The Art of Balancing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Art of Balancing - Assignment Example The examples of such scenarios are rampant around the world, where a few people have decided that there exists a need for change and have gone about it the wrong way resulting in utter failure which has had dire consequences for their cause. This essay discusses the works and leadership tactics of one of the greatest change leaders of our times, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who lead his nation out of the darkness of the Apartheid and into the burgeoning future, and who has been called one of the most instrumental and inspirational politicians of this century. One of Mandela’s most striking aptitude had been the ability to stay calm under intense pressure and to keep his fear under check so that those who followed him could go. According to Stengel (2008), it was not Mandela’s absence of fear, rather his ability to move beyond it, that managed to make him such an inspirational role model for his people. Researchers such as Groves (2006), note that emotional expressivity is one of the most important skills that a visionary leader has and that it directly affects the level of influence that leader has on the actions of his followers. Hence a leader and his ability to express his emotions a certain way under varying circumstances have a direct impact on the way his followers will react to that same situations. The great leader claims himself that there were many times during his imprisonment in the Robben Island jail, that he was afraid for his life and for the life of the revolutionary change that he wanted to create, but it was his ability to focus beyond the fear which allowed him to maintain and keep strong the faith of those who looked up to him as their leader. As the leader of the African National Congress, and has led an armed struggle against the government, it was to his fellows a great shock when Mandela began negotiations with the government during his imprisonment.  

Reflection paper 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection paper 2 - Assignment Example However, I need to work more on the manner in which I interact with each particular person so that I do not use one size fits all approach. That is why the desired outcome is focused on being able to choose the correct approach to each person. In other words, if I customize the way I deal with a person, I will be able to contribute to the productiveness of the interaction, making it beneficial for all the parties that are involved in it. It was mentioned that authenticity is a peculiar combination of various factors, verbal, non verbal communication and personal traits. I believe that the above mentioned concept is important to social intelligence since it contributes to ones social attractiveness. Indeed, in order to be successful in the society it is particularly important to be able to build a good rapport with other people and this is exactly what social attractiveness is about. It signals the people around that a person is ready to start productive and healthy relationships which will be effective for every person who is engaged in it. Furthermore, when it comes to leadership, authenticity is important as well since it reinforces the connection between the leader and the followers. In other words, the latter are able to see the actual person behind the image of a leader. Thus, I am trying to become more authentic through finding harmony between my words and inner thoughts. The society values authenticity a lot since it means that a person is able to become a worthy contribution to the contemporary social environment. Under conditions when there are so many people in the society, every individual should not turn it’s the grey mass, but become a particular element of the society which ultimately brings its uniqueness. In addition to that, it is important to know that only people with authenticity should become leaders as they are able to project the right kind of atmosphere and make sure that the processes in which they are engaged are organized in

The Spiritual Autobiography Essay Example for Free

The Spiritual Autobiography Essay One of the fascinating characteristics of Japanese religion is the syncretism of its traditional religions, foremost of which are Zen Buddhism and Shinto. In Journey In Search of the Way: The Spiritual Autobiography of Satomi Myodo, Satomi gives a mesmerizing look into the spirituality of Japan, through the eyes of what seems at first an unlikely witness. Satomi’s experiences are untypical for a Japanese woman in the Meiji era, considering that she was the only daughter of her parents. Petty (2004) argues that by being an only child, Satomi received her parents’ whole investment of expectations and dreams, a burden of responsibility in any society. Thus she was subjected to experiences that a village girl at that time would normally not have, such as her education in Tokyo, her subsequent unwed pregnancy or her arrangement as a Kageki actress. Her unique encounters as both a Shinto miko and a Zen nun are an insight to the mixture of the two religions in modern Japan. When Satomi first engaged in ascetic practices, she was doing it to prepare herself to become a miko. Initially, she was not satisfied with her experience, rather describing herself afterwards as no better off than she was before. This purification process is not unique to the Shinto religion, but her struggles can be classified as more of a shamanistic nature reflecting her encounters with the kami. Satomi continued to engage in an ascetic lifestyle afterwards, in her discovery of Zen. According to Nixon (2000) â€Å"At this point Satomi’s asceticism is less severe, and she consciously relates it to her practice of meditation, but it serves a similar function – i. e. , one of deliberately frustrating a lower level structure of dependency, in order that the dynamisms of a higher level of personality might emerge, as indeed they do with her first kensho experience. † (par. 14). Although she found true enlightenment and spiritual invigoration in the practice of Zen, her initial experience in purifying the spirit with Shinto has given her prior introduction to the life she will lead as a Zen nun. Additionally, Satomi’s failures and accomplishments in her role as a woman in the Meiji-era society gave her the character and persistence needed in her pursuit of satori. By practicing zazen, Satomi found great peace and joy, something she was searching for since the very beginning. It can be argued, however, that her Shinto preparation was a stepping stone towards finding enlightenment. Her first kensho experience, at fifty-nine years old came late in life, and her dedication towards this experience made her a model of achievement in any religious path. Zen and Shinto were at the time of Satomi separated, with Shinto following the Kannagara no michi tradition that was used in pre-war Japan to instill a nationalistic spirit on the Japanese. From the start however, the influence of Buddhism on Shinto is apparent and the best example would be the description of Kannagara no michi as teaching a primal state of natural and spontaneous harmony with the kami, to which one might return by abandoning human desire and artificiality. This incorporation of beliefs is characteristic of the faith of modern Japanese people today, which take Shinto and Buddhist teachings as part of the culture and spirituality of Japan. Satomi’s account is clear and vivid, giving justice to the setting and context of her life’s story. The Journey In Search of the Way: The Spiritual Autobiography of Satomi Myodo is a very good reading on the religions of Japan, and especially in relation to the role given to women. R E F E R E N C E Nixon, Laurence. (2000). A Dabrowskian Analysis of a Japanese Buddhist Nun [Electronic Version]. The Dabrowski Newsletter, 6(2). Petty, Genevieve. (2004). A Wild Woman in Buddhism: A Critique of the Life of Satomi Myodo. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from http://poeme. memory-motel. net/academic/satomi. pdf

The Importance Of Project Management Construction Essay

The Importance Of Project Management Construction Essay The purpose of this report is to demonstrate the importance of project management and the attributes the client should seek when selecting a project manager. By defining measureable objectives, project managers offer strategical qualities and direction to the desired milestones as well as to the completion of the entire project. The employment of their services allows for the organizing of information and activities including future risk assessment that leads to a quality product within the time and budget restraints. In addition to the purpose of a project manager, there are certain background attributes that would contribute to the success of a project such as managerial skill and technical expertise that are relevant to the clients goals. Introduction According to the Association for Project Management (APM), project management is identified as the process by which projects are defined, planned, monitored, controlled and delivered such that the agreed benefits are realised. A project manager is appointed by the client and serves as their representative throughout the entire progression period of the project, if permitted by the contractual agreement. It is the project managers responsibility to predict as many possible dangers and problems in time to plan, organize and control activities so that the project remains on schedule (Lock, 2007). Various risks can be avoided by planning strategically including defining measurable objectives at the start of the project so that those issues can be accounted for before reaching the construction phase. It is essential to incorporate a project manager because they are able to coordinate and organize information or activities, increase product quality, reduce risks, manage budgets, as well as complete the project under strenuous time restraints. In order for a project manager to bring these successful traits to a project they must possess an array of managerial and technical skills. This report will closely evaluate how defining measurable objectives, organisation, product quality, and budget management will improve the overall construction process as well as evaluating various attributes that project manager should have to effectively deliver a quality product. 1.0 Why hire a Project Manager? 1.1 Define Objectives Defining measureable objectives-the scope of the project-at the start of the project is crucial to any successful project. Scope Creep is one of the most common reasons why projects are unsuccessful whether it is due to schedule delays or drastic unexpected increases in budgets. For example, Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia had major increases in the original budget. The Federation Square opened in October 2002 with an original estimated budget at $100million but, due to poorly defined objectives, the budget has increased drastically to approximately $460million over the last 7 years. (VAGO, 2003) Scope creep, refers to tasks that are added to the initial reasons or scope of the project, which can occur both after the project as well as during the process. During the planning period, the engineer is not always certain of what the problems are before the construction phase. This is mostly due to the lack of research. If the construction phase commences as planned and there ar e utility lines unaccounted for, this would introduce complexity to the project as well as alter the original objectives. The lack of definition could throw the entire project off course from the original purpose of construction. The project manager hired will be able to take the necessary actions to combat these issues with the client. 1.2 Organise Information and Activities Construction projects are unique in the aspect that each project presents its own complexities. With any complex system, it is a requirement that information and activities be well organised which is one of the many reasons for commissioning a project manager. There are a variety of programs that aid the project manager in this area including Microsoft Office Project. Organization allows for optimal communication between the project manager and the key players that could take the form of graphs, charts, etc. This information keeps the involved parties aware of their preparation time before their services are needed. If a problem occurs, organization also allows the project manager to make quality decisions based upon the progression of the project in relation to the next milestone or deadline. In addition to organizing activities, labelling the distribution of funding is equally important. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) classifies these in the form of Work Breakdown Structure, or WBS, which is a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of work to be executed by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables (PMBOK, 2004). In regards to the budget, a WBS allows money to be distributed based upon its original intentions in a way that keeps the project manager up-to-date with the remaining funding. WBS is just another way to keep complex projects simple and easy to manage as well as keeping the client in the know. 1.3 Increase Product Quality Due to the economic crisis, many clients desire a high quality product associated with little cost. During the planning process, the project manager has the opportunity to research the services and products necessary to complete the project with the clients best interest in mind. Generally, most project errors occur during the construction process possibly due to unforeseen circumstances, field issues, and the work ethics of the contractors involved. Particularly in the US, based on a study done in 2006-2008 on the most common reasons why contractors fail in which performance and management issues were ranked in the top 5. Performance issues accounted for 36% of failures and management issues accounted for 29%. To assist in eliminating these problems, it is the responsibility of the project manager in conjunction with the construction manager to ensure that the structure is built with minimal errors and safety hazards. Through this checks and balance system, field issues can be succe ssfully managed with little to no effect on the schedule or future structural performance. 1.4 Manage Budget The budget is the primary skeletal system to a successful project. In any project, whether in the public or private sector, financial funding is essential. Without it, delays in financial support progress are inevitable. During the planning process, the project manager uses the WBS to assist in organizing and managing the funds as well as ensuring that there are funds allocated to future risks also known as the contingency. In a recent survey conducted by the National Audit Office (NAO), approximately 24% of delays in schedules were due to the incurred additional costs. This information conveys that the given budget was not managed properly or there were too many unforeseen risks involved. With the assistance of a project manager, such risks can be accounted for during the planning period to avoid schedule delays. 2.0 What attributes should be considered when hiring a Project Manger? 2.1 Managerial Skills When selecting a project manager, the client should not only be aware of how a project manager can enhance the overall performance of a project but also what skills to look for when employing their services. In order to produce a successful project the client should hire a project manager based on their leadership skills. Leadership skills consist of team building, problem solving, and communication skills, just to name a few. Project managers are faced with difficult situations throughout the course of the project which cannot be solved by themselves. The project manager must depend equally on all of the key players by building an effective and efficient team that may or may not be temporary and motivate them to the clients desired vision. With those difficult situations, quick and quality problem solving techniques are equally critical to the completion of the project. For instance, if there is an unpredicted pipe underneath the work site and there is change in the initial scope, t he project manager must be able to make a quality decision based upon the time and budget restraints. This issue can also be affected by the communication links between the key players. As stated earlier in this report, communication can be conveyed through organisation, charts, graphs, and schedules to keep the involved parties informed, especially the client(s). Leadership is just one attribute that covers an array of sub-skills that a project manager should possess to help determine the success of a project. 2.2 Technical Expertise In addition to the managerial attributes, technical expertise is also important to have when working with a clients vision. Technical expertise may include scope, cost, risk, contract, and construction management and helps to aid the clients knowledge beyond the initial concept of the structure. When managing the scope, the project manager must keep the primary vision in mind so that cost, contracts, and the construction process of even the most complex project remain simple. The project manager is able to make the client aware of the different risks that they might encounter before the project progresses past the conceptual phase as well as offer advice throughout the construction process. Again, these attributes are just a few that a project manager can contribute to a successful project and should be considered during the selection process. 3.0 Conclusion 3.1 Overall Conclusion In conclusion, defining measurable objectives, organisation of information and activities, increased product quality, budget management, and managerial and technical skills are all very important to a project that is classified a success by the client and the parties involved. The client should be increasingly mindful when employing the services of a project manager that, A leader is only as good as his followers. Without the stable foundation of any team or project, the product is bound to fail but if they are somehow incorporated from beginning to end, the temporary and longevity use of the product is sure to be met.

A Comparison of the Divine in Gilgamesh, the Old Testament of the Bible

The Divine in Gilgamesh, The Old Testament, and Metamorphoses       Along with different languages, customs and traditions, ancient Hebrews, Middle-easterners and Romans had very different beliefs about the divine. For example, Hebrews are monotheistic, while Middle-easterners and Greco-Romans of early time periods believe in many gods. Writings from the ancient time period sketch these differences, as well as the many similarities between religious beliefs. The Old Testament is an excellent reference depicting Hebrew beliefs, while Gilgamesh outlines many Middle-eastern beliefs, and The Metamorphoses shows readers many ancient Greco-Roman beliefs about the divine.    The Hebrew God as depicted in the Old Testament is omnipotent and omniscient. He creates perfect and harmonious order in the universe, as depicted in Genesis 1, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the Earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters," (51) which was created by Him in six days (47), "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made" (52).    Though the Hebrew God is all-powerful, He creates human kind to have free will (47). This free will can be seen in the story of Adam and Eve. Gods warns both Adam and Eve that they can eat anywhere they want, except from the Tree of Knowledge, and they do anyway (53). Along with free will came disobedience (47). The story of Jonah shows this disobedience when the Lord told Jonah to go to Ninevah to tell its inhabitants that they would be punished for their wickedness. Instead, Jonah decides to flee from th... ...rough inspection, because there are also many differences in the religions, such as how many gods citizens may believe in and what their powers are. However similar or different, these texts provide readers with insight into the different cultures throughout the world and offer a basis for the religions that are popular throughout the world today.       Works Cited    The Bible: The Old Testament. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Sarah Lawall et al. Vol 1. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 1999. 47-97.    Gilgamesh. Trans. N.K. Sandars. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Sarah Lawall et al. Vol 1. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 1999. 16-47.    Ovid. Metamorphoses. Trans. J.P. Sullivan. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed Sarah Lawall et al. Vol 1. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 1999. 895-943.   

UN Peacekeeping Essay -- International Politics, Conflicts

Even though, the UN charter does not mention the creation of a peacekeeping force, it has become a major instrument to deter violence and conflict since WWII. Particularly, after Cold War, international peacekeeping has climbed to the top of the agenda of the United Nations (UN) and many national governments (Druckman, et.al, 1997). As result, the UN peacekeeping currently operates in more than 60 disputed areas. Are these peacekeeping are effective in sustaining peace and stability? Or they are not? What are the scholars’ perspective on success and failure of peacekeeping? Did they agree or have divergent perspective? Peacekeeping operations can help to resolve conflict without bloodshed. But, scholars have competing perspective on the role of peacekeeping in resolve conflict. Scholars have also main differences in perspective of peacekeeping effectiveness. On the one hand, they see the contribution of peacekeeping to larger values such as world peace, justice, and the reduction of human suffering. On the other hand, they see limited or absence of contribution peacekeeping (Druckman, et.al 1997). Most observers see how peacekeeping has proven its value in stopping hostilities, maintaining cease-fires, restoring some degree of trust, and involvement of peacekeeping in sustaining peace significantly and substantially (Fisher, 1993; Doyle and Sambanis, 2000; Hartzell, Hoddie, and Rothchild,2001). The U.S. office of General Accounting (1999) also describes the success of the UN peacekeeping for the last fifty years. On the other hand opponents of peacekeeping point the dramatic failures of peacekeeping. Scholars such as (Fortan, 2005; Greig& Diehil, 2005) described little effect of the UN peacekeeping. Therefore, there is no ... ... of post Cold War. However, peacekeeping missions have become an increasingly well-used tool of international diplomacy and conflict resolution. ‘Globally, the deployment of military personnel in PKOs â€Å"surpassed record highs† in 2009, rising by about 9% over the year, with a total of more than 200,000 military, police and civilians in the field’ (CIC 2008, p.2). Again, the increasing choice to peacekeeping continued, with little understanding of its appropriate application and effectiveness. Scholars, however, disagree on the context of peacekeeping operation and how its impact should be evaluated (Druckman, et.al, 1997). In fact, it can be argued that the absence of what peacekeeping â€Å"missions can accomplish and determining the extent to which they have, in fact, achieved goals† (p.150) also created disparity among scholars about effectiveness of peacekeeping.

To What Extent Did Lenin Establish Communism in Russia Fro 1920-1924?

To what extent did Lenin establish Communism in Russia from 1920-1924? From an early age, Lenin opposed the Romanov autocratic regime, even more so following the execution of his brother for the assassination of Tsar Alexander III. Lenin was an avid follower of the writings of Karl Marx and believed communism was the way forward. He believed that everything should be owned by the government and then distributed evenly amongst the people. During the February 1917 revolution in Russia, Lenin was in exile. He knew his right-hand man Trotsky would tell him when the time was right to come back to Russia.The end of the February Revolution led to the end of the Romanov dynasty and to the Provisional Government under Lvov and Kerensky. It also meant the return of Lenin. By October 1917, he felt the time was right for a Bolshevik revolution. It was relatively bloodless and Lenin assumed the responsibility of governing Russia. Between 1920 and 1924, Lenin and the Bolsheviks attempted to shape the destiny of Russia and establish communism. He said, ‘’History will never forgive us if we do not assume power now’’.Having taking over Russia, Lenin now had the challenge of holding on to power. The first thing he did was put a decree on land. This meant that peasants were allowed take over private land. Therefore, landlords weren’t very happy about this. He also abolished the Assembly. Lenin believed in a one party dictatorship and this step was necessary for it to happen. It was at this time that the Bolsheviks became known as Communists. In an attempt to make all people equal, everyone was to be addressed at ‘’Comrade’’. Lenin’s next step now was to make peace.The slogan of the Communists was ‘’Peace, bread, land’’. From fighting in World War I, Russia was on the verge of bankruptcy. Lenin knew something had to be done. The Russians were losing battle after battle and the country co uldn’t take any more of it. Also, the army was in disarray. Soldiers were losing heart and most of them were killed. Lenin realised this had to be stopped. He was pragmatic and knew the country couldn’t take it much longer. Therefore, Lenin signed a peace agreement with Germany. This was known as the Brest-Litovsk Treaty or The Shameful Treaty.Although it obtained peace in Russia, it involved in the country losing a quarter of its land and population, eighty per cent of its coal mines and thirty three per cent of it farming land and manufacturing industry. Lenin insisted the survival of the communist regime depended on it! Lenin however was faced with opposition, collectively known as the ‘’Whites’’. These included a disarray of groups such as social revolutionaries, supporters of the Provisional Government, landlords, tsarist supporters and many more. This gave rise to a civil war in Russia. The war was the ‘’Reds’â€℠¢ vs. he ‘’Whites’’. The Reds had many more advantages than the Whites. The Red Army were under Trotsky, a very skilled military tactician. The Reds were being attacked from every direction by the Whites with the help of the Allied Powers. However, the Reds greatest threat was Pilsudski and his Polish army. This was the only battle were Lenin had peace negotiations and were he lost some of Russian territory. As time passed, Allied support lessened. This was a big disadvantage for the Whites. The Reds had another advantage over the Whites, they were more united.The Whites had many different groups who wanted and fought for different things so it didn’t work in their favour. One further advantage for the Reds was that they were located in central Russia, which was capable of being defended. This ended in victory for the Reds. During the civil war, Lenin took control of economic and political problems. He followed a policy of War Communism. This policy saw Lenin ensure that all industry and agriculture within the Communist –controlled territory was geared solely towards the war effort.All of the surplus crops that were grown by the farmers were requisitioned by the government and distributed between the workers and soldiers. Food detachments were sent to the countryside to get the food. This was very unpopular with the farmers. They began to cut back in grain production so eventually, Russia experienced a famine. An estimation of between five and seven million people died due to hunger. The Red Terror was set up by the Cheka. The Cheka were a secret police force set up to arrest and execute people who they believed opposed Lenin and the Communists.Any opposition to Lenin was dealt with legalised acts of brutality. It was a systematic terror designed to ensure the continuation of Communist rule. The Kronstadt Rising gave the Cheka a great opportunity to put down the revolt. The naval soldiers that were involved were brutall y treated and were easily defeated. Following the end of the Civil War, Lenin knew that change needed to be made. He ended War Communism and brought in the New Economic Policy. There was serious discontent which undermined support for Communism.The NEP ended the requisition of food from the peasants, peasants were now allowed to sell their surplus for profit and private enterprise was allowed in small factories. Although many of these terms were contrary to Communist beliefs, Lenin said that ‘’we must take a step backwards in order to go two steps forward at a later date’’. Although Lenin did not live to see the full effects of the New Economic Policy, he had a great effect on the Russians and established the first ever Communist state. Lenin took many steps in order for Russia to become a Communist state.