Tag: Unit 4

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Unit 4, Assessment

Part A

In both quantitative and qualitative studies, researchers review literature at the beginning of the study’s research process. In the case of quantitative research, researchers use the literature to substantiate the research problem. The literature is then used to prescribe the direction or intent of the study. On the contrary, quantitative research does not focus on the literature to prescribe specific variables or hypotheses, choosing instead to inform the overall approach.

Evaluating the Statement of Problem in the Research Report:

Article reviewed is Servant leaders inspire followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization (Hunter et al., 2013). The following is an evaluation of the statement of problem in the research report.

  1. The topic is interesting – Rating 3 Excellent – Immediately in the abstract the authors indicate their purpose which was “…to test the relationship between personality, servant leadership, and critical follower and organizational outcomes” (Hunter et. al., 2013, p. 316). The topic is most interesting as there has not been enough research conducted on the effects of a servant leadership style.
  2. The study addresses at least one clear problem – Rating 3 Excellent – Again in the abstract it indicated the “Leader agreeability was positively and extraversion was negatively related to servant leadership, which was associated with decreased follower turnover intentions and disengagement” (Hunter et. al., 2013, p. 316). As well in the introduction the point is made that most research to date has focused on construct development and points to the research studies that support this.
  3. Important of the problem justified – Rating 3 Excellent – Yes, several references are provided to support the evidence of the importance of the problem. These references can be viewed in the Introduction section of the report.
  4. There are deficiencies in the knowledge about the problem – Rating 3 Excellent – In the article the author provides 10 hypothesis to demonstrate that the research is needed and not yet available to support the hypothesis.
  5. There are audiences that can benefit from this knowledge – Rating 3 Excellent – Absolutely the knowledge would be of value to many different audiences. The research is showing that a servant leader can impact company attrition, a more favorable service climate for example.
  6. The passage clearly argues that the study is warranted – Rating 3 Excellent – yes the introduction describes information currently not available in other research studies and also points out why organizations could benefit from the research.
  7. The passage is well written –Rating 3 Excellent – I would describe this research study as professionally constructed, east to follow and a fair written report based on the study conducted.

Total score is 21 which indicates the report is of high quality.

Overall assessment is that the report is nicely formatted, has excellent evidence why the research was needed and clearly demonstrates that the research is new.

References

Hunter, E. M., Neubert, M. J., Perry, S. J., Witt, L. A., Penny, L. M., & Weinberger, E. (2013). Servant leaders inspire servant followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization. Leadership Quarterly, 24(2), 316-331.

Part B 

Literature review

Article reviewed is Servant leaders inspire followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization (Hunter et al., 2013). The following is an evaluation of the literature review.

  1. The review includes relevant literature – Rating 3 Excellent – the review is comprehensive and includes numerous sources throughout. Every statement is backed by previous literature and references as to where to find the literature.
  2. The review examines sources that are recent and of high quality – Rating 3 Excellent – sources listed are leading researchers known for their work on servant leadership. There are also recent references listed and so yes the sources are up to date.
  3. The literature review is appropriately document – Rating 3 – Excellent – I could not find any errors or omissions with the citations. All appear to be carefully documented.
  4. The literature is thoughtfully synthesized – Rating 3 – Excellent – Yes the literature is organized into major themes and is carefully identified by the use of headings.
  5. The literature is critically examined – Rating 3 – Excellent – the researches included a heading called strengths, limitations and future research and in this section identified issues with potential deficiencies, strengths and weaknesses.
  6. The study has a strong foundation in literature – Rating 3 – Excellent – the study utilized previous successful methods in conducting its research as well as provided references to previous literature.
  7. The use of the literature fits the study’s overall research approach – Rating 3 – Excellent – Yes the literature justifies the problem and provides major variables. In the introduction it points to the support as to why previous literature is missing information, as well as the report includes 10 hypotheses.

Overall score is 21 which means the literature is of high quality. Overall assessment is that the literature provides evidence of lots of previous references where the new research can be built upon.

References

Hunter, E. M., Neubert, M. J., Perry, S. J., Witt, L. A., Penny, L. M., & Weinberger, E. (2013). Servant leaders inspire servant followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization. Leadership Quarterly, 24(2), 316-331.

Part C

Purpose Statements and Research Questions

Article reviewed is Servant leaders inspire followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization (Hunter et al., 2013). The following is an evaluation of the statement of the purpose statement and research questions.

  1. The study’s purpose is clearly specified – Rating 3 Excellent – The abstract clearly states the purpose of the report. Additionally the introduction clearly states the reason why previous reports do not contain information related to the research questions.
  2. The focus of the study is appropriate – Rating 3 Excellent – Yes the focus of the study is clear and concise. The researchers kept the focus clear and examined to major qualities of servant leaders – agreeableness and extraversion versus introversion personalities.
  3. The overall intention of the study is appropriate – Rating 3 Excellent – The intent is precise and to the point. It outlines what studies have focused on to date and what this particular research will focus on and what gaps the research will serve to answer.
  4. The participants and sites are appropriate – Rating 3 Excellent – the people identified completing the surveys were clearly identified. So too were their demographics as well as possible deficiencies or impacts to the outcomes were identified.
  5. The purpose is narrowed through appropriate research questions and or/hypotheses – Rating 3 Excellent – yes each hypothesis explained the theory and why the theory was appropriate to the study.
  6. The purpose follows logically from the statement of the problem and literature review – Rating 3 Excellent – The hypothesis indicated what outcome the research team was wanting to learn more about. Additionally the hypothesis utilized previous research study methodologies.
  7. The purpose is consistent with the study’s overall approach – Rating 3 Excellent – the research questions and hypothesis were narrow and specific, based on literature and applicable theory, predetermined and remain fixed during the study. The questions asked of the participants were based on previous research questions.

The overall score is 21 – High quality. The report was a qualitative report based on specific questions that were formulated from previous research. Findings of the research were supported by providing statistics and correlations.

References

Hunter, E. M., Neubert, M. J., Perry, S. J., Witt, L. A., Penny, L. M., & Weinberger, E. (2013). Servant leaders inspire servant followers: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization. Leadership Quarterly, 24(2), 316-331.

Part D

The most important points one needs to consider for determining if a research report is of high quality includes

  • Credibility of researchers
  • Previous research on the top with list of literature references
  • APA formatted and published report.
  • Headings and well-structured report
  • Evidence of new problems presented and lack of knowledge
  • Indication of gaps in research and where more knowledge in the future is needed.
  • References and citations included

The information prior to working on Unit 4 that I was aware important to identify if the research is well written is the essentially the same principles applied to any style of writing. A credible author with respected knowledge on the top. The information is organized in a well thought out manner and that any information that has the backing of previous research be included and given proper credit for. New information or knowledge gained includes the formatting specific to APA style writing and that like most written documents, you need to capture the reader’s attention immediately to encourage them to read on. Perhaps one new concept is the indication in the research regarding the gaps in the research and where further research can be conducted. While this was news to me that this is something that should be included in all research reports, intuitively I believe that most human beings have a bit of skepticism and would more likely support the research if the flaws were included.

The information that was easy to remember and learn was related to the writing style of a research study. It would seem logical that a well thought out research question, with justification as to why the new knowledge is needed as well as including this information in an organized fashion, would be appealing to a reader. Answering the who, what, why, when is part of human curiosity and would serve well in a research paper as it does in any written material. The part difficult to remember is the APA reference formatting. There are a number of different accepted rules to follow which is important to get correct. It certainly helps having a guidebook to reference, particularly when there is a type of formatting not regularly used. It’s this attention to detail that takes time and patience, as well as a lot of proof reading. While this is perhaps the most tedious and difficult part it is important to give credit for previous knowledge. Sufficient time should clearly be allocated for reviewing and editing references and citations.

In considering my current roll and applying the knowledge gained, the APA style of writing can be adapted to many types of written reports. It’s important to sometimes slow down writing and carefully consider any points wanted to get across. In providing previous knowledge and evidence it is much easier to instill change to the most skeptic reader. It also shows a level of respect to those being given credit for previous knowledge.

Putting out a quality research paper obviously takes time and patience. In a business setting and in considering a major organizational shift or change, how much time on average do you think should be dedicated toward putting together a quality research paper?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Situational Leadership, Unit 4, Learning Activity 2

Awareness in Situational Leadership according to Spears (2002), identified Awareness as one of ten characteristics of a servant leader. He describes awareness as “a quality within servant leaders that makes them acutely attuned and receptive to their physical, social and political environments. It includes understanding oneself and the impact one has on others. In comparison, Northouse (2016) describes emotional intelligence as our interplay between our emotions and thinking. It is our ability to understand emotions and apply this understanding to life’s tasks. Goleman (1995, 1998) takes a broader approach and describes emotional intelligence as self-awareness, confidence, self-regulation, conscientiousness, and motivation. Put simply, the difference between Awareness and Emotional intelligence is that awareness is the ability to adapt to what is happening in the outside world such as a community or organization (external influences) while emotional intelligence is how one might respond and evaluate a situation internally within one’s own self (internal influences).

The first person that comes to mind as a servant leader is my current boss leading my company. Tumia is the President of Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group and has held her position as Councilor for the Kwantlen First Nation since the 1990’s. Tumia graduated from UBC with a law degree and leads the community in lands, business and community services. As Spears (2002) identified 10 characteristics in Greenleaf’s writings, each one speaks to the style of leadership Tumia has with the organization. I’ll describe an example as to how she displays characteristics as a servant leader:

Listening – Tumia has exceptional listening skills. She always allows others to speak, evaluates the information before speaking. Both internally with employees and community members she is a person that people feel comfortable with in trusting her with their concerns.

Empathy – Tumia always shows empathy by sometimes paraphrasing what the other person is telling. She takes the time to acknowledge the persons concerns before jumping in to address the issue or solve the problem. She is also astute enough to know that sometimes people come to see her and just want to be heard. Not everyone is looking for her to solve a problem.

Healing – Tumia is a highly intelligent and competent individual. She has a great deal of knowledge in terms of how to address complex situation and in how to help people overcome personal problems.

Awareness – As a Councilor to the Kwantlen First Nation, Tumia is very culturally aware and is able to stand in two worlds. She understands cultural traditions and respects values that have been taught through generations and at the same time understands that the community’s survival is dependent on change.

Persuasion – Tumia is never know to manipulate others to follow. I am continually amazed at how she handles negotiations or community consultations. She is highly educated and comes across without an agenda. She is able to present the facts so that others can make up their minds for themselves.

Conceptualization – Tumia’s vision for the Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group and the Kwantlen Nation I consider to be revolutionary. She understands the need for governance, culture, community services and economic development, all serving an equal purpose in order to create a healthy community. In the business group we are taught threw her leadership to take into account how our decisions might impact all facets of a healthy community. This vision is clearly communicated and known to the employees.

Foresight – Tumia is much attuned to the current climate in intergovernmental relationships. She is able to gauge community, government and public interest in any given situation and as a result will adapt accordingly.

Stewardship – Tumia never takes advantage of her leadership position. She is truly there to serve the people of Kwantlen. She has the opportunity to be employed elsewhere for a much higher wage however stays to help her community prosper.

Commitment to growth of the people – Tumia has helped to build amazing capacity with the Kwantlen community and for indigenous people. She supports employee growth, often promoting from within. She also supports employees with the educational goals by ensuring there is support.

Building community – Tumia is changing the face of Kwantlen and setting up future generations to be independent and self-sustaining. She is creating employment and increasing the skills and capacity of its members.

As I’ve observed in watching Tumia, being a servant leader requires a strong commitment toward the betterment of others and putting employees and customer’s needs first. It requires immense discipline. As a team member, and as a person second in command, I would describe myself as more of a transformational leader. Our combination works well with different employees and different situations. As a new and emerging organization and with indigenous employees whom are building capacity, a servant leader is not always the best approach however conversely for the more senior and independent employees, working under a servant leader has been exactly what is needed. I wonder though is it possible to practice being both a servant leader and a transformation leader when the situation requires it? Is there an example of a leader that is able to do both interchangeably effectively?

References

Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam.

Goleman, D. (1998) Working with emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.

Spears, L.C. (2002). Tracing the past, present and future of servant-leadership. In L.C. Spears & K. Patterson (Eds), Servant leadership: Developments in theory and research (pp. 11-24). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

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During week 4 of LDRS500 I was so taken aback by Part three, 1. Paul Hamilton Hayne’s “This, too, shall pass away” (Watson, Lillian Eichler 1998). As it was intended to be, from the very first time of creation, “a motto wise and true and endlessly enduring, words by which a man could be guided all his life, in every circumstance, no matter what happened” (Watson, Lillian Eichler, 1998). To me this saying speaks to one having patience to get through times of adversity. Some of my strongest mentors display incredible patience both in business and in their personal life. It’s a quality I’ve admired and although I work hard to emulate, I know it’s something I must regularly practice. I recall with my superiors that were really good at what they did, often using time to solve problems, knowing that the next day allowed the opportunity for things to get better. Let me share more about the leadership lesson and how it is relevant in my life.

Since ever I can remember I have had a competitive streak in me, always trying to be top in whatever it is I do. In my younger years this was prevalent as I competed in team sports. I had an undying will to win at all costs. In my career this served me well as I climbed the corporate ladder. I wanted badly to keep going and move up as high as I could until I was humbly knocked down by a change of corporate direction. The new regime believed in ruling with an iron fist and I knew my style would not have success in that type of environment. I knew my choices were to adapt or move on and at the time the economy was not great and so there were not many options. I also knew that if I left I risked moving to another organization that might also have a similar management style. So I thought to myself better the devil you know instead of the devil you don’t. My career took a back seat for a few years as I decided it would be a good time to work on my family. As it turned out my taking a backseat and moving into a new department was an unexpected great decision in my life as it lead me home to my indigenous community. This takes me to the next chapter in my career and so invite you to read on.

Coming home was almost sacra religious. My entire life was starting to make sense. The patience I needed to have in my career was exactly what was needed. I know now when times are difficult, my mentors were right, sometimes time brings answers. My community has taught me so much about adversity and forgiveness, particularly when speaking with our elders, many of whom are residential school survivors. Time has become less relevant as I have learned I am here on this earth to serve the next 7 generations. This is how much time it takes to instill real change and when I count back to the beginning of colonization I am aware that I am the 7th generation here with the purpose of bringing my Kwantlen family to times of prosperity. Change is happening rapidly and with that brings fear. I am amazed at how much I’m able to preserver and instill change for the better despite those wanting to hold me back. I know if my elders can go through the abuses of residential school that I too can be strong, knowing in time things will get better. I believe now that my community is on the right path and one day we will be free from intergenerational trauma, alcoholism, drug addiction and abuse. In the moments where there is pain and words that are meant to hold me back I know tomorrow is a new day. As I lead my community through change we will have our good and bad days but as long as we move forward we will again be a healthy community. For me personally I’m glad I did not change to be a tyrant. I believe my leadership style has served me well in working with new generations that want to feel valued as employees. I’m very thankful I didn’t panic and stayed true to I was as I can see now with time, life can bring you in many different unexpected directions. Some people in my community say my ancestors brought me home. That may be part of it but I also believe when you follow your heart in whatever you do, life brings rewards.

References

Light from many  Lamps, 1998 Lillian Eichler Watson