...Lincoln said, “Reputation is the shadow. Character is the tree.“ Our character is much more than just our reputation, what we try to display for others to see. It is who we are even when no one is watching. Having a Good Character means doing the right thing just because it is right to do what is right. (Learn More About Abraham Lincoln) The Dictionary Definitions of “Character” One dictionary defines character as “the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.” Another says it is “the complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person.” In still another dictionary, character is said to be “the stable and distinctive qualities built into an individual’s life which determine his or her response regardless of circumstances.” How Character Determines Success In Life Our Character Is What Determines How We Respond to the Situations and Circumstances of Life The dictionary definitions said character is a “complex of mental and ethical traits“, that those traits, or qualities, are “distinctive to an individual” and that they are “built into an individual’s life.” It is those character qualities, those character traits, that determine a person’s response in any given situation. For example, a person in with a strong character quality of truthfulness is much more likely to accurately report the facts in a given situation than a person who tends to be characterized by deceptiveness. Someone who has the character trait of alertness will be more likely to be a better...
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... Research on leadership has been occurring for centuries and has continued to evolve over the course of time. So much research is available that it is necessary to categorize it to emphasize potential relationships that tie them together. According to Yuki, "common practice is to limit the focus to one type of leader characteristic, namely traits, behavior, or power" (Yuki, 2010, p. 13). Focusing on the trait approach, a definition will be provided and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of this approach will be discussed. Trait Approach Trait approach is defined as "personal attributes (or traits) of leaders, such as physical and personality characteristics, competencies, and values"(Fleenor, 2006, p. 830). The idea behind early research was that certain people had traits from birth that enabled them to be leaders. Researchers have created lists to describe the character traits of leaders; however, many were found to be inclusive and left out key attributes (Fleenor, 2006, p. 831). Individuals and the lists of character traits are compared to determine the success or failure rate of that person in a leadership role. Today, these types of comparisons are done through personality testing, such as Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Tests or...
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...planning is a critical leadership tool for ensuring organizational growth and continuity by eliminating substantial gaps in institutional memory, knowledge, and leadership through strategic placement of key personnel. One of the greatest challenges facing many organizations in the 21st century is how to affect a well designed change of leadership while maintaining organizational continuity and meeting or exceeding organizational goals. Current research suggests that many organizations will experience a leadership transition crisis in the absence of the implementation of a well designed, functional succession plan for the future. The purpose of this paper is to examine the leadership concept of succession planning and discuss two theories, trait theory and path-goal theory, and their relationship to the succession planning process. Succession planning is a six step process. Three important dimensions critical to succession planning as a leadership development tool include evaluating the future needs of the organization, the identification and development of leadership talent, and the ability to identify and implement results. Historically, succession planning is not part of an assigned role or task in a police agency and tends to get overlooked. Based on the literature, leadership succession in law enforcement will present a crisis for agencies. As these assertions are explored, the following research questions are proposed for future study: Will law enforcement agencies recognize...
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...Personality traits are like candies; they come in many varieties and some have a better flavor than others. Also like candies, personalities can appear extremely different from the outer wrapper than on the inside. I am like a sweet candy that turns spicy after enjoying it for a while; at first I may seem like an amiable girl, but after time the flawed aspects of my personality become apparent. My most prominent character traits concealed by my protective wrapper are my drive for success, my personable nature, and my fiery hotheadedness. A character trait that has helped shaped me into the person I am today is my driven nature. My relentlessness is like a Sport Bean, a jelly bean that energizes the body for activity. This trait motivates and gives me the energy that I need to be successful; therefore, aiding me in conquering my goals. I have shown the world my drive in many instances, such as the eight years of blood, sweat, and tears to reach my goal of earning a scholarship to play collegiate soccer. In high school, my tenacious nature revealed itself again when I graduated in the top twenty-five percent of my class while also earning fifteen hours of college credit. Moreover, this past summer I worked as a real estate broker’s assistant in hopes to eventually land a job as an agent with his agency. My intrinsic drive for success has been a beneficial factor towards achieving every goal I have reached thus far in my life. In addition to being extremely driven, I also...
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...of a common task” which in short would mean working through others to achieve goals or objectives . With these definitions, it would be safe to say that anyone whose accomplishment necessitates the sustenance of others can be a leader. The same is true of many who are presently working with and through others to achieve a common objective that they are indeed leaders, whether they consider themselves to be eccentric or catastrophic leaders. Mahatma Gandhi once said that, “We must live the change we want to see”. This quote brings new meaning as it embraces the fact that we are leaders of any change in our lives, therefore logically it means everyone can be a leader even if you think you are not a born leader. Good Leaders are Born- Trait Leadership According to the “Great Man theories of Leadership” it assumes that the capacity for leadership is inherent – that great leaders are born, not made. These theories often depict great leaders as valiant, mythic and ordained to rise to leadership when needed. The term "Great...
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... emotional and dependent on males and males are portrayed as the lead hero in the movie, saving the day and getting the girl in the process (Gilpatric, 2010). However, in recent times, we can observe a new trend in recent movies. Films such as Tomb Raider (2000) and Kill Bill (2001) have emerged showing women in a new light. Similarly, films such as Gladiator (2000) and Finding Nemo (2003) have showed a softer side of males that is rarely shown on screen. So what is have the film industry progressed towards a fairer and more accurate of gender in movies? Literature Review In recent studies, Gilpatric (2010) uses violence as a tool of measure to demonstrate that movies are still depicting gender stereotypes in violent female action character. This is backed by Sternheimer (2003) as she argues that even though females appear to be independent, they are still dependent on males which reinforces traditional gender stereotype. Nevertheless, there has been a noticeable trend that there is a fairer portrayal of gender in films in recent years (Nelmes, 2007). Such a trend is evident in Finding Nemo as Brydon (2009) claim that even Disney, the champions of gender stereotype, has the capacity to steer away from traditional gender roles. Heroines in films have “cross[ed] variable gender boundaries” (Brown, 2003, p. 52). In another article, Brown (2003) introduced the concept of dominatrix which the use of the strengths of masculine and feminine...
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...are doing, whether it be personal or professional growth. Ethics is defined as a set of ideals or disciplines that define a person’s character as good or bad, right or wrong, or by one’s moral duty (ThinkQuest). One’s personal moral principles or ethics can also be defined by one’s religious views or group codes. The ideals of a person’s character can be cultivated and enriched by one’s race and cultural rituals. All of these are pieces of our character and create who we are as individuals. Values are closely related to a person’s behavior and attitudes and are based on concepts and beliefs based on rules that we decide between right and wrong, should haves and should not’s (Changing Minds). High values can be described as having qualities that are worthwhile and desirable, with a unique quality. Values as well as personal ethics can define a person’s character. By being trustworthy, honest, and hardworking, one is displaying a strong character. People possessing these strong traits, especially being honest and trustworthy, are defined as being ethical. Values can be formed by a person’s race and religious beliefs and these core values run deep in building a person’s character because they define who they are as well who they are as a family. Ethics, values, and core beliefs intertwine to make up a person’s character. Having professional values and ethics...
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...weaknesses of this approach, and an example how it works in the organization. According to Yuki, "common practice is to limit the focus to a leading feature type, ie traits, behavior or power" (Yuki, 2010). In the trait theory, will provide a definition and analyze an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. Trait Approach Trait approach is defined as "personal attributes (or features) of the leaders, as the characteristics, skills and physical values and personality" (Fleenor, 2006). The idea behind early research was that some people were born traits that allowed them to be leaders, researchers have created lists describe the character traits of leaders. Individuals and lists of character traits are compared to determine the success or failure of such person in a leadership role. Strengths Trait approach to leadership research has some clear advantages. This approach maintains the idea that the leaders of this world are in the open and head. Leaders, consistently been transmitted are different from the villages, and have characteristics that differentiate them from others. This approach is backed by over 100 years of research that adds to the credibility theory. Unlike other approaches, the trait approach focuses only on the leader, which has led to a greater understanding of the function itself. Trait theory has provided baseline characteristics necessary for leadership. Weaknesses There are not some easily identifiable weaknesses this approach, lists...
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...on evaluation of the various traits that a leader should possess. Proper leadership skills are vital to the success of a company. They help in making the right choices at the right time. Proper leadership is a combination of personality traits and several skills, and capabilities that an individual learn with time, and the experience that people acquire in their various occupations. Leaders have effective ability to resolve complex situations as one of their most critical traits. However, this does not dictate that they are the most knowledgeable individuals in an organization. At some point, they will require the assistance of the subordinates to handle stubborn problems. Successful leadership does not undermine the contribution of a subordinate (Kinicki 2014). Instead, the leader combines his knowledge with that of the team member to set effective directions, as well as make proper decisions. The character, personality, or attitude of a person may be extremely useful to him in assuming leadership role. However, it calls for application of a range of leadership styles by leaders to suit their personalities, and various leadership situations. In most cases, people feel well prepared to handle leadership roles without considering the most critical issues at hand. Such people fail to understand the functions of leadership, which are useful in developing skills, and capabilities to acquire successful styles of leadership that match their characters, as well as their talents....
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...all the articles which is inclusive of personality and behavior traits as well as embracing the management philosophy portraying a functional method to detect prospective leaders. It is not an ironclad method which envisages who will direct or by what method will he or she direct. These articles give a concept into the methods to effect or utilize a particular description of successful management. However the conception of an effective leader is biased, which makes it challenging to visibly describe what characteristics and qualities cause somebody to be an effective administrator or leader. There is also not any unanimity concluded as to which traits are largely significant for those in chief positions such as leaders and administrators to have. Although some view character traits like self-confidence and inspiration, others contemplate natural traits like individuals size to be more important. This paper is a synthesis analysis of three research articles that explored leadership styles, individual’s temperaments, perception of themselves and others, and their gratefulness of multiplicity and variation using an assortment of students, managers, and presidential affiliates. These articles present concrete points of view for those in leadership, management and Presidential positions. The points of view encompass some narratives of these individuals surveyed and their impact of characteristic and behavior traits. The...
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...Leadership and Management Paper LDR\300 Rosemarie Micale October 26, 2015 Lynn Squire Leadership and Management You really cannot define leadership because it can mean many different meaning to different people. But for the most part leadership brings out the best in people you want to inspire and motivate people to pledge their energies, services and gifts to provide an organization's vision. Leadership seeks to find new prospects for people and the organization to be success in the future. This means dealing first with very tough situations that exposed survival today. In attempting those coercions leadership still finds a way to create a better future and grasp opportunities. The purpose of management is getting people together to complete desired goals and purposes using available resources efficiently and effectively. Since organizations can be understood as systems, management can also be well-defined as human action, including a plan, to simplify the invention of useful results from a system. This view opens the opportunity to manage yourself, along with an effort to effectively manage others. The key transformation between leaders and managers is that leaders have people shadow them while managers have people who work for them. The difference between managers and leaders would lie in the conception they hold deep in their minds Examples Managers has his eyes on the bottom line leader has his eye on the horizon Managers is a reproduction, leader...
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...status. Gender bias in children’s literature perpetuates this glass ceiling. Children’s books are dominated by male central characters from the Cat in the Hat to Babar, and from Peter Pan to Peter Rabbit. New research has found this causes a gender disparity sending children a message that “women and girls occupy a less important role in society than men or boys.” (“Gender in 20th Century” p. 2) In almost 6,000 children’s books published between 1900 and 2000, the study, led by Florida State University sociology professor Janice McCabe, found males are central characters in 57% of children’s books published each year, with only 31% having female central characters. Male animals are central characters in 23% of books per year, while female animals are central in only 7.5%. The Caldecott Award, given to the top children’s book each year, has had only one standalone female character since the award was established in 1938. The study also found books with male animals were more than two-and-a-half times more common. Since children’s books are a “dominate blueprint of shared cultural values, meanings and expectations” (Gender in 20th Century, p. 2) they contribute to how children understand what is expected of women and men. It also shapes each child’s world view. In seeking to understand why there is such a persistent inequality among animal characters in books for kids some publishers, who are under pressure to release books that are more gender balanced, use...
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...is an aspect of a person or an individuals’ character as to how he or she reacts to and interact with other people. In psychology, an individuals personality are the sum total of the mental, emotional, physical and social characteristics. For this assignment, we are required to take the personality test and write a comprehensive analysis of ourselves and match our personality to the most suitable job based on the big five-personality model, which are extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness and conscientiousness. I took the test and it shows that the highest score is 4 out of 5 for agreeableness, and openness comes second with a score of 3.4 out of 5. According to resources, agreeableness describes people who are fond of working with other people. In general, individuals who have this trait are trustworthy, cooperative, considerate, friendly, and helpful. These people are easily liked and they can easily interact or communicate well with others because they have a positive view of human nature. In a career test, social harmony is one of the most important goals for individuals who grades high on this particular personality trait. And usually, women are more incline to score higher in agreeableness than men. Agreeable individuals are keen on compromising their interest for others. These individuals find that it is vital to get along with the society. Individuals who scores low on agreeableness trait or are disagreeable tend to put their own concentration...
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...greatness. This drive, this urge, this passion for success fills everyone from the impecunious farmers in the countryside to the aspiring entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. But regardless of all characteristics like race, gender, and intelligence, humans who reach these goals, who achieve these dreams, are united by one underlying trait: the ability to work hard. In When March Went Mad, Seth Davis expertly illustrates this idea through his description of the 1997 NCAA championship and the events leading up to this influential game between Michigan State and Indiana State. Davis adroitly displays his rhetorical effectiveness through his use of descriptive imagery, diction, and anecdotal evidence to create effective and convincing pathos. In When March Went...
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...Leadership and Management Paper LDR\300 October 26, 2015 LYNN SQUIRE LYNN SQUIRE LYNN SQUIRE LYNN SQUIRE Lynn Squire Leadership and Management You really cannot define leadership because it can mean many different meaning to different people. But for the most part leadership brings out the best in people you want to inspire and motivate people to pledge their energies, services and gifts to provide an organization's vision. Leadership seeks to find new prospects for people and the organization to be success in the future. This means dealing first with very tough situations that exposed survival today. In attempting those coercions leadership still finds a way to create a better future and grasp opportunities. The purpose of management is getting people together to complete desired goals and purposes using available resources efficiently and effectively. Since organizations can be understood as systems, management can also be well-defined as human action, including a plan, to simplify the invention of useful results from a system. This view opens the opportunity to manage yourself, along with an effort to effectively manage others. The key transformation between leaders and managers is that leaders have people shadow them while managers have people who work for them. The difference between managers and leaders would lie in the conception they hold deep in their minds Examples Managers has his eyes on the bottom line leader has his eye on the horizon Managers...
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