A640.5.2.RB_MedleyKim_ Clicks: More Opportunities or More of the Same

            It never ceases to amaze me how a college course can bring me right back to high school and the days of the clicks. They exist in every school: jocks, cheerleaders, student government officers, yearbook and newspaper staff, band, and brainiacs. Speaking from my own experience, I was viewed as a brainiac, which, when you are a sixteen year old girl, is not the click of which you wish to be a member. For a while, you attempt to utilize your intelligence as a way to be accepted by the other clicks. I helped jocks and cheerleaders with assignments so they could pass classes and still be able to score touchdowns and shake pom-poms. Sadly, the acceptance is short-lived; you are only given “more opportunities, more responsibilities, more support,” and in this case, more acceptance until such time you have served your usefulness (Rowe & Guerrero, 2013). It took my entire sophomore year to realize the popular clicks would never accept me in the way I wanted; so, I focused on my studies, which led to the work ethic I have today.

            Rowe and Guerrero (2013) note that leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership is descriptive and prescriptive. The descriptive element recognizes the existence of clicks within the workplace identified as “in-groups and out-groups” (Rowe & Guerrero, 2013, p. 202). Leaders recognize those in the in-group are willing to work harder and more often than not are more innovative than those in the out-groups. Out-group members are happy with the status quo. They are there for the paycheck and perform the bare minimums with respect to daily tasks. These are the folks that lead me to scream while waiting in line for a government office to perform a simple task such as address change on a voter information card. Out-group workers arrive either right at the start time for work or five to ten minutes later. They are the first ones to shut down their computers, straighten their desk, punch out for the day, and make their way to the parking lot. In-group workers, on the other hand, usually arrive long before it is time to clock in, their desk is organized in a way that is designed to accomplish more than the expected workload, they are the ones who volunteer for overtime and weekend work days, and they are the ones who figure out better and more efficient ways to achieve a comprehensive work flow. As in high school, the out-groups remind me of the jocks and cheerleaders, willing to do just enough to get a passing grade in class; while the in-groups are the brainiacs who, by ironic coincidence, are seen as brainiacs and not accepted into the “click” by the out-groups.

            According to Rowe & Guerrero (2013), the prescriptive portion of this theory states leaders are to form high-quality relationships will all subordinates from all groups, not just the in-groups. By doing this, the three phases: stranger, acquaintance, and partnership can begin and hopefully the goal of expanding opportunities, responsibilities, and support to those once considered out-group members will lead to an increase in those who work hard and provide innovation and decrease those who are just there for a paycheck (Rowe & Guerrero, 2013). I have worked for leaders like this; and, at first I was willing to work harder as I perceived a level of acceptance not offered by the out-group members. Although I was able to expand my knowledge and help the organization achieve its goal, the proof, as they say, was in the pudding; and, come review time, more often than not the government entrenched mentality of the organization did not make any distinction with reviews between an in-group or out-group worker. Those that showed up a few minutes past eight, took longer than an hour for lunch, stayed longer than allowed for breaks, and left promptly at five were rewarded with the same merits as someone who adhered to the rules and went that extra mile.

            This style of leadership, in my opinion, can be quite deflating, especially when the differences in work ethics are so visible. Again, speaking for myself, I think the reason people are willing to be a part of the in-group is there is an initial level of acceptance the out-group, or the popular “click” will not provide. Also, there is an adrenalin rush for out-performing others; and, the chance to learn is very tempting and welcomed. Just as in high school, it takes some time to realize your talents and abilities are truly not appreciated, especially in a governmental organization. It matters not an in-group worker can enter fifteen new cases per hour to an out-group worker’s six per hour. It matters not an in-group worker can multi-task and perform functions that span separate areas of a department. In the end, the out-group worker’s paycheck is going to be increased the same amount as the in-group worker, despite doing less work. I have worked for leaders like this. The initial opportunities are great; but, eventually you begin to feel used up. I don’t mind going the extra mile as long as my compensation levels are commensurate with my quality of work and my output.That is why I tend to stay away from governmental organizations as these groups are prevalent and the outcome is always the same. You end up asking yourself why am I busting my butt to get this work done and come up with ways that will provide for more efficient methods while others can just sit, talk, and make the same rate of pay? I prefer to be rewarded for a job well-done; so, although I have experienced such groups and leaders, I prefer to avoid them.  

A640.4.4.RB_MedleyKim Looking Back

            My days as a Deputy Clerk for the Flagler County Clerk of Court were relatively short lived. I was hired in November of 2006 and by January of 2009 I had been offered an opportunity that offered me more of a challenge. This week's essay assignment gave me the chance to relive and rethink a portion of my time as a clerk, one that I had not realized how much I had enjoyed. As do many memories, I am reminded of a song, "I Hope You Dance". That's how I view opportunities, especially those that involve leadership. As the lyrics go, "if you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance"! 

            It began with being chosen as a meeting facilitator and ended with the development of a comprehensive work flow plan that led to an offer to head the Probate division. More often than not, reflections lead to those what if questions and the never-ending should have, could have, and would have scenarios. Many of those thoughts re-emerged as I recalled the details for the case study presentation. Regardless of the emotions, I am forever grateful that I chose to dance when given the chance. I helped fourteen women get past petty issues such as empty paper trays, dirty coffee pots, and jammed copy machines and go on to expand their working knowledge of their positions with the Clerk’s office. I was able to present concerns to management so they could become more sensitive when bringing in new directors. Now, I believe they seek to promote from within whenever possible. Doing simple things, such as buying the group gift for birthdays, stopping at Publix early in the mornings to pick up birthday cakes and balloons, only help to add to the sense of unity and family that still exists today. Senior clerks are more comfortable and less threatened when it comes to training a new clerk; they now realize this helps them with their own workload and improves the overall work flow.

            The work flow process was quite simple in nature. It merely sought to include everyone with the process, with the understanding some clerks still had specifically assigned duties such as foreclosure sales, processing appellate cases, preparing for court, and taking care of specialty areas like Child Support. The plan expanded learning. Before the plan, a Deputy Clerk for Probate could not sign a certification stamp for a Circuit Civil clerk. This didn’t make any sense. By expanding the authority, Deputy Clerks became aware of inter-departmental processes. Clerks were required to scan documents in addition to their normal work schedule. By discussing the problem with Records Management, that department took over the task of scanning.

            Many times, I felt myself sliding up and down that development continuum outlined by Rowe and Guerrero (2013). Direction became easier as I developed written procedures for each task. Coaching and supporting are natural for me. I think I have been doing this for most of my life. By relying on a tried and true philosophy and incorporating a little bit humor, I was rewarded by a noticeable change in the environment, comments from the public that took notice of the change, praise from a former supervisor, and respect from a former boss who still messages me seeking suggestions. Leadership is not passive; it’s as active as dancing. The more you dance, the lighter you become on your feet, the rhythm becomes natural, and the sense of accomplishment becomes a cherished memory. 

A640.3.2.RB_MedleyKim High On Team Leadership Style

            The Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid Leadership Self Assessment Questionnaire, made available through The Vision Council (2010), provides varying statements about leadership so that participants may assign a number from zero to five, with zero indicating never and five signifying always. According to Rowe and Guerrero (2013), the third source reviewed for their research focused on work by Blake and Mouton, one that concluded leaders were apprehensive about both production and people; and as such, five separate leadership styles emerged from which leaders generally develop a dominant and back-up style. Once participants review and rate each statement, points are tallied and multiplied by 0.2 in order to obtain totals to be used as coordinates marked on a vertical and horizontal axis. The grid is divided into four quadrants labeled with four of the five leadership styles developed by Blake and Mouton (1964, 1978, 1985) which include: authoritarian, impoverished, country club, and team leader (as cited in Rowe & Guerrero, 2013).

            After reading and applying the scale to each statement, my people score was 7.6 while my task score was 7. As instructed, I plotted the coordinates; and, according to the grid, my dominant leadership style is team leader (The Vision Council, 2010). This exercise reminded me of the numerous questionnaires that appear in magazines such as Cosmopolitan, or those from youth, Tiger Beat. Take the challenge and see if you are the right girl for David Cassidy, or, how to know if your lover is still interested. As an inside note, I was a huge fan of David Cassidy and The Partridge Family. The problem with these questionnaires, and the one for this week’s reflective blog assignment, is that unless David Cassidy or my lover actually read my answers and then proceeded to communicate with me about my responses, how would I ever know if I was the right one, or if my lover had lost interest? The same is true for the leadership self-assessment.

            The eighteen statements, and the subsequent mathematical totals, are totally reliant on a single source, me. I wonder if the end result would be the same if the assertions were presented to fellow classmates, former staff, or even my family. I would like to think I am a team leader. I have always believed that taking care of folks, establishing trust, helping others to grow, establishing a healthy environment, providing fair wages, and keeping social relationships in good tact would lead to a sense of teamwork and working together to get the job done. It is a formula that has served me in both my family life and career. I never asked my children to do any chore around the house I was not willing to or could not do myself. Likewise, this same leading by example approach not only inspired others to learn, there was an immediate trust as those on my team knew I was willing to do whatever it took to get the job done.

            My sense of teamwork comes from years of playing softball, neighborhood Sunday afternoon football, volleyball, bowling, and even fishing. It was all about a group of people, each with different strengths and weaknesses, coming together for the good of the team, not the one. We learned from each other. The survey is meant to be used as a guide to identify weaknesses from which to improve. I do not believe I will ever be the type of leader that reads a journal or a psychology text and then tests the theories out on employees. To me, that is the essence of leadership being done to someone, rather than with them. Is there room for improvement? Of course there is. Has there ever been a perfect leader, regardless of the style? It is how one learns to become a better leader. Is it my reading and filling out questionnaires? If questionnaires provided all of the answers, I’d be one of a string of women in David Cassidy’s life, and I would be trying to fix a non-existent problem with my lover.

Perhaps my favorite line from a beloved movie describes my outlook on my leadership best. In the most moving scene of Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan, Mr. Spock tells Captain James T. Kirk why he sacrificed himself in order to save the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. In a weakened and dying state, Spock says, “It is logical; the needs of the many outweigh”; and unable to continue, Kirk continues with Spock’s words, “the needs of the few”, with Spock putting the final exclamation point on his thoughts with, “or the one” (Beauvois, G., 2013). It has been a philosophy that has served me well.

A500.9.4.RB_MedleyKim In Just Nine Weeks

     As I take a deep breath and look back, the past nine weeks have been a wonderful journey on my path to my Masters of Science degree. In looking at the titles of future courses, I can see why a solid foundation either needs to be formed or strengthened before taking the plunge. The primary value of this course, for me, is the opportunity for reflection. It has been a consistent theme throughout the duration. Whether the assignment was to review and discuss, or research and present, the element of reflection remained as a constant; and, that will be a key element for not only the next few years; but, for continued success beyond the online world of Embry Riddle.

     Positive experiences far outnumber any negatives. The few areas of frustration I experienced were those from the introduction of new technologies. Quite honestly, my OCD plays a huge part with my aggravations. You see, sometimes I do not allow myself the luxury of patience. I easily become disappointed when I cannot master a new program within some arbitrary time frame I have established. This course gave me the chance to take a deeper look inside and I now realize I have been allowing many of those vices to creep in and not only hinder my own curiosity; they have often challenged my courage and resolve to master a new skill. Prior to this course, I had not heard of “The Brain” or “Camtasia”. Perhaps an earlier introduction of the presentation resources, with a few practice lessons, would help alleviate future frustrations. Nonetheless, I persevered and was able to produce a presentation for "Admission & Acceptance Through Curiosity & Courage". Did I mention, Google Drive, yet an additional source for new learning, saved my life and my project submission? That’s a topic for another discussion. Another area of questioning came with proper APA citations. The only way to correct this is to have it not only introduced by the English department of undergraduate schools; but, to have consistency with grading the formatting. Again, that’s the OCD in me. I simply do not like losing points due to technicalities.

  

     My favorite assignments are those that involve writing. For many years, I was always instructed to write in third person fashion. It is not easy to break this habit; however, I enjoy writing from a personal perspective, especially when asked to apply a concept. It provides me with a chance to create a visual image with words in an effort to support my ideas and concepts. I enjoyed the video presentations, too; and, was completely fascinated with the TED video from week eight. Statistics bore me to tears; but, Mr. Rosling’s historical tales and animated charts actually made dots and data come to life. I can only hope to be able to capture and hold an audience’s attention as he did.

     Looking ahead, I am going to slow the swirl a bit more and exercise more patience with myself so as to possibly avoid, or at least overcome those feelings of disappointment and fatigue when faced with a seemingly daunting challenge. I think I am making progress as just this week; I was able to re-take a test that led me to question intellectual curiosity and courage. I am happy to say my test scores increased; and, for a self-recognized grade weenie, that’s an excellent measure for the overall success and experience gained from this course. 

A500.8.3.RB_MedleyKim_Lessons Learned

            Talk about a lesson in one’s own topic of research! This week presented me with several hurdles in order to develop, produce, and deliver a visual presentation of my action research, “Admission & Acceptance Through Curiosity & Courage”. Typing the paper was easier than making the movie. My week began with the assigned readings. Much to my chagrin, I learned one of my favorite programs, PowerPoint, is now considered passé in the world of presentation programs. I was challenged to step outside of my comfort zone and use a newer program in order to present my paper to enquiring minds. As with any assignment, I began with research.

            I went to the sites for SnagIt, Jing, Screencast, Screencast-O-Matic, Voicethread, Morae, and Camtasia. It was like the day when eight track and cassette players were replaced by the Walkman. I haven’t even made the leap to MP3 players! I felt like a fish out water and my head was swimming from the virtual overload of the latest tech devices designed to capture the audience’s attention. Quite honestly, I am not exactly certain if I buy the notion of high-tech equals high attention span; nonetheless, I pressed on. Paul Harvey would be proud. Most of the programs provide the ability to control the content and present it in a way that avoids the pitfalls outlined in Reynolds’ (n.d.) “Presentation Zen…” and “The Big Four…”. However, when you come from a generation where the overhead projector was the machine to have for presentations, all of the programs seem quite ominous. I had initially decided to use Prezi. Why? My teenage son uses it for his school presentations and I remember watching him put a presentation together. It looked relatively easy to navigate; and, if I needed assistance, I could call on him. What’s the saying? If you need to know how to work any piece of electronics, call a teenager. As I read about Prezi, it was not clear if I could add audio. Since this was a requirement, I wanted to select a program that would provide both video and audio options. That is why I chose Camtasia. I truly believe God never asks us to do any more than He knows we can handle. This was certainly tested this week.

            Thursday morning was the first day of operation action research project, the movie. I watched the tutorials, re-visited the dos and don’ts of presentations, began to learn my way around the program; and, by early evening, I had completed the first opening segments of my presentation. I used the rest of the night to go through my paper to identify the pieces of information I felt were important to present. Thank God for Google and the many photos accessible with a few keystrokes. I was able to match verbal concepts with visuals. In the back of my mind, I tried to remember all of the bad presentations I had attended. I wanted there to be a sense of entertainment sprinkled with a bit of knowledge that would hopefully leave the audience asking questions and willing to go in search of the answers. By late Saturday afternoon, I had finished and uploaded the link for grading. I thought all was well; but, I forgot God has a sense of humor.

            Sunday morning quickly turned into a panic zone for me. My instructor could not open my Camtasia project. For more than three hours, I tried all I knew to upload the project to YouTube, attach it to The Brain, and zip, and unzip the file. I cannot tell you how much I was longing for the days of PowerPoint. I was so frustrated, typing this reflective blog was not even a consideration. Trust me, no one would have wanted to read the words I was thinking earlier today. Again, thank God for Google, specifically, Google Drive. This new program also allows me to share the project with Google Drive in addition to YouTube. Since the video was too long for YouTube, I tried Google Drive. The rest, as they say, is history. My professor was able to access the video, and I passed the assignment.

            So, what is the moral of the story? Patience is definitely a virtue; and, just a St. Thomas Aquinas explained, it countered the initial disappointment I felt while pursuing this new path of curiosity. Likewise, the fatigue I experienced while trying to force this new notion, PowerPoint is passé, was alleviated with perseverance, my constant pursuit of uploading the project stopped me from abandoning the quest, and, finally, the pusillanimity I was feeling was quelled with generosity from a patient professor. Anxieties aside, I will commit these lessons to memory and be a bit more receptive to trying to ways to present information. There are still a few things I need to learn about Camtasia; but, I can see how it does make a presentation more personal and unique, which I welcome. 

A500.7.3.RB_MedleyKim_Quantitative Reflections

            According to Tero Mamia (n.d.), whereas qualitative research attempts to answer the question “how”; quantitative research takes regularities and patterns that take place in society, assigns numbers to such occurrences, studies those numbers with statistical formulas, and attempts to answer the question “why”. A study, conducted by Judge, Ilies, Bono, and Gerhardt (2002), applied both qualitative and quantitative methods to provide a more consistent framework for measuring personality traits often associated with leadership. They contend a level of skepticism, regarding the correlation between personality traits and leadership, had been noted since 1948. Judge et al., (2002) used qualitative studies by experts in the field to identify personality traits sustained by at least ten separate studies. With this list, they incorporated the Five-Factor Model of Personality; and, after having developed a meta-analysis formula, they were able to determine a hierarchy of personality traits as they relate to emergent and effective leadership (Judge et al., 2002). Extraversion was the strongest trait while Neuroticism was the weakest (Judge et al., 2002).

            Being naturally curious, my mind began to ask quite a few questions with regards to my action research paper. If I had more time to research curiosity and courage, it would be interesting to develop a similar protocol to test which personality traits would emerge as the strongest and the weakest for curiosity and courage. I can imagine scouring prior qualitative reviews from experts in the field of curiosity and courage. From that endeavor, I would form a table just as Judge et al. (2002) did. From this, I would narrow the list to a manageable one for quantitative research. Based on the methods used by Judge et al. (2002), I could rely on the Five-Factor Model to begin to identify those personality traits most associated with curiosity and courage, as well as those that fail to register any response. Would there also be a correlation with leadership? Are leaders curious? Do they have higher levels of curiosity? Are they more intellectually courageous than other people? The possibilities are quite intriguing to say the least.

            As Mamia (n.d.) notes, quantitative research presents both strengths and weaknesses. Numbers provide a relatively easy method for describing change within a unit and across various units. Perhaps a curiosity and courage study would indicate women are 50% more curious than men; but, men are three times as likely to admit to being wrong than women. While this presentation ascribes tangible numbers, over simplification of curiosity and its correlation with courage becomes a concern for researchers. Questions such as when are women more curious than men and under what circumstances will men admit to being wrong are perhaps better addressed with a qualitative approach. Numbers are numbers. They are black and white figures, whereas human observations take place in living color.

            Of the top five traits identified by Judge et al. (2002), I would imagine Openness to Experience would demonstrate the strongest correlation to curiosity with Neuroticism being the weakest. With courage, I would expect to see Agreeableness as the strong correlation with courage. According to Judge et al. (2002), affiliation is linked to Agreeableness and the “need for affiliation” has a negative correlation with leadership. Could this be an explanation as to why leaders exhibit intellectual courage? Since leaders are not focused on affiliations, are they more able to admit to wrongly held beliefs and accept new information? Neuroticism would also be the weakest for courage. Having this particular study as a reference point has only led to more questions for this curious future leader.

             

A500.6.3.RB_MedleyKim_Qualitative and Quantitative: The Difference is More

          Marie C. Hoepfl (1997) takes great care to explore the world of qualitative research and provides us with a better appreciation for the benefits of this type of research. A simple glance of the words used to describe the two methodologies of study, qualitative and quantitative, shows the fourth letter of each, “l” and “n”, are separated by the letter “m”, as in more. Hoepfl (1997) sites the calls from others for more, to expand, to go beyond the primary method of research, which is quantitative. Although there are many benefits to be gained by adopting this style; many scholars are unaware of its processes. As Zuga (1994) notes, of the 220 reports, only sixteen investigate qualitative methodologies (as cited in Hoepfl, 1997). It’s that age old adage, quality versus quantity, and which is the better choice?

          Qualitative research relies upon a “naturalistic approach that seeks to understand phenomena in context-specific settings” (Hoepfl, 1997). Whereas quantitative research establishes a hypothesis, conducts controlled experiments, records the findings, analyzes the numbers, and makes a conclusion based on statistical information, qualitative research provides for the consideration those interactions that occur in a social setting, and their effects. What happens when the human element is added?

          To demonstrate the quantitative approach, imagine a scientist wishes to test the effect of mountain water on human skin. The scientist would develop a hypothesis, such as; the external temperature of the skin will decrease when cold mountain water is applied. Random sampling, in order to develop adequate representation of a larger population, like college students, would be conducted. In a controlled setting, perhaps the Biology lab on campus, participants would be advised of the experiment to be conducted. The external temperature of each applicant’s skin would be recorded. Let’s say for illustrative purposes, the test area is that of the right and left forearm. Assistants would use an instrument to take the temperature of each forearm and the results would be recorded. Cold water, with a degree of coldness designed to represent mountain water, would then be applied to the test area. Post-application heat levels would be recorded. Once all experimentation had been completed, the results would then be analyzed using statistical formulas. Comparison of the results would be made and from the numerical data, a conclusion would be reached. Now, let’s apply qualitative methods to the same topic.

          Suppose the effects of cold, mountain water on the human skin were to be tested by a qualitative researcher. Hoepfl (1997) identifies “maximum variation sampling” as the method most helpful for this style. A group of children and adults are selected for observational study. The setting, instead of a lab, is an area of a mountain stream used as a swimming hole. So as to avoid any “distortion of the natural scene”, the researcher, who is the observer for the experiment, should either plan to be a part of the experiment, or a passive observer (Hoepfl, 1997). This could be achieved with the placement of hidden cameras, like the ones used by naturalists to capture animals in their natural habitat. With cameras in place, the natural actions of the group are recorded in order to see the effects of cold, mountain water on the human skin as each member enters the water. First, how does each person get in the water? Does one dip their toe first, to test the coldness, while another grabs the end of a rope swing and yells “cowabunga” before letting go? In addition to noting physiological changes, for example, goose bumps, blue lips, and the chilling effect described by George Costanza of Seinfeld as shrinkage; the qualitative researcher would record facial expressions and other gestures that occur as a result of the subject being introduced to cold, mountain water. If the experiment takes place on a hot, sunny day, the expressions and gestures may indicate the coldness is welcomed. If the day is overcast, or possibly snowing, as is the situation when the Polar Bear clubs take their annual plunge, shivers and chattering teeth may be the overarching notes of the day.

          So why use qualitative research? Rather than rely on conclusions reached by using theories and numerical data, qualitative research provides its audience with credibility, dependability, and confirmability, that can not only be seen; but, can be imagined as the reader reads the researchers recounts. Qualitative provides for that element of surprise as a result of social interaction. Data may lead scholars to believe humans would likely avoid exposure to water once it reaches forty degrees. Qualitative shows how wrong this conclusion is. Imagine teaching the mathematical principle of fractions to a child. What if the naturalistic approach were applied as opposed to the numbers method? Without knowing, the qualitative approach provided me with the opportunity to better explain fractions to my oldest son. I used cooking to demonstrate fractions. Recipes often instruct its readers to use a quarter teaspoon of this, or a three-quarter cup of this. In order to either reduce or increase a recipe, fractions have to be understood. By showing how fractions are used in a social setting, he understood the principle better. The qualitative experience provided him with a deeper understanding of the issue. Today, he works as a chef in St. Augustine.  Numbers in a table, more often than not, dampen my inner curiosity; however, when those numbers are few, and the experiment comes to life, either through recorded evidence or through imagery, I gain a much deeper and broader understanding of and appreciation for the topic being presented.