Effect of Life Events on Effective Leadership

Effect of Life Events on Effective Leadership Meers study is qualitative in nature. The purpose of his study was to explore how the selected leaders made sense of their experiences by understanding the context of the experiences themselves. It was imperative to the efficacy of his study to understand the perspectives of the leaders as they related their life experiences and what impact they saw these events having on their leadership development. As life experiences are best related in story format, it best served this study for the researcher to utilize personal interviews with participants as the primary method of data collection. The stories that leaders told about their formative life experiences cannot be broken down into easily manipulated variables, but rather must be understood as whole events that carry complex meanings for each individual. As Meers began his study, a theory was not presented for proving or dis-proving, however, in the process of data collection a theory did emerge. This is consistent with the qualitati ve approach and specifically the grounded theory method. Strauss and Corbin (1998) define grounded theory as: theory that was derived from data, systematically gathered and analyzed through the research process (pg. 12). The theoretical framework of how effective leaders learn from significant life experiences developed within this study matches this definition. The situation studied within this project was the significant life experiences of effective leaders with the process being leadership and the phenomenon being how these leaders learned from their respective significant experiences. The exploration of leaders life experiences moved from the specifics of each individuals stories to generalizations that can be applied to the broader area of leadership development. Purpose Statement The purpose of this study was to discover the role that significant life events played in the development of effective leaders. The use of the term significant in describing life events could sound somewhat limiting; however the intent of this study was for participants to define for themselves what a significant life event entails. Utilizing a semi-structured interview process, leaders perceived as being effective were interviewed to explore the meaning they made out of certain life experiences. Through analysis of this information the author attempted to discover common emerging themes which impacted their development. Problem Statements 1) What is leadership? and 2) How do leaders develop? or, From where do leaders come? Alignment of Research Question, Purpose Statement, and Problem Statement The author of this paper believes that the research questions, the purpose statement, and the problem statement are well aligned. First, based on the research question(s), it was critical for the researcher to provide a clear definition of leadership. In doing so, he was able to establish a foundation for his study. Meers study looked at effective leaders. It was critical for Meers to identify what an effective leader is. He did this through his review of literature and the identification of leadership based on a longitudinal study that included theory from numerous pioneers in the field of leadership and organizational studies. Meers also needed to research the foundations of leadership development. Most specifically, it was critical for him to include prior research theories of how a person becomes a leader and how a person develops and refines leadership skill and traits. Meers purpose statement effectively describes the research questions using concise language. Literature Used to Identify Gaps and Tensions within the Literature Meers dissertation includes a comprehensive literature review of prior studies. He began his review by defining leadership, which he accomplished through his own acquired knowledge. After defining leadership, the question (mentioned previously) that then arises is: How are leaders developed? Where do they come from? To answer these questions, Meers looked to the earlier work of Thomas Carlysle called the Great Man theory (Wren, 1995). Meers then addressed the transformation of leadership theory during the mid part of the twentieth century. He relied on the studies conducted by Conger (1992) and Fulmer (1997) who both studied the relationship between leaders and managers and whose work provided Meers with a clear distinction between management and leadership. Fulmers research regarding early leadership training provided Meers with an overview of where the field has been, where it was at the time of his research and where he saw it headed (Fulmer, 1997). The studies conducted by Burns (1978), Greenleaf (1970) and Kegan (1982) provided Meers with further information regarding the transformation of leadership theory. In his seminal work, Leadership, Burns (1978) proposed the idea that there were really two forms of leadership: transactional and transforming (or transformational). Burns (1978) work then encouraged others to begin to think of leadership as different from management, with leadership being much more focused on relationships with followers and particularly on influencing others to achieve common goals. For the purposes his study, Meers did not conduct a thorough analysis of servant leadership and transformational leadership, but instead focused on the impact the articulation and popularization of these forms of leadership have had upon the field of leadership training and development. He looked to the research of Greenleaf for this information. Kegans theory of moral development impacted the world of leadership training and development, mainly by introducing his idea of development. Meers was thorough in his choice to include the work of these three theorists. Meers longitudinal report ends with the contemporary work of Peter Senge (1990) who focused closely on the organization as a learning organization. Meers makes a nice transition from his section on the development of the organization to the actual experiences of leaders and managers and how emphasis has been placed upon learning from work experiences, specifically upon using these experiences as preparation for advancement to higher levels of management or leadership. Again, Meers cited the works of Senge (1990) and Kegan (1982), and also focused on the work of Robert E. Quinn (1996) who explored the importance of personal change in leading organizational change. To further establish the foundation for his area of study, Meers looked to the work of Ronald Heifetz of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University who brought forth the importance of learning from personal experiences and specifically how the reflection on certain experiences has become a part of some executive leadership education programs. A particular method that Heifetz developed and one he uses extensively in his courses at Harvard is the Case-in-point methodology in which students in the classroom bring their experiences to class and in essence become their own case studies (Parks, 2005). Also included in Meers literature review is the qualitative study conducted by Shamir, Dayan-Horesh and Adler (2005) in which they explored the life-stories that leaders tell. The purpose of their study was to extrapolate common themes in the leaders stories that may provide further insight into leadership development. Shamir, et al (2005) made the case that a leaders own story and even how he/she tells it has a strong impact upon how influential they are with their followers. Meers referred to the work of Avolio (1994) whose work, although ground breaking in the area of leadership development impacted by life experiences, was somewhat limited. The purpose of Avolios study was to explore the correlation between certain life experiences and to identify transformational leadership behaviors. Avolio (1994) selected the life experiences he was going to analyze. Meers stated in his dissertation that while this is a legitimate approach to a quantitative study, it limited the choices of the leaders in regard to which experiences they could identify as having impacted their development (Meers, 2009, p. 31). Yet another limitation to the study that Meers reported was in the more narrow focus on identified transformational leaders and especially upon specific transformational behaviors. Avolios study found some correlation between certain experiences and certain transformational leaders but it did not provide a great deal of insight into the general impact of life e vents or experiences upon leadership development (Avolio, 1994). Much like the work conducted by Avolio, Meers looked to a study completed by Bennis and Thomas (2002). Bennis and Thomas identified what they call crucible experiences which they define as those experiences that generally consisted of high stakes and often were tragic in nature. There were also gaps in this study. As with Avolioà ¢s (1994) study, the field was limited as the leaders interviewed seemed more inclined to talk about experiences that they perceived as having an impact directly upon their leadership development. Meers felt that this approach may not have told the complete story regarding development as the participants most likely automatically limited themselves in the experiences they selected as having impacts. Also, Meers felt that the researchers conducting this study failed to identify the meaning of leadership. Due to these limitations, Meers believed that there was room for further research to be conducted with defined leaders and how they perceived they had been impacted by their own significant life events.

Call of the Wild

Zach Maes English 2 8-30-2011 Call of the Wild 1. Some readers see the hardships and suffering of the dogs in the sled team as symbolic of workers in a Capitalistic system. Identify and explain these similarities. â€Å"He had killed man, the noblest game of all, and he had killed in the face of the law, of club and fang† (ch. 7) Capitalism is an economic system in which the workers only are paid enough to eat and survive. The dogs in the sled team have to work hard and are only fed enough to survive.The workers in the Capitalistic system are treated the same as the dogs, in which they are given the bare minimum to live, and only to live, they do not receive enough money to do more then eat. The sled dogs have to work hard like the workers, and are rewarded with food. They relate because the bare minimum is given whether it is the sled dogs or the Capitalistic workers. 2. Trace Buck’s development from a â€Å"monarch† to a working dog to a â€Å"free† dog. Specifically, how is Buck’s transitional experience a â€Å"Call of the Wild†? Consider such quotes as Pete’s: â€Å"When he was made, the mold was broke. † â€Å"His eyes turned bloodshot, and he was metamorphosed into a raging fiend. So changed was he that the judge himself would not have recognized him† (Ch. 1) Buck starts the novel as a ruler of his household. His experience becomes a â€Å"Call of the Wild† because he is an animal and that is where he naturally came from.He goes through several stages of life from living in a royal palace to working hard pulling a sled for the Canadian Government. And then to falling in love with someone that he belongs with, and then getting it all ripped away from him again. He was bred to fight, and bred to be a leader and to be alone in the wilderness, and to conquer the wilderness and to answer the â€Å"Call of the Wild†. 3. Compare Buck at the beginning of his journey with Buck at the end of his journey. What are the changes and what causes them?Would you call him a hero? Why or why not? What is the most valuable lesson learned? â€Å"He was older than the days he had seen and the breaths he had drawn. He linked the past with the present, and the eternity behind him throbbed through him in a mighty rhythm to which he swayed as the tides and seasons swayed. † (Ch. 6) At the beginning of Bucks journey he didn’t know a lot about himself, but as his journey continued he slowly began to learn more about himself, like how much pain he could handle, and how much fight he had.He learned that he could withstand anything, and he learned a lot more about himself then he could of he spent the rest of his life at the Judge’s house. He learned that he could live by himself in the wild and that he needed to kill and he needed to eat fresh meat to live. Living in the wild was what he was made to do, it was in his blood, passed down from generation to generation from his parents, and all that was needed was to be introduced to the wild, and when given that opportunity he flourished. ? London, Jack (1903). The Call of the Wild.

Secret Techniques for Clast Essay Topics That Only a Few People Know About

Secret Techniques for Clast Essay Topics That Only a Few People Know About The essay is where to enable the admissions office of your intended college get to understand your personality, character, and the talents and abilities that aren't on your transcript. Colleges are searching for a feeling of maturity and introspectionpinpoint the transformation and demonstrate your private growth. Fine, but you must be ready to write whatever you truly feel like writing from a college that might not be your first option. Your comfort level for a writer is a critical aspect in the accomplishment of your essay. You should get what things to write about so that you can understand how to channel your researching focus and also continue being relevant to the wants and expectations of your audience. For that reason, it must be something unique yet pragmatic to obtain the interest of the reader. The same as the name of the book or a movie says a whole lot about it, the topic that you pick will serve to draw the reader. An important consideration to bear in mind is to ensure you don't have a thing in the essay that isn't related to your topic. Tell us a topic which you have changed your head on in the last three decades. Pick a distinctive topic that others may not think of, and whatever you select, make sure that you know a lot about it! From time to time, even when you're writing about an interesting, relevant subject, you're still able to look immature or unready for college life due to the direction you present that topic the way you really write your own personal statement. It's crucial demonstrate your capacity to be an in depth observer of the Earth, since that will be one of your major jobs as a college student. It's never too early to begin studying for the CLAST. Colleges are more inclined to admit students who can articulate certain explanations for why the school is a great fit about them beyond its reputation or ranking on any list. Also, keep in mind that no college is eager to admit somebody who is too close-minded to gain from being taught by other people. Clast Essay Topics Ideas Leadership is definitely some type of attribute or possibly trait the simple fact an individual can not truly include, though adapts so that you're able to. Our service can help you pay attention to every step because academic experts write the essay examples on hip-hop that you can become here. Colleges use essays to attempt to create a personal snapshot of you unobtainable from different parts of the application. No matter how often you read your own writing, or how often you check your spelling, you can miss modest errors since you are so acquainted with the essay. There isn't a prompt to direct you, and that means you must ask yourself the questions that will get at the center of the story that you want to tell. Ensure you give clear explanations of the things on your list too. What's most curious regarding the college essay is that lots of the topics on this list (those which should be avoided) also happen to be some of the most frequently used topics out there. Always remember, any essay have three distinct pieces. Whenever the essay itself should consist of 3 parts, it's desirable to generate an outline for every one of them. The subject of your essay is critical. Choosing good informative essay topics is simple if you understand how to go about doing it. There are quite a lot of methods to compose an essay so you'll hardly locate an all-included recipe for a great many essay occasions. Keep in mind, no reader would like to be lectured at. Write about a problem you have or wish to address. Don't neglect to explain why the issue is valuable to you! Thinking positively to motivate one is only the proper action to do when you are requested to compose an analytical essay. All of these are free and distinctive.

Major Civil War Battles and Their Consequences