edc5062

Minorities and the Glass Ceiling

April 14, 2013 by edc5062

The lesson and book discuss the glass ceiling and how that impacts women reaching top executive positions. There are three possible explanations presented in the lesson. The first, the pipeline theory, is that women have not been in managerial positions long enough to move into the top executive positions, but this has not been supported by data. The second explanation is that women lack management experience. The third explanation is that women are not qualified for top positions (PSU WC, L13).

After reading about the glass ceiling, I was curious how the glass ceiling also impacts racial minorities. As a Hispanic student entering hospital administration, the glass ceiling will likely impact me as I try to advance in my career. Though the lesson and book present the glass ceiling with respect to women, minorities face a similar situation. Diversity in the health care profession, like many others, lacks diversity. Despite the fact that within the next 30 to 40 years whites will no longer be the majority, health care leadership has not followed the same trends (Yen). For example, less than 10 percent of physicians are black or Hispanic and the nursing workforce is 90 percent white (O’Malley). The one that is relative to my future career is that 94 percent of hospital CEOs are white (“Increasing and sustaining diversity in healthcare management”).

Clearly there is some sort of glass ceiling effect for minorities on leadership positions, at least in the health care industry, as well. Minorities are not reaching top leadership positions, like hospital CEOs, as often as whites are. One reason could be the cultural differences discussed in the lesson. One example of a difference between whites and the Hispanic minorities is orientation to authority, which deals with if people of different status should be treated the same (PSU WC, L13). For example, Hispanics have a strong sense of respect for authority. While a white employee may disagree with his or her boss and make his or her opinion known, a Hispanic worker may sit back and do as the boss says (Tornoe). This may make the white employee seem more motivated and innovative and thus more likely to get a promotion. Another potential explanation is the perspective on time. Some cultures are monochronic. This means people of this culture focus on one thing at a time. Monochronic cultures are in general on time for meetings and events and do not like to be interrupted. On the other hand, there are polychronic cultures. Polychronic cultures do many things at once. In this type of culture, plans are flexible. The United States is a monochronic culture whereas Latin America is polychronic (Cultural Differences – Monochronic versus Polychronic). Clearly, this can lead to conflicts that result in the glass ceiling minorities face. Perhaps a Hispanic worker seems unorganized because they focus on many things at once and maybe they are late for work or meetings because they consider things to be more flexible. This can lead to misunderstandings in the workplace that result in minorities not getting the same promotional opportunities as whites.

These are just a few of the cultural differences discussed in the lesson. Other differences can also result in minority differences in the workplace. The glass ceiling impacts women and minorities alike. Since the demographics of the United States are rapidly changing, we should foster a workplace that is also increasing in diversity. Understanding the cultural differences presented in this lesson is one way to start understanding differences between cultures and their workplace characteristics.

References

Cultural Differences – Monochronic versus Polychronic. (n.d.). Retrieved from The Articulate CEO website: http://thearticulateceo.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/08/cultural-differences-monochronic-versus-polychronic.html

 Increasing and Sustaining Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Healthcare Management . (n.d.). Retrieved from American College of Healthcare Executives website: http://www.ache.org/policy/minority.cfm

 O'Malley, A. S. O. S., Cassil, A. C., & Boukus, E. R. (2009, September). A Snapshot of U.S. Physicians: Key Findings from the 2008 Health Tracking Physician Survey. Retrieved from Center for Studying Health  Systems Change website: http://hschange.org/CONTENT/1078/

Penn State World Campus (2013). PSYCH 485 Lesson 13: Leadership and Diversity. Retrieved on April 14, 2013, from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp13/psych485/003/content/13_lesson/06_page.html

 Tornoe, J. G. (2007, May 2). Hispanic culture at work - understanding and managing Hispanic employees. Retrieved from LatPro website: http://learn.latpro.com/hispanic-culture-at-work/

Yen, H. (2012, December 12). Census: White Population Will Lose Majority In U.S. By 2043. Retrieved from Huffington Post website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/12/census-hispanics-and-black-unseat-whites-as-majority-in-united-states-population_n_2286105.html

Servant Leadership in Big Brothers Big Sisters

March 31, 2013 by edc5062

I used to be involved in an organization that I think requires a servant leader. This organization is Big Brothers Big Sisters. Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organization that says they “help children realize their potential and build their futures.” They also “nurture children and strengthen communities.” Basically, it is a mentoring organization for youth that are in difficult home situations (We Are Here to Start Something).

Servant leadership is a type of leadership where the leader has a desire to help others develop, which in turn allows them to help other people develop (PSU WC, L11). The lesson listed ten characteristics of a servant leader that can be applied to a leader involved with Big Brother Big Sister.

One characteristic of a servant leader is listening. This is perhaps the most important characteristic for a servant leader in Big Brothers Big Sisters. The children involved in this organization are facing difficult situations at home and in their lives. Many times, people just need someone to listen to them. This leads into the next important characteristic, empathy. While spending time with the children and listening to their problems, the leader should be empathic. The children need someone to understand them and not to judge them or make them feel bad for some of the situations going on. As Northouse says, empathy requires the servant leader to “stand in the shoes” of the person. A leader in Big Brothers Big Sisters needs to stand in the shoes of the child and understand what they are going through and how that affects his or her life. When the leader does this, they can understand what the child is thinking and feeling (Northouse).

The third characteristic is healing. Healing requires the servant leader to support the follower to overcome personal problems. A leader in Big Brothers Big Sisters is there for this exact reason. They are there to guide the child in his or her life and help them overcome his or her challenges. Awareness, or understanding the impact we have on others, is another important leadership characteristic in Big Brothers Big Sisters. A leader in Big Brothers Big Sisters is essentially a role model for children. They must understand that children will look up to them, respect them, and many times, mimic what they do. For this reason, these leaders need to be especially aware of how their actions influence the children around them (Northouse).

Two final characteristics that are especially evidence in Big Brothers Big sisters are the commitment to the growth of people and building community. Commitment to the growth of people means that leaders treat the follows as a unique person and leaders help each person grow. A leader in Big Brothers Big Sisters is there to help the children grow, mature and reach their full potential. Therefore, the overarching goal of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to help people grow. Finally, building community is important so that leaders can create a welcoming space where everyone feels safe. Big Brothers Big Sisters often times works with schools and other community groups to build community in this way. Building community allows the children to feel connected, which in turn helps them grow and develop (Northouse).

The remaining characteristics can also be applied to Big Brothers Big Sisters, but these six characteristics are especially evident. Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organization that tries to help people grow and develop, which requires many servant leadership characteristics.

References

Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications

Penn State World Campus (2013). PSYCH 485 Lesson 11: Servant Leadership. Retrieved

on March 31, 2013, from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp13/psych485/003/content/11_lesson/03_page.html

We Are Here To Start Something. (n.d.). Retrieved from Big Brothers Big Sisters website:

http://www.bbbs.org/site/c.9iILI3NGKhK6F/b.5962351/k.42EB/We_are_here_to_start_something.htm

Teams on CSI

March 14, 2013 by edc5062

Thumbnail image for MV5BMTI3OTg2OTg2Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDcwMTMzMQ@@._V1_SY317_CR2,0,214,317_.jpg Teams and groups, as the lesson points out, are often used interchangeably. However, the two are different in the sense that in a team, the members are heavily reliant on each other (PSU WC, L9). In the TV show CSI, the characters are part of a team. Why are they a team rather than a group? First, you have two main divisions of characters. You have the people that go “in the field” and the people that stay in the lab. In the field, you have the investigators, like Nick Stokes and Sara Sidle. Then in the lab, you have people like Hodges, Henry Andrews and the medical examiner Dr. Robbins (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation). These two groups, though they have distinct roles, are interdependent on one another. The field people require the lab people to analyze the evidence for the case. The lab people require the field people to go out and find evidence and potential perpetrators. Neither group would be able to function without the other, so the characters are part of a team.

The show also exhibits other parts of team leadership that were discussed in this lesson. For example, the characters all have a clear, elevating goal. This means that there is a clear goal and the team members know if that goal has been met. In CSI, this means finding and apprehending the perpetrator. If they are able to solve the case, then they have achieved their goal. They also have competent team members. Each team member has something they excel at. For example, Dr. Robbins is clearly able to look at a dead body and determine things that happened to the person leading up to death while Hodges is good at working in a lab. There is unified commitment and a collaborative environment. Unified commitment means the members have a sense of belonging while a collaborative environment means the teams have trust and can work together (PSU WC, L9). In CSI, the members all have a clear role in the team. Everyone is included and has a job. They also work together heavily. Occasionally there are conflicts, but for the most part, they trust each other to get the job done (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation).

These outcomes of leadership can be analyzed using the Team Effectiveness Leadership Model (TELM). This model is a way to see how teams can be more effective. In the case of CSI, the inputs are the members’ education and training levels and the supplies given to them by the crime lab. This includes a physical space for the lab, materials to take out in the field, cars and guns for protection while in the field or apprehending a perpetrator. The process is how the team works. We know that the goal of CSI is to solve the crime. The process is how they go about reaching this goal (PSU WC, L9). In CSI, the process starts when a crime is committed. The CSIs will go to the crime scene and collect evidence. Then they will take the evidence to the lab to be analyzed. While evidence is being analyzed, they will look into the deceased past to see if they had any conflicts. As they piece together what happened that night, they come up with theories on who committed the crime. Then, when they are sure which theory is correct, they apprehend the perpetrator. The output of this process is that the crime is solved and justice can be served (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation).

References

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. (n.d.). Retrieved from IMDb website:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247082/

Penn State World Campus (2013). PSYCH 485 Lesson 9: Team Leadership. Retrieved

on March 12 2013

Power in the Media

February 24, 2013 by edc5062

Power, or the ability to influence others, is important to leadership. Though before this lesson we may not have been aware of the five types of leadership, French and Raven’s five sources of power are around us in the media every day.

Expert power is the power that one obtains through having a thorough education in a certain field. An expert is someone that has extensive training and experience in the field. Expert power therefore uses the education and experience the leader has to influence others (PSU WC, L7). In the media, consider Dr. Melinda Warner from Law and Order SVU. Dr. Warner has expert power in this show. When the detectives are investigating a homicide, they turn to Dr. Warner for her expert advice. Dr. Warner gives them information on how the victim died and when the victim died. The detectives also turn to Dr. Warner to provide DNA evidence on the killer. In this situation, Dr. Warner has more education, in this case a medical degree, than the detectives and she can therefore provide expert insight into what happened. She has the ability to influence how the detectives proceed with the investigation because whatever information she gives them will change how the detectives investigate the homicide (Dr. Melinda Warner (Character)).

Referent power is the ability to influence others because of the relationship between the leader and the followers. In this case, the leader is seen as a role model. In expert power, the leader had power due to their education and experience. Referent power, on the other hand, is a type of power that requires time and work to obtain (PSU WC, L7). In the media, consider the movie Freedom Writers. In this movie, Erin Gruwell is a high school teacher in a high-risk school. At first, her class is resistant to her efforts. Some of the students are gang members, many do not attend class and none of them want to be there. Erin works hard to gain the trust of her students. Eventually, she is able to connect with the students and create referent power. She gets them to write in journals, read book and take an interest in their education. At the end of the movie, she was able to influence some of her students to attend college, which is something none of them would have considered before they met Erin. Since Erin developed a close relationship with her students, she had referent power with them that led to her being able to influence them in their education (Freedom Writers).

Legitimate power is a type of power that one obtains because they are in a position of authority (PSU WC, L7). In the media, consider President Schwarzenegger from the Simpsons Movie. In the movie, Springfield has a pollution problem. The Head of the Environmental Protection Agency Russ Cargill presents President Schwarzenegger with five “unthinkable options” to control the pollution. President Schwarzenegger randomly picks option three, without even reading them. When asked if he wants to read the options first, President Schwarzenegger says he was elected to lead not to read. This is an example of legitimate power. Since Schwarzenegger was the president of the Untied States, the option he picked was the one that was selected. Without even reading his options, he elected to enclose Springfield in a glass dome. The only reason he was able to influence what option Springfield took to contain the pollution was because of his position (The Simpsons Movie).

Reward power is one in which a leader can influence the followers by providing incentives (PSU WC, L7). In the media, consider the episode of The Office titled “The Incentive.” In this episode, Andy creates a point system in order to increase sales. When the employees reach certain point levels, he will give them certain rewards. The ultimate reward comes when the employees reach 5,000 points, at which time Andy will get a tattoo of whatever they want him to get on his butt. This is an example of reward power because Andy provided the employees with an incentive to increase their sales. Since the employees wanted to see Andy get a tattoo, they worked harder until they reached the 5,000 points (The Incentive).

Coercive power is one in which a leader can influence its followers through fear of punishment (PSU WC, L7). In the media, consider The Lion King. In this movie, Scar uses coercive power when he takes over Pride Rock. Everyone in Pride Rock is afraid of Scar even though Scar has turned Pride Rock into a wasteland. This is an example of coercive power because all of the lions and hyenas lived together in Pride Rock under Scar’s control because they were afraid of him. He had the power to control them even though he was ruining Pride Rock (The Lion King).

The five types of power are important to understand when studying leadership. The five types of power are around us in the media all the time. From the time we are young and watch movies like the Lion King to when we are older and watch other shows on television, we are exposed to the different types of power.

References

Dr. Melinda Warner (Character). (n.d.). Retrieved from IMDb website:

http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0013530/

Freedom Writers. (n.d.). Retrieved from IMDb website:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0463998/?ref_=sr_1

 Pennsylvania State University World Campus. (2011). Retrieved February 24, 2013, from PSYCH 4

85 Lesson 07: Power & Influence: https://elearning.la.psu.edu/psych485/lesson-7

The Incentive. (n.d.). Retrieved from IMDb website: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt205

1718/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

The Lion King. (n.d.). Retrieved from IMDb website: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110357/?ref_=sr

_1

The Simpsons Movie. (n.d.). Retrieved from IMDb website:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462538/?ref_=sr_2

Unemployment among college graduates in China explained through skills and trait approach

February 3, 2013 by edc5062

A recent article in the New York Times sheds a light on leadership thoughts of college graduates in China. The article specifically can be analyzed using the trait and skills approach. The basic message in the article is that in China, millions of college graduates are unemployed. At the same time, factory jobs are abundant. The problem lies in the fact that college graduates often times refuse to work in a factory. Interestingly, those in China with a college degree are four times as likely to be unemployed as those with only an elementary school education. The article states that there are a few main issues generating this problem. First, college graduates in China are very picky with what jobs they will take. Second, the amount of technical training is on the decline in China, so few people have the skills needed for certain positions (Bradsher, 2013).

Beginning with the trait approach, it is clear that Chinese college graduates associate certain traits with being a good leader. The Great Man Theory can explain this. The Chinese college graduates feel more qualified and entitled to jobs more prestigious than factory jobs. They feel that they are the “great” leaders and deserve to be in higher positions (PSU WC, L 2). This idea leads to the dark side of personality. These Chinese college graduates that would rather be unemployed than work in a factory are narcissistic. They are very self-centered and have a sense of entitlement (PSU WC, L 2). From spending time in college, they feel overqualified and entitled to better jobs, and thus end up graduating from college and becoming unemployed.

The skills approach can also be used in analyzing this article. The article specifically mentions a decline in the technical skills. Technical skills are one of the three skill-set areas introduced in the Three Skill Model by Katz. Technical skills are the ability to use tools and processes of the organization (PSU WC, L 4). The Chinese college graduates lack the “hands-on” skills required to fix and operate factory equipment. While lacking the technical skills, Chinese graduates believe they are overqualified because they have many other skills gained through a college education. They feel that they have competencies and knowledge gained from their education (PSU WC, L 4). Due to these skills acquired during college, Chinese graduates feel as though they should have more prestigious jobs.

As can be seen, the skills and trait approach work together in explaining the current situation among college graduates. The trait approach can explain why college graduates develop a sense of entitlement through the Great Man Theory and the dark side of personality. Though college graduates feel a sense of entitlement, they are also lacking some skills required to hold a factory job that they feel overqualified for. They lack technical skills needed to work in a factory, though they have obtained other skills during their college education.

References

Bradsher, K. (2013, January 24). Chinese graduates say no thanks to factory

jobs. Retrieved from New York Times website: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/25/business/as-graduates-rise-in-china-office-jobs-fail-to-keep-up.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=education

Penn State World Campus (2013). PSYCH 485 Lesson 2: Trait Approach.

Retrieved on Jan. 29 2013, from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp13/psych485/003/content/02_lesson/01_page.html.

Penn State World Campus (2013). PSYCH 485 Lesson 4: Skills Approach.

Retrieved on Jan. 29 2013, from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp13/psych485/003/content/04_lesson/01_page.html.