Personal Approach to Counseling Essay Example

Personal Approach to Counseling Essay Personal Approach to Counseling Todd J. Schmenk, M. Ed. Rhode Island College Author Note Todd J, Schmenk, M. Ed. , Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology Department, Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, Rhode Island College. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Todd J. Schmenk, M. Ed. , Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology Department, Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI 02908 E-mail: [emailprotected] om 1. Key Concepts In dealing with individuals and in my experience and studies over the years I have come to the conclusion that a person’s development and interactions with the world is a compilation of internal adaptations to external stimulus. As the philosopher Ken Wilber put it â€Å" A person’s network-logic is a dialectic (an investingating or discussing the truth of opinions) of whole and part. As many d etails as possible are checked; then a tentative big picture is assembled; it is checked against further details, and the big picture readjusted. And so on indefinitely, with ever more details constantly altering the big picture—and vice versa. † (Wilber, 2000, Loc. 213-15) Drawing upon this broad but key ideology, any approach to counseling or psychotherapy, in my opinion, would have to be sure to address these internal processes and conclusions in order to help an individual deal with and achieve balance when an imbalance has occurred. In order to do so, this would mean incorporating upon several of the key components of made by astute individuals who have helped to define the various aspects of these processes. Of great influence to my approach would be Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development which considers the impact of external factors from family, specifically the parents, to cultural and societal influences and their effects on an individual’s personality (ego) development from childhood to adulthood. According to Erikson’s theory, every person must pass through a series of eight interrelated stages over the entire life cycle. (Arlene F Harder, 2011) At each transition, there is the possibility that the individual may falter and develop less than optimal approaches for dealing with external stimuli. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Approach to Counseling specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Approach to Counseling specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Approach to Counseling specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Going a step further in identification and specificity of those external influences and their effects on an individuals ego development are the works of Dr. Clare Grave, Dr. Chris Cowen, and Dr. Donald Beck, who have compiled their observations in their theory which they refer to as â€Å"Spiral Dynamics†. Dr. Graves in the early 1950’s refered to this new emerging approach to human understanding as a biopsycho-social system. In his words he defined the term as: â€Å"Bio† for the neurology and chemical energy of life and the organismic part of us. The â€Å"Psycho† for the variables of personality and life expereinces, our temperments and sense of self and relationships to others, the â€Å"Social† for the collective energy in group dynamics and culture as the interpersonal domain influences human behavior in collective settings ranging from small groups and families to corporations and entire societies, and the â€Å"System† for the interdependence and action/reaction of these three upon one another in a coherent whole according to principles laid out in General Systems theory and other approaches to how things work and interact. (Cowen, Todorovic, Lee, 2001) Or in more simple terms: â€Å"Briefly, what I am proposing is that the psychology of the mature human being is an unfolding, emergent, oscillating, spiraling process, marked by progressive subordination of older, lower-order behavior systems to newer, higher-order systems as man’s existential problems change. † (Graves, 1959) Where Er ikson, Graves, Beck, Cowen and a good number of other therapists saw he quantifyable development of human beings as the unfolding of stages, I also look to Ken Wilber who has devised a â€Å"Integral Theory† that looks for underlying connections between all these pieces of the same puzzle, drawing upon the available schools of thought in psychology, religion, philosphy, and other related fields, in an attempt to relate them to each other. One of Wilber’s greatest contributions to the field of psychology and counseling is by demonstrating that the various practitioners have all been studying several lines of development, yet collapsing these observations together as if they were one. By doing so, creating illisionary camps of opposing thought that are believed to be mutually exclusive. Wilber has shown that all of these lines coexist and need to be acknowledged in order for the treatment to have a larger impact. This is not to say that all approaches to pyschotherapy do this, many of the newer theories and approaches to therapy have begun to see and adapt this idea pulling from various modes of applications, such as dialectical, but few do this as broadly. An example of this can be seen in the following illustration: [pic] Wilber explains: And there are multiple paths or lines of development. It has been demonstrated that each level of development has a different worldview, with different perceptions, modes of space and time, and moral motivations (discoveries upon which the work of researchers from Maslow to Kohlberg to Loevinger to Gilligan would depend); he showed that reality is not simply given but is in many important ways constructed. (Wilber, 2000, loc 577-82) Given this explaination, Freud’s view could be seen and the identification of the psycho-sexual line of development, whereas Maslow focused on the needs line , Grave focus on an individual’s world-view, and Gilligan focused on the line of ego development. All equally important. Given this, my intake form that an individual would fill out combined with information collected during sessions should provide the basis from where to move forward in choosing the appropriate psychotherautic model for treatment increasing the effectivess and positive outcome in alleviating the individual’s current condition. This conclusion is echoed in this course’s text in that â€Å" Effective theories are grounded in an understanding of human development. They provide a framework for gathering and organizing information and exploring personality. (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010, loc. 972-73) Since I have the most experience in dealing with individuals drawing from health education and promotion theories that are similar to Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) methods, this would be the area I would most often begin. In SFBT, one of the core objectives â€Å" is to increase people’s hope and optimism by creating expectancy for change, n o matter how small. In this way, people become more aware of what is working rather than what is not. † (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010, loc. 1000) Often times I have found that when people seek my services, they do so because something has changed, yet they are unaware of such a change, and that that change has been percieved as a negative effect by that individual. A common example of this is a person in their late 20’s or early 30’s who is distressed over a sudden increase in weight. There are many factors that can contribute to this, but a common theme I have observed is that the individual had continued to eat as if they were still an athlete, a teenager, or in their early 20’s. Their eating habits remained constant, however, their activity levels and the stage of their body’s development (they are no longer growing) have not, having an undesirable and unintentional impact. While this example is dealing with obersavable behaviors (activity, nutrition), the same can also be applied to an individuals mental constructs, schema’s, or beliefs. People often relate present expereinces with ones that look similar to what they have encountered in the past, yet the course their responses produces different results. One of the other great strengths is that SFBT focuses on the present and the future rather that on the past and allows an individual to focus on positive change. (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010, Loc. 10986-87) This would be especially important in the first few sessions since I would want to alleviate the immediate cause of distress. Using the above example, looking at the person’s belief and coming up with goals, such as using a nutrition journal to increase awareness, would be a good place to begin. Even small insights based upon this simple exercise can greatly motivate and increase this individual’s expectancy for further changes. Next I would turn to Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) because of its structure and its use of reason to challenge irrational beliefs. I love the outline presented in the class text because, in my experience, I have found that having a plan tends to increase the likelihood of compliance and therefore success. The typical session will almost always include the following tens steps 1. Review old business from the previous session – if it is the first session, than I would review the intake form to ensure accuracy and begin to develop the therapeutic alliance. 2. Check up on the mood, behavior, symptoms, and medication. 3. Elicit new business, especially and major life changes 4. Follow up on homework 5. Establish the agenda for the sessions 6. Do the work according to the ABCDEF format 7. Summarize the work that was done 8. Assign new homework 9. Obtain feedback on the session 10. Close the session (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010, loc. 8046): This is not to say that I would be inflexible and if the situation presented itself, would even incorporate the use of Carl Roger’s more free-flowing client centered approach, but I would not start a session off that way. I have tried this type of approach and have found that for an individual who is looking for an immediate solution and possibly some guidance, that type of approach if used right from the start can be frustrating and de-motivating. I would also use the concepts found within REBT to help teach clients about rational and irrational thinking so that they could identify, dispute, and modify their irrational beliefs. By doing so, the individual should be able to develop a more rational and integrated approach to life. Unlike SFBT, which focuses on goal setting and problem solving, REBT dictates that I would need to go beyond this approach to enable the individual to establish more balanced, logical, and rewarding lives. (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010. Loc. 7968) For emotionally based complaints that do not seem to be able to be addressed using SFBT and REBT, I would consider utilizing an emerging approach that has some components of Gestalt therapy, but it also based heavily on the concepts of Freud’s work called Core Energetics. The work of Core Energetics requires that clients want to dissolve their original wounds and evolve into their authentic selves, heart and soul. It is an emotional focused practice. It first appeared in the 70’s introduced by Dr. Pierrakos who had based this new methodology upon observations made by Wilhelm Reich, a colleague and disciple of Freud, about the connection between the body and psychological/emotional health and dysfunction. Black, 2004, 120-23) He believed that his clients’ bodies were tensed and distorted as a result of blocked energy and used physical approaches to alleviate or encourage an emotional discharge that often produced insight in to what was bothering them. I have experienced this type of therapy and have found it useful, especially when I was not completely aware of what was truly bothering me, though I would need further training before I was comfortable in implementing this type of approach. 2. Signs of Change As I worked with an individual there would be signs that I would be looking for that would help identify if my approach was having the desired effect. As reflected in our text: As they become cognizant of the possibilities for positive change, their empowerment and motivation increase correspondingly, creating a beneficial circle; positive change fuels people’s belief that change can happen, which enhances their motivation and efforts to change, which in turn leads to more positive changes. (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010, loc. 11001) When it comes to SFBT, simple indications would be compliance, the client creating and meeting the goals that were agreed upon, an increased motivation to be in action, and their reported belief that they were getting something out of our sessions. When it came to REBT, one of the advantages of the approach is the scaled questions that would be attached to their irrational beliefs. Those issues causing the most turmoil should be seen over time to diminish moving down scale on a scale of 1 – 10, where 10 would be most distressful to 1 being the least. If I find that the individual is still holding on to these irrational beliefs and being negatively affected by them, it would be because that they are still active and the individual was still using them (still unaware) and an adjustment would be made. Two other themes I would look for in working with the individual would be self-acceptance and awareness. The REBT approach â€Å"suggests that emotional difficulties often are found in people with conditional self-acceptance and that they value themselves because of their accomplishments rather than because of their basic worth as a person. † (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010. 5828-30) In other words, for many, when they have a set-back or fail at something, they believe it is because they are bad or a failure. (conditions of self-worth) Those who were able to differentiate and see these differences (and display behaviors congruent with their statements) I would see as both making progress and as becoming more self-aware. By being aw are of their approaches to life, they would then be able to make changes, become fully self-expressed or authentic in the moment and see the possibilities available to them. . The Role of the Therapist and the Nature of the therapist-client relationship Given my experience over the last 15 years in dealing with individuals with a variety of health concerns and now moving to a more broad based look at an individual’s over-all mental health and its effect on those health issues, my approach and role in a therapist-client relationship would tend to be eclectic, integrating different treatment strategies as needed. Interactions and assessments with the individual would help to clarify what is most likely the main issue and which counseling theory or theories and the tools provided in each would best increase the chances for the most favorable outcome. With that being said – all of my approaches would begin by ensuring the strong development of a therapeutic alliance as illustrated by several of the fields most prominent therapists since the formalization of this idea by Carl Rogers. Therapist traits such as empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence (or being genuine with a client) create the conditions necessary to develop a more effective alliance between clinician and client. Therapy sessions then primarily act as a place where an individual can explore uncomfortable emotional experiences and learn or relearn more constructive ways of dealing with them. (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010. Loc 1186) Even though the initial approach to REBT and SFBT tend to be more structured and more formal, it is still possible to create a warm, safe space or clearing within these contexts in order to foster re-education, insight, reframing, challenging irrational beliefs, and personal growth. By doing so it is almost inevitable that change will occur and that it will â€Å"have a ripple effect on many aspects of the client’s life. (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010. Loc 11142) In REBT and SFBT the therapist often assumes many roles such as an educator, a mentor, a role model, and a coach using a wide variety of interventions, tools, and resources. Some of these tools I would bring into sessions would be identifying the situations and utilizing the three column technique, using a dysfunctional thought log or other journal and asking questions like â€Å"Between now and our first session, I want you to notice the things that happen to you that you would like to keep happening in the future? † or â€Å"What changes have occurred since the person first made the appointment? † all the time utilizing active listening skills, portraying empathy, offering reassurance, and making suggestions when they are relevant. When I was in session, I would keep all the above in mind in regards to the following: Current research suggests that treatment approaches and interventions are just one factor in producing change. In a landmark study, Miller, Duncan, and Hubble (1997) found that clients attributed 40% of the change they experienced in treatment to extratherapeutic factors (including people’s internal resources and events in their lives), 30% to the therapist–client relationship, 15% to particular techniques and interventions, and 15% percent to their hope and expectation of positive change. Seligman Reichenberg, 2010. Loc 1043) which demonstrates the power of the therapeutic alliance and the need to be seen as both an expert, a guide, an advocate, and as most importantly, another human being just like them. 4. Goals Given the processes of the therapies I would tend to implement, I believe that the amount of sessions that would be needed in order to achieve the desired outcome and to alleviate their current concerns would be six to eight sessions with 80% of clients concluding treatment by the 20th session and most of their positive changes occurring by the 8th session. Seligman Reichenberg, 2010. Loc. 11093) Before meeting with the client and then continuing the practice before any sequential sessions, I would use a decision tree to determine what interventions to use next with my client. Part of REBT is starting each session off by checking in with them to see what was happening in their life and what they wished to see happen more often to move towards major life changes. One of the major concepts of REBT is that Clinicians teach clients about rational and irrational thinking; help people identify, dispute, and modify their irrational beliefs; and facilitate their efforts to develop a more rational philosophy of life. Although problem solving is part of treatment, REBT clinicians go beyond problem solving and enable people to establish more balanced, logical, and rewarding lives. (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010, Loc. 8079-82) This would be done using the six-step ABCDEF structured format that would meet the requirements described above. In brief – we would look to identify the external source of discomfort, take a look at the belief about that stimulus and its effect, look at the consequences the belief was having on their life, devise ways to dispute this belief, what the effect would be once the belief had been realigned, and an exploration of the new feelings and behaviors that would be a result of this process. (ensuring motivation) (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010. Loc. 8084-8138) Other tools I described earlier would be the use of behavioral tracking and awareness enhancing practices such as a log or journal. When it comes to SFBT, some of the most important interventions would be the use of the miracle question which would implement the use of scaling to measure change and the use of suggested solutions, but would also focus on identifying exceptions, looking for places in a person life where things worked. For instance, if a person was having a difficult time and was feeling burned out because of the work requirements, exploration of times when they had a good day and what they did differently should provide their own solution to the kind of plan that should be developed further in order to have that exception become the norm. If the person had a difficult time identifying such a situation, there is where SFBT would tend to suggest activities to help the person identify such solutions or suggest ways they could try to alter the situation. Simple questions like â€Å"What is different about the times when the difficulty does not happen? †, When is the problem less severe? , and How is that different from the way you handled this the last time it occurred? † (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010, Loc 11155) would all be ways to explore this further and find the individuals strengths or effective ways in which they have dealth with similar situation before. Once identified, those traits and skills would be exemplified and then practiced so that they become a new behavior. Tony Schwartz, the author of The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal has broadened this approach laying out the four main areas that an individual should look when trying to create new rituals, ones that will over-ride and replace older dysfunctional approaches. He focuses on the following: At the same time, we must build the four underlying capacities that make excellence possible: strength and endurance (physical), high positive energy (emotional), control of attention (mental), and a compelling sense of purpose (spiritual). (Schwartz, 2005, Loc. 143) What is so great about this book is that it addresses many of the main issues around performance, whether it is at work or in dealing with the family and aligns well with both REBT and SFBT. The main underlying message in the book could be summed up best by â€Å"It’s not the number of hours we work that determines how much value we create. Rather it’s the quantity and quality of energy we bring to whatever hours we work. † (Schwartz, 2005, Loc 161) This enderlying theme echos the beliefs of both systems. From a REBT perspective – it addresses the â€Å"performance equals worth† irrational belief and from a SFBT it focuses on the positive aspects and strengths an individual uses to maintain their energy levels, including understanding what values are of the upmost importance to them. 5. How this approach might apply to diverse groups Given that every individual – regardless of race, culture, gender, or orientation would need to proceed through the same stages of development and face similar transitional challenges at each stage, I believe that my approach would be useful in most therapy situations that were targeted at mid to high functioning individuals. I do not see this approach as being as effective with those who have a compromised perception of reality such as those who are currently in a psychopathic state, but even there this approach may be useful once those individuals have been stabilized. SFBT and REBT are both mental approaches to dealing with current issues which are both cross-cultural both in their acceptance and application. Since some cultures are more sensitive to talking about their emotions, my approach, using these methodologies should help to alleviate and overcome this cultural reluctance. When it comes to cross-cultural or diverse populations, I also include gender communication differences, religious orientation, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and even political. Both methodologies have been shown to be effective in dealing with such diversity. With that being said, given that I am a white male, coming from German-Slavic culture, with a hetero-sexual orientation, a higher level of education, and more of an urban ideology, I would expect that this perception may also be seen as a weakness in dealing with some individuals, especially depending upon why they were seeking my services in the first place. For instance, a woman suffering from mental issues surrounding a traumatic experience, such as rape, would most likely not do well with me – at least initially. Those coming from a Hispanic or other cultural orientation, or even a strong specific religious or philosophical background may also be turned off since I do not fall into their perceived notion of being able to relate. Of course, utilizing the therapeutic alliance and even addressing these concerns right from the start should help to alleviate these concerns. Also – the language barrier would certainly have a negative impact in that if communication was weak, it would reinforce the cultural divide not to mention have a profound effect on how well the individual and I could relate. In those cases, I would simply refer the individual to someone within the counseling network to whom I would believe this person would do best with. 6. Limitations and strengths of your approach The strengths, weakness, and limitations of my approach would be the same as those apparent in the tools that I would employ in most cases. SFBT can be too quick to identify with the presenting problem and therefore missing the greater importance or that a solution would need to be reached in a relatively short period of time could have a negative impact on outcomes. REBT may not be as useful with individuals who have a difficult time separating their emotional responses from their thoughts or the belief or expectation that therapy should be unstructured, focus on insights, and the need to explore the causes of their current state of mind could also undermine the entire process. While common complaints for Erikson’s approach being that it focuses too much upon the social implications, ignoring the biological influences of personality and physical dimension and for having been derived with more of a male gender bias. However, by utilizing the integral framework devised by Ken Wilber and using the four quadrant approach to cover all the bases of the internal individual self (locus of control), the biological effect on personality and displayed behaviors, the cultural effect on the individuals belief system, and the social structures and laws which tend to reinforce these effects should help to alleviate or negate these effects leaving only the strengths or the best of each approach to having the greatest influence upon the sessions, the individual, and the possible outcomes being pursued. The strengths of all these approaches would be that they are all cognitive or rational approaches to dealing with current issues which have empirical data to back up their claims as solid approaches to working with individuals in the alleviation of their problems. Also, as backed by our class text, â€Å"SFBT has also been easily integrated with other theories, including cognitive behavioral, REBT, Adlerian, and reality therapy† (Seligman Reichenberg, 2010. Loc. 8094) leaving me to believe that this approach would indeed have the outcomes and positive interations I would hope to see. Finally, many of the strengths, weakness, and limitations would be my own internal belief systems and my level of comfort in working with certain populations as well as any life events that I might be expereincing when working with any population plus my own specific preferences. Continued therapuetic work, I believe, would be essential in both expereincing the approaches first hand as well as addressing any irrational beliefs that I may have. Works Cited Arlene F Harder, M. M. (2011). Support4change. com. Retrieved 2012, from Supportforchange. om: http://www. support4change. com/index. php? option=com_contentview=articleid=47Itemid=108 Beck, E. B. , Cowen, C. (1996). Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership and Change. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. Black, S. (2004). A Way of Life: Core Energetics. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse. Kindle version Cowen, C. , Todorovic, N. , Lee, W. R. (2001). Clarewgraves. com/Theory. Retrieved from Clarewgraves. com: http://www. clarewgraves. com/home. html Graves, D. C. (1959). An Emergent Theory of Ethical Behavior Based Upon an Epigentic Model. Historical Collection of the work of Dr. Clare W. Graves of William R. Lee,, 12. Schwartz, T. (2005). The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. NY, NY: The Free Press. Kindle version Seligman, L. , Reichenberg, L. (2010). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy; systems, stra tegies, and skills (Kindle Version). Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Kindle version Wilber, K. (2000). Integral Psychology: Consciousness, Spirit, Psychology, Therapy. Boston: Shambhala Publications. Kindle version

Coaching Youth Soccer essays

Coaching Youth Soccer essays Coaching children at a young age is an extremely rewarding and challenging experience. Over the last two years I have had the privilege of organizing and coaching my sons soccer teams. These teams consisted of six, seven, and eight year old children, many of whom were playing soccer for the first time. Coaching inexperienced children is a unique challenge, and a good coach strives to give everyone a rewarding experience by establishing a positive foundation in soccer. Therefore, good coaches must be teachers, role models, and master communicators. When coaching children of this age it is important that three main teaching principles be maintained. First, fun. The players must have fun during practice and in the games. Their laughter and smiles will make them want to come back and continue to play the game over and over again. Second, participation. All players should be involved at all times. Long lines and long talks tend to create lapses in attention and draw focus away from the game or practice. Practice exercises must be designed so all players are actively involved and are not simply standing around. Third, success. It is essential that the players achieve a high level of success in the practices. Success is obtained by teaching the fundamentals of the game and nurturing a childs self-esteem. Players must not be forced to participate in difficult activities that cause frustration and resentment, but those that foster positive feedback and attainable goals. As a coach, I had to research and interpret the rules and strateg ies of soccer, then explain them to my team. Arming my players with the facts of the game sets them up for success in the actual competitions. A good coach sets an example for the youth on his team by looking the part, being organized and ready for practice, and exhibiting patients. An enthusiastic tone is important, along with plenty of positive feedback to the children. ...

Developing an Integrated Marketing Communications strategy Essay

Developing an Integrated Marketing Communications strategy - Essay Example ome of the features include the consumer purchasing characteristics, changing trends in the market, value preposition, and ethical consideration (Gould, 2000; Caywood, and Ewing, 2001). John Lewis is a popular departmental store in the United Kingdom that sells a range of products ranging from fashion, electronic and home wares. The departmental store has a wonderful range of products, excellent customer service, and wonderful employees who are referred to as partners. The paper focuses on John Lewis through an integrated marketing communication strategy that cuts across offline, online, social networks, and mobile strategies. The Autumn/Winter 2015 campaign strategy aims to expand consumer base by increasing product awareness, visibility to the consumers, increasing the sales, and expanding the communication channel. Besides, the strategies would help John Lewis expand its growing consumer base. The integration of advertising strategies makes it easy for the merchants to design a platform that eases the communication of a consistent message to all the customers that the organisation is targeting. Therefore, this paper will use features like consumer behaviour and the dynamic of the market in targeting the consumers. The integrated marketing communication strategy takes into consideration the variation of different consumers to get a platform that reaches out to a majority of the consumers in different platforms by communicating the same message related to the quality of the product and service delivery hence forming a heterogeneous approach with homogenous message (Hutton, 2006; DeLozier, 2006). The team at John Lewis understand that marketing require appropriate advertising strategies to capture the target market. The segment has been evolving from the conventional strategies to new methods that integrate several ways of reaching the target audiences. These strategies require planning and a thorough marketing research to identify the consumers and their

Leadership in management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Leadership in management - Essay Example Opposed to this trait theory of leadership, evolved a system of understanding called the behavioural theories of leadership. Behavioural theories of leadership are based upon the idea that great leaders are made, not born. Rooted in behaviourism, this leadership theory focuses on the actions of leaders, not on mental qualities or internal states. According to this theory, people can learn to become leaders through teaching and observation. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. According to behaviourism, behaviour can be studied in a systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states. Behavioral theories of leadership do not seek inborn traits or capabilities. Rather, they look at what leaders actually do. If success can be defined in terms of describable actions, then it should be relatively easy for other people to act in the same way. This is easier to teach and learn then to adopt the more ephemeral traits or capabilities. Thus , Behavioral leadership is a big leap from Trait Theory, in that it assumes that leadership capability can be learned, rather than being inherent. This opens the floodgates to leadership development, as opposed to simple psychometric assessment that sorts those with leadership potential from those who will never have the chance. A behavioral theory is relatively easy to develop, as you simply assess both leadership success and the actions of leaders. With a large enough study, you can then correlate statistically significant behaviors with success.

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Psychology - Essay Example They used many processed foods, which are high in calories and high in fat content (Mela, 2005). In addition, the accessibility and cheap prices of being able to buy these kinds of foods especially targets the middle and lower socioeconomic classes. This in turn can be related to the psychological component of stress and coping. Stress is when a person’s perceived demands outweigh their perceived coping resources. The way in which a person deals with the stress is referred to as coping, which can be split into maladaptive and adaptive coping strategies. Overeating and eating unhealthily are maladaptive ways of coping with stress. This can be induced by a wide variety of social and environmental factors. This overeating can lead to a variety of self-esteem issues and clinical disorders (Brannon, & Feist, 2010). Self-esteem is the appraisal of one’s self-worth. This is extremely important in the way in which an individual functions in society. In a society where perfectio n is a must, those that fall outside the norm, such as in weight, are often looked down upon in society. Increased advertising in weight loss programs and exercise programs adds to the stress of being overweight.

Effective Goal Setting for Teachers Essay -- Theory of Goal Setting

In order to help the high-school principal to motivate the teacher by setting goals, it is important to first define the term ‘goal’. The term goal included the meanings of many related terms like objective, intention, purpose, aim and task (Locke and Latham 1990). However, there are differences between them. According to Locke and Latham (1990), goals can be defined as the purpose of an action, which is what one finally wants to achieve after we have done the tasks or completed an action. For example, a goal for the principal is to increase the results of his year 5 students in NAPLAN tests above national average to attract more students chooses his school. In addition, teachers can be affected mainly in three ways by a setting goal (Locke and Latham 1990). Firstly, goals can help to focus on goal-related actions. Secondly, it plays a role as an energizer; the more difficult the goal is the more efforts teachers will spend on it. Finally, individuals could become more p ersistent if their goals are important to them. In the process to achieving goals, there are different tasks have to be completed at different levels. Hence, compared with goal, tasks are the specific or detailed jobs that we do to achieve the final target. For instance, the goal for the principal is increase the overall results above national level by 15 marks at the end of this year. Several tasks need to complete to achieve the goal. For example, improve the reading skills by assigning three readings and related questions each week to students to raise the reading speed or have a one-to-one tutoring on the writings students submit in order to advance the skills on writing. Dimensions of goals (Specificity and proximity) As we know that, the final goal for th... ...ated by the goal set by the principal. Additionally, the principal needs to provide feedback during the process and he needs to consider some unintended consequences might happen as well. Works Cited Locke, E. and Latham, G. 1990, A theory of goal setting and task performance, Patience Hall, New Jersey, viewed 07 April 2014, ISBN:0139131388. Locke, E. 1996, ‘Applied and Preventive Psychology’, Motivation through conscious goal setting, vol.5, no.2, pp. 117-124, viewed 07 April 2014, ScienceDirect, doi: 10.1016/S0962-1849(96)80005-9. Latham, G. 2007, Work motivation: history, theory, research and practice, Thousand Oaks, Sage, viewed 07 April 2014, ISBN: 9780761920182. Zahorsky, D. n.d., The 5 steps to setting smart business goals, viewed 05 April 2014,

The Heart Aroused

To use this word in the context of my own life and ally work Is definitely possible, but would be difficult, I think that destiny Is an extremely strong word that is not in enough people's vocabularies. I would say that the most common occasion that I hear this word is in the context of the phrase â€Å"you control your own destiny†. In my opinion, as click as this sounds, It Is very true and highly effective. Yes, destiny is a predetermined series of events, but you can still have a hand in with happens to your destiny. For example, the harder you work at something, the luckier you will get.People allow â€Å"barriers† In life to prevent them room achieving goals, instead of moving further down their journey in life. Q. How do I bring into my work the questions about my own destiny that enliven, embolden, and perhaps even scare me a little? What questions do I need to ask secretly and alone and what questions need support and conversation? A. As a student currently in college, I hold a large amount of power in my life, and what Is ahead of me. Obviously, I would like to someday have a job that I absolutely love and enjoy. But, this is not always easy.It is right now in my life that I must ask myself questions such as, â€Å"how doll want to live my life when I am older? Or â€Å"what lob will I be willing to put all of my heart and soul Into? â€Å". These questions are what I will attempt to base my studies and further learning upon. It is very scary to think about the future and what it will bring. Currently, I have absolutely no idea what I will be doing In the next five years. Yes, I have plans to graduate college and get a masters degree all in the next four years, but after that the road is open.I have no idea what I will be doing for a career, where I will be living, or who I will be friends with. I must work hard and carefully and be sure to make good decisions in the near true which will eventually lead me to destiny. Beowulf: Power a nd Vulnerability in the Workplace Q. What is my own equivalent of Grenade's mother? What clues or hints do I have as to what I find difficult to confront about myself? What are the things I find difficult to face about my own relationships to my work? What conversational waters must I enter that seem dark and fearful to me?What conversations are unspoken taboos in my organization? What is Grenade's mother for my organization? A. For something to be my own equivalent of Grenade's mother, it would have to be something I must overcome. It must be something I need to fight off to reach toys success. I would say Tanat my equivalent would De my coeducation. I Nils Is something that I must fight and work to overcome. Today, education is like a gateway to the rest of life. Without it, it is very difficult to go anywhere. If Beowulf did not kill Grenade's mother, he would have been killed, and his legend would not have continued on.There are many instances when I am not loyal to my work. I d o not put in nearly as much effort as I should. There are times when I only do enough to â€Å"get by', and I do not perform to my best ability. I need to begin to set goals to maximize my effort, which will allow me to defeat my equivalent to Grenade's mother. Q. Who are the people in the workplace with whom I can discuss matters of the heart? If I do not have a confidant in the workplace, where do I have the conversations that matter? A. For me, the workplace is the college environment.Luckily, I am surrounded with people that I can talk to about anything. First, I have my friends. These are people that I live with, and spends lot of time with. I feel comfortable talking with my closest friends about anything. Next are my professors. Although I am not real close with all of my professors, I definitely feel close enough to some of them that I can discuss matters of the heart. Fire in the Earth: Toward a Grounded Creativity Q. How often do I refuse the first steps towards my creati vity because I am not sure who will emerge at the other end?What are my favorite ways of sabotaging myself? What does â€Å"fire† feel like in my own life? When I think of my own creativity in my own flow, what days or hours of my life do I remember? If I could imagine my own creativity at full flow, how do I imagine or anticipate it would show itself? Having read the story of the Chinese potter at the end of the chapter, what is the work that would bake me to perfection? What is the part of myself that I have been holding back? A. Not a day goes by without me holding something back. There are far too many occasions when I find myself hiding from something.Sometimes in class I am afraid to share my views and ideas with the class because I am afraid of â€Å"sounding stupid†. I am refusing the first steps towards my creativity because I fear what is one the other side. I do not know what will happen. The results could be extremely positive or extremely negative. In my l ife, â€Å"fire† feels like the creativity I have once I release it. Once I finally let go, and allow myself to be free. There are certainly times in my life where I have done this. For example, I used to be the best artist in my art class. Yes, I was not displaying my creativity verbally, rather through artwork.This was my way of showing what creativity I have to offer. I think I shocked many of the students in the class because they were always so used to me holding it in. If I could see my creativity at full flow, I would be speaking constantly. Nothing would hold me back and I would be expressing all of my ideas. Fortunately, not only would this benefit me, but it would also benefit others. I think that this creativity that I tend to always hold back, if let out, would â€Å"bake me to perfection†. Fire in the Voice: Speaking Out at Work Q. What are the essential qualities conveyed by my voice?Is my voice strong enough to represent the inner core of my aspirations to the outer world? What are my mouse sounds? What are my lion sounds? Having read the story beginning this chapter, what story could I tell from my own life to illustrate a time I said Ten Instead AT Leer? How could I practice leaning my voice out Into my world Ana my aerospace more fully? How well do I say No to the things for which I do not have a Yes? When in my own life did No blossom into Yes? A. Voice is a very powerful tool that every individual in the world can potentially conquer. It is scary how influential one's voice can truly be.My voice at times can be loud, and other times can be awfully quiet. When chose to be quiet, I am not being myself. I am not allowing myself to open up be creative as spoken above. Unfortunately, only sometimes my voice can be strong enough to represent the inner core of my aspirations to the outer world. My mouse sounds are those used hen I am hiding, and not allowing myself to air out. For example, I use my mouse sounds when I let someone tal k down to me, and I do not fight back. My lion sounds are used when I will not take No for an answer, and I plead my case.There was one time where I also chose Ten instead of Zero. It was the end of the semester and I was rating one of my professors. I chose to Just give her all fives when she really deserved zeros. I did this because I was afraid of being the different one and possibly being questioned. I can hopefully someday learn to be able to say Zero, and backup my opinions. Finn and the Salmon of Knowledge: Innocence and Experience in Corporate America Q. How much of my day is spent trying to solve the problem and problems of life? How much of my day is spent attempting to live out the mystery of my existence?How much alone time do I give myself for this explanation? How much of my time with others am I truly present? A. There are always various problems in one's lifetime. As a result, I am spending most of my day trying to find solutions to these problems. In the workplace, one can have either experience or innocence in their voice. To have experience is to give in to hose with the authority. On the other hand, to have innocence in your voice is to make your own ways in the world no matter what the circumstances may be. Nobody really knows how alone they really are in the world.In contrary, there is no exact measurement of togetherness either. We must find a medium between the two that will allow us to balance the two. There are those times that you are physically with others, but are you truly present? Are you really completely in existence? I would say that most of the time I am with others, I am not really present. I am usually living inside my own brain, on my own and alone. Q. Taking this image of the orphan as a catalyst for my own thoughts, what would I want to claim as my true inheritance? By whom would I like to be raised? What is my lineage?Who are the people, writers, teachers, artists-?alive or dead-?who have both emboldened and steadied me ? What names would I shout out if confronted by Call Mac Con, so as to be recognized and not slain? A. My true inheritance is what I was brought up with. Because of my parents, I am who I am today. I was raised how they chose to raise and nurture me. In addition to them, I was raised also by those individuals close to me such as friends. Also, there were individuals in society such as teachers, music artists, political figures, and actors who have also steadied me.For example, I have had several teachers throughout my educational career that have strongly influence my inheritance. My favorite music artists and actors have also had a hand in making me who I am. There are political figures such as John F. Kennedy Ana Frankly D Roosevelt won nave Impacted my Tie. IT called upon Day call Mac con, I would shout from whom I am descended, where my strengths come from, and what kind of blood flows in my veins. Q. What does this story mean to me? How do I distinguish between passivity and fo llowing my heart's desires into the clearing?Do my strategic abilities serve me well or am I continually serving them? Do I believe I can have the life I want if only I can figure it out to be clever enough? What does it mean to love doing something? How much do I think I am stealing time when I am tending to the thing I love? How willing am I to place the people, places, and things I love first, not only in my home life, but in my work life too? How well have I preserved my innocence? A. This story to me, describes the importance of inheritance and lineage. In my life, I can be passive and Just sit back and relax. I can be uninvolved and not react to what is going on around me.On the other hand, I can follow my heart's desires and be all that I want to be. I must figure out what my strategic abilities are, and not serve them, rather they will serve me. To love doing something is to be passionate. To love something, you must be willing to put it first, before anything else. People c an love other people and people can also love places or things. To preserve one's innocence though, one must be able to put these things they love first. I can say that I have earned to do this pretty well. Coleridge and Complexity: Facing What is Sweet and What is Terrible Q.If I were asked to state the basic principles of my life in the simplest and clearest way possible, how would I articulate them? How much resemblance does my daily work like bear toward these principles? How well does my organization embody the things I deem most important? How do I remember these simple elements on a daily basis; what disciplines do I have for remembering them? How much quiet time do I make for myself in order to remember? A. My basic principles of my life are guidelines that I live my life by. These principles for me are honesty, respect, and love.Honesty is Just so important because being truthful is the best way to go. Lying is never a good strategy, no matter what the situation may be. Res pect is also very important to me because it is the best way to live life. When I respect others, I expect to be respected in return. Lastly, love is very important in life because everyone must admire something. Whether you love a person, place, or thing it is still very important to feel passionate about something. My daily work resembles these principles because I have learned how to live by them. I also hope that my organization deems my basic principles most important also.Throughout my lifetime, I have learned how to acknowledge these principles naturally and no longer need to discipline myself in order to remember. Q. How much time do I spend imagining? What does it mean to have faith in my own images? What is one abiding image inside me in which I could choose to have a faith? When chaos reigns around me, how do I react? What instinctual internal images could make a difference to my response? How do I work with others without forming a flock? A. I spend a lot of time imagini ng. It is my time to get away from what I am doing and not be â€Å"bounded by my office cubicle†.An imagination shows a different side of things, completely separate from the ordinary. To have faith in my own images, I must understand their meanings. When there is chaos, I use my Imagination to get away Ana Trot some Kina AT order . Nine Soul AT ten world: lower an Ecological Imagination Q. How much attention do I pay to the world around me? How self-preoccupied am I? Do I let anything in from the outside at all? How self-preoccupied is my organization? How do I see other people in my organization-?are they Just a boning backdrop to my own drama or doll really take time to see they have lives and destinies of their own?How much time do I spend in the natural world or environments outside the world of work that help me put my own struggles in perspective? A. I think that one must pay a large amount of attention to the world around him. Other individuals are Just as important as the actual being himself. Many problems can arise when someone is too self-preoccupied and does not value others around them. I think that one is too alone when he or she does not let anything in from the outside. Goals cannot be achieved when one is too self- reoccupied.Today, people are commonly self-preoccupied by their appearance, and reputation. In addition, my organization is also too self-preoccupied by the same things. They are too worried about what others think about them. My organization sees others outside of the environment as Just a moving backdrop to what lies inside. Q. What is that place, that room, that certain time of day in my own life? A. There are several places in my life that I can go to get away. For example, my car is that â€Å"place† for me. Other places such as the library, my bedroom, and the outdoors are all places that I can also use to â€Å"get away'.