I find the phenomenon of groupthink to be very interesting. I think groupthink happens in most classes where there are presentations. The first group is always at a disadvantage, especially when there are limited parameters such as in this class. I have experienced this for presentations even when there are parameters. Groupthink was not mentioned in the 'Teams' presentation, so I would like to take the opportunity to explain how it has affected me in my schooling.
Groupthink has occurred in my academic career several times. The most recent time was on a group project last semester. My group was the first to present our project so we did not have the opportunity to learn the formatting and the professor’s preferences ahead of time. Without this information or her guidance, we were not initially able to satisfy her expectations. Had we considered the variability ahead of time, we could have reached out to her before the due date to ensure we were on the right track. Groupthink contributed to this issue because all team members were under the same impression that this was a standard presentation as we had in other business classes. If we had students from other majors in our group, they may have pointed out inconsistencies in her class compared to our other classes that we had not noticed.
As Jess said in class today, her group was first to present this semester. She self assessed their presentation as boring and dry- just flipping through slides. After a few more presentations they realized the different ways they could teach such as through videos and activities. If they had the experiences with presenting for an entire class that Kyle and I have had, it could have been different. Perhaps Kyle and I contributed to groupthink and would have been better suited to present with other groups.
Monday, May 8, 2017
Post Grad Life- Mentorship in the Workplace
I read an interesting article on mentorship from Forbes recently. We had a class in the "two" section of the semester on mentorship, which I found interesting, however, I was not looking through the lenses of a person who will literally be in the workforce in a month. Although I am joining the company I interned with last summer, I have selected a different office in Boston and therefore only know one person.
The article talks about setting an agreement from the beginning to make sure there is no confusion and each party starts on the same page. Things to be discussed are how often to speak, schedules, and whether or not there is a personal connection. The article says that without actually liking the person on the individual level, it will end up being a chore to chat- even if they have a lot to teach.
So how do I pick a mentor? Should it be within the company I am working for? Is that a conflict of interest if they are in my department or senior to my manager? How do I promote myself so that they want to mentor me?
I overheard a conversation with career coach this past summer that held an interesting idea. They were telling this to a friend of mine at a casual social gathering. This friend was hoping to climb in their company but felt held back by her manager. The coach said to make an effort to meet everyone in the (small) company. She said to try to have coffee with someone new every week. It could be 15 minutes, it could be an hour, but get your face out there and really learn what everyone does, where they are, and who could be an ally and friend. I think this is where my mentor search will start. I want to meet everyone, have a meaningful conversation with anyone, and get my feet wet as to what I want from the company, position, and myself.
The article talks about setting an agreement from the beginning to make sure there is no confusion and each party starts on the same page. Things to be discussed are how often to speak, schedules, and whether or not there is a personal connection. The article says that without actually liking the person on the individual level, it will end up being a chore to chat- even if they have a lot to teach.
So how do I pick a mentor? Should it be within the company I am working for? Is that a conflict of interest if they are in my department or senior to my manager? How do I promote myself so that they want to mentor me?
I overheard a conversation with career coach this past summer that held an interesting idea. They were telling this to a friend of mine at a casual social gathering. This friend was hoping to climb in their company but felt held back by her manager. The coach said to make an effort to meet everyone in the (small) company. She said to try to have coffee with someone new every week. It could be 15 minutes, it could be an hour, but get your face out there and really learn what everyone does, where they are, and who could be an ally and friend. I think this is where my mentor search will start. I want to meet everyone, have a meaningful conversation with anyone, and get my feet wet as to what I want from the company, position, and myself.
Open Pedagogy- a semi reflection
I found a blog about open education written by David Wiley, a creative fellow and adjunct faculty at Brigham Young University. He discusses lots of topics surrounding the topic of open pedagogy, or OER (open educational resources).
He gave a nice analogy in 2013 about how OER differs from traditional textbook-lecture class structure and how that should be celebrated. The analogy reads, "Using OER the same way we used commercial textbooks misses the point. It’s like driving an airplane down the road. Yes, the airplane has wheels and is capable of driving down on the road (provided the road is wide enough). But the point of an airplane is to fly at hundreds of miles per hour – not to drive. Driving an airplane around, simply because driving is how we always traveled in the past, squanders the huge potential of the airplane."
I like this analogy because it highlights application of material learned or researched. Yes, you can read a textbook or drive an airplane, but to learn (or fly) you must learn to apply, understand, question, and augment. This class is a lot like learning to fly an airplane. Not only does writing a primer, keeping a portfolio, and researching/presenting a topic help us learn and remember in a new way, but the self direction and forced accountability helps us 'take- off' professionally. As I've mentioned in a far past class, I go home and talk about what I learned that day, I apply it to my current relationships and projects, and I vividly remember lessons and activities that I found valuable. I cannot say that for most other classes.
He gave a nice analogy in 2013 about how OER differs from traditional textbook-lecture class structure and how that should be celebrated. The analogy reads, "Using OER the same way we used commercial textbooks misses the point. It’s like driving an airplane down the road. Yes, the airplane has wheels and is capable of driving down on the road (provided the road is wide enough). But the point of an airplane is to fly at hundreds of miles per hour – not to drive. Driving an airplane around, simply because driving is how we always traveled in the past, squanders the huge potential of the airplane."
I like this analogy because it highlights application of material learned or researched. Yes, you can read a textbook or drive an airplane, but to learn (or fly) you must learn to apply, understand, question, and augment. This class is a lot like learning to fly an airplane. Not only does writing a primer, keeping a portfolio, and researching/presenting a topic help us learn and remember in a new way, but the self direction and forced accountability helps us 'take- off' professionally. As I've mentioned in a far past class, I go home and talk about what I learned that day, I apply it to my current relationships and projects, and I vividly remember lessons and activities that I found valuable. I cannot say that for most other classes.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
HMP Minor- it's almost over!
I am so happy and honored to be an HMP minor.
There were obstacles in starting a minor during my senior year. Most people that I explained my dilemmas to would simply say "well, you tried!" as if I would ever give up something I felt strongly about. I am the type of person that will skip sleep altogether, work 5x harder than others, and do what I need to do to get where I want to be. Giving up was not on my radar. I was currently taking 2 HMP courses. I only realized the extent of my struggles to get this minor once the time and room schedule for spring semester was released. HMP 721 was not on the roster to be taught, a crucial course for the minor. Additionally, I had heard that my financial management course at Paul would satisfy one of the minor courses, though I had a hard time confirming that with anyone. There is no system for tracking minors within UNH, or specifically within the HMP department, which is a good reason for the lack of advising/communication available to minors. I met with a professor, who suggested I send an email, that landed me in the office of the director of undergrad studies for HMP at 8am on a Monday in November. I came prepared with several alternate courses at other institutions to satisfy the 721 credit and a plan to take 401 during J-term.
His advice and the joint approval from he and Dr. Bonica led to me taking an online Northeastern course for 8 weeks starting mid January, and both 401 and 722 during spring semester. It was a whirlwind of an 8 week stint between my courseload at UNH, a 16 week course condensed into 8 at Northeastern (trust me, corners were not cut), and a job. I think I am better for this experience. One of my comments at the end of my NEU course was that the material was bountiful, the expectations were high, the deadlines were often, but I proved to myself I could do it, and I learned more than ever along the way. If I had heard ahead of time how difficult and strenuous that class would be, I may have doubted my abilities. I gave it a go because I believe I can rise to the occasion. I never considered giving up, and I feel incredibly proud to be finishing my time here with such a great minor.
There were obstacles in starting a minor during my senior year. Most people that I explained my dilemmas to would simply say "well, you tried!" as if I would ever give up something I felt strongly about. I am the type of person that will skip sleep altogether, work 5x harder than others, and do what I need to do to get where I want to be. Giving up was not on my radar. I was currently taking 2 HMP courses. I only realized the extent of my struggles to get this minor once the time and room schedule for spring semester was released. HMP 721 was not on the roster to be taught, a crucial course for the minor. Additionally, I had heard that my financial management course at Paul would satisfy one of the minor courses, though I had a hard time confirming that with anyone. There is no system for tracking minors within UNH, or specifically within the HMP department, which is a good reason for the lack of advising/communication available to minors. I met with a professor, who suggested I send an email, that landed me in the office of the director of undergrad studies for HMP at 8am on a Monday in November. I came prepared with several alternate courses at other institutions to satisfy the 721 credit and a plan to take 401 during J-term.
His advice and the joint approval from he and Dr. Bonica led to me taking an online Northeastern course for 8 weeks starting mid January, and both 401 and 722 during spring semester. It was a whirlwind of an 8 week stint between my courseload at UNH, a 16 week course condensed into 8 at Northeastern (trust me, corners were not cut), and a job. I think I am better for this experience. One of my comments at the end of my NEU course was that the material was bountiful, the expectations were high, the deadlines were often, but I proved to myself I could do it, and I learned more than ever along the way. If I had heard ahead of time how difficult and strenuous that class would be, I may have doubted my abilities. I gave it a go because I believe I can rise to the occasion. I never considered giving up, and I feel incredibly proud to be finishing my time here with such a great minor.
Monday, April 24, 2017
Class 4/14- Colleen, David
During today's class, Colleen and David spoke about leadership effectiveness, styles, and crisis leadership (PR standpoint). For pre-work, we were asked to read and article and take a quiz. The quiz asks a series of relevant and irrelevant questions and preferences. After taking the quiz, I received the label of "authoritarian" which I find to be a negative term. Yes, I like rules and I certainly follow them and feel more comfortable with them for myself, but I do not impose on others or create and enforce them.
Onto the presentation- it was fantastic. There were great examples from all ends of the spectrum, health, government, and business. There was an awesome interactive activity modeled after UMich that allowed us to deal with PR scandals and devise a plans for an abusive healthcare beneficiary.
One of the first few slides gave me the great advice and ensured that I am on the right path in my style. The slide basically read, "Don't allow emotions to get in the way. Don't take things personally. Keep a positive mental attitude." Keeping my emotions at bay is a common theme for me. My mentor at my internship this past summer applauded me for this skill. It was also a theme when I took the emotional intelligence quiz from earlier this semester. I do, however, take some things personally in the workplace. If anyone has suggestions for how to keep my personal feelings from being hurt- even though I don't let it show or affect my work- please let me know! Thanks!
Onto the presentation- it was fantastic. There were great examples from all ends of the spectrum, health, government, and business. There was an awesome interactive activity modeled after UMich that allowed us to deal with PR scandals and devise a plans for an abusive healthcare beneficiary.
One of the first few slides gave me the great advice and ensured that I am on the right path in my style. The slide basically read, "Don't allow emotions to get in the way. Don't take things personally. Keep a positive mental attitude." Keeping my emotions at bay is a common theme for me. My mentor at my internship this past summer applauded me for this skill. It was also a theme when I took the emotional intelligence quiz from earlier this semester. I do, however, take some things personally in the workplace. If anyone has suggestions for how to keep my personal feelings from being hurt- even though I don't let it show or affect my work- please let me know! Thanks!
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Religion in the Workplace, Vicki Wilmarth
At the beginning on my Women in Business meeting today, I was asked by the vice president if I will be going home this weekend. I was asked along with another girl that confirmed she will be traveling home. For a quick moment, I wondered why I would be going home- and why she would ask me. Within about two seconds I made the connection, Easter. I happily informed her that I am Jewish and was home Tuesday and Wednesday for Passover. Although this happens to me a lot, the holiday crept up quietly for me. This semester is incredibly busy and filled with memorable days.
Religious assumptions are everywhere. I know that 75% of Americans reported being Christian in 2000. So, yeah, maybe its a safe bet. As I go into the workforce, however, I think it is a bet not worth making. Vicki Wilmarth agrees, "Just assuming that all of your employees believe the way that you believe is naive and could be legally costly." (2008) The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects me from discrimination and harassment in the workplace for religious reasons.
In this same article by Wilmarth, she outlines several rules to live by when it comes to religion in the workplace. My favorite point is the first, "While it is important that you find out if your employees have religious issues affecting their jobs, don't try to engage them in a theological debate or reform their religious views." I appreciate that point because often times I am questioned for my beliefs. The situation or audience dictates what I share. Sometimes I bypass a religion conversation altogether by just agreeing or staying quiet. I certainly do not openly share that I am Jewish to everyone. When it comes from friends, I usually know that they mean no offense. Especially in NH, not many students know Jews. In fact, I have been the first for many. I find it a mitzvah to educate the uninformed about the religion (I know it is an easy one to hate) although sometimes I get tired or fed up by those who only question and won't listen. I have not yet decided how much I will share in the workplace after graduation. Please do not interpret this as shame or embarrassment, I simply don't want to wonder (or be told) how everyone around me feels about it.
Religious assumptions are everywhere. I know that 75% of Americans reported being Christian in 2000. So, yeah, maybe its a safe bet. As I go into the workforce, however, I think it is a bet not worth making. Vicki Wilmarth agrees, "Just assuming that all of your employees believe the way that you believe is naive and could be legally costly." (2008) The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects me from discrimination and harassment in the workplace for religious reasons.
In this same article by Wilmarth, she outlines several rules to live by when it comes to religion in the workplace. My favorite point is the first, "While it is important that you find out if your employees have religious issues affecting their jobs, don't try to engage them in a theological debate or reform their religious views." I appreciate that point because often times I am questioned for my beliefs. The situation or audience dictates what I share. Sometimes I bypass a religion conversation altogether by just agreeing or staying quiet. I certainly do not openly share that I am Jewish to everyone. When it comes from friends, I usually know that they mean no offense. Especially in NH, not many students know Jews. In fact, I have been the first for many. I find it a mitzvah to educate the uninformed about the religion (I know it is an easy one to hate) although sometimes I get tired or fed up by those who only question and won't listen. I have not yet decided how much I will share in the workplace after graduation. Please do not interpret this as shame or embarrassment, I simply don't want to wonder (or be told) how everyone around me feels about it.
The Other Side of Difficult Conversations
During Monday's class we were able to have a guest lecturer, Chris Armijo, via Skype call. The technology was surprisingly cooperative, which was a relief following Professor Bonica's difficulty in technical presence during his conference.
Major Armijo spent a majority of his time explaining his experiences and how he got to where he is. His stories were interesting, his journey through the reserves and then active duty were not typical.
Towards the end of the class he was addressing the topics outlined ahead of time. He was discussing difficult conversations, many points that Kyle and I had made last week, when I was able to ask a question that I have been wondering about since my last job and our presentation. Kyle and I felt it was more inline with the class to discuss things from the manager's perspective but I had questions about difficult conversations initiated by the junior employee. Major Armijo stressed the importance of being prepared. Having data, stories, and a concrete plan going forward is very important. He explained that if we are looking for a specific outcome, we need to voice that, otherwise we are leaving it up to the manager to guess what we want.
During our presentation we discussed the importance of having a plan in mind before beginning the conversation. Major Armijo explained that it is important regardless of the initiator.
Major Armijo spent a majority of his time explaining his experiences and how he got to where he is. His stories were interesting, his journey through the reserves and then active duty were not typical.
Towards the end of the class he was addressing the topics outlined ahead of time. He was discussing difficult conversations, many points that Kyle and I had made last week, when I was able to ask a question that I have been wondering about since my last job and our presentation. Kyle and I felt it was more inline with the class to discuss things from the manager's perspective but I had questions about difficult conversations initiated by the junior employee. Major Armijo stressed the importance of being prepared. Having data, stories, and a concrete plan going forward is very important. He explained that if we are looking for a specific outcome, we need to voice that, otherwise we are leaving it up to the manager to guess what we want.
During our presentation we discussed the importance of having a plan in mind before beginning the conversation. Major Armijo explained that it is important regardless of the initiator.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Communication and Follow Through
The importance of communication, follow through, and understanding that all people will come back into your life is increasingly important as I go through this semester. I am currently on my third run-in within the past 3 months with having to deal with previous mistakes I've made in relationship cultivation and maintenance. None are crazy bad, I don't actively ruin friendships etc but I have a bad reputation with responding. I have always had this issue, I don't know where it stems from. Whether it was before freshman year when trying to find a roommate ahead of move in, or back in high school when friends expected more effort on my end, "ghosting" my way through life has been easy. Now, that girl from before freshman year is the president of the business organization I am in and the friend from back in high school is a connection my current best friend is hoping I can make for an event she is hosting later in the month. Why am I so poor at responding? Sure, ending friendships is fine, but ending them poorly or with no reasoning/explanation is immature and ultimately bad for my adult self.
Improved response time has been my revolution every new years since 2015. Have I gotten better? Definitely, kinda. It really depends on the situation. Time sensitive? Absolutely. Not important in my book or theirs? Not so much. My biggest motivator is knowing the weight I feel on my shoulders knowing that I still need to respond to someone. Considering I am doing better, it is disappointing to now be dealing with previous poor performance in this category.
Improved response time has been my revolution every new years since 2015. Have I gotten better? Definitely, kinda. It really depends on the situation. Time sensitive? Absolutely. Not important in my book or theirs? Not so much. My biggest motivator is knowing the weight I feel on my shoulders knowing that I still need to respond to someone. Considering I am doing better, it is disappointing to now be dealing with previous poor performance in this category.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
First Week of April!!
How the time has flied. Only six weeks until graduation, yikes. This week has already proved busy, further postponing my ideas of 'senior slump' or 'senior spring'. Kyle and I presented on Monday, I had an exam this morning, a paper worth an exam grade is due tomorrow, followed by my mid semester evaluation for this class. The weather today also postponed my excitement for spring, although 70 degrees early next week is keeping me going.
I want to write about Kyle's and my presentation given this past Monday. Contrary to how we presented (many laughs on my end), I had a migraine and Kyle was on his last leg of a cold. Weirdly enough, the class was kind of a blur for me. Kyle and I are getting together soon to work on the primer chapter and hopefully he can fill in some of the gaps in my memory. I know I was pleased with our performance, especially considering our respective ailments. I am sure I was chugging water the whole time, something that probably hindered my professionalism during the presentation, sorry!
I want to write about Kyle's and my presentation given this past Monday. Contrary to how we presented (many laughs on my end), I had a migraine and Kyle was on his last leg of a cold. Weirdly enough, the class was kind of a blur for me. Kyle and I are getting together soon to work on the primer chapter and hopefully he can fill in some of the gaps in my memory. I know I was pleased with our performance, especially considering our respective ailments. I am sure I was chugging water the whole time, something that probably hindered my professionalism during the presentation, sorry!
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Mentorship
As part of my internship this past summer I was assigned a mentor who was a senior employee at the branch in Quincy, MA. Usually I dislike forced relationships like this but I ended up appreciating this relationship more than any other one I had during the summer.
My mentor helped me throughout the summer by giving me projects to work on, allowing me to sit in on every meeting she had, helping me get out of the office if there was an opportunity, and personally coaching me through a tough relationship with my co-intern. She even helped me network into a position in Rockingham County during the school year.
Even now, I know I could call her with a problem and she will talk me through it until I think I am ready to approach it. Since my internship ended, she has left the firm and moved across the country. It was during one of her last days that I came into the office to interview for a full time position post-graduation. She greeted me with a hug and insisted that I come to her office after my meeting. No surprise, she wanted to know what I want for my future and what I have lined up to get there. When I told her my dream position and dream industry, she wrote down 2 contact she has at a high level in the industry and offered to make the connection if the current company didn't give me the offer I want.
So what makes her this amazing and how have I harbored this relationship?
Her qualities are what make her the perfect mentor for me. She is honest, smart, hard working, and doesn't let people's opinions affect her work or her day. The last quality mentioned is really something I need to learn from her, and think that I am on the right track in trying to. She gave me positive feedback when she thought I needed it and gave me no feedback when she thought I could improve or didn't want me to stop working so hard.
Maya Angelou said "In order to be a mentor, one must care." and I never questioned if Alyssa cared about my successes or failures.
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Administrators vs Physicians, David Howard Article
Jason and Erin distributed a great article today during class called "Doctors and Nurses vs. Administrators on Patient Satisfaction. Who's right?" By David Howard for KevinMD.com. The article was about the difference in quality perception between medical and administrative staff. Their priorities are obviously vastly different. Quality standards can be considered treating patients as guests in a great hotel, or like their needs are based on health, giving them quality of care, ignoring excessive comfort needs.
So what is right? Which is better?
My mentor Anna believes in more grey areas in life. During our last call, I asked Anna several questions that implied a 2-answer structure. Instead of picking a side, she often gave a middle answer. We spoke about women in the workplace and government regulated health care systems, both of which she sees grey areas.
To me, quality points, or a quality checklist, of a hospital is a grey area. Of course, without good medical attention, getting Splenda sweetener instead of Equal sweetener is not nearly as important. But also, without attention to detail and listening to patients, Splenda sweetener could be a scary omen for someone about to trust hospital staff to open their body. Quality is a give and take in a hospital and administrators and physicians alike should realize that.
Friday, March 24, 2017
LinkedIn Pulse: Sally Blount
Sally Blount, dean at the Kellogg school of management, wrote an article originally published on Kellogg Insight and then republished for LinkedIn Pulse. She writes about the 3 pivot points that keep women from rising to the C-suite. Those points are mainly time frames, or ages, where women make mistakes or devalue their career goals and replace with personal gain. She outlines first and foremost the attendee difference between men and women in business school. Women account for 60% of college graduates yet only 25% of MBA programs are female. She goes on to the second phase, where caregiving roles become focal, whether that be for children or parents. The third phase is when women are at the point of high status within their careers but see less value in money and more value in meaning. These women outweigh purposeful work for titles and raises, and therefore look to turn down more work and consider extracurriculars to find meaning, possibly quitting their careers.
The Dean of Paul College, Deborah Merrill-Sands, came to my Women In Business meeting last year to talk about women in the workforce, her own experiences, and ask for our input. She had some interesting stories of silent sexism such as being expected to keep minutes at meetings where she was of the same status and same workload but the only women in those meetings. She asked us why we thought Paul was decreasing in female attendance. I was more than happy to raise my hand and explain that often times in group projects, I feel that men expect me to do all of the work, and they rarely contribute even 30%.
At the time of this meeting I was in 2 different group projects. In one, I had never met 2 of my group partners. They never responded to my emails, never showed up to class, and never made an effort to connect. Of course, I was the only girl in this 4 person group. Luckily, the other group member met with me for the project. Though he was an exchange student that had difficulty understanding assignments, I gave him a lot of credit for trying to participate and always being more than willing to meet and discuss. I met the 2 other boys on the LAST day of the class when they came up to me before the professor arrived, and explained they were very busy and asked me to include their names on the project report. The other group I was in consisted of me and 4 boys. These boys were constantly, of course, "too busy" to get together. I wrote our first paper alone but asked if anyone else could print it for class because I did not have a printer. They agreed, however, the next day in class NONE of them showed up. The rest of the group work went as you would expect, with our final powerpoint presentation being incomplete after they told me to "take a chill pill" when I asked them to finish their respective slides before class.
It was bittersweet when every girl in our 80 member group agreed. They all had their stories and wanted to be heard, because as females, we are told we are dramatic. If I was told before my enrollment as a business student that the sexism would start so early and be so brutal, I would have reconsidered my major.
The Dean of Paul College, Deborah Merrill-Sands, came to my Women In Business meeting last year to talk about women in the workforce, her own experiences, and ask for our input. She had some interesting stories of silent sexism such as being expected to keep minutes at meetings where she was of the same status and same workload but the only women in those meetings. She asked us why we thought Paul was decreasing in female attendance. I was more than happy to raise my hand and explain that often times in group projects, I feel that men expect me to do all of the work, and they rarely contribute even 30%.
At the time of this meeting I was in 2 different group projects. In one, I had never met 2 of my group partners. They never responded to my emails, never showed up to class, and never made an effort to connect. Of course, I was the only girl in this 4 person group. Luckily, the other group member met with me for the project. Though he was an exchange student that had difficulty understanding assignments, I gave him a lot of credit for trying to participate and always being more than willing to meet and discuss. I met the 2 other boys on the LAST day of the class when they came up to me before the professor arrived, and explained they were very busy and asked me to include their names on the project report. The other group I was in consisted of me and 4 boys. These boys were constantly, of course, "too busy" to get together. I wrote our first paper alone but asked if anyone else could print it for class because I did not have a printer. They agreed, however, the next day in class NONE of them showed up. The rest of the group work went as you would expect, with our final powerpoint presentation being incomplete after they told me to "take a chill pill" when I asked them to finish their respective slides before class.
It was bittersweet when every girl in our 80 member group agreed. They all had their stories and wanted to be heard, because as females, we are told we are dramatic. If I was told before my enrollment as a business student that the sexism would start so early and be so brutal, I would have reconsidered my major.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
UCHealth: A Morning in Their Shoes
A Morning in Their Shoes by Kati Blocker for UCHealth shares the importance of doctors understanding the roles and responsibilities of RNs. First-year residents at Poudre Valley Hospital spend an entire shift shadowing nurses and learning their duties, patterns, and the difficult, in-depth caregiving nature of their work. The newfound appreciation for RNs help the residents be better doctors and better coworkers, "it fosters better communication and better patient care." (Blocker, 2017)
For example, one resident noted during her shadowing shift that nurses are constantly traveling back and forth collecting medicine orders. She realized that timing her own order made no difference to her or the patient but could significantly reduce strain on the RN. The now second-year resident places all orders at once so that the nurse is not wasting time and energy having to constantly ping-pong between the pharmacy and patients.
Although most standard hospitals have a pyramid or dual-pyramid structure, this type of matrix style communication opportunity is important for all stakeholders.
If you are interested in reading this short article, click here.
For example, one resident noted during her shadowing shift that nurses are constantly traveling back and forth collecting medicine orders. She realized that timing her own order made no difference to her or the patient but could significantly reduce strain on the RN. The now second-year resident places all orders at once so that the nurse is not wasting time and energy having to constantly ping-pong between the pharmacy and patients.
Although most standard hospitals have a pyramid or dual-pyramid structure, this type of matrix style communication opportunity is important for all stakeholders.
If you are interested in reading this short article, click here.
Saturday, March 18, 2017
HBR: Firing Good People, Max Altschuler
Max Altschuler runs a tech startup and has had to fire some of his best people. He has a short guide to making it as painless as possible for employees that can still be trusted and haven't done anything wrong. He makes sure to address that firing is always painful, but his methods can make it easier to stomach and can end positively.
His tool kit includes: "Compassion. I care about my employees and want them to land somewhere great if staying isn't an option. Curiosity. I want to know what their goals are for themselves. A plan. I do my research before every firing so that I walk into the room with ideas to help the employee move forward."
Altschuler explains that helping his employees find somewhere new that is a great fit and a great company not only helps their personal career but also his reputation and the reputation of his company. He reasons that their success reflects well on his talent management and ability to hire star employees. Similarly, his planning ahead sets up a good personal relationship after the fire. If he can keep a positive relationship then he can count on an open door in the future for business opportunities for him personally or his firm.
Click here to read the article
His tool kit includes: "Compassion. I care about my employees and want them to land somewhere great if staying isn't an option. Curiosity. I want to know what their goals are for themselves. A plan. I do my research before every firing so that I walk into the room with ideas to help the employee move forward."
Altschuler explains that helping his employees find somewhere new that is a great fit and a great company not only helps their personal career but also his reputation and the reputation of his company. He reasons that their success reflects well on his talent management and ability to hire star employees. Similarly, his planning ahead sets up a good personal relationship after the fire. If he can keep a positive relationship then he can count on an open door in the future for business opportunities for him personally or his firm.
Click here to read the article
How to Give Effective Criticism
Kyle and my topic of difficult conversations could go many ways. Difficult conversations could be around bad company/personal news, being laid off, employee reviews, or direct criticism. All of those conversations could be taught from either the employee or manager perspective. I am not yet sure how we plan to teach but we both agreed to find 2 good articles/resources over spring break to get the juices flowing so we can hit the ground running with ideas next week.
I found this article from the Harvard Business Review. Deborah Bright has written books and runs an executive training program on effective criticism in the workplace. This article explains 4 ways managers can promote effective criticism and ensure that employees take note and make changes.
Those 4 steps are:
1. Engage the person in a specific solution
2. Link the criticism to what's most important to the employee
3. Keep your voice and body language neutral
4. Heed individual preferences
She takes most of her wisdom and examples from her time as a competitive diver. She contributes her success to her coach. I think some of her examples are a bit intense and aggressive, such as linking being late to work with someone who values their reputation among peers by saying "How do you think coming in late affects your reputation with your colleagues?" but maybe the directness is what will work with some employees.
If you have an interest in reading the article: The HBR Article
I found this article from the Harvard Business Review. Deborah Bright has written books and runs an executive training program on effective criticism in the workplace. This article explains 4 ways managers can promote effective criticism and ensure that employees take note and make changes.
Those 4 steps are:
1. Engage the person in a specific solution
2. Link the criticism to what's most important to the employee
3. Keep your voice and body language neutral
4. Heed individual preferences
She takes most of her wisdom and examples from her time as a competitive diver. She contributes her success to her coach. I think some of her examples are a bit intense and aggressive, such as linking being late to work with someone who values their reputation among peers by saying "How do you think coming in late affects your reputation with your colleagues?" but maybe the directness is what will work with some employees.
If you have an interest in reading the article: The HBR Article
Saturday, March 11, 2017
HMP 722- Bloom's Taxonomy
This class was a source of stress for me in the first couple weeks. I was super busy with my normal course load at UNH and a tough accelerated HMP course at Northeastern. As a type-A, the lack of structure and uncertain aspects of this course made me nervous and got me feeling deflated. Now that my Northeastern class is over and Prof. Bonica explained the nature of this class and the type of learning on Bloom's Taxonomy scale I am appreciating the course way more than I expected.
All of my classes so far have fallen under the remember, understand, apply, and sometimes analyze levels of the pyramid. I have not taken classes in the evaluate or create levels. As a second semester senior, this upsets me. It certainly makes me jealous of the juniors in the class who are having this experience earlier in their undergrad careers. This class is also pointing out to me that my Management major in Paul has not equipped me as well as I thought it had for day-to-day managerial tasks. The opportunity to learn about individual types that I may lead and the lectures ahead is very valuable. I am particularly excited to learn about Kyle and my topic of difficult conversations.
The closest learning I did in the evaluate levels were during my Business, Government and Society class in Paul. We did a weekly module towards the end of the semester called Giving Voice to Values by Nomadic Learning. This program helped us understand ourselves and dealing with others in the workplace and in personal lives. We learned about listening, understanding, constructing arguments, and tactful relationships. Of course, much like this class, that section of the class was my favorite and I found the most valuable segment of that semester.
For reference, here is Bloom's Taxonomy Pyramid, as attached to the google group by Prof. Bonica:
All of my classes so far have fallen under the remember, understand, apply, and sometimes analyze levels of the pyramid. I have not taken classes in the evaluate or create levels. As a second semester senior, this upsets me. It certainly makes me jealous of the juniors in the class who are having this experience earlier in their undergrad careers. This class is also pointing out to me that my Management major in Paul has not equipped me as well as I thought it had for day-to-day managerial tasks. The opportunity to learn about individual types that I may lead and the lectures ahead is very valuable. I am particularly excited to learn about Kyle and my topic of difficult conversations.
The closest learning I did in the evaluate levels were during my Business, Government and Society class in Paul. We did a weekly module towards the end of the semester called Giving Voice to Values by Nomadic Learning. This program helped us understand ourselves and dealing with others in the workplace and in personal lives. We learned about listening, understanding, constructing arguments, and tactful relationships. Of course, much like this class, that section of the class was my favorite and I found the most valuable segment of that semester.
For reference, here is Bloom's Taxonomy Pyramid, as attached to the google group by Prof. Bonica:
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Our Presentation Last Week
Kyle and I presented our topic last Wednesday. I am absolutely not a fan of public speaking, not something you would expect from an extrovert, right? We had been preparing for a couple of weeks and definitely hit some stumbling blocks in the form of content. Luckily, we pulled through and had a successful class.
My favorite parts of teaching this class were the first 5 minutes and the last five minutes. We chose to assign seats- conduct a social experiment and turn it into a discussion to wrap up the presentation at the end. We placed students in the opposite location of their usual spots and with different classmates than their usual clusters. Jason greeted students by the door and alerted them to the switch. Some looked confused but remained quiet, while others said "I haven't sat anywhere else in three years" or the blatant "I hate this"
I turned to Kyle while the misery unfolded onto our unsuspecting classmates and I said "We have to write these responses down" I knew that some students would later say that they didn't mind- and I wanted those raw responses to prove the resistance to such a small temporary change.
We continued the presentation like nothing was different.
To wrap up we asked the class a series of questions on our last presentation slide. "How did it feel to be asked to change seats? Did you view changing seats as an opportunity to sit with someone new or as an uncomfortable or undesirable change?" Kyle then read aloud the quotes we had saved. Everyone laughed and further explained their reason behind resistance. As we expected, most like tradition. We didn't blame them for feeling this way, change is new and new is unknown and unknown is scary. Perhaps they even internally went through the Kubler Ross change curve of grief/loss. I hope the class took away what we hoped they would.
My favorite parts of teaching this class were the first 5 minutes and the last five minutes. We chose to assign seats- conduct a social experiment and turn it into a discussion to wrap up the presentation at the end. We placed students in the opposite location of their usual spots and with different classmates than their usual clusters. Jason greeted students by the door and alerted them to the switch. Some looked confused but remained quiet, while others said "I haven't sat anywhere else in three years" or the blatant "I hate this"
I turned to Kyle while the misery unfolded onto our unsuspecting classmates and I said "We have to write these responses down" I knew that some students would later say that they didn't mind- and I wanted those raw responses to prove the resistance to such a small temporary change.
We continued the presentation like nothing was different.
To wrap up we asked the class a series of questions on our last presentation slide. "How did it feel to be asked to change seats? Did you view changing seats as an opportunity to sit with someone new or as an uncomfortable or undesirable change?" Kyle then read aloud the quotes we had saved. Everyone laughed and further explained their reason behind resistance. As we expected, most like tradition. We didn't blame them for feeling this way, change is new and new is unknown and unknown is scary. Perhaps they even internally went through the Kubler Ross change curve of grief/loss. I hope the class took away what we hoped they would.
Monday, March 6, 2017
MBTI- Shayna + Logan's Class Pre-Work
For Shayna and Logan's class today, our pre-work involved having others take the MBTI in our place. We were instructed to choose someone close to us and someone more distant. I chose my mom and dad because my mom and I chat everyday, we are very similar to each other (almost too similar) while my dad and I chat, but not as often and not as deeply.
Just as I expected, my mom guessed my letter combination almost exactly. I test myself as an ESFJ-A and my mom got ESTJ-A. Even though there was a variation between F and T, my test said I was 56% an F, so basically I am on the line between F and T. Way to go, Mom!
As for my dad, he got ISTP-T when he answered for me. At first I was not surprised. My personality's nuances may be lost on him due to lack of stimulating discussion. However, the more I considered it, I find myself similar to him. I would describe him as an extrovert and a judger. So why did he answer so differently for me? Does he not see our similartities? He called me after taking the assessment to discuss his answers. I immediately told him he only got one letter the same as and grilled him on thinking I am introverted. He said something surprising to me- things I didn't consider part of my personality- but maybe should. He said "You are extroverted with me, but otherwise you are shy. This is the girl that doesn't want to visit a bank teller or ask for honey mustard at a restaurant." He added, "There was a question asking if you're organized, I thought about that pile of clothes between your bed and the wall and I had a good laugh. It asked if you care about other people's feelings and I remembered how last week you ripped apart that guy at computer services when he was dishonest about your laptop. By the time I finished the assessment I was howling"
I can't lie, he's not wrong. But do those incidents really define my personality traits? Maybe my mom knows the traits that I think I have, because that it how I present myself. My dad, who doesn't receive the same amount of communication, sees me in situations more than in direct communication. This makes me think about Hersey and Blanchard's theory of situational leadership. We act according to the emotional intelligence and maturity of those around or under us. My dad is not someone I go to with problems because he doesn't have the same experiences and often doesn't know how to respond. I act differently with him because of this. I am not frustrated with his vastly different assessment of my personality. This was a great opportunity for me to understand my relationship with him and my personality traits that I never consider as part of who I am.
Just as I expected, my mom guessed my letter combination almost exactly. I test myself as an ESFJ-A and my mom got ESTJ-A. Even though there was a variation between F and T, my test said I was 56% an F, so basically I am on the line between F and T. Way to go, Mom!
As for my dad, he got ISTP-T when he answered for me. At first I was not surprised. My personality's nuances may be lost on him due to lack of stimulating discussion. However, the more I considered it, I find myself similar to him. I would describe him as an extrovert and a judger. So why did he answer so differently for me? Does he not see our similartities? He called me after taking the assessment to discuss his answers. I immediately told him he only got one letter the same as and grilled him on thinking I am introverted. He said something surprising to me- things I didn't consider part of my personality- but maybe should. He said "You are extroverted with me, but otherwise you are shy. This is the girl that doesn't want to visit a bank teller or ask for honey mustard at a restaurant." He added, "There was a question asking if you're organized, I thought about that pile of clothes between your bed and the wall and I had a good laugh. It asked if you care about other people's feelings and I remembered how last week you ripped apart that guy at computer services when he was dishonest about your laptop. By the time I finished the assessment I was howling"
I can't lie, he's not wrong. But do those incidents really define my personality traits? Maybe my mom knows the traits that I think I have, because that it how I present myself. My dad, who doesn't receive the same amount of communication, sees me in situations more than in direct communication. This makes me think about Hersey and Blanchard's theory of situational leadership. We act according to the emotional intelligence and maturity of those around or under us. My dad is not someone I go to with problems because he doesn't have the same experiences and often doesn't know how to respond. I act differently with him because of this. I am not frustrated with his vastly different assessment of my personality. This was a great opportunity for me to understand my relationship with him and my personality traits that I never consider as part of who I am.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Johnny Cupcakes- Resilience
Tonight I had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Johnny Earle, better known as, Johnny Cupcakes. He spent from 8-9:30pm talking about his upbringing, his entrepreneurial spirit at a young age, his progression into his brand and business, and his failures along the way. He was an amazing speaker that has lived a wild life so far.
One thing that struck me during his presentation was how much of a risk taker he has been since he was 10 years old. Sure, we all make some risky decisions at age 10, but the stakes are not as high as when we are 25. He discussed failed products, ideas, business relationships, warehouse decisions, and even his mistakes with friends and family. After a few questions from the audience, he said that discussing these failures is therapy to him.
Of course, I raised my hand. I asked, "You've been an entrepreneur since a young age and you've bounced back many times with little hesitation. Do you think resilience is something you have learned along the way or were you born with it?" He took less than a second before saying "I did not learn it" He went on to explain that he has always had it, even as a kid. To quote, "My best ideas have come from my biggest screw-ups."
Johnny has lots of confidence and thrives on risk taking. He founded, owns, and operates in full Johnny Cupcakes which has held over 400 pop-up stores worldwide and has many permanent retail locations in sought after cities like SoHo, LA, and Boston (on Newbury St, I have visited!). He is a dedicated leader, a marketing genius, and a loyal community member. His resilience has kept him climbing up a social and professional ladder and will continue to lead him to amazing design and marketing ideas.
One thing that struck me during his presentation was how much of a risk taker he has been since he was 10 years old. Sure, we all make some risky decisions at age 10, but the stakes are not as high as when we are 25. He discussed failed products, ideas, business relationships, warehouse decisions, and even his mistakes with friends and family. After a few questions from the audience, he said that discussing these failures is therapy to him.
Of course, I raised my hand. I asked, "You've been an entrepreneur since a young age and you've bounced back many times with little hesitation. Do you think resilience is something you have learned along the way or were you born with it?" He took less than a second before saying "I did not learn it" He went on to explain that he has always had it, even as a kid. To quote, "My best ideas have come from my biggest screw-ups."
Johnny has lots of confidence and thrives on risk taking. He founded, owns, and operates in full Johnny Cupcakes which has held over 400 pop-up stores worldwide and has many permanent retail locations in sought after cities like SoHo, LA, and Boston (on Newbury St, I have visited!). He is a dedicated leader, a marketing genius, and a loyal community member. His resilience has kept him climbing up a social and professional ladder and will continue to lead him to amazing design and marketing ideas.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Being my own manager. Just keep swimming.
Today I am faced with a mountain of struggles. I gave some thought to what I may post about on this blog that would be health or OB related. I began to reflect on management and how to be my own manager as I stumble through this next week and a half. How would a good manager respond to my problems as an employee? How would management staff break down my schedule and concerns and make me feel valued, appreciated, and empowered?
Let's start with the problems.
This is my last week of my Healthcare Management online class at Northeastern. I have 4 blog posts to write by tomorrow night. I have 8 secondary responses and 2 written assignments (case studies) due by Sunday night. I have a final paper and final exam due next Tuesday. Of course, all of these assignments were released yesterday morning with no preparation opportunities.
I had an exam yesterday in US Health Systems and an exam this morning in Intro to Anthropology.
I have a meeting with Kyle to discuss our class presentation today at 5pm.
I have a call scheduled with my mentor Anna Sanders for tomorrow afternoon before class.
I have a Women in Business meeting Thursday afternoon.
And the glue that holds it all together? My laptop's hard drive malfunctioned last night while I was studying. I brought it to the technical services in the MUB this morning to diagnose and fix the problem. They must keep it to diagnose it, which will take about a week. Only in a week will they be able to figure out the problem. This means that I am without a computer for who-knows how long, I guess I will know once they are done diagnosing next week.
How am I still functioning with a smile? As my own manager I tell myself first and foremost that everything will work out. How do I know this? I don't. I just have to hold out hope. Someone has to be positive here, so it will have to be my alter ego. Next, the manager inside me is telling me that communication is key. I should email my Northeastern professor and tell him about my laptop. Do I admit defeat and ask for an extension? Can he give me one? Will he believe my story? Will he do the classic "You don't get an extension in the real world." Do I need one or can I handle this? Will I go insane trying?
My typical model is to put lots of things on my plate and do a great job at the sacrifice of my mental state. I can accomplish a lot, decipher what can be placed on a temporary back-burner, and go a day or so without sleep. I have been trying to take better care of myself (as the manager) by letting go of optional responsibilities I have taken on. I have cut my work hours this semester, dropped an elective class, and signed up for my Birthright trip to Israel. I decided that this is my last semester to be a "kid" and I want to enjoy my last few months before my 9-5 assume's its position.
As a manager, I need to prioritize and make do with what's available. I am currently sitting in the library. I did not bring my textbook because I did not expect to be here, however, by the time I get back to my apartment to grab it, I will have to meet with Kyle. Not worth it. I am instead writing this blog because it is on my to do list and may help keep me sane. After the meeting I will return to my apartment, grab my textbook, and return to the library to read, research, and write some posts.
Just keep swimming, right?
Let's start with the problems.
This is my last week of my Healthcare Management online class at Northeastern. I have 4 blog posts to write by tomorrow night. I have 8 secondary responses and 2 written assignments (case studies) due by Sunday night. I have a final paper and final exam due next Tuesday. Of course, all of these assignments were released yesterday morning with no preparation opportunities.
I had an exam yesterday in US Health Systems and an exam this morning in Intro to Anthropology.
I have a meeting with Kyle to discuss our class presentation today at 5pm.
I have a call scheduled with my mentor Anna Sanders for tomorrow afternoon before class.
I have a Women in Business meeting Thursday afternoon.
And the glue that holds it all together? My laptop's hard drive malfunctioned last night while I was studying. I brought it to the technical services in the MUB this morning to diagnose and fix the problem. They must keep it to diagnose it, which will take about a week. Only in a week will they be able to figure out the problem. This means that I am without a computer for who-knows how long, I guess I will know once they are done diagnosing next week.
How am I still functioning with a smile? As my own manager I tell myself first and foremost that everything will work out. How do I know this? I don't. I just have to hold out hope. Someone has to be positive here, so it will have to be my alter ego. Next, the manager inside me is telling me that communication is key. I should email my Northeastern professor and tell him about my laptop. Do I admit defeat and ask for an extension? Can he give me one? Will he believe my story? Will he do the classic "You don't get an extension in the real world." Do I need one or can I handle this? Will I go insane trying?
My typical model is to put lots of things on my plate and do a great job at the sacrifice of my mental state. I can accomplish a lot, decipher what can be placed on a temporary back-burner, and go a day or so without sleep. I have been trying to take better care of myself (as the manager) by letting go of optional responsibilities I have taken on. I have cut my work hours this semester, dropped an elective class, and signed up for my Birthright trip to Israel. I decided that this is my last semester to be a "kid" and I want to enjoy my last few months before my 9-5 assume's its position.
As a manager, I need to prioritize and make do with what's available. I am currently sitting in the library. I did not bring my textbook because I did not expect to be here, however, by the time I get back to my apartment to grab it, I will have to meet with Kyle. Not worth it. I am instead writing this blog because it is on my to do list and may help keep me sane. After the meeting I will return to my apartment, grab my textbook, and return to the library to read, research, and write some posts.
Just keep swimming, right?
Monday, February 20, 2017
EI Related Video
While cruising through Facebook during a study break I came across a video that directly related to the lecture given today in class. In particular, it addressed Colleen's question of how we work on improving our emotional intelligence. This video is about empathy specifically. One line I really appreciate is "you don't need to share someone's opinion in order to understand it and acknowledge it." (1:09) As someone who has good emotional self control, I often times struggle to understand other's emotions.
Check out the video!
http://lifehacker.com/the-importance-of-empathy-in-everyday-life-1791961488?utm_campaign=socialflow_lifehacker_twitter&utm_source=lifehacker_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow
Check out the video!
http://lifehacker.com/the-importance-of-empathy-in-everyday-life-1791961488?utm_campaign=socialflow_lifehacker_twitter&utm_source=lifehacker_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow
Thursday, February 9, 2017
First Term Class Prep
My partner Kyle and I have chosen to learn/teach about change. This is a broad topic so we are spending time narrowing down the points we hope to make and the material we hope to teach. My mentor Anna Sanders has been helpful in passing along resources for this topic. I have always found change, both influencing and controlling, to be one of the most important functions of a manager. Making decisions and implementing them are very difficult feats when the audiences are likely not enthused. Humans are creatures of habit. Sure, some like adventure and trying new things, but generally most go home to their same beds and get to hit restart the next day, as they always do. There is nothing wrong with liking consistency! How to deal with that as a manager trying to excite and enforce change? Hopefully you (and I) will find out soon...
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Personality Assessment Results
As a management major in Paul College, I have taken many personality assessments throughout my four years. I know that I am "type A", have a "gold" colored personality, and fall under the ESFJ-A persona. I had not, however, taken The Big 5 Project Personality Test that Professor Bonica had us try last week.
While most of the information I found to be expected, I did not like the wording of the outcomes. It was made clear through the language that some traits were desirable and some were not. While I liked most of my responses and found them to be spot-on, the assessment considered me to be close-minded. While I like structure, I am also always up for adventures. My friends would even say I am the one pushing the group towards new experiences.
The graphical depiction of the results in this personality test were cool and helpful. I liked the range aspect instead of just being one characteristic or the other. I would only change the wording to be more accepting and understanding.
If you are interested in the graphical depiction from this test, see below.
While most of the information I found to be expected, I did not like the wording of the outcomes. It was made clear through the language that some traits were desirable and some were not. While I liked most of my responses and found them to be spot-on, the assessment considered me to be close-minded. While I like structure, I am also always up for adventures. My friends would even say I am the one pushing the group towards new experiences.
The graphical depiction of the results in this personality test were cool and helpful. I liked the range aspect instead of just being one characteristic or the other. I would only change the wording to be more accepting and understanding.
If you are interested in the graphical depiction from this test, see below.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
To: Friends and Fellow Learners
Hello All- I am Erin Katzeff, a senior HMP minor at the University of New Hampshire. This is my first of many blog posts so I feet that a quick introduction is necessary. The purpose of this blog will be to process what I am learning about managing health care organizations, along with organizational behavior patterns this semester. Please feel free to write me- I am constantly looking for feedback, thoughtful comments, and related concepts or material. Thanks!
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