need to ensure proper verbal and non-verbal communication between people of different cultures. But is it enough to just learn how to communicate? Fortune thinks the success of a business is more than just that. “To succeed amid Globalization 2.0, it won’t be enough to merely operate internationally. Instead, companies will need to be truly global in all that they do” (Royal & Stark, 2015).

Unfortunately, not all businesses who make an attempt at globalization are able to keep up with the culture differences in this changing world. Going global and being a global leader with the skills to successfully interact and conduct business with people from other cultures is necessary in this always developing world. If an organization is unable to do this, it is likely they won’t be in business for very long. Commisceo Global describes many instances where big brand businesses have failed to show cultural sensitivity or knowledge, and such cultural mistake or gaffes lead them to fail in their business venture. For example, “US supermarket giant Walmart completely failed in its effort to break into the German market. Analysts saw the transplanting of US corporate management and retail culture onto an alien environment as the main cause for the massive failure” (Global, 2016). Walmart refused to integrate the German culture into its business inside of Germany. Instead, it insisted on using the vastly different US culture, which resulted in its failure to conduct business within Germany. Another example, shows what seems to be a much lower level decision, and yet, this cultural gaffe was also very costly. “When colouring in 800,000 pixels on a map of India, Microsoft coloured eight of them a different shade of green to represent the disputed Kashmiri territory. The difference in greens meant Kashmir was shown as non-Indian, and the product was promptly banned in India” (Global, 2016). It was certainly surprising for me to learn that such big corporate giants as Walmart and Microsoft would be victim to their own cultural ignorance.

Avoiding cultural mistakes or gaffes is essential for leaders because for people to successfully work together, they need to not only communicate efficiently and appropriately, but receive training for how to conduct business with foreign cultures. “Cultural understanding may minimize the impact of culture shock and maximize intercultural experiences, as well as increase professional development and organizational effectiveness” (Managing Cultural differences, 2014). If a business counterpart feels as though they are being offended it is more than likely that they won’t want to conduct business with you. “Many international businesses are now investing heavily in providing staff with language lessons in order to be able to crack foreign markets as well as providing cultural sensitivity training to address issues such as etiquette, protocol, communication styles and negotiation approaches” (Global, 2016). The YouTube video, Cultural Gaffes Beyond Your Borders, explains many ways in which people in general can avoid cultural mistakes. They include; researching the cultures everyday behaviors and practices, talking to people who grew up in that culture, becoming aware of your own behaviors, and watching for signals that you may have made a gaffe. If you think that you did make a mistake, you should ask about it (Corps, 2010). This is a great opportunity for people to learn more about other cultures, and to show others that you are respectful of their culture and did not purposely try to offend or confuse them. However, it is always best to try and avoid these mistakes in the first place.

References

(2014). In R. T. Moran, N. R. Abramson, & S. V. Moran, Managing Cultural differences (pp. 1-33). Routledge.

Corps, P. (2010, October 15). Cultural Gaffes Beyond Your Borders. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haohj1sVnyk&feature=youtu.be

Global, C. (2016, November 14). How Lack of Cultural Awareness Can Cost A Business Big. Retrieved from Commisceo Global: https://www.commisceo-global.com/blog/cultural-sensitivity-in-business-1

Royal, M., & Stark, M. (2015, February 19). The Most Admired Companies are More Global Than Ever. Here’s Why. Retrieved from Fortune: http://fortune.com/2015/02/19/wmac-globalization2-0/

 

 

 

“Oh! Hey! Don’t forget to tell her not to point her feet at your mom!”

I heard this from Nick, the tall, long-limbed teenaged boy who stood on the other side of my boyfriend Art’s living room. He said these words with a huge grin on his face, which was normal. This guy was always grinning, because he was always joking.

I laughed. I think I said something like, “Okay,” in a skeptical tone, a questioning tone, an “I’m calling you on your crap” tone. It came out, “OH-kay.” It came out disbelieving, because that’s what I was.

“No, I’m serious,” he told me, dropping the grin. “Seriously. Don’t point your feet at her.”

I looked from this kid, Nick the Grinner, to Art for his reaction. He nodded. “Yeah, don’t point your feet at her.”

I didn’t know what to think. Was this for real? Was I truly not supposed to point my feet at Art’s mother? What did that even mean? Should I keep my body turned away so my toes were to the side, angled away from where she’d be standing? Why? I mean, I got regular pedicures. My feet were still feet, but they were cute.

Art told me, “In Thailand, it’s an insult to point your feet at someone. It’s like flipping them off. Don’t do it.” Art’s mom was Thai, and she was coming for a visit. I’d be meeting her for the first time and it was important to everybody that I make a good impression – or that I at least not make a bad one.

I still had no idea if I was being punked about the foot thing. These guys were always trying to see what they could get me to believe.

When Art’s mom arrived, the first thing she did was ask Art, whose name she pronounced Ah-tuh, to fix her a Tanqueray and water. He did. I was surprised to see my underage, boarding-school educated, good-boy man-child know exactly which glass to grab, and exactly how much ice, liquor and water to pour to make his mother sip and sigh with relief. Then she extended her gaze to me and studied me with half a frown, taking in this bleach-blond American her son had been spending all his off-time with in the year that she’d been away.

She invited me (actually, she instructed me) to sit down. I did. She told me to get comfortable. I put my feet up on the ottoman in front of me – and was immediately struck by the sharp intake of breath from Art and Nick, who had not yet sat down and had just witnessed me pointing my feet at Art’s mother. I whipped my feet back to the floor. Apologized. Art’s mother smiled a generous, gracious smile that did not meet her eyes.

I had committed my first big cultural faux pas. I had a lot to learn.

This experience from my life illustrates the importance of becoming aware of cultural differences and cultural norms. Had I taken the time to learn about Art’s Thai culture, and had I believed the men who told me not to point my feet, I would have made a better impression on the woman who would become my first mother-in-law. Perhaps things would have gone better! As a sixteen-year-old girl who was used to heavy teasing and who had only experienced North America, I required a better education before I could successfully navigate a cross-cultural experience. I think many people worldwide, but perhaps especially in America, share my naiveté and make unintended – and at times unnecessary – gaffes such as the one I made that day when I lifted my feet and insulted the very person I wanted to please. Moran, Harris and Moran, authors of Managing Cultural Differences: Leadership Skills and Strategies for Working in a Global World, tell us, “When cultural differences are understood and utilized as a resource, then all benefit. When they are not, the costs are significant” (p.35).

Pennsylvania State University describes Geert Hofstede’s dimensions of culture as having six areas: “power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, long-term/short-term orientation, and indulgence/restraint” (PSU WC, L.2, p.5). These areas are significant because each is a focal point for differences and each provides variables that need to be researched, learned and accepted in order to function successfully across a cultural divide. Many were at play between me and Art’s mom. Certainly the facet that most sticks out for me was the power distance: I was a child, she was an adult. We did not have equal status. The expectation that I show her respect, then, was heightened even beyond what she would have expected from a peer, so my failure to do so was even more grievous.

The Penn Staters point out another important consideration in cross-cultural functionality. They tell us, “Basically, ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s culture is better than others’ simply because one cannot see the world from the other culture’s viewpoint” (PSU WC, L.2, p.6.) What does this have to do with me and Art’s mom, you might ask? Did one of us perceive our own culture as better than the other’s? Well . . . I want to say no. I want to tell you neither of us was that self-absorbed. But the truth is, I think we all perceive our personal cultural norms to be superior when we compare them to others, because they are our NORMS. We are taught from our earliest childhood moments to embrace normal, to speak, walk, talk, write, and relate “normally”. But what is normal? Therein lies the basis for this entire conversation. What is normal to me might be abnormal to someone from another culture. What is normal for that person might be abnormal to me. We are taught to reject things that are not normal – so it becomes difficult to believe that another person’s culture is as valuable and as correct as our own, if it is different from our own.

As our world moves toward becoming more invested in a global marketplace and a global climate, the need for cultural awareness continues to increase. Some groups have always known about this need. The Peace Corps, for example, has a long history of sending people from one nation to another, from one culture to another. They have provided a video that discusses common cultural gaffes, and guess what? Foot pointing is in the video! It’s too bad I didn’t see that before Art’s mom came to visit. Maybe I would have been more careful with my feet.

The video is linked below. I suggest you check it out. You never know when you might find yourself in a situation that calls for you to stay on your toes – or to be aware of something else entirely.

 

 

Works Cited

Moran, R.T., Harris, P.R., & Moran, S.V. (2011). Managing Cultural Differences: Leadership Skills and Strategies for Working in a Global World. Jordan Hill, Oxford, UK: Elsevier.

Peace Corps (n.d.) Cultural gaffes beyond your borders (video file). Retrieved August 30, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haohj1sVnyk&feature=youtu.be

Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2018). OLEAD 410: Leadership in Global Context. Lesson 2: Introduction to Culture. Retrieved August 30, 2018 from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1942644/modules/items/24935359

Geert Hofstede has conducted some very valuable work in regards to understanding the 6 cultural differences he perceived to exist: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, long-term/short-term orientation, and indulgence/restraint. (Penn State, 2018) But once you truly take an intentional dive into his concept on a specific country, the results are quite fascinating and can offer much insight.

Choosing to remain with a culture I have interactions with daily, I visited Hofstede Insights website and first narrowed my search to India. The score card ranking India on the 6 differences appeared, and I sat back to take a closer look to see what I could learn. Hofstede provided the following grades in his 6 differences: power distance – 77, uncertainty avoidance – 40, individualism/collectivism – 48,  masculinity/femininity – 56, long-term/short-term orientation – 51, and indulgence/restraint 26. (Hofstede, n.d.)

This first segment that stood out to me was the power difference. “India scores high on this dimension, 77, indicating an appreciation for hierarchy and a top-down structure in society and organizations.”  “Employees expect to be directed clearly as to their functions and what is expected of them.” (Hofstede, n.d.)  I can acknowledge that I have found myself frustrated at times as it appeared that several of my India based counterparts seemed to lack initiative to think ahead and be proactive on their own in projects. Now, I understand that it may not entirely be because they lack the want, but they instead may have been culturally taught to not move forward without specific provided direction from their leadership. This little nugget is extremely helpful, and I plan to put it to use as soon as tomorrow when there are perceived hiccups in the teams operations. Rather than grow frustrated, I as the leader will need to be cognizant of this cultural difference and modify my expectations and delivery of them back to my team. This big yet small point of personal development on my part, may help to contribute to an even greater success at the team level.

Long term orientation also caught my eye as Hofstede discussed their faith and their sense of timeliness which I wrote of in my discussion topic last week. “Countries like India have a great tolerance for religious views from all over the world. Hinduism is often considered a philosophy more than even a religion; an amalgamation of ideas, views, practices and esoteric beliefs.” (Hofstede, n.d.) My executive team is Hindu and I have been grateful to be included in several of their holidays and blessings.

Most recently, we moved to a new office location. I was fortunate to be onsite that day, as normally I work remote, when my female CIO stopped by and asked me to come along. I was politely instructed to remove my shoes outside of our main conference room and to proceed inside. There, a small group had gathered and were lighting a candle and for lack of a better term, chanting a prayer. The President of the company turned, caught my eye and smiled as he and his wife (the CIO) continued with the lighting of candle while they prayed. At the conclusion of the blessing, my CIO came over to explain what they had done and why. It was a fantastic moment of really learning the nature of their religion. This simple observation of a blessing then led into me being able to ask a few questions of her regarding her Hinduism. It was a fantastic few moments to really learn just how very open and accepting Hinduism is. More so, I learned that even though I am Christian, my denomination did not cause them to preclude me, and rather to warmly include me.

As interesting and educational as I find Hofstede’s cultural differences. it also makes me cognizant to avoid using his ratings or explanations as an all-inclusive definition for the given culture. For instance, despite several team members displaying the definition Hofstede presented regarding power differences, I have one member of my team who is very much a forward thinker and doer. He needs little, sometimes if any, direction to see the full picture, know what the next step is, and effectively move to it without instruction to do so. In moments like these, I must be sure to not use Hofstede’s work to incorrectly lump all people of the same culture into the same pot per se. Instead, as an effective leader, I will recognize these differences amongst the participants and modify my interactions with each in order to ensure the best outcome and success for all.

 

Hofstede, G. (n.d.). Hofstede Insights. Retrieved from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/india/

Pennsylvania State University (2018). Leadership in global context–OLEAD 410. Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State University.

Hi my name is Cassandra Landis and I work at a charter school as a Behavior Support Specialist. I currently live in Pennsylvania around an hour south of Philadelphia with my husband and three children.  I love to travel not only for pleasure but for humanitarian efforts.  We are very involved in our church and I lead worship every Sunday in our main campus that currently has 1000 members.

I currently hold a degree in Liberal Arts and at the end of this semester will hold one in Organizational Leadership. My long-term goals would be to work in a position of leadership such as the director of operations at the school that I work in. I also want to be more involved in my church but more in the organization part of it.  I would love to work in their office and help bring more organization to it.

I have had a lot of experience in leadership in that I have led groups at work and at church. I was a lead in our organization and my role was to lead a group of 12 teachers . I had to make sure that whatever the directive was from the head of our school that it was carried out by the teachers.  I also created and implemented a behavior/reward system for the school.  I have trained staff on this system and in fact it is still in use today.

My favorite leadership quote is more of a saying “Don’t just talk the talk but walk the talk” This is so important and is something that I live by. I do not want to come across as not being genuine. I believe that if you are about what you say people want to follow you because they respect that.

Hello Everyone,

 

My name is Ana.  I am located about 17 miles south of San Francisco, in a town called Millbrae, which is 5 minutes near SFO.  Currently, I am an HR Manager for a non-profit agency in San Francisco.  I am hoping to have an opportunity to transfer to a fortune 500 and work my way up to be a Reginal Director in Human Resources.  I started my leadership career while working for a major airline company; I was a Team Leader with a direct cohort of 15 but responsible for an operational group of about 75 people. Since then I have lead between 5 to 10 team member thought my current career.

I had a calendar a few years back, and it had a quote a day on it, the one I keep, even after the year had passed; I kept the quote because it really inspired me to be a better HR Manager.  The quote is as follows:

“If your action inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more you are a leader.” — JOHN QUINCY ADAMS

My favorite part about being a manager is the opportunity to encourage my team and impart my knowledge to another person, so that they may excel and if possible supersede me.

Sadly, I live a pretty dull life, because at the moment all I do is work and study.  But when I have a moment I love watching motorsports, swimming, and painting.  Regarding motorsports, I follow F1, WRC, and Moto GP, but lately, I haven’t had much time to watch any races this year, as my courses have been super challenging. I also enjoy watching and following fútbol (soccer), I have had to good fortune to have attended three world cups so far, and hoping to view another.

Wishing everyone a smooth and fulling semester.

Ana

 

 

Hello, fellow classmates, my name is Margot Harvath-Fletcher and I am currently residing in the quaint coastal New England town of Marblehead Massachusetts. I am majoring in Public Relations and Strategic Communication. This past summer I married my husband in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine.

My professional life currently consists of finishing up school primarily but I also am an executive personal branding consultant for a firm in New York City but am working remotely this semester.  Prior to that, I interned for the Shark Group which is a division of the television show Shark Tank. I interned for over two years working in the speaking division which really is the head of the business for Daymond John. While there I really gained insight into his leadership skills and how he was able to turn $20 into a $2 billion dollar brand just by taking initiative and setting goals. With that being said my long-term goals are to launch my own business which I am in the early stages of doing.

My leadership experience is long and I am proud to say that. It began when I was growing up being the oldest in my family made me a natural leader. When I got older I attended a leadership camp named Camp Miniwanca on the shores of Lake Michigan where you still do the traditional camp activities but it teaches children the fundamentals of leadership and confidence.

Following that, I became a camp counselor for various camps over the summers. When I moved to New York City I taught sailing at the Manhattan Yacht club for two years where I was a counselor then worked my way up to being the head of the youth program.

When I first arrived at Penn State ( I was originally at the University Park Campus) I enrolled in their outdoor orientation program called URSA which focuses on leadership and urban renewal and volunteering. It probably is one of the very moments from college I treasure the most, not only did it introduce to the RPTM and OLEAD courses which are my favorites but it also introduced me to like-minded individuals who value friendships and leadership values.

My favorite leadership quote stems from my summers at Camp Miniwanca:

“My own self, at my very best, all the time.” -William H. Danforth who is the founder of the camp. He also wrote a book titled I Dare You which I highly recommend reading it’s very short and talks about the foursquare approach to leadership and personal development.

A fun fact about me, I have lived in 10 states those being: Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Florida, Arkansas, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine, and Massachusettes.

I am very happy to be in this course and to meet you all virtually. I wish you nothing but success.

Greetings to my fellow class mates 

I’m Debra Kurtz and go by Deb and work in the Human Resources field. 

• Where are you located geographically? 

I live in Lititz, PA, a small town in southeastern Pennsylvania, a few years ago we were named the coolest small town in America!!   

• Where are you in your life professionally? 

I’m currently employed as an HR Partner for a manufacturing company that makes agriculture equipment.  I have worked in the Human Resources field for over 15 years now 

• What are your long-term goals? 

I’m currently going into my 7th semester and hope to graduate in the spring with a BS in Labor Relations and Organizational Leadership!  I have been enjoying my classes in LER and OLEAD and have been able to use my work experiences in class work as well as using theory and concepts in my daily work life.  I am taking this course as a requirement for my LER degree.   I do think this will be a very interesting course, as I think our history of work evolution has had a huge influence on how that evolution evolved.   I do want to pursue my Masters.  Eventually, I want to work in a senior leadership role and then perhaps move into a mediator or arbitrator role.   

• Do you have a favorite leadership quote? If so, provide a brief comment about why this quote has special meaning for you. 

Maya Angelou  

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

As a leader, these are very powerful words, and can define how your followers feel about you as a leader.  Leaders who inspire motivate, encourage and empower are far likely to have the support, trust and respect from their followers then leaders who dictate, criticize and are less supportive.  Leaders who have helped me and inspire are the leaders who I learn form and have taken those teaching and incorporated them in my life.  Leaders who have been uninspiring in my life, I no longer remember what they did for me. 

• Optional: interesting tidbits: 

I have a son who just graduated this past spring from PITT and is back at home waiting to pursue his Masters.  

I enjoy being outdoors, hiking trails or being on the lake, bay or ocean.  I enjoy all type of music and have attended many concerts in my lifetime.  I enjoy traveling and exploring our National Parks, such as Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Arcadia, Mt Hood, Hawaii Volcano, Great Smokey Mts, Rocky Mountains and Zion to name a few. 

I have been a lifelong Philadelphia Sports fan, and have season tickets to the Eagles.  I got to see the Eagles play this past year in the NFC Championship game, sending them to the Super Bowl, it was one of the most electrifying games I have attended!  It was been an exciting year for Philly sorts teams Eagles winning the Super Bowl, Flyers and Sixers in the playoffs and hoping the Phillies can make a run…we also support the Union soccer Team! 

Do not be intimidated by online courses, I found them very rewarding.  There are so many resources that one benefits being an online student.  The discussions are a great platform to gain knowledge as well as all the other resources (forums, tutoring, Skype) that Penn State offers, utilize them! 

I knew self-discipline was needed to do online classes, you will start to develop your own discipline, and find your niche on how to study, where and when.  It is something that you can get guidance on, but you need to find your own niche. 

I work fulltime, and take several courses a semester, I have given up a lot to pursue this goal.  But I do have support from family and even my job.  I do find time to balance my life, but it is hard, and you need to have self-discipline to achieve this goal, but it is doable if you have a positive mindset to achieve your personal goal.  I am an adult learner and found this very rewarding! 

Looking forward to this course and getting to know and working with many of you during this semester!  Best of luck to all! 

Regards, 

Deb Kurtz 

Fly Eagles Fly 

 

Hello, everyone, my name is Tiffany. For the past 15 years, I have been employed for a multi-national healthcare company in facility revenue management. My long-term goal is to align myself with a healthcare organization that values both the care they give patients and the way they treat their employees. I strongly believe in a servant leadership style that supports both customers and employees. My favorite leadership quote is “Success in life is not a matter of chance. It’s a matter of choice.” We all are given opportunities in one way or another, however, it is up to us to take them and do what we can with them. I have a husband a two beautiful daughters ages 10 and 14. I love love love football and basketball season both for college and professionally. I don’t have any real hobbies right now as I work and go to school full time with two kids. I usually don’t even know what day of the week it is LOL! I am so excited about this course and can’t wait to work with an amazing group of students this semester!