The Winding Road to Success

HCS/504

01,23,2012

Dr. Tracy Lane

The Winding Road to Success

The winding road to success is a road that leads to personal and professional growth. This

road is not a road without challenges or obstacles. Her professional goal of

becoming a health care organization’s administrator or chief executive officer is dependent on

successful completion of her graduate degree in Master’s of Health Administration. Her dreams

of completing a master’s degree and subsequently earning a doctoral degree have been her

personal goals for many years. Achieving both her personal and professional goals would

amplify her professional career.

Pursuing her graduate degree has been a personal goal of hers dating back to her

adolescent years. She is a strong advocate for continuing education and firm believer that

education is the key to success. Openjuru (2011) stated “lifelong learning and lifelong education

are two concepts that aim at widening access to and the participation of adult learners in the

acquisition of new knowledge, skills, values and attitudes” (p. 55). She chose to pursue her

graduate degree to improve her job skills and performance, advance her career, increase her

financial earnings, and to influence her family’s desire to achieve more. According

to a study conducted by Schlechter and Milevsky (2010) “parents with higher levels of

education are effecting their children’s thoughts about education directly through modelling [sic]

process and indirectly by importing higher educational goals for the children and by influencing

teachers perceptions which serve to affect academic outcome” (p. 2). She has an appreciation for

the impact that continuing education may have on her children.

When she enrolled into graduate school her first goal, which was a short-term goal, was to complete her first graduate course. This may seem very cursory, but this is not her first time enrolling into graduate school. However, this is her first time in graduate school with plans and with goals. Before she enrolled into University of Phoenix master’s of health administration program she completed a self evaluation that incorporated both her long-term and short-term goals. With successful completion of the program to occur in 17 months, this will begin her journey to earning her doctoral degree. Completing her master’s degree is the bridge between her short-term and long-term goals.

Being an adult learner with a full time career may pose challenges and hinder her from

achieving her goals. She believes that overcoming obstacles are essential for accomplishing

goals. Her fear of failing, her lack of self confidence, and her lack of persistence are challenges

that she battles constantly. These challenges pose an eminent threat on her accomplishing her

goals. Her fear of failing has been so overwhelming that she tried to drop this very course the

first week. In 2002 Benabou and Tirole stated “ in most societies, self confidence is widely

regardedas a valuable individual assesst. Going back to atleast William James, an important

strand in psychology has advocated “believing in oneself” as a key to personal success” (p. 876).

Her lack of persistence is directly related to her lack of self confidence.

Mintzberg (1987) defines strategy as “ a plan-some sort of consciously intended course of action, a guideline (or set of guidelines) to deal with a situation” (p. 11). Strategies she can implement to overcome her fear of failing, her lack of self confidence and lack of persistence are positive thinking, making personal commitments, and increasing her personal faith. According to Mintzberg’s (1987) definition, “strategies have two essential characteristics: they are made in advance of the actions to which they apply, and they are developed consciously and purposefully”(p. 11). She believes an increase in her faith will increase her self confidence which inevitably will decrease her fear of failing.

Before enrolling into University of Phoenix she mapped out both her personal and professional goals and included the necessary steps required to accomplish those goals. At the top of the list was to gain admittance into a graduate school that was compatible with her full time career and personal life. With successful completion of University of Phoenix master’s of health administration program she will then pursue her doctoral degree. Her plans are to use the knowledge and experience she gains from her master’s degree to earn an administrative position with her current employer. Her employer’s core values and mission embodies continuing education and her plans are to use those values to benefit both her employer and herself. She wants to use the company’s values to climb their corporate ladder.

In a study conducted by Abbasi, Siddiq, and Azim (2011) they concluded that “communication skills are found to be very vital for entrepreneurial skills as well as education and setting a place in market and thus make an entrepreneur develop relation with this community” (p. 249). Communication skills are essential. She believes that effective communication is required for both her professional career and personal life. Conducting an analysis of her personal communication skills yields both strengths and weakness. She identified her strengths as being able to relate with others and being able to understand, although her weaknesses were excessive nervousness and lack of focus.

She sought strategies to improve her communicational skills. In 1983 Mckenzie and Qazi stated “ambiguous or misinterpreted verbal communication can add to communication slowdowns or breakdowns” (p. 71). She identified strategies that may improve her communicational skills which were asking questions, using eye contact and practicing. She believes that communicational skills are not developed overnight, but with practice and experience they will improve.

Conclusion

Continuing education is essential for both personal and professional growth. It started with the initial step of enrolling into graduate school. She made the decision to travel down that winding road to success. She titled this paper “The Winding Road to Success” because she understands she will face obstacles and challenges while trying to accomplish her goals. She carefully has analyzed her personal and professional goals as well as the strategies needed to combat those inevitable challenges. With the initial step behind her and several more to come she has prepared herself for the challenge.

References

Abbasi, M., Siddiq, A., & Azim, R. (2011). Role of effective communications for enhancing

leadership and entrepreneurial skills in university students. International Journal of Business & Social Science, 2(10), 242-252.

Be'nabou, R., & Tirole, J. (2002). Self-confidence and personal motivation. Quarterly Journal of

Economics, 117(3), 871-915.

Mckenzie, C.L., & Qazi, C.J. (1983). Communication barriers in the workplace. Business Horizons, 26(2), 70-72.

Mintzberg, H. (1987). The strategy concept I: Five Ps for strategy. California Management

Review, 30(1), 11-24.

Openjuru, G.L. (2011). Lifelong learning, lifelong education and adult education in higher

institutions of learning in Eastern Africa: The case of Makerere University Institute of

adult and continuing education. International Journal of Lifelong education 30(1), 55-69.

Schlechter, M., & Milevsy, A. (2010). Parental level of education: Association with

psychological well-being, academic achievement and reasons for pursuing higher

education in adolescence. Educational Psychology, 30(1), 1-10.