Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Professional Employee Characteristics

Jake Stoddard
Marianna Larsen 9:30

Professional Employee Characteristics
            Professional employee characteristics depend on the job; however, three characteristics are relatable across all work environments. First, confidence shows that an employee is not afraid to take initiative, and produces results when needed. Second, an honest employee is highly sought after. No matter the success of the employee, if the act isn’t done with integrity, it tends to dilute the results. Last, a positive attitude is vital to a company because it is difficult to teach.
            “Confidence produces results and encourages employees to take on challenges that others shy away from”(Sundheim). An employee who displays confidence believes in his or her ability to get the job done efficiently and effectively. When customers or clients see that the employee is confident, it reflects how the company operates.
            One would think honesty isn’t a difficult trait to find, but it seems that “instances of employee theft and fraud are on the rise”(Hunt). With that in consideration, an honest employee has become more valuable to employers since the company will not have to monitor ethical work on a regular basis.
            No matter how confident and honest an employee can be, the results and success of the company will fall short if the employee’s outlook is negative. A positive attitude is the key to keeping all of your bananas in a line, which brings the concept that “attitude is everything in a job setting”(Hunt).
            A company can help an employee learn the tools of the trade, but confidence, honesty, and a positive attitude are characteristics that a company cannot teach any employee, which is why they are valued so high for a professional employee.
           
References
Sundheim, K. (2013, April 4). 15 Traits of the Ideal Employee. Forbes.com. Retrieved      March, 5, 2014, from www.forbes.com
Hunt, J. (2010, September 20). The Top Ten Attributes of a Good Employee.       Voices.yahoo.com. Retrieved March, 6, 2014, from www.yahoo.com

Thursday, March 20, 2014

3 Tips for Team Effectiveness

Jake Stoddard
9:30

3 Tips for Team Effectiveness
            Great team effectiveness can be difficult to achieve at times. Since we deal with team situations all the time throughout our lives, this paper will help solve a few of these problems.  First, strong communication is vital to the performance of a team. Second, play to each other’s strengths. This will help move the project along with a smoother pace. Third, use meeting time wisely; since not getting to the point will drag down the team, it helps to stay on track.
            Communication is vital to a team, which is why I decided to make this point first. Having an open stream of collaboration allows for the flow of ideas and criticism for the group to coordinate with. Without communication, even the greatest of teams will have a hard time completing a project. To find out if you have great communication, first ask your team, “Do team members communicate clearly and honestly with each other?”(Heathfield).
            The ability to play to each other’s strengths can be a way to leverage a group to increase the speed their project is finished, as well as the quality of the final product. Just like how a professional basketball teams places the right players into their respected positions, to increase their efficiency and ability to complete their task. “Working to your strengths is a great way of saving time, reducing frustration and creating a sense of empowerment. This would allow your team to perform in a role or position where they are likely to perform at their best.”(Patterson).
            “No one feels productive sitting through hours of status updates in a team meeting. Then use the scarce time with the group to brainstorm how the break through blocking issues”(Mader). While meetings are meant to motivate and excite teams, irrelevant or strung-out meetings tend to do the exact opposite. Stay on task, and make each point as critical as possible to maintain effective meeting time and keep the team motivated.
            Team effectiveness is at times difficult to maintain, but if done well, it can really make a difference in the outcome of a project. When constructing a team dynamic, don’t forget to communicate in a open and fluid environment, assign roles according to each others abilities, and keeps meetings on task and relevant. Doing so will increase productivity and create a overall higher quality product.

·       Heathfield, S. 12 Tips for Team Building humanresources.about.com Retrieved February 20, 2014 from http://about.com.
·       Patterson, M. (2010, September 2) 7 Tips for Developing an Effective Team Biznik.com. Retrieved February 20, 2014 from http://biznik.com.

·       Mader, M. (2010, March 8) Top 10 Tips for Effective Team Task Management [Web log post]. Retrieved February 20, 2014, from http://www.easybib.com.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

3 Tips for Team Effectiveness

Great team effectiveness can be difficult to achieve at times. As a result teams either create a sub-par project, are late on their due date, or even don't finish at all. Since we deal with team situations all the time throughout our lives, I have compiled a short list to help solve these issues. First, strong communication is vital to the performance of a team. Second, play to each others strengths. This will help move the project along with a smoother pace. Third, use meeting time wisely, since not getting to the point will drag down the team, it helps to stay on track.

Favorite Books

  • Ender's Game
  • Harry Potter Series
  • The Hobbit
  • Hunger Games Series
  • Too Big to Fail