A521.9.4.RB_SchreterPaul

               There are many different types of dimensions in leadership. Denning has a handful to share in his book, The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative and I am here to discuss some of these dimensions. The tree dimensions that I will comment on is that interactive leadership builds on personal integrity and authenticity, that it doesn’t depend on the possession of hierarchical authority, and that it works with the world rather than against it.

               One of Denning’s dimensions of leadership is that “interactive leadership builds on personal integrity and authenticity.” (Denning, 2001) I will be able to apply this dimension in the way I lead in the future because by staying true to myself, others will respect me for that. For example I’m working for my future and in the future I have a family to take care of. If I slack now, I could potentially be hurting this future family and I’m doing everything I can now to take care of them. Some of the people I work with understand that and they help and support me towards that goal. It’s easier to lead them for different jobs and tasks because they know why I do it.

Another one of Denning’s dimension of leadership is that “interactive leadership doesn’t depend on the possession of hierarchical authority.” (Denning, 2001) This dimension will impact the way I lead in the future because leadership can spawn from anyone, anywhere. Just because someone may outrank me doesn’t mean I can’t be a leader for them. For example we received a new SSgt into our shop that wasn’t familiar with a particular job on the F-15E. Since I (a SrA) was the resident expert, I was required to teach and lead the two man team with this SSgt. He was able to learn from me, I was able to lead for him.

A final dimension of Denning’s of leadership is that “the interactive leader works with the world rather than against it.” (Denning, 2001) Much like with the previous dimension, leadership can go all directions and can work with the systems already in place. A part of our job requires us to do virtual documentation of all the work that we do on the aircraft that we work on. There’s a very particular way on how this documentation needs to get done and I overlook the program that oversees and monitors this virtual documentation. An external third party program also overlooks this documentation and any errors that it catches it flags to the higher ups (those with stripes and brass) and everyone in our shop looks bad. With a lot of pressure from our bosses to not mess up this documentation, people of all ranks come to me for advice on how to go about it.

The three dimensions that I commented on are that interactive leadership builds on personal integrity and authenticity, that it doesn’t depend on the possession of hierarchical authority, and that it works with the world rather than against it. I feel like I have been able to apply all three of these to my current position in the military and can continue to draw from these ideas and apply it to my future. Everything that I do from my work to my school, is building the foundation that I will use and apply towards my dream of becoming a United States Air Force officer.

References

Denning, S. (2001). The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. Jossey-Bass.

A521.8.4.RB_SchreterPaul

When it comes to making that initial contact, striking up a conversation with someone new, I become terrified. While I can only guess as to where my shyness came from, I do believe my background may have played a contributing factor. While my upbringing may have played a role in my approach to strangers, I do also have some ideas on ways to improve.

My upbringing isn’t unique by any stretch of the imagination, but I do believe it had a contributing factor in the way I approach strangers. The majority of my childhood I spent more or less alone because I was an only child. In addition, the street I grew up on didn’t have any children. So my interaction was mostly with adults, whom I always saw as my superiors as opposed to my equals. As a result, I would always follow directions and keep to myself whenever they weren’t around. While I’m no psychology major, I do believe that this plays a partial role in my quiet nature around other people.

There are two ways that I can improve how I communicate with people. The first would be to use icebreakers. Giving a compliment would be one example of such icebreaker. You can never give out enough genuine compliments and everybody likes them. It’s a good way to get someone else to feel good about themselves and to start up conversation. After I’ve been able to approach a stranger, active listening would be the next step as it’s the “hallmark of a good conversationalist.” (McKay, Davis, & Fanning, 2009) Active listening is something I’ve thankfully had practice in with my volunteering at Samaritans, a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support towards those with feelings of distress, despair, or suicidal thoughts. It wasn’t easy to do, especially due to the nature of the content that people expressed, but it has increased my active listening skills with people in general.

While I do believe a part of my background has played a role in how I approach people in general, there are things that I can do to improve myself in doing so. Life is constantly changing and constantly evolving. As new experiences are gained, future obstacles that share these experiences become less of a challenge and more of an opportunity.

References
McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages The Communiccation Skills Book. Oakland: New Harbinger Publicaions, Inc.

A521.7.4.RB_SchreterPaul

               The use of stories to share knowledge is absolutely amazing. This is awesome especially when all parties get to be involved in the creating of a story and incredibly complex ideas/knowledge can be derived from this story. What I’m talking about specifically is a little game I like to call, The Cube.

               The Cube is something I’d like to share from my personal experience because it’s a knowledge sharing story where I, the director, allow another person, the narrator, to come up with their own story. What makes this incredible is the fact that both parties gain incredibly deep insight into the lives of the narrator.

If you've never heard of the cube, now is your chance to experience it. Since this is a blog and not something being conducted in real life, I won’t be able to fine tune it towards you. Instead you’ll get something rather generic, but perhaps insightful anyways. You can derive your own meaning and figure out what works best for you. Seriously, try it and let me know how it goes.

Let us begin:

 I want you to imagine a desert. In this desert, there is a cube.

·        How big is this cube?

·        Is it floating or on the ground?

·        What color is the cube? How do you feel about that color?

·        Is it transparent or solid?

Now I want you to imagine a ladder.

·        Where is this ladder relative to the cube?

·        Is it leaning against the cube?

·        How big is the ladder?

Imagine a horse.

·        Where is the horse relative to the cube?

·        Is the horse tied down? Is there a saddle?

·        What color is the horse? How do you feel about that color?

·        Describe the personality of the horse.

Imagine a flower(s).

·        How many flowers are there?

·        Where are these flowers relative to the cube?

·        How do you feel about these flowers?

Imagine a storm.

·        Where is the storm relative to the cube?

·        How big or small is this storm?

·        Is the storm heading towards the cube or in another direction?

Okay, after you've answered all the questions (and only after you answered all the questions), read on to figure out what they mean:

Cube: The relative size of the cube represents how you think of yourself. Perhaps the size of your ego. If the cube is on the ground, it means that you are generally a well-grounded person. The higher up the cube is off the ground, the more imaginative you are. The color and how you feel about that color is another way of how you see yourself or how you want others to see you. Relative transparency is how easy it is for other people to see through you.

Ladder: The ladder represents your friends. The distance between cube and ladder is the emotional/physical distance between you and friends. The relative size of the ladder is relative to how you feel about them. If the ladder is leaning on the cube, this could mean that sometimes your friends rely on you for support.

Horse: The horse represents your ideal mate or significant other. Distance between horse and cube is the distance between this other person and you. If the horse is tied down or with a saddle, then you like to have control in the relationship. What you feel about this horse in terms of color or personality is how you see your ideal mate or your significant other.

Flowers: Flowers represent children. The amount of flowers represents how you feel about them (not necessarily the amount you want to have). Distance to these flowers represent distance between you and what you would like.

Storm: The storm represents problems or obstacles in life. Distance between the storm and the cube represent the distance these problems or obstacles are to you. The size of the storm represent how stressful you might find these things in life to be. The direction the storm is traveling represent the possible direction these problems or obstacles are going to go relative to you.

So how did that go?

I’ve got other personality tests as well, but The Cube is the one I think is most insightful. I like to use it as a potential screening tool for potential mates because it’s a fun way to discuss how the other person thinks about themselves, their relationships with their friends, what they look for in another person, how they feel about children, and what major problems or stresses they have in life. Sure, I could just ask these questions directly and flat out, but then they might take it as getting too personal, too fast. By turning it into a story and a game that they become involved with, they are more likely to divulge information they might not otherwise do. Not only can they learn great things about themselves, but so can I!

A521.6.3.RB_SchreterPaul

               A community is a type of method for working together. I found this to be a positive experience during tech school training within my military career. This community was self-selected in that it was a self-formed study group for my class. This community stayed together so long as we all had the same interested in doing well within our class. Much like penguins work together to keep each other warm, we all worked together to keep each other smart.

               I do however have the occasional negative experiences with a certain type of method for working together. Sometimes I may be a part of a good team, other times I may be a part of a bad team. On occasion throughout grade school the teacher would for students to work in teams, not of their own choosing. The negative experience comes when not everyone in the group has the same motivational levels and everyone gets the same grade. When someone in the group doesn't care to do any work, everyone else in the group has to make up for the slack, which causes tensions to rise and fights to occur.

              So what could I have done to influence better outcomes with my negative experiences with teams? Well it really depends on the type of person causing the problem. If they truly don’t care about their grade, then there’s really nothing I can do but to suck it up and deal with it. However if they do care about their grade, then this is where game theory comes along. If they’re lazy but care about their grade, then it’s better for me to assure mutual destruction of our grades if they don’t pick up their end of the deal. However this only applies if we’re forced to work with one another over an extended period of time. If it’s just for one assignment, then perhaps the best thing to do would be to negotiate who will do what early on and just trust that they’ll pick up their end. If not, then it’s really up to me to see if it’s worth picking up their slack to ensure a good grade.

A521.5.4.RB_SchreterPaul

The three basic components of an ethical community can be defined as follows:

Trust: “The general expectation among members that their fellows will behave ethically towards them.”

Loyalty: “Acceptance of the obligation to refrain from breaching one another’s trust and to fulfill the duties entailed by accepting that trust.”

Solidarity: “Caring for other people’s interests and being ready to take action on behalf of others, even if it conflicts with personal interests.”

Here is how they might be applied to my organization:

Trust: Trust can be developed with subordinates when they know they can tell you something without suffering extreme repercussions. One day at work a coworker and his team dropped a multi-million dollar piece of aircraft equipment. When they reported it, they admitted that they made a mistake and in hindsight should have been more careful with the equipment. The way supervision responded was by thanking them for their honesty and then worked with everyone to try and figure out ways to prevent the incident from happening again. A new rule came out that now requires load binders to be used to secure this equipment so that the incident can no longer happen again.

Loyalty: Loyalty can be developed by rewarding such behavior. During major inspections of our group, the test is really more on higher management than on lower levels. We as airman don’t really get in trouble, but those at the top do. Those at the top try to reward those that loyally work for them and to make them look good by giving them free days off of work so that they can spend time at home and with their families. By working hard now to make someone else look good, people are rewarded for their loyalty down the line.

Solidarity: Solidarity is to look out for one another. This is already show by our expeditors because they voluntarily stay overtime to make sure everyone on their shift is taken care of. We also foster this type of environment by not allowing anyone on the same job to go home unless everything on that job is done. This encourages everyone to help one another so that everyone can benefit with going home early.

Organizational values need to have life in order to exist. Those wishing to employ these values need to believe in it themselves and to live it out in their own lives. Sometimes these values might not be seen in my own organization. For example in the case of Solidarity, looking out for one another. Some expeditors are all about the mission and don’t think about the people. Some don’t care whether or not we eat, or get rest, or have been working for 11 hours straight. All they care about is that the job gets done. This creates a sort of tension that degrades trust and loyalty over time. Thankfully though, such expeditors have been transferred out due to complaints and new ones put in place. These values are now slowly trying to rebuild themselves within the organization.

A521.4.3.RB_SchreterPaul

               There are many factors in communication that change how the message is interpreted. Often times this can have unintended consequences. Two examples that come into my life and in my line of work is the spatial factor and the paralanguage factor.

The spatial factor involved in communication is often ignored within my line of work. There is this thing called “truck talk” that involves talking without constraints while on the truck. Generally most Air Force personnel need to keep a high standard of professionalism in their work environment, but in my line of work it gets thrown out the window and a blind eye turned away. While the Air Force has been taking measures to crack down on this and it has improved, there is still that occasional “truck talk” that involves racial, sexual, and other very inappropriate comments. The truck usually encompasses roughly a 6’ x 10’ spatial area and can make some people feel very uncomfortable.

               In my volunteer work my paralanguage played a huge role in my abilities to help others. I used to volunteer with a group called Samaritans that provided emotional support for peoples with feelings of distress, despair, and suicidal thoughts. One of my biggest problems was with my resonance of my voice, which over the phone sounds very “official,” and “authoritative.” For people trying to express their inner deepest thoughts and problems, this type of resonance is a huge turn off; as in, my voice was very deep and full. Most people usually respond better to a more feminine, thin, and soft voice. My technique to solving this problem was by removing the bass in my voice which has helped tremendously.

               These were two examples in my life, which were the spatial factor and a paralanguage factor, which changed how verbal communication gets perceived. These influences had consequences that were potentially hurtful and yielded unexpected results. By learning and being aware of these two forms of communication, I was able to become more self-aware of my interactions with others.

               

A521.3.4.RB_SchreterPaul

Recall two or three situations from your childhood or early adulthood that had a formative impact on you. Describe the situations and relate how they impacted you. Pick situations that have affected how you act and feel in an organizational or team-based environment.

1997 – My little sister

Thanksgiving week in 1997, my little sister was born. I was 9 at the time and I remember my first words to her in the hospital room, “I will always love you.” Being born 9 years apart had a huge impact on our relationship because I was just old enough to start babysitting her so my parents could work. Every summer, taking care of my sister became my new full time job. While she will always be my little sister, I have developed a sort of fatherly mindset throughout my early childhood. I’ll make personal sacrifices to make sure that she is well taken care of.

I believe this affected the way I approach my relationships within an organization. Any time I’m part of a team or am leading a team of my own, I always try to make sure everyone is taken care of. The majority of my time spent at work is on the flight line, where it’s open to the elements. Depending on who’s expediting at the time, it could mean that we very well may spend 9-10 hours outside without ever getting the chance to go inside and eat. I don’t like to see people starve, so I’m constantly asking if people have gotten the chance to eat and whether or not they would like to go inside to grab something. I’m more than happy to pick up their end of the slack to make sure they’re well fed. And if they don’t have food? I’ll give them my dinner.

Early 1990’s – Punished by my Mom

               In the early 1990’s in my very early adolescent days, I remember getting punished by my mom for something I did wrong. I can’t remember what it was because I could have been 4, maybe 5 years old, but I remember it was my fault. What had happened was my mom had me sit against the wall with my hands in the air, as if I were reaching for the ceiling, and to shut my mouth and not say a word. Then she would tell me to not move until she came back. After a while, for a little kid anyways, this can be quite painful.

               After recently talking to my mom about this event, she told me that she went off to cook some dinner for the family. Throughout the cooking she heard these little snivels in the background but couldn’t figure out what they were. Eventually the snivels became so frequent that she needed to investigate where they were coming from. After following the noise she discovers that the snivels were coming from my room! After entering my room, there I was with my hands in the air, tears running down my face trying not to make any noise while I cried my eyes out. Only recently did I find out that my mom forgot about me when she went to cook the dinner!

               While to this day I’m not quite sure why I was so obedient, I do believe this made me more self-disciplined throughout my life. Even though my arms were in major pain and my mom wasn’t around to check up on me, I did what I was supposed to do and followed orders. Within an organization, I’ve taken on the mindset of “you gotta do what you gotta do.” I don’t waste time complaining, when a job needs to get done, I get the job done.

A521.2.3.RB_SchreterPaul

The single story, as shown throughout history, can be a means of motivating others into action. It can also be a means of control and power. The two examples that most come to mind when talking about a single story is with the Nazi perception of Jews during the early 20^th century and the North Korean perception of Americans today.

During the time period of Hitler’s reign of power, he blamed Jews for the economic downturn of the German nation. This single story painted the Jews in such an incredibly negative fashion. What was most fascinating though was how much enthusiasm Hitler had with his stories. As Whalen described, “of all the emotions that will move your audience to embrace your point of view, enthusiasm is the most important.” (Whalen, 2007) Many would say that Hitler’s enthusiasm was the driving force of his campaign. Imagine if he wasn't enthusiastic at all, but rather mundane and boring. Imagine if he gave a boring PowerPoint presentation that looked like the following:

Another single story that’s get told is one that is found in North Korean. From a very early age Americans are portrayed as “cruel, ghoulish barbarians with big noses and fiendish eyes. Teeth bared, they brand prisoners with hot irons, set wild dogs on women and wrench out girl’s teeth with pliers.” (REPORTER, 2012) While I don’t believe it is our call to make, as far as how or what North Koreans are taught in these schools, I do think it’s unfortunate that they are taught only the single story. These kids are being indoctrinate into adopting a very negative view of a particular race. It’s as if the government were domesticating its people as one would of dogs.

The two examples that came to mind when talking about a single story was one of Nazi views of the Jews and one of North Korean views of Americans. I do believe that these were/are a means of control and power and it’s rather unfortunate as the whole story is not given. Granted these were an effective part of the means of motivation, just not very moral or ethical in nature.

References

REPORTER, D. M. (2012, June 24). How North korean children are taught to hate the 'American b*******' at kindergarten. Retrieved from MailOnline: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2163817/How-North-Korean-children-taught-hate-American-b----kindergarten.html

Whalen, J. (2007). The Professional Communications Toolkit.

A521.1.4.RB_SchreterPaul

Here is a story that we tell within our organization. Names have been changed in this particular verse.

“Zack was learning how to launch out a jet as a B-man. After he pulled out both sets of chalks, for some odd reason he found it necessary to run underneath the aircraft without putting the chalks back in place. The Staff Sergeant that was with him yelled profusely at him as this was a huge safety violation and could have disastrous consequences to life. When Zack returned to the truck, he was sobbing profusely like a baby. Good intentions or not, this guy really lacks cojones.”

This is a common story that gets told within our organization. Not only is the story true, but it also happened within the year and gets told to almost every newbie within the organization. Some reasons why this story gets told so often is that it not only puts an emphasis on safety but it’s memorable as well.

Our core values within the organization are “together, safe, and IAW” and this story promotes safety. Safety is huge within our organization because the realm to which we work is incredibly dangerous. Running underneath a moving aircraft can prove to be dangerous because of crushing hazards, getting sucked up into the intakes, getting burnt/blown away by exhaust, and many more unmentioned threats. This story happens to emphasize something that happened to one of my peers and not only is it a great way to teach someone that going underneath an un-chalked aircraft is unsafe, but it’s memorable as well.

The fact that this story is memorable helps promote the values of the organization, or in this case safety. What makes this story memorable is that it more or less pokes at someone who was being stupid during the launching sequence of an aircraft. It’s not common to see a grown “man” cry in a military setting and because of this, this particular individual, Zack, is seen as someone who lacks any sort of male genitalia between his legs. Whether or not this story is an ethical one to tell is up for debate, however it certainly is a lot more memorable and easier to get the point across than simply saying, “don’t go under the aircraft.”

A500.9.4.RB_SchreterPaul

This course was very difficult for me. Initially it was because I hadn’t taken a class in over two years and so I had to get readjusted to new study habits. Then after I became adjusted, work and life events started to kick off and things became very stressful. While things have slowed down just a tad at work, the constant change of pace that I’m getting thrown into adds for new challenges. But to reflect on my experiences thus far, I’m going to talk about a positive aspect of this course, a negative aspect of this course, and finally what I expect in future courses.

Learning about the SEE-I method has proved to be a very positive experience for me. Mainly in the sense that it forced me to come up with a metaphor to try and explain a complex idea. I feel like this is an important ability in leadership that cannot be underestimated. While I wouldn’t say I’m a metaphor god, the idea of trying to come up with random ones stretches my imagination to new areas that I’m not used to. It’s not so much about teaching a man to fish, but more to teach him how to fish upside down.

               I found the discussions to be a little negative in nature. Not so much about the people or the discussion themselves, but the lack of the human element. To me it seems like every person may as well just be a number and I’m just responding to that number. I feel like the experience could have been better if we had profile pictures or avatars that allowed us to have a face to the name. Faces are easy to remember, names… not so much.

               So what do I expect out of my future courses? Well the big one that I’m looking forward to is my next course, which I believe is titled leadership communication. While I’m not entirely certain what to expect out of it, I certainly hope to come out with a new vision on communication altogether and apply it to my everyday professional and personal life. Very much like making a new friend in the UK, even though we speak the same words, our languages are so far apart from one another that I’m constantly learning new ways to express ideas.

               So this was a quick and simple overview on some of the positive and negative aspects of this course and what I expect in future courses. While I am uncertain about many aspects of this overall curriculum, so far it’s a journey that I want to continue forth and finish. Every long journey begins with a single step and this course was that step.

               

A500.8.3.RB_SchreterPaul

Presentation design is an important skill to develop as it can have drastic effects on the influence over its audience. Not only that, but the presenter must be able to present in an effective manner as well. There are two major aspects that cover good presentation design and that’s telling a good story and simplicity over complexity.

The first of two good presentation designs is the ability to tell a story. Garr Reynolds mentions that “the best presenters illustrate their points with the use of stories.” (Reynolds, 2013) This is often a great way to be able to explain really complex ideas in a more easily digested form. This helps with memory retention and ideas have a much more lasting outcome. Nancy Duarte, during a TED conference, says that “the way that ideas are conveyed the most effectively is through story.” (Duarte, 2011) This shows that a second reputable source is in agreement with Garr Reynolds and how big the impact can truly be when a presentation is done in story form. This is why the ability to tell a story is so important in good presentation design.

The second form of good presentation design is the simplicity of the design. As Garr Reynolds would recommend, “the best slides may have no text at all.” (Reynolds, 2013) This shows that he believes that slides with huge walls of text are a turn off for most audiences. The importance of the slides are to supplement the story of the presenter not replace it. “The slides themselves were never meant to be the ‘star of the show,’” as Garr Reynolds mentions again. (Reynolds, 2013) This shows that the emphasis of the presentation is on the presenter him/herself and not on the slides. Simplicity is a key to good presentation design.

The two major aspects that cover good presentation design is the ability to tell a good story and to make the design of presentations as simple as possible. This creates an easier connection with the audience which in turn allows for the easier transfer of complex ideas. Stories are often seen as a means of sharing ideas and keeping them alive.

References

Duarte, N. (2011, Mar 7). Nancy Duarte talks at TEDx East. Retrieved from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfQF3DXG-S4

Reynolds, G. (2013). How to Design & Deliver Presentations Like a Pro. Retrieved from Presentation Zen: http://www.garrreynolds.com/Presentation/pdf/presentation_tips.pdf

A500.7.3.RB_SchreterPaul

After going through some slides on quantitative research, I’ve been able to define (in a basic sense) on what quantitative research actually is. Hoepfl was able to define it as something that “uses experimental methods and quantitative measures to test hypothetical generalizations.” (Hoepfl, 1997) It provides a unique opportunity in allowing insight that qualitative research cannot. The basic idea behind this blog post it to identify two major elements of what quantitative research can provide: The first being that it enables us to observe the non-observable and the second being that it allows for comparisons between groups.

An element that defines what quantitative research is, is that it “enables research and description of social structures and processes that are not directly observable.” (Mamia, 2013) For example Dan Ariely commented on some research that was conducted and part of that research showed that Sweden had an 86% organ donation rate within its country. (Ariely, 2013) Organ donation rate isn’t something that one can directly observe and so the collection of data allows for such observation. This also shows that we are able to come up with simple conclusions about various articles of data.

Another element that helps define what quantitative research is that it is well suited for “comparisons between groups, areas etc.” (Mamia, 2013) To comment on Dan Ariely’s presentation, we were able to conclude that countries that had an opt-in organ donation service had less donation rates than those countries that had an opt-out organ donation service. (Ariely, 2013) This shows that we were able to collect a large amount of data and come up with conclusions and comparisons between two major groups of populations that otherwise wouldn’t have been directly observable.

The two major elements being quantitative research is that it allows us to observe the un-observable and to allow for comparisons between groups of bodies. Quantitative research takes on a form much similar to that of early level physics classes that one would take in sixth form or Uni, where students could potentially create a hypothesis and then test that hypotheses against a collection of data/tests. This provides an incredible opportunity to develop a deeper understanding on the various interests.

References

Ariely, D. (2013). Dan Ariely: Are we in control of our own decisions? Retrieved from TED: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_asks_are_we_in_control_of_our_own_decisions.html

Hoepfl, M. (1997). Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for Technology Education Researchers. Retrieved from Journal of Technology Education: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/hoepfl.html

Mamia, T. (2013). Quantitative Research Methods. Retrieved from ISSS: https://erau.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-13030312-dt-content-rid-38257535_4/institution/Worldwide_Online/MSLD_Program/MSLD_500/msld_500_quant_research_methods_lecture1_tero_mamia.pdf

A500.6.3.GA_SchreterPaul

After reading an article on qualitative research, I’ve been able to come up with a basic idea on what it is and what it might be trying to accomplish. The alternative would be quantitative research and that has a different approach to research. But for starters, qualitative research is defined as a method that “uses a naturalistic approach that seeks to understand phenomena in context-specific settings.” (Hoepfl, 1997) So to go over what this blog is going to cover, it’ll start out with what qualitative research is not going to be (and what quantitative is), followed by some the characteristics of qualitative research, and finally some of the data collection strategies associated with qualitative research.

               First off we’ll need to help define what qualitative research is not by defining what quantitative research is. For example, Hoepfl in her article defines quantitative research as something that “uses experimental methods and quantitative measures to test hypothetical generalizations.” (Hoepfl, 1997) To more or less take another approach to this definition, it would be saying that quantitative research takes a stab at a prediction of how something works and then testing that theory through some sort of experimentation. Similar to your early level physics class in sixth form or Uni, students would create a hypothesis and then test that hypothesis against some number of tests. Qualitative research is different with its approach to a particular area.

               Qualitative research has multiple characteristics that can help put its definition more in context. The first characteristic is that it’s a method that is used to “observe, describe, and interpret settings as they are.” (Hoepfl, 1997) This shows that researchers need to take on a neutral approach and reduce the amount of artificial elements within an arena so that these observations aren’t plagued with foreign content. A completely unbiased view and shade of glasses must be worn when observing a setting. Another characteristic is that qualitative research is “judged using special criteria for trustworthiness.” (Hoepfl, 1997) In other words, are the findings of the research going to be worth grabbing the attention of those interested in the research? How naturalistic is the information of the study going to be? It can be said that qualitative research is simply a means to which to identify the variables required for data collection.

               Data collection is possible with qualitative research and it has a number of strategies involved with the process. One of the many strategies is to determine the focus of the inquiry. This includes establishing a set of boundaries that involve certain types of white list / black list type criteria. Dan Ariely for example could have established a set of boundaries in his studies to not include drunk people, which would have saved him a lot of time, frustration, and moral dilemma in regards to one of his own studies. (Ariely, 2011) A second strategy is to determine the type of instrumentation to be used. This can range from using survey taking websites to questionnaires handed out in a room. This figure out a means to actually collect the data within the research. While there are a good number of other strategies also involved in data collection, these two are the ones that I find that stick out the most.

               To review I just went over some of the characteristics of quantitative research, some of the characteristics of qualitative research, and finally some of the characteristics of sound strategies involved with data collection within the realm of qualitative research. The idea of qualitative research certainly takes on a different approach to other traditional ideas, however it certainly is a valid one. While personally I do like the idea of collecting data first and then interpreting that data, this approach of observing how things really are before going about methods to confirm the validity of these observations brings on different take on how I can approach future research.

References

Ariely, D. (2011). Dan Ariely: Beware conflicts of interest. Retrieved from TED: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/dan_ariely_beware_conflicts_of_interest.html

Hoepfl, M. (1997). Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for Technology Education Researchers. Retrieved from Journal of Technology Education: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/hoepfl.html

A500.5.3.RB_SchreterPaul

Half way through the course and now it’s time to reflect on what I’ve learned and what I’ve been able to adopt into my life. Unfortunately though, I don’t really feel any different than when I first started this course. Granted, I have adopted some changes into my life in terms of clarifying my thinking with others (aka SEE-I method), I’m not sure if this is enough. This to me brings up some concerns because I’m starting to wonder if I’m missing the major points of this course. I haven’t had any time to reflect on my past assignments nor do I feel like I can spend time on my current assignments because I’m constantly feeling rushed (near 100 hour work weeks aren’t exactly helping the situation). But all that aside, let’s look at how I’ve adopted SEE-I.

               The SEE-I method has proven to be very successful in my life because it has allowed me to better explain my ideas to others. For a while it’s been hard for me to articulate my thoughts to others, however with SEE-I (mostly the “I” portion) things have become noticeably easier. For example when I was talking with a newbie in regards to how a particular system works on the F-15E, I was able to state what the system does and how it operates, state its practical use in real life war, and finally state a metaphor using fly’s and bats to help solidify the understanding of the particular system. By the end of the day she was able to understand exactly how the system worked. Much like expressing the story of Shakespeare over multiple forms of media/entertainment. When you read the story of The Taming of the Shrew, watch the play of The Taming of the Shrew, and finally watch the film The Taming of the Shrew, the story of The Taming of the Shrew becomes pretty concrete because of all the different forms it’s been experienced in.

               SEE-I alone has given me a new way to think and a new way to articulate and explain something to someone. I’m certainly glad that I’ve been introduced to it and encouraged to use it throughout my works. While I do fear that I'm not learning everything that I should be learning (or at least gaining the grasp of), I can say that so far I've been able to walk away with something.

A500.4.3.RB_SchreterPaul

After watching an incredible TED video of Dr. Sheena Lyengar, I’ve been able to revel in my newfound observations on life and choice. It’s been rather eye opening for both myself and how I perceive choice, and how I view others in making their own choice. Today I am going to comment on three assumptions that Dr. Lyengar makes in her video and how it’s been a part of my life. The three assumptions are that Americans believe they should make their own choice, they believe more options lead to better choice, and that they believe everyone should never say no to choice.

The first assumption that Dr. Lyengar makes is that Americans believe they should make their own choices (independent of others). What this means is that those of a particular cultural upbringing believe that only they know best when it comes to decisions that affect them. However in her study she was able to conclude that while those of an Anglo-American upbringing performed best in anagram solving when they perceive their actions as their own choice, Asian-American individuals performed best in anagram solving when they perceived their actions as being directed by their mothers. What this shows is that people of certain backgrounds may be more open to manipulation, provided that this particular individual looks up to another as someone they trust and respect. This especially holds true for myself (because I come from an Asian-American upbringing) when it comes to dating girls, because in the back of my mind I always think about whether or not my family (mainly mom and dad) would approve. If I think my family would disapprove, I don’t go near the girl.

In many overseas assignments, fresh Airman are separated from their friends and families. This creates a special bond between individuals in the flight and in essence, the Air Force becomes their new family. Flight chiefs essentially play the role of mommy and daddy as they are ultimately responsible for an Airman’s well-being. Through Dr. Lyengar’s first assumption, if flight chiefs can develop the trust and respect of an Airman, they may be able to shape the Airman’s decisions to more closely match the goals of the Air Force. If a potential deployment were to come up where manning is already critically numbered and an Airman has a choice between getting stationed in the states or extending to see a deployment, a flight chief has the potential to nudge the Airman towards deploying which helps achieve the mission.

The second assumption that Dr. Lyengar makes about American thinking is that more options lead to better choice. What this means is that when an individual has an increased number of selections to choose from, they will be capable of rationalizing the best choice that provides them with the most benefit. However, “a number of [her] studies have shown that when you give people 10 or more options when they’re making a choice, they make poorer decisions.” This is especially true with my dating life. Ever since I broke up with my Kindergarten girlfriend, I was reluctant to get another because I always knew that there would be better. Well look 19 years later into my life and see where that’s gotten me. Indecision was a poor decision made on my part because of the large selection of options that were presented to me. Luckily though, there is some light at the end of the tunnel so hold the pity until at least this weekend (haha).

So how does this affect leadership? Well it seems fairly obvious that in order to help someone make a wiser decision that the number of choices need to be reduced. I was able to see this happen with one of my working buddies. Before he had zero intention on staying overseas and wanted to go back to the states. He said the whole process of extending is so complicated that it’s a huge pain in the butt to even think about it (we’re given about 6 options when it comes to extending, however each option branches outward leading to many other decisions). My flight chief was able to virtually limit the number of options he had to: not extend or extend for 9 months. Putting it in simple terms like this made the whole process easier to think about for my buddy and now he’s actually considering about staying. Being incredibly short manned already, this leads to a better outcome for the overall Air Force mission of this base.

The third assumption that Dr. Lyengar makes about American thinking is that everyone should never say no to choice. What this means is that one should never faithfully put the decisions of one’s own life into someone else’s hands. Dr. Lyengar concluded through her studies that when a choice has to be made between two terribly bad decisions, that overall happiness is better when the choice is made by an outsider. This was especially true for me while growing up. I always hated it when the teacher in grade school tells everyone to partner up and it puts me in a situation of choosing between two friends. I like both friends equally, but choosing one with hurt my relationship with the other. However when the teacher chooses for me, everyone understands that it was an outsider that made the decision and not myself. This would lead to a better overall happiness from all parties.

So how would this translate into being a leader? Well what this means is that if a leader wants to increase overall follower happiness, that they should remove choice from the followers hands and make the decisions themselves. However this poses a problem. Dr. Lyengar asked a number of American parents who had just lost their child whether or not if they would have preferred an outsider make the decision of killing life support. Every single one said they would have rather made their own choice, even if it meant an overall increase in depression and sadness for themselves. What this could potentially mean (and where we have room to learn), is that while leaders could increase follower happiness if they removed choice from the followers hands, that the action could potentially hurt the overall relationship between follower and leader. As said before with the Dr. Lyengar’s first assumption, if trust and respect are the key to influencing someone’s decision, increasing their happiness (for their benefit) may reduce the amount of trust and respect one has with this person. So when it comes to the [Air Force] mission, where would a moral leader stand? Increasing a followers happiness but lose influence, or decrease their happiness and gain influence?

The three assumptions made by Dr. Lyengar are that Americans believe they should make their own choice, they believe more options lead to better choice, and that they believe everyone should never say no to choice. I was able to reflect how these were able to relate to my own life and I commented a little about how a leader could potentially look at these assumptions and apply it to their own decision making. I’m really grateful to have watched this video because it has given me a new perspective on how others perceive choice and it has helped solidify my own understanding on how I perceive choice.

References

Iyengar, S. (2010, Jul). Sheena Iyengar: The art of choosing. Retrieved from TED: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/sheena_iyengar_on_the_art_of_choosing.html

A500.3.4.RB_SchreterPaul

How is the scholarly information you found in the library different from the typical information you find when you Google a leadership concept?

Already this seems like a loaded/biased question because it implies that everything in the Hunt Library is more scholarly than the implied less-than-scholarly information found in Google. Well, based on my basic nosing around of the two sources, I find this to be true. Based on my finding, I’ve found the Hunt Library to be different in that there are more scholarly results when compared to Google and that it allows a more specific, narrowing of sources.

So far it appears as if the results of the Hunt Library are more scholarly in nature than that found of Google. Immediately after doing a search within the Hunt Library I am given dissertations, articles, books, etc. This means that a wide range of credible sources at are my disposal. Google however, while it does have some credible sources, some of the information leads to websites that are complete junk. At least this way with the Hunt Library, the results are rather consistent.

The additional benefit that I’ve noticed with the Hunt Library is the fact that it allows for a narrowing of sources. For example I can limit the searches to only newspaper articles or a search that only includes publications. Depending on the type of information that I’m looking for, I can try to find a basic newspaper article that will most likely go over the highlights of what I’m researching and possibly point me in the right direction for other sources or I can try to find a thesis or research paper that’s already done some heavy duty research and use it to my advantage.

So how is the information found in the library different than that found on Google? First it’s the fact that the majority of first page search results on the Hunt Library is more scholarly in nature and second I can narrow the search results found on the Hunt Library. This allows me to more easily find credible information on the topics that I am trying to research.

A500.2.3.RB_SchreterPaul

People have standards in their lives. These standards are guiding principles that effect the majority of decisions made in one’s life. In my life I hold the standards of honour, discipline, and just being a good person.

Honour is the first standard that I hold myself too and for me it has multiple meanings. The first is an obligation in the protection and development of ones family. While I don’t currently have a family to take care of, I assume that I will eventually have one and so my current goals and objectives are in the providing of such future family. For example I don’t have any real desire to become an officer in the United States Air Force, however I believe that doing so I can better provide for my family in the long term. The second meaning that I have with honour is about doing the right thing. Integrity is one of the core values of the United States Air Force and it is often defined as doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. An example of which is when I had multiple opportunities to partake in activities that would be deemed as unacceptable by the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice). These particular activities would have made life much more enjoyable, however the sense of keeping ones honour has stopped me from doing anything that shouldn't be done, especially if it prevents me from being able to provide for my family.

The second standard that I hold myself to is a standard of discipline. As a young toddler, or perhaps just slightly older, whenever I did something wrong my mom used Korean torture on me. For example one type of punishment was to sit against the wall with my arms high up in the air. By itself this may seem like a joke of a punishment, however for a kid and after doing this for a really long time, it becomes a very painful endeavour. While I don’t really know why I was so obedient towards my mom's punishments, I was able to hold my discipline and maintain my bearing so that my arms always stayed in the air, no matter how much I silently cried about the pain I was going through. In a sense, it would seem that most Korean (or even Asian) torture were all mostly self-inflicting. Perhaps because of this, I've been able to develop a sense of responsibility towards ones actions. There was a time when I tried to manipulate someone into making a decision they didn't want to do (I was even able to use fallacious reasoning to convince myself I was doing to right thing), however after I realized I was acting out of greed and not in the persons best interest, I pointed out this flaw to the person and later apologized for it. While I believe the manipulation attempt hurt our relationship, the act of admitting my own wrongdoing helped strengthen it.

The final standard that I hold myself to is to simply be a good person. This is mostly because I want to be remembered in a good light and as someone that’s been able to put the needs of others before my own. One example of this is through my volunteer work with the Samaritans. Samaritans was a way for me to connect with people and to help explore what’s causing them distress, despair, or suicidal thoughts. Simply by the act of talking with someone I was able to help relax them, make them see more clearly than they did before, and help them make their own decisions in bettering their own lives. Another way I try to be a good person is by volunteering as a Victim Advocate. While the United States Air Force is focused on stopping sexual assaults within our ranks, I'm focused on helping those that have already been through the trauma. Being there for someone when they need it the most and to help guide them through a very long and difficult process is something that makes me feel good inside.

The three major standards that I hold myself to is honour, discipline, and being a good person. These are the standards that I’ve developed over the course of my life and will probably keep for the rest of my life. Through these standards, I have been able to create guidelines for myself and for the decisions that I make.

A500.1.6.RB_SchreterPaul

Intellectual Perseverance can be defined, at least by the Critical Thinking Community, as: “Having a consciousness of the need to use intellectual insights and truths in spite of difficulties, obstacles, and frustrations; firm adherence to rational principles despite the irrational opposition of others; a sense of the need to struggle with confusion and unsettled questions over an extended period of time to achieve deeper understanding or insight.” (Valuable Intellectual Traits, 1996) The goal of this blog post is to dissect and discuss each element of this definition and apply it to how it relates to my concept of a good leader and how it’ll be important in my progress throughout my studies.

The first element from the Critical Thinking Communities definition of Intellectual Perseverance was “having a consciousness of the need to use intellectual insights and truths in spite of difficulties, obstacles, and frustrations.” (Valuable Intellectual Traits, 1996) This particular element relates to a good leader because a good leader would be mindful of what he or she doesn’t know and be conscious of that fact. This could potentially stop the waste of resources when better alternatives could be found. King Xerxes, from the film 300, illustrates a lack of intellectual perseverance by not being conscious of alternative ways to beating the Spartans. (Snyder, 2007) Instead he blindly used brute force methods to take down an obstacle and not only did it prove to be unsuccessful, but costly as well. Being mindful of what I don’t know throughout my studies will be helpful because it teaches me to keep an open mind. Even though a brute force attack by King Xerxes may have worked against other armies, I can’t let past experiences (good or bad) cloud my judgment nor bias my decisions when I take on future problems.

The second element from the Critical Thinking Communities definition of Intellectual Perseverance was a “firm adherence to rational principles despite the irrational opposition of others.” (Valuable Intellectual Traits, 1996) A good leader will stay firm to this principle because they will stay true to what they believe is rationally right without being controlled and limited on the irrational sayings of others. King Leonidas, also from the film 300, wanted to protect his homeland from the invading forces of King Xerxes. He had a rational plan of defense by fighting the enemy forces at the Hot Gates, however the Ephor’s counseled King Leonidas to not go to war during the religious festival of Carnea. (Snyder, 2007) King Leonidas knew that this would have inevitably lead to the defeat of all of Greece. By not listening to the irrational council of the Ephor’s and sticking firm to his out rational principles, King Leonidas was able to carry forth his plan and defend his land in what is known as one of the most efficient and effective defenses ever carried out in history. This will be important in my studies because it will help combat what is known as group think. By sticking firm to my principles and embracing productive conflict, I can work towards a more effective decision and not go about something irrationally like the Ephor’s recommended.

The final element from the Critical Thinking Communities definition of Intellectual Perseverance was having “a sense of the need to struggle with confusion and unsettled questions over an extended period of time to achieve deeper understanding or insight.” (Valuable Intellectual Traits, 1996) A good leader would be conscious of the fact that hasty decisions can be disastrous. Time and study is required to better understand a field and with this, a more informed decision can be made. An example of this can be seen in the film Casino Royale with James Bond playing poker. (Campbell, 2006) James Bond is able to come into the game unfamiliar with his opposition, and through time and study, he is able to learn each player’s faults and eventually kick their butts (at poker). This element of thinking is important in my studies because it teaches me to think critically about each problem and to give the problem time so that a hasty, uninformed decision cannot be made. By taking time with a problem, I am able to learn new things that may otherwise not have presented itself.

In summery practicing good Intellectual Perseverance will help me be mindful of what I don’t know and to keep an open mind, it will help me stay firm to making rational decisions and not fall for group think, and finally it will keep my eyes open to the fact that time is required to achieve a deeper understanding of a problem. All of these are qualities that I expect from a good leader and seeing the fact that I’m current pursuing a degree in Leadership, these qualities are what I should expect from myself as well. Throughout the course of my studies I hope to achieve this goal and I hope to be able to share this knowledge with others as well.

References

Campbell, M. (Director). (2006). Casino Royale [Motion Picture].

Snyder, Z. (Director). (2007). 300 [Motion Picture].

Valuable Intellectual Traits. (1996, June). Retrieved from The Critical Thinking Community: http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/valuable-intellectual-traits/528