Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

When we arrived at Douthitt High School as freshmen, the buildings in our school showed the signs of their 40 years of age. It might be hard to think back to that time when there was a landscaped yard in front of the cafeteria instead of a concrete courtyard, and when the grassy knoll our students enjoy on a rare sunny day didn't exist. After a few noisy years of construction, we now have a modern school. In our time here, it has gone through a complete change from old and mature, to fresh and new. We, on the other hand, have gone from being fresh and new high school students, to old, experienced, mature young adults ready to graduate. We've had many great people build us up to what we are. First and foremost, we should thank our parents for their example, wisdom and support. And although they may pretend to be sad that our high school years are over and that many of us will be going off to live on our own for the first time, don't worry. They're already secretly plotting how to redecorate our rooms. Of course, we've had many inspirational and influential teachers touch us, too. From our days of Info Tech and Freshman English to Government and Washington State, our teachers have been there for us, to lead us toward knowledge. We've had teachers who have pushed us to our academic limits with their rigorous curriculums, teachers who made us laugh every day, and teachers who have shown us support and dedication. We've sat in class as drool formed at the corners of our mouths, either because of a jaw-dropping lecture or a sleep-inducing video, but either way, we will greatly benefit from the things we've learned here. We won't forget the events that shaped our high school experience, either. We've rooted on sports teams at sta... ...o experiencing only peaks! I want my life to be one never ending ascension!" He then proceeds to crash his wagon off a high cliff. Of course, valleys and lowlands are unavoidable. Frustration and failures may come and go, but we can always know we are ascending a peak, if we are striving for love and service in life, treating people with kindness and respect. We can be the wise gurus who sit atop a mountain, inspiring others with our actions. There is no limit to what we can accomplish if we use the tools we have acquired in our time at Douthitt. We are mature from our time at this school, but we are also fresh and full of energy, like our school buildings and the people who wander them. In life, we will face many challenges, but if we remember the basics we will ultimately prevail, find success , and leave the world a bit better than when we started. Thank you.

Essay --

The United States civil rights movement was a constant battle for the rights and freedom of African Americans. Martin Luther king Jr., the leader of the civil right movement, was hosting a non-violent protest in Birmingham city. However, the protest did not go as planned and King was arrested for agitating the public. Many fellow white clergymen were angered and upset over the â€Å"Ungodly† act. As a result,the Clergymen wrote a statement that claimed Martin Luther King Jr. to be an extremist. Martin Luther King Jr. responds to the clergymen’s statement while residing in Birmingham jail by writing a letter using the ethical, emotional, and logical appeals to defend his actions. Martin Luther King Jr. uses the emotional appeal most often than any other appeal and using it to his advantage, he makes it extremely effective in persuading the reader. He uses emotional appeal in many ways throughout his â€Å"letter from Birmingham Jail.† In one of the ways, he uses strong words as one of the most effective ways to relate to the reader and make them feel connected to him. He mentions in his letter that â€Å"When you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters.† Words such as vicious lynch, drown, hate-filled, curse, kick, and kill are all strong words that persuade a negative picture in the readers mind. Such examples he uses to define the evil acts of segregation appeals to the reader as unjust and unfair. King uses most of his emotional appeals from midway through the letter and keeps us ing it until the end. King relates himself to the audience, the clergymen, and shows the similarities ... ...my own hometown, like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid† to show how they both were compelled to carry out a message one being the gospel of Jesus Christ and the latter being human equality (p.61). By comparing himself to historical figures he makes numbers of ethical appeals and he builds up the author’s character. His use of great leaders can have a great influence in the reader and have an effect on the emotions of the reader. Martin Luther King Jr. makes excellent use of all three of Aristotle’s appeals to respond to the clergymen’s accusations. However, he took most advantage of the emotional appeal in order to move the reader and to be able to capture the attention of his audience. Dr. King was one of the greatest speakers in history. He was able to move millions of people with his powerful speeches. Once again, he is successful.

Spirit Bound Chapter Four

I DECIDED IT'D BE BEST not to mention my conversation with Adrian's mother to him. I didn't need psychic powers to sense his mixed mood as we walked back to guest housing. His father had annoyed him, but his mother's seeming acceptance had cheered him up. I didn't want to damage that by letting Adrian know she was only okay with our dating because she figured it was a temporary, fun thing. â€Å"So you're going off with Lissa?† he asked when we reached my room. â€Å"Yup, sorry. You know–girl stuff.† And by girl stuff, I meant breaking and entering. Adrian seemed a little disappointed, but I knew he didn't begrudge our friendship. He gave me a small smile and wrapped his arms around my waist, leaning down to kiss me. Our lips met, and that warmth that always surprised me spread through me. After a few sweet moments, we broke apart, but the look in his eyes said it wasn't easy for him. â€Å"See you later,† I said. He gave me one more quick kiss and then headed off to his own room. I immediately sought out Lissa, who was hanging out in her own room. She was staring intently at a silver spoon, and through our bond, I could sense her intent. She was attempting to infuse it with spirit's compulsion, so that whoever held it would cheer up. I wondered if she intended it for herself or was just randomly experimenting. I didn't probe her mind to find out. â€Å"A spoon?† I asked with amusement. She shrugged and set it down. â€Å"Hey, it's not easy to keep getting a hold of silver. I have to take what I can get.† â€Å"Well, it'd make for happy dinner parties.† She smiled and put her feet upon the ebony coffee table that sat in the middle of her little suite's living room. Each time I saw it, I couldn't help but be reminded of the glossy black furniture that had been in my own prison suite back in Russia. I had fought Dimitri with a stake made from a chair's leg of similar style. â€Å"Speaking of which†¦ how was your dinner party?† â€Å"Not as bad as I thought,† I admitted. â€Å"I never realized what an asshole Adrian's dad was, though. His mom was actually pretty cool. She didn't have a problem with us dating.† â€Å"Yeah, I've met her. She is nice†¦ though I never thought she was nice enough to be okay with scandalous dating. I don't suppose Her Royal Majesty showed up?† Lissa was joking, so my response floored her. â€Å"She did, and†¦ it wasn't awful.† â€Å"What? Did you say ‘wasn't'?† â€Å"I know, I know. It was so crazy. It was this really quick visit to see Adrian, and she acted like me being there was no big deal.† I didn't bother delving into the politics of Tatiana's views on Moroi training for battle. â€Å"Of course, who knows what would have happened if she stayed? Maybe she would have turned into her old self. I would have needed a whole set of magic silverware then–to stop me from pulling a knife on her.† Lissa groaned. â€Å"Rose, you cannot make those kinds of jokes.† I grinned. â€Å"I say the things you're too afraid to.† This made her smile in return. â€Å"It's been a long time since I've heard that,† she said softly. My trip to Russia had fractured our friendship–which had ended up showing me just how much it really meant to me. We spent the rest of the time hanging out, talking about Adrian and other gossip. I was relieved to see she'd gotten over her earlier mood about Christian, but as the day progressed, her anxiety grew about our pending mission with Mia. â€Å"It's going to be okay,† I told her when the time came. We were heading back across the Court grounds, dressed in comfortable jeans and T-shirts. It was nice to be free of school curfew, but again, being out in the bright sunlight didn't make me feel very covert. â€Å"This'll be easy.† Lissa cut me a look but said nothing. The guardians were the security force in our world, and this was their headquarters. Breaking in was going to be anything but easy. Mia looked determined when we reached her, though, and I felt encouraged by her attitude–and that she was wearing all black. True, it wouldn't do much in sunlight, but it made this all feel more legitimate. I was dying to know what had happened with Christian, and Lissa was too. Again, it was one of those topics best left unexplained. Mia did, however, explain her plan to us, and I honestly felt it had about a 65 percent chance of working. Lissa was uneasy about her role since it involved compulsion, but she was a trooper and agreed to do it. We went over everything in detail a few more times and then set out to the building that housed guardian operations. I'd been there once before, when Dimitri had taken me to see Victor in the holding cells adjacent to the guardians' HQ. I'd never spent much time in the main offices before, and as Mia had predicted, they were lightly staffed this time of the day. When we walked in, we were immediately met by a reception area like you'd find in any other administrative office. A stern guardian sat at a desk with a computer, filing cabinets and tables all around him. He probably didn't have much to do at this time of night, but he was still clearly on high alert. Beyond him was a door, and it held my attention. Mia had explained that it was a gateway to all the guardian secrets, to their records and main offices–and surveillance areas that monitored high-risk regions of the Court. Stern or not, the guy had a small smile for Mia. â€Å"Isn't it a little late for you? You aren't here for lessons, are you?† She grinned back. He must have been one of the guardians she'd grown friendly with during her time at Court. â€Å"Nah, just up with some friends and wanted to show them around.† He arched an eyebrow as he took in me and Lissa. He gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. â€Å"Princess Dragomir. Guardian Hathaway.† Apparently our reputations preceded us. It was the first time I'd been addressed by my new title. It startled me–and made me feel slightly guilty about betraying the group I'd just become a member of. â€Å"This is Don,† explained Mia. â€Å"Don, the princess has a favor to ask.† She looked meaningfully at Lissa. Lissa took a deep breath, and I felt the burnings of compulsion magic through our bond as she focused her gaze upon him. â€Å"Don,† she said firmly, â€Å"give us the keys and codes to the records archives downstairs. And then make sure the cameras in those areas are turned off.† He frowned. â€Å"Why would I–† But as her eyes continued to hold his, I could see the compulsion seize him. The lines on his face smoothed into compliance, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Plenty of people were strong enough to resist compulsion–particularly that of ordinary Moroi. Lissa's was much stronger because of spirit, though you never knew if someone might break through. â€Å"Of course,† he said, standing up. He opened a desk drawer and handed Mia a set of keys that she promptly gave to me. â€Å"The code is 4312578.† I committed it to memory, and he beckoned us through the all-powerful door. Beyond it, corridors spread in all directions. He pointed to one on our right. â€Å"Down there. Take a left at the end, go downstairs two flights, and it's the door on the right.† Mia glanced at me to make sure I understood. I nodded, and she turned back to him. â€Å"Now make sure the surveillance is off.† â€Å"Take us there,† said Lissa firmly. Don couldn't resist her command, and she and Mia followed him, leaving me on my own. This part of the plan was all on me, and I hurried down the hall. The facility might be lightly staffed, but I could still run into someone–and would have no compulsion to help me talk my way out of trouble. Don's directions were spot-on, but I still wasn't prepared when I punched in the code and entered the vault. Rows and rows of filing cabinets stretched down a huge hall. I couldn't see the end of it. Drawers were stacked five high, and the faint fluorescent lighting and eerie silence gave it all a spooky, almost haunted feel. All the guardians' information from before the digital age. God only knew how far back these records went. To medieval days in Europe? I suddenly felt daunted and wondered if I could pull this off. I walked to the first cabinet on my left, relieved to see it was labeled. AA1 it read. Below it was AA2 and so forth. Oh dear. It was going to take me several cabinets to even get out of the As. I was grateful the organization was as simple as alphabetical order, but I now understood why these cabinets went on forever. I had to go back more than three quarters of the way down the room to get to the Ts. And it wasn't until I got to the TA27 drawer that I found the file for Tarasov Prison. I gasped. The file was thick, filled with all sorts of documents. There were pages on the prison's history and its migration patterns, as well as floor plans for each of its locations. I could hardly believe it. So much information†¦ but what did I need? What would be useful? The answer came quickly: all of it. I shut the drawer and tucked the folder under my arm. Okay. Time to get out of here. I turned around and began heading for the exit at a light jog. Now that I had what I needed, the urgency of escape was pressing on me. I was almost there when I heard a soft click, and the door opened. I froze as a dhampir I didn't recognize stepped through. He froze as well, clearly astonished, and I took it as a small blessing that he didn't immediately pin me against the wall and start interrogating me. â€Å"You're Rose Hathaway,† he said. Good lord. Was there anyone who didn't know who I was? I tensed, unsure what to expect now, but spoke as though us meeting here made perfect sense. â€Å"So it would seem. Who are you?† â€Å"Mikhail Tanner,† he said, still puzzled. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"Running an errand,† I said breezily. I indicated the file. â€Å"The guardian on duty down here needed something.† â€Å"You're lying,† he said. â€Å"I'm the guardian on archive duty. If someone needed something, they would have sent me.† Oh, shit. Talk about best-laid plans failing. Yet as I stood there, a strange thought came to me. His appearance wasn't familiar at all: curly brown hair, average height, late twenties. Pretty good-looking, really. But his name†¦ something about his name†¦ â€Å"Ms. Karp,† I gasped. â€Å"You're the one†¦ you were involved with Ms. Karp.† He stiffened, blue eyes narrowing warily. â€Å"What do you know about that?† I swallowed. What I'd done–or tried to do for Dimitri–wasn't without precedent. â€Å"You loved her. You went out to kill her after she†¦ after she turned.† Ms. Karp had been a teacher of ours a few years ago. She'd been a spirit user, and as the effects of it began to drive her insane, she'd done the only thing she could to save her mind: become a Strigoi. Mikhail, her lover, had done the only thing he'd known to end that evil state: search for and kill her. It occurred to me that I was standing face-to-face with the hero of a love story nearly as dramatic as my own. â€Å"But you never found her,† I said softly. â€Å"Did you?† He took a long time in answering, his eyes weighing me heavily. I wondered what he was thinking about. Her? His own pain? Or was he analyzing me? â€Å"No,† he said finally. â€Å"I had to stop. The guardians needed me more.† He spoke in that calm, controlled way that guardians excelled at, but in his eyes, I saw grief–a grief I more than understood. I hesitated before taking a shot at the only chance I had to not get busted and end up in a jail cell. â€Å"I know†¦ I know you have every reason to drag me out of here and turn me in. You should. It's what you're supposed to do–what I'd do too. But the thing is, this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I again nodded at the folder. â€Å"Well, I'm kind of trying to do what you did. I'm trying to save someone.† He remained quiet. He could probably guess who I meant and assumed â€Å"save† meant â€Å"kill.† If he knew who I was, he'd know who my mentor had been. Few knew about my romantic relationship with Dimitri, but me caring about him would have been a foregone conclusion. â€Å"It's futile, you know,† Mikhail said at last. This time, his voice cracked a little. â€Å"I tried†¦ I tried so hard to find her. But when they disappear†¦ when they don't want to be found†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"There's nothing we can do. I understand why you want to do it. Believe me, I do. But it's impossible. You'll never find him if he doesn't want you to.† I wondered how much I could tell Mikhail–how much I should. It occurred to me then that if there was anyone else in this world who understood what I was going through, it would be this man. Besides, I didn't have a lot of options here. â€Å"The thing is, I think I can find him,† I said slowly. â€Å"He's looking for me.† â€Å"What?† Mikhail's eyebrows rose. â€Å"How do you know?† â€Å"Because he, um, sends me letters about it.† That fierce warrior look immediately returned. â€Å"If you know this, if you can find him†¦ you should get backup to kill him.† I flinched at those last words and again feared what I had to say next. â€Å"Would you believe me if I said there was a way to save him?† â€Å"You mean by destroying him.† I shook my head. â€Å"No†¦ I mean really save. A way to restore him to his original state.† â€Å"No,† Mikhail said swiftly. â€Å"That's impossible.† â€Å"It might not be. I know someone who did it–who turned a Strigoi back.† Okay, that was a small lie. I didn't actually know the person, but I wasn't going to get into the string of knowing-someone-who-knew-someone†¦ â€Å"That's impossible,† Mikhail repeated. â€Å"Strigoi are dead. Undead. Same difference.† â€Å"What if there was a chance?† I said. â€Å"What if it could be done? What if Ms. Karp–if Sonya–could become Moroi again? What if you could be together again?† It'd also mean she'd be crazy again, but that was a technicality for later. It felt like an eternity before he answered, and my anxiety grew. Lissa couldn't compel forever, and I'd told Mia I would be fast. This plan would fall apart if I didn't get out soon. Yet, watching him deliberate, I could see his mask falter. After all this time, he still loved his Sonya. â€Å"If what you're saying is true–and I don't believe it–then I'm coming with you.† Whoa, no. Not in the plan. â€Å"You can't,† I said swiftly. â€Å"I've already got people in place.† Another small lie. â€Å"Adding more might ruin things. I'm not doing it alone,† I said, cutting off what I figured would be his next argument. â€Å"If you really want to help me–really want to take a chance on bringing her back–you need to let me go.† â€Å"There's no way it can be true,† he repeated. But there was doubt in his voice, and I played on it. â€Å"Can you take that chance?† More silence. I was starting to sweat now. Mikhail closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Then he stepped aside and gestured to the door. â€Å"Go.† I nearly sagged in relief and immediately grabbed the door handle. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you so much.† â€Å"I could get in a lot of trouble for this,† he said wearily. â€Å"And I still don't believe it's possible.† â€Å"But you hope it is.† I didn't need a response from him to know I was right. I opened the door, but before going through, I paused and glanced at him. This time, he no longer hid the grief and pain in his face. â€Å"If you mean it†¦ if you want to help†¦ there might be a way you can.† Another piece of the puzzle had unraveled itself for me, another way we might pull this off. I explained what I needed from him and was surprised at how quickly he agreed. He really was like me, I realized. We both knew the idea of bringing back Strigoi was impossible†¦ and yet we so, so wanted to believe it could be done I slipped back upstairs alone after that. Don wasn't at his desk, and I wondered what Mia had done with him. I didn't wait to find out and instead headed outside, off to a small courtyard that we'd established as our rendezvous point. Mia and Lissa were both waiting there, pacing. No longer distracted with anxiety, I opened myself to the bond and felt Lissa's agitation. â€Å"Thank God,† she said when she saw me. â€Å"We thought you'd been caught.† â€Å"Well†¦ it's a long story.† One I didn't bother with. â€Å"I got what I needed. And†¦ I actually got a whole lot more. I think we can do this.† Mia gave me a look that was both wry and wistful. â€Å"I sure do wish I knew what you guys were doing.† I shook my head as the three of us walked away. â€Å"No,† I replied. â€Å"I'm not sure that you do.†

Leadership Taxonomy

Introduction There a numerous leadership theories that help manage a successful business. These theories include techniques that have been developed and constantly improving since 1888. Theorists such as Thomas Carlyle, Kurt Lewin, and James Kouze, have developed characteristics they believe will shape the leaders of tomorrow. These characteristics are structured together to create theories based on personality, relationships, and developmental styles. The following will provided an organized overview of ten theorists and the characteristics they believe to develop successful leaders. Theorist |Theory Title |Theory Characteristics |Year | |Thomas Carlyle |Great Man |â€Å"According to this theory, you're either a natural born leader or |c. 1888 | | | |you're not. The term â€Å"Great Man† was used because, at the time, | | | | |leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in | | | | |terms of military leadership. (About, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |The Great Man leadership theory became more prevalent during the 19th| | | | |century and was developed from the success of several famous leaders. | | | |A famous quote that sums up this theory is â€Å"great leaders are born, | | | | |not Made. † (Changing Minds, 2011) | | Cherry, K. (2011). The Great Man Theory of Leadership. In About. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://psychology. about. com/od/leadership/a/great-man-theory-of-leadership. htm Straker, D. (2011). Great Man Theory. In Changing Minds. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://changingminds. org/disciplines/leadership/theories/great_man_theory. htm |Gordon Allport |Personality Trait Theory |â€Å"The trait approach to personality is one of the major theoretical |c. 1936 | | | |areas in the study of personality. The trait theory suggests that | | | | |individual personalities are composed broad dispositions. (About, | | | | |2011) | | | | | | | | | |Allport discovered that there are more then 4,000 words to describe | | | | |personality traits. Allport categorized those traits into three | | | | |different levels, Cardinal, Central and Secondary traits. | | | | | | | | | |Cardinal traits were characterized as traits that dominate an | | | | |individual’s whole life. Central traits are general characteristics | | | | |of an individual personality that would affect their leadership | | | | |quality. â€Å"Terms such as intelligent, honest, shy and anxious are | | | | |considered central traits. (About, 2011) Secondary traits reefers | | | | |to attitudes or preferences that appear in certain situations or from| | | | |the result of a specific circumstance. | | Cherry, K. (2011). Trait Theory of Personality. In About. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://psychology. about. om/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/trait-theory. htm Cherry, K. (2011). Leadership Theories – 8 Major Leadership Theories. In About. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://psychology. about. com/od/leadership/p/leadtheories. htm |Kurt Lewin |Lewin's leadership styles |Lewin’s developed three leadership styles, autocratic, democratic |c. 1939 | | | |style and Laissez-Faire style. | | | | | | | | |â€Å"In the autocratic style, the leader takes decisions without | | | | |consulting with others. The decision is made without any form of | | | | |consultation. In Lewin's experiments, he found that this caused the | | | | |most level of discontent. † (Changing Minds, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |The autocratic style is used when the result from a decision would | | | | |not change if it had the input from others. | | | | | | | | |â€Å"In the democratic style, the leader involves the people in the | | | | |decision-making, although the process for the final decision may vary| | | | |from the leader having the final say to them facilitating consensus | | | | |in the group. (Changing Minds, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |The democratic style is a group decision making process. This style | | | | |usually opens it up for individuals to voice their opinions and can | | | | |create adversity and problems. | | | | | | | | |â€Å"The laissez-faire style is to minimize the leader's involvement in | | | | |decision-making, and hence allowing people to make their own | | | | |decisions, although they may still be responsible for the outcome. | | | | |( Changing Minds, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |When individuals are motivated to make their own decisions and there | | | | |is no need for a central coordination, the laissez-faire style would | | | | |be best suited for that situation. | | | | | | | | | | | | Straker, D. (2011). Lewin's leadership styles. In Changing Minds. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://changingminds. org/disciplines/leadership/styles/lewin_style. htm |F. E. Fiedler |Least Preferred Co-worker |â€Å"Leaders prioritize between task-focus and people-focus. |c. 1964 | | |(LPC) Theory |Relationships, power and task structure are the three key factors | | | | |that drive effective styles. † ( Changing Minds, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |Fiedler used a scoring system to be able to determine if that leader | | | | |would work with that person again. | | | | | | | | |â€Å"High LPC leaders tend to have close and positive relationships and | | | | |act in a supportive way, even prioritizing the relationship before | | | | |the task. Low LPC leaders put the task first and will turn to | | | | |relationships only when they are satisfied with how the work is | | | | |going. (Changing Minds, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |Three identifying factors | | | | | | | | | |Leader-Member Relations | | | | |Task structure | | | | |Leader’s Position-power | | Straker, D. (2011). . In Changing Minds. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://changingminds. org/disciplines/leadership/theories/fiedler_lpc. htm Rensis Likert |Likerts leadership styles |Likerts four style of leadership were developed around decision |c. 1967 | | | |making and how much people are involved in the decision making | | | | |process. | | | | | | | | | |Likerts four styles are exploitive authoritative, benevolent | | | | |authoritative, consultative, and participative. | | | | | | | | |The Exploitive authoritative style is a style where the leader has | | | | |low- no concern on how their actions will psychologically affect | | | | |people. This style is based off of fear and threats in order to | | | | |accomplish the task at hand. | | | | | | | | | |The Benevolent authoritative style is a complete opposite of the | | | | |Exploitive authoritative style. This style involves higher ranked | | | | |leaders in an organization listening to the concerns of individuals | | | | |lower in the organization. | | | | | | | | | |The consultative theory is focused on still listening to the upward | | | | |flow of information, but generally decisions are still centrally | | | | |made. | | | | | | | | |The participative theory’s where leaders maximize methods to engage | | | | |with people lower down in the organization in the decision-making | | | | |process. | | | | | | | | | | | | Straker, D. (2011). Likert's leadership styles. In Changing Minds. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://changingminds. org/disciplines/leadership/styles/likert_style. htm |D. J. Hickson |Strategic Contingencies |The strategic contingencies theory states that if a person does|c. 1971 | | |Theory |no they charisma but that person possesses the ability to solve| | | | |problems they still can be a effective leader. | | | | | | | | | |â€Å"The theory helps to objectify leadership techniques, as | | | | |opposed to relying on personalities. (Leadership-Central, | | | | |2011) | | | | | | | | | | | | Strategic Contingencies Theory (2011). In Leadership-central. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://www. leadership-central. com/strategic-contingencies-theory. html#axzz1ZeSf2sGc |Dr. Paul Hersey, |Situational Leadership |Hersey and Blanchard leadership model was developed into four styles|c. 972 | |Ken Blanchard |Model |(S1 to S4) to match the employee development level (D1 to D4). | | | | | | | | | |â€Å"Leaders should adapt their style to follower development style (or | | | | |'maturity'), based on how ready and willing the follower is to | | | | |perfo rm required tasks (that is, their competence and motivation). | | | | |(Straker, 2011) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Style one is Telling/Directing which is designed for an employee at | | | | |a D1 level. This employee is a t a low competence, low commitment | | | | |level to the company. | | | | | | | | |Style two is Selling/ Coaching which is designed for a employee at a| | | | |D 2 level. This employee has some competence and a variable | | | | |commitment to his/her position. | | | | | | | | | |Style three is Participating/ Supporting which is designed for an | | | | |employee at a D3 level. This employee has high competence but still | | | | |a variable commitment to his/her position and the company. | | | | | | | | | |Style four is Delegating/ Observing which is designed for a employee| | | | |at D 4. This employee with have a high competence and a high | | | | |commitment to the company. | | | | | | | | | | | | | |At level S1 the leader is high task focus and not real focus on the | | | | |relationship. As you reach a S4 the leader has a low task focus and | | | | |a low relationship focus. At S3 that is where the leader builds a | | | | |strong relationship to develop that employee into a D4. | | | | | | Straker, D. (2011). Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership. In Changing Minds. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://changingminds. org/disciplines/leadership/styles/situational_leadership_hersey_blanchard. htm Situational Leadership- About us (2011). In Situational Leadership. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://www. situational. com/about-us/ |Danser eau, Graen, |Leader-member Exchange (LMX)|â€Å"How a leader maintains leadership through working with her or |c. 1975 | |and Haga |his supporters, those entrusted with responsibility and advisers | | | | |defines the Leader-member Exchange theory as a method for | | | | |exerting and maintaining leadership. † (Leadership-Central, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |LMX is a intuitive theory and would be more expected from a | | | | |leader-group structure. LMX uses three stages of development. | | | | | | | | |Organizational Stage | | | | |Role Development | | | | |Leader-led relationship | | | | | | | | | |Leaders in this theory can range from a person leading a small | | | | |discussion group or a supervisor of a work crew to heads of | | | | |countries or empires. â€Å"The more complex the task and | | | | |organization, the more factors enter into the organizational | | | | |dynamics. † (Leadership-Central, 2011) | | | | | | | Leader-Member Exchange Theory – LMX (2011). In Leadership-central. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://www. leadership-central. om/leader-member-exchange. html#axzz1ZeSf2sGc |James MacGregor |Burns Transformational |â€Å"Burns Transformational leadership Theory, in other words, |c. 1978 | |Burns |Leadership Theory |Burns focuses upon motivations and values in assessing how a | | | | |leader approaches power. This aspect of having that basic | | | | |ethical system sets leaders apart from those merely aspiring to| | | | |power. (Leadership-Central, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |Burns theory appeals to those interested in developing social | | | | |values and individual purpose. Burns theory asks a fundamental | | | | |question of what the ultimate goal of leadership is and why one| | | | |should be a leader. | | | | | | Burns Transformational Leadership Theory (2011). In Leadership-central. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://www. leadership-central. com/burns-transformational-leadership-theory. html#axzz1ZeSf2sGc |Bass, B. M. |Transformational Leadership |‘Bass defined transformational leadership in terms of how the |c. 1985 | | |Theory |leader affects followers, who are intended to trust, admire and | | | | |respect the transformational leader. (Straker, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |Bass described three ways which leaders can transform their | | | | |followers. | | | | |Easing their awareness of task importance and value. | | | | |Getting them to focus first on team or organizational goals, rather| | | | |than their own interests. | | | | |Activating their higher-order needs. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Bass Transformational Leadership Theory (2011). In Leadership-Centeral. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://www. leadership-central. com/bass-transformational-leadership-theory. html#axzz1ZeSf2sGc Straker, D. (2011). Bass' Transformational Leadership Theory. In Changing Minds. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://changingminds. org/disciplines/leadership/theories/bass_transformational. htm |James Kouze and |Leadership Participation |â€Å"Specific factors are listed in a checklist form that |c. 1987 | |Barry Posner |Inventory |organizers can use to assess a group's affinity to a leader. | | | | |While they are subjective, they are better than nothing and can| | | | |help in a focus on organizational problems. † | | | |(Leadership-Central, 2011) | | | | | | | | | |Five characterizes for successful leadership | | | | | | | | | |1. Role Model | | | | |2. Inspiration: | | | | |3. Facing Adversity | | | | |4. Empowerment | | | | |5. Generates Enthusiasm | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Leadership Participation Inventory (2011). In Leadership-central. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from http://www. leadership-central. com/leadership-participation-inventory. html#axzz1ZeSf2sGc

Crusades and Pope Urban Essay

The Christian Crusades occurred around the 11th and the 12th century are very many and complex. The Christian Crusades has built a tense relationship between the Christians and Islamic. This essay will explain the causes and effects of the Medieval Crusades. The importance of the holy lands as stated in the Islamic bible, Koran, and the Christian bible is the most significant cause of the Christian Crusades. Religious rivalry between the 2 religions was caused by the fact that both of these religions believed in 2 different gods. The Islam’s thought that there god was the true god whilst the Christians believed that there god was the one and true god. The fact that the Islam’s believed there god was the one and true, brought anger to the Pilgrims who were on a quest to take back the Holy lands which were Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem, which were controlled currently by the Muslims since 638AD. But as more and more pilgrims came to visit the Holy lands, Seljuk Turks, Saracens, took over the lands and denied more Pilgrimages to the Holy Lands. This brought great anger to Pope Urban II. Pope Urban II was responsible for the very first Christian Crusade. He started this by giving an extremely influential speech to all Christians in Europe and Medieval time saying that the Saracens were turning Christian Churches into Mosques which were Muslim churches. Pope Urban II then told all Christian men and European Christian Princes to go on a crusade to take back the Holy lands. The Pope also stated to these Christian men that by fighting in this holy war they would reach heaven. So the Christian Crusaders set their target on regaining one of the Holy lands which was Jerusalem. The result of the first crusade was not too good for the Muslims as 70,000 Muslims had died trying to flee from the city or fight to protect their city. A reason that explains the cause of the Christian Crusades, are the Christian men, the Knight class and Princes. Prior explains how Pope Urban II speech influences the Christian men, Knight classes and Princes of Europe to go on a crusade against their rivalry religion and to gain back the Holy Lands. Pope Urban II says to all these men that go on to their crusade, that if they do not fight back against the Saracens, god will not clear there sin. This was another reason for the Christian Crusade. Pope Urban II â€Å"blackmailing† these men to go to the Holy lands was a reason for why the Christian Crusades began in the first place. The Knight class were all men that wanted to fight. Since the age of seven, pagers, who were the first stage into becoming a knight, were taught special skills to fight. Every Crusader that was going on to gain back the lands had a sign on their tunics when they went to fight. This sign resembled St Johns Cross. The medieval Crusades have brought a strong intensity in these to religions that are still quite tense nowadays. Pope Urban II speech had urged men to go on this holy crusade and both the Koran and bible having two of the same holy places caused tension between these two religions. This essay has given the causes and effects of the holy crusades.

Week Progress Report

Select one of the locations and prepare a comprehensive risk assessment for McBride management team. The risk assessment should identify the background and potential risks that could Impact the operation of the business. It will provide Background Possible Failure ScenariosPotential targets of terrorist activity such as government offices, law enforcement agencies, or politically sensitive businesses or services Public Imagine and Reputation Public transportation facilities that might handle the carriage of dangerous or hazardous substances, which could be Involved In major accidents Potential targets of criminal activity Safety and Environment The use of toxic chemicals In the violently of the business by manufacturing processes Industrial solvents, blue print machines, etc. Possible Risk Treatments ConclusionIn conclusion, the paper was provided to References By Jasmine McBride Financial Services, one of the Virtual Organizations, is currently opening offices in Boise, Idaho and Si oux Falls, South Dakota. Select one of the locations and assessment should identify the background and potential risks that could impact the hazardous substances, which could be involved in major accidents Potential targets The use of toxic chemicals in the vicinity of the business by manufacturing processes industrial solvents, blue print machines, etc. Possible Risk Treatments

Assessment of the Role of Jimmy Corrigan As Depicted By Chris Ware in the Smartest Kid on Earth

Assessment of the Role of Jimmy Corrigan As Depicted By Chris Ware in the Smartest Kid on Earth Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid On Earth, by Chris Ware, is about a meek and lonely man in his mid-thirties who meets his father for the first time in a Michigan town over Thanksgiving weekend. Jimmy is an awkward and cheerless character with an overbearing mother and a very limited social life. Jimmy attempts to escape his unhappiness via an active imagination that sometimes gets him into awkward situations. The book deals with loneliness, familial dysfunction, inadequacy, bullying, generational conflict, masculinity, sexual frustration, social embarrassment and depression. Ware wrote and illustrated the book. He is best known for a series of comics called the Acme Novelty Library, and incidentally, this graphic novel.First and foremost, Jimmy Corrigan has a very unique style. The first thing you notice is the thick line weight, the very geometric design of the illustrations, and the thick, opaque colors used. The illustrations do not contain any fine detail. What Ware uses is subtle shifts in line weight. What Ware also does well is capturing the different shapes of the figures as they walk, talk, move their head, turn around, etc. This, along with adding slight blocks of color for shadows, really gives the illustrations depth and distance when there seemingly couldnt be. People, objects, buildings, the sky, the weather, etc. are all drawn in a very minimalist nature. Everything is given the simplest shape possible yet you know exactly what you are looking at, just by where certain lines bend and curve. The colors used for illustrations are relatively drab. Every color is a sort of soft, pastel like color, which gives the illustrations a very unobtrusive feel. This color palette fits the story nicely considering the story is rather drab and depressing. The colors do a good job of setting the mood and bringing you into Jimmy Corrigans life as well as mind state. With that said, what I foun d rather interesting was how Ware used the color red. Unlike the other colors, red was bright and strong, and at times really jumped off the page. For the most part it was used for sound effects, which although sounds like a relatively simple idea, I thought was a really good representation of them. Red was also used for narration as well, such as words. They were used almost as a guide at times, to really keep the story going,Another technical aspect of the work is the integration of various kinds of text. You have your typical cartoon for the dialogue and thoughts of the characters. You also have your typical sound-effects text as well. There are a few unique uses of text: one is use of cursive lettering in parts of the story. These scenes arent really Jimmys daydreams nor are they his full fledge dreams. They are much more like whimsical, fantasy like thoughts. They are also used at times as narration as well as representing Jimmys thoughts. Another unique use of text is his use of early-20th century lettering. Ware applies this to the poster/flyer like images entitled à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jimmy Corrigan, Smartest Kid on Earth, which are sprinkled throughout the book. Another instance of this is when he is talking about the past, more specifically Jimmys grandfathers childhood. The text is both technically and beautifully done. Although they are necessary to the style and the story, it is interesting to note that Ware is an ardent ragtime enthusiast who publishes a journal on ragtime music, collects ragtime paraphernalia, and has even designed album art and posters for ragtime performers (jackhanley.com). This is all pretty apparent and really comes out in Jimmy Corrigan.Several images reoccur throughout the book and tie together the plotlines: superheroes, birds, broken limbs, guns, peaches, redheads, the Fair, and Jimmy Corrigan. The images bind the story together and reiterate the similarities between the Jimmies of each generation (findarticles.com). For example, the Chicago Worlds Fair of 1 893 represents the imaginary world that the Corrigans inhabit. A world thrown together, that looked great for the two weeks of the fair and then collapsed into sudden ruin. Each character has a very brief childhood where everything looks fine until the harsh reality crashes through the illusion, ending childhood (i-reports.info). None of the Corrigans seem able to break the bonds of their past. Jimmy tries to make a connection to his father, but cannot seem to make any human connection.The superhero image is the one reoccurring image that really stands out throughout the book. Jimmy himself wears a Superman shirt. Jimmy imagines himself a bird flying outside of the clinic like Superman, and when a bird crashes into the window, we are back with Jimmy in the clinic, back to reality. In Jimmy Corrigan, superheroes are not invincible. A superhero jumps from the rooftop across from Jimmys office building and dies. A toy Superman that a child plays with at a diner dives to the floor. Jimmys dad picks it up to give back to the child, commenting how we would not want Superman to get hurt (findarticles.com). And in the first couple pages of the book you have a young Jimmy meeting a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“superhero at a comic book convention. The superhero then goes home with Jimmy and his mom and subsequently sleeps with his mom, and then sneaks out in the morning. Not exactly something Superman would do, maybe Batman, but not Superman.Ware does a great job of connecting the past with the present. One example is how the book spans the time from Jimmys great-grandfather in 1863 to the present; the different time changes are illustrated through a particular visual sequence of a bird gathering nest materials by various hospitals (findarticles.com). This bird is seen first collecting a flowered twig around a war-zone tent-hospital, then by a hospital building in the 1890s, next at Lincoln Hospital in the 1930s, then at St. Marys in the 1950s, and finally placing the twig in a nest on the windowsill of a present-day doc-in-a-box where Jimmy wa its with a bloody nose (findarticles.com). You have a sense that it is the same bird reflecting on times gone by, as well as different birds from different times.Ware uses a variety of narrative techniques. These techniques vary from panel to panel. Ware uses one of the more basic panel-to-panel transitions called simply Å“moment to moment; the same subject is displayed in adjacent instants, like a movie running jerkily on a slow computer (McCloud chapt. 3). This is basically used to animate the story and give it some fluidity. Ware also uses transitions very similar to moment to moment, one being action to action, in which the focus remains on a single subject, but this time, two separate, consecutive actions are displayed (for example, the first panel might contain a car speeding along, the 2nd the car smashing into a tree, or in this case Jimmy) (McCloud chapt. 3). The other transition Ware uses similar to this is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“subject to subject, in which both panels are within the same scene or idea, but each portrays a different subject (McCloud chapt. 3). The three of these techniques are the basis for how the story is told. Another interesting narrative feature of the story is when he uses the transition called à ¢ â‚ ¬Ã…“aspect to aspect, which is when the author Bypasses time for the most part and sets a wandering eye on different aspects of a place, mood, or idea (McCloud chapt. 3). Ware does this periodically throughout the book to set the mood, describe a setting, show what a character is thinking, etc. He will have a number of consecutive panels that will show simple objects, or even small details of simple objects, along with the regular narrative features of the story. The bulk of the story obviously deals with the modern-day Jimmy. This part of the story starts off the book and continues in a relative linear fashion, flowing in and out of dreams and thoughts. We join Jimmy at work and soon follow him through a series of panels which show his simple, boring, and depressing life. What is then introduced is a rather odd dream sequence in which Jimmy imagines himself as a robot. Similar dream sequences happen throughout the course of the story, including one where a giant superhero h and picks up Jimmys house and then proceeds to drop it.Another narrative feature that happens quite frequently throughout Jimmy Corrigan is when Jimmy has his daydreams. These serve as a window into Jimmys psyche and often reveal tiny details about his persona. Some of them show Jimmy imagining himself with different women, including his co-worker Peggy, the nurse at the doctors office his father brings him to, and the girl his father adopted Amy. The daydreams do not all contain the same themes though. The one involving Peggy has Jimmy imagining her as an almost mother-like character. This is probably due to the fact that Peggy is a very domineering woman, much like Jimmys mother. The next one comes during Jimmys visit to the doctors office with his father. This daydream is purely sexual. Jimmy takes the nurses niceness and seemingly flirtatious actions and runs with it, setting off a series of images depicting the nurse coming on to Jimmy, them running away together and then ultimately getting married. This is all rather humorous and really does accurately portray what goes through a manà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s mind when he meets an attractive woman. This similar chain of events happens when Jimmy has a daydream about Amy. Only this time a bomb or meteor demolishes everything and Jimmy and Amy are the only ones left. Yet unlike the previous two this daydream has Jimmy taking charge and taking care of someone else. It shows him chopping wood, being a real man. The daydreams are quick and to the point. The majority of the time they end rather abruptly with someone or something snapping him out of it.Although the main plot of Jimmys life and his attempt at reconnecti ng with his father is told in a relative linear fashion, it is the inclusion of flashbacks from Jimmys life, his fathers life, and his grandfathers life, that really elevates the plotline and reveals more about who the Corrigans are. They really show why these three men are who they are. Whats interesting is how Ware treats these flashbacks. There is never any notice of them. They flow in and out of the story, revealing more and more each time. Ware breaks up the flashbacks, being careful not to show too much too soon. What makes these flashback even more confusing is that it is often tough to figure out wh Ware is talking about, a prime example being that Jimmys grandfather is also named Jimmy. Ware makes no attempt at depicting any of these three men differently in the flashbacks either. Young Jimmy looks the same as modern day Jimmy and Grandfather Jimmy. The only clues are of course the backgrounds and settings. There is a reoccurring theme with the Corrigans. The interconnected stories reveal a long genealogical line of abandonment and disappointment, regret and paralyzing isolation (cnn.com).Although Jimmy Corrigan contains images, symbols, and characters pertaining to superheroes, it is easy to say that the book is not exactly of the superhero genre. Upon further research it was interesting to find out that parts of the book are indeed autobiographical. The main example being when Jimmy and his newly met Dad sit on the couch in awkward silence, with nothing to say and so much unsaid. Jimmys dad, feebly trying to make up for a lifetime of missed breakfasts, fries some bacon in a skillet, then arranges the bacon strips on Jimmys plate so they spell HI (cnn.com). The entire breakfast sequence is vividly evoked, down to the tsss, tlink, tink that Ware uses to convey the sound of a metal fork turning frying bacon in a skillet. Ware drew from his own life experience for the scene.Like Jimmy, I never knew my father. Over the years, I tried to envision him, to imagine him. Id seen photographs of him, but they were years old, I had no idea what he looked like. And then he called me up one day (cnn.com).Ware was 29 years old, and more than halfway through the writing of the book, when he first met his own father. Their meeting, too, was tentative and awkward, and tinged with anger. His father died a short time later. Many of the other scenes in the book are from Wares memory as much as his imagination. The book contains several accounts of schoolyard cruelty that will be painfully familiar to anyone who, as a child, was the butthead or the dork, the shortest or the skinniest, the last picked for kickball or the first target in dodge ball (cnn.com).This is the category where Jimmy falls into, the dork, the weirdo, the quiet guy the lovable loser. He is not your typical à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“leading man. He is no hero, he is not talented, and he really does not bring anything to the table. Yet vast amounts of people are drawn to characters and stories like this, both in the literary world, and the film and music world as well. What is it that draws people towards characters like this? What makes people interested in seeing or hearing a lonely, depressed person go through his/her lonely, depressed life? It would seem that in one way or another everyone has been there before, maybe not for long, but they have been there. Everyone has felt lonely or depressed at some point in their life, so for the most part people can relate. They know what it is like to not feel loved. Because of this, people tend to root for these types of people when they appear in book, or in movies.There have been numerous movies that contain this everyman, this lonely, somewhat depressed person who is just lacking in life. Some examples are American Splendor (the bio pic of graphic novelist Harvey Pekar), Sideways (Paul Giamattis character Miles), Taxi Driver, Welcome to the Dollhouse, and oddly en ough most movies about serial killers including Psycho, Henry and American Psycho. Of course these happen to be towards the extreme end of the spectrum. These characters, like Jimmy Corrigan, are almost always, needless to say, ugly and unkempt. They always have some sort of social issues, whether it is shyness, a speech impediment, or just all in all awkward. The characters are almost always single and have a limited amount of friends, if any at all. They are simple and plain, and basically lead ordinary, drab lives. Yet through all of this these characters find something to strive for, to keep them going, if only for a short time. Like any human being they want something more out of life, to break the cycle of loneliness and despair. For Jimmy it is trying to reconnect with his father, for Miles in Sideways it is trying find love after his painful divorce, for Dawn in Welcome to the Dollhouse it is simply trying to fit in, for Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver it is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ well à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ who knows. The truth is, we root for these characters. We want them to achieve their goals or at the very least get some closure. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they dont. Jimmy Corrigan is a story of loneliness and abandonment and the struggle to break this cycle and not repeat it. Although Jimmys life is boring and depressing, and seemingly one dimensional, the way in which Chris Ware presents is not. Ware is not content with simply telling a story of a lonesome man. He delves into the depths of why people can be like this and how they try and deal with these feelings and emotions. In the words of Harvey Pekar, O rdinary life is pretty complex stuff.