Theme of Imprisonment Essay Example for Free

Theme of Imprisonment Essay Within the novel ‘Regeneration’ Pat Barker explores the theme of imprisonment and the feeling of ‘being trapped’ through the use of setting and the characters mentality. ‘Regeneration’ was written in 1991; however, Barker sets the novel in 1917, during the First World War. The setting for this novel is at Craiglockhart War hospital in Scotland and is mainly rooted to this one location. It is at Craiglockhart that Barker explores the theme of imprisonment. It’s not the characters which Barker uses to show imprisonment and feeling ‘trapped’. Barker uses the setting of Craiglockhart to expand the reader’s visual image of how the characters are trapped or imprisoned. Sassoon, in chapter five, makes a comparison between Craiglockhart and ‘dottyville’ by saying; ‘It makes dottyville almost bearable.’ Barker mostly uses the interior landscape of Craiglockhart to show that the characters are still trapped in the war. For example, the corridors are described with a powerful simile; ‘like a trench without a sky’. By using this description, it links the hospital and the front line together and this could perhaps make some patients worse under those conditions. The description could suggest that the corridors are worse than warfare trenches because there is no natural light above them but instead a dark and dingy room. The setting of Craiglockhart is still darkened even at the very beginning of the novel; ‘Nobody arriving at Craiglockhart for the first time could fail to be daunted by the sheer gloomy, cavernous bulk of the place.’ This allows the reader to get a first impression of Craiglockhart. Being in a place like Craiglockhart shows how soldier’s conditions deteriorated through society constrictions. Throughout ‘Regeneration’, Barker uses a theme of Imprisonment in the presentation of her characters. This is to show that although they are physically away from the war, within their minds they are still trapped within the warfare. The character of Burns is first brought to the reader’s attention in chapter two. He is described as a ‘thin yellow skinned man’. The colour ‘yellow’ being significant as to show illness and how close to death he is. who keeps violently throwing up due to a horrific war experience Barker has purposely twinned with Burns. ‘He’d been thrown into the air by the explosion of a shellwhat filled his nose and mouth was decomposing human flesh’ Here , Barker uses descriptive language to support her ideas about the true horror of war and what effects it may have upon the soldier. With Burns, he is still mentally trapped within that memory and the theme of imprisonment first becomes apparent in chapt er four with Burns conflict with the setting. Barker uses an extended metaphor when dealing with the bus journey and this give Barker an opportunity to use visual imagery. Barker creates the bus journey to be a very difficult time for Burns as everything he smells makes him want to be sick. Barker has made Burns character to feel trapped in cowardice and has a constant fear of judgement for not returning to the front line. However, it was the un-enlisted men who were deemed cowards during the early twentieth century. Later on in Chapter four, Burns removes his clothes and lies down next to the dead animals. For Burns, he feels like this is the right place and feels that while he lays next to the burdenless animals , he too has lost the burden of the war. Barker decided to make Burns psychological effects a lot worse and deeper than other characters. Barker has almost made this seem like a cry for help. Back in 1917, this sort of behaviour would have been deemed as ‘going mad’ and wasnt seen as the masculine behaviour men were expected to obtain. When Barker describes Burns ‘stumbling’ across the field, she uses personification when it says; ‘tensing himself against the wind that seemed to be trying to scrape him, a fiercer gust snatched his breath’. This could show that Burns is fighting a invisible barrier which keeps pushing him back and not letting him through and this connects with Burns fighting against his internal struggles against the war. . The character of Billy Prior is introduced to the reader as a mute. The way in which Barker has shown the theme of imprisonment through Priors is through the use of reoccurring nightmares. He wakes up in the middle of the night screaming which is when he regains his voice. Although he gets his voice back, the reoccurring nightmares how that a part of priors mind is still ‘trapped’ within the warfare. This could also show that Barker put across the point that nightmares to soldiers could represent how they are constantly reminded about the horrors of war, and they can never escape it. Barker shows that soldier’s uniforms are constraints to them and this is apparent throughout the novel. It may have been seen during the war that although a soldiers uniform would show honour and pride, a soldiers uniform could also secrete their true identity and dehumanises the soldier. Barker shows this especially in chapter in chapter four with Burns and the dead animals. By Burns taking off his clothes, it could mean that a little bit of the war has gone away for Burns and he feels relief for removing his uniform. Barker develops the theme of imprisonment and the feeling of ‘being trapped’ throughout ‘Regeneration’. Each Character has a different aspect of ‘being trapped’ within the war. Reoccurring Nightmares, speech impediments and other aids are used to give the true scale of how imprisoned Soldiers were during the War.

Autocratic-Democratic Continuum Model

Autocratic-Democratic Continuum Model Leadership This review begins with various definitions of leadership. It then introduces different styles of leadership from a variety of authors. The issue of leadership is an important issue that has intrigued many theoreticians and practitioners over the years, leading to much research and study. There is no one accepted definition of leadership, although there are many opinions put forward. Sergiovanni, (2001) suggests a moral substance to leadership, leadership is, after all, a struggle a quest to do the right thing. Yukl describes the bigger picture regarding the leadership of one person over many Most definitions of leadership reflect the assumption that it involves a social influence process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person [or group] over other people [or groups] to structure the activities and relationships in a group or organization. (1994, p3) The group plays an important part in leadership theory, which i will discuss in more detail later in the chapter. Bass gives leadership a positive connotation and defines it as an instrument of goal achievement where leadership is viewed as constructive behaviours pursuing group goals. (1990, p15-16) This is developed further with an autocratic perspective by (Gardner, 1990; Riches, 1994, 1997) suggesting that Leadership is the process in which a person exerts influence over individuals and groups through goal setting or activities. Smircich and Morgan develop the group thinking by highlighting the active involvement of followers in allowing leaders to take on an influencing role. They state Leadership is an obligation or perceived right on the part of certain individuals to define the reality of others. (1982, p258) In modern society organisations have become more accountable, organisational leadership has came to the forefront and is one of the most researched and analysed topics in the area of organisational development (Chapman, 1993). Research found that good leadership plays a vital role in creating the culture that enhances learning in schools (Brundrett Terrell, 2004). Successful leadership is invariably linked to school effectiveness. In the many lists produced by researchers, firm leadership (Reynolds 1991), professional leadership (Sammons et al. 1995) and outstanding leadership (Levine Lezotte 1990) are identified as major factors contributing to school effectiveness. Leadership has also been shown to have an impact upon school improvement processes (Leithwood Steinbach, 1993; Stoll Fink, 1996) and an effect upon school outcomes (Hallinger Heck, 1998; Southworth, 2001). For schools, the qualities of leadership and management are a crucial element in striving for effectiveness (Sammones, Thomas, Mortimore, Owen, Pennell and Hilman, 1994). Teddlie and Reynolds indicate that leadership is usually provided by the headteacher or principal, they found that leadership is now centrally synonymous with school effectiveness for many, including many operating within school improvement paradigm (Teddlie Reynolyds, 2000:141). As such, the ability to set clear organisational goals has been found to be a relevant variable linking leadership and school effectiveness. Leadership Theories Development through history They are many theories on leadership which have been developed over the years and surely many more to follow. Here is a brief summary of the theory behind the subject. The individual leader, they are people who have always been scrutinised throughout history, this scrutiny has brought about The great man theory, the view that leaders are born and not made, this implies that the process of selection of leaders is crucial, and that training and development in leadership has no outcome. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, however, a series of qualitative reviews of these studies (e.g., Bird, 1940[8]; Stogdill, 1948[9]; Mann, 1959[10]) prompted researchers to take a drastically different view of the driving forces behind leadership. In reviewing the extant literature, Stogdill and Mann found that while some traits were common across a number of studies, the overall evidence suggested that persons who are leaders in one situation may not necessarily be leaders in other situations. Subsequently, leadership was no longer characterized as an enduring individual trait, as situational approaches (see alternative leadership theories below) posited that individuals can be effective in certain situations, but not others. This approach dominated much of the leadership theory and research for the next few decades. Trait Theory, this claims that certain personality traits determine success in leadership. Stogdill (1969) found that some personality traits were common to successful leaders, there has been difficulty in identifying them consistently and agreeing definitions of personality traits. Situation theory is based on the view that leadership cannot be examined away from the group over which leadership is being exercised. The view is that leadership is a group phenomenon which will vary according to situations and over time. Also, leadership is not a one way process of influence. Leaders are influenced by followers as well as vice versa. The studies that were carried out tended to be in small ad hoc groups in controlled settings (eg Lippett and White). Leadership styles, there are two ways of analysing styles of leadership: one is on the range from autocratic to democratic, which i jave chosen as my focus for my action research project, and is associated with the work of Tannenbaum and Schmidt (1973). The other is based on the relative dominance in a leader of concern for people and relationships or concern for production or results; this theory is associated with Blake and Mouton (1964). They also explained that The point to be emphasised here is that managerial styles are not fixed. They are not unchanging. They are determined by a range of factors. Many are subject to modification through formal instruction or self training. (Blake and Mouton, 1964 p.13) Behaviour theory is based on ten work of Halpin who suggests that leaders do two main things: Initiate structures: establish goals, set up channels of communication, establish procedures and review processes. Consider others: create a climate of trust, respect and warmth Halpin suggests that effective leadership is associated with high performance on both points. Contingency theories are complex, they recognise the interaction of leaders and their environments. They are two models: The model developed by Hersey and Blanchard (1977) identifies both directive and supportive behaviour in a leader, which can be modified according to the level of development, experience and commitment of the subordinate. The model developed by Fiedler (1967) combines an analysis of the leaders style (people or production?) with an analysis of three variables of the situation which can be seen as favourable or unfavourable to the leader, e.g. the level of formal authority. Fiedlers research indicates that a task orientated leader is best suited to a situation that is particularly favourable or unfavourable and that a people orientated leader is more effective where the situation is not particularly favourable or unfavourable. Action Leadership was developed from Contingency Theory by Adair (1984) who suggested that there were three main dimensions to leadership. These were; a concern for task, a concern for the team or group and a concern for individuals. Effective leaders will pay attention to all three dimensions. Adair then identifies a set of key actions which all leaders must perform in respect of each of these three dimensions. Leadership and Management Leadership tends to be equated with vision and values and management with processes and structures: Leadership and management are not synonymous terms. One can be a leader without being a manager. One can, for example, fulfil many of the symbolic, inspirational educational and normative functions of a leader and thus represent what an organization stands for without carrying any of the formal burdens of management. Conversely, one can manage without leading. An individual can monitor and control organizational activities, make decisions, and allocate resources without fulfilling the symbolic, normative, inspirational, or educational functions of leadership. (Schon, 1984, p. 36) Here the differentiation is not intended to distinguish between roles. Schon goes on to say that since we generally expect managers to lead, it may be permissible to treat management and leadership as one, although he does identify the concepts of: management as science and the art of managing. This latter concept may have more in common with leadership. In the classic research of Lewin et al. (1939) at the University of Iowa, three leadership behaviours, or styles, were examined: the autocratic, the democratic, and the laissez-faire. It was found that the autocratic style tends to centralise authority and dictate work methods, while the democratic style tends to involve employees in decision making, delegate authority, encourage participation, and use feedback to coach employees. Of the three, the laissez-faire style was found to be ineffective in every performance criterion. This original research of Lewins greatly influenced other studies conducted after World War II. The most significant of these studies were performed by the Ohio State Group (Shartle, 1949, 1950; Fleishman, 1953; Halpin and Winer, 1957; Hemphill and Coons, 1957), as well as took  place at the University of Michigan (Katz, Maccoby and Morse, 1950; Katz, Maccoby, Gurin and Floor, 1951; Katz and Kahn, 1952). All these studies found that leadership displaying concern for people produced better results than that displaying concern for production. The Ohio State Group formulated dimensions of consideration and initiating structure. The first of these signifies the extent that the working relationships a leader has with subordinates is characterised by mutual trust and respect for group members ideas and feelings. The latter signifies the extent that a leader is likely to define and structure her/his role and the roles of group members for the sake of seeking goal attainment. The Michigan studies spoke of employee orientation and production orientation. The former emphasises the extant that a leader values interpersonal relationships and accepts individual differences among subordinates; this is associated with high group productivity. The second emphasises the extent to which a leader values the technical or task aspects of the job and is concerned with accomplishing the groups tasks; this is associated with low group productivity and low job satisfaction. Autocratic leadership The Autocratic Leadership Style was first described by Lewin, Lippitt, and White in 1938, along with the democratic leadership and the laissez-faire leadership styles. The autocratic leadership style is sometimes referred to as the directive leadership style. Autocratic leadership can be said to be synonymous to dictatorship where only one person has the authority over the followers or workers. Their decision has to be taken as the golden rule and should never be questioned. They plan out everything and order their subordinates to work according to their rules. For instance, if a company has an autocratic leader as the Managing Director, the employees in the company would have to work as per the rules set down by him. They would not be expected to make any contribution from their side, which may actually help in enhancing the productivity of the company. In short, the autocratic leader has full control of those around him and believes to have the complete authority to treat them as he wants. The premise of the autocratic management style is the belief that in most cases the worker cannot make a contribution to their own work, and that even if they could, they would not. According to Douglas McGregor this belief system leads to the mindset of Theory X (Dessler 37). McGregor believes Theory X workers have no interest in work in general, including the quality of their work. Professor Henry Daryanto interprets McGregors theory as mangers dealing with this theory by using carrots and sticks. The carrot is usually a monetary incentive, such as piece-rate pay schemes while the stick is docking pay for poor quality or missed production targets (Daryanto). It appears only money and threats can motivate the lazy, disinterested worker. The natural management style for a manager with this Theory X belief system would be to favour is the autocratic management style. Autocratic managers attempt to control work to the maximum extent possible. A major threat to control is complexity. Complex jobs are more difficult to learn and workers who master such jobs are scarce and possess a certain amount of control over how the job is done. An autocratic managers attempt to simplify work to gain maximum control. Autocratic managers prefer a strict top-down; chain-of-command approach to management be practiced. Management style is a term that refers to the nature of the relationship between managers and non-managerial employees. It includes not only the personal relationship between people but also the style of communication and the attitudes that managers have of employees and the attitudes they generate in employees. The term leadership is sometimes used. This refers to the ways in which managers achieve the attitudes and actions of their employees. Usually the actions desired are those which lead to the achievement of organizational objectives. A form of leadership therefore implies a style of management. One particular style of management is autocratic, which our learning team sometimes refers to it as antiquated. The autocratic style of management is based on the use of coercion as a means of control in an attempt to force employees to behave in a particular way. The response of employees to such coercion is seen to be extremely authoritative, that is they will do as they are told because the alternative may be unemployment. Another reaction by an employee to this autocratic style is they might only do the absolute minimum required of them to retain their jobs. Clearly productivity in such an organization will not be very high. Military and law enforce1ment organizations historically operate within an autocratic style of management, but this is seen as necessary in the situation in which they operate. Because of this acceptance resentment should not arise since there is an accepted of style of management in these organizational forms. Our learning team believes not only should a style of management be chosen according to the type of organization, it should be chosen to suit the particular situation in a given organization. For example the means of dealing with a disciplinary matter will differ from that used in a problem-solving situation. The style of management of routine day to day activities will differ from the management of project and design activities. Managers must therefore choose a management style to suit the situation. Our team also criticizes the autocratic style and suggests that such a style will lead to conflict, low motivation and low productivity. We all advocate a more democratic style of management. This does not mean management by committee or making decisions by democratic voting, it means involving people in organizations in some aspects of the running of the organization. The communication style of an autocratic leader is usually described as one way. They tell you exactly what they want done. The feedback you would get from this type of leader would generally be unplanned. They would simply tell you when youve made a mistake. The decision making process is usually unilateral and they accomplish goals by directing people. Now that might not sound like the type of leader youd follow, but there are actually situations when this style is effective. In the workplace, some conditions may simply call for urgent action, and in these cases an autocratic style of leadership may be best style to adopt. Surprisingly, most workers have already worked for an autocratic leader and therefore have little trouble adapting to that style. In fact, in times of stress or emergency some subordinates may actually prefer an autocratic style they prefer to be told exactly what to do. So to summarize the autocratic leadership style is very effective when times are stressful, but very stressful during those times when the pressure is off the followers or coworkers. Though autocratic leadership style is tyrannical, it has proved to be very efficient during certain situations and conditions. Autocratic leadership works positively during emergency and stressful situations. When such situations arise in a company or organization, most people are confused and are not able to reach a common solution. During such times, having an autocratic leader would be great as he would take the reins in his hand and would direct the workers or employees to move forward. For instance, there is a terrorist attack at some place and the soldiers have to rescue innocent people from there. If many people try to give solutions, it may take time and the mission may end in failure. In such situations, having one autocratic person to command the rest of the group on how to go about with the mission can lead to success. Another situation where the autocratic leadership style proves appropriate is while doing group projects. Many group projects tend to fail because group members depend on each other to make decisions. Such situations demand the need of an authoritative leader who can make decisions for the group. The leader should determine the ways in which the project would be done, divide the job among the members, and also set a deadline for completion of the project. Autocratic leadership may have its benefits, however, in most cases it is seen as something that is undesirable. Autocratic leadership style promotes a one sided conversation and due to this the creative and leadership skills of the employees become restrictive. As the leader would have all the authority, there is a chance that he would exploit his employees. There have been cases where an authoritative employer has fired employees because they showed the courage of disagreeing with him. It is also said that having an autocratic leader hinders workplace communication and socialization. It is very important to have a cordial work environment, where everyone is friendly. It can also give rise to disagreements and conflicts, if a group or company is led by an autocratic leader. In the military and other urgent circumstances, people may prefer the ability to be told what do next. According to Money Zine, In fact, in times of stress or emergency, some subordinates may actually prefer an autocratic stylethey prefer to be told exactly what to do. The autocratic leadership style is very effective when times are stressful. Lengthy debate has no place in many work environments, and this form of leadership limits arguments. It allows employees to have one task, and that is to work, which could mean that the employees master their tasks and become proficient enough to help grow the company. This method of leadership may lead to more pressure from the boss on the rest of the employees, who then push back against the management method. Theft and other issues may arise because of a lack of workplace satisfaction. According to Smart Entrepreneur, This is one of the least desirable when it comes to building trusting relationships and making friends. In this system, one person has control over all of the workers or followers. Making friends is an important part of life, and if this is destroyed, it can create an unhappy environment. This translates to the quality of work, and not being seen as human can cause more resistance to new aspects of the job. A little autonomy and social appeal can make a difference in retaining good workers. 1.3 Participatory Leadership The premise of the participatory management style is the belief that the worker can make a contribution to the design of their own work. The belief system that lead managers to this conclusion was originally put forth as a management theory by McGregor, who called it Theory Y. Theory Y advocates believe that workers are internally motivated. They take satisfaction in their work, and would like to perform at their best. Symptoms of indifference are a result of the modern workplace, which restricts what a worker can do and separates him from the final results of his efforts. It is managements job to change the workplace so that the worker can, once again, recapture his pride of workmanship. Elements of Theory Y are evident in Demings discussion of the role of a manager of people, presented earlier. Managers who practice the participatory style of management tend to engage in certain types of behaviour. To engage the workers they establish and communicate the purpose and direction of the organization. This is used to help develop a shared vision of what the organization should be, which is used to develop a set of shared plans for achieving the vision. The managers role is that of a leader. By her actions and words she shows the way to her employees. She is also a coach, evaluating the results of her peoples efforts and helping them use the results to improve their processes. She works with the leaders above her in the organization to improve the organizations systems and the organization as a whole. 1.4 Democratic Leadership The Democratic Leadership Style was first described by Lewin, Lippitt, and White in 1938 along with the autocratic leadership and the laissez-faire leadership styles. They distinguished democratic leadership from autocratic and laissez-faire styles, arguing that democratic leaders relied upon group decision making, active member involvement honest praise and criticism, and a degree of comradeship. By contrast, leaders using the other styles were either domineering or uninvolved. Kariel (1956) argues that Lewins notion of democracy is manipulative and elitist and not democratic. The dynamics of democratic leadership, however, are not well understood. In fact, there is no clear and well-developed definition of the term within academia. In a classic review, Gibb (1969, p258) lamented the fact that the basic psychological meaning of democratic leadership had nowhere been spelled out. Twenty years later, Miriam Lewin (1987) agreed. repeating Kurt Lewins earlier call for a better understanding of the detailed nature of democratic leadership and followership through social science research (p. 138). The democratic style was also included by Daniel Goleman in 2002 as one of his six leadership styles. In Bass (1990, 19-20) handbook on leadership a definition is provided: Leadership is an interaction between two or more members of a group that often involves a structuring or restructuring of the situation and the perceptions and expectations of the membersLeadership occurs when one group member modifies the motivation or competencies of others in the group. Any member of teh group can exhibit some amount of leadership Bass further argues that Leadership is behaviour, not position and this can be said of the democratic method of leadership. The democratic leader gives followers a vote in nearly every decision the team makes. The process involved with being a democratic leader is very time consuming because decisions are nearly always made together. The democratic leadership style is able to quickly build flexibility and responsibility and can help identify new ways to do things. This leadership style is best used when the followers are knowledgeable about the organizations process and change is needed. For example, this style is used when the leader needs to introduce fresh ideas into the organization to help with an old process. Lewin, Lippitt and White were one of the first to categorize leadership styles in terms of behavioral characteristics. Prior to their work, leadership traits were the focus of leadership studies. Under democratic leadership, the people have a more participatory role in the decision making process. One person retains final say over all decisions but allows others to share insight and ideas. Most of all, democratic leaders must seek to make members into leaders (Theilen Poole, 1986). This is often a highly effective form of leadership. People are more likely to excel in their positions and develop more skills when they feel empowered, and people are empowered when they are involved in the decision-making process. Although it may take some time to achieve full participation from a group, the end result will be rewarding if you can manage to establish a power-sharing environment in your group project. You will find that democratic practices often lead to a more productive and higher quality work group. Examples of democratic leadership: Asking all group members for ideas and input. Voting on the best course of action in a project. Asking group members to work with their strengths and provide input on how to divide the work. ]li]Enabling members to work at their own pace and set their own deadlines. Pitfalls of Democratic Leadership It doesnt take too much imagination to think of ways that democratic leadership could backfire during a group project. As you probably know, some members of a group will work well on their own and complete all work in a timely fashion. But there are other workers who will procrastinate-and that can lead to disaster. If you are a natural democratic leader, it might be necessary to learn some traits of the autocratic or bureaucratic leaders and tap into them as necessary. Always have a backup plan on hand! Undemocratic leadership styles can result in a variety of undesirable outcomes: dependent and apathetic followers (Barber. 1984 Heifetz Sinder. 1987; Manz Sims. 1989; White Lippitt, 1960). In addition, undemocratic leadership can undermine the pursuit of ethical ideals, such as self-determination, personal development and democratic decision making (Barber, 1984: Sashkin, 1984). 1.5 Laissez-faire leadership Laissez faire style simply means a delegate approach to leadership. Many researchers have found out that those children who grow under laissez-faire leadership establishments, happen to be the less productive in any group. This was also reinforced by these children making more demands upon their leader, as researchers have come to ascertain, amidst showing little in terms of cooperation as well as the inability to work more independently. Most laissez faire styles offer no or very little guidance to the members of the same group, amidst leaving the making of decisions to other group members. As much a it could be overtly effective in those situations where most employees or members happen to be highly qualified and skilful in their area experience and know-how, it has often led to poor roles definition plus a sheer lack in motivation. In this leadership style, the head or leader onlysets that overall priority or instruction, where then he gets out of the way so that things can be left to run on their own. With the usage of this leadership style, the leader just accepts wholesome responsibility for many of the decisions that come into fruition, though the decision-making has been left to his team. Also, the team members are also left to evaluate, analyse and transform issue and all problems just as they come. Laissez faire is very appropriate for mature and acute senior teams, which have a track record of proof and have confidence in handling lots of issues. The most pitfall and shortcoming of this type of leadership is strictly failure. In case of anything going wrong, the leader has no clout to blame his team, but a chance to see his shortcomings. But in each management style, or leadership style, the motivation towards good leadership and overall output of members or employees are held up within the management theories, that offer a dimension for all leaders to use for the realisation of their utmost goals. Leadership without goals is failure in management. Some of these theories include the Hawthorne model or experiments, which lay emphasis on human relations. In this model, the work-place lightning did improve the productivity during the experiment and after, that is, within the groups. It has thus reinforced the fact that individuals are not those rational and covert economic beings as assumed by the classical theorists, as well as the emphasis of social interaction and the improvement of peoples work once they have been valued. Other theories of management include the rule set or bureaucracy, stipulated by Max Weber and gave the world the red tape, since it lays emphasis on rules and overall regulations. Also, the scientific theory of management by Frederick Taylor brought out the notion that each task must be scientifically and also rationally optimised for overall productivity, which was perfected by the Ford Company and the monetary incentives involved brought perfect results. Lastly, the process approach theory by Henry Fayol has been clear in leadership styles and in all management levels, even in laissez faire, as it lays much emphasis on planning, organising, coordinating, commanding, controlling and even the staff and line principles. The theories are not leadership styles but they harness the existing leadership and management styles. Disadvantages of leadership styles As much as the leadership style known as paternalistic management contains some autocratic dynamism, it comes as being a bit warm and a bit fuzzy within the precincts of its approach. In its paternal aspect, it harkens in the line of a father being firm though has good intentions in the life of ones children and in the business limelight, the employees. Just like most paternal beings are, except for those dads who keep saying: I told you, the typical paternalistic manager most of the times explains the specific reason as to why he has taken certain actions in management and for his employees. He is very far from being autocratic and looks after the harmony within his or her team. A manager of this calibre tends to provide that environment that is perfectly well rounded for all within his management wing, even including a prior consideration of their personal and social aspects in their lives. In this respect, there seems to occur some kind of upward communication all the way from the tip to the high ranks, in terms of provision of feedback which could be well used for the transformation of some aspects within the organisation for the achievement of employee satisfaction and avid motivation. Those in support of paternalistic management style have related to it as providing a huge movement towards the motivation of employees more than an autocratic style, since the employees tends to fill the leadership as considering their welfare and thus do care for them more as people and not just like robots. Since the objective that comes with keeping the motivation of the employees is highly included in this leadership style, there tends to be an overt probability that is laid towards an increased loyalty of employee and also a minimal turnover. The overall disadvantage with this leadership style depicts the overall disadvantage of leadership styles, sharing such similarities with those elements of autocratic techniques of management styles, such that they have led to the dependency upon the leader thro

Health Benefits Of Ergonomics Essay -- essays research papers

Ergonomics involves designing workplaces and work tools to be used easily, efficiently and effectively by people. The overall goal is to promote health and productivity in the workplace. Where ergonomic principles are not applied, chronic musculoskeletal disorders such as tendinitis of the arm and hand, eyestrain injury and back injuries may be common.Most people are concerned when they cannot use parts of the body like they know they should be able to use them. People are often unaware of ways to prevent injury, and ergonomics will introduce methods that will help reduce those injuries. Chiropractors recommend using ergonomics in a professional environment as well as at home. Following simple guidelines can help prevent injury to the arms and hands, eyes, and back. Everyday activities at work, home, or play can cause wear and tear on muscles, joints, tendons, and nerves. Problems can be a direct result of poor posture, repetitive motion, and excessive force or pressure to any part of the body.Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides ergonomic consulting services to companies, labor organizations and government agencies. In an environment where Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and the associated workers' compensation costs continue to increase, these services are directed to identifying the risk factors to such disorders and assisting clients in reducing the hazards created by these factors.INTRODUCTIONIncreased or constant productivity is a concern of every employer. Employers want to know that their employees are doing their best. Therefore, employers should strive to make the work environment suitable for productivity. The ergonomics program is designed to do just that. In most cases, a happy employer leads to happy employees.PurposeThe purpose of the ergonomic program is to make employers aware of injury prevention. Such awareness can to increased productivity, a decrease in the number of worker's compensation cases, and a decrease in number of lower back injuries.The information provided to you in this proposal will make you, as an employer, see the necessity of applying ergonomics to your working environment. Studies have shown that with increased computer use, the numbers of Repetitive Motion Disorders has tripled since 1979.ScopeThese ergonomic consulting serves are provided by trained and experienced industrial engineers and ... ... body movement: Try Yoga, Chi Kung, or Tai Chi.For reducing stress: Try meditation, visualization exercises, taking deep breaths, or going for a walkFor working through sore, stiff, or sensitive muscles: Try massage, physiotherapy, trigger point therapy, acupressure or shiatsuFor reducing inflammation and pain: Try ice or a package of frozen vegetables on the affected area.For relieving neck strain after sleeping: Use a cervical roll or a "contour pillow" and don't sleep on your stomach.For general well-being: Take frequent rest breaks (recommended is 5 minute rests every 20 minutes and get out of your chair at least once an hour), drink lots of water, exercise, stretch, and move around often.CONCLUSIONSThose are the basics. The most important thing to ask yourself is: Are you comfortable throughout a day's work? If it feels good and you tend not to shift trying to get comfortable, then you are probably less at risk of injury or possible reinjury. Remember, people are not robots. Move around. Get up. A good chair lets you have a little room to move so you can stay loose. Leaning and slumping is fine once in a while, just don't make that your continual working position.

Kazuo Ishiguros Remains of the Day Essay -- Kazuo Ishiguro Remains of

Kazuo Ishiguro's Remains of the Day Kazuo Ishiguro's Remains of the Day gives an eloquent treatment of the issue of how a stoic English butler's unemotional reaction to the emotional world around him is damaging and painful, and how he resolves to make the best of the "remains of the day";the remainder of his life. Ishiguro explores some of the differences between the old English Victorian culture;that of the stiff upper lip, no show of emotion, and repression of personal opinion; and the no-holds-barred American culture of free expression of opinion and emotion. The American culture's spread into England is hastened with the two world wars, and it ends Stevens' old way of work, if not the job itself. Although Remains of the Day concentrates on a particular culture, and an obsolescent one at that, Ishiguro makes many insightful observations on human behavior in general. I will explore a few of these observations here, and attempt to show that Ishiguro's work possesses meaning far beyond an examination of one emotional ly-repressed servant. Ishiguro illustrates Stevens, and all of the old English butlers, as characters who basically amount to machines, unable to think for themselves. They see loyalty to the master as the only thing that matters in the world. Every time Stevens ends his lines with â€Å"sir,'; he is repressing his true identity. Ishiguro makes the reader wonder how on earth a person could get to be like this, for the sole reward of having the best silver in the house or the best-starched suits. The old service culture of butlers in England was destined to change dramatically after the two world wars; by the time Stevens decides to change his lifestyle the old ways are already gone forever. Stevens even relates the subdued nature of English scenery to the proper way of dignified behavior, in his observation that the English countryside is more dignified than the showy American landscape, in its â€Å"lack of obvious drama or spectacle'; (28). Obviously, most regular people in England did not act like the butlers. The behavior of the old butlers represents stereotypes which persist today in our conception of the people of England. After all, â€Å"butlers only†¦exist in England'; (43). Indeed, Farraday judges the worth of Stevens, and Darlington Hall, according to stereotypical ideals of genuine Englishness. In a moment of panic, Farraday dem... ...ing purely like a machine, and at least Stevens had good intentions behind his repetitive â€Å"Yes, sirs.'; On his motoring trip, Stevens meets a man named Harry Smith, who argues his own definition of â€Å"dignity';: â€Å"there’s no dignity in being a slave†¦no matter if you’re rich or poor, you’re born free and you’re born so that you can express your opinion freely†¦that’s what dignity’s really about'; (186). Stevens, naturally, merely said, â€Å"Of course, you’re quite correct.'; Even in this frank atmosphere he could not spill his thoughts candidly. Stevens is a very affecting character whose battles with his emotions are far from unique, either to himself or to his culture. Most people, even Americans, sometimes find it difficult to say honestly what they feel, even when it is in their own best interests to do so. Occasionally they cannot even recognize what they feel, let alone put it into words. They are, then, like Stevens: perhaps full of feelings, but not recognizing quite what they are, or how to reveal them if they ever do seize their identity. Remains of the Day is a novel that anyone concerned about the difficulty of communicating openly and honestly should find rewarding.

Evaluating Term Limits Essay -- U.S. Government

Upon first examination, the idea of implementing term limits in Congress is appealing. In fact, the idea of term limits was initially discussed by our founders, though it was eventually decided that it should not be included in the Constitution (Newton-Small, 2010). The reasons for considering term limits have remained consistent since the beginning of the country, however, and include ensuring legislative turnover, limiting the abuse of the power of seniority, and decreasing the advantages given to incumbents in the campaign process. Interestingly, the states that have adopted term limits have not seen the expected positive outcomes, nor have the opponents seen the dire results that had been predicted. Upon further investigation, the case for term limits is strong as long as it is a nationally based initiative in order to create uniformity and the limits are long enough to increase competence in the job and head off short-term thinking, however without increased voter involveme nt, no reform will solve the current concerns with Congress. There are currently 15 states that have term limits in place for legislators, and among those states, there are seven different versions of term limits (National Conference for State Legislatures, 2009). The differences include the length of time for the limits and whether they are lifetime limits or just consecutive term limits. The difference in the parameters, and the fact that there has been no national reform passed, impacts the effectiveness of the restrictions. For example, consider the fact that congressional privilege and power is often based on seniority. States with current term limits have placed themselves in a weaker position when it comes to power within the legislature... ...tions.gmu.edu/Turnout_2008G.html Morrison, J. (1992). Congressional tenure limited to two consecutive terms? Retrieved from On the Horizon.com: http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/OTH/1-1_poli3.html National Conference for State Legislatures. (2009). The term limited states. Retrieved from NCSL: http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/legisdata/chart-of-term-limits-states.aspx Newton-Small, J. (2010). Term Limits: No magic pill for Washington's woes. Retrieved from Time.com: http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1967192,00.html Rasmussen, S. (2011). 71% favor term limits for Congress. Retrieved from Rasmussen Reports: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/september_2011/71_favor_term_limits_for_congress Shenkman, R. (2008). Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth About the American Voter. New York: Basic Books.

Psychology Coursework Essay

We have studied various aspects of organization, its structure, strategy, effectiveness, changes and other aspects. Study of organizations by psychologists has attained much importance in recent times. The broad study includes perception, attitudes, motivation, and interpersonal relationships among members. Every organization is a group of members working towards a common goal. Every organisation has a structure and purpose. It may be a social, political, or a commercial organisation or one for any other purpose. Psychologists ‘research in this field assumes much importance so that suggestions can be ade and implemented for obtaining the optimum results . Several theories are proposed with regard to organizations. M L Blum states that group theory views that associations and human affiliations are primary work motivators in a group. He states that the degree of cooperation in a primary group is critical for its success. So we find that all the members’ contribution go to achieve the goal. So it is essential that each member is properly motivated. Regarding the question put forth about the factors inhibiting or supporting performance,  It can be said that a person could have achieved one part of his target but might have not achieved in another of the same task. The major reason for achieving could be motivation. Among the various factors which go to contribute to achievement , motivation has the great role. The very formation of a group brings in motivation in its members. Clifford T Morgan puts in that motivations are inferences from behaviour. We can never observe motivation but can infer their existence. Motivation ,according to him is a powerful tool for explaining behaviour. Incentive motivation like wages, bonus play a major role in the group work. A member has to be motivated according to his needs. It makes common sense to say that When a person’s needs are taken care of, his performance would increase. Various studies have shown that a person may have upto thirty seven needs. Anyway they can be classified into biological and socio psychological needs. The first one is about his body’s necessities like food, nutrition, rest and so on. The next one is about security, freedom, care, recognition, approval , self respect and so on. It can be safely deducted that any achievement or non achievement can be attributed to the above causes. As an Industrial psychologist, his role would be to ensure that all or atleast most of the motivations are taken care of. This would bring in the best results. Having studied the lesson , we have gained in depth knowledge about the various dimensions about groups. The author goes in detail about the need for changes in groups that is, introduction of new ideas or behaviour due to current technological; changes, global competition and so on. It is suggested in many experiments that resistance would occur for adopting any changes. This can be measured by survey feed backs. The most mportant factor making implementation difficult would be insecure feeling among members particularly if the group is one of working group. It may be a fear of losing jobs or fear of inability to cope with the new methods of work. Let us now take the example of failure to perceive benefits stated in the Lesson. as a reason for resistance for changes. This failure is due to lack of information about the changes. The member is unaware of the reasons or the mode of changes. So communication is essential from the highest level to the lowest level and vice versa. The changes proposed have to be iscussed and analysed with all the members . Their views heard and clarified and convinced. . This gives them the feeling of importance. This again goes on to motivate the member. David G Myers emphasizes the need for group discussions where ideas are pooled and discussed jointly. Just hearing to a person’s arguments is of no use. Active participation brings in better attitude change than merely listening passively. Again ,this may bring in more resistance arguments but a thorough debate with proper information will ultimately result in the members understanding the benefits of the change and being convinced . The industrial psychologist has to see that the members are given assurance of their benefits and all apprehensions removed. Let us now imagine what a person would talk to the CEO if just a few minutes are at his disposal. An Assistant Regional Sales Manager would probably assure the CEO on the lines that his department would welcome changes . He would be keen on impressing the CEO in the short time. He would even go to suggest ignoring resistance and going ahead with changes. He would not miss to suggest a salary hike to all along with changes , which would be beneficial to the organization.

Leadership Traits and Principles

The United States Marine Corps has been one of the most powerful military branches in the world for more than twenty-three decades. The most important things that have kept this organization as prestigious and powerful as it is are the famous leadership traits, leadership principles, corps values and the leaders that uphold those traits. Without these structures, this leadership hierarchy this â€Å"gun club† would not have lasted this long. The next thousand or so words will help explain those traits, principles and corps values that we hold so high. The first leadership principle that will be discussed is one that was first thought to me through Drill Instructors training us for PFT’s and CFT’s or whenever we would feel like giving up. That leadership principle is â€Å"know yourself and seek self improvements†. This principle was always an important one; it meant that there is always something you can do to make yourself better. It involves knowing your strength and weakness’ and working on making them better. Knowing ones strength and weakness is the basis of formulating a reliable, bullet proof strategy that will get you in and out of any situation. For example the recent evens that occurred have made me look deeper into this principle, into my character, into my ability to improve myself more on the maturity domain. The Second principle that is also important is â€Å"Set the example† this principle is one of the bases of stability and leadership. Setting the example is a hard thing to do at times, it involves doing the right thing when no ones looking and when everyone’s looking. Setting the example is an important principle to have, because to become a leader you need to have the respect of your peers, they have to know they can trust you to do the right thing at the right time. And by my actions I demonstrated a lack of understanding of this principle and it is something I have to work on very hard because now, most of my peers and none of my superior trust me to do the right thing. The third leadership principle we are going to talk about is â€Å"Make sound and Timely decisions†. Being able to make sound and timely decision may be the difference between life and death for you or the Marines under your leadership or even your peers or superiors. Being able to make those kind of decisions require maturity, the understanding of right and wrong and the ability to weight consequences and the risk. If I had the maturity level necessary to stop myself from putting those chevrons on in the first place I would not be in this situation. Decision are what defines your character to others, it is what shows them who you are and what kind of though process you have and ultimately how reliable you are. â€Å"Be technically and tactically proficient† First off it means to know your job. As a Marine you must demonstrate your ability to accomplish what was assigned to you, and the ability to accomplish what was assigned to you, and to do that you must be capable of answering questions and demonstrate competence in your job specialty. Respect is the reward of the marine who shows competence. Tactical and technical competence can be learned from books and from job training. Seek a well rounded military education by attending service schools; and seeking off duty education. Seek out and associate with capable leaders. Observe and study their actions. Broaden your knowledge through association with members of other branches of the military. Seek opportunities to apply knowledge through the exercise of command. Good leadership is acquired only through practice. Prepare yourself for the job of leader at the next high rank. You are not done training for war once you've earned the title Marine, you are just getting started. These are things to keep in mind when trying to be proficient. â€Å"Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates† Another way to show your Marines that you are interested In their welfare is to give them the opportunity for professional development. Assigning tasks and delegating the authority to accomplish tasks promotes mutual confidence and respect between the leader and subordinates. It also encourages the subordinates to exercise initiative and to give wholehearted cooperation in the accomplishment of unit tasks. When you properly delegate authority, you demonstrate faith in your Marines and increase their desire for greater responsibilities. If you fail to delegate authority, you indicate a lack of leadership, and your subordinates may take it to be a lack of trust in their abilities. To develop this principle you should operate through the chain of command. Provide clear, well thought directions. Tell your subordinates what to do, not how to do it. Hold them responsible for results, although overall responsibility remains yours. Delegate enough authority to them to enable them to accomplish the task. Give your Marines frequent opportunities to perform duties usually performed by the next higher ranks. Be quick to recognize your subordinates’ accomplishments when they demonstrate initiative and resourcefulness. Correct errors in judgment and initiative in a way which will encourage the Marine to try harder. Avoid public criticism or condemnation. Give advice and assistance freely when it is requested by your subordinates. Let your Marines know that you will accept honest errors without punishment in return. Assign your Marines to positions in accordance with demonstrated or potential ability. Be prompt and fair in backing subordinates. Until convinced otherwise, have faith in each subordinate. â€Å"Know your Marines and look out for their welfare. † This is one of the most important of the principles. You should know your Marines and how they react to different situations. This knowledge can save lives. A Marine who is nervous and lacks self confidence should never be put in a situation where an important, instant decision must be made. Knowledge of your Marines' personalities will enable you, as the leader, to decide how to best handle each Marine and determine when close supervision is needed. To put this principle into practice successfully you should put your Marines' welfare before your own correct grievances and remove discontent. See the members of your unit and let them see you so that every Marine may know you and feel that you know them. Be approachable Get to know and understand the Marines under your command. Let them see that you are determined that they be fully prepared for battle. Concern yourself with the living conditions of the members of your unit. Help your Marines get needed support from available personal services. Protect the health of your unit by active supervision of hygiene and sanitation. Determine what your unit's mental attitude is; keep in touch with their thoughts. Ensure fair and equal distribution of rewards. Encourage individual development. Provide sufficient recreational time and insist on participation. Share the hardships of your Marines so you can better understand their reactions â€Å"Keep your Marines informed. † Marines by nature are inquisitive. To promote efficiency and morale, a leader should inform the Marines in his unit of all happenings and give reasons why things are to be done. This, of course, is done when time and security permit. Informing your Marines of the situation makes them feel that they are a part of the team and not just a cog in a wheel. Informed Marines perform better and, if knowledgeable of the situation, can carry on without your personal supervision. The key to giving out information is to be sure that the Marines have enough information to do their job intelligently and to inspire their initiative, enthusiasm, loyalty, and convictions. Techniques in applying this principle are to whenever possible; explain why tasks must be done and how you intend to do them. Assure yourself, by frequent inspections that immediate subordinates are passing on necessary information. Be alert to detect the spread of rumors. Stop rumors by replacing them with the truth. Build morale and esprit de corps by publicizing information concerning successes of your unit. Keep your unit informed about current legislation and Regulations affecting their pay, promotion, privileges, and other benefits. Ensure the task is understood, supervised, and accomplished. † This principle is necessary in the exercise of command. Before you can expect your Marines to perform, they must know first what is expected of them. You must communicate your instructions in a clear, concise manner. Talk at a level that your Marines are sure to understand, but not at a level so low that would insult their intelligence. Before your Marines start a task, allow them a chance to ask questions or seek advice. Supervision is essential. Without supervision you cannot know if the assigned task is being properly accomplished. Over supervision is viewed by subordinates as harassment and effectively stops their initiative. Allow subordinates to use their own techniques, and then periodically check their progress. The most important part of this principle is the accomplishment of the mission. All the leadership, supervision, and guidance in the world are wasted if the end result is not the successful accomplishment of the mission. In order to develop this principle you should ensure that the need for an order exists before issuing the order. Use the established chain of command. Through study and practice, issue clear, concise, and positive orders. Encourage subordinates to ask questions concerning any point in your orders or directives they do not understand. Question your Marines to determine if there is any doubt or misunderstanding in regard to the task to be accomplished. Supervise the execution of your orders. Make sure your Marines have the resources needed to accomplish the mission. Vary your supervisory routine and the points which you emphasize during inspections. â€Å"Train your Marines as a team. Every waking hour Marines should be trained and schooled, challenged and tested, corrected and encouraged with perfection and teamwork as a goal. When not at war, Marines are judged in 15-26peacetime roles: perfection in drill, dress, bearing and demeanor; shooting; self-improvement; and most importantly, performance. No excuse can be made for the failure of leaders to train their Marines to the highest state of physical condition and to instruct them to be the very best in the profession of arms. Train with a purpose and emphasize the essential element of teamwork. The sharing of hardships, dangers, and hard work strengthens a unit and reduces problems, it develops teamwork, improves morale and esprit and molds a feeling of unbounded loyalty and this is the basis for what makes men fight in combat; it is the foundation for bravery, for advancing under fire. Troops don't complain of tough training; they seek it and brag about it. Teamwork is the key to successful operations. Teamwork is essential from the smallest unit to the entire Marine Corps. As a Marine officer, you must insist on teamwork from your Marines. Train, play, and operate as a team. Be sure that each Marine knows his/her position and responsibilities within the team framework. When team spirit is in evidence, the most difficult tasks become much easier to accomplish. Teamwork is a two-way street. Individual Marines give their best, and in return the team provides the Marine with security, recognition, and a sense of accomplishment. â€Å"Employ your command in accordance with its capabilities. † Successful completion of a task depends upon how well you know your unit's capabilities. If the task assigned is one that your unit has not been trained to do, failure is very likely to result. Failures lower your unit's morale and self esteem. You wouldn't send a cook section to â€Å"PM† a vehicle nor would you send three Marines to do the job of ten. Seek out challenging tasks for your unit, but be sure that your unit is prepared for and has the ability to successfully complete the mission. â€Å"Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions. † For professional development, you must actively seek out challenging assignments. You must use initiative and sound judgment when trying to accomplish jobs that are not required by your grade. Seeking responsibilities also means that you take responsibility for your actions. You are responsible for all your unit does or fails to do. Regardless of the actions of your subordinates, the responsibility for decisions and their application falls on you. You must issue all orders in your name. Stick by your convictions and do what you think is right, but accept justified and constructive criticism. Never remove or demote a subordinate for a failure that is the result of your own mistake. The leadership principles are proven guidelines, which if followed, will substantially enhance your ability to be an effective leader. Keep in mind that your ability to implement these principles will influence your opportunity to accomplish the mission, to earn the respect of your fellow Marines, juniors and seniors, and to make you an effective leader. Make these principles work for you. There are fourteen leadership traits that a Marine must have. They are Bearing, courage, decisiveness, dependability, endurance, enthusiasm, initiative, integrity, judgment, justice, knowledge, loyalty, tact and unselfishness. Bearing is the ability to create a favorable impression in carriage, appearance, and personal conduct at all times. The ability to look, act, and speak like a leader whether or not these manifestations indicate one's true feeling. Courage is a mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism, but enables a Marine to proceed in the face of it with calmness and firmness. It is also Knowing and standing for what is right, even in the face of popular disfavor. Decisiveness is the ability to make decisions promptly and to announce them in a clear, forceful manner. The quality of character which guides a person to accumulate all available facts in a circumstance, weigh the facts, choose and announce an alternative which seems best. Dependability is the certainty of proper performance of duty. It is a quality which permits a senior to assign a task to a junior with the understanding that it will be accomplished with minimum supervision. Endurance is the mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress, and hardship. Enthusiasm the display of sincere interest and exuberance in the performance of duty. Initiative is taking action in the absence of orders, being a self starter. Integrity is the Uprightness of character and soundness of moral principles. The quality of truthfulness and honesty. A Marine's word is his bond. Judgment is the ability to weigh facts and possible courses of action in order to make sound decisions. Justice is giving reward and punishment according to the merits of the case in question. Knowledge is the Understanding of a science or an art. The range of one's information. Loyalty is the quality of faithfulness to country, the Corps, and unit, and to one's seniors, subordinates, and peers. Tact is the ability to deal with others without creating hostility. Unselfishness is Avoidance of providing for one's own comfort and personal advancement at the expense of others. In September, President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's most prestigious military award, to Sgt. Dakota Meyer, the marine who saved 36 of his comrades during an ambush in Afghanistan. Meyer was born June 26, 1988 in Columbia, Kentucky where he grew up and attended school. In 2006, after graduation from Green County High School, he enlisted in the Marine Corps at a recruiting station in Louisville, Kentucky and was sent to recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. After completing training to be a United States Marine he deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, in 2007 as a Scout Sniper with 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines. He gained national attention for his actions in Afghanistan during his second deployment in Kumar province with Embedded Training Team 2-8. On September 8, 2009, near the village of Ganjgal, Meyer learned that three U. S. Marines and a U. S. Navy corpsman were missing after being ambushed by a group of insurgents. He charged into an area known to be inhabited by insurgents and under enemy fire. Meyer eventually found all four dead and stripped of their weapons, body armor, and radios. With the help of some friendly Afghan soldiers, he moved the bodies to a safer area where they could be extracted. During his search, Meyer â€Å"personally evacuated 12 friendly wounded, and provided cover for another 24 Marines and soldiers to escape likely death at the hands of a numerically superior and determined foe. † On November 6, 2010, the Commandant of the Marine Corps General James Amos told reporters during a visit to Camp Pendleton, California, that a living Marine had been nominated for the Medal of Honor. Two days later, Marine Corps Times, an independent newspaper covering U. S. Marine operations, reported that the unnamed individual was Meyer, citing anonymous sources. CNN confirmed the story independently two days later. On June 9, 2011, the Marine Corps announced that two other Marines on Meyer's team in Ganjgal would receive the Navy Cross, the second-highest award for valor a Marine can receive. Capt. Ademola D. Fabayo and Staff Sgt. Juan J. Rodriguez-Chavez were recognized for their roles in retrieving the Marines and corpsman. When President Barrack Obama's staff called Meyer to set up a time for the President to inform him that his case for the Medal of Honor had been approved, Meyer was working at his construction job and asked if they could please call him back when he was on his lunch break, which they later did. Dakota then returned to work. Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor in a ceremony on September 15, 2011. When a White House staffer contacted Meyer to arrange the ceremony, the former Marine asked if he could have a beer with the President. He then received an invitation to the White House the afternoon before the ceremony. Meyer also requested that when he was honored, simultaneous commemorative services should be held at other associated locations to honor the memory of his colleagues who died or were mortally wounded during the ambush. Sgt Meyers by his actions demonstrated all fourteen leadership traits, all the leadership principles and gave an excellent demonstration of the corps values. I cannot compare myself to a man like that, he single handedly demonstrated, corps values, leadership principles and traits, and the leadership skills that are required of a Sgt of Marines, all of which I have failed to demonstrate or am still learning. As previously mentioned, the leadership traits and principles are guidelines. Guidelines that have helped the Marine Corps be part of the most powerful military in the world. Each of these principles, of those traits, corps values are set to help Marines be the best, be part of the best, and do their best in any given situation at any given time. Lack of these guidelines result in Marines making dumb, regrettable and unwise decisions. But it is the ability to learn from mistakes and grow from it. I have made a grave mistake; I have let down my instructors, my peers, and also myself. But I am also learning from my, understanding why something that didn’t look that grave, actually be that big, that important. I am learning that being an NCO is about more than just putting on chevrons on a collar, it is a state of mind, it is the ability to lead, t involves a higher level of maturity, it involves watching and studying your elders it is something you acquire through long years of blood, sweat, tears, dedication and more. I may not fully grasp the meaning, or the feeling of wearing these chevrons, but I believe that someday when I reach this rank through blood and sweat, I’ll realize how insulting it must have been to dare put these chevrons on.