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My case study – Enough is enough, but what is enough?

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Moon is an ambitious, well-intentioned lady who describes herself as a servant leader with a mission to help both her colleagues and clients develop to their full capacity.  In the past year, she left her previous job where she held a mid-level management position in a non-profit organization, for a lesser role as a support worker with ‘Higher Hope for Humanity,’ another non-profit. She left because of her admiration for Higher Hope for Humanity’s success in upholding their mission: To provide housing and access to post-secondary education for immigrant, low-income families with teenage children. Over the years, the organization received a donations and grants totalling about $35 million for their success in providing access and graduating their teens in post-secondary programs.

In her first year however, Moon’s perception of the organization changed. The organization’s growing complacency negatively affected its work for the families. She also found out that in the last five years, only 65% of these kids were accepted into post-secondary school, down from the 95% that the organization boasted on their website. Meanwhile, families with kids who are unsuccessful are asked to leave the housing program. Also, only 40% of these kids in the past five years actually graduated from post-secondary school. As a previous manager, Moon identified several key areas and strategies to improve these figures; but when she tried to share them with her colleagues, they refuted her ideas and attributed the problem to ‘kids being lazy.’ She also heard rumours that for many years, managers were exaggerating statistics in the annual provincial audits to give the impression that the organization was meeting its stated goals. Moon has a strong gut feeling that most of the sponsorship money is going towards the organization’s employees due to her colleagues raving about the bi-annual salary increases they received in the last five years. On top of this, she also noticed that her superiors wear luxury items which is uncommon for non-profit executives, increased the number of employee outings, and increased everyone’s vacation time. One of her favorite colleagues, Scorpio, who is also the manager that hired her, constantly expresses to her how happy he is to have finally saved enough money for his three teenage girls’ post-secondary education.

Moon’s new Director of Operations, Sagittarius, seems to share the same sentiment as Moon and introduced new policies five months ago designed to improve the well-being of their graduating high school kids. However, the policies will also require workers to double their efforts and cut back in employee spending. Moon is enthusiastic about management’s new direction because of the support it will provide to the kids. Her colleagues on the other hand, do not share the same sentiment and are finding ways to secretly undermine the new policies without Sagittarius’ knowledge.

Coincidentally, Moon’s best friend Aquarius, a freshly graduated journalist, also revealed that she is having trouble linking evidence for a story to expose multiple non-profit organizations for corruption and fraud. Aquarius seems determined to succeed because of the effect this would have on the community and could also be a major career breakthrough. Higher Hope for Humanity however, was not one of the organizations that Aquarius was looking at.  Knowing Moon has connections to the non-profits she’s investigating, Aquarius asks Moon if she has any information that could help her.

At this point, Moon feels a lot of pressure from herself to take action but does not want to make a hasty decision. Moon feels that the overall mission of the her workplace is noble but the organization has lost sight of their vision. She contemplates on whether she trusts Sagittarius as the Director to find ways of improving the organization. Should she disclose to Sagittarius the actions of her colleagues knowing it can get certain employees fired and possibly reduce everyone’s wages? Not to mention she would be despised by her colleagues if they find out. She’s also guilty that the organization is using money that’s not theirs for their own personal benefit and contemplates informing Aquarius because she suspects there’s problems rampant throughout the whole organization.

Discussion Question

What course of action should Moon take, if any?

Ruiz

Great case study.  Nice names.  

For some reason, I am not a fan of current employees passing along information that could potentially damage the organization to journalists to others.  Although tempting to make short-term gains ( EI – the possibility of change) long term it could be damaging to Moon and others.  I would recommend not disclosing any information about the current organization and even go as far as to let Aquarius know that due to your current position, it is difficult to help at all.  I feel that Moon should either keep pushing as an employee for change and supporting the new leader, or move on and continue to work at a place that aligns more with her values and purpose.    

I am looking forward to Leona’s perspective – she also felt compelled to move from one purposeful organization to another for valid reasons. 

There is an element of Altruism here that needs to be articulated. How can Moon show love in this situation? Who are Moon’s neighbors?  Johnson states that altruism is shown when our actions are designed to help others, whatever the personal cost (2018). Moon may have to keep her confidential information to herself and prolong her disappointment in others as a result of not telling the journalist her observations.  The may have to disappoint her friend by not cooperating with her investigation.  If Moon really cared about others within the Higher Hope for Humanity organization, she wouldn’t cut them at the knees by “selling information”. 

She should use her gifts and support the new director.  True love is helping the weak and encouraging the wayward. As always there is an element of time.  If the Director is new, I would try for a while to reignite and support the new directives and policies.  The new director will need people like Moon to drive change and bring the organization back to its purpose and mission. 

Tim


References
Johnson, C. E. (2018). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership. California: Sage. 

(Rivera, de Haan, So, Sierra, Kaur, Ibomor, Shonhiwa, 2018)

Hi Ruiz and Tim,
I agree that Moon should not be involved with Aquarius’s investigation. Defaming an organization such as Higher Hope for Humanity does not only harm the organization, but the families they work with and Moon, herself. By defaming the organization, the organization may lose funds and not have the ability to run its programs anymore; this would be a loss as Sagittarius is starting to make changes to the organization. Families working with the organization would also lose a potential resource and trust – trust is essential to anybody’s success, but for an immigrant, low-income family, it may be detrimental to their success as they lose confidence in those who say are trying to help. Lastly, Moon could be affected by guilt in harming the organization, staff, and families. As a servant leader, Moon would aim to serve the people she works with first, and defaming Higher Hope for Humanity goes against her values of healing, empathy, commitment to the growth of people, and building community (Monograph 2, 2015, pp. 12-13) as a servant leader. As Tim mentioned, I believe following through with one’s values is more important than doing what is monetarily beneficial or “easier” by going along with the norm.
Moon’s first step should be forgiveness. Forgiveness of the current leadership’s manipulation, spending, and disappointment. Johnson (2018) states, “Forgiving instead of retaliating can prevent or break cycles of evil” (“Breaking the cycle of evil”). In saying that, I do not believe Moon must sit ideally. Moon can support Sagittarius by vocally acknowledging her support of the changes and her enthusiasm for what is to come. Hughes, Beatty, & Dinwoodie (2014) state, “Real change comes about through the connections that exist and are leveraged” (p. 150). By creating excitement about the impact she believes the changes will make and building the relationships she has with her colleagues, Moon can begin changing the culture of the organization. If no changes occur despite Moon’s efforts, I believe Moon should leave the organization because her values no longer align with the organization’s.


References
Hughes, R. L., Beatty, K. C., & Dinwoodie, D. L. (2014). Becoming a strategic leader: your role in your organizations enduring success. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Imbenzi, G., Williaume, D., & Page, D. L. (2013). Leadership Monograph 2017 [PDF document]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/course/view.php?id=1494&section=3

Johnson, C.E. (2018). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership [KOBO version]. Retrieved from Kobo.com


(Rivera, de Haan, So, Sierra, Kaur, Ibomor, Shonhiwa, 2018)

Tim and Leona,
Thank you both for your great insight into Moon’s ethical dilemma. Both of your articulated strong sentiments for Moon’s patience with the organization’s transformation, passion to drive change within the organization, and to forge meaningful connections with her colleagues, all of which I agree with. However, my goal in introducing Aquarius was to provide a meaningful alternative to the actions you both suggest. I should have explained Moon’s intentions with Aquarius more clearly that her motive for revealing this information was not out of vengeance, but rather as an alternative way to speed up the rate of change within the organization. After all, Moon was originally excited for the Director’s policy change but was met instead with her colleague’s active opposition of these changes. When such dishonest values are so deeply embedded in the organization’s culture, it’s hard to foster positive change; especially when upper management is a major culprit behind the organization’s wrongdoing.

I’d like to read your thoughts if there certain elements of the story that were changed… Let’s say Moon does decide to tell Aquarius everything she knows and this only results in a slight reduction of government and donor funding since their work is so paramount to the community. Other changes from her decision only include a complete overhaul of upper management and a mandated drop in employee wages to an amount comparable to other similar non-profits as a sign of good faith to the community..

Does the outcome of Moon’s decision influence your original position of her plan?
 
-Ruiz


(Rivera, de Haan, So, Sierra, Kaur, Ibomor, Shonhiwa, 2018)

Hi Ruiz,

Considering your second question, “Does the outcome of Moon’s decision influence your original position of her plan?”  my answer is no, I would not change my decision.

I believe Moon should not disclose information about Higher Hope for Humanity. Based on your case, the relationship between Moon and Aquarius is based on a personal relationship. This may indicate Moon can be biased to disclose sensitive information since there is already trust in the relationship. As a servant leader, Moon should show an ethical behaviour by addressing her concerns inside the institution, and if that is not possible, she should go to an official entity.

Sadly, inadequate management of funding is a common thing to find in many non-profits. The reaction of managers seems too familiar, blaming beneficiaries for non-compliance instead of revising their process and resources. Another option for Moon may be gathering real evidence. There seem to be many alarms, but how much of this information can she prove through evidence?  This would make her more cautious about her further actions. In case she does finds evidence, she should go to an official entity who can do something about it. If she shared with Aquarius, what could Aquarius do to benefit the company?  I perceive telling Aquarius would be a “revenge” action for Moon’s dissatisfaction rather than looking for real solutions for the real benefit of beneficiaries.  As we know, a servant leader is characterized by an attitude of commitment to serve with a sense of respect and dignity toward subordinates and their professional expert (Jenkins M, & Stewart AC. 2010). Thinking in the overall wellbeing of beneficiaries should be Moon’s real concern.

Another critical aspect you mentioned are the policies created by Moon’s new Director of Operations, Sagittarius. There seems to be a concern already, and she can build upon this. When managing change in an organization, Lespinger (2010) recommends not only focusing on senior leaders but also involving middle managers and keep them engaged. She should be wise to identify strategic people in the organization who can do something about it. Having a bad reputation can critically affect funding, just as you mentioned in an alternate scenario, and can put in risk the entire organization.

It caught my attention how you described Moon as a servant leader. She could use the value of wisdom we have been studying to determine further actions. You mentioned she felt pressured, it is not wise to take necessary decisions without clarity. If she shares concrete evidence, instead of her colleagues despising her, they can all work on solving the problems to benefit students and families. This could be useful if there are still people in the organization who genuinely believe in the mission and live by its values.

Ingrid

References
Jenkins M, & Stewart AC. (2010). The importance of a servant leader orientation. Health Care Management Review, 35(1), 46–54. https://doi.org/10.1097/HMR.0b013e3181c22bb8

Lepsinger, R. (2010). Closing the execution Gap. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.


(Rivera, de Haan, So, Sierra, Kaur, Ibomor, Shonhiwa, 2018)

Diversifying ethical perspectives through Transformational Servant Leadership

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How can you personally do your part to understand the ethical choices before you? What potential biases or blind spots might you have for not recognizing when ethical choices are before you and/or how might you avoid choices? In your leadership, how can you exhibit transformational servant leadership in helping others recognize and make ethical choices? (Be specific and creative in your response).

* Technically blind spots are not known to oneself. The nature of the unconscious is that it cannot be accessed (otherwise it would be sub-conscious or conscious). With that being said, there are ways that we can set ourselves up to be in a position that would encourage certain things in our unconscious to move into our sub-conscious, which could then occasionally be accessed.

Website on blindspots:
http://www.businessballs.com/johariwindowmodel.htm (i.e. dilemma) that are in front of us.

(Mays, 2018)

A basic description of a transformational servant leader (TSL) is one who focuses on developing followers to their full potential to be transformational servant leaders themselves, both within the context of their group as well as in their personal lives within their communities (Imbenzi, Williaume, & Page, 2013, p. 7). One key aspect of transformational servant is the ability to understand and make ethical choices.

Making ethical choices however, can be an extremely complicated matter depending on the complexity of the situation. Philosophers are still engaging in a centuries old debate about a framework of universally agreed on truths. To begin the process of helping others improve (or personally improving) their ethical decision-making ability, it helps to understand and self-reflect on which perspective you align your personal beliefs with most. Educating others or yourself on key ethical perspectives allows you to develop your own personal philosophy and make better ethical decisions. Johnson (2018, pp. 281-288) outlines several ethical perspectives that one could align their personal philosophy with to make consistent ethical choices.

The first is utilitarianism which Johnson (2018, pp. 270-272) describes as a process of making choices that will benefit the most amount of people (or harm the least amount of people). Utilitarian choices are made by:

  1. Identifying the action or issues present in the context of the situation
  2. Specifying those who might be affected by the action (eg the organization, the local community, a professional group etc), not just those immediately involved in the situation.
  3. Determining the likely consequences, whether good and bad, for those affected.
  4. Adding up the good and the bad consequences. If the benefits outweigh the cost, then the action is morally right. (Johnson, 2018, pp. 270-272)

Another ethical approach is known as deontological ethics which basically outline that you should always make ethical choices based on your ethical values and what you view as morally right despite, or independent of, the situation. European philosopher, Immanuel Kant summarized this perspective best with the sentence: “do right, no matter what the cost” (as cited in Johnson, 2018, pp. 275-277).

One last perspective I will highlight out of many is pragmatism which is the view that we should approach and solve ethical dilemmas through the method of scientific inquiry. John Dewey, a proponent of pragmatism, argued that to solve ethical dilemmas, we would need to develop a hypothesis for the solution of the problem, test our hypothesis (often through moral imagination as we can’t always scientifically test these hypotheses), and be open to other viewpoints since our knowledge is limited (Johnson, 2018, pp. 283-286).

For those unfamiliar with these perspectives, transformational servant leaders must do their part to educate followers about different ethical perspectives and then encourage reflection to determine which perspective aligns best with their personal philosophy. Each perspective have their own strengths and weaknesses and may also complement or disagree with each other. However, the strength of TSL helping followers discover what ethical perspective they personally align with can benefit the group. If followers understand more about themselves, it illuminates what Johari describes as our ‘unknown area’ and further helps followers reach Maslow’s highest need of self-actualization (Businessballs, n.d.). Along with this, groups who are more well-rounded with diversely thinking followers can help the overall group identify blind spots in their ethical decision making. Groups with members that exemplify a diverse range of perspectives have the ability to make better decisions, especially when these decisions affect a large number of people. A transformational servant leaders’ role in this context is to foster the development of their followers’ personal philosophies, accept differences within the group as a means to diversify perspectives, and then coordinate the group to reach the best overall decision.

References

BusinessBalls. (n.d.). Johari Window Model and Free Diagrams [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.businessballs.com/self-awareness/johari-window-model-and-free-diagrams-68/

Imbenzi, G., Williaume, D. & Page, D. (2013). Transformational servant leadership. Unpublished manuscript, Master of Arts in Leadership. Trinity Western University: Langley, Canada.

Johnson, C. E. (2018). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow [E-Book]. Los Angeles: Sage.

Mays, A. (2018). DQ 7.3: Art of Choosing. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/mod/forum/view.php?id=105608


Utilizing Utilitarianism

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Please review the presentation on ethical decision-making frameworks/formats and chapter 6 of Johnson’s book (Kidder’s ethical checkpoints, Nash’s 12 questions, Lonergan/Baird method & Foursquare Protocol). As you think about the overviews of the various ethical frameworks/formats we have considered in this course, what observations would you make (do not write this part out)? Evaluate each of these frameworks for usefulness/preference in your own life; then choose one that you would subscribe to and explain the reasons (also, why you did not choose another). You do not need to limit yourself to only the ones discussed in class or in your reading. You may bring in any other ethical framework (if you do, please frame it around Foucault’s categories so that it would be easy to compare and contrast with other frameworks). (Mays, 2018, para. 1)

504 Intro to Ethical Frameworks-w6-2015Download

When reviewing the ethical frameworks described by Johnson, I quite honestly did not find any of them useful in my personal life. I found the frameworks presented as too general to relate to in my personal life. To me, the frameworks seems to teach you how to gather information about ethical issues rather than solve them which is why I’d have difficulty in applying them.

Where I think these frameworks would be more useful would be for gathering information about an ethical issue and then prescribing a personal philosophy to solve the problem. Solving ethical problems using a philosophy can be compared to solving a mathematical problem where a questions are solved by applying a mathematical method, theory, or structure.

The philosophy I find most useful for solving ethical issues is utilitarianism, the idea of taking the course of action that does the most good for the most amount of people. Johnson (2018, pp. 270-272) summarizes the framework of utilitarianism as:

  1. identifying the action or moral issue under consideration and identifying all the parties that might be affected by the decision (e.g., minority groups, organizations, or the community),
  2. determining both the good and the bad consequences of those being affected,
  3. adding up the good and the bad consequences for those involved with consideration to the size of each party
  4. acting on the outcome that will do the most good to the most amount of people.

I like this philosophy because I generally believe that acting on the outcome which benefits the most amount of people is generally the right thing to do.

Johnson (2018, pp. 272-274) also describes drawbacks of utilitarianism such as the difficulty in anticipating all possible outcomes of our decisions, the possibility of unforeseen variables, or severely disadvantaging certain groups at the expense of others. These considerations will always carry weight primarily because of our limited ability to predict the future. However, we can also mitigate some of these risks by having visionaries on our teams that can statistically analyze the probabilities of certain outcomes occurring, such as economists for example who specialize in describing outcomes of our decisions.

One of the scenarios that Johnson (2018, p. 274) describes when explaining these cautions is the case of the FBI asking Apple to unlock their phones in order to find terrorists, reasoning that the threat of national security outweigh the privacy of its citizens. According to utilitarian principles however, Apple did the right thing in refusing the government because the privacy of citizens around the world would be jeopardized over the perceived threats these terrorists would have on the American people.

Another example Johnson (2018, p. 273) uses to counter utilitarianism is in the events of WWII were Japanese-Americans were revoked of their rights for suspicion of Japanese nationalists threatening the country. The American government based this decision on the utilitarian principles of sacrificing the rights of the few for the safety of many. While this was definitely an adverse moment in American history, the problems with these actions weren’t rooted in the flaws of utilitarianism, but rather in the assumptions made about Japanese-Americans when gathering information. The government’s actions were based on stereotype, racism, and assumptions rather than fact which is why they believed it to be morally feasible to displace, deport, or imprison Japanese-Americans during the war.

Part of why I like this philosophy or framework is that it guides me in making consistent ethical choices knowing that I benefitted the most amount of people from my choices. Consistency is important in my work because respect, both from my clients and colleagues, is heavily predicated on a leader’s consistency in decision-making due to the implications their decisions may have on people’s livelihood. Utilitarianism allows for a certain objectivity when making decisions, thus producing consistency through objectivity. Teams can also come to better conclusions when making decisions affecting the vulnerable because utilitarianism’s objectivity can help override the group’s competing personal values, philosophies, or biases.

References

Johnson, C. E. (2018). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow [E-Book]. Los Angeles: Sage.

Mays, A. (2015). 504 Intro to ethical frameworks-w6-2015 [PDF]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/pluginfile.php/155565/mod_resource/content/1/504%20Intro%20to%20Ethical%20Frameworks-w6-2015.pdf

Change yourself, change the world

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Learners in MA Lead come from diverse geographic, cultural and faith bases. For those who are not familiar with Proverbs, you may respond to the DQ topic 5.3 as it is posted below,or select an alternate passage of text that addresses the essence of wisdom from any religious or literary perspective. Please analyze & discuss the passage about wisdom. Also, share additional ways that we can find wisdom and how this relates to using it in practicing leadership.  (Mays, 2018, para. 1)


Change yourself, change the world. – Buddha


I decided to write my DQ on a Buddhist quote iterated by Mathieu Ricard, a Tibetan Buddhist monk who said that in order to transform the world, one must first transform themselves: “Change yourself, change the world.” To me, one of the biggest requirements for one to assume a leadership role is to have knowledge or wisdom, to be able to contribute some type of expertise or skill which can benefit the group. A central responsibility as a leader is to facilitate a group towards achieving a common goal and to uplift others in the process. Ricard emphasizes that “to remove the suffering of sentient beings… the main path, the path of achieving enlightenment (is) to gain the capacity to help others.” In the context of leadership, this means we cannot lead effectively as leaders if we don’t continue to invest in our own self-development. Self-development equates to wisdom by gaining a deeper understanding of the environment we lead navigate in, self-reflection, sensitivity to other followers or the group’s overall morale are all examples of behaviours leaders must continue to master for their group to be successful. Part of what also makes a wise leader is knowing the limitations they have as people and developing strategies or enlisting the aid of followers to help you overcome these limitations. It may take the form of requesting a follower to play devil’s advocate during group meetings to challenge a leader’s logic or decision making process for decisions regarding the group or asking followers to give honest feedback periodically to a leader’s preformance. To become effective leaders and impact others, we must continue to develop as individuals and share our growth or “enlightenments” with followers.

References

UBCinterdisciplinary. (2010, May 20). Mathieu Ricard – (1 of 12) [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7cgFQ1Sqcc

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Hi Ruiz,

The title of your post caught my attention immediately. What a profound reflection! It reminds me of a Remi quote (Sierra, 2018):

It is essential as leaders to acknowledge change starts within. We frequently forget this important lesson about wisdom. In leadership, this principle may also apply to our relationships. We constantly waste too much energy at an emotional level trying to change others, especially behaviours and mindset we do not tolerate. Your reflection has made me pause and reflect on this important truth (Sierra, 2018).


Another important reflection comes from Gandhi:

This wisdom principle is directly related to Transformational Servant Leadership.  Leading by example can impact follower’s behaviour and attitudes. According to Yaffe & Kark, R. (2011) states that role modelling of a contribution to the collective is a major means by which effective leaders encourage followers to do the same (Sierra, 2018).


References

Sierra, I. (2018, October, 25). RE: Change yourself, change the world. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=35141

Yaffe, T., & Kark, R. (2011). Leading by example: The case of leader OCB. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(4), 806–826. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022464

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Hi Ingrid, 

I appreciate you sharing your motivational quotes! I’d like to share two quotes that I also find inspirational pertaining to wisdom, both by Galilei Galileo: “The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the heavens go” & that “the laws of nature were written by the hand of God in the language of mathematics.”

One of the biggest reasons I love learning about new scientific breakthroughs in fields such as psychology or physics is because I believe that the more we understand about people or the laws that govern our physical world, the closer we come to understanding God. The more we understand how our universe works, the deeper we can appreciate the miracles of God’s work. I first came to realize this when I was taking courses in biopsychology and neuroscience during my undergrad that there’s a logical order in how our brains functioned that couldn’t possibly have come from random occurrence. This sparked my interest in superficially exploring scientific discoveries and papers published from other notable scientists such as Galileo, Einstein, Da Vinci, and Alan Turing. There’s an order in how our universe works which is why we, as imperfect human beings, are able to make sense of it. Leaders gifted with the skills and understanding of leading and inspiring others should also  stay  current with the world around them. One of a leader’s responsibilities is to lead groups from the unknown to the known so having a better understanding of the environment will aid in this process.  The world is changing at a faster rate than ever before which will inevitably introduce new problems that will shake industries or traditional ways of thinking. Adopting the mentality of being lifelong learners will better equip leaders and organizations to adapt to these changes. From doing so, learners will be able to  evolve as the world evolves, better appreciate God’s work, and may inspire a deeper connection with God from seeing his work manifest in our physical world.

Reference:

“AZ Quotes.” (n.d.). Galileo Galilei Quotes [Digital image]. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from https://www.azquotes.com/author/5284-Galileo_Galilei

“BrainyQuote.” (n.d.). The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the heavens go [Digital image]. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/galileo_galilei_381320

Exploitation vs Education – The Dilemma in Dhavari Discussion

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As you look at the practice of “poorism” described in Lancaster’s article the “Next Stop, Squalor,” what would you identify as some of the underlying ethical issues? What are some of your values that might influence your position on the “poorism” issue? As a community leader in this city, what would your position be on this issue? Please integrate your reading of the literature in your response. (Mays 2018)

Lancaster 2007

 

Lancaster’s article is, in my mind, one of the most interesting and controversial cases we’ve explored in this class. The article does a great job of capturing both perspectives of the dilemma by appealing to our initial emotions on the matter and then constructing a compelling argument as to why ‘Reality Tours & Travels’ shouldn’t go out of business. If I were a community leader in the city, the biggest factor that would influence my stance is if I Way and Poojari convinced me that they were operating their business to benefit the community in the long-term. From what Lancaster described, it seems that Way and Poojari are operating with good intentions based on Way’s pledge to ‘donate 80 percent of its slum-tour earnings to a charitable group that works in Dhavari’ and ‘challenge stereotypes about the poor’ (Lancaster, 2007). Also, Poojari and Way’s tour is also operating the tour in a way that’s as least invasive as possible by only allowing tourists walk through the common areas of the city and prohibiting them from taking pictures of the residents in respect to their privacy and dignity. Assuming this is the case, I would support their business decision.

Poojari and Way are educating well-off tourists about the realities that plague the world outside of their own. In doing so, many of the tourists who walk away from the experience will be influenced to pledge their resources towards Dharvi’s residents which will only accelerate the timetable of change if more tourists were willing to give back to the community. Hiding the poverty that Dharvi citizens live with everyday will do nothing for the community. Also, Way and Poojari are doing their part to give back to the community therefore align with my value of integrity by acting on the lessons that they’re hoping to instill to their guests. Empathy is another one of the values that’s guiding my decision because both owners are enlightening tourists with a realistic experience of what living in extreme poverty looks like. In doing so, the business owners appeal to the emotions of the tourists and hopefully spur them to help make a difference. My only suggestion to the two men when operating the tour is that they create more awareness on how exactly tourists can contribute in the effort against Dharvi’s poverty. In the long term, I believe Poojari and Way are doing the right thing and greatly contributing to the development of the city.

 

References

Lancaster, J. (2007). PRESENCE OF MIND-NEXT STOP, SQUALOR-Mumbai, India, is the latest destination for poverty tourism, or” poorism.” But not everyone is onboard. Smithsonian, 37(12), 96.

Mays, A. (2018). DQ 4.2: “Poorism” case – Lancaster. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/mod/forum/view.php?id=105591

 

“Empathy is another one of the values that’s guiding my decision because both owners are enlightening tourists with a realistic experience of what living in extreme poverty looks like.” – Ruiz

Ruiz, I appreciate your emphasis on using empathy to help guide your decision. I also find this as a key element.

Who are the “disenfranchised” or “exploited”? It is not difficult to imagine that people who are in poverty are more vulnerable and easily exploited. It is not a leap to consider other groups like people who suffer from mental illness, who are vulnerable too. Deep empathy can allow us to consider others plights that may not be so obvious.

I was recently driving to a friend’s home who lives in a very unique neighbourhood. I saw a tour bus filled with people going up the mountain. I asked my friend how the neighbours were feeling about tourism to see their homes. I heard how troubling it was for people in the neighbourhood, but especially for those whose backyard is visible from the extra-high angle of the bus and mountain road. This allows tourists to take pictures of people in private moments in their backyard (e.g., sunbathing or otherwise with loved ones).

Question 1: Do we only protect or support those who look obviously down-trodden?

Leaders who are in very high levels of leadership can often be overlooked. It is especially isolating for those who have been through wrongful character assassination in tabloids and media. I have walked closely with two different leaders who have been through this trauma. The level of fabrication of truth in the media has eclipsed into a level I never thought possible. Lives, reputations and careers can be destroyed instantly by powers and principalities. It can be easy to overlook people who seem to have a lot of power and monetary resources. Leadership at this level can be extraordinarily isolating and surprisingly vulnerable.

Question 2: How are we supporting these leaders? What if you become one of these leaders one day, how would you want to be supported? (Mays, 2018)

Reference

Mays, A. (2018, October 18). ***Empathy for whom? [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=34354

 

 How are we supporting these leaders? Typically, people who achieve higher levels of leadership and responsibility are also afforded with higher levels of privilege. They’re able to access resources or opportunities followers don’t often get such as extra vacation times, bonuses, material wealth etc. One of the strategies I would implore to these leaders is to establish appropriate work-life boundaries and to recognize that ultimately they have control over their lives. This may mean saying ‘no’ to requests for added responsibilities or sharing work with followers. In today’s complex world, it’s especially important for leaders to adopt principles of transformational servant leadership in the workplace to avoid workplace burnout. If leaders work on transforming their followers and caring for their needs, not only will this develop the skills of followers but also allows for more fluidity in the workplace as followers are able to step in and aid their leaders when they’re being overworked. Another key aspect of this approach is in it’s tenet to influence followers to empower others around them. When you have organizational culture that focuses on self-development then every member feels empowered to take on more responsibility when required, thus reducing the workload of any one person and inspires camaraderie, love and understanding amongst the group. This also helps followers climb higher on Maslow’s Hierarchy which should ultimately be the goal of all leaders.

What if you become one of these leaders one day, how would you want to be supported? I haven’t yet experienced a role in which I’m responsible and accountable for a large group but if or when I reach that point, my focus would be on developing others. I acknowledge my optimism as well in this regard as I haven’t yet faced the challenges that would come with such a position and I understand that putting theory into practice is not always easy. Only time will tell if I stay true to my conviction but for now my approach is to develop the capacity of others to support each other and to instill the philosophy that whole is always greater than the sum of its parts. (Rivera, 2018)

References

Rivera, R. (2018, October 20). Question 2. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=34354

 

Your points are well articulated.  My points below are more of a thought ramble.

Question 1: Do we only protect or support those who look obviously down-trodden?

I feel that you are inclined to answer your own question in the above post. I do not believe that we only protect or support those who look obviously down-trodden; others need protection as well   “It is not difficult to imagine that people who are in poverty are more vulnerable and easily exploited. It is not a leap to consider other groups like people who suffer from mental illness, who are vulnerable too.”    If you would quantify the need, the downtrodden and the poor are more susceptible and vulnerable, thus requiring more need and help.  How do we understand the need of those who are not hanging out near the bottom of Maslow’s chart of needs?  So, because I do not need daily food and shelter, are my needs less important than those who do?  If I had depression and was not well mentally, would that need be less than shelter and food and water?   I would think so.  If you look at Bill Gates and his foundation, they are targeting the needs of those people.  At the bottom of the chart; the Gates Foundation is all about water and medicine; keeping people alive.  Yes, the downtrodden need protection first and most, but not exclusively.

If we don’t protect Bill Gates, how will he be able to protect and support the downtrodden?

And thus, your next question.

 

Question 2: How are we supporting these leaders? What if you become one of these leaders one day, how would you want to be supported?

Great question.  Some say that there is a lot of work at the bottom, but it can get real lonely at the top.  I have felt this way in the past, and have irregular moments of this on a varying continuum. This feeling can be fleeting, and yet needs a structure and network around it to keep it from progressing out of control.

We are supporting current leaders in many ways.  Peer groups, mentors, TEC groups, forums, friendships, communities, and other support networks.  On a personal level, we are supporting them with our trust in others, due process, and the integrity of other leaders.  We are protecting them by not condemning before listening, we are filtering all the noise. We also support our current leaders by serving, giving of ourselves for them.

I would like words of affirmation, encouragement and time.

Currently, I have many of these.  I am blessed with a caring mentor, and world-class wife, and a faith community that is beyond belief.  And I am also held up by God, whose mercy is evident in my life every day, and who continues to bless and support me with his Holy Spirit.

Dr. Mays, I would be delighted if you could point me in the direction of some recent literature or methodologies on how the current experts are facilitating this for leaders. (de Haan, 2018)

References

de Haan, T. (2018, October 19). RE: **Empathy for whom?? [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=34354

 

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. I like how you brought in Bill Gate’s empathy and contribution, but also the need to protect Bill Gates.

Regarding your question: “How do we understand the need of those who are not hanging out near the bottom of Maslow’s chart of needs?” – Tim, I would challenge us to also try to understand: How do we understand NOT only the need of those who are not hanging out near the bottom of Maslow’s chart of needs, but also those in the higher levels?” Some of the people in the higher levels of Maslow’s hierarchy also sometimes bear more emotional and physical burden in caring for others because they are focused on larger systemic, societal problems. I can think of quite a number of community leaders that are suffering from depression. While it can be due to a number of causes, some of what I am hearing is almost a collective grief from the state of the communities and cultures they serve. They are bearing deep burden’s from their care and concern and falling into hopelessness or disillusionment.

I see significant pain in all socio-economic groups and in each level of Maslow’s hierarchy. I first started to reframe my thinking when I read an article in Christianity Today about 25-30 years ago. It was first-hand account of someone who was in a somewhat higher socioeconomic group than most everyone in their church. It was impactful for me to read their account of repeatedly being over-looked in their times of need, and the assumptions people were making about that he/she should not have needs due. It sensitized me to try and see various needs without any assumption or prejudice. At about the same time, I met a woman who shared with me about her calling to minister in very affluent circles. She said it was heart-breaking to see the deep pain, loneliness and isolation in this group and that this sub-culture was likely the most overlooked group in the North American church. I think there is a big fallacy that a lot of money or power will insult someone from pain, affliction, or tragedy. I think it can exacerbate someone’s pain if others feel like they should be fine and not express grief or other painful human emotions. Helping to bind up the wounds and care for people in these unique circles can also be very impactful because when they know what it means to be served, healed and valued they can then use their resources to serve and care for others. We need to model what we want to see others do is my mantra. (Mays, 2018)

References

Mays, A. (2018, October 20). Question 1 [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=34354

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Dr. Mays,

I’m quite glad you took part in this discussion as you’ve described ideas and perspectives that I’ve never considered before. You’re right, it is quite challenging to identify the needs of affluetial people that are on the higher levels of Maslow’s hierarchy. Part of why I think this is so difficult is based on people’s ability to adopt perspectives. The amount of people who reach Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs generally lessen the higher you move up in the pyramid. Of course, people’s position on the pyramid are dynamic as they move through life experiencing highs and lows. But in general, I question how people who typically remain on lower levels of the pyramid could truly understand the struggles of people much higher up. For example, how can someone who’s struggling financially and unable to secure a consistent source of income comprehend the struggles that Bill Gates lives with in trying to improve society? I’m sure many people can think of the general hardships he endures but I would argue that it’s practically impossible for less well off people to feel any real empathy for Bill Gates when they struggle to satisfy their own basic needs. The solution I venture to suggest is educate people higher on the hierarchy to take better care of their own and recognize symptoms of declining mental health. I’m glad that we now live in a society that promotes the openness and acceptance about conversations on mental health. However in the context of our conversation, I think the solution for affluent people who experience mental health is educate them on strategies to treat or cope with their depression and that the onus is on people on similar levels to recognize and empathize when this is happening. Of course, people on lower levels can and should be educated to recognize and apply principles of mental health first aid as well but they’re also limited in their ability to empathize with those on higher levels. (Rivera, 2018)

References

Rivera, R. (2018, October 20). Question 2. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=34354

 

 

Selfishness vs Altruism

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Review and analyze Avolio and Locke (2002) article and consider the question: “Should leaders be selfish or altruistic?” 

Make a case for one side or a case for an alternate position of your perspective (Mays, 2018, para. 1).

Avolio.Locke 2002

 

I personally had a hard time following Avolio and Locke’s debate throughout the article mostly because of the disagreement I had over Locke’s definition of “altruism” which formed as the basis of his and Avolio’s debate.

Locke (2002) defined altruism simply as “the sacrifice of oneself to others (Avolio & Locke, 2002, p. 170, para. 3).” He also quotes Binswanger’s (1986) definition of altruism as “the basic principle… that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that sacrifice to others is the only justification of his existence, and that sacrifice is his highest moral duty, virtue, or value (as cited in Avolio & Locke, 2002, p. 170, para 3).” Locke also goes on to elaborate, from what I perceive as an incorrect view, his point of altruism being unappealing to both the altruistic person and his followers by stating:

If a leader wanted to be truly altruistic, he or she should pick a role (job career) he does not want or value, make a product he or she has no personal interest in, expect no rewards for his or her achievements, and devote himself or herself to serving the wants of his or her customers and employees without any hope of pleasure or gain. Would anyone want to be a leader under such circumstances? I cannot imagine why. (Avolio & Locke, 2002, p. 170, para. 4)

The definition I found to be more accurate of altruism is “the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others (“Altruism,” n.d).” The word (or lack thereof) that makes all the difference to me between my understanding of altruism and Locke’s understanding is “welfare” which is missing from Locke’s definition. Locke’s version of altruism simply means self-sacrifice of an individual’s self-interest to a group’s collective interest which is the main difference because he doesn’t take into account whether the group’s interest benefits society, or the welfare of society (Avolio & Locke, 2002, p. 170, para 3).

According to him, this is how the actions of Jesus’ self sacrifice can be compared to the actions of Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia asking their people to sacrifice themselves as well for the good of the state (Avolio & Locke, 2002, p. 171, para 4). His comparison of the two are inaccurate because Germany and Russia’s actions as a state caused immeasurable pain and suffering to thousands of people and only benefited the state at the expense of their enemies. In relation to Jesus who sacrificed himself for the indisputable welfare of everyone and was thus truly altruistic in his actions because everyone benefited from it.

Locke sees society as a collection of individuals, each only acting in their own self interests and that by others allowing altruism to take place is selfish in itself meaning that it’s impossible to have an altruistic society (Avolio & Locke, 2002, p. 171, para. 3-5). While it’s true that many of us do act in self-interest, I argue that it doesn’t mean we as a society can’t become altruistic in nature if people act with self-interest.  Humans are social creatures and a big reason for our success in surviving throughout time lie in our ability to work together as a collective group and put the needs of the group above our own. This is why for example, we see mothers and fathers living in poverty sacrifice the majority of their resources in order to provide better futures for their children and allow them to contribute to society. Or civil servants such as firefighters risking their lives to ensure citizens are safely evacuated outside a burning building. If we, as people, only acted in our own self-interests then no amount of money or incentive would be large enough to risk our own individual survival for someone else’s. It is because we as people care for the welfare of others and that these actions may lead to an event that benefits society in the future. For example, the kids with the poverty-stricken mother and father, it could turn out that they may find the cure for cancer in the future and thus benefit millions more people from the sacrifice of their parents. Or in the case of the firefighters, maybe one of those citizens leads an effort to research strategies which significantly reduce the chances of buildings catching fires quickly.

Altruism is necessary for the advancement of society because if more people display altruistic behaviour and reach mutually beneficial outcomes with their neighbors, then it’s highly probable that they will mirror that behaviour and mutually benefit more from others. Life doesn’t have to be a zero sum game with winners and losers because eventually a majority of the world’s resources will end up in the hands of a few. The reason the concept of altruism even exists is to identify those who behave in this manner from the many who act out of selfishness. If everyone could act with the intent to benefit those around them, then the concept of altruism need not exist.

 

References

Altruism. (n.d.). In Dictionary.com. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/altruism?s=t

Avolio, B. & Locke, E. (2002). Contrasting different philosophies of leader motivation: Altruism versus egoism. The Leadership Quarterly, 13(2), 169-191. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/pluginfile.php/155560/mod_resource/content/1/5.%20Avolio.Locke%202002.pdf

Mays, A. (2018). DQ 5.2: Selfishness vs. Altruism. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://learn.twu.ca/mod/forum/view.php?id=105598 

Welfare. (n.d.). In Dictionary.com. Retrieved October 23, 2018

Light from Many Lamps V: The quest for perfection

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“If there exists a good and wise God, then there also exists a progress of mankind towards perfection.” – Plato

Plato’s quote perfectly summarizes the direction mankind strives to move forward and outlines our relationship with the infinite, the unknown, with religion, and ultimately with God. It’s in our very nature to try and understand the things we don’t understand. For us, God symbolizes an infinite force and an embodies both the unknown and perfection.

As a fun way to finish off this influential course, I’d like to pose a question that remains unanswered despite thousands of years of inquisition: What is perfection? What does a perfect society look like? Is there a perfect set of values that we can embody? Does the very notion of perfection even exist in our imperfect nature as human beings?

Often, with regards to democratic societies, we see this reflected in the people’s vision of what their ideal society looks like and then elect a leader who best reflects this vision. But as we’ve seen with every election period, people’s views on the ideal society change over time depending on multiple factors such as the international political climate, the economic status of the country, the charisma of the leader in question etc. In terms of political ideology, nothing seems to remain constant over time which begs to question whether a ‘perfect’ society even exists. Novelists, authors, and artists, those we generally categorize as the ‘creatives’ in society, do well to explore what this may look like through a aesthetically pleasing medium but even then have been unable to reach a conclusion to this proposition.

So if perfection doesn’t seem likely from a societal context, can a perfect mankind mean gaining the unquestionable ability to survive under any circumstance, and in essence, avoid death from natural causes? While this likelihood can most certainly be envisioned with all the breakthroughs and resources allocated to medicine, can we avoid mutual destruction from the evils of human nature. Governments have the nuclear capacity to decimate significant portions of the world population and forever alter the atmospheric makeup of the Earth from the nuclear radiation left over. Even if our societies ensure world peace, how would we address the toxic waste which slowly poisons our Earth’s atmosphere from decades worth of pollution?

While these issues certainly don’t derail mankind from striving to make progress in all spheres of human inquisition, one has to question whether our efforts for reaching perfection can be resolved from the imperfect beings that we are. I myself believe that perfection only lies in the heavens but also manifests itself here on Earth if we look closely. For example, perfection to me is found both within us and in the natural environment around us from the intricacies which allows our bodies to function the way that they do, to the patterns that nature displays as it’s own self-sustaining life force, to the physical laws which govern the cosmos. They each have their own grand design that we can only dream of fully understanding. However, being that we are still imperfect creatures in the end, I believe it’s not in us to ultimately achieve perfection. But that doesn’t mean we can’t try to improve the conditions of future generations past us, just as our ancestors paved the way for our present.

Change yourself, change the world

Blog XIX: Defining leadership through a Transformational Servant Leadership approach

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“Change yourself, change the world.” – Buddha

This quote from Buddha, used by Buddhist monk Ricard (2010), represents a shift in the understanding of leadership where leaders must continuously improve themselves before impacting others. Referring back to the first chapter of Northouse’s (2016, p. 6) ‘Leadership’ textbook, he defines leadership as “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.” Notice that I italicized four words which make up the key components of leadership: 1) process, 2) influence, 3) group, and 4) common goal.

Northouse and several other scholars emphasize that leadership is a process more so than a specific set of qualities that special people have. Although anyone can be placed in a leadership or management role, true leadership is not characterized by the titles or offices that these people hold, but in their interactions with their followers (Northouse, 2016, p. 6). True leaders embark on a never-ending journey, the process, of developing their leadership capabilities through their interactions with followers and their adaptation to the environment (Northouse, 2016, p. 6). Leaders can play the role of teacher and learner simultaneously. They allow themselves to be transformed from those they’re influenced by, whether this may be the people physically around them, people they follow online, from key experiences, or even from their followers. Leaders should have the mindset of a humble learner, accepting that they will never know everything but hungry to learn anything.

One key insight I gained from Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of the Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba, was to use every experience we go through in life as a learning process (E-learning, 2016). Whether good or bad, successes or failures, every experience can provide us with something useful to draw on in the future, especially our failures (E-learning, 2016). The key is to adopt an attitude that our failures can help us attain success in the future, rather than allow it to consume us with self-doubt or grief. However, mistakes and failure will only be useful if we reflect on how these mistakes were made and then either strategize around them or resolve them in the future. But the root of these ideals, again, comes back to adopting a mindset where our self-development and our leadership capabilities are a process. So with this in mind, go forth and make many mistakes!

While leaders are willing learners, they should be just as willing to share information with their followers and thus transform them in the process. This next interaction with followers describes the influence component of leadership. Although leadership was traditionally understood as a one-way interaction between leaders and followers, modern understanding of leadership characterize it as a two-way process (Northouse, 2016, p. 6). Transformational servant leadership is an approach emphasized by Trinity Western’s MA program, which focuses on the leaders’ ability to transform and serve his or her followers. Not only do transformational-servant leaders focus on teaching their followers and developing them to their full capabilities but also placing followers at the heart of their actions. Transformational-servant leaders understand that to build strong teams, strong followers are needed to envelop that team. They understand that their role is to develop the competency of their followers with a strong sense of their moral philosophy.

Another thing to note about leadership is that it’s not only a personal endeavor but also a social endeavour towards group development. Transformational-servant leaders who place followers at the heart of their actions must, in essence, also emphasize the group’s development as a whole. Leadership does not exist elsewhere but in a group context. Transformational-servant leaders must also be willing to sacrifice the most for their group with the mindset of a humble servant, rather than it’s ‘shining star.’ Many leaders we see today forget that their accomplishments as a leader were also attained by the efforts of their followers. Although a leader’s main objective is to guide a group towards a common goal, a leader can only go as far as their followers will go with them. Transformational-servant leaders understand this which is why, again, they place followers and their group at the heart of everything they do. They develop a self-awareness of their actions, motivations, and limitations as an individual and then focus on developing their groups and thus accomplishing much more than any individual’s efforts. Ultimately, the goal of the transformational-servant leader does not only maximize the capacity of their followers but also to build them up to be leaders themselves who then pass on these principles to others.

Leaders and groups with advanced moral development place priority in achieving the greater good as the center of their common goal. As mentioned earlier, not only are leaders focused on developing the competency of their followers, but they’re also concerned with developing their ethical principles. Developing a strong understanding of ethical principles and the moral values which guide both the group and it’s individuals is also a key component of Transformational Servant Leadership. Transforming the competency of followers paradoxically can also produce great evils, with Hitler’s brainwashing of Nazi Germany being one of the biggest examples in human history. Leaders acknowledge that they and their group are part of a much larger community and adopt a vision to improve this community.

Buddha’s quote: “Change yourself, change the world,” truly summarizes the concept of leadership as a process that’s inside-out. Leaders must focus on developing themselves internally before externally changing those around them. This internal process involves developing their moral values and allowing others to transform them, even their followers. In doing so, leaders aim to either spark or guide this process onto others hoping their influence empowers them to adopt a similar set of leadership values. However, this process doesn’t happen without the authentic transformation of the leader as an individual. At the end of the day, individuals only have complete control of their actions so if they allow themselves to evolve as leaders, the rest will follow suit.

References

E-learning. (2016, June 23). Keys to Success from Jack Ma | Self-Made Billionaire and CEO of Alibaba [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WjHZ5wLe6w

Imbenzi, G., Williaume, D. & Page, D. (2013). Transformational servant leadership. Unpublished manuscript, Master of Arts in Leadership. Trinity Western University: Langley, Canada.

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 971452203409

UBCinterdisciplinary. (2010, May 20). Mathieu Ricard – (1 of 12) [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7cgFQ1Sqcc

Leadership Story: The Golden Glimmering Dragon of Light

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Golden Glimmering Dragon of Light

On the day of a solar eclipse, in the year 1758, the island of Vanlola appeared in a near mortal state.

It had become a wasteland from all the destruction caused by the warring tribes. The land was reduced to nothingness, overshadowed by dark, grey skies.

On that day, a dragon appeared with a golden glimmering light. It had appeared from a sky portal and looked ready to bring a fight.

The dragon let out a deafening roar which froze each islander in their place, as they all shared a single thought: “That death had come to punish their fall from grace.”

But as quickly as the dragon appeared, it shot straight down and disappeared. Confusion overtook their fear, as the islanders pondered: “What else was near?”

Hours after the incident, a small child was born. The mother named her boy ‘Kahuna,’ wishing he’ll grow wise and adorned.

It seemed the mother got her wish as she took her last dying breath.

Years later, the baby grew into a boy and the island prospered with lush green jungles.

Islanders farmed, hunters hunted, but still the tribes waged war.

This saddened the young boy who often seeked refuge in a great big tree. Here he was free to ponder: “Why does this need to be?”

“Why can’t everyone just get along? Why is it that they must fight? Why do the trees have to suffer? Why must the leaves lose their light?”

It was in his questions, where his thoughts took form or shape. The answer was so simple: “That love must retake its place!”

So in the years gone by, Kahuna preached how love could regain their grace. How love could transform each other, make each stewards of their place.

From his message, followers had formed. But still, not everyone was convinced.

Vanlola was reaching that barren state, which Kahuna had heard of some years since.

Then out of nowhere the tree transformed, and from its place a black dragon morphed.

This time the islanders felt ready, as their weapons advanced over the years. They held their weapons at bay, ready to meet their fears.

But Kahuna recognized the dragon at once, for within it he seeked refuge from under the sun.

And in that moment he knew what to say: “Please love one another, bring light to the day!”

“Restore the life that it’s in your land, make peace with the heavens by your hand.”

“From there we’ll evolve, we’ll restore the leaves green, we’ll all come together and live off it’s gleam.”

At once they knew, Kahuna was right. It was time to end wars and break free from the night.

So they all held hands and looked up high, the black dragon rose then gold light filled the sky.

Then as it did some twenty years back, it shot down to the Earth like it was a flashback.

And from that day the people vowed, to unite as one and watch what they plowed.

To always respect the land that they farmed, and to serve one another; Make peace, never harm.

Rakuten

RE: Canada Post Strike by Hiromi

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Hi Hiromi,

Thank you for bringing up such a relevant topic to discuss with today’s current events! I’m with you on your quote where you state that typical barriers to government innovation are caused by “labour costs, a larger pension obligation, and most of all, their culture which is slow to change” (as cited in Hagesawa, 2018). Working in government myself, I also observe these tendencies first-hand. I just want to add that part of the reason why I think this may be the case is because of the lack of outside pressures to demand change from government.

As far as government agencies go, the accountability for their actions or spending habits really are in the hands of the people but I feel that the extent to people’s influence on government affairs are also limited because of the power and job security that comes with government jobs. Often for change to take place, we would have to see drastic efforts from the part of the people in order to get the changes we desire.

On the other hand, business creates conditions for innovation to take place due to the competitive nature that business breeds and the accountability structure that arises from natural business dealings. I would argue that businesses are more accountable for their actions than government because they’re held accountable by the values of their customers. Customers are what drives profit so when businesses aren’t meeting the needs and demands of customers, customers are often able to go elsewhere. Also, the fact that a free market allows for competitors to compete for market share means that businesses must continuously innovate for relevance in the market, or else run the risk of falling behind. This is where we start to see John Smarts’s IMF model come to play where in order for businesses to stay competitive in today’s ultra-competitive marketplace, leaders need to have foresight of the direction of their business and of the environment, must be able to innovate and adapt to change, and also possess a strong management team for the smooth and consistent operation of the business (Smart, 2015).

One of the key takeaways I learned from Jack Ma’s videos was his prioritization of whose needs to satisfy: first it was customers, then employees, and lastly shareholders (E-learning, 2016). His idea was unconventional to me because it was the first time I’ve heard a business prioritize in this manner but influenced me greatly nonetheless because of how sensical it seemed. Jack explained that customers were always number one because they are the people he serves and whom drive the business (E-learning, 2016). Employees were next on the list because they are what makes the business great and actually interact with the main revenue source, the people (E-learning, 2016). Lastly investors were the least prioritized because many won’t stay if things turn sour and they’re needed most, that’s the employees and the customers that the employees serve (E-learning, 2016). Because business leaders like Jack value the satisfaction and opinions of his customers, he ultimately holds himself accountable to them and is driven to innovate and meet their needs.

Going back to Canada Post, I imagine this is what led to their difficulty adapting to change. Because they’ve held a monopoly on postal services for so long, they had little incentive to connect with their customers’ thoughts, opinions, and values. When the technology allowed for other companies to distribute similar services, Canada Post had difficulty responding because they’ve lost touch with their customers’ values. Personally, I don’t feel that Canada Post will be able to recover the setback they’ve suffered from the hands of more efficient and innovative online retailers such as Amazon or Rakuten. Only time will tell if Canada Post is able to reinvent themselves in time to address the changing business environment.

-Ruiz

 

References

E-learning. (2016, June 23). Keys to Success from Jack Ma | Self-Made Billionaire and CEO of Alibaba [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WjHZ5wLe6w

Hagesawa, H. (2018, November 26). Learning Activity 2 [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://create.twu.ca/papagena163/2018/11/26/learning-activity-2-3/

Smart, J. M. (2015, April 8). John Smart – Leadership of Tech Change – WFS2013 [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhdWqLNUJns

bmw-i8-wallpapers-31893-171417

Blog XVIII: BMW’s transition towards clean tech solutions

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A growing body of evidence points to climate change posing as one of the greatest threats to human civilization. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide will trap heat emitted by sun and impact our climate in various ways (NASA, n.d.). Some of the already observed effects include the melting of the polar ice caps which will raise sea levels to the point where coastal cities such as Miami and New Orleans will be submerged underwater in the near future (NASA, n.d.). Hurricanes will grow in intensity and frequency, precipitation patterns will increase, and heat waves are also projected to be more intense (NASA, n.d.). In 2016, the U.S. found that transportation was the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases at roughly 29% (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2017).

Both private and public organizations have since begun to prioritize curbing climate change as part of their main focus. One company that’s made great strides in this area is car manufacturer, BMW, with their introduction of their BMW i sub-brand in 2011 (BMW Group, 2012). BMW i will focus primarily on the manufacturing, developing, and designing of fully-electric plug-in vehicles, PEV or EV for short (BMW Group, 2012). Following Tesla’s lead into the electric vehicles industry, BMW was one of the first traditional car brands to foray into the EV industry by introducing their BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car and their BMW i3 all-electric vehicle (BMW Group, 2012). BMW realized that the values of their consumers were changing because of the developing environmental-friendly mindset so they designed products to meet these demands. As a result, both their EVs are powered through 100% renewable energy and reduced their carbon dioxide emission during production by 50% among a number of other benefits. The auto industry has also seen a shift in car production as a number of traditional brands such as GM and Nissan.

Hopefully the growing awareness and adoption of consumers as well as the increased sales of these electric vehicles will incentivize more companies to focus their production to electric vehicles. Governments have also played a role in this shift by providing subsidies for EV purchases and developed infrastructure for public charging. As a society, switching to more environmental-friendly vehicles sooner will be huge step towards slowing the effects of climate change.

References

BMW Group. (2012). BMW Group. Corporate Events & Dates [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.bmwgroup.com/en/dates.html#year=2012&

BMW Group. (2012). BMW Group. Corporate Events & Dates [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.bmwgroup.com/en/dates.html#year=2012&

NASA. (n.d.). How climate is changing. Retrieved from https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2017). Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. Retrieved from https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/

Female Power

Blog XVII: The exclusivity of inclusivity

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As a society, we’ve made significant advances regarding racism or sexism where it’s no longer tolerated within public or private spheres. Although we’ve been taught sexism should not be tolerated and that everyone should be treated fairly regardless of sex or gender, this still isn’t always the case. It’s human nature to develop biases towards certain people as it’s part of a much larger psychological concept known as schema. Schema is the ability to categorize information for ease of retrieval whenever a situation demands for it (Myers, 201, p.187). However, our implicit biases can also harm other people and often we’re not aware of it (Nugent, Pollack, & Travis, 2016).

Relating back to sexism, biased behaviour is especially difficult to change because these stereotypes about females have been ingrained in both male and female psyche for centuries. In recent decades, new ideas about feminism have sprung up that have changed the way that we, as a society, should view females. These ideas can span the length of multiple books so for simplicity’s sake, I’ll briefly focus on strategies to address implicit exclusion of women in the workplace.

Nugent, Pollack, & Travis (2016) identified that although modern workplaces seek to include diversity and inclusivity in it’s hiring practices, our leaders who still have implicit biases towards make it so that this isn’t the case. Sometimes leaders may try to use inclusive language but often this has the opposite effect. Those they are trying to include may still feel excluded from the group because of the way they are addressed as different from everybody when really all they want is to be treated the same as everybody else (Nugent, Pollack, & Travis, 2016). Others times, leaders may hurt or exclude others implicitly when they don’t offer others the chance to speak or don’t take their opinion seriously (Nugent, Pollack, & Travis, 2016).

Nugent, Pollack, & Travis (2016) developed strategies to identify and address exclusion in the workplace. These strategies include holding private, individual meetings to better understand their employees thoughts, feelings or opinions in the workplace, seek feedback, give credit where credit is due, actively look to improve workplace systems, gather relevant information through employee surveys are just some examples (Nugent, Pollack, & Travis, 2016). Another interesting idea that I thought relates well to inclusivity, particularly with women, is an idea presented by Dr. Allyson Jule about female silence in the classroom (Trinity Western University, 2016). Dr. Jule explained that females have generally been socialized to remain quiet in the classroom, even in the highest levels of education. Teachers implicitly reinforce this by engaging more with males than females whenever they speak for example, or the significantly lesser amount of dialogue females have in the classroom compared to males (Trinity Western University, 2016). This phenomenon can easily be translatable to team meetings where leaders and managers reward engagement from males but shun females by talking less or referring to females using pronouns rather than their names (Trinity Western University, 2016).

I found Dr. Jule’s lecture extremely insightful and it’s helped me develop awareness of implicit behaviour that I, or society, may have towards females. Like many things, in order for people to effectively change their implicit behaviour towards females or other outgroups, the first step is help them develop awareness and sensitivity of their actions. From there we can begin to effectively implement strategies to mitigate our implicit biases and further develop inclusivity in the workplace.

 

References

Krauzo, D. (Photographer). (2018, February 5). Female Power. Are you sure? [Digital Image]. Retrieved from http://dariakrauzo.com/female-power-sure/

Myers, D. (2011). Psychology (Eleventh Eds.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers

Nugent, J.S., Pollack, A., & Travis, D.J. (2016). Day-to-Day Inclusion and Exclusion: Employee Experience Matter [PDF]. Retrieved from https://www.catalyst.org/system/files/the_day_to_day_experiences_of_workplace_inclusion_and_exclusion.pdf

Trinity Western University (2016, November 24). Dr. Allyson Jule Lecture: Performing Gender in the Classroom [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwu4dKWcK70

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