Courage Essay

Courage/Coward essay For my character I chose Tom Robinson. He is one of the main characters and is the basis of the story â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird. † Tom is sort of like the underlying hero in a way. He brought the Finch’s a little closer as a family as well. I think Tom had courage because he walked by the Ewell place (knowing the kind of people they are), also for sticking around after the accusation and not fleeing to somewhere to hide, and finally because he was innocent for the crime, and didn’t fight back when they convicted him.Tom had quite a bit of courage to me for just walking by the Ewell house. Everybody in Macomb knew what kind of person Bob Ewell was. The fact that they lived at the dump is even more foreboding to go near their house. Not trying to sound too judgmental but that just sounds like a bad idea. So I do give Tom credit for walking by there as much as he did. â€Å"Yes. I’ve walked by there many times. † To me, Tom showe d a massive amount of courage by staying around for his trial.At this time, many people would have fled and gone to a new place to lay low. Tom stuck around like a real man to await the judge’s decision. That takes guts. He could have easily of gathered his belongings and his family, then left and gone far, far away. â€Å"no quote. † When the judge sent the jury to go converse and make a verdict, Tom and everyone in the courthouse knew what was coming. They all knew Tom was going to jail. It was a one sided case from the start. t was one man against a whole town. I believe Tom showed a great deal of courage for keeping his composer and staying calm through the trial. â€Å"Mr. Tate left the room and returned with Tom Robinson. He steered Tom to his place beside Atticus and stood there. † I do, however, think Tom was slightly a coward for one reason. I believ he should have spoken his mind with more emotion and force. If he had shown his true emotions about the situation, he might have had a better chance of being let go.Emotions appeal to people and can alter the way they think of someone. Tom might have been able to change the jury’s opinions and he would have been home free. â€Å"no quote. † Tom Robinson was definitely one of my favorite characters of the book. He showed courage in many ways, these are just three I liked the most. To me, Tom was a good man, just doing a good deed and as the saying goes, â€Å"no good deed goes unpunished. † I don’t agree with the verdict at all. Tom was innocent.

Engineer

Concentrated Knowledgeâ„ ¢ for the Busy Executive Vol. 24, No. 8 (2 parts) Part 1, August 2002 †¢ Order # 24-19 FILE: LEADERSHIP  ® Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence PRIMAL LEADERSHIP THE SUMMARY IN BRIEF Great leaders move us. They ignite our passion and inspire the best in us. When we try to explain why they are so effective, we speak of strategy, vision, or powerful ideas. But the reality is much more primal: Great leadership works through the emotions. Humankind’s original leaders earned their place because their leadership was emotionally compelling. In the modern organization this primordial emotional task remains.Leaders must drive the collective emotions in a positive direction and clear the smog created by toxic emotions whether it is on the shop floor or in the boardroom. When leaders drive emotions positively they bring out everyone’s best. When they drive emotions negatively they spawn dissonance, undermining the emotional foundations t hat let people shine. The key to making primal leadership work to everyone’s advantage lies in the leadership competencies of emotional intelligence; how leaders handle themselves and their relationships. Leaders who exercise primal leadership drive the emotions of those they lead in the right direction.By Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee CONTENTS The Vital Emotional Component of Leadership Page 2 Why Good Leaders Must Read Emotions Pages 2, 3 The Four Dimensions Of Emotional Intelligence Pages 3, 4 The Leadership Repertoire Pages 4, 5 What You’ll Learn In This Summary In this summary, you will learn the secrets of primal leadership by: ? Understanding what primal leadership is and why, when practiced correctly, it creates resonance in your organization. ? Understanding the neuroanatomy that underlies primal leadership and what emotional intelligence competencies you need to succeed. Understanding the six leadership styles you can use — from visi onary to coaching to pacesetting — to inspire others, and when to use each one. ? Understanding who you are and what you need to change to become a primal leader, and then develop a plan to make those changes. ? Learning how to build emotionally intelligent organizations. Published by Soundview Executive Book Summaries, 10 LaCrue Avenue, Concordville, Pennsylvania 19331 USA  ©2002 Soundview Executive Book Summaries †¢ All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited. Developing Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Pages 5, 6 The Motivation to ChangePages 6, 7 Building Emotionally Intelligent Organizations Pages 7, 8 Reality and the Ideal Vision Page 8 Creating Sustainable Change Page 8 PRIMAL LEADERSHIP by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee — THE COMPLETE SUMMARY The Vital Emotional Component of Leadership Gifted leadership occurs where heart and head — feeling and thought — meet. These are the two things that allow a leade r to soar. All leaders need enough intellect to handle the tasks and challenges at hand. However, intellect alone won’t make a leader. Leaders execute a vision by motivating, guiding, inspiring, listening, persuading and creating resonance.As a result, the manner in which leaders act — not just what they do, but how they do it — is a fundamental key to effective leadership. The reason lies in the design of the human brain. Laughter and the Open Loop A study at Yale University showed that among working groups, cheerfulness and warmth spread most easily. Laughter, in particular, demonstrates the power of the open loop in operation. Unlike other emotional signals which can be feigned, laughter is largely involuntary. In a neurological sense, laughing represents the shortest distance between two people because it instantly interlocks limbic systems.This immediate, involuntary reaction might be called a limbic lock. Laughter in the workplace signals trust, comfort, a nd a shared sense of the world. a management team that did not get along, the poorer the company’s market return.  ¦ The Open Loop The brain is an open loop. We rely on connections with other people for our emotional stability. Scientists describe the open-loop system as â€Å"interpersonal limbic regulation,† whereby one person transmits signals that can alter hormone levels, cardiovascular function, sleep rhythms and even immune function inside the body of another.Other people can change our very physiology and our emotions. The continual interplay of limbic open loops among members of a group creates a kind of emotional soup, with everyone adding his or her flavor to the mix. Negative emotions — especially chronic anger, anxiety or a sense of futility — powerfully disrupt work, hijacking attentions from the tasks at hand. On the other hand, when people feel good, they work at their best. Feeling good lubricates mental efficiency, making people better at understanding information and making complex judgments.Insurance agents with a glass-ishalf-full attitude, for example, make more sales, in part because they are able to withstand rejection better than their more pessimistic peers. A study on 62 CEOs and their top management shows just how important mood is. The CEOs and their management team members were assessed on how upbeat — energetic, enthusiastic and determined — they were. They were also asked how much conflict the top team experienced. The study found that the more positive the overall moods of people in the top management team, the more cooperative they worked together and the better the company’s business results.The longer a company was run by Why Good Leaders Must Read Emotions Dissonance, in its original musical sense, describes an unpleasant, harsh sound. Dissonant leadership produces groups that feel emotionally discordant, in which people have a sense of being continually off-key. Ranging fr om abusive tyrants to manipulative sociopaths, dissonant leaders are out of touch and create wretched workplaces (continued on page 3) The authors: Daniel Goleman is Codirector of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations at Rutgers University.Richard Boyatzis is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Organizational Behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. Annie McKee, who is a member of the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, consults to business leaders worldwide. Copyright © 2002 by Daniel Goleman. Summarized by permission of the publisher, Harvard Business School Press, 60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02472 (for print and electronic rights) and Audio Renaissance, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010 (for audio rights). 306 pages. $26. 95. 0-57851-486-X.Published by Soundview Executive Book Summaries (ISSN 0747-2196), 10 LaCrue Avenue, Concordville, PA 19331 USA, a divis ion of Concentrated Knowledge Corporation. Publisher, George Y. Clement. V. P. Publications, Maureen L. Solon. Editor-in-Chief, Christopher G. Murray. Published monthly. Subscriptions: $195 per year in U. S. , Canada & Mexico, and $275 to all other countries. Periodicals postage paid at Concordville, PA and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Soundview, 10 LaCrue Avenue, Concordville, PA 19331. Copyright  © 2002 by Soundview Executive Book Summaries.Available formats: Summaries are available in print, audio and electronic formats. To subscribe, call us at 1-800-521-1227 (1-610-558-9495 outside U. S. & Canada) Multiple-subscription discounts and Corporate Site Licenses are also available. . 2 Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® Primal Leadership — SUMMARY Why Good Leaders Must Read Emotions (continued from page 2) Leadership and the Brain’s Design New findings in brain research show that the neural systems responsible for the intellect and for the emotions are separate, but have intimately interwoven connections.This brain circuitry provides the neural basis of primal leadership. Although our business culture places great value in an intellect devoid of emotion, our emotions are more powerful than our intellect. In emergencies, the limbic brain — our emotional center — commandeers the rest of our brain. There is a good reason for this. Emotions are crucial for survival, being the brain’s way of alerting us to something urgent and offering an immediate plan for action — fight, flee, freeze. The thinking brain evolved from the limbic brain, and continues to take orders from it when it perceives a threat.The trigger point is the amygdala, a limbic brain structure that scans what’s happening to us moment by moment, always on the alert for an emergency. It commandeers other parts of the brain, including the rational centers in the cortex, for immediate action if it perceives an emergency. Tod ay we face complex social realities with a brain designed for surviving physical emergencies. And so we find ourselves hijacked — swept away by anxiety or anger better suited for handling bodily threats than office politics.Fortunately, emotional impulses pass through other parts of the brain, from the amygdala through the prefrontal area. There an emotional impulse can be vetoed. The dialogue between neurons in the emotional center and the prefrontal area operate through a neurological superhighway. The emotional intelligence competencies hinge on the smooth operation of this circuitry. Biologically speaking, then, the art of primal leadership interweaves our intellect and emotions. ? — although they have no idea how destructive they are, or simply don’t care.Meanwhile, the collective distress they trigger becomes the group’s preoccupation, deflecting attention away from their mission. Emotionally Intelligent Resonance Resonant leaders, on the other hand , are attuned to their people’s feelings and move them in a positive emotional direction. Resonance comes naturally to emotionally intelligent leaders. Their passion and enthusiastic energy resounds throughout the group. When there are serious concerns, emotionally intelligent (EI) leaders use empathy to attune to the emotional registry of the people they lead.For example, if something has happened that everyone feels angry about (such as the closing of a division) or sad about (such as a co-worker’s serious illness) the EI leader not only empathizes with those emotions, but also expresses them for the group. The leader leaves people feeling understood and cared for. Under the guidance of an EI leader, people feel a mutual comfort level. They share ideas, learn from one another, make decisions collaboratively, and get things done. Perhaps most important, connecting with others at an emotional level makes work more meaningful.  ¦ The Four Dimensions Of Emotional Intel ligenceThere are four domains to emotional intelligence: selfawareness, self-management, social awareness and relationships management. Within the four domains are 18 competencies. These competencies are the vehicles of primal leadership. Even the most outstanding leader will not have all competencies. Effective leaders, though, exhibit at least one competency from each of the domains. The four domains and their competencies are listed below: Self-awareness ? Emotional self-awareness: Reading one’s own emotions and recognizing their impact and using â€Å"gut sense† to guide decisions. Accurate self-assessment: Knowing one’s strengths and limits. ? Self-confidence: A sound sense of one’s self-worth and capabilities. Transparency: Displaying honesty, integrity and trustworthiness. ? Adaptability: Flexibility in adapting to changing situations or overcoming obstacles. ? Achievement: The drive to improve performance to meet inner standards of excellence. ? I nitiative: Readiness to act and seize opportunities. ? Optimism: Seeing the upside in events. Social Awareness ? Self-management ? Emotional self-control: Keeping disruptive emotions and impulses under control.Empathy: Sensing others’ emotions, understanding their perspective, and taking active interest in their concerns. ? Organizational awareness: Reading the currents, decision networks, and politics at the organizational level. (continued on page 4) Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® 3 Primal Leadership — SUMMARY The Four Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence (continued from page 3) ? Service: Recognizing and meeting follower, client or customer needs. Relationship Management ? Inspirational leadership: Guiding and motivating with a compelling vision. ? Influence: Wielding a range of tactics for persuasion. Developing others: Bolstering others’ abilities through feedback and guidance. ? Change catalyst: Initiating, managing and leading in new directions. ? Building bonds: Cultivating and maintaining relationship webs. ? Teamwork and collaboration: Cooperation and team-building.  ¦ The Leadership Repertoire The best, most effective leaders act according to one or more of six distinct approaches to leadership. Four of the styles — visionary, coaching, affiliative and democratic — create the kind of resonance that boosts performance. The other two — pacesetting and commanding — should be applied with caution. nd fostering friendly interactions. When leaders are being affiliative, they focus on the emotional needs of workers, using empathy. Many leaders who use the affiliative approach combine it with the visionary approach. Visionary leaders state a mission, set standards, and let people know whether their work is furthering group goals. Ally that with the caring approach of the affiliative leader and you have a potent combination. 4. Democratic. A democratic leader builds on a triad of EI abilities: teamw ork and collaboration, conflict management and influence. Democratic leaders are great listeners and true collaborators.They know how to quell conflict and create harmony. Empathy also plays a role. A democratic approach works best when as a leader, you are unsure what direction to take and need ideas from able employees. For example, IBM’s Louis Gerstner, an outsider to the computer industry when he became CEO of the ailing giant, relied on seasoned colleagues for advice. 5. Pacesetting. Pacesetting as a leadership style must be applied sparingly, restricted to settings where it truly works. Common wisdom holds that pacesetting is admirable. The leader holds and exemplifies high standards for performance.He is obsessive about doing things better and faster, quickly pinpointing poor performers. Unfortunately, applied excessively, pacesetting can backfire and lead to low morale as workers think they are being pushed too hard or that the leader doesn’t (continued on page 5) The Six Styles of Leadership 1. Visionary. The visionary leader articulates where a group is going, but not how it gets there — setting people free to innovate, experiment and take calculated risks. Inspirational leadership is the emotional intelligence competence that most strongly undergirds the visionary style.Transparency, another EI competency, is also crucial. If a leader’s vision is disingenuous, people sense it. The EI competency that matters most to visionary leadership, however, is empathy. The ability to sense what others feel and understand their perspectives helps leader articulate a truly inspirational vision. 2. Coaching. The coaching style is really the art of the one-on-one. Coaches help people identify their unique strengths and weaknesses, tying those to their personal and career aspirations. Effective coaching exemplifies the EI competency of developing others, which lets a leader act as a counselor.It works hand in hand with two other competenc ies: emotional awareness and empathy. 3. Affiliative. The affiliative style of leadership represents the collaborative competency in action. An affiliative leader is most concerned with promoting harmony 4 A Visionary Leader When Shawana Leroy became director of a social agency, there were clearly problems. Her predecessor had mired the agency in rules that the talented staff the agency had attracted because of its mission found draining. Despite increased needs for the agency’s services, the pace of work was slow. Leroy met one-on-one with staff and found out that they shared her ision. She got people talking about their hopes for the future and tapped into the compassion and dedication they felt. She voiced their shared values whenever she could. She guided them in looking at whether how they did things furthered the mission, and together they eliminated rules that made no sense. Meanwhile, she modeled the principles of the new organization she wanted to create: one that wa s transparent and honest; one that focused on rigor and results. Then Leroy and her team tackled the changes. The agency’s emotional climate changed to reflect her passion and commitment; she set the tone as a visionary leader.Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® Primal Leadership — SUMMARY The Leadership Repertoire (continued from page 4) The Case of Too Much Pacesetting The superb technical skills of Sam, an R&D biochemist at a large pharmaceutical company, made him an early star. When he was appointed to head a team to develop a new product, Sam continued to shine, and his teammates were as competent and self-motivated as their leader. Sam, however, began setting the pace by working late and offering himself as a model of how to do first-class scientific work under tremendous deadline pressure.His team completed the task in record time. But when Sam was selected to head R&D, he began to slip. Not trusting the capabilities of his subordinates, he refused to delega te power, becoming instead a micro-manager obsessed with details. He took over for others he perceived as slacking, rather than trust that they could improve with guidance. To everyone’s relief, including his own, he returned to his old job. trust them to get their job done. The emotional intelligence foundation of a pacesetter is the drive to achieve through improved performance and the initiative to seize opportunities.But a pacesetter who lacks empathy can easily be blinded to the pain of those who achieve what the leader demands. Pacesetting works best when combined with the passion of the visionary style and the team building of the affiliate style. 6. Commanding. The command leader demands immediate compliance with orders, but doesn’t bother to explain the reasons. If subordinates fail to follow orders, these leaders resort to threats. They also seek tight control and monitoring. Of all the leadership styles, the commanding approach is the least effective. Consid er what the style does to an organization’s climate.Given that emotional contagion spreads most readily from the top down, an intimidating, cold leader contaminates everyone’s mood. Such a leader erodes people’s spirits and the pride and satisfaction they take in their work. The commanding style works on limited circumstances, and only when used judiciously. For example, in a genuine emergency, such as an approaching hurricane or a hostile take-over attempt, a take-control style can help everyone through the crisis. An effective execution of the commanding style draws on three emotional intelligence competencies: influence, achievement and initiative.In addition, self-awareness, emotional self-control and empathy are crucial to keep the commanding style from going off track.  ¦ Developing Emotionally Intelligent Leaders The key to learning that lasts lies in the brain. Remember that emotional intelligence involves circuitry between the prefrontal lobes and the limbic system. Skills based in the limbic system are best learned through motivation, extended practice and feedback. The limbic system is a slow learner, especially when trying to relearn deeply ingrained habits. This matters immensely when trying to improve leadership skills.These skills often come down to habits learned early in life. Reeducating the emotional brain for leadership learning requires plenty of practice and repetition. That’s because neural connections used over and over (continued on page 6) Boyatzis’s Theory of Self-Directed Learning Practicing the new behavior, building new neural pathways through to mastery 1. My ideal self: Who do I want to be? 2. My real self: Who am I? 5. Developing trusting relationships that help, support and encourage each step in the process 4. Experimenting with new behavior, thoughts and feelingsMy strengths: Where my ideal and real self overlap My gaps: Where my ideal and real self differ 3. My learning agenda: Building on my strengths while reducing gaps Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® 5 Primal Leadership — SUMMARY How One Leader Changed When Nick, a star salesman, took over as head of an insurance agency in a new city, he knew he needed help. The agency was in the bottom quartile. He hired leadership consultants, who determined what type of leader Nick was. He fit the pacesetting mold, with elements of the commanding style. As pressure mounted, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.Nick was encouraged to focus on his salespeople’s performance rather than his own. This required he use the coaching and visionary styles. Fortunately, some of the traits that made him a great salesman — empathy, self-management and inspiration — transferred well. He seized the opportunity to work one-on-one and stifled his impulse to jump in when he got impatient with someone’s work. Eighteen months later, the agency had moved from the bottom to the top and Nick became one o f the youngest managers to win a national award for growth. The Motivation to Change The first discovery — the ideal self — is where change begins.Connecting with one’s passion, energy, and excitement about life is the key to uncovering your ideal self. Doing so requires a reach deep inside. You, Fifteen Years from Now Think about where you would be sitting and reading this summary if it were fifteen years from now and you were living your ideal life. What kinds of people are around you? What does your environment look and feel like? What would you be doing during a typical day? Don’t worry about the feasibility. Just let the image develop and place yourself in the picture. Write down your vision, or share it with a trusted friend.After doing this exercise, you may feel a release of energy and optimism. Envisioning your ideal future can be a powerful way to connect with the real possibilities for change in our lives. Next, determine what your guiding prin ciples are. What are your core values in the areas of life that are important to you, such as family, relationships, work, spirituality and health. Write down everything you want to experience before you die. Doing so will open you up to new possibilities. Developing Emotionally Intelligent Leaders (continued from page 5) become stronger while those not used weaken. Self-Directed LearningTo work, leadership development must be self-directed. You must want to develop or strengthen an aspect of who you are or who you want to be. This requires first getting a strong image of your ideal self, and an accurate picture of your real self. Self-directed learning involves five discoveries, each representing a discontinuity. The goal is to use each discovery as a tool for making the changes needed to become an emotionally intelligent leader. People who successfully change move through the following stages: ? The first discovery: My ideal self — Who do I want to be? ? The second discover y: My real self — Who am I?What are my strengths and gaps? ? The third discovery: My learning agenda — How can I build on my strengths while reducing my gaps? ? The fourth discovery: Experimenting with and practicing new thoughts, behaviors and feelings to the point of mastery. ? The fifth discovery: Developing supportive and trusting relationships that make change possible.  ¦ Look at Your Real Self Once you see your ideal self, you need to look at your real self — the second discovery. Then, and only then, can you understand your strengths. Taking stock of your real self starts with an inventory of your talents and passions — the person you actually are.This can be painful if the slow, invisible creep of compromise and complacency has caused your ideal self to slip away. How do you get to the truth of your real self? You must break through the information quarantine around you. Actively seek out negative feedback. You can do this using a 360-degree ev aluation — collecting information from your boss, your peers and your subordinates. Multiple views render a more complete picture because each sees a different aspect of you. Once you have a full picture of yourself, you can examine your strengths and gaps. Do this by creating a personal balance sheet, listing both.Don’t focus solely on the gaps. Metamorphosis: Sustaining Leadership Change It’s now time to develop a practical plan to learn leadership skills, which is the third discovery. Focus on improvements you are passionate about, building on your strengths while filling the gaps. Craft specific, manageable learning goals that are tied to the goals that motivate you. When goal-setting, consider that: (continued on page 7) 6 Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® Primal Leadership — SUMMARY Are You a Boiling Frog? If you drop a frog into boiling water, it will instinctively jump out.But if you place the frog in a pot of cold water and gradually increa se the temperature, the frog won’t notice the water’s getting hotter. It will sit there until the water boils. The fate of that poached frog isn’t so unlike some leaders who settle into a routine or let small conveniences solidify into large habits — and allow inertia to set in. Building Emotionally Intelligent Organizations When it comes to leadership, changing a single leader is only the beginning. The rest of the job is to develop a critical mass of resonant leaders and thereby transform how people work together.Parallel Transformations The most effective leadership development works hand in hand with parallel transformations in the organizations that those leaders guide. Groups only begin to change when they understand how they work, especially if there is discordance. They must understand what the underlying group norms are, and then develop the ideal vision for the group. The Motivation to Change (continued from page 6) ? Goals should build strength s. ? Goals must be your own, not someone else’s. ? Plans must be flexible and feasible, with manageable steps. ? Plans must fit your learning style.The Power of Group Decision-Making Group decision-making is superior to that of the brightest individual in the group — unless the group lacks harmony or the ability to cooperate. Even groups with brilliant individuals will make bad decisions in such an environment. In short, groups are smarter than individuals when (and only when) they exhibit the qualities of emotional intelligence. Leaders ignore the power of the Groups are smarter than group at great individuals when cost. You can’t (and only when) assume that the force of your they exhibit the qualities leadership alone of emotional intelligence. s enough to drive people’s behavior. Don’t make the common mistake of ignoring resonance-building leadership styles and steam-rolling over the team using the commanding and pacesetting styles exclusively. To lead a team effectively, you must address the group reality. Leaders who have a keen sense of the group’s pivotal norms and who are adept at maximizing positive emotions can create highly emotionally intelligent teams. The Experimenting Stage The fourth discovery requires you to reconfigure your brain as you practice new behaviors to the point of mastery.You can only do this by bringing bad habits into awareness and consciously practicing a better way. Rehearse the behavior at every opportunity until it becomes automatic. Improving an emotional intelligence competency takes months because the emotional centers of the brain are involved. The more often a behavioral sequence repeats, the stronger the underlying brain circuits become, as you rewire your brain. Like a professional musician, you must practice and practice until the behavior becomes automatic. A powerful technique you can use is the mental rehearsal. Envision yourself repeating the behavior you want to master ov er and over again.This, coupled with using the behavior as often as possible, will trigger the neural connections necessary for genuine change to occur. Supportive and Trusting Relationships Finally, begin applying the fifth discovery — the power of supportive relationships. For anyone who has gone through leadership development that works, the importance of the people along the way is obvious. Having supportive people around when you want to change can make a big difference. Positive groups help people make positive changes, especially when the relationships are filled with candor, trust and psychological safety.For leaders, that safety may be crucial for learning to occur. Leaders often feel unsafe in the spotlight, and avoid risk-taking change. Where can you find these relationships? One approach is to find a mentor. Another is to hire an executive coach.  ¦ Maximizing the Group’s Emotional Intelligence A group’s emotional intelligence requires the same cap abilities that an emotionally intelligent individual does — self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. A group expresses its self-awareness by being mindful of shared moods as well as the emotions of its members.Emotions are contagious, and a team leader needs to understand how to keep a bad mood from spreading. For example, imagine a meeting held in an out-of-the (continued on page 8) Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® 7 Primal Leadership — SUMMARY Building Emotionally Intelligent Organizations (continued from page 7) way location and a team member arriving late exclaiming that the meeting location is very inconvenient for him. If the member’s anger is allowed to fester, it will infect the whole team. But if instead, the leader acknowledges the sacrifice the member is making and thanks him, the anger dissipates.The leader who wants to create an emotionally intelligent team can start by helping the team raise its collecti ve self-awareness. This is the true work of the team leader. Initiate the process by looking at what’s really going on in the group. Uncover the team’s less-productive norms and work with the team to change them.  ¦ Shoney’s Transformation The Shoney’s restaurant chain had a close-knit group of executives at the top — people who knew each other well, shared history and beliefs, and generally thought they knew how to run their business.In reality, they were an old-boy’s network of white male senior executives with an underlying culture that left people of color behind. All that changed when the company paid $132 million to settle a class-action lawsuit by employees and applicants who alleged discrimination. A cadre of new leaders have changed the company’s culture and broadened opportunities so much that ten years later, the company was listed as one of the top 50 companies for minorities by Fortune magazine. The change occurred beca use the lawsuit was a wake-up call regarding the reality of the company’s dissonant culture.The new leaders identified an ideal vision that would guide hiring practices, and the organization embraced that vision. Reality and the Ideal Vision Just as was the case with teams, a leader who wants to change an organization must first understand its reality. Change begins when emotionally intelligent leaders actively question the emotional reality and cultural norms underlying the organization’s daily activities and behavior. To create resonance and results, the leader has to pay attention to people’s emotions. Even toxic organizations can change. Creating Sustainable ChangeHow does a leader create sustainable resonance in an organization? Every large organization has pockets of resonance and dissonance. The overall ratio determines the organization’s emotional climate and performance. To shift the ratio toward resonance, cultivate a dispersed cadre of emotiona lly intelligent leaders. To do that, leadership training must be the strategic priority and be managed at the highest level. Commitment must come from the top. That’s because new leadership means a new mindset and new behaviors, and in order for these to stick, the organization’s culture, systems and processes all need to change.Let’s say that as a leader, you get it. You’ve set the stage by assessing the culture, examining the reality and the ideal. You’ve created resonance around the idea of change, and you’ve identified the people who will take top leadership roles. The next step is to design a process that lets those leaders uncover their own dreams and personal ideals, examine their strengths and their gaps, and use their daily work as a learning laboratory. That process must also be self-directed and include the following elements: ?A tie-in to the organization’s culture. ? Seminars emphasizing individual change. ? Learning abou t emotional competencies. ? Creative learning experiences. ? Relationships that support learning, such as executive coaching.  ¦ Dynamic Inquiry A process called dynamic inquiry can help you discover an organization’s emotional reality — what people care about, what is helping A leader who wants them, their group, to change an organization and the organization to succeed, and must first understand what’s getting in its reality. the way.The process uses focused conversations and open-ended questions intended to get to feelings. Themes become apparent from these conversations, which are then taken to small groups for more discussion. The conversations that ensue about what’s right and what’s not create momentum. People feel inspired and empowered, willing to work together to address their collective concerns. Once they do, you will be able to help the organization define its ideal vision — one that is in sync with individual hopes and dreams .  ¦ 8 Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ®

Abortion and Writing Professor Hyde

Technical and Business WritingProfessor Hyde The Advantages of Abortion? For many years, abortions have been performed and so has the controversy over abortion. Today, I have decided to write about the advantages of having an abortion. Some may argue that there are no advantages to having an abortion, but that’s what makes this topic such a debatable one. Abortions have been performed since the 1800’s. Not until the infamous decision of Roe v. Wade that abortions became legal medical procedures. It was also the year the United States Supreme Court recognized abortions as part of women’s civil rights. To the average person whether male or female, abortion should be against the law, but I beg to differ. Abortion gives couples the option to choose not to bring babies with severe and life-threatening medical conditions to full term. Aborted fetuses contribute to medical science through stem cell research that cure diseases and re-grow lost or damaged limbs. It’s almost like donating organs of the decease to someone alive in dire need. In cases of rape or incest, forcing a woman who was made pregnant by the violent act would cause further psychological harm to the victim. No child should be born into this world unwanted. Statistics show that unwanted children are raised in a home with no love or supervision. They become adults who commit crime and are sentenced to prison. Another reason women have abortions is they don’t have the financial resources needed to support a child. The majority of the population has Medicaid as health insurance coverage so termination of pregnancy can be free or low cost. If they decide to keep the baby and raise it, the cost to taxpayers could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. I chose to title my paper â€Å"The Advantages of Abortions† because your life doesn’t have to stop because you chose to end your pregnancy. Women shouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed because they chose a different decision than most. An unplanned pregnancy may be a burden now, but years from now it may become a miracle or joy because you had a chance to grow and mature as a person. Before you can raise a child you need to finish raising yourself first.

Strategy for marketing wine in Britain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategy for marketing wine in Britain - Essay Example Promotion entails not just advertisement but also branding while pricing refers to balancing what the consumer is prepared to exchange in relation to production costs. Placement in a globalised environment creates the greatest challenge of retailing the product. Wine Production. Wine production in Europe has traditionally been labor intensive, based on fragmented production of grapes by small sized farmers spread over a wide area. These are dependent on a long chain of producers, distributors and marketing agents and are thus impervious to the needs of the consumer, a cardinal sin in product marketing. On the other hand new world wine growers, in the United States, Australia, Argentina, Chile and South Africa, have large land holdings averaging 158 hectares compared to 1 acre in Europe and with mechanization and use of modern techniques have full control of the production, supply and distribution chain thereby being responsive to product development based on consumer preference. Modernization of production has been rejected by French wine growers who do not want to lose the, "poetry of wine." Product and Price Differentiation through Packaging. ... Australian and American wine producers have displayed greater flexibility in product development focusing on the change in demand to premium and super premium brands, switch from red to white wine and vice versa based on health benefit perception of consumer, fashion trends and even preference based on variety of grapes. This has been achieved by cultivating the identified variety in larger acreages. Old world wine growers did not have this flexibility as land continued to be scarce as also its use for growing grapes was regulated. Pricing. Apart from the factors covered above, new world producers were able to achieve a price advantage due to economies of scale while French and German wine growers were restricted by small holdings and limited scale of operations. Ease in transportation costs and liberalization of tariff regulations due to execution of World Trade Organization norms also assisted the new world producers in pricing their products competitively. Promotion - Impact of Branding. While branding a product is an important tool for its promotion, in old World Europe, regulation and classification of wine led to a deleterious impact creating a hierarchy of regression with a government panel allotting quality certificates. Branding or classification in France was carried out based on an antiquated system of terroir or the unique qualities provided to wine due to factors as soil conditions, rainfall and so on. But when phylloxera struck affecting wine production in the last quarter of 19th Century, it was only through the process of grafting with phylloxera resistant roots from Californian vine yards which transposed wine industry beyond Europe. The regression in branding is exemplified by the fact that a resolution was passed by the European Union

Deception by the Investigating Officer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Deception by the Investigating Officer - Essay Example The essay "Deception by the Investigating Officer" talks about the deception and analyzes its concept as applied by investigating officers, detection of deception, the ethical issues surrounding this deception as well as the reasons for and against the application of this form of deception. In the criminal justice system, legal officers perform various tasks to ensure that there is the maintenance of law and order and criminals receive the punishment that they deserve. In this regard, investigating officers, charged with the responsibility of investigating suspects through interrogation and other means, have a very critical role to play in revealing the truth. In their pursuit of disclosing the truth, the criminal justice allows these officers to apply deception in investigative, interrogative and testimonial processes in order to disclose the truth. However, there are serious ethical issues surrounding this aspect of deception. As a result, there is often a conflict between the ethical standards of the society and implementation of laws. The police-induced confessions have influential and moving consequences on the nature of cases and on the entire criminal justice system making them a strong prosecutorial weapon. Definitely, the interrogations by modern police are at times so powerful that they have drawn out coerced compliant and identify false confessions from innocent people. According to researchers, the basis of interrogation is the presumption of guilt making the process too persuasive.

BA Social work - Values and ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

BA Social work - Values and ethics - Essay Example The working conditions and cases handled are usually very different for each case of social work. Ethical dilemma arises when the right answer to any course of action is not obvious i.e. it can be in child services to differentiate between vulnerable and exploited child. There are also some situations where the individual need of a child is overlooked over the other issues. The same was the case of Victoria Climbie, where her needs were overlooked over the housing requirement of her aunt and murderer. There may be values which contradict with each other. This theory is based upon the consequences of any particular activity. In this the net benefit resulting from any act or policy is calculated. It is based on the happiness or unhappiness a person gets from the consequences of any particular policy which is rather a difficult task. It depends upon individuals’ ability to think of consequences. It leads to lots of uncertainty in the complex situations. This theory can be utilised in the simpler issues. It can be understood by the example of Victoria Climbie case inquiry. Anonymous call was made to inform Brent Social Services for the bad condition of the child. If Brent Services had responded in time and handled the case properly with the view of the worst consequences (which happened later) may be Victoria Climbie would have saved. This theory was developed as a criticism of consequentialist theory. Consequentialist theory emphasis more on the end means that are consequences. This theory states that means which are leading to those consequences are equally important. The means have got moral importance. 18th Century Immanuel Kant had explained the theory, placing the emphasis on the duties and rules. He explained with simple examples like ignoring rules like ‘do not lie’, ‘keep promises’ and others will have bad consequences. This theory can also be

Racial & Sex Discrimination in the Medical Profession Essay

Racial & Sex Discrimination in the Medical Profession - Essay Example category within the social domain, then racism has all the rights to be a simple derivative originating from race as well as the resultant that arises from the experiences happening on a social front. The Webster’s New American Dictionary has defined racism as a distinctive belief that holds weight for different races having superiority in nature over each other. Thus to understand racism one needs to get deep down inside the very basics of this stigma in essence. It surely is a hot topic the world over and one which has caused quite a roar amongst the relevant circles. It has also made its due round of controversies every now and then and lingers on as a divide between the racially superior fraternities and the inferior lots. Similarly sex discrimination is a touchy topic, more so for the gentler gender. Sex discrimination, much like racial aspects has been the bane for so long now that the world has become sick of such topics emanating from all angles time and again. Governments do not directly take an active part in detailing their views to all about the racial differences that their charter has in accordance with the law of a particular country but they, every now and then, take certain significant steps, which help in curtailing racial discriminations from emanating in their respective societies. Their efforts in the field of health and providing basic first aid though are not that concrete at the best of times yet are overshadowed by a sudden outburst of racial fighting and hatred for each other which lead to the abandonment of any such proper healthcare that there was available in the first place. Racial and sex discrimination can give rise to domestic violence across towns; suburbs, cities and even on a national level whereby the whole country can get affected due to it. People get disturbed, as do their families and the whole religious/race group feels knocked out at the hands of the suppressing party. Racial discrimination leads to hatred within the

Literary analysis argument Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

Literary analysis argument - Dissertation Example Anti-Goetheism in Post-Modernism + Deleuze & Guattari VIII. Conclusion IX. Annotated Bibliography & Sources Cited Abstract: The canonical masterpiece of modern German literature historically is regarded to be â€Å"Faust†, published by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in the period of 1808-1832, and the story itself is taken as a parable of the moral conflicts at the foundation of the modern individual psychologically. In post-modern studies, the characteristics of modernism become even more important as they represent the historical â€Å"other† - the traditions, foundations, and movements that create the historical stage which provides the cultural base for the individual to create self-identity and moral awareness. The academic reverence and position of establishment of â€Å"Faust† in modern German literature or world history is received as heritage by the post-modern scholar, which is truly different than it must have appeared when the work was first published and received. Goethe, Rousseau, Napoleon, Jefferson, and other historical figures of the late 18th & early 19th centuries represent a point in history when Enlightenment values as formed and developed in the Renaissance era finally achieved a shift in the balance of power socially allowing them to be implemented as the basis of the formation of the modern State, liberalism and democracy. ... Goethe’s position in German literature is classical, because he is among the first of the language’s poets to take a place among the stars as a constellation, in the manner that the Greeks elevated their great philosophers and heroes to mythological greatness. In interpreting â€Å"Faust†, this essay will examine the characteristics of modernism drawn from Jameson’s thesis on late-capitalism, Deleuze & Guattari’s analysis in â€Å"A Thousand Plateaus,† as well as the historical and psychological interpretations of Friedrich Nietzsche and Carl Jung, in order to build a symbolic interpretation of Faust as an archetypal myth of modern individualism in German literature. Primary Texts Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. Faust. Translated by Bayard Taylor, Illustrated Edition, Cleveland/NY: World Publishing Co.., Princeton University Press, 1870-1. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm. Untimely Meditations. Translated by R. J. Hollingdale, Cambridge University P ress, 1983. Secondary Sources Deleuze, Gilles & Guattari , Felix. Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism & Schizophrenia. Preface by: Michel Foucault. New York: Penguin, 1972. Deleuze, Gilles & Guattari , Felix. A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism & Schizophrenia. Trans. Brian Massumi. University of Minnesota Press, 1987. Jameson, Fredric. Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Duke University Press, 1991. Jung, C.. Psychology and Alchemy. In: Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 12., 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968, p. 473-483. Kaufmann, Walter Arnold. Nietzsche, Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist. Princeton University Press, 1974. I. Introduction The Faust myth appears

Cultural Food Comparison Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cultural Food Comparison Research Paper - Essay Example Though, even before, the early people could have been obtaining eggs from nests for their consumption. In China and India – by around 7000 BC – people had already started to keep chickens so they could obtain eggs conveniently and did not have to climb up to nests. Since eggs contain a high amount of proteins, they made up excellent sources of nutrition for humans throughout. As humans started farming chickens and other fowl birds, they realized that there were particular seasons when the fowls laid more eggs. This season coincided with spring where the sunlight was sufficient for the foul birds to produce eggs. While many cultures viewed egg as a source of food, many cultures did not view it as so. The Mossi from Africa is one example of people who consider eating eggs as equivalent to stealing. This notion has a rather economic one where eating an egg was just like stealing a chicken that was to be grown out of the egg. Having poultry spread out at large areas in Africa, children are generally discouraged from eating eggs that could, in the future, breed a potential property for the village community (Toussaint-Samat 2009, p. 323). In other parts of the world, such as ancient Rome and China, eggs have been regarded as vital food sources. In ancient Rome, peafowl eggs were eaten and with the invention of pottery and fire, the people also started boiling eggs (Kiple and Ornelas 2000, p. 499). The ancient Romans also consumed boiled eggs. The Chinese, on the other hand, had their own method of consuming and preserving eggs by fermenting them. The Chinese were particularly fond of the pigeon eggs (Kiple and Ornelas 2000, p. 499). This could help the egg to keep from rotting even after weeks. The discovery of egg as a nutritious and healthy food source developed its own innovations throughout time as it started first from being eaten raw to being boiled and then being eaten along with...

Personal statement explaining a positive criminal background check for

Explaining a positive criminal background check for entering a Nursing program - Personal Statement Example The DWI offense happened in June of 1994 as a misdemeanor that ensued from having a few alcoholic beverages at a wedding reception and using poor judgment concerning driving home. I was placed on 2 years’ probation with community service and finished probation early. I have never driven while intoxicated since this incident and have since encouraged people not to do it either. In August of 1994, I completed a court ordered DWI education program (rehabilitative effort) that focused on learning about the negative consequences of driving while drunk. The experience reinforced the lesson never to drive while intoxicated due to the risks that could be posed on oneself and on others. On March 11, 1997, I was arrested for Driving While License Suspended and I was so surprised because this offense was apparently a mistake by the law enforcement agencies. Their records showed that I did not complete the above DWI Education course which was a compulsory requirement for DWI; and they suspended my license without duly informing me about it until I got pulled over that day. I went to court to clear matters up and they dismissed the case due to "Insufficient Evidence" since I showed proof that I was able to complete the DWI education on time and their records showed that they were at fault. This incident should have been duly noted and recorded and therefore should not even be taken into consideration as a misdemeanor and a behavior characteristic. I am hereby attesting that these narrated incidents are factual and having transpired more than 17 years ago, I believe these isolated incidents, despite one’s immaturity and irresponsible behavior at the time they occurred, should not bear significantly on future potentials and plans to be a registered nurse after pursuing the Nursing Program. I assure the Nursing Board that I have learned the lessons

MSN Nurse Interview Essay Example for Free

MSN Nurse Interview Essay Introduction A face-to-face interview was performed of a Masters prepared nurse, Mrs. H., to seek new knowledge about a role desired from the interviewer. Taking information from a practicing Masters prepared nurse will help the interviewer develop an understanding of opportunities, career advancement and the practice of someone in the Master in Science of Nursing (MSN) role. Review of the educational preparation, personal experience, and accomplishments of a Masters prepared nurse will be discussed. Mrs. H, describes her journey from Associates Degree in Nursing through obtaining her Master’s degree in education, and her post masters certificate as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. The interview will develop an understanding of the MSN in practice. Interview Selection The interview chosen was the role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Critical Care. The interviewer’s knowledge of this role is very limited. However, this role is viewed as an educator for a specific unit. The person interviewed holds a MSN in education and a post graduate certificate as a CNS. This interview was conducted due to not only the MSN in education, but excitement of the CNS post graduate certificate. These positions are held by respected members of the nursing profession and hold endless possibilities. Career Overview The interviewed, Mrs. H., has held a variety of jobs/careers in her life. Upon high school graduation, Mrs. H. obtained a job in retail as a sales associate. Through hard work and dedication, Mrs. H. worked her way up to management in retail. However, Mrs. H. quickly discovered that retail held long hours and no room for growth without an education. Upon self reflection, Mrs. H. made a decision to go to school and make a career  change. Her decision was she wanted to help people and make a difference. Mrs. H. obtained her Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) in 1997. During this time, she continued to work part-time in retail on evenings and weekends to earn money. Upon completion of her ADN, she got a job at the local hospital on the medical-surgical unit. She quickly discovered her love of nursing and wanted to do more. Thus Mrs. H. continued to work in nursing and went back to school and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) in 2002. Upon completion of her BSN, she transferred within the hospital to a Surgical ICU unit where she worked for a couple of years before deciding to pursue her Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN). However, prior to pursuing her MSN, Mrs. H. was required to take the GRE and get a good score to qualify for her MSN program. She spent months studying for her GRE. Eventually, when Mrs. H. felt she was ready, she sat for the GRE and was pleased to discover she received the number on the GRE she needed to get into her MSN program. While continuing to work as much as possible, Mrs. H. went back to school and obtained her MSN in education in 2008. She recalls school, papers, maintaining a family life and balancing work being very difficult, but states it makes the reward of graduating even better. Her MSN has opened up many doors and opportunities for her, as her career responsibilities continue to grow. Mrs. H. became a leader on her unit and held the title of supervisor/educator for the Surgical ICU. The desire to continue to learn and grow and make a difference in healthcare continued to weigh on Mrs. H’s mind, thus she obtained her Post Masters CNS in Critical Care board certification in 2013. Present Position Mrs. H. has a variety of experiences as a nurse. Presently, Mrs. H. is in charge of all patient, staff and student education on one of the critical care units. Furthermore, Mrs. H. helps change, write and build policies for her institution. In addition, she participates in several hospital wide committees aimed at patient safety, performance improvement and nursing engagement. Mrs. H. describes her position as one that has changed from supporting nursing practice and interpreting information, to one that conducts research and develops pathways for care. She states she uses nursing theory,  evidenced based practice (EBP), and critical thinking skills to change nursing care provided throughout the hospital. In addition to her full time role at the hospital, Mrs. H. teaches BSN classes at a local university. Mrs. H. admits all of this would not be possible without her education, commitment and determination in life. Her career opportunities â€Å"fell into her lap† as she describes it. However, Mrs. H. will also humbly admit that through her leadership skills and her educational background, she proved herself to be worthy of her opportunities. On more than one occasion, Mrs. H. stated to never give up. When asked what exactly was meant by that, Mrs. H. stated to remember that no one is ever too old to continue their education. Furthermore, Mrs. H. encourages nurses to be the best they can be. Follow our hearts and don’t be afraid to speak out on patients behalf. Many words Mrs. H. said were interesting, but most importantly always seek to be the best at whatever it is in life. Conclusion Inspiring others and leading change are attributes of effective leaders that are crucial in preparing nursing students for professional practice (Adelman-Mullally, 2013, p. 30). Another important aspect of leadership is challenging the system to bring about desired change. Both healthcare and nursing education are experiencing change that creates unpredictability. Leaders recognize these challenges and have the confidence and courage to propose new ideas. (Adelman-Mullally, 2013, p. 32). The profession of nursing and the advancement of healthcare are directly related to effective leaders in nursing who hold higher levels of nursing education, pursue excellence in nursing practice, and motivate others to perform to a higher standard. All of this is in line with Grand Canyon Universities mission of providing role models through education in order to be effective communicators, critical thinkers and responsible leaders (GCU, p. 1). References Adelman-Mullally, T. (2013). The Clinical Nurse Educator as Leader. Nurse Education Practice. 13(1):29-34. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22854312 Grand Canyon University (GCU). Mission and Vision at Grand Canyon University. Retrieved from www.gcu.ed

Capital accumulation, Essay Example for Free

Capital accumulation, Essay Name two types of market failure. Explain why each may cause market outcomes to be inefficient. Externalities and Market Power. Externalaties are byproducts of a product. Exteranlities can lead to a failure because buyers and sellers do not consider the side effects, which can lead to imbalance in equilibrium based on a societal standpoint. Market Power occurs when there is a single buyer and seller (or small group of them) with the ability to control market prices. This can lead to failure because it keeps prices and quantity away from the equilibrium of supply and demand. 2. What happens to consumer and producer surplus when the sale of a good is taxed? How does the change in consumer and producer surplus compare to the tax revenue? When a product is taxed both consumer and producer surplus drop. This change in surplus is gained in tax revenue, but producers earn less and consumers get less for their value. 3. How do the elasticities of supply and demand affect the deadweight loss of a tax? Why does this effect occur? The elasticities of supply and demand affect deadweight loss in that when: supply/demand is elastic, then the deadweight loss is high. If the supply/demand is inelastic, then the deadweight loss is small. This occurs because taxes change the behavior of buyers/sellers. If tax increases price of buyers, they consume less. If tax reduces profit of producers, then they produce less. 4. What does the domestic price that prevails without international trade tell us about a nation’s comparative advantage? If the domestic price is low, then it says that county can produce that product cheaply, and has a comparative advantage. If it is high, then that country is at a disadvantage compared to other countries. What is the difference between the unilateral and multilateral approaches to achieving free trade? Give an example of each. Unilateral approach is when the country reduces trade restrictions on its own. ‘Isolandia’ removes tariffs on imports. Multilateral approach is when a country reduces it trade restrictions while other countries do the same (through bargaining) ‘Isolandia’ removes tariffs on imports if ‘Seclusia’ also removes theirs. 6. Why do economists use real GDP rather than nominal GDP to gauge economic well-being? Define the GDP deflator. Nominal GDP is GDP (goods and services produced, and their prices) calculated at current prices. Real GDP is GDP calculated at constant prices(goods ands and services produced). We use Real GDP because it reflects changes in production vice changes in prices. The GDP Deflator allows calculating only the prices of goods and services. 7. What is the CPI? Which do you think has a greater effect on the consumer price index: a 10 percent increase in the price of chicken, or a 10 percent increase in the price of caviar? Why? Consumer Price Index, is a measure of the overall cost of goods and services bought by a typical consumer. A 10% increase in chicken will have a greater affect on the CPI because more people typically by chicken than those who buy caviar. 8. Describe the three factors that make the consumer price index an imperfect measure of the cost of living. Then explain how the GDP deflator differs from the CPI. Substition Bias: Consumers substitute towards goods that cost less Introduction of new goods: A new product is introduced allowing more choices. This reduces cost of maintaining same level of economic well being. Unmeasured quality change – if a goods quality goes down, but remains at same price – then the dollar is worth less than previously. If the quality goes up, and price remains the same, then the dollar is worth more than previously. GDP deflator accounts for goods produced domestically, while CPI accounts for all goods purchased. GDP Deflator also accounts for all currently produced goods, while CPI accounts for a fixed set of goods, that may not include new goods or include goods that no longer exist. 9. List and describe the determinants of productivity. Physical Capital: Quality of tools the worker has – better quality, the more production. Human Capital: Knowledge and Skills – education, experience and training. Better training = better efficiency. Natural Resources: Resources made available for input into production. Either renewable or non-renawable. Access to resources reduces costs of importing them – but is not necessary. Technical Knowledge:Refers to societies understanding of how the world works. (Human capital refers to recources expended to transmit this understanding to its workers) 10. Explain how a higher savings rate can lead to a higher standard of living. What might deter a policymaker from trying to raise the rate of saving? Saving now and consuming less now, allows for investments and ability to consume more in the future. Diminishing returns are what might deter a policy maker raising rate of savings. At a low capital, an extra increase in capital increases production. But as you continue to invest capital, the growth of production is at a lesser amount. It continues until a point in where a large increase in capital only gives a minor increase in production.

Cultural Competency In Health Service Management

Cultural Competency In Health Service Management Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 3.0 Elements and principles of cultural competency and its relation to Health Service Management. Pleasing customers societies and supporting mutual relationships Governance and responsibility for continued change Building on powers A mutual accountability 4.0 Policies and Guildline in relation to health service and details on Health Service Management. 5.0 Evidence of knowledge about how the elements and principles of cultural competency indicated in Criteria 3 and 4 relate to health consumers 6.0 Ability to identify what is needed to ensure ‘culturally/socially safe’ professional practice for both the health professional and health consumer 7.0 Ability to identify a number of ways that your health profession can ensure to provide culturally safe health services (approx. 200 250 words) 8.0 Conclusion 9.0 References 1.0 Introduction The report would focus on different aspects cultural competency in health care. The main area on which the report would give insight is the Health Service Management. Some points around principles of cultural competency and how these are relevant in Health Service Management. The report would look at NHMRC guidelines. Different Ways in which culturally safe health services can be provided would be discussed in this report in addition to the details on what is culturally and socially safe’ professional practice. 2.0 Relevance and Relationship between culture/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and cultural competence related to Health Service Management. Socioeconomic has a direct impact on health. Cultural competence with regards to health care defines the capability of structures to offer care to patients with various cultures, principles and actions, including modifying distribution to see patients’ communal, cultural, and verbal requirements. Cultural competence is a way with which quality care can be provided to all the patients and even helpful to business growth. From health service management point both the above reasons are equally important and proper emphasis should be given to business grown, but at the same time the basic needs of patients should not be sacrificed. Understanding Ethnicity is critical to understanding the health care which would be required. A People belonging to a special type of ethnicity might need higher care from health service management.It is quite evident that the socioeconomic condition determines the health related consequences more than ethnicity (Egede, L. 2006). When the socioeconomic condition is better than in most of the cases the culture and race effect might not be that significant. Still, there is a relationship between cultural competence and socioeconomic status along with ethnicity. It is required by health service management to understand this relationship so that they can provide the patients the help which is required. 3.0 Elements and principles of cultural competency and its relation to Health Service Management. Culture is a mixture of knowledge, belief and behavior. The principle of cultural competency and its relevance in health service management are listed below: Pleasing customers societies and supporting mutual relationships This principle is very important in Heath service management and in this case it is Health service management people should understand the customers which are patients. Governance and responsibility for continued change The Health Service Managers should show accountability on the decisions with regards to different health plans (Hayes, M. 2010). The Health Service Manager should be ready to implement changes which would be beneficial to the patients and the health care centres which they handle. Building on powers Identify the public, identify what works The Health Service Management should try to understand the community in which they operate. They have to get the information on what would work best for the people in that community and should work toward achieving what is required in that community. Health Service Management should know the problems they face in the community regarding the health in that area. A mutual accountability Generating partnerships along with sustainability Health service management should work towards continued partnership with other health institutes to sustain the improvement of health service and care in that particular location. 4.0 Policies and Guildline in relation to health service and details on Health Service Management. There are different policies and guidelines set up by NHMRC in regards to cultural competency. Some of these are around National focus. In addition, there should be a focus on complement the existing work which is already being done. The guidelines mention that there should be a generic approach and not confined to some specific group. It should be applied to everyone rather than to a specific group of people (Public health, 1915). Even for Health service management these guidelines are very critical as there are different type of people who require health plans and health care. So any decision taken should be keeping in view a generic approach as there are different cultured people involved. The other guideline defines 4 domains model for any actions which involves organization, systemic, individual and professional (L Leavitt, R. 2015). The health service provider should work to provide improved living with a better environment. There should be a proper research done in the area an d even the feedback of the patients should be taken to improve the services by the health care center this can be done by the health service management. Public health research should be considered to take decisions on improving to be done in this area. Expert option should be considered while implementing any changes by the health care service management. 5.0 Evidence of knowledge about how the elements and principles of cultural competency indicated in Criteria 3 and 4 relate to health consumers The idea of cultural competency has a beneficial outcome on patient consideration conveyance by empowering suppliers to convey administrations that are deferential of and receptive to the well being convictions, hones and social and etymological needs of differing patient (Scientific Research and Social Well-being, 1938)s. Cultural competency is basic to lessening well being variations and enhancing access to amazing health awareness, human services that is deferential of and receptive to the needs of differing patients (Health and safety awareness, 2001). At the point when created and actualized as a structure, social capability empowers frameworks, offices, and gatherings of experts to capacity adequately to comprehend the needs of gatherings getting to well being data and human services or taking an interest in examination in a comprehensi ve organization where the supplier and the client of the data meet on shared opinion. This cultural competence advantages shoppers, partners, and groups and backings positive well being results. Since various components can impact well being correspondence including practices, dialect, traditions, convictions, and viewpoints social skill is additionally basic for accomplishing exactness in medicinal exploration (Weick, 1980). Lack of foresight in therapeutic examination, arranging that does consider standards of social fitness, may yield incorrect results (Silk, 2007). It requires a dynamic methodology of learning and creating abilities to draw in viably in diverse circumstances and re-assessing these aptitudes over the long run. 6.0 Ability to identify what is needed to ensure ‘culturally/socially safe’ professional practice for both the health professional and health consumer The idea of safe health services includes strengthening of the human services specialist and the patient. The determinants of safe consideration are characterized by the beneficiary of consideration. These are interest, assurance and organization. Significance is put on recognizing and assessing ones own particular convictions and values and perceiving the potential for these to effect on others. Dispersal of social security information and practice is increasing. This idea gives acknowledgment of the lists of force characteristic in any collaboration and the potential for difference and disparity inside any relationship. Affirmation by the human services specialist that burden they could call their own social convictions may weakness the beneficiary of health awareness is crucial to the conveyance of socially safe consideration. This sheet places social wellbeing toward the end of a continuum that starts with social mindfulness and advances through social affectability and social competency. So as to be of prompt utilization to forefront health awareness suppliers, it is important that the dynamic thought of social security to an exceptionally individual and useful level by depicting distinctive situations in which socially mindful, touchy, equipped, and safe practices are added to improve human services administrations and patient results. The general objective is to treat individuals with nobility and admiration to guarantee they will feel acknowledged and safe from separation in medicinal services situations. 7.0 Ability to identify a number of ways that your health profession can ensure to provide culturally safe health services (approx. 200 250 words) The idea of safe health services includes strengthening of the human services specialist and the patient. The determinants of safe consideration are characterized by the beneficiary of consideration. These are interest, assurance and organization. Significance is put on recognizing and assessing ones own particular convictions and values and perceiving the potential for these to effect on others. Dispersal of social security information and practice is increasing. This idea gives acknowledgment of the lists of force characteristic in any collaboration and the potential for difference and disparity inside any relationship. Affirmation by the human services specialist that burden they could call their own social convictions may weakness the beneficiary of health awareness is crucial to the conveyance of socially safe consideration (Chatfield, 1983). This sheet places social wellbeing toward the end of a continuum that starts with social mindfulness and advances through social affectability and social competency. So as to be of prompt utilization to forefront health awareness suppliers, it is important that the dynamic thought of social security to an exceptionally individual and useful level by depicting distinctive situations in which socially mindful, touchy, equipped, and safe practices are added to improve human services administrations and patient results. The general objective is to treat individuals with nobility and admiration to guarantee they will feel acknowledged and safe from separation in medicinal services situations. 8.0 Conclusion Cultural competency is characterized just as the level of learning based aptitudes needed to give viable clinical consideration to patients from a specific ethnic or racial gathering (PHYSICAL APTITUDES, 1926). It means administrations, bolsters or other support that are led or gave in a way that is receptive to the convictions, interpersonal styles, demeanor, dialect and practices of people who are getting services, and in a way that has the best probability of guaranteeing their greatest investment in the project Cultural competency incorporates: Attaining the information, abilities, and mentality to empower chairmen and experts inside arrangement of consideration to give compelling consideration to various populaces, i.e., to work inside the individuals qualities and reality conditions. Social ability recognizes and fuses change in regularizing satisfactory practices, convictions and values in deciding an individuals mental wellbeing/ailment, and consolidating those variables into evaluation and treatment. 9.0 References Egede, L. (2006). Race, ethnicity, culture, and disparities in health care.J Gen Intern Med,21(6), 667-669. Hayes, M. (2010). Retrieved 25 April 2015, from http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/631013.pdf L Leavitt, R. (2015). Developing Cultural Competence in a Multicultural World, Parts 1 2 .Retrieved from http://learningcenter.apta.org/ Chatfield, M. (1983). Management of Health Services. Health Care Management Review, 8(4), 90 Health and safety awareness. (2001). In Practice, 23(5), 297-297. PHYSICAL APTITUDES. (1926). JAMA: The Journal Of The American Medical Association, 86(13), 953. Public health. (1915). Public Health, 29, 147. Scientific Research and Social Well-being. (1938). Nature, 142(3589), 304-304. Silk, J. (2007). Social Components of Fitness in Primate Groups. Science, 317(5843), 1347-1351 Weick, K. (1980). The analysis of social skill. Psyccritiques, 25(11). 1

Analysis of Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Essay

Analysis of Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening The poem, â€Å"Stopping by Woods†¦Ã¢â‚¬  speaks of a time that the author paused during a trip to simply enjoy the quiet and beauty of nature. During this short stop, he contemplates mortality and his life so far. Frost also cleverly uses the poems form and sounds to enhance the poem, to entice the readers senses, and immerse them in the scene. With repetitive â€Å"s† and â€Å"h† sounds throughout the poem one can imagine the sound of the sled sliding through the snow, or perhaps the â€Å"easy wind and downy flake† through the trees. The poem was written in iambic tetrameter, which also lends a steady rhythm that mimics the motion of the sled. Or perhaps the â€Å"s† sound could signify that the main character is shivering, for it is the â€Å"darkest evening of the year†, and presumably the coldest. The last two lines of the poem, â€Å"And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep† seem to echo each other. Why did Frost repeat this phrase when one occurrence would be sufficient? The first â€Å"And miles† qu...

Driving Test Essay -- essays research papers

I woke up at eight in the morning, being that it was May and spring was in the air I knew that my day would be perfect. As I leaped out of my warm and comfortable bed to put on my Bullwinkle slippers, my stomach nerves began to tighten. I figured it was just a small bellyache and I would get over it soon. I walked slowly to the bathroom not really realizing that the house was not filled with sunshine as it usually is during these beautiful spring days. As I began to brush my teeth my eyes caught a glimpse of the window that I now noticed was so close to the mirror. I could have died when I noticed that the rain was coming down like a storm. It was at that moment that I ran to mother’s room to tell her that I couldn’t go driving today. My whole body was tense, I knew this was a sign for me to stay home, I was scared and would never be able to drive in the horrible storm. I don’t know how, but she convinced me to just try, â€Å"It’s just a driving test,â €  is what she continued to repeat, â€Å"if you fail, your not ready.† I knew she wanted me to fail anyway. As she drove into the driveway that seemed to be the size of a football field, my stomach nerves began to tighten once again. There were a few cars in front of us forming a line, and three cars pulled up behind us as soon as the car stopped. I sat in the passenger’s seat watching a car on the winding trail, looking as if it was going back and forth on the course. It seemed as everything that was happening at that moment was irritating me, the tapping of the rain on the car, the windshield wipers swishing back and forth on the windshield and the whining of the saxophone that was playing along with the jazz song on the radio. I knew that my patience was being tested that day and I was sure I would fail. For the next ten minutes I watched as the instructors, that looked as if someone dropped a bucket of water on them even with the yellow raincoats, left one car that was on the course to get into another car that was on the line. The cars seemed to move quickly and it seemed as if my turn was coming to quick. It was at that moment that I felt like I wanted to cry, the wet figure in the yellow raincoat was approaching our car. I wanted to scream for my mother to turn around but I was stuck in the moment I didn’t know what to do. My mother called me and it reminded me of summer nights when she would call me to come in ... ...ualities as he kindly explained that I should relax and adjust my car seat to make me more comfortable. He stressed to me to take my time as I was preparing to drive so I wouldn’t be uptight. He then handed me the piece of paper, the same one he scribbled on the whole time I was driving, and told me to make an appointment to take the test over again. I then watched as the medium framed man got out of the car and walked to the next car on line. When my mother returned to the car, yes I cried, but she made me feel better by promising ice cream and saying that I would definitely pass the next time. On the drive home we blamed everything for the failure, the weather, my nerves, the test trail and even her insistence. I thought that my life was over without a driver’s license. I started at that moment to strategize and decide how I would take the test next time. I would be much calmer whether the sun was shining in the eighty-five degree weather or the snow was coming down in minus twenty. I knew that I wasn’t ready a, but I figured it still wasn’t a waste of time because I was able to take the valuable advice that the instructor gave me that day and even apply it to my next test.

US Army Total Quality Management Essay -- essays research papers fc

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION Throughout their military careers military personnel will always face some type of inspection, whether it's internal or external. Today, some units are inspected at least four times a year in supply operations, for example, Command Supply Discipline Program, Command Inspection Program, Command Logistics Review Program, and maybe the Supply Excellence Award. How does the unit prepare for all these inspections? The unit faces many great challenges. There are a lot of steps taken to prepare for inspections. There are many checklists to follow but not enough time and personnel to accomplish these many tasks. There are many subjects areas which, the unit must cover that might be inspected. AR 11-l (Command Logistics Review Program), AR 735-5 (Policies and Procedures for Property Accountability), DA PAM 710-2-l (Using Unit Supply System Manual Procedures), and AR 710-2 (Supply Policy Below the Wholesale Level) are the governing policy documents and should be understood prior to an inspection. There are a lot of non value added procedures and many tasks that overlap, where in some cases the distribution of soldiers is not according to the need of each work place. There are many soldiers assigned to tasks different from what 1 they are supposed to do, which results in no incentive for performing better. In other words, the soldiers consume their energy striving to overcome problems inherent in the supply system instead of trying to maximize the effectiveness of supply operations. A transformation in the supply operations in the units could be achieved by the adoption of a new management philosophy that could help provide greater efficiency. Currently, one of the most advanced philosophies in the managerial field is the Total Quality Management (TQM) concept. But how compatible is the TQM philosophy to the units under the current circumstances? Can the adoption of this concept help the units to overcome their problems? What changes are necessary for a successful implementation? There is a need to examine the applicability of the TQM concept to supply operations. PURPOSE The purpose of this research is to evaluate potential of TQM for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of supply inspections. What is Total Quality Management? Total Quality Management is the process of improving the organization performance at every l... ... commanders and soldiers. For example, if there are areas of the inspection, convert five areas to TQM philosophy. BIBLIOGRAPHY A. BOOKS Aguayo Rafael, Dr. Demins: _ The American who taught the Japanese about Quality First. Carol Publishing Edition, 1990. Brocka, Bruce and M. Suzanne. Qualitv Manauement: Implementinq the Best Ideas of the Masters. Richard D. Irwin, INC., 1992. Carman, Jamess M. "TQM as a Survival Strategy: the Southern Pacific Experience." California Manaqement Review, Spring 1993. pp. 118-132. Dessler, Gary "Managing Quality and Productivity" Human Resource Manauement Prentice-Hall, Inc., 6th edition, pp. 309-323. B. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS PenDell Pittman and Pat O'Farrel, "Transforming Government: Putting People and Quality First", Coverinq m the Bases: _ _ A 14 Step Guide to TQM Implementation (Sixth Annual National Conference on Federal Quality, July 20-23, 1993). United States Office of Personnel Management, Federal Total Qualitv Manaqement Handbook, (Federal Quality Institute, May 1991). Research report, Total Qualitv Manaqement (TQM), An Overview, Anthony Coppola, Air Force Systems Command, September 1991, p. 7.

Reaction Paper- Asian and Global Crisis Essay

Reaction Paper Asian and Global Crisis During the Asian and Global Crisis many of the criticisms are against accounting and accountants. In my further readings, I’ve read that during the Asian Crisis in 1997, where affected countries suffered severe setbacks in their economies and where development stagnated, the accountancy profession, including its standards, policies and levels of information disclosures, had played a role in the start of the crisis, and perhaps had even worsened it. Moreover, I’ve also read that during both crises, the Asian Crisis and Global Crisis in 2008, insufficient clarity in what was being measured, the wrong things being measured or things being measured inappropriately, lack of standards, inadequate transparency and poor ethical conduct, in short, poor corporate governance is the main breadth and depth of the crises. As a future accountant, what will I do after all the doubts and criticisms against the profession? In my opinion, sufficient clarity on what to measure, measuring things appropriately, following the applicable standards, adequate transparency and good ethical conduct are the things that I should carry out. It should be clarified in the accountant on what is the thing that he/she should measure. If I’m the accountant I should be knowledgeable on the nature and I should have understood necessary facts about the account when doing measurement or on examining the reasonableness of the measurement method used by the management. In addition, in measuring risks like financial risk, I should use a valid and reliable risk measurement technique because the information that I’ll be giving will be the basis for the management’s decision-making. If I have measured the things incorrectly or a wrong technique has been used, it could be misleading to the decision-making of the management and may cause chaos in the future to the company. In an accounting perspective, applicable generally accepted accounting standards should be used in the accounts of the financials of the company. Strict compliance should be observed so that transactions are properly recorded, summarized, classified and accounted for. Adequate disclosures should also be done. In the auditing perspective, as an auditor, auditing the company should be in accordance with the applicable generally accepted auditing standards. The auditor should be independent so that the opinion will be unbiased. I would like to emphasize that in compliance with the generally accepted auditing standards, the auditor should always take into consideration if the company provided adequate disclosures. Disclosure on significant matters is really important for the users who don’t have enough information regarding the matter will be informed. However, I have read in an article that there is also a lack of standards that also caused the hitch on crises. Regarding the lack of standards, I think it is already in the hands of the appropriate groups with authorities. Accountants need to refocus the structuring of financial transactions so that they comply with generally accepted accounting principles and that the economic substance of financial transactions is communicated. More accountability and ethical awareness needs to be instilled in the individuals who deceitfully structure financial transactions. Regulatory bodies need to ensure more transparency by closing loopholes and better enforcement of accounting standards. Audit committees, need to be sure that a company is communicating the true economic reality of the financial transactions and financial position of the business entity. Off-balance-sheet financing is one of the most significant ways, among others, that the user of financial statements can be misled. It is time for regulatory bodies to eliminate overly rules-based standards, clearly state the economic objective of each standard, and require firms to disclose the economic motivations for the accounting practices they adopt. While making judgment accountants need to be cautious and prudent. Accounting transactions and other events are sometimes uncertain but in order to be relevant it should be reported in time. Accountants have to make estimates requiring judgment to counter the uncertainty. Prudence is a key accounting principle which makes sure that assets and income are not overstated and liabilities and expenses are not understated. The bottom-line for all of these is to have good corporate governance. As defined by Robert M. Bushman, corporate governance structures serve: 1) to ensure that minority shareholders receive reliable information about the value of firms and that a company’s managers and large shareholders do not cheat them out of the value of their investments, and 2) to motivate managers to maximize firm value instead of pursuing personal objectives. I believe that all of the things I have mentioned are some of the keys that can help me as a future accountant in dealing the reality and to get out of all the doubts against the accounting profession.

Civil Disobedience Definition

The extremely simplified definition of civil disobedience given by Webster†s Dictionary is â€Å"nonviolent opposition to a law through refusal to comply with it, on grounds of conscience. † Thoreau in â€Å"Civil Disobedience† and Martin Luther King in â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† both argue that laws thought of as unjust in one†s mind should not be adhered to. In Herman Melville†s â€Å"Bartleby,† a man named Bartleby is thought of by many to be practicing civil disobedience. His actions are nonviolent, and he refuses to comply with anything his boss says. But his behavior has nothing to do with morals. Bartleby is merely a lonely guy who does not wish to work and has nothing to do with civil disobedience. Thoreau says that if injustice â€Å"is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then I say break the law† (Jacobus 134). He is personally giving permission for an individual to ignore anything he or she finds morally unacceptable. However, in â€Å"Bartleby,† Bartleby†s boss places no unjust laws and assigns no unjust work. He simply asks Bartleby to do easy tasks such as, â€Å"when those papers are all copied, I will compare them with you†, or, â€Å"just step around the Post Office, won†t you? And see if there is anything for me† (Melville 116). The boss, who is also the narrator, never requests Bartleby to perform any difficult chores. Martin Luther King, Jr. â€Å"s interpretation of an unjust law is, â€Å"a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself† (Jacobus 159). The injustice described here by King also does not match the characterization of Bartleby†s boss. Bartleby needs no civil disobedience since nothing could be considered unjust in the boss†s management. Even if an unjust act were placed against Bartleby, he would not have had any cares about the injustice. He was a man who needed a place to live and chose to be a law-copyist. He has no desire to do any work and no desire to interact with other humans. Anytime an order was given, the same response would reply from Bartleby†s mouth: â€Å"I would prefer not to† (Melville). Bartleby did not weigh the issues of morality and immorality in his assignments. He just does not want to deal with others. When asked to look over some work with Turkey and Nipping, he refuses. His boss offers him a home, and he refuses this as well. The ending footnote to â€Å"Bartleby† states that Bartleby†s previous profession was a subordinate clerk in the Dead Letters Office in Washington. The dead letters he handled had no association to any living person. Bartleby was accustomed to working at a place where dealing with man is unnecessary. As Thoreau says, â€Å"Dead letters! Does it not sound like dead men? † (Melville 140). Bartleby has no connection with civil disobedience. King and Thoreau†s ideas of what civil disobedience is do not match up with the actions of Bartleby. Bartleby was not trying to make a statement against unjust laws by not abiding by them. He was just a loner. All his refusals to do what was ordered stemmed from his need to be separated from humanity. Bartleby only wanted to live by himself with nothing but his own thoughts to deal with.

The Yellow Wallpaper Essay

Trapped and Unreliable The two short stories â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† Charlotte Perkins Gilman and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Edgar Allan Poe are stories that appear to be totally different from each other, but are actually very similar; one of those similarities is the theme of entrapment the stories show entrapment on both a physical and a mental level. We see in these two stories individuals that are not only trapped physically but trapped mentally within their own minds not able to free themselves from the chains that are holding them; these circumstances show us that both of the main characters in these stories are unreliable. The theme of entrapment that is shared by both of these stories really sets the stage for both of them it defines the plot and really is the center of both of these stories. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, concentrates on the narrator’s deep depression and her struggle to get better. The narrator spends her summer vacation confined in a nursery on the top floor of a mansion. This is in an attempt to cure her illness by her husband John, who is a doctor. The room has barred windows on all sides and yellow wallpaper with â€Å"sprawling flamboyant patterns† (Gilman 766). The narrator at first is in disgust with the wallpaper and thinks it is an artistic sin. Then with nothing to do, and her imagination running free, she turns her imagination onto the wallpaper. She uses the wallpaper as a form of entertainment and tries to figure out the pattern. The central symbol of the short story is the wallpaper. The meaning behind the wallpaper represents the narrator’s entrapment and her struggle with depression. Armstrong 2 The yellow wallpaper acts like a mental entrapment for the main character. At the end of the story, the main character rips down the yellow wallpaper to release the woman behind the paper. This was symbolic because even though she saw a woman, this woman was her. When the narrator was angry she put that onto the wallpaper, so that is why she ripped the wallpaper down. She was trapped behind the pattern and she couldn’t move from it. This is the point where her sickness has gotten to the worst extent. The wallpaper led her to create her own madness. The main character says in the story, â€Å"There are things in the wallpaper that nobody knows about but me, or ever will. (Gilman 774). Not even John knew what was really going on because he was always working and never took his wife’s thoughts too seriously. The yellow wallpaper also acts as physical entrapment to the main character. The wallpaper blocks her into that small room. She feels like she cannot get better in that room. In a sense she can’t get better in that room because of the things preventing her from resting. Her eyes are constantly on the yellow wallpaper; her mind also feels she cannot step away from the wallpaper. In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, The story begins with Montresor dictating the events of 50 years prior to an undisclosed individual. Montresor feels as though the antagonist, Fortunato, has wronged him on numerous occasions. Although these injuries are not stated, Montresor is adamant that vengeance is necessary. Montresor states: â€Å"I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. † (Poe 125) This quote shows that not only does Montresor feel strongly about the actions that must be taken, but also demonstrates the attitude that these actions are warranted. Montresor, like any other man, is consumed by the desire to avenge his foe. Armstrong 3 There is obvious differences between these two stories, In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† there is physical and mental conditions that center around the plot of the story, we see the narrator suffering from paranoia, and other mental conditions she states â€Å"So I take phosphates or phosphites-whichever it is, and tonics and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to work until I am well again. † (Gilman 766), this clearly demonstrates a mental condition. But in contrast I think in the â€Å"Cask of Amontillado† I believe the mental condition of Montresor is created by the abuse that he has received in the past years from Fortunato. In terms of unreliable narrators, the two stories are similar. In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† the narrator, Montresor, seems to be confessing to the murder of Fortunato, possibly on his death bed, but the reader is never really sure what is real and what has been fabricated by Montresor over the 50 years since the crime happened. In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† the narrator is also unreliable. We get snippets of her story from a journal she has been keeping that chronicles her descent into madness at her confinement in an upstairs bedroom at a house she and her husband are renting for a few months. Throughout her narration, the reader becomes aware of several things that the narrator is not aware of, like her descent into madness. Since she is losing her grip on reality, we too much question her take on the events in the story like one might question Montresor's interpretation of the events in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado. In conclusion, I would like to point out that in either case, the mind is a very powerful force that is capable of driving people in so many different directions, we see the people in these two stories demonstrating very odd behavior for similar reasons, but then again they are totally different in fact. We see Montresor actually commit murder And in the end of â€Å"The yellow wallpaper† we see the narrator actually go insane.