Final Blog Entry

Hello everyone!

I'm sad to say this is my last entry as my course assignments are now complete. The following is a link to my final assignment about change in the work environment.

http://carlybartonassignment3.weebly.com/

Thanks to all of you for checking out my blog, and I hope you enjoyed reading it :)

Many thanks,

Carly Barton

10-1 Communicating Effectively

Effective communication is a critically important factor to the success of an organization. Organizations are made up of various people performing different jobs in order to achieve one main goal. Without proper communication, the individuals involved in an organization may not receive certain messages, which may determine the success or failure of the company. There are many barriers to communication, so its important to know certain aspects that should always be used when communicating. In order to prevent these barriers, I have chosen five main points to remember in order to communicate effectively.

5 Points for Effective Communication:

1. Type of Communication

The type of communication you choose depends on the situation itself, Some things should be communicated over the phone (like quick questions that require an immediate answer), through email (if it doesn't require immediate assistance), or face to face (an employee getting fired or being hired should always be done face to face). Recognizing which form of communication to use will help make the overall process run more smoothly. 

2. Listen

When communicating with an individual, whether face to face or over the phone, it's extremely important to listen to what the other person is trying to say. This can actually be more difficult than most people think, as there can be many things that distract you from listening to the main points of a conversation. For example, depending on where you are, there may be a lot of background noise which will obviously distract you from the other person. Personal distractions such as emotional stress can lead to distractions that may affect work productivity in the long run; and overall judgement of the other person your talking to can block out certain parts of the conversation. These barriers are not always easy to overcome, but its important to be aware of them in order help prevent further obstruction in the communication process.

3. Try being in the other person's shoes

When communicating with another person about something you don't quite agree on, its very normal to judge them based on your own beliefs/opinions. As difficult as it may be, it's important to try and see where the other person is coming from; step into their shoes and try to see from their perspective. This is a very useful tool to master and requires a lot of practice since most of us are quite set in our ways. Looking at conversations with a new perspective will open up more opportunity, and have less of a chance of conflict. 

4. Emotional Control

Controlling your emotions can be incredibly hard to do, especially if your angry/upset. When you react to another person in an angry way, that person automatically becomes defensive, and an argument usually occurs. Being angry will totally block out what you don't want to hear, and the message will most likely not come through to you, causing even more conflict down the road. As well, acting out in this way will change the opinion of the other person, which won't get you the answers you need. It's very, VERY important to learn to control your emotions when trying to communicate effectively. 

5. Feedback

Feedback is probably the most helpful part of the communication process, as it lets the receiver depict what they thought about the overall conversation. It provides an opportunity for all individuals involved to ask questions, give their opinion, and clarify all that was said so miss-communication won't occur. For managers, feedback is an excellent way to motivate and help employees so that they continue to excel and work towards mastering their communication skills. Some people take feedback in an offensive way, as it can sometimes appear to be negative. If negative feedback has to be used, managers should use the "sandwich" effect, and provide 2 examples of positive feedback before and after the negative comment. By doing this, the employee receiving feedback will take the negative comments with a more positive outlook, as they are being recognized for their efforts. 

The success of an organization is entirely affected by the communication process, therefore, it's important for all members to recognize communication barriers and how to overcome them in order to communicate effectively. 

Reflective Blog 9-2

Today's blog is going to focus on changes made within an organization. I will outline 3 essential steps that I would take in order to make changes within a company. Before writing this blog, I reviewed 2 models that are commonly used for making changes: Lewin's model, and the complexity theory. Both models have been proven successful, but I decided to choose a combination of both in order to come up with my own way of dealing with change. I chose three steps that I think should be used for making successful change in a corporation: Deciding on the change, Transiton through the change, and Refreeze in order to make the changes permanent.

1. Decide what needs to be changed: before anything is changed in an organization, management first needs to decide what needs to be changed. Managers need to identify the source of the problem that needs to be changed, and then they must decide on what to do. Managers must think of a solution that is for the best of the company. Management must also think about the employees involved with the change, and how it will affect them. Not every individual is going to adapt well to change, so during this step, management must also identify what sort of obstacles could occur with the change, and how to overcome them.

2. Transition: Most people need time when experiencing change, therefore a transition period is a crucial step. This step is found in Lewin's model, and is described as being a psychological journey since each person takes change differently. An individual may have to go through several steps during the transition period in order to fully adapt to permanent change. Certain forms of coaching, training and counseling can be very beneficial during the transition period for some employees. Not everyone handles change the same way, so I think it's important to always include a transition period in order to make sure everyone is on the same page.

3. Refreeze: this final step is done in order to make the new change permanent. This is also found in Lewin's model, and is the final step in the change process. In order to put the change into effect for good, management should offer certain perks to their employees to keep them loyal to the company. Perks can be as simple as a raise or bonus can reinforce the changes made. Over the months and years, these changes wil be the norm as more and more employees adapt.

I know this blog wasn't very long, but I hope it helps you understand what I think are the most important steps when an organization is ready for change.

Reflective Blog 8-2

This blog is going to be an example of a critical incident report. I am going to describe a situation which was unfair that actually happened to me; I am not going to use any real names for privacy reasons. A critical incident report describes something that has/had signifigance to the writer. The instructions for this assignment basically just told me to answer 5 questions found in a critical incident report, so I'll explain the situation, and then answer the questions. I am going to use an example from my first year at college, where a group project didn't go as well as planned.

Critical Incident Report Example

 The situation in question happened to me about a year ago in my first year attending post-secondary. I was assigned a group assignment, and the instructor let us choose our own groups. I choose 3 people: Jack, Jill, and Judy. Our assignment was to complete a research paper as a group, as well as give a presentation to the class. The entire project was worth about 15% of our grade, so the pressure was on to get a good mark. At first our group did well together, no arguments, and everyone seemed to be doing their part; but as time went on, certain problems started to arise.

One of our group members (Jill) decided that participating in the group wasn't important to her, and she decided to slack off. I started to notice it the most when we would schedule team meetings and she wouldn't show up. This highly affected the effectiveness of our group, and caused a lack of motivation.

The motivation in our group started out well, and all members were committed to achieving our project goals in order to get a good grade. However, once Jill started to participate less and less, the motivation and over all goals of the group changed. The group goals, or norms, were simple and to the point. These norms were rules and guidelines that helped our group stay on track, and see the progress made. The norms are a very important part to a group, and lets the group leader know whether the group members are doing their part. Jill payed no attention to the norms, and ignored the deadlines causing panic and frustration for all the other members. When it came time to hand in everyone's individual part of the project, Jill's was badly written, un-edited, and extremely short. It was clear that she put no effort into it at all.

Because of these issues with just one group member, the cohesiveness, conformity, and deviance of the group were all very low. The final grade wasn't too bad considering the circumstances, but it could have been much better if things were handled differently in the group. I can definitely say I learned a lot from that not so pleasant experience, and when faced with the same situation I will approach things differently.

 The following are questions found in a critical incident report:

1.Why do I view the situation like that? I think the reason why I was so upset about this situation is because I was appointed group leader, and I didn't do enough to keep my group in order. I've never had to deal with anything this extreme before, and I found it hard to talk to Jill directly and tell her how her actions were affecting everyone.

2. What assumptions have I made about the problem? In this situation, I didn't talk to Jill and ask if she was having difficulties with her part of the project, which could be a big reason as to why she wasn't participating as much. I assumed that Jill was just being lazy, and because I never talked to her about it, I never got the full story.

3. How else could I interpret the situation? As I said in the previous question, I could interpret the problem by saying that maybe its not her fault, and maybe she really does want to do her best but she just may be having difficulty. I could interpret the situation as a cry for help, or I could interpret it as a cry for attention; either one is different form my original interpretation.

4. What other action might I have taken that could have been more helpful? Well, I could have actually talked to her about the situation at hand, and asked her why she's acting like this. I could also confront her and let her know that the group would be willing to help her get back on track because after all, we are a team and we stick together.

5. What will I do if I'm faced with a similar situation in the future? If this happens again and I'm group leader, the first thing I'm going to do is talk to the person causing the problem, and see if we can figure something out to make the situation better. Also, I would set aside time for team meetings where all members have to attend, no exceptions. In these meetings I would make sure the group is all on track; it can also be a time to ask question's, and come up with solutions to any problems that may arise.

 Well there it is, my critical incident report. I hoped you enjoyed reading it!

6-2 Controlling for Success

This post is going to show a "winning" company who has pulled through a recession and still remains successful and prosperous today. I decided to choose the Canadian coffee chain Tim Horton's, run by Donald Schroeder, President and CEO. 

Tim Horton's is North America's fourth largest quick-service restaurant chain, with restaurants in both Canada and the United States. There are 2939 outlets in Canada, and 536 in the United states, and the company continues to grow as it becomes more popular. Tim Horton's has always been a Canadian favorite, but the economy hasn't always been in the company's favor. Like all other organizations, recession has hit Tim Horton's and caused certain difficulties, but Tim's has overcome the hard times by doing a number of different things to keep business up and running.

The first thing I found out Tim's does to overcome recession is to continue to open new stores across the country. Most people would think that during a recession, this might not be the smartest move, but the CEO of the company believed differently and in turn became more of a success. The company opened new stores in high traffic areas like major cities in both Canada and the U.S. and opened various kiosks in office towers for easy access to those in a hurry. As well as opening new stores, Tim's has brought out new menu offerings and offered other chains in their restaurant such as Cold Stone Creamery Ice-Cream, which has helped them successfully sore through recessions. 

After researching the company more on their website, their main reason for success is the road map of stores all over North America, and also being a well known brand. I found this report/article on their website highlighting most of the company's success during 2010. http://www.timhortons.com/ca/pdf/Tim_Hortons_Inc_2010_Annual_Report_on_Form_10-K(1).pdf

In this report, the CEO of the company states that "Looking Outside" and "Thinking Inside" is what has made the company such a success and positioned themselves to overcome challenges and opportunities. 

Overall, Tim Horton's is one of the most successful Canadian born coffee chains out there. By developing new products and opening new stores across the Canada and the United States, they will continue to remain prosperous and popular. 

*All information found on the Tim Horton's website: http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/index.html; and the textbook: Essentials of Contemporary Management

Blog 4 Sustainability

What is sustainability? As defined by the textbook Essentials of Contemporary Management: Decisions that protect the environment, promote social responsibility, respect cultural differences, and provide an economic benefit. Basically, sustainability is a way to meet the needs of the present without sacrificing the future. These decisions are made for the good of a company as a whole, and encourages employees to engage in company well-being. In this blog post I will be showing examples of what I think good sustainable decisions would be. In order for a decision to be sustainable, it must take the four contexts above into consideration. I will be listing 3 policies that I would use if I was the manager of a large corporation. 

 The first policy:

To ensure that workplaces are fair, non-discriminatory, and safe for all workers.

This policy should really be used by every company. In order to be successful, a company needs to satisfy the one thing that keeps it going, employees. Employees need to feel comfortable and safe when working, and this is something that I as a manger would guarantee. I would also want to respect every individual by having a workplace that is non-discriminatory, and non-prejudice based on culture, sexual orientation etc. Employees really are the fuel to the fire in a company's success, and by providing them with a safe reliable workplace, business will flourish. 

 The second policy:

 To manufacture and purchase recyclable products in order to reduce environmental footprint.

Our environment is so important to us. Nowadays, most organizations are trying very hard to be environmentally friendly, but some still take it for granted. We should all respect and try to preserve our planet for future generations; this being said, I feel that this is one of the most important sustainable decisions a company can make. Being green isn't just good for the planet, but good for society as a whole, and all who are alive today. Environmental protection makes the companies involved in it look good in the public eye, thus increasing social responsibility. 

The third policy: 

To ensure all employees receive flex days twice a month, and that those with children are provided with unlimited on-site childcare until the age of 5. 

We're all human, and humans can get overworked and stressed very easily because of the number of things we do on a day to day basis. By giving employees flex days 2 times a month, that stress and heavy workload can be lifted off of their shoulders, so that they can focus on their needs alone. If we overwork our employees, stress is sure to set in which can sometimes cause physical illness, preventing them from even coming in to work. These flex days are designed to help employees relax and unwind after tough weeks at the office. Flex days can also give employees more quality time to spend with their families, because family always comes first. As well as flex days alleviating stress, employees with small children can rest assured that their child/children are being well taken care of at our onsite daycare. Employees are the most important factor in an organization, and by reducing stress, they can perform to their full potential, thereby economically benefiting the company. 

 As you can see, sustainable decisions affect all of us, and they truly make a difference in the long run.

Blog post 3-3

For this post I will compose a short essay showing how a company created by myself behaves ethically, and is socially responsible. I am gong to pretend that I am the CEO of local food market (grocery store). This store was Canadian born, and specializes on providing customer's with locally grown, and locally made food. We sell a variety of products, such as produce, bread, dairy, meat, etc. and all products are from local farms. I feel that it's important to help support locally, especially since nowadays there are so many large chain stores floating around. Our stores can be found in cities as well as towns, helping to support small businesses and suppliers everywhere.

As well as supporting locally, my company prides itself on behaving ethically. Deciding what is morally right or wrong is exactly what ethics are. But why are ethics so important to the success of a company? Ethics are the foundation for the building blocks of success. Companies that behave ethically are highly respected, and a company that is highly respected is always strong. As manager of my company, I would highly stress the importance of making ethical decisions, and having employees adhere to a formal code of ethics. A formal code of ethics is basic rules/guidelines based on beliefs of what is right or wrong, and managers use this code to make important decisions regarding the good of the company and its stakeholders. The following four points are codes that my company would follow:

• All employees will treat each customer with proper respect so that they leave happy
• All suppliers will be locally owned in order to support the town/city in which the store is in 
• All customer complaints will be responded to as quickly and efficiently as possible
• To ensure a healthy and safe work environment for all employees

By following a formal code of ethics, I can continue to make the proper decisions that are in the best interest of the company as a whole and all those who are involved. As well as following a formal code of ethics, my company will also familiarize itself in proper social responsibility. Just like ethics, social responsibility helps a company's true colors shine through. How a company behaves socially isn't only beneficial to the company, but to society as well. When companies act responsibly towards their stakeholders and the general public, the quality of life is essentially higher. My company would highly engage itself on being socially responsible, and would take a proactive approach. A proactive approach to social responsibility actively embraces the need to behave in socially responsible ways. (Essentials of Contemporary Management P. 76) This means that my company would go out of our way, and above and beyond to satisfy the needs of all the stakeholders involved. Being socially responsible is just as important as behaving ethically. 

After writing all this, I feel that my views on this subject were highly influenced by my generation. Growing up over the years and hearing about the ethical dilemmas that companies have dealt with have shown me how important the way a company behaves actually is. I feel that in order for a company to successfully grow and become more prosperous, it needs to take every little detail into mind, including company image caused from behavior. By doing these things, a company will remain respected among society, and respectful companies always look good to a consumer.