My acrostic poem to Professor Kurpis Management class:
Management- It was the class intended to provide the necessary concepts, tools and techniques involved in the decision- making process. Always- The management process always starts with identifying goals and objectives you hope to achieve. Necessity- By translating and applying what we’ve learned on class, it is a necessity to achieve what we want to become after graduation. Apply- We need to apply the basic managerial topics learned since the beginning of the course, to improve our grade in each assignment or topics during the tests.
Get- By implementing a blogging assignment Professor Kurpis got people together to exchange ideas and opinions that will contribute with our overall formation in life. Examples- All the examples Prof. Kurpis provided are a huge contribution to the description of the subject in topic. Motivation- The class is all about the motivation we showcase on everything we do to reach our goals. Effort- It is also about the effort we put onto our goals, for them to become true. Need- As management students, we need to know how to develop leadership skills to boost our chances of getting a job and become real managers. Thanks- Thank you Professor Kurpis, for being such a positive inspiration towards our “Vision” for the future.
Blogging provides a way to learn and share positive and negative opinions between each other. I always say that by listening and disagreeing with different people, we actually get a better reality of the world outside school and/or work.
I was able to interact with people by exchanging believes about different management topics. I found the entire blogging process a big benefit for the communication between classmates and teacher. I am kind of shy and by being forced to reply to other classmates blogs (at the beginning) I made more than just academic contacts. I met new friends.
The blog definitely made me think and go back about my perception in regards to the peculiar activities developed in or outside class. Prof. K introduced a fun and creative way to incorporate MGT topics to real-life activities we constantly face at work or at home. I can say now that I have a different perception of what management is. I found some of the Prof.’s blog entries interesting. I liked the one related to the Presidential cabinet. Meanwhile other entries I just found them very unattractive to read. There were not that many, but enough to discuss.
The 20% control of our grades was a big plus. I think it was a great idea from Prof. K to give us the chance to control a part of our grade. I would say perhaps, 30% would have been better than just 20. I found the activity challenging because of the time restraints but also interesting and fun because of the topics discussed.
After our MGT class is over, I don’t think I will be posting as many entries as I currently do. As you can see on my blog, I love to put pictures and thoughts related to my family. I probably would place opinions about school related topics, but I don’t think they would be as many as I have right now. I would keep in touch with the few people I actually met in class; that is for sure; but not with everybody.
The blog should continue to be a component of the class, but with a higher percentage to be controlled by the students.
After reading what the assignment was, I immediately thought of the upper east side of Manhattan. My first thought was “upper east side” because I pictured that if I wanted to complete the assignmentina good area I would probably enjoy the experience, accomplish the goal, and also taste the food. The task was to find out a Mc. Donald’s and complete a peculiar sort of picky request. Prof. K wanted a printed receipt that specified a small burger with 4 pickles and a small side order of French fries, well done with no salt. I felt very enthusiastic about the task and then a little bit concerned as well. I was feeling enthusiastic because I wanted to see the reaction of the restaurant staff after making the emphasis for such distinctive details on the order.I was also concerned, as I already specified, because of the fear I had of some angry employee throwing dirt into my food. After watching a variety of news reports in which employees wipe themselves with food and then, put these foods back on the meal for customers to eat; I was scared.
A few days ago, I got everything necessary to complete the project and went to the nearest store. I took my wallet, my pen, my agenda and my appetite to Mc. Donald’s; I went straight to the counter and tried to place the order. First I wanted a #9 (Chicken Burger). I started to demand the 4 pickles and the peculiar characteristics to the fries. The clerk started to look at the keys of the register to mark what I wanted on my order. The store manager immediately noticed the employee was having some trouble; therefore she approached us. She asked me to repeat what I wanted and I did so. The manager asked if there was “something she should know about”. My answer was “No” with a big smile on my face. After approximately 7 minutes, I told her to cancel that order and just give me a regular burger with 4 pickles, she did. Then I also asked her to give me a small side of well done French fries with no salt. At that moment she looked at me and asked me for the second time if “there was something she should know”. I told her No, again. A few seconds later she told she couldn’t specify my request on the receipt but, she also said she could write it down for me and place her manager signature next to it. I refused to accept her offer and requested again for a printed receipt with the order details on it. At that moment she gave up and told me she couldn’t complete my request. I had to thank her for the effort and cancel everything, again. All the other cashiers looked back at me. I guessed they were trying to recognize me from a TV show or something related to the media. I was angry because I couldn’t complete my assignment and I was also starving. The staff gave up on a picky consumer and lost a customer.
As I got home, I checked online for all the Mc Donald’s around the area and decided not to give up. Its extra credit what we are talking about. The following night, coming back from school I was still feeling upset because I couldn’t complete my task yet. I stopped at 59th street on Lexington Ave. and remember from my research that there is a Mc D’s. close to that station. It was pretty late by that time, but because of the area I didn’t think the staff was going to be rude to me. So, I arrivedthere. The cashier looked young and was very nice. I demanded the exactly same order as before: A cheeseburger with exactly 4 pickles on it. He smiled at me. A few seconds after, the manager approached us. He asked what was going on; the cashier explained to this personwhat I needed. The manager smiled, turned around and left. He was going back and forth until he actually told me “you got me with that”. He took the placeon the register and tried to configure my request on the machine. A minute later he told me,” I got it, is there anything else he could help me with?” So I did, I told him about what I needed with the fries. He got that fast. So I smiled and I thanked him for being so nice. I paid and waited for my order to be complete. While I was waiting for my food, the manager asked me how he was supposed to do the well done fries for me. I just told him to do whatever he understood with that order. He was so nice that he took out another bag of fries and cooked them right in front of me. There they were, well done and no salt on them. The entire process took approximately 15 minutes, so I thanked him and walked out with the infamous order. I felt so glad from that experience at that store; the staff that assisted me was very respectful and didn’t give up on me as the prior store did. They surely put some good quality effort into my request. As soon as I was ready to eat my order, I had to check the pickles on my order. Well, there were not 4 pickles in there but 6 of them. Either way, I took off the pickles because I don’t even like pickles at all, and ate the entire meal.
If I was brought as a consultant to Mc. Donald’s to help them improve their efficiency, I would have to congratulate them for the good customer service the staff provided but I would also have to point out that printing out a receipt with a customers request is not all. They also need to make sure that both the order and the receipt match, especially with such special orders. The staff did a good job preparing the fries just how I wanted them, but the burger didn’t have the number of pickles I requested. I would have to grade them for the entire manufacturing process with a 7 on the scale from 1 to 10. The lack of communication and coordination between the person receiving the order and the people in charge of cooking the order was not satisfactory. If the communication skills between these two parties were effective, there wouldn’t have been such mistake on the preparation of the burger. For the staff’s lack of communication and coordination I would have to grade them with a 5 on a scale from 1 to 10.Now, customer service ranking is different. I would give the staff a 10 for customer service because the entire group was very kind and respectful with my request. It was certainly a good shopping experience for me.
The leadership management diagnostic seemed interesting to me, at the beginning. The test was composed of 28 managerial oriented choices that needed our personal most and least desirable options among the choices. At the beginning I was intrigued to know what kind of orientation I have. When I was completing the last part of the test I was feeling a little bit tired. I guess I was not quiet prepared to such a questionable task. Perhaps I don't really know myself that much.
At the end of the test, my scores where leading towards D with a high C. I am going to agree with such an answer. I am a dominant person who is constantly overcoming opposition to get results. I am also a conscientious person who needs to be accurate and requests quality for work. People around me say that I'm a "BRAT" as they will say. I guess the test actually made me feel better because I was able to understand that I am not what people say but a very diplomatic woman who accepts challenges and tries to solve problems in the best possible- analytical way.
Prof K said the best leaders where those D's with high I's and I am going to agree with that too. Influence is what I believe, makes a leader. That charisma and team work my personality doesn't have and desperately needs.
I do believe that by understanding people's management "type", each individual will be able to focus on those skills that need some improvement or merely exists for success. Each of us will be able to set limits and goals to achieve in the process of becoming managers. We need to always be aware of who we are and where we come from. This DISC test was a guide and orientation to what I need to work on. In this test I got a negative I and also a much less negative S.
In the Stranded winter survival scenario we discussed in class, my D profile would work properly. The managing trouble description would fit with the situation.
The task was to come up with 3 to 5 goals as visions for my future. I have several goals... some of them are a little bit realistic, but others are not impossible but REALLY hard to achieve. At least for me...
1) My first vision is to finish school. Yeah, I know that is the same goal for all of us, but mine is a little bit more. I want to finish my BBA, go for a Masters to complete and take the CPA (become certified) and then go for my PHD to be able to teach Accounting or Spanish at college. Currently I'm a junior and have completed my Associates Degree in Arts. I also have a scholarship and am trying my best to have good grades to keep it, because with all the education I desire to get it is TOO MUCH MONEY to invest.
2) My second vision is complimentary to the first one. After I get my CPA I will like to open a business. My father has always been a great influence to me in that business sense. He has open and close several businesses in his lifetime. He has had good and wealthy times as bad times. I would love to have the gods he has to just go and open it, but I am afraid. I want to open a tax office. I haven't even started my Auditing classes yet but I want to open a business. Probably if I was in my origin country I would have done it already, but this big city intimidates me a bit. Even though I am in-love with it. Hopefully I will do it someday, hopefully not that far away. I don't picture myself working in a company. I have done so, but I try and still can't see myself being old and working for somebody else. I know that you have to start somewhere, but I still don't see myself there. Maybe not a tax office but a business, perhaps with my husband and not alone. But it is a HUGE ambition I have.
3) I want to have two more kids. I love children and my daughter is my life. I am very old fashion in the sense that I enjoy big families. It is a vision because at the moment I am not working and a child is a HUGE investment. I am not working now, because I don't have anybody to take care of my baby. I could put her in a daycare, but I am petrified to think that somebody can hurt her. Unfortunately nor my family or my husbands family live in the US. I am waiting for her to start talking to be able to put her in one of those places, like that she will be able to tell me if something is not going right (hopefully she will tell me). I think my biggest problem is that I don't easily trust in people, specially with things related to topics as important as my family. That is the reason having more kids is a vision. If I do, it will interfere (actually delay) big time with my professional ambitions. My husband wants one more (because of money), but I want 2 more minimum. I don't come from a big family at all.
Those are the most important goals I have, the rest are just material things that money can buy. Things like a house for the family, cars, and trips. You know... I want to live the American dream, assets and debts. I know it may sound as a fantasy or so, but those are my most important goals in life. Personally and professionally speaking.
The assignment was to come up with a proposal to improve the grade and method used on the previous MGT test. Among the methods available to handle conflict we have: 1) Compete to win, 2) Avoidance, 3) Compromise, 4) Accommodation and 5) Collaboration. I can honestly say that Compromise and Collaboration were the methods I chose during the decision making process. Compromise in the way that I was able to listen and respect all the ideas involved during the process, including mines, without distinguishing between each other. What I mean is that I was not checking who had the lowest or highest grade to listen and consider suggestions. We were all equal at that point. We were all trying to come up with the best possible plan in the given time and as fast as possible. Collaborating was the other method I used. After a group of ideas were selected and placed on the board to study them out, the negotiation started. We were asking and checking with Prof. K about our options and up to what point he will consider our choices. I think I chose these two methods because I think I am a person that doesn't "go with the flow" that easily and I am always looking for something else. Sometimes a little bit annoying. I listen what people have to say, analyze and then come up with my own point of view. I don't give up with anything I do (knock on wood). Perhaps "compete to win" could have been another of my choices to handle conflict. On the test, the essay part was were I got more credit from. Also, I do believe that it is important to learn how to write and communicate in business situations. I could have opposed to what the majority wanted by demanding an essay for the next test but I didn't, at least not the entire period. By choosing the method, I could have had a more desirable result for me as opposed to the entire group. As this was a class activity, the entire group had to decide the best for all.
"Leadership skills required" is a phrase that I've been listening for quiet some time and repetitively. Whether it is applying for a job, or applying for a scholarship, or just in class; it has come to my attention in more than one occasion. But, what do I understand about leadership? How important is it in life? and, how do I learn this kind of skill? Recently in class, the Professor allowed his students to formulate a plan to help us improve our grades after a test. He suggested to divide the class into smaller groups to work effectively and come up with a positive plan. One of my classmates got up and suggested writing all the ideas on the board. By doing this we will be able to come with more ideas than working in smaller groups and also working them out faster. See, he came up with leadership skills. For me, to have leadership skills is to be able to guide, to influence other people, to be an example to others, to be able to show the rest how to do something. It is exactly what my classmate did. Not long time ago, I was filling up a job application. Under the requirements for the job it mention the need for being able to posses and practice leadership skills in the job. Why if I was not applying for a managerial position? Later, I learned that leadership is a key business "differentiator". All companies are looking for ways to develop their products or services, their relationships with other businesses, and the market share as well. In order to fulfill all these strategies you need to become somebody else and not just another one from the group. Sometimes I think that leadership is some sort of ability you are born with, not necessarily a skill. But if I didn't born with it, how can I exploit myself to achieve those qualities of effective leadership? Confidence and charisma are some of its qualities, therefore they are very important in life. Without confidence I will always be scared of trying better choices personally and professionally. Without charisma I won't be able to behave with people different to me. Leadership is a fundamental behavior that I must try to learn all the way through life.
The Exploring Management in modules textbook clearly specifies the importance of the planning process. Well, planning is fundamental for everything in life; ans I am sure many agree with that. We had an "egg drop" activity on our MGT class a few days ago. When my team and I got together to analyze what we had to do, we actually came out with a plan to win the challenge. We didn't really mention the steps necessary to come up with a plan. Even though we read the chapter and came prepare to class, nobody went through the process step by step. I think that was our first mistake. The first step is to define your goals and objectives. No problem with that, our goal was to release a "protected" egg from a desk to the floor; and our objective was to get those 5 points Prof. K was offering for such accomplishment. The second step is to compare where you are at the present with your objective and to determine your resources. We approached to the desk to see the materials, we measured and calculated how much of the resources we were going to get. We had 8 straws, some tape and we were allow to use the scissors. The third step is to develop several alternative strategies to come up with a positive result. We actually came up with an idea, we drew it in a piece of paper because it wasn't clear enough for everybody. We exchange different questions that contributed with an idea. I think that our problem in here was that we got stuck with the first alternative and not really with many changes to it. The next step is to actually make a plan. We did!!! I was the one who wrote down every step and what we used. The final step was to take the action and evaluate results. We took action but Tweety didn't survive. Unfortunately it scratched. We were so excited because we were so sure that it was going to work out but, it didn't. So, we took action but after wards we didn't discuss what went wrong. Another mistake. Probably if Prof K gives a second chance to try it again, we wouldn't do it right because we didn't talk about what went wrong in our plan. It was fun though.... but we didn't get those points. :(
I don't have that much experience working in the US. My first job was at GNC as a part- time sale associates. After a few months at the store my performance improved notoriously. I was the only girl working at the store and had a good working- relationship with the manager and co-workers, except with the assistant manager. He was very rude with me. I was in charge of the store every Friday for inventory and Sundays with another co- worker. This co- worker and friend of mine was buying some product for his personal use with some additional discounts that we, as employees, are not allow to. A few months after a numerous amount of activities of the same kind, the manager noticed that the name of the card used was my co-workers.
On the other side, my managers supervisor, in one of the inspections noticed several times in which the store has not open on- time but very late. The person opening the store on such times was the assistant manager. Beside all these latenesses, he also had numerous complaints on his record and a final noticed for such complaints previously filed. The supervisor fired him immediately. Meanwhile, the manager faced my co-worker and he opt to resign before the bomb exploited and everybody looses their jobs. The manager knew that all those activities took place in the same shift as mine, but he didn't ask me anything about it. Everything on my record was good so, the supervisor and manager offered me the assistant manager position at the store. Now, shouldn't the manager have called my attention or say anything to me about my co- worker and all those activities during my shift? Should I take the position offered (more money and benefits- better position) knowing that what my friend did was wrong and that my reputation and loyalty are on trial? Is it ethical for me to accept? Was it ethical for the manager not to say anything to me and offer the position to somebody else?
Dream for Great Opportunities was the inspiration for my blog. Currently I'm a junior seeking to complete an Accounting major and become a CPA (after fulfilling ALL the requirements we have today).To travel is one of my passions and to do so is part of my goals. I am a Latina originally from Ecuador. I am also a very happy mother of a baby girl and a wife. I consider myself an ambitious woman. Honesty and responsibility are some of my most valuable qualities but also hard working, respectful, shy and, demanding characterize my personality.
