Comments for Leadership Lessons that I'm Learning http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com Just another WordPress.com weblog Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:40:00 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on In it for More than a Paycheck? by Anonymous http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/in-it-for-more-than-a-paycheck/#comment-34 Anonymous Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:40:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/in-it-for-more-than-a-paycheck/#comment-34 To me Southwest Airlines is a unique company that approached their success by using unorthodox methods. This organization invested in the people that they employed. With the restructuring and teaching this organization became a large success. They wanted to keep their prices at the lowest cost to their consumers, the organization put the customer second and the employee first, their legal disputes where settled by are wrestling, and they ran ads that were out of the normal for ads. <br/>By being original and putting your employees first you are a success waiting to happen. In the uniqueness of the strategy and implementation to achieve the success that only is thought about by other organizations. I believe in thinking outside the box and doing the unconventional things to reach the positive result that you are looking for. No matter what organization you are employed by or what position you hold, you can show others how the unorthodox can achieve the required results that are being worked towards. <br/>In the health care profession I find that the customer is first in every strategy that is implemented. The turnover in these organizations is extremely high. I see this happening in the organization I am employed with. There is the starch rules that are expected to be followed and nothing else can work, according to the old way of thinking. <br/>In organizations that are willing to look beyond the immediate future, have expectations that are unique, and above all put your employees first are heading for success. Employees that feel important and first, if no where else but work, will excel to go far above their efforts to reach a positive set of goals.<br/>I believe that if you as an employee are not satisfied with the management and the way they treat the employees you will not excel and you become one of the many that show up to work and do just the minimum that is required and then pick up your paycheck. I personally enjoy going to work not because the upper management treats me as if I were the most important person but because I get satisfaction by helping those that are in need of the service I can provide. If I ever work for a company like Southwest Airlines I most likely would not know how to feel and then I would ask myself “what is it that is expected of me that I am not being told”.<br/>In answer to your question “Can organizations do well by doing good?” I believe that the success the organization achieves can trickle down to the employees and in that appreciation all can see the answer would have to be “YES”.<br/>DM To me Southwest Airlines is a unique company that approached their success by using unorthodox methods. This organization invested in the people that they employed. With the restructuring and teaching this organization became a large success. They wanted to keep their prices at the lowest cost to their consumers, the organization put the customer second and the employee first, their legal disputes where settled by are wrestling, and they ran ads that were out of the normal for ads.
By being original and putting your employees first you are a success waiting to happen. In the uniqueness of the strategy and implementation to achieve the success that only is thought about by other organizations. I believe in thinking outside the box and doing the unconventional things to reach the positive result that you are looking for. No matter what organization you are employed by or what position you hold, you can show others how the unorthodox can achieve the required results that are being worked towards.
In the health care profession I find that the customer is first in every strategy that is implemented. The turnover in these organizations is extremely high. I see this happening in the organization I am employed with. There is the starch rules that are expected to be followed and nothing else can work, according to the old way of thinking.
In organizations that are willing to look beyond the immediate future, have expectations that are unique, and above all put your employees first are heading for success. Employees that feel important and first, if no where else but work, will excel to go far above their efforts to reach a positive set of goals.
I believe that if you as an employee are not satisfied with the management and the way they treat the employees you will not excel and you become one of the many that show up to work and do just the minimum that is required and then pick up your paycheck. I personally enjoy going to work not because the upper management treats me as if I were the most important person but because I get satisfaction by helping those that are in need of the service I can provide. If I ever work for a company like Southwest Airlines I most likely would not know how to feel and then I would ask myself “what is it that is expected of me that I am not being told”.
In answer to your question “Can organizations do well by doing good?” I believe that the success the organization achieves can trickle down to the employees and in that appreciation all can see the answer would have to be “YES”.
DM

]]> Comment on Restlessness, Rewards and Engagement: Finding Meaning in Life and at Work by Anonymous http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/restlessness-rewards-and-engagement-finding-meaning-in-life-and-at-work-2/#comment-33 Anonymous Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:44:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/restlessness-rewards-and-engagement-finding-meaning-in-life-and-at-work-2/#comment-33 RESTLESSNESS, REEWARDS AND ENGAGEMENT: FINDING MEANING IN LIFE AND AR WORK<br/><br/>Tony<br/>I have read your article and I find it interesting. You have asked several questions and I feel that answering them will clarify things to me. I think that my situation can be improved upon both at home and at work; Feeling that one is taken for granite makes one question the reason for this. By trying to improve one’s self and the situation they are in is only to better one’s self and to build your self-esteem. The types of rewards that motivate me, personally is the appreciation a patient gives when you get them ice water or a soda, or for the special way you made them feel during their stay at you facility. The monetary rewards help with the everyday things that require money and the benefits package provided by the employer are great; still being appreciated is the best reward for me. The intrinsic value to me is the appreciation from a patient or from a co-worker that thanked you for your help when you didn’t have to provide it.<br/>Making a difference is important to me because helping others is what it is all about. Everything that you do makes a difference to you or to someone else even if you are not trying to make that difference. Channeling frustrations are hard to control at times. I try to do whatever I enjoy doing to divert the aggressive behavior that frustrations produce. Sometimes I talk to a friend just to vent and other times I just sit and think what to do about the situation. many times I find that I can’t find a happy medium so I just talk to a higher power and let him handle matters.<br/>I am eagerly anticipating all the best things that God has in store for me. I have found that without faith and the belief that God will help you, you won’t get far in this upside world. This I found out first hand. I have no desire to recreate myself to fit in anywhere. I believe I have a very professional demeanor when it is necessary to have. I enjoy being myself and I am that most of the time but in certain situations I put the care-free self away and bring out the professional side of myself. I am not denying my destiny as I believe I am fulfilling my destiny and calling with the profession I have chosen. Teaching is the only other direction I would like to go and that would be teaching in the profession I am in. I do some teaching with the students that are assigned to me when I am at work and there are times my co-workers are in need of being taught a procedure or how to chart certain aspects of care. I have the best reward when a student tells me that I made a difference for them as they are not being taught the hands-on way that we were taught years ago. <br/>Our culture depends on the environment we live and work in. if we didn’t try to attain our best and then try to achieve above that then we will become stagnant. All individuals strive to succeed in all aspects of their life, to be better parents, co-workers, friends ,etc. <br/>Humans are a very special type of artwork that God made. He gave us the ability to change the things that are not as they should be. By trying to achieve the highest level of success we as a race become dissatisfied. We are not happy with any phase of our life at work or personal. <br/>For myself I would like to think that I am in tune with myself as to be satisfied with job and personal life. No one can be totally ecstatic all the time; if this were so we would wonder what it is that is wrong with that someone. <br/>For myself I believe that I have no temporary fix but have the right balance between work and home. As my children are grown I can have the diversity that I need to perform my job as I feel I need to and to have a balance in the home front as well. DM RESTLESSNESS, REEWARDS AND ENGAGEMENT: FINDING MEANING IN LIFE AND AR WORK

Tony
I have read your article and I find it interesting. You have asked several questions and I feel that answering them will clarify things to me. I think that my situation can be improved upon both at home and at work; Feeling that one is taken for granite makes one question the reason for this. By trying to improve one’s self and the situation they are in is only to better one’s self and to build your self-esteem. The types of rewards that motivate me, personally is the appreciation a patient gives when you get them ice water or a soda, or for the special way you made them feel during their stay at you facility. The monetary rewards help with the everyday things that require money and the benefits package provided by the employer are great; still being appreciated is the best reward for me. The intrinsic value to me is the appreciation from a patient or from a co-worker that thanked you for your help when you didn’t have to provide it.
Making a difference is important to me because helping others is what it is all about. Everything that you do makes a difference to you or to someone else even if you are not trying to make that difference. Channeling frustrations are hard to control at times. I try to do whatever I enjoy doing to divert the aggressive behavior that frustrations produce. Sometimes I talk to a friend just to vent and other times I just sit and think what to do about the situation. many times I find that I can’t find a happy medium so I just talk to a higher power and let him handle matters.
I am eagerly anticipating all the best things that God has in store for me. I have found that without faith and the belief that God will help you, you won’t get far in this upside world. This I found out first hand. I have no desire to recreate myself to fit in anywhere. I believe I have a very professional demeanor when it is necessary to have. I enjoy being myself and I am that most of the time but in certain situations I put the care-free self away and bring out the professional side of myself. I am not denying my destiny as I believe I am fulfilling my destiny and calling with the profession I have chosen. Teaching is the only other direction I would like to go and that would be teaching in the profession I am in. I do some teaching with the students that are assigned to me when I am at work and there are times my co-workers are in need of being taught a procedure or how to chart certain aspects of care. I have the best reward when a student tells me that I made a difference for them as they are not being taught the hands-on way that we were taught years ago.
Our culture depends on the environment we live and work in. if we didn’t try to attain our best and then try to achieve above that then we will become stagnant. All individuals strive to succeed in all aspects of their life, to be better parents, co-workers, friends ,etc.
Humans are a very special type of artwork that God made. He gave us the ability to change the things that are not as they should be. By trying to achieve the highest level of success we as a race become dissatisfied. We are not happy with any phase of our life at work or personal.
For myself I would like to think that I am in tune with myself as to be satisfied with job and personal life. No one can be totally ecstatic all the time; if this were so we would wonder what it is that is wrong with that someone.
For myself I believe that I have no temporary fix but have the right balance between work and home. As my children are grown I can have the diversity that I need to perform my job as I feel I need to and to have a balance in the home front as well. DM

]]> Comment on Restlessness, Rewards and Engagement: Finding Meaning in Life and at Work by Anonymous http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/restlessness-rewards-and-engagement-finding-meaning-in-life-and-at-work-2/#comment-32 Anonymous Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:00:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/restlessness-rewards-and-engagement-finding-meaning-in-life-and-at-work-2/#comment-32 I found the information contained within your post to be very thought-provoking. There have been many times in my past that I have fallen into the category of allowing the extrinsic value of my job to become my main motivating factor. However, after "floating" from various jobs in a multitude of settings (from working in a hardware store to the front desk at a hotel), I found that my own personal level of dissatisfaction was overwhelming and that I needed to search within myself in order to find my "calling" in life. The more I comtemplated the issue, the more I realized that I was unhappy because I was essentially doing nothing meaningful with my life. No issues of the day were being solved, no one was better for my efforts, and most importantly I felt no sense of accomplishment. So, after soul-searching and praying, I decided that I was unhappy because I was supposed to be helping others, not merely earning a paycheck. I enrolled in nursing school, and the rest as they say is history. I go to work everyday knowing that the day will be challenging, but the instrinsic rewards will far outweigh any frustrations I may feel. I no longer feel like a number punching a timeclock, instead I feel like someone that has enriched the life of another, if only for a moment. I do absolutely believe that nursing is my calling, and therefore I am satisfied with my profession, my work, and how that relates to who I am as a person. Nursing does not define me, my attitude defines nursing. I wish that I had read this article years earlier, perhaps it would have set me into motion much faster. LAH I found the information contained within your post to be very thought-provoking. There have been many times in my past that I have fallen into the category of allowing the extrinsic value of my job to become my main motivating factor. However, after “floating” from various jobs in a multitude of settings (from working in a hardware store to the front desk at a hotel), I found that my own personal level of dissatisfaction was overwhelming and that I needed to search within myself in order to find my “calling” in life. The more I comtemplated the issue, the more I realized that I was unhappy because I was essentially doing nothing meaningful with my life. No issues of the day were being solved, no one was better for my efforts, and most importantly I felt no sense of accomplishment. So, after soul-searching and praying, I decided that I was unhappy because I was supposed to be helping others, not merely earning a paycheck. I enrolled in nursing school, and the rest as they say is history. I go to work everyday knowing that the day will be challenging, but the instrinsic rewards will far outweigh any frustrations I may feel. I no longer feel like a number punching a timeclock, instead I feel like someone that has enriched the life of another, if only for a moment. I do absolutely believe that nursing is my calling, and therefore I am satisfied with my profession, my work, and how that relates to who I am as a person. Nursing does not define me, my attitude defines nursing. I wish that I had read this article years earlier, perhaps it would have set me into motion much faster. LAH

]]> Comment on Restlessness, Rewards and Engagement: Finding Meaning in Life and at Work by Anonymous http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/restlessness-rewards-and-engagement-finding-meaning-in-life-and-at-work-2/#comment-31 Anonymous Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:59:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/restlessness-rewards-and-engagement-finding-meaning-in-life-and-at-work-2/#comment-31 “Recognition is important, challenging, and easily forgotten- so pay attention and don’t forget to say ‘thanks.’” (Mary Le, Kouzes & Posner, 2007, p. 279). Exemplary leaders understand and expect the best from constituents.<br/> What types of rewards motivate me to perform well? The fact that I’m appreciated motivates me to perform beyond the expected expectation. I consider myself to be practical and realistic about money. There is no visible “what’s in it for me” factor in the interaction with others.<br/> I’m motivated by more than money alone. I do understand and believe that benefits such as salary, health, dental, life and disability insurances are important to an individual but they aren’t the only extrinsic rewards that I look for in my position.<br/> It’s the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped an individual with a problem not only benefit wise but also personally. There’s something about problem solving that gives me satisfaction. I love encouraging people and speaking positive things into their lives.<br/> I don’t believe I need to recreate myself in order to better correspond to my professional landscape. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely. What I do know about myself is this: that I am a highly organized person on projects, I respect my responsibilities of self and others, I believe that conformity to traditional patterns is important, obedience to the promises I make, I enjoy freedom and independence within an ordered atmosphere and I subscribe to a “rules are made to be followed” position.<br/> I am definitely not a nomadic. My work matches my calling because I get the opportunity to minister my spiritual gift each and everyday to my co-workers or an employee who calls or stops by my office. Rarely does a day go by that I do not have the opportunity to encourage someone’s spirit about life, death, divorce, conflict, benefits, etc. <br/>To experience a call from an employee who is going through a conflict and say to you, “your name is the first one that came to my mind to call.” To me that is conformation that I am in the right place, at the right time to help someone in need.<br/> RLW “Recognition is important, challenging, and easily forgotten- so pay attention and don’t forget to say ‘thanks.’” (Mary Le, Kouzes & Posner, 2007, p. 279). Exemplary leaders understand and expect the best from constituents.
What types of rewards motivate me to perform well? The fact that I’m appreciated motivates me to perform beyond the expected expectation. I consider myself to be practical and realistic about money. There is no visible “what’s in it for me” factor in the interaction with others.
I’m motivated by more than money alone. I do understand and believe that benefits such as salary, health, dental, life and disability insurances are important to an individual but they aren’t the only extrinsic rewards that I look for in my position.
It’s the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped an individual with a problem not only benefit wise but also personally. There’s something about problem solving that gives me satisfaction. I love encouraging people and speaking positive things into their lives.
I don’t believe I need to recreate myself in order to better correspond to my professional landscape. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely. What I do know about myself is this: that I am a highly organized person on projects, I respect my responsibilities of self and others, I believe that conformity to traditional patterns is important, obedience to the promises I make, I enjoy freedom and independence within an ordered atmosphere and I subscribe to a “rules are made to be followed” position.
I am definitely not a nomadic. My work matches my calling because I get the opportunity to minister my spiritual gift each and everyday to my co-workers or an employee who calls or stops by my office. Rarely does a day go by that I do not have the opportunity to encourage someone’s spirit about life, death, divorce, conflict, benefits, etc.
To experience a call from an employee who is going through a conflict and say to you, “your name is the first one that came to my mind to call.” To me that is conformation that I am in the right place, at the right time to help someone in need.
RLW

]]> Comment on Restlessness, Rewards and Engagement: Finding Meaning in Life and at Work by Anonymous http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/restlessness-rewards-and-engagement-finding-meaning-in-life-and-at-work-2/#comment-30 Anonymous Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:48:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/restlessness-rewards-and-engagement-finding-meaning-in-life-and-at-work-2/#comment-30 I have worked in my particular field for twenty-five years, and have enjoyed being part of the advances that have been made in radiation oncology. I enjoy working with patients and find it rewarding to share in their quest for a cure of their disease. I also welcome the challenges that come with the job. Daily difficulties and rewards are varied, coming from all corners of Lawler’s Diamond Model of Organizational Effectiveness. Obviously, the intrinsic rewards are important to me and I believe those type of rewards are one of the reasons that this career has sustained me for such a long time. AH I have worked in my particular field for twenty-five years, and have enjoyed being part of the advances that have been made in radiation oncology. I enjoy working with patients and find it rewarding to share in their quest for a cure of their disease. I also welcome the challenges that come with the job. Daily difficulties and rewards are varied, coming from all corners of Lawler’s Diamond Model of Organizational Effectiveness. Obviously, the intrinsic rewards are important to me and I believe those type of rewards are one of the reasons that this career has sustained me for such a long time. AH

]]> Comment on The Highly Human Side of Leadership by Anonymous http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/the-highly-human-side-of-leadership/#comment-29 Anonymous Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:47:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/the-highly-human-side-of-leadership/#comment-29 Understanding solipsism-what do I think and understand related to the concepts of self. My understanding is that I should believe that the concepts, personal opinions and beliefs are the things that all my constituents should believe. I, self, will work hard to engage my constituents into believing in my leadership style and the mission of making my company successful. How to apply solipsisim to my leadership framework is by working each day and keeping in mind that my constiuents have to obtain all the information related to my beliefs, and make them united in their feelings to believing in ME!SM Understanding solipsism-what do I think and understand related to the concepts of self. My understanding is that I should believe that the concepts, personal opinions and beliefs are the things that all my constituents should believe. I, self, will work hard to engage my constituents into believing in my leadership style and the mission of making my company successful. How to apply solipsisim to my leadership framework is by working each day and keeping in mind that my constiuents have to obtain all the information related to my beliefs, and make them united in their feelings to believing in ME!SM

]]> Comment on The Highly Human Side of Leadership by Anonymous http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/the-highly-human-side-of-leadership/#comment-28 Anonymous Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:46:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/the-highly-human-side-of-leadership/#comment-28 Solipsism is each person having their own reality in which they live. <br/>After reading this blog I understand that solipsism is everywhere. It is in the work place, church, everywhere. Now that I have learned about solipsism I will not try to understand completely where people are coming from or why they do the things they do. In nursing most of everything we do is black and white or theory based so I can understand why a patient is doing "X". But when it comes to people/leaders I have often wondered "What are they thinking?" Now I know there is a theory behind their way of thinking and it is solisism. As a leader I will remember solisism and make an effort not to get caught up in it.<br/>I will encourage others around me to share what they are thinking to better the organization.JMH Solipsism is each person having their own reality in which they live.
After reading this blog I understand that solipsism is everywhere. It is in the work place, church, everywhere. Now that I have learned about solipsism I will not try to understand completely where people are coming from or why they do the things they do. In nursing most of everything we do is black and white or theory based so I can understand why a patient is doing “X”. But when it comes to people/leaders I have often wondered “What are they thinking?” Now I know there is a theory behind their way of thinking and it is solisism. As a leader I will remember solisism and make an effort not to get caught up in it.
I will encourage others around me to share what they are thinking to better the organization.JMH

]]> Comment on The Highly Human Side of Leadership by Antonio Marchesi, Ph.D http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/the-highly-human-side-of-leadership/#comment-24 Antonio Marchesi, Ph.D Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:03:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/the-highly-human-side-of-leadership/#comment-24 Parenthood is perhaps the most noble calling of all. What an incredible opportunity and obligation to help ensure that children are able to assess reality truthfully. It seems to me that there are several competing forces that seek to color or shape their worldview..in many cases to severely distort it. What can parents do to help equip their children with the insight to effectively navigate through life without indoctrinating them? Parenthood is perhaps the most noble calling of all. What an incredible opportunity and obligation to help ensure that children are able to assess reality truthfully. It seems to me that there are several competing forces that seek to color or shape their worldview..in many cases to severely distort it. What can parents do to help equip their children with the insight to effectively navigate through life without indoctrinating them?

]]> Comment on The Highly Human Side of Leadership by Anonymous http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/the-highly-human-side-of-leadership/#comment-23 Anonymous Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:38:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/the-highly-human-side-of-leadership/#comment-23 Comment: Tony, In my opinion this topic is very deep. I'm still thinking. I will come back to this site and provide you more thoughts and information. This highly side human side of leadership related to the "truth." I personal believe that the truth and trust go hand in hand. Of coarse, My feelings mostly come from motherhood and being the best mother that I can be. I work very hard as a single mother to teach my children to always tell the truth, make your word valuable. Make people understand that when you tell people, weather it will be your mother, your boss, your minister, or a friend that your word is always the truth and when you tell whomever that you will do something, it will be done! I have looked word solopsism up in the dictionary just to be able to understand things. I am very aware to my lifes experiences with motherhood, my career and my education. I also understand that I am still learning about each area of my life. Just wanted to let you know that I had been online and I will come back to this answer to the best of my ability. Comment: Tony, In my opinion this topic is very deep. I’m still thinking. I will come back to this site and provide you more thoughts and information. This highly side human side of leadership related to the “truth.” I personal believe that the truth and trust go hand in hand. Of coarse, My feelings mostly come from motherhood and being the best mother that I can be. I work very hard as a single mother to teach my children to always tell the truth, make your word valuable. Make people understand that when you tell people, weather it will be your mother, your boss, your minister, or a friend that your word is always the truth and when you tell whomever that you will do something, it will be done! I have looked word solopsism up in the dictionary just to be able to understand things. I am very aware to my lifes experiences with motherhood, my career and my education. I also understand that I am still learning about each area of my life. Just wanted to let you know that I had been online and I will come back to this answer to the best of my ability.

]]> Comment on A New Leadership by Anonymous http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/a-new-leadership-2/#comment-17 Anonymous Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:50:00 +0000 http://tonymarchesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/a-new-leadership-2/#comment-17 I think that you are right David...maybe change is not as simple as is portrayed...perhaps there is a significant difference between recounting a particular success story and trying to make organizational universals out of the intervention... I think that you are right David…maybe change is not as simple as is portrayed…perhaps there is a significant difference between recounting a particular success story and trying to make organizational universals out of the intervention…

]]>