Ocular Disease Flashcard

Ocular Disease

Give a Speech People Remember

Give a Speech People Remember What makes a speech a great speech, one people remember, especially your teacher? The key is in your message, not your presentation. Use the six sticky principles taught by Chip Heath and Dan Heath in their book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, and give a speech youll get an A on. Unless you live in a cave, you know the story of Jared, the college student who lost hundreds of pounds eating Subway sandwiches. Its a story that almost wasnt told for the same reasons that many of our papers and speeches are boring. We get so filled up with statistics and abstractions and all the things we know, that we forget to share the simple message at the core of what were trying to communicate. Subway executives wanted to talk about fat grams and calories. Numbers. While right under their noses was a concrete example of what eating at Subway can do for you. The ideas the Heath brothers teach are ideas that will make your next paper or speech memorable, whether your audience is your teacher or the entire student body. Here are their six principles: Simplicity - find the essential core of your messageUnexpectedness - use surprise to grab people’s attentionConcreteness - use human actions, specific images to convey your ideaCredibility - put hard numbers aside and bring your case closer to home, ask a question that helps your reader decide for him- or herselfEmotions - make your reader feel something, for people, not for abstractionsStories - tell a story that illustrates your message Use the acronym SUCCESs to help you remember: SimpleUnexpectedConcreteCredibleEmotionalStories Lets take a brief look at each ingredient: Simple - Force yourself to prioritize. If you had only one sentence in which to tell your story, what would you say? What is the single most important aspect of your message? Thats your lead. Unexpected - Do you remember the TV commercial for the new Enclave minivan? A family piled into the van on their way to a football game. Everything seems normal. Bang! A speeding car slams into the side of the van. The message is about wearing seat belts. You are so shocked by the crash that the message sticks. Didn’t see that coming? the voiceover says. No one ever does. Include an element of shock in your message. Include the extraordinary. Concrete - Include what the Heath brothers call tangible actions by human beings. I have a friend who consults in the area of organizational development. I can still hear him asking me after I told him what I was hoping to achieve with my staff, What does that look like? Exactly what behaviors do you want to change? Tell your audience exactly what it looks like. If you can examine something with your senses, the Heath brothers say, it’s concrete. Credible - People believe things because their family and friends do, because of personal experience, or because of faith. People are naturally a tough audience. If you don’t have an authority, expert, or celebrity to endorse your idea, what’s the next best thing? An anti-authority. When an ordinary Joe, who looks like your next-door neighbor or your cousin, tells you something works, you believe it. Clara Peller is a good example. Remember the Wendy’s commercial, â€Å"Where’s the Beef?† Almost everyone does. Emotional - How do you make people care about your message? You make people care by appealing to the things that matter to them. Self-interest. This is the core of sales of any kind. It’s more important to emphasize benefits than features. What will the person gain from knowing what you have to say? Youve probably heard of WIIFY, or the Whiff-y, approach. What’s in it for you? The Heath brothers say this should be a central aspect of every speech. Its only part of it, of course, because people aren’t that shallow. People are also interested in the good of the whole. Include an element of self or group affiliation in your message. Stories - The stories that are told and retold usually contain wisdom. Think of Aesops Fables. They have taught generations of children lessons of morality. Why are stories such effective teaching tools? Partly because your brain can’t tell the difference between something you imagine to be happening and that thing actually happening. Close your eyes and imagine standing on the edge of a 50-story building. Feel butterflies? This is the power of story. Give your reader or audience an experience theyll remember. Chip Heath and Dan Heath also have a few words of caution. They advise that the three things that hang people up the most are these: Burying the lead - make sure your core message is in your first sentence.Decision paralysis - take care not to include too much information, too many choicesThe curse of knowledge -Presenting an answer requires expertiseTelling others about it requires you to forget what you know and think like a beginner Made to Stick is a book that will not only help you write more effective speeches and papers, it has the potential to make you a more memorable force wherever you walk through the world. Do you have a message to share? At work? In your club? In the political arena? Make it stick. About the Authors Chip Heath is a Professor of Organizational Behavior in the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. Dan is a columnist for Fast Company magazine. He has spoken and consulted on the topic of making ideas stick with organizations such as Microsoft, Nestle, the American Heart Association, Nissan, and Macys. You can find them at MadetoStick.com.

The Enbridge Pipeline and the First Nations in B.C. IN CANADA Essay

The Enbridge Pipeline and the First Nations in B.C. IN CANADA - Essay Example In light of the risk factor involved in the construction, oil spills affect the means of livelihood for all those that live in proximity to the pipeline. This regards the jobs they partake, the homes they live in, the food they catch and the health and wellbeing of the said population and their loved ones. The above concern particularly affects the state of British Colombia which specializes in affected industries by the construction of the pipeline. Such industries include agriculture, fishing, hunting, trapping accommodation and food services, as well as fisheries and tourism. Should the proposed pipeline project go through, those working in the state of BC face a crisis in the form of revenue generation and earning a livelihood. Thus, all this is in spite of the promise to local communities that are affected benefiting from a promise of 560 jobs in the process of laying the required infrastructure. The said promise raises another concern that puts it against the Enbridge project. This is the issue of economics; where it promises 560 jobs, and in turn ruins over 45000 jobs provided by the west coast seafood and ocean recreation industries (Owens, 2012). This merely shows the selfish interests of Enbridge as a company by seeking to make a few more dollars for a barrel of crude oil in the expense of the local residents of British Colombia and Alberta. Furthermore, to aggravate the situation is the record borne by Enbridge as a company running its own pipelines and the little concern it shows for the environment. This is in regard to safety measure taken to avert leaks and spills in their other pipelines aside from the proposed project for the Northern Gateway Pipeline. The issue arises from the poor record that the corporation holds in terms of handling and maintaining its pipelines such as the one in Michigan. Owing to the Michigan case that resulted in the pollution and closure of a 35

Income Statement - Ford Motor Company Assignment

Income Statement - Ford Motor Company - Assignment Example Income statement is different from the balance sheet because the latter represents a single instance of time (for example, a week). Income statements are for a longer time period that is a year or quarter of a year (Pandit and Phillips, 2004). The term revenue is the amount of money received after selling a product or providing a service. Revenues are mentioned in the start of an income statement. They also represent the total sale made by a company in a time. The revenue generated once calculates, helps in determining the profits made by a company. This covers all the expenses in maintaining a business. The cost for the operational unit of the business is also added in this. Operating expenses include the money spent on market research, development of products, marketing and promotion of goods and services and intellectual property rights (patents, trademarks etc.). Some items that are not accurately measured may not be reported (Garrison et al. 2003). After having calculated the total revenue and expenses incurred, it becomes easy to calculate profit. Profit is revenue minus total expenses. They are referred to as the bottom line of an income statement because unlike revenues that are reported at the top of the income statement, profits are reported at bottom (Ford Motor Company Annual Report, 2012). An analysis of Ford Motors Company’s income statement from year 2012 shows the following facts. The total revenue was $133,559,000. The cost of revenue was $116,107,000. The gross profit was $17,452,000. Amongst the operating expenses, the amount spent on research and development is Zero$. The net income is $5,665,000. The net income to include extra expenses is 5,665.0 $. The net income excluding extra expenses is 5,665.0 $. This shows that throughout these years (2011-2014) the company has shown impressive growth. The company has been successful in reducing the percentage of sales for income tax

What Was The Dominant Theological Issues At Stake In The Resolution Of Essay

What Was The Dominant Theological Issues At Stake In The Resolution Of Nicene Crede - Essay Example It was not a new concept that was brought in by the Nicene Crede; it was an agreement between the east and the west on the basis of Christian theology. In AD 325, the first Ecumenical Council adopted the Nicene Crede. This listed out the basic tenets that would make the Nicene Crede as accepted by the Ecumenical church. Ecumenical was a world wide general council that adopted the standard practices that the church should follow and this applied to all the churches everywhere in the world. Therefore, Nicene Creed can be looked at as the set of rules that were adopted by the entire world for the church. The Nicene Creed went through changes in the Constantinople Council in 381 AD (Collins, Ken., 2006). The canons went through alterations and included the terms 'and the son' in the decrees in addition to the 'holy spirit'. This council firmed the Nicene Creed and indicated that no more creeds will be recognised by the Ecumenical council. Whereas Nicene Creed was about one and the only Holy Spirit and his one and only son, there were other theologies that came out in the later creeds like Chalcedonian, Apostle and others. Nicene Creed has been accepted by a number of Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. Some of the Protestant churches are also subscribers to these thoughts. Nicene Creed puts the entire Christian theology as accepted by the Ecumenical council into a summary or doctrine. History is resplendent with the changes that were brought into the creed at different points of time. The changes that were introduced in the creed were brought in by the western thinking Roman Catholics mostly and many changes in these were subsequently accepted. Nicene Creed was later etched on stone and metal to be made the basic faith on which Christianity laid its stress on. In short, Nicene Creed theology espouses the cause of one universal God and his Son, who was born as the saviour of the world and the human beings here. He was the one who came in the body of the human being and He was the one who was resurrected on the third day after He was crucified by Pontius Pilate. He will come back again on the judgement day to judge the dead and the living. Every true Christian would believe in the Holy Spirit and would worship the Father and the Son. There is only one Single Church and one Baptism that would forgive all the sins (Creeds, 1997). They would also believe in the 'resurrection of the dead and that the life of the world to come'. Thesis Nicene Creed theology states that there is only one God, the Father. It also believes in the making of the earth and all the things that are visible and invisible by him. The later filioque addition to the theology is in the form of 'the son' in addition to the Father. This meant that the Son was a part of the entire process from the very beginning even before the commencement of the creation. The creed was created to adjudge the faith of the individual and had to insist on the existence of one church for all Catholic and Apostle. The Nicene Creed could therefore, be said in a short summary, that there is only one God, the Father and his Son, and he created the universe and the Son came in the body of the human being to deliver the people off their sins. It also said that they are to be worshipped and glorified and that there is only one church for Catholic and Apostolic communions. It also said that there will be a judgement day when the world, both the dead and the living will be j udged and when every person who lived here

Distinctive Contribution Of A Feminist Methodology Sociology Essay

Distinctive Contribution Of A Feminist Methodology Sociology Essay This paper examines the distinctive contribution of a feminist methodology in social science research. The Introduction outlines both the historical and future perspectives. The paper is then divided into two distinct parts (1) Feminist Research What this means in terms of social science research, the methods used together with the challenges and choices involved. Concluding with the epistemological issues raised by doing feminist research (2) considers the different perspectives and critique of conventional research. This illustrated by appropriate case study examples. Most researchers in sociology tend to agree that there is no single distinct feminist methodology. There is more a collective consciousness that was born from feminist movements in the 1960s and 1970s where a group of women talked openly, developing a mode of inquiry that challenged the conventional norms of research. These women collectively became known as feminists and enlightened individuals that formed a new bas is for knowledge. Although the original works were conducted outside of an academic setting, it soon became apparent that there was a lack of feminine representation in mainstream sociology or social science. (Devault 1996). Over the last 25 years female sociologists have made significant advances in pushing back the prejudices against women and in general interpreting the workings of society. Feminism was essentially born from a movement and a belief in resolving gender inequalities. Within the general claims to male dominance in social theory, three challenges have emerged (i) the criticism against that of female knowledge and its inability to demonstrate adequate work that illustrates scientific or unbiased knowledge. This resulted in feminists coming under scrutiny in order to demonstrate abilities to rationalise knowledge, perform verification, subjectivity and freedom from political bias. Secondly, how different influences shaped womens lives. Examples cited included that of cultural divisions, social divisions and power relations (Caroline RamazanoÇlu 2004). The danger here is one of stereotyping and simply branding women as one gender that provides a uniform result. The third challenge intertwines that of knowledge and gender whereby in essence women are taken for granted. In 1987 Sandra Harding (Harding 1987) provided insight into the difference between that of Method, Methodology and Epistemology. She equated Epistemology to that of a theory of knowledge with the objective of answering specific questions. Further, that there are two distinct epistemologies namely that of a Feminist empiricism and a Feminist Standpoint. The empirical part is that where a response is provided to bias and traditional responses (Harding 1987). Whereas, standpoint refers to a specific feminist opinion founded upon an explanation of knowledge. In order to understand and complete a feminist standpoint the reader needs to become more involved with the intellectual and political struggles that a womens experience is built upon Sandra Hardings views on Standpoint Epistemology focused more on the concepts of objectivity. Harding advocated a new concept of strong objectivity, as opposed to that of the weak concept which she referred to as objectivism. She stated that objectivity must contain all social values and interests from the research that is carried out. She was aware that certain social values could adversely impact the research and cause potential distortions. As such Harding viewed traditional research concepts and objectivity as the denial of cultures best beliefs (knowledge), whereas the new version fully embraces both political and historical origins. Harding believed that her new theory holds validity, particularly from the feminist standpoint i.e. women are part of an oppressed group and as such they approach research problems in a less arbitrary way. They are more likely to evaluate theories that might otherwise be overlooked or denied by more traditional concepts or viewpoints. Harding states that that the standpoint has a substantial foundation in the empirical experiences of women and although this may not constitute a foundation of knowledge, nevertheless it does create a more diverse contribution leading towards increased objectivity. (Stanley 1990). Historically the most common expression of female action has been associated with that of liberation and the emancipation of women. This has ranged from the concept of radical insistence, to clarifying the purpose of research and ultimately to transformation in terms of political action. It was Maria Mies that proposed feminist research should be consistent with the overall political goals and aspirations of women. Hence, there needs to be a full integration of social and political; action appropriate to the emancipation of women. (Mary Margaret Fonow, Beyond methodology: feminist scholarship as lived research 1991). FEMINIST RESEARCH Feminist research can essentially be defined as research conducted by what has become known as feminists, essentially drawing upon experiences of women in what is perceived as a male dominated world. The objective of research is based the creation of useful knowledge in order to make added contributions by different perspectives of thought. Feminism is based upon a praxis of women sharing the same agenda with men and overcoming the struggle relative to gender, race and class. The foundation of this was really built in the 1980s. Feminist research has since become more focused on how the lives of women have become materially altered by men and the development of strategies in order to resist this process (Mary Maynard 2005). Feminist research in general terms has had a lack of agreement to what precisely defines feminist theory and practice. As such there is not really a single unifying theory. It was Patricia Maguire (Breyton 1997) that offered the premise that feminism is (i) An understanding and belief that women face some form of oppression (ii) A commitment to understand female oppression and exploitation in all of its forms (iii) A commitment towards elimination of all forms of female oppression. (Breyton 1997). FEMINIST METHODS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH: Feminist methods may have four main objectives: (i) the ability to uncover and overcome types of bias in research (ii) The ability to detect and create social change (iii) a concept or method to illustrate human diversity (iv) An acknowledgement of the credentials and position of the researcher. In order to create social change any method must include and respect the participants as change agents. The method needs to acknowledge diversity and that not all women see the social world in the same way e.g. the method approach to interviews and inquiry that explore the experiences of different religions. (Sprague 2005)i.e. evidence has been presented to support theory presented. Feminist studies use both qualitative and quantitative research techniques, although qualitative research is more readily used. The term methodology relates to more of a process of how to conduct research i.e. what you need to select, empirical study of what to observe, what to measure and how to conduct analysis. The method id more related to the precise technique of carrying out the study. (Sprague 2005) A common assumption has been that methodology and epistemology are identical. This has created a relatively narrow technical approach towards carrying out and conducting research. The concept of methodology essentially opens the way for conducting choice i.e. the implications of what we should do and how we might do it. It facilitates questions on data collection and assimilation. As such methodology paves the way for critical reflection and creativity within the social sciences. THE CHALLENGES AND CHOICES: Feminist researchers have taken very different approaches to the adoption of methodology. As such they have adopted differing means to the acquisition and validation of knowledge. This has tended to lean towards a more scientific and evidential base of presenting knowledge. This has avoided the more serious challenges of refuting feminist research and rejecting it on the basis that it contains no scientific method. The example being the study into child abuse, as such it never becomes a clear cut case but contains many complex shades of grey and is nearly always disputable. In many situations feminist researchers are particularly vulnerable in this regard. (Caroline RamazanoÇlu 2004). In current terms it is important to recognise that a large number of women are employed in science, engineering and academic positions. As such they offer a diverse range of opinions on a wide range of subject matter. The female positions tend to have two distinct types of focus (i) that engaged with the sciences and (ii) that focused upon society. Researchers have emerged from former marginalised groups and as such have had a profound way of changing the pattern of inquiry and thought process. There are still those however that holds the opinion that feminism is a threat to the objectivity of science. Sandra Harding pointed out that if all knowledge is socially constructed it will pose a major threat and challenge to science. For example with most scientists the notion that their views of the natural world are subjective is counter to their professional training. (Wyer 2008) It is important to note that the feminist researchers have made a significant impact over the last thirty yea rs. This has included a significant contribution to methodologies in the social sciences; particularly responding to the challenge of how women have been silenced in both society and research. The feminists have obtained significant success in bringing about social change and creating a degree of equity in both professional and personal lives. Whilst much of the success has been in the first world countries, there still remains a significant challenge for women in the third world and those emerging economies. In particular the native women of Africa, the women in the Islamic communities and others in the emerging countries like India and China. LEADING CONTRIBUTIONS: Early contributions in the 1970s were made by feminist sociologists that include the likes of Marcia Millman and Rosebeth Moss Kanter.  [1]  They made a number of suppositions in sociology that focused on issues or problems with existing use of sociological methods. In essence they objected to how assumptions to sociological theories manifested themselves. They challenged the empirical views of male sociologists and demonstrated a new vision as seen purely from the female perspective. (Harding 1987). The researcher and author Carol Gilligan  [2]  [In a different voice: Psychological Theory and Womens Development] agreed the point that conventional theorists are wrong to dismiss the wisdom of women on grounds of lower maturity. Gilligan asked that we listen to women in their different views and not try to compartmentalize them but credit women for the significant contributions over many disciplines in the sciences and the arts. (Harding 1987). Evelyn Fox Keller  [3]  had completed a great deal of ground breaking work that exposed sexual bias in the sciences. She predicted that women needed to be careful in rejecting concepts of objectivity and rationality as they would not be regarded as the icons for creating a new frontier but were more likely to be doomed and marginalized outside of the political mainstream. Fox herself later found herself in the dilemma of having to choose between feminism and science. Fox stated that the more we questioned methodology the greater it generated papers on epistemology and as such methodology became an end-in-itself. (Winnie Tomm 1989). Maria Mies  [4]  (McDonald 2004)concluded that the quantitative survey method is itself not free from androcentric bias, further there is a contradiction between the prevalent theories of social science, methodology and the political aims of women (McDonald 2004). Meis argued that if we revert to these old traditional concepts they will again be turned into instruments of repression new wine should not be poured into old bottles (McDonald 2004) One of the most influential people in the field of standpoint epistemology was that of Dorothy E Smith. Smith is famous throughout the world as a developer of theories and as such she has advanced the academic position from a feminist standpoint. Smith developed theories and concepts around the subject matter of gender and particularly that of the ruling texts of man. She advocated that many texts were compiled from the male perspective and as such were responsible for defining gender. She further advocated that such rules written by men determined the rules of society and defined the way in which we live and conduct our lives. Amongst the books that Smith referenced were the US Constitution, The Holy Bible and the Communist Manifesto. Smith stated that the rulings defined in many of these books were completely opposite to the manner in which women conducted their lives today. Such obsolescence creates the way for transformation of thinking and revision in these areas. Ryan B Johnso n (Johnson, Standpoint Epistemology Summary 2010). EPISTOMELOGICAL ISSUES OF FEMINIST RESEARCH: Epistemology of feminist research broadly refers to the value of knowledge or the scientific method applied in order to conduct the research. An example being that of empirical or qualitative research. One of the important issues relates to the variation between quantitative and qualitative techniques in feminist research. The historical association that exists between the two research methods have been documented; however the logical associations remain debateable. As such feminist methodology cannot be firmly anchored to either camp of quantitative or qualitative style of research. Gilligan  [5]  pointed out that qualitative research represents the voice that is most consistent with female research values. Equally the researchers often use the perspective of a different voice, this being done in order to provide the distinction between that of a male opinionated voice. The female voice seeking to be far more evident in defining in the definition of connection and relationships. Mies stated that because women have been well versed in repression they have greater objectivity than men in this subject area. This is evident when they are involved in researching exploited groups. In essence women have more empathy and are able to better understand the important issues in a different light or perspective. (Janet Holland 2010). There is also the concept of stereotyping all women as feminists. Many female researchers have been primarily trained in traditional qualitative methodologies and despite the fact that they may have alternate or other views are most likely to revert to the traditional methods of carrying out research. Psychologist Laurie Rudman has completed research that has changed the views on negative stereotyping of women. Rudmans research found that negative stereoptypes of women are very widespread and even include educated young women. Her research further substantiated that strong independent women have satisfying romantic lives and their men are happy too as opposed to the widely held convention that feminists are man hating harpies (Branson 2007) SUMMARY PERSPECTIVES Female researchers have made a number of distinctive contributions to feminist methodologies in social science research. It remains questionable however as to whether a distinct feminist methodology exists, rather it is an approach to which female researchers have enlivened the debate by bringing fresh perspectives and valuable new insight, thereby challenging traditional methods. There have been some outstanding contributions to social science research from leading female researchers Goelting and Fernstermaker,  [6]  1995; Orlans and Wallace, 1994 and Thorpe and Laslett, 1997 are to name but a few. (DeVault 1999) Many sociologists agree that the original feminist movement had a core objective of changing the method of consciousness that was historically rooted in concepts of empirical research. Women became more aware of an alternate base for knowledge and the concept of introducing the womens experience into the methodology deployed. The early movement thereby highlighted the omission of this perspective. In addition, the group highlighted the racism that was faced by African/Americans in the USA and how white women had an advantage in obtaining academic research jobs. From these early beginnings female researchers have learnt to respond to the issues in social sciences and improve the overall field of inquiry. The female approach has been compared to that of excavators (DeVault 1999)where female researchers have been used to identify gaps or missing components in research or that which has been ignored. The unique voice of women often lends itself to a more empathetic approach to those delicate research areas i.e. child abuse, drug or substance abuse, juvenile crime etc. This often results in a more holistic and complete enquiry than would otherwise have been obtained from the traditional male dominated approach. (DeVault 1999). The emancipation of women in social science would provide women with an increased knowledge of their own social circumstances within society. Any feminist methodology therefore needs to be grounded in objectivity in social science. The feminist movement, in achieving liberal values, must not itself become an instrument of repression against the male community. As such the concept goes beyond methodology to more of a process of transformational change and make research more inclusive and objective. Feminist research is therefore aimed at the liberation of women. In achieving these objectives they increase the base of knowledge and add value to the overall method approach in social research and inquiry. (Mary Margaret Fonow, 1991). All the decent people, male and female, are feminists. The only people who are not feminists are those who believe that women are inherently inferior or undeserving of the respect and opportunity afforded men. Either you are a feminist or you are a sexist/mi sogynist. There is no box marked other.- Ani DiFranco. (M. P. Johnson 2005). 3406

Charles Dickens Hard Times Essays -- Charles Dickens Hard Times Essay

Charles Dickens' Hard Times Charles Dickens's Hard Times is one of the most important novels in the Victorian Age. He presents an industrial society in nineteenth century in England. In this age, England prospers in manufacture and trade because of high technologies. It is also a time of trouble. Industrial development causes terrible conditions of a working class. The workers are poor and work hard. Women and children work for many hours. Dickens also presents bad social condition through his work and also shows lives of city people and industrial society in Coketown in England. In Hard times, Dickens has a compassion for the workers and calls for the readers' sympathy by showing the workers' hardships through Stephen Blackpool, a worker who is honest, innocent, generous and full of integrity. However, facing dead-end situations, Stephen Blackpool is the most pathetic figure. Stephen Blackpool is the most suffered and submissive worker. Although he is good, skilful and diligent power-loom weaver, his life is not much improved, but he has to work for survival. Dickens presents that most of Coketown citizens are workers. He says that they are " generically called ' the Hands'- a race who would have found more favor with some people, if the Providence had seen fit to make them only hands, or, like the lower creatures of the seashore, only hands and stomachs- lived a certain Stephen Blackpool, for forty years of age." Dickens comments on the terrible lives of workers. The word " generically" presents that the workers can't rise in the world because they have no education and have not enough money to make their lives better and comfortable. Their children must face the hardship such as working hard and ... ...asks for solution to improve the workers' lives because this is an important problem. The setting increases the compassion for Stephen. It is dark and silent. Everybody mourns for him, and the darkness symbolizes sorrow and death. This picture also shows Rachael's love for Stephen. She kneels on the grass, clasp his hand and tries to comfort although he hurts badly and is going to die. This picture shows the relationship between Stephen Blackpool, his wife and Rachael. Stephen and Rachael love each other, but he can't divorce his wife because of the high expense in lawsuit that he can't afford. Rachael is good and generous woman who takes care of Stephen's wife. She is like an angel, light and shining star. On the contrary, his wife is helpless and alcoholic. She increases Stephen's burden and tries to commit suicide, but Rachael can save her life.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 90-92

CHAPTER 90 In the dim light of the Cathedral College kitchen, Langdon and Katherine stood over the pot of water and stared at the transformed capstone beneath the surface. On the side of the golden capstone, an incandescent message was glowing. Langdon read the shining text, scarcely able to believe his eyes. He knew the pyramid was rumored to reveal a specific location . . . but he had never imagined that the location would be quite this specific. Eight Franklin Square â€Å"A street address,† he whispered, stunned. Katherine looked equally amazed. â€Å"I don't know what's there, do you?† Langdon shook his head. He knew Franklin Square was one of the older sections of Washington, but he wasn't familiar with the address. He looked at the tip of the capstone, and read downward, taking in the entire text. The secret hides within The Order Eight Franklin Square Is there some kind of Order on Franklin Square? Is there a building that hides the opening to a deep spiral staircase? Whether or not there was actually something buried at that address, Langdon had no idea. The important issue at this point was that he and Katherine had deciphered the pyramid and now possessed the information required to negotiate Peter's release. And not a moment too soon. The glowing arms on Langdon's Mickey Mouse watch indicated that they had less than ten minutes to spare. â€Å"Make the call,† Katherine said, motioning to a phone on the wall in the kitchen. â€Å"Now!† The sudden arrival of this moment startled Langdon, and he found himself hesitating. â€Å"Are we sure about this?† â€Å"I most certainly am.† â€Å"I'm not telling him anything until we know Peter is safe.† â€Å"Of course not. You remember the number, right?† Langdon nodded and made his way over to the kitchen phone. He lifted the receiver and dialed the man's cell-phone number. Katherine came over and placed her head next to his so she could listen in. As the line began to ring, Langdon prepared himself for the eerie whisper of the man who had tricked him earlier tonight. Finally, the call connected. There was no greeting, though. No voice. Only the sound of breathing at the other end. Langdon waited and then finally spoke. â€Å"I have the information you want, but if you want it, you'll have to give us Peter.† â€Å"Who is this?† a woman's voice replied. Langdon jumped. â€Å"Robert Langdon,† he said reflexively. â€Å"Who are you?† For an instant he thought he must have dialed incorrectly. â€Å"Your name is Langdon?† The woman sounded surprised. â€Å"There's someone here asking for you.† What? â€Å"I'm sorry, who is this?† â€Å"Officer Paige Montgomery with Preferred Security.† Her voice seemed shaky. â€Å"Maybe you can help us with this. About an hour ago, my partner responded to a 911 call in Kalorama Heights . . . a possible hostage situation. I lost all contact with her, and so I called backup and came to check the residence. We found my partner dead in the backyard. The home owner was gone, and so we broke in. A cell phone was ringing on the hall table, and I–† â€Å"You're inside?† Langdon demanded. â€Å"Yes, and the 911 tip . . . was a good one,† the woman stammered. â€Å"Sorry if I sound rattled, but my partner's dead, and we found a man being held here against his will. He's in bad shape, and we're working on him now. He's been asking for two people–one named Langdon and one named Katherine.† â€Å"That's my brother!† Katherine blurted into the receiver, pressing her head closer to Langdon's. â€Å"I made the 911 call! Is he okay?!† â€Å"Actually, ma'am, he's . . .† The woman's voice cracked. â€Å"He's in bad shape. He's missing his right hand . . .† â€Å"Please,† Katherine urged. â€Å"I want to talk to him!† â€Å"They're working on him at the moment. He's in and out of consciousness. If you're anywhere in the area, you should get over here. He obviously wants to see you.† â€Å"We're about six minutes away!† Katherine said. â€Å"Then I suggest you hurry.† There was a muffled noise in the background, and the woman then returned to the line. â€Å"Sorry, it looks like I'm needed. I'll speak to you when you arrive.† The line went dead. CHAPTER 91 Inside Cathedral College, Langdon and Katherine bounded up the basement stairs and hurried down a darkened hallway looking for a front exit. No longer did they hear the sounds of helicopter blades overhead, and Langdon felt hopeful they could slip out unseen and find their way up to Kalorama Heights to see Peter. They found him. He's alive. Thirty seconds earlier, when they'd hung up with the female security guard, Katherine had hurriedly hoisted the steaming pyramid and capstone out of the water. The pyramid was still dripping when she lowered it into Langdon's leather bag. Now he could feel the heat radiating through the leather. Excitement over Peter's discovery had temporarily trumped any further reflection on the capstone's glowing message–Eight Franklin Square– but there would be time for that once they got to Peter. As they rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, Katherine stopped short and pointed into a sitting room across the hall. Through the bay window, Langdon could see a sleek black helicopter sitting silent on the lawn. A lone pilot stood beside it, facing away from them and talking on his radio. There was also a black Escalade with tinted windows parked nearby. Staying in the shadows, Langdon and Katherine moved into the sitting room, and peered out the window to see if they could see the rest of the field team. Thankfully, the huge lawn outside the National Cathedral was empty. â€Å"They must be inside the cathedral,† Langdon said. â€Å"They're not,† a deep voice said behind them. Langdon and Katherine wheeled around to see who had spoken. In the doorway of the sitting room, two black-clad figures aimed laser-sighted rifles at them. Langdon could see a glowing red dot dancing on his chest. â€Å"Nice to see you again, Professor,† said a familiar raspy voice. The agents parted, and the tiny form of Director Sato sliced effortlessly through, crossing the sitting room and stopping directly in front of Langdon. â€Å"You've made some exceedingly poor choices tonight.† â€Å"The police found Peter Solomon,† Langdon declared forcefully. â€Å"He's in bad shape, but he'll live. It's over.† If Sato was surprised Peter had been found, she did not show it. Her eyes were unflinching as she walked to Langdon and stopped only inches away. â€Å"Professor, I can assure you, this is nowhere near over. And if the police are now involved, it has only become more serious. As I told you earlier this evening, this is an extremely delicate situation. You never should have run away with that pyramid.† â€Å"Ma'am,† Katherine blurted, â€Å"I need to see my brother. You can have the pyramid, but you must let–â€Å" â€Å"I must?† Sato demanded, spinning to Katherine. â€Å"Ms. Solomon, I assume?† She stared at Katherine with fire in her eyes and then turned back to Langdon. â€Å"Put the leather bag on the table.† Langdon glanced down at the pair of laser sights on his chest. He set the leather bag on the coffee table. An agent approached cautiously, unzipped the bag, and pulled the two sides apart. A little puff of trapped steam billowed up out of the bag. He aimed his light inside, stared for a long, puzzled moment, and then nodded to Sato. Sato walked over and peered into the bag. The wet pyramid and capstone glistened in the beam of the flashlight. Sato crouched down, looking very closely at the golden capstone, which Langdon realized she had only seen in X-ray. â€Å"The inscription,† Sato demanded. â€Å"Does it mean anything to you? `The secret hides within The Order'?† â€Å"We're not sure, ma'am.† â€Å"Why is the pyramid steaming hot?† â€Å"We submerged it in boiling water,† Katherine said without hesitation. â€Å"It was part of the process of deciphering the code. We'll tell you everything, but please let us go see my brother. He's been through–â€Å" â€Å"You boiled the pyramid?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Turn off the flashlight,† Katherine said. â€Å"Look at the capstone. You can probably still see.† The agent flicked off his light, and Sato knelt down before the capstone. Even from where Langdon was standing, he could see that the text on the capstone was still glowing slightly. â€Å"Eight Franklin Square?† Sato said, sounding amazed. â€Å"Yes, ma'am. That text was written with an incandescent lacquer or something. The thirty-third degree was actually–â€Å" â€Å"And the address?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Is this what this guy wants?† â€Å"Yes,† Langdon said. â€Å"He believes the pyramid is a map that will tell him the location of a great treasure–the key to unlocking the Ancient Mysteries.† Sato looked again at the capstone, her expression one of disbelief. â€Å"Tell me,† she said, fear creeping into her voice, â€Å"have you contacted this man yet? Have you already given him this address?† â€Å"We tried.† Langdon explained what had happened when they called the man's cell phone. Sato listened, running her tongue over her yellow teeth as he spoke. Despite looking ready to erupt with anger over the situation, she turned to one of her agents and spoke in a restrained whisper. â€Å"Send him in. He's in the SUV.† The agent nodded and spoke into his transceiver. â€Å"Send who in?† Langdon said. â€Å"The only person who has any hope of fixing the goddamn mess you made!† â€Å"What mess?† Langdon fired back. â€Å"Now that Peter is safe, everything is–â€Å" â€Å"For Christ's sake!† Sato exploded. â€Å"This is not about Peter! I tried to tell you that at the Capitol Building, Professor, but you chose to work against me rather than with me! Now you've made an ungodly mess! When you destroyed your cell phone, which, by the way, we were tracking, you cut off your communication with this man. And this address you uncovered–whatever the hell it is–this address was our one chance to catch this lunatic. I needed you to play his game, to provide him with this address so we would know where the hell to catch him!† Before Langdon could reply, Sato directed the remainder of her wrath at Katherine. â€Å"And you, Ms. Solomon! You knew where this maniac lived? Why didn't you tell me? You sent a rent-a-cop to this man's house? Don't you see you've ruined any chance we had of catching him there? I'm glad your brother is safe, but let me tell you this, we are facing a crisis tonight whose ramifications far outreach your family. They will be felt all around the world. The man who took your brother has enormous power, and we need to catch him immediately.† As she finished her tirade, the tall, elegant silhouette of Warren Bellamy emerged from the shadows and stepped into the sitting room. He looked rumpled, bruised, and shaken . . . like he'd been through hell. â€Å"Warren!† Langdon stood up. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"No,† he replied. â€Å"Not really.† â€Å"Did you hear? Peter is safe!† Bellamy nodded, looking dazed, as if nothing mattered anymore. â€Å"Yes, I just heard your conversation. I'm glad.† â€Å"Warren, what the hell is going on?† Sato intervened. â€Å"You boys can catch up in a minute. Right now, Mr. Bellamy is going to reach out to this lunatic and communicate with him. Just like he's been doing all night.† Langdon felt lost. â€Å"Bellamy hasn't been communicating with this guy tonight! This guy doesn't even know Bellamy is involved!† Sato turned to Bellamy and raised her eyebrows. Bellamy sighed. â€Å"Robert, I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you this evening.† Langdon could only stare. â€Å"I thought I was doing the right thing . . .† Bellamy said, looking frightened. â€Å"Well,† Sato said, â€Å"now you will do the right thing . . . and we'd all better pray to God it works.† As if to substantiate Sato's portentous tone, the mantel clock began chiming the hour. Sato took out a Ziploc bag of items and tossed it to Bellamy. â€Å"Here's your stuff. Does your cell phone take photos?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"Good. Hold up the capstone.† The message Mal'akh had just received was from his contact–Warren Bellamy–the Mason he had sent to the Capitol Building earlier tonight to assist Robert Langdon. Bellamy, like Langdon, wanted Peter Solomon back alive and had assured Mal'akh he would help Langdon acquire and decipher the pyramid. All night, Mal'akh had been receiving e-mail updates, which had been automatically forwarded to his cell phone. This should be interesting, Mal'akh thought, opening the message. From: Warren Bellamy got separated from langdon but finally have info you demanded. proof attached. call for missing piece. –wb –one attachment (jpeg)– Call for missing piece? Mal'akh wondered, opening the attachment. The attachment was a photo. When Mal'akh saw it, he gasped out loud, and he could feel his heart start pounding with excitement. He was looking at a close-up of a tiny golden pyramid. The legendary capstone! The ornate engraving on the face carried a promising message: The secret hides within The Order. Beneath the inscription, Mal'akh now saw something that stunned him. The capstone seemed to be glowing. In disbelief, he stared at the faintly radiant text and realized that the legend was literally true: The Masonic Pyramid transforms itself to reveal its secret to the worthy. How this magical transformation had occurred, Mal'akh had no idea, and he didn't care. The glowing text was clearly pointing to a specific location in D.C., exactly as prophesied. Franklin Square. Unfortunately, the photo of the capstone also included Warren Bellamy's index finger, which was strategically positioned on the capstone to block out a critical piece of information. The secret hides within The Order Franklin Square Call for missing piece. Mal'akh now understood Bellamy's meaning. The Architect of the Capitol had been cooperative all night, but now he had chosen to play a very dangerous game. CHAPTER 92 Beneath the watchful gaze of several armed CIA agents, Langdon, Katherine, and Bellamy waited with Sato in the Cathedral College sitting room. On the coffee table before them, Langdon's leather bag was still open, the golden capstone peeking out the top. The words Eight Franklin Square had now faded away, leaving no evidence that they had ever existed. Katherine had pleaded with Sato to let her go see her brother, but Sato had simply shaken her head, eyes fixed on Bellamy's cell phone. It sat on the coffee table and had yet to ring. Why didn't Bellamy just tell me the truth? Langdon wondered. Apparently, the Architect had been in contact with Peter's captor all night, reassuring him that Langdon was making progress deciphering the pyramid. It was a bluff, an attempt to buy time for Peter. In fact, Bellamy was doing all he could to interfere with anyone who threatened to unveil the pyramid's secret. Now, however, it seemed that Bellamy had switched sides. He and Sato were now prepared to risk the pyramid's secret in hopes of catching this man. â€Å"Take your hands off me!† shouted an elderly voice in the hall. â€Å"I'm blind, not inept! I know my way through the college!† Dean Galloway was still protesting loudly as a CIA agent manhandled him into the sitting room and forced him into one of the chairs. â€Å"Who's here?† Galloway demanded, his blank eyes staring dead ahead. â€Å"It sounds like a lot of you. How many do you need to detain an old man? Really now!† â€Å"There are seven of us,† Sato declared. â€Å"Including Robert Langdon, Katherine Solomon, and your Masonic brother Warren Bellamy.† Galloway slumped, all his bluster gone. â€Å"We're okay,† Langdon said. â€Å"And we just heard that Peter is safe. He's in bad shape, but the police are with him.† â€Å"Thank heavens,† Galloway said. â€Å"And the–â€Å" A loud rattling caused everyone in the room to jump. It was Bellamy's cell phone vibrating against the coffee table. Everyone fell silent. â€Å"Okay, Mr. Bellamy,† Sato said. â€Å"Don't blow it. You know the stakes.† Bellamy took a deep breath and exhaled. Then he reached down and pressed the speakerphone button to connect the call. â€Å"Bellamy here,† he said, speaking loudly toward the phone on the coffee table. The voice that crackled back through the speaker was familiar, an airy whisper. It sounded like he was calling from a hands-free speakerphone inside a car. â€Å"It's past midnight, Mr. Bellamy. I was about to put Peter out of his misery.† There was an uneasy silence in the room. â€Å"Let me talk to him.† â€Å"Impossible,† the man replied. â€Å"We're driving. He's tied up in the trunk.† Langdon and Katherine exchanged looks and then began shaking their heads at everyone. He's bluffing! He no longer has Peter! Sato motioned for Bellamy to keep pressing. â€Å"I want proof that Peter's alive,† Bellamy said. â€Å"I'm not giving you the rest of–â€Å" â€Å"Your Worshipful Master needs a doctor. Don't waste time with negotiations. Tell me the street number on Franklin Square, and I'll bring Peter to you there.† â€Å"I told you, I want–â€Å" â€Å"Now!† the man exploded. â€Å"Or I will pull over and Peter Solomon dies this instant!† â€Å"You listen to me,† Bellamy said forcefully. â€Å"If you want the rest of the address, you'll play by my rules. Meet me at Franklin Square. Once you deliver Peter alive, I'll tell you the number of the building.† â€Å"How do I know you won't bring the authorities?† â€Å"Because I can't risk double-crossing you. Peter's life is not the only card you hold. I know what's really at stake tonight.† â€Å"You do realize,† the man on the phone said, â€Å"that if I sense so much as a hint of anyone other than you at Franklin Square, I will keep driving, and you will never find even a trace of Peter Solomon. And of course . . . that will be the least of your worries.† â€Å"I'll come alone,† Bellamy replied somberly. â€Å"When you turn over Peter, I'll give you everything you need.† â€Å"Center of the square,† the man said. â€Å"It will take me at least twenty minutes to get there. I suggest you wait for me as long as it takes.† The line went dead. Instantly, the room sprang to life. Sato began shouting orders. Several field agents grabbed their radios and headed for the door. â€Å"Move! Move!† In the chaos, Langdon looked to Bellamy for some kind of explanation as to what was actually going on tonight, but the older man was already being hurried out the door. â€Å"I need to see my brother!† Katherine shouted. â€Å"You have to let us go!† Sato walked over to Katherine. â€Å"I don't have to do anything, Ms. Solomon. Is that clear?† Katherine stood her ground and looked desperately into Sato's small eyes. â€Å"Ms. Solomon, my top priority is apprehending the man at Franklin Square, and you will sit here with one of my men until I accomplish that task. Then, and only then, will we deal with your brother.† â€Å"You're missing the point,† Katherine said. â€Å"I know exactly where this man lives! It's literally five minutes up the road in Kalorama Heights, and there will be evidence there that will help you! Besides, you said you want to keep this quiet. Who knows what Peter will start telling the authorities once he's stabilized.† Sato pursed her lips, apparently registering Katherine's point. Outside, the chopper blades began winding up. Sato frowned and then turned to one of her men. â€Å"Hartmann, you take the Escalade. Transport Ms. Solomon and Mr. Langdon to Kalorama Heights. Peter Solomon is not to speak to anyone. Is that understood?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am,† the agent said. â€Å"Call me when you get there. Tell me what you find. And don't let these two out of your sight.† Agent Hartmann gave a quick nod, pulled out the Escalade keys, and headed for the door. Katherine was right behind him. Sato turned to Langdon. â€Å"I'll see you shortly, Professor. I know you think I'm the enemy, but I can assure you that's not the case. Get to Peter at once. This isn't over yet.† Off to one side of Langdon, Dean Galloway was sitting quietly at the coffee table. His hands had found the stone pyramid, which was still sitting in Langdon's open leather bag on the table in front of him. The old man was running his hands over the stone's warm surface. Langdon said, â€Å"Father, are you coming to see Peter?† â€Å"I'd just slow you down.† Galloway removed his hands from the bag and zipped it up around the pyramid. â€Å"I'll stay right here and pray for Peter's recovery. We can all speak later. But when you show Peter the pyramid, would you please tell him something for me?† â€Å"Of course.† Langdon hoisted the bag onto his shoulder. â€Å"Tell him this.† Galloway cleared his throat. â€Å"The Masonic Pyramid has always kept her secret . . . sincerely.† â€Å"I don't understand.† The old man winked. â€Å"Just tell Peter that. He will understand.† With that, Dean Galloway bowed his head and began praying. Perplexed, Langdon left him there and hurried outside. Katherine was already in the front seat of the SUV giving the agent directions. Langdon climbed in back and had barely closed the door before the giant vehicle was rocketing across the lawn, racing northward to Kalorama Heights.

The Poetry Of A. E. Housman Essays - A. E. Housman, Free Essays

The Poetry Of A. E. Housman Essays - A. E. Housman, Free Essays The Poetry of A. E. Housman Housman was born in Burton-On-Trent, England, in 1865, just as the US Civil War was ending. As a young child, he was disturbed by the news of slaughter from the former British colonies, and was affected deeply. This turned him into a brooding, introverted teenager and a misanthropic, pessimistic adult. This outlook on life shows clearly in his poetry. Housman believed that people were generally evil, and that life conspired against mankind. This is evident not only in his poetry, but also in his short stories. For example, his story, "The Child of Lancashire," published in 1893 in The London Gazette, is about an child who travels to London, where his parents die, and he becomes a street urchin. There are veiled implications that the child is a homosexual (as was Housman, most probably), and he becomes mixed up with a gang of similar youths, attacking affluent pedestrians and stealing their watches and gold coins. Eventually he leaves the gang and becomes wealthy, but is attacked by the same gang (who don't recognize him) and is thrown off London Bridge into the Thames, which is unfortunately frozen over, and is killed on the hard ice below. Housman's poetry is similarly pessimistic. In fully half the poems the speaker is dead. In others, he is about to die or wants to die, or his girlfriend is dead. Death is a really important stage of life to Housman; without death, Housman would probably not have been able to be a poet. (Housman, himself, died in 1937.) A few of his poems show an uncharacteristic optimism and love of beauty, however. For example, in his poem "Trees," he begins: "Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Hung low with bloom along the bow Stands about the woodland side A virgin in white for Eastertide" ...and ends: "Poems are made by fools like me But only God can make a tree." (This is a popular quotation, yet most people don't know its source!) Religion is another theme of Housman's. Housman seems to have had trouble reconciling conventional Christianity with his homosexuality and his deep clinical depression. In "Apologia pro Poemate Meo" he states: "In heaven-high musings and many Far off in the wayward night sky, I would think that the love I bear you Would make you unable to die [death again] Would God in his church in heaven Forgive us our sins of the day, That boy and man together Might join in the night and the way." I think that the sense of hopelessness and homosexual longing is unmistakable. However, these themes went entirely over the heads of the people of Housman's day, in the early 1900s. The best known collection of Housman's poetry is A Shropshire Lad, published in 1925, followed shortly by More Poems, 1927, and Even More Poems, 1928. Unsurprisingly, most collections have the same sense and style. They could easily be one collection, in terms of stylistic content. All show a sense of the fragility of life, the perversity of existence, and a thinly veiled homosexual longing, in spite of the fact that many of the poems apparently (but subliminally?) speak of young women. It is clear from these works that women were only a metaphor for love, which in Housman's case usually did not include the female half of society. More Poems contains perhaps the best statement of Housman's philosophy of life, a long, untitled poem (no. LXIX) with oblique references to the town of his birth, Burton-on-Trent, and statements like: "And while the sun and moon endure Luck's a chance, but trouble's sure..." Indeed, how much more pessimistic can one be? Not only a poet and storyteller, Housman was a noted classical scholar. He is known for his extensive translations of the Greek classics, especially Greek plays by Euripides and Sophocles. Unfortunately, the bulk of his manuscripts were lost in a disastrous fire in his office at Oxford, which was caused by a lit cigar falling into a stack of papers. There were rumors that Housman was hidden in a closet with a young boy at the time, and therefore did not see the fire in his own office until it was too late to extinguish it. The Trustees of the college, however, managed to squelch the rumors, and Housman's academic tenure was not threatened by the incident.

Free sample - Consultation For Leaders In Management. translation missing

Consultation For Leaders In Management. Consultation For Leaders In ManagementOrganizations the world over are encouraging a shift from a management perspective to a leadership perspective instilled through team building so as to solve inflexibility and quicken decision-making. In this essay therefore, empowerment, whereby people are encouraged to make autonomous decisions and feel in control to the resultant outcomes, has been proposed as a means of allowing dissent, encouraging teamwork and innovation. Leaders should distribute authority rather than a hands-on control approach. This is implemented by changing the manager’s perspective by: influencing through context, creating a culture whereby all employees feel included, distributing authority without reclaiming, provision of logistical and moral support to employees, setting out a clear mandate and equipping the team for anticipated success. In order to influence through context, whereby trust is laid in a higher principle, belief and guiding force, the leader must aptly define the context and desired standards by giving team members the freedom to act and innovate thereby enhancing leadership, creating a competitive edge and nurturing proactive employees. Secondly, the leader should also nurture and empower a culture of inclusion whereby the leader should ensure that every team member’s voice is heard despite their position. This atmosphere should encourage dissent as a foundation of objectivity and innovation whic h enables new ideas to be generated superior to those developed by the exercise of positional power. Thirdly, the leader should surrender positional authority and responsibilities without attempting to reclaim it so as to create pro-active employees. There is a transitory phase where the managers feel out of control and that things have gone awry and they are tempted to tighten control. This should be highly resisted. Leaders should further support the employee empowerment strategies put into place since empowerment involves giving responsibility and the freedom of choice so as to move from position of boss to coach. Also, the leaders should clearly articulate the common goal which the team is aiming at. Clarity of vision and roles played by various members should be enhanced so as to ensure accountability for specific goals and stay inbounds. Finally, equip the team members for success through training, resource allocation and information provision at all levels. This highly boosts the chances of success. (Lencioni) Management is distinct from leadership. Management employs a hands-on control whereas leadership allows responsibility allocation and freedom of choice. Management is characterized by managers having subordinates who are structured according to levels of formal authority. Management encompasses an authoritarian, transactional style whereby subordinates act on orders. It is transactional in the sense that employees are delegated duties in exchange for a salary or monetary reward. Further, management’s focus is on work and is distinct in that managers are paid to work under time and money constraints. The work focus is naturally passed to their subordinates.   Finally, a recent study shows that managers seek comfort and prefer to avoid conflict through engaging in relatively risk-averse activities since they have been observed to come from upper-middle incomes and rich families. On the other hand, leaders do not have subordinates but rather have followers. When managers are le ading, they have to give up formal authority to encourage a following since this is usually voluntary. This style encompasses a charismatic and transformational style in that leaders have to appeal to team members in order to attract a following in risky and dangerous situations. They promise transformational awards not only through extrinsic rewards but also through value addition. Leadership focuses on people’s personalities rather than their work. Leaders do not necessarily have a loud personality or friendly attitude but rather maintain an aloof attitude and a degree of separation. They are achievement driven, but, instead of solely focusing on work, they enthuse others to work towards their goals. Finally, leaders seek risk and are risk takers rather than risk averse. They envision hurdles and problems and their respective solutions. They view risks as potential opportunities which have been attributed to the fact that most of them come from handicapped families in chall enging backgrounds. (Marcus Buckingham, 2008). The managers, by resisting empowerment through encouraging responsibility and allowing a freedom of choice, signify an attempt to manage rather than lead. The CEO is in essence, trying to break from a tradition of pure management and encompass skills in leadership by employing a consultant to chart on appropriate techniques to be employed.   There are several arguments in favor of leadership rather than management. First, managers should provide an inspiring vision and a strategic alignment in a team rather just control. The leader should envision the future and passionately believe on the aspired goals. Secondly, leadership is an influence relationship whereas management is an authority relationship which deters the team spirit. Leadership further defines direction through establishing a vision. This vision can easily be communicated and aligned into the team member’s spirit and energy. In a team, there is a need to energize and inspire team members in order to overcome any obstacles rather than delegating duties and authority as is the case for management. Effective leadership brings about positive, much needed change and opens up channels for innovation. (Avolio, 2003) As a consultant, there are various steps that I propose that a manager should take to change from a management style to a leadership style. Managers should first clarify and codify their convictions. The manager should evaluate his values, beliefs and ethics, how they can be demonstrated, their link to the overall organization’s goals and how the manager can change to fit within the team. Any additional assistance needed to enhance personal and organizational success should be obtained. The managers should constantly re-evaluate these steps to serve as a reality check. People cannot be forced into a following; hence, the manager should then accord the organization time to change towards their convictions. The next step is for the manager to align his or her behavior according to the convictions so as to build a collaborative culture based on the direction desired. Identify individual team player’s needs and their dreams in the workplace. Further, the manager should inte rview suppliers and customers on their specific needs in order to promote chance of success. Consultants further encourage managers to engage in conversation and communication. Listening is highly insisted upon so as to detect trends, themes and various possibilities. (Nahavandi, 2006) Empowerment has various outcomes. Key among them is decentralization whereby decision-making is as close to the action as possible hence quickening decision-making. This shall also lead to sharing of information n the organization’s goals and mission. The need to hoard and withhold information and knowledge in order to maintain control is surpassed by an openly shared information system that encourages operation on the basis of facts. Contingent rewards are also used so as to motivate team members who significantly contribute to the organization. Failure should not be automatically punished for this inhibits empowerment. Teams created ensure employees are not only responsible for their individual success but also their team members. This therefore serves to unify the employees. Alignment in an organization is compulsory so as to maintain coherence and direction by sharing common goals and vision. There are various recommendations on what the CEO should strive to attain. The CEO should ensure that: all team member participate in the formulation of a strategic plan and line of action; ensure effective communication through meetings, trainings, electronic bulletin boards, e-mails and oral channels such as the phones so as to ensure healthy team dynamics; ensure a team charter is put in place in which the project’s goals are clearly stated; ensure regular meetings are held between team members in order to brainstorm on topical issues through forms such as retreats; organize training and simulation exercises in the team by subdividing the team into subgroups that simulate healthy rivalry such as tug-of-war and ice breaking; delegate tasks so as to encourage trust in the team; promote collective responsibility in the team for mistakes committed by individual team members rather than apportioning blame for failure or inefficiency; establish appropriate conflict resolution tec hniques; carry out continuous appraisal and review on   individuals so as to curb inefficiency; introduce awards for significant achievements; keep the team focused so as to overcome any obstacles and finally, recognize the performing stage the team is currently in such as the peak period so as o maintain a consistent focus.(Argyris, 1976) References Argyris, C. (1976). Increasing Leadership Effectiveness. New York: Wiley. Avolio, B. J. (2003). Leadership Models, methods and Applications. John Wiley Sons Inc.. Lencioni, P. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A leadership Fable. J-B Lencioni. Marcus Buckingham, C. C. (2008). First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently. Nahavandi, A. (2006). The art and science of leadership.

Motorola's stock market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Motorola's stock market - Essay Example In the year 2006 the Motorola Company was ranked number 54 from a previous ranking at number 49, the ranking was based on revenue levels and the size of the company, therefore it would be advisable to invest in the company due to the fact that it is growing in terms of revenue, profits and earnings to share holders. 4 In 2005 the earnings per share amounted to 1.81 pounds, the percentage change from the year 2004 was 182.8%, the total percentage returns to investors amounted to 32.5% in the year 2005 and the annual growth rate in the returns amount to 3.8% from the year 2005.5 Over the years there has been an increase in the level of returns to investors as dictated by the above table, a 6.4% increase from the year 1995 to the year 2005. The total returns to investors in 2005 amounted to 32.5% and also the growth in the rate of return from the year 1995 is an annual rate of 3.8%.7 It would be therefore be profitable to invest in this shares which will yield returns to an investor, the growth rate in the level of returns is an indication that the investment made will yield more returns in a very short period, evidence can also be linked to the rise in its ranking among other companies, the Motorola compa

English Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English - Assignment Example The president further reminds Americans that they are the people who are represented in the chamber and makes the state of the Union. This received strong applause because the audience felt the sense of belonging. Obama points out at the outcome of the great effort put by Americans such as low unemployment rate in over five years, rebounding housing market and the reduction of deficit. This attracts attention of the audience who feel that they are part of the success and that their achievements are appreciated. Obama received cheers and round of applause from the audience because they were reminded of their achievements and told that they would take America to greater heights above the current position of America in terms of trade (Forbes Staff Web). Obama further urges everyone in the chamber to take charge and avoid resentful argument that may hinder implementation of basic functions in the American democracy. He explains that if their differences may promote the underperformance of the government then the chamber is not doing the best thing. Obama asserted his commitment to making America work better and rebuilds the Americans trust. He challenges everyone in the chamber to take part in improving the welfare of Americans. The president told the chamber that their actions should provide opportunity for all Americans regardless of their social status. Obama acknowledges some of the challenges facing America such as increase in inequality and the fact that most Americans just work to get by and many are also unemployed. He points out at the need to reverse the negative trends and informs the chamber that they will never agree on everything. The president makes practical proposals of moving the country forward by creating opportunities. He promises to work with everyone in the chamber to steer the growth of and development of the country. He describes a few examples such as education opportunities, work ethics and encourages businesses to invest and