7 Scary Things That Are Statistically Unlikely

Coastline Systems Consulting Customer Response System Free Essays

Coastline systems consulting Customer response system Introduction In this section you will learn background information that will prepare you to understand and complete each of the milestones of this case study. This information includes a history of the business, a description of the business’s current facilities, and the descriptions of the problems that triggered the project. Case background Coastline systems, consulting is a small solutions provider company located in Destin, Florida. We will write a custom essay sample on Coastline Systems Consulting Customer Response System or any similar topic only for you Order Now The staff of seven IT technicians, designers, systems analysts, and programmers provides a range of networking, computer hardware, and software solutions to area businesses, coastline works with client to analyze their business needs, they then provide a packaged solution that often combines custom-built hardware, purchased software, and custom programming, in addition to the seven technicians, coastline has one receptionist/bookkeeper. As a small organization, coastline is an informal, †shirt-sleeve† environment. Everyone is on a first-name basis, even with Pete Charles, the president.Organization structure Coastline systems consulting Information systems facilities PCs †¢ Each technician works uses a Dell notebook: o Pentium III class machines with 128 MB RAM, 10-20 GB hard drives o Pentium 4 class machines with 512 MB RAM, 30-50 GB hard drives †¢ The bookkeeper/receptionist has a Dell Optipex desktop running a Pentium 4, 256 MB RAM, and an 80 GB hard drive: à ¢â‚¬ ¢ Operating systems-MS Windows NT 4. 0, Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows XP Professional †¢ Tools-MS Office XP suite plus other software depending on use †¢ Internet Browser- Internet Explorer(version 6 or higher) Various injet and laser printers Servers †¢ Dell PowerEdge Server o 512 megabytes of RAM, 40 GB RAID-5 hard drive storage o Operating system-MS Windows 2000 Server o Providing DHCP, Security, and internet Access, and Database Management(SQL Server 2000) †¢ Dell PowerApp Appliance Servers o Providing Webhosting o Operating system-Windows 2000 Server with IIS Networking †¢ The company headquarters is equipped with wireless networking so notebooks can roam throughout he building. Notebooks also have integrated Ethernet NICs and modems so they can connect to the Internet at home and at clients’ palaces of business.The problem The it technicians are drowning in a sea of work and work for clients is not being done in an optimum manner. Clients call and e-mail both to the general office and to individual consultants whenever they have any kind of hardware or software problem. Consultants manage the request that come directly to them. Kathy Frey, the receptionist/bookkeeper, passes on request that come through the general office. If the problem is complex it may require multiple trips, and the technician has to keep track of what he or she has done to try to fix the problem.Sometimes a second technician has to be dispatched, necessitating communication concerning the previous work. |PROBLEMS, OPPORTUNITIES, OBJECTIVES, AND CONSTRAINTS MATRIX | | CAUSE AND EFFECT ANALYSIS |SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES | |Problem or Opportunity |Causes and Effects |System Objective |System Constraint | |1. The IT consultants |1. Client’s system configuration is not tracked; |1.Allow clients to submit and |1. Project cannot exceed | |are drowning in a sea of |consultants often have to make multiple trips to the|track requests via the Internet. |$50,000 without owner’s | |work, and work for |field. |2. Eliminate duplication of work. |consent. | |clients is not being done|2. Previous request solutions are not kept in a | |2. Software must be | |in an optimum manner. |data repository; as a result, consultants might |3. Track historical data on |compatible with Windows | |The issues are not |implement previously identified incorrect solutions. request problems and solutions. |NT/2000/XP and written in | |tracked and recorded | |4. Track client’s current and |JAVA. | |properly when the request|3. There is no consistent flow of information and |previous system configurations. |3. The new system must be | |is submitted or when |work to be done or already accomplished. The IT |5. Track, calculate, and generate|compatible with existing | |technicians go out in the|consultants have to keep track of what they have |time-and-billing information. |business processes to | |field. Currently |done to try to fix the problem. Sometimes there is |6.Implement security |minimize impact on clients. | |serviced by an |duplication of work. |restrictions to Internet site. | | |inefficient system, the |4. Bookkeeping of consultants work performed is |7. Allow consultants to |4. Clients are our number | |areas are not well |tracked only using scraps of paper and are turned in|electronically retrieve client’s |one priority; we cannot | |integrated to minimize |at random time intervals after the work is |request information and transport |allow the project | |costs, and maximize |completed.As a result, time-and-billing is not |it to the field. |development to impact our | |profits, and increase |accurate and efficient. | |primary duty. | |customer satisfaction. |5. Clients cannot submit their requests | | | | |electronically, and cannot track its progress. | | | |Clients get frustrated when they cannot get through | | | | |to submit a request via telephone, and when they | | | | |cannot get up-to-date information on their request. | | | The president, Peter Charles, wants to develop a system that is both more responsive to clients ans helpful to technicians.He would like to see a system that allows clients to directly enter their service requests. The system would track the status of each request along with the hours spent for billing purposes. Mr. Charles also wants the system to be able to generate statistics and reports so he can pursue continuous improvement in this area. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] System Improvement Objectives and Recommendations Report [Analysis of the Current Coastline Systems Consulting System] I. Executive Summary A. Summary of Problems, Opportunities 1. Lack of submitting and tracking service requests 2. Lack of systems integration and efficiencyB. Summary of Recommendation 1. Implementation of Customer Relationship Management System which provides a powerful, solution for unifying, tracking, and managing customer process across the company. C. Brief Statement of system Improvement Objectives 1. Increase service functionality a. Ability to capture and tracking of service request information b. Complete histories of service requests activities and customer communication. c. Monitored service request changes d. Automatic assignment for service requests to the most appropriate individual e. Provide world-class support via voice, voicemail, e-mail, Internet. . Efficient management of complex, multi-person agendas 2. Increase account management a. Automatic tracking of account history b. Comprehensive data sharing for providing enhance service c. Integrated analytics to facilitate focus on high-priority contacts 3. Increase Time and Expenses Management a. Capture more billable hours and track billable expenses to clients b. Fully integrated, web-based time expense features reduce double entry and save up to 80% of the time c. Generate timesheets and expense reports for billing purposes d. Track labor and not labor costs II. Background InformationA. List of Interviews and facilitated group meetings conducted 1. Interview between the President (Peter Charles) and the Analyst programmer (Anna Kelly) a. This was the initial discussion concerning the proposed customer response System. The goal was to discuss the possibility of pursuing such a project that is responsive to clients, helpful to the technicians and to obtain facts about the problems and opportunities in order to prepare the â€Å"Request for System Services† and the â€Å"Problem Statement Matrix†. 2. Meeting held between Analyst Programmer (Anna Kelly),Receptionist/Bookkeeper (Kathy Grey) and the IT Consultant (Ben Logan) a. The goal of this meeting was to design a system that would allow clients to submit Service requests and problems, forward those requests to one and only one consultant, and track the progress of the requests until it is resolved. B. List of other sources of information that were exploited 1. Entire project team a. System Owners b. Users c. Analysts d. Designers e. Builders C. Description of analytical techniques used 1. To fully understand the problems in current system a. Identify the inefficiencies of the current tracking service requests . Identify the inefficiencies of the systems integration 2. Understand what is needed in the new system a. Design a customer response system b. Design better tracking system 3. Document any constraints for designing the new system (things that either must do or things must not do) a. (Technology) PC Components change over time. Need to know what components were previously installed on each PC and when they were changed out. b. (Schedule) The new system will require at least 6 months to initiate (roughly) 4. Design first, build second a. Systems have a way of growing way beyond of what is expected III. Overview of the Current SystemA. Currently an IS system does not exist for Coastline Systems Consulting 1. Client requests are reported through e-mail or phone messaging 2. Bookkeeping is handled with spreadsheets IV. Analysis of the Current System A. Performance/Efficiency problems 1. The current system works in an extremely inefficient manner. The main problem is that of communication between the IT consultants – they need to be able to track each other’s (and their own) client requests. 2. This inefficiency is the basis of client dissatisfaction and has also caused the IT consultants to waste valuable work time due to making multiple trips to the client. B.Information problems 1. Arise as a result of the IT consultant’s lack of knowledge about what each other have accomplished on a day to day basis. 2. Currently there is no data repository for past issues with clients, which can result in ‘consultants trying to implement previously identified incorrect solutions. ’ 3. The current system, which is that of jotted down notes and transferred phone calls, is unable to offer a timely response to the client’s needs. 4. Information needs to flow more smoothly between the Coastline Systems’ employees. C. Economic problems 1. The current system does not maximize Coastline Systems’ profit potential due to he lack of internal organization. 2. There are also bookkeeping issues. The receptionist/bookkeeper currently re- enters each line on the spreadsheets into the accounting system. As a result, an unnecessary task is being completed every month which costs the company more man hours.D. Service problems 1. Since client issues are not tracked and recorded properly, the ability of the IT consultants to properly satisfy customer’s needs is greatly diminished. 2. Coastline Systems Consulting is a service oriented company and should always put the customer first. Therefore the system currently in place does not satisfy veryone’s needs. V. Detailed Recommendations A. System improvement objectives and priorities 1. Allow clients to submit and track requests via the Internet (high) 2. Eliminate duplication of work (high) 3. Track historical data on requests (high) 4. Track client’s previous and current system configuration 5. Track, calculate, and generate time-and-billing information 6. Implement security restrictions to Internet site (high) 7. Allow consultants to electronically retrieve client’s request information and transport it to the field B. Constraints 1. Project budget cannot exceed $50,000 without committee review 2.Software and Hardware constraints: Windows NT/2000/XP compliant, written in JAVA – current platform 3. Develop system without drastic changes to existing business processes to minimize impact on clients 4. Cannot allow project development to take services away from clients C. Project plan – Refer to Problems, Opportunities, Objectives, and Constraints Matrix [pic] ———————– Peter Charles President/Analyst Kathy Frey Receptionist/ Bookkeeper Travis Munroe Web content Designer Anna Kelly Analyst/Programmer Doug Drake Analyst/programmer Dane Wagner Web server administrator Ben Logan IT consultant Jeff summer IT consultant How to cite Coastline Systems Consulting Customer Response System, Papers

Protestant Vs. Socially Engaged Buddhism Essay Example For Students

Protestant Vs. Socially Engaged Buddhism Essay Ben RamseyBuddhist ThoughtProfessor KerinFebruary 27, 2001Protestant vs. Socially Engaged BuddhismSomewhere in the sixth century BCE Buddhism was born, born from a single man Siddhartha Guatama, the Buddha. After gaining his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, the Buddha didnt think that the rest of the world could handle all that he had learned. He did not want to teach others, nor did he want to spread his wisdom. Until at last his great compassion came over him and he started to gain the respect of few by going to his old peers first. By starting with other intellectuals he secured that they at least had the capacity to learn what he had to teach. From this point on he spread his philosophy on the middle path with everyone who would listen. He preached pacifism and that it was wrong to take any life be it a mans or any lesser beings. He taught that the noble eightfold path was the route to end all suffering, and that the individual was the most important factor in achieving enlightenment. The Buddha taught about the five aggregates, the notion that the human being is made up of matter, sensation, consciousness, perception, and mental formations. In all of his teachings however the Buddha did not do so much as a lay a groundwork for which his followers could build a society on. The Buddha was acting out of compassion in that he had found the way to end his suffering and wanted to help others do the same. He was not however trying to build himself up as a God, and create a religion under which he was the focal point. Since this was not his goal, he did not get into politics, social formations, or anything else of the like. However, sooner or later, with the rapid growth of Buddhism in India, and the whole of Southeast Asi a, these were the things that would determine the survival of its followers. That is, an entire society of Buddhists had emerged, far greater numbers and organization than even the Buddha had imagined. With this emergence of community came more and more problems with which the leaders had no frame of reference to combat. For instance, what to do when pacifism doesnt work in protecting your community. How to maintain peacefulness when outside forces are conquering violently. In many areas, where this sense of a Buddhist community had been created, the members had a great deal of pride in what they had created and were a part of, but their pride was kept in check by their inability to justify the right course of action. For example the Buddhists of Sri Lanka believed that they were the custodians of the teachings of the Buddha. It was there, on their Island, where the Theravadan tradition, the only sect of the Hinayana still around, had been born. Buddhism had prospered in Sri Lanka f or over sixteen hundred years, until the first colonizers came from Portugal in the 1550s CE. Sri Lanka was then ruled, by one or another European colonizers, until the year of 1948. The reason for their inability to rule themselves was not because of lack of numbers, for 75% of all people in Sri Lanka ascribe to Buddhism, but because of the non-violent nature of their resistance. In the contradiction between pride and pacifism they had simply seen pride as a vice and continued to try and live their lives in accordance to non-violent virtues. For nearly four hundred years the Buddhist of Sri Lanka had tolerated the overbearing nature of their western habitants, that is until Anagarika Dharmapala began his career as a Buddhist revivalist. It was Dharmapala who was able to justify a more active resistance; he started by tailoring the innate Sinhala nationalism to correspond to his goals. He cultivated the natives of Sri Lanka to believe in the good old days, the days when Buddhism had prospered under King Aschoke and others. When there was a great link between the rulers of their nation and them, the people, a time when temples, stupa, and great pillars were being erected in the name of the Buddha. And once he had the ear of the people, he used every ounce of knowledge within his plethora of teachings to stimulate change. He integrated the beliefs of Buddhism, with the active nature of Christianity. This Protestant Buddhism was at the heart of the resistance, without the reforms it allowed for, the Buddhists of Sri Lanka might still be struggling under British rule to this day. The original goal of Protestant Buddhism was for the independence of the Sinhala, and for the building of a stronger Buddhism worldwide. By adapting Christian sensibility the revivalists were able to confidently combat the other main religions. No longer where they at a disadvantage in the educational system, because they created Buddhist Sunday school. No longer were they disadvantaged b y lack of uniformity drawn out of oral tradition, for they emphasized scripture much like the Christians put their faith in the Bible. The Protestant Buddhists also took responsibility for this worldly things, such as politics, economics, and other social factors. Therefor, the beliefs of Buddhism were not changed, just adapted to fit the times. Each individuals personal journey was still at the heart of the Theravadan tradition, only the application of its teachings had changed. Another example of the modernization of Buddhism, is the idea of Socially Engaged Buddhism. This seemingly new aged phenomenon has been born out of the ignorance of many to the potential extending effects of Buddhism. From the start, meditation, and self-knowledge has been at the heart of Buddhism. However, this does not mean that Buddhism, as it has evolved today is simply an individual thing. Just as lay people, monks, and nuns make up the sangha, or Buddhist community, creating a give and take relationsh ip among themselves. So should the Buddhist people interact with the outside world in much the same way. Their community fits into a worldly community just as they individually fit into the sangha. And just as the individual can influence, and contribute to the larger group, so can the group influence and contribute on a larger, global forum. The Buddha himself, though selfish and self absorbed at first, did not retreat to the safety and serenity of the Bodhi tree, withdrawing from this world, but rather went out and actively spread his wisdom so that others may also have a chance to become enlightened. Compassion, they seem to say, must ultimately express itself in action, must take form, if it is to be real. The world in the 21st century is inextricably different from that of 2500 years ago in the time of the Buddha. We have innumerous causes to believe in, from the threat of nuclear destruction, to the plight of the rainforests. Buddhism has taught us that it is not just acceptab le, but our duty to put effort into the aid of these things. Our compassion must be expressed through action, Buddhists cannot sit idly while this kind of strife goes on in the world. The socially engaged Buddhist aims to live a life based on pure moral principles, while contributing to the lifting of the suffering of all, not just themselves. One example of a Buddhist view on social reform comes from the Digha-nikaya, where it teaches that poverty breeds many crimes such as theft and violence. And that in order to eradicate this evil, government must not punish the wrongdoers, because this just causes more of the same types of action, but rather should do what it can to help the impoverished people. Once poverty is gone the Buddha says, then these crimes of poverty will also vanish.This is a bit idealistic, but holds much more truth than any other leading party will admit, in that if given the chance to earn an honest living most people would rather accept it than deal with a life of necessary crime. In this way, peaceful, non-intrusive Buddhist ideals can be coupled with activism. .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 , .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 .postImageUrl , .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 , .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3:hover , .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3:visited , .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3:active { border:0!important; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3:active , .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3 .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1a1d0ce94ddb094e1280f8a5b2d69ce3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Romeo and JulietWest Side Story EssayBuddhists want to create a society where there are no distractions, where everyone can afford to direct their attention towards their own journey to enlightenment. However, in order to reach this lofty goal, the individual must take a supporting role for the time being. The idea that although the enlightenment of the individual is the most important thing to that individual, the ultimate enlightenment of any one member of the community is the most important goal of the community as a whole, and must be true of its members as well. This view is very similar to the evolutionary explanation for siblcare, one generation of a type of bird st aying with the parents and helping them rear the young of the next generation. At first there doesnt seem to be any adaptational benefit to that brother bird staying with the family when he could be out spreading his genes directly by means of mating. The benefit to this puzzling behavior was finally discovered, and explained in that the general ability of birds of this kind to successfully mate in their first year away from the nest was very low. They did not have any nest building skills in which to attract a viable mate. They actually had a better chance of indirectly passing on their genes by aiding their parents in the care of the young, because every sibling shares at least 50% of their genes with one another. So in a sense, some of their genes are in fact being added to the world. This is every animals most basic goal in life. Also, this bird learns valuable skills from its father so that it can go out the next year and have a better chance of mating and passing off its genes directly. The Buddhist people are in a sense like the brother bird, looking to further themselves, but doing so while helping the whole society at the same time. This is what Nagarjuna, a second century Buddhist activist, calls the first principle of Buddhist social ethics; individualist transcendentalism. Nagarjuna continues his teachings with that of compassionate socialism, based on a psychology of abundance, achieved by generosity.He insightfully wrote about a number of policies that could be adopted by the government, furthermore he wrote extensively on why they should be adopted and how they would help everything from the economic situation of nations, to the ants and dogs within each community. Nagarjuna was very specific as to how these principles of his could and should be carried out in the building of shelters and the providing of clean water to drink and so forth. The socially engaged Buddhist wants not only to live a life of good karma and further their journey to a st ate of enlightenment, but also wants to create a society that would be beneficial to be born back into. A society where each person helps each other, every person contributes to the greater community, and especially where the community aids the individual. The only way for this goal to be reached is to do something about it in this lifetime. To address the need for a Buddhist perspective on public policy, in essence, to merge the inner with the outer beings. Though they came forth from different stimuli, Protestant Buddhism and Socially Engaged Buddhism share a lot in common, mainly as examples of the evolving nature of Buddhism as a whole. Whereas the integrity of the ancient teachings can be preserved, but not with the rigidity that would prevent them from being applicable to todays world. ReferencesEppsteiner, F. (1988) The Path of Compassion, Berkeley, CA. Parallax Press Buddhist Peace FellowshipLittle, D. (?) Sri Lanka the Invention of Enmity, (ch. 3) Washington, DC. US Instit ute of Peace PressWords/ Pages : 2,039 / 24

Willa Cather Essays - Willa Cather, Edith Lewis, My Ntonia

Willa Cather There are few female authors that have had an impact on literature as great as that of Willa Cather. Not only was she an exquisite author, but she broke through into writing during a time when few female authors were successful. Her life, which was directly influential to her writing, was of a simple nature. However, she was able to over come a drab, mundane life, and turn her experiences into stories that would be enjoyed by many generations. Willa Siebert Cather was born in her maternal grandmother's home in 1873 in the western region of Virginia (Robinson). Cather's name was originally Willela (after her father's younger sister who died as a child), but the family always called her "Willie." They did this because as a child Willa altered her name in the family Bible and insisted that she was named after her uncle William Sibert Boak (Woodress). In the spring of 1883, when Willa was nine, the Cathers moved to a farm near Red Cloud, Nebraska. Cather described her thoughts of this land to an interviewer. She said, "As we drove further and further out into the country , I felt a good deal as we had come to the end of everything." (Cather quoted in Woodress). They came to Nebraska by train because the journey by wagon would have been long and tiring. Cather's first home in the state of Nebraska was with her Grandfather. (Robinson). "Its most characteristic feature which she described faithfully in My Antonia was a basement kitchen and dining room." (Robinson) However, a year later the Cather's left the farm to live in the town of Red Cloud, so the children could attend school. Red Cloud was a town of 2,500 people. The people of Red Cloud played an important part in the life and work of Willa Cather. There were many people in the town who inspired her and "she sought interesting adults wherever she could find them." (Woodress). Two of Red Cloud's doctors became friends with Willa, and sometimes let her come along on their calls. Cather also medically experimented on animals with a set of medical instruments, this upset and disgusted some of the citizens of Red Cloud. (Robinson). In high school Willa Cather had greatest ambition was to become a doctor, a profession in which few women excelled. Cather graduated from high-school in June of 1890, at the age of sixteen (Woodress). She was the only student of the three who graduated who intended to pursue college. She would enter the University of Nebraska at Lincoln the following September (Robinson). Cather was also inspired by the actors and actresses who came to perform at the town's Opera House. The children of Red Cloud would put on their own shows where Willa seemed to be an adequate actress, but she always played a boy (Robinson). This was a great surprise because at the time, many women did not perform. Rather younger boys would play the female roles in a play. She expressed a vast dislike for skirts and dresses (Woodress) and later when she attended the University of Nebraska she continued to dress in a boyish manner (Daiches). She wore suspenders, starched shirts and insisted while in college to continue trying out for the male roles in college theater (Woodress). Cather went to Lincoln with the intent of studying science. She was very interested in botany, astronomy and chemistry (Woodress). However, the event that changed her heart toward writing occurred in March of 1891. A professor of Cather's assigned an essay to be written, and the professor was so impressed with Cather's work that without telling her, he sent it to the Journal, the towns paper. He also sent it to a literary magazine for students called The Hesperian (Robinson). Cather opened the Sunday paper to find her essay in print and from that time on she forgot about medicine and concentrated on writing (Woodress). Throughout her college years Cather continued to write for the Journal and took any chance to earn money writing for the paper. Even if that meant putting aside her school work to do it. In the two years she wrote for the Journal she produced over 300 pieces, many of which were essays (Woodress). Cather became the Journal's drama critic and she quickly made a name for herself. "Her work showed a maturity and poise not expected in so young a critic, and her knowledge of drama and literature, continental and classic, as well as English was extensive" (Robinson). During her last

5 Secrets to Getting Never-Ending Job Offers! - Guest Post by David Mensah

5 Secrets to Getting Never-Ending Job Offers! - Guest Post by David Mensah Last week I wrote about the importance of follow-up and feedback for success in your business or job search. The article, Do These * 2 * Things and Get Amazing Results in Your Business OR Job Search, really was about how to have fruitful conversations and build valuable connections. This week, my good friend and long-time business writing client, David Mensah, shares his wisdom on a very related topic: how to create a stream of job and work offers through  the art of talking to people. Guest post by David Mensah Imagine this experience: You’re in the middle of a conversation with a friend, colleague or new acquaintance, when that person suddenly interrupts the flow of the conversation to offer you some form of employment! For most of my life, I have had that experience on a regular basis, and I have ultimately built a career as a leadership trainer and executive coach as a result. So when I started to expand my consulting practice to include career coaching, I wanted to see whether I could train people to do what I have done successfully in my own professional life: generate employment opportunities consistently, both in official interviews and everyday conversations, whether or not they are looking for a job. Here are my top 5 recommendations for creating â€Å"the never-ending job offer†: BE EXCITED: Choose a career that sparks your passion, and let that passion show! Your excitement is contagious. I can always tell when others are passionate about their careers. Genuine excitement is interesting and contagious, while feigned excitement is forced and boring. Discover your true calling, even if it doesnt make sense or scares you (are you an accountant who always wanted to be a dancer?) Your career is as personal as it gets and it’s worth finding out- and sharing- what lights you up. BE INTERESTED IN OTHERS: When people are authentically curious about me, I feel lucky and safe and I want to know more about that person in return. That’s the type of interest you want to create in others. When talking about your life, make sure to make time to explore the lives of those around you. You might ask questions about people’s background, work successes and challenges, or families. Explore their values and what’s important to them. Train yourself to find something interesting about everyone, including friends, networking contacts, and yes, even interviewers! In every conversation I make it my practice to find 10 things I like about the other person in the first 5 minutes. It makes me listen differently. Keep asking questions until you find an area where the other person is energized, and focus there. You might be surprised at the benefits that come back to you. IN AN INTERVIEW, ASK QUESTIONS: Come prepared to every job or informational interview with questions you want to ask. And don’t stop there. Frankly, if you are not interested enough in the middle of an interview to have a few spontaneous questions, you are probably not interested in the job or the company. Questions emerge from a natural desire to know more- to delve deeply into things that matter to you. When you ask people questions, they learn a lot about how you think and feel about them, their company, and, if applicable, the available position. Your questions reveal something about you at the same time as you learn about someone or something else. BE CONNECTED: People hire people they feel good about and this feeling arises from a sense of connection. To create affinity with people where it might not exist automatically, consider telling stories about yourself emphasizing your humanity. I have been known to talk about my most recent business failure or how my ego gets in the way of my dreams. Stories about our failures and flaws allow others to connect deeply with us and push people quickly past the surface differences that keep us separate. While connecting with others comes easily to some, it can be challenging to some people. Do your personal growth work so that you can easily connect to the new people in your life without internal stories about you or them getting in the way. SPEAK ABOUT YOURSELF USING THEIR LANGUAGE: As any conversation progresses, I learn more and more about the person I am speaking with. Once you know enough about someone, it is much easier to tell them about yourself, because now you can reference the parts of their life that help them understand yours. When I am talking with someone who values their family over everything, it is natural for me to use my love and appreciation for my puppy to describe how relationships motivate my professional successes and failures. When I talk to people who care primarily about making a difference for others, I describe my interest in coaching as a way to teach skills that they can pass on to everyone they touch. The more you truly listen to someone, the more you can use the language they use and speak to their values. You will make deep connections with people who feel seen and understood by you, and who will want to find ways to spend more time in your presence- perhaps by offering you a job. When my clients embrace these practices, not just in interviews but in every interaction with others, they start generating job opportunities. Getting excited about your own career and cultivating an authentic interest in others results in others’ sitting up and taking notice. Your never-ending job opportunity will happen one conversation at a time. David Mensah is a leadership trainer and executive coach living and working in New York City. Please connect with him on twitter @DKBWAVE or learn more about his work at www.DKBWAVE.com.

Leadership Traits - Donald Trump Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership Traits - Donald Trump - Assignment Example In 1981, he bought the Trump Plaza in New York City and in 1982, bought a weekend estate in Greenwich, Connecticut. In 1983, the construction of Trump Tower was completed and USFL New Jersey Generals was acquired. In 1984, Trump opened Harrah’s at Trump Plaza Casino in Atlantic City. Trump bought Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida in 1985. In 1987 came the New York Times best seller â€Å"Trump: The Art of the Deal.† The later years continued with more and more acquisition, and the group’s entry into the TV (Wooten, 2008, pp.106-110). Leadership Traits American scholar Warren Bennis has identified four basic ingredients in every great leader. The first basic quality is guiding vision or management of attention. The leader must have a clear idea of what he or she wants to achieve. He must show courage to face the tough reality. The second quality is communicating the vision. The leader is there to communicate his passions to his people and it will bring hope and inspiration. Passion generally appears as enthusiasm. Again, people should not buy into every exciting idea; there should be a great deal of quality. The next thing is integrity which is the combination of self-knowledge, candor, and maturity. Leader must know his strengths and weaknesses, and must have clear idea about what he wants to do and the reason behind that. These three ingredients combine with a fourth ingredient – management of self. There should be mix of â€Å"curiosity and daring† with integrity. Leaders should be open to new ideas, willing to take risks, and try new things (Bennis, 2009, pp. 204-05, Bennis, 2010, p. 20). Now one may look at Trump’s leadership style in the light of Bennis’ four ingredients. Vision In Trump on Entrepreneurship, Trump says, â€Å"Entrepreneurship...History is full of famous leaders with extraordinary lives. From George Washington to John F. Kennedy, from Bill Gates to Donald Trump, the list is much diver sified. Here, this paper will focus on the life and leadership traits of Donald Trump, the â€Å"Real Estate Tycoon† in the light of Bennis’ competency criteria. Early History Donald Trump was born in Queens, New York on 14th June, 1946. He was the part of a demographic change which would later be known as â€Å"Baby Boom†. His father, Fred Trump, was a contractor in the housing market and operated in the Brooklyn and Queens boroughs. Fred was a highly successful businessman and was one of the richest persons in Queens (Payment, 2007, pp.1-5). Young Trump had his own way of doing things. He had a forceful personality from his childhood. In his 2nd grade, he punched the music teacher on his face. Trump was of the view that the teacher didn’t understand what he was saying. For this misbehavior, he was almost expelled from the school. In his book ‘Trump: The Art of the Deal’, he admits this fact by saying that it was not a proud moment. At 13, Donald was sent to New York Military Academy to improve upon his behavior (Payment, 2007, pp. 6-10 & 12). Donald Trump graduated in 1968 from the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School of Finance) with a degree in economics. Trump got the passion for construction business from his father. His father knew almost all the processes of construction business. So, after completing his graduation, he continued with his life-long passion of constructing buildings (Wooten, 2008, pp. 20-23).

Coming to the land of oppurnity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Coming to the land of oppurnity - Essay Example The philosophy also aimed at facilitating a vibrant and better state. In this context, an individuals ability and determination limits his or her capacity to become successful in life. This essay focuses on discussing why most immigrants come to America. In America, they tend to live the foreign dream and accept their way of life. The reports provided by CNN (2014) indicate that America has experienced diversity in the immigrant population. In 1960s, European immigrants dominated the statistics. At the time of the report, most of them came from Asia, China, India and North America. The striking feature of such immigrants is that most of them seek to gain permanent residence in the country. The report by the CNN also reveals that the state granted 990,553 immigrants permanent residence. Specifically, the report indicates that an Asia and North America were represented at 40% and 32% of the total immigrant population respectively. Mexico, China, and India, were also represented at higher percentages compared to other countries. In 2012, America’s homeland security projected that 11.4 million illegal immigrants also resided in the country (CNN, 2014). These trends show that America is one of the places where most people would wish to stay. The high rate of immigration into the country can be attributed to the promise held by American dream. It entails living a happy and prosperous life in the country. Such promises are daring and enticing beyond what immigrants experienced in their countries of origin (Murphy, 2010). The ideology has influenced how people behave in America. The central principle of the doctrine is that every person can work hard to become successful in life regardless of their social, racial or tribal backgrounds. In most cases, an individual’s material possession portrays the effect of the ideology on the behavior of American citizens. Another basis of measurements includes home ownership