Week 7

Advantages and Disadvantages of the communication technologies :

The advantages of these communication technologies far outweigh the disadvantages. One of the most important advantages of communication technologies in group decision making and problem solving is the flexibility and a variety of different ways to communicate with other team members. The invention of these technologies have saved immense amount of time and consequently, it saves money.  In today’s world, your group member could have been located in a different town or even different state in some cases. The variety of different communication technologies make it possible to talk with them in the quickest and most efficient way possible in a very cost effective manner.

Disadvantages : I feel that there are certain things or problems that should be resolved in person, however, many people do not realize that and are overly reliant on different communication technologies. One should have discretion to know when the situation demands in person attention and the use of one of these communication technologies should be avoided for those events.

Self-improvement: Week 6: "Conflict Management : One method of dealing with conflict in teams is to train team members and leaders about how to deal with conflict bef..."

Week 6

Conflict Management :

One method of dealing with conflict in teams is to train team members and leaders about how to deal with conflict before the teams starts to work together. Team members need to learn how to listen to each other effectively without getting emotionally involved and deal with opposing viewpoints. Good listening skills are critical to a well-functioning team and listening goes beyond just hearing the words other team members are speaking. Good team members also pay attention to the speaker's tone of voice and are aware of his or her body language, both of indicate the speaker's level of commitment to the team and any concerns they may have.

When it comes to conflict, good listening skills are only effective if team members truly understand the issue on the table. Some conflicts are nothing more than simple misunderstandings or the result of poor communication. Training team members to express their understanding of what the conflict is helps them evaluate their own position on the matter as well the positions of other team members. Acknowledging another team member's viewpoint is another method by telling them what you heard them say using statements like, "So, you are saying that…" can help clear up misunderstandings before they turn into conflict.

If the situation at hand proves to be a conflict and not a simple case of misunderstanding, team members should be encouraged to go beyond expressing disagreement. Responding to any conflict effectively involved offering alternatives and compromises in a positive way. The shortest path to conflict resolution is focusing on generating additional ideas and solutions, not defending individual positions.


Self-improvement: Self-improvement: Week 5: "Online Employment Interviews : The use of the Internet for recruitment has continued to increase and many companies now provide the ability..."

Self-improvement: Week 5

Online Employment Interviews :

The use of the Internet for recruitment has continued to increase and many companies now provide the ability to apply for jobs on their corporate websites. Like many other online activities, there are advantages and disadvantages to recruiting online. On balance however, the numerous advantages of online recruitment significantly outweigh the disadvantages.

The Advantages of Online Recruitment:

Wider reach

Employers now look at online recruitment as an integral part of any recruitment strategy, as it enables them to find a much larger number and geographic reach of job seekers and find highly qualified candidates for the positions they are looking to fill.

Lower cost

Posting a job online works out much cheaper in comparison with traditional recruitment methods, such as advertising in local newspapers. The online recruitment process can also help employers to avoid using intermediaries, such as recruitment agents, and therefore avoid the associated costs. This approach also enables the employer to directly contact potential candidates.

Time savings

The amount of time that needs to be spent finding and hiring a good candidate is also greatly reduced through the increased automation within the process. Automated filters can be applied to screen applicants to ensure that only candidates who match specific criteria can apply for the job. This can save a huge amount of time by reducing the volume of applications to a select few very quickly.

The Disadvantages of Online Recruitment :

Volume of candidates

It is very possible that an employer may receive a huge volume of applications if the screening process is not used effectively, or the criteria are set too loosely. Many people will include details in their profiles where they have only had a small amount of experience, but if these details pass the criteria set, then an application could still be submitted.

False information

This is a danger in any recruitment process, but could be considered to be more so when recruiting online. What candidates have said about themselves online in their profiles or resumes may not necessarily match the skills that they actually possess. The skills that they may claim to have cannot be verified until the employer actually meets the candidate, which means that time may be wasted meeting candidates that are not suitable for the job.


Self-improvement: Week 4: "Week 4 - Leader vs Manager There is profound difference — a chasm — between leaders and managers. Both a manager and a leader may know the ..."

Week 4

Week 4 - Leader vs Manager

There is profound difference — a chasm — between leaders and managers. Both a manager and a leader may know the business well. But the leader must know it better and in a different way. S/he must grasp the essential facts and the underlying forces that determine the past and present trends in the business, so that s/he can generate a vision and a strategy to bring about its future. One telling sign of a good leader is an honest attitude towards the facts, towards objective truth.

Lots of people spend their lives climbing a ladder — and then they get to the top of the wrong wall. Most losing organizations are over-managed and under-led. Their managers accomplish the wrong things beautifully and efficiently. They climb the wrong wall. Managing is about efficiency. Leading is about effectiveness. Managing is about how. Leading is about what and why. Management is about systems, controls, procedures, policies, and structure. Leadership is about trust — about people.

Leadership is about innovating and initiating. Management is about copying, about managing the status quo. Leadership is creative, adaptive, and agile. Leadership looks at the horizon, not just the bottom line. A leader is someone who has the capacity to create a compelling vision that takes people to a new place, and to translate that vision into action. Leaders draw other people to them by enrolling them in their vision. What leaders do is inspire people, empower them.




Self-improvement: Week 3: "Week 3 - Communication and Listener anxiety Since I personally also have both a communication and listener anxiety, I think taking notes as..."