1. What are the most important concepts you have learned this week?
Many relevant concepts have been studied this week. Some of them are actually related to the learning teams. The most important concepts studied are: patience, teamwork, communication and planning.
Communication is one of the most important strengths in Team Learning. As all of us have been working during the whole week, every team member has been helping each other both as an individual and as a team member. Time zones haven’t managed to prevent team building. Furthermore, they have helped us to be flexible and to make our best to become a team meaning that every member has tried to perform team responsibilities.
All team members have developed their own planning strategies how to organize studying process and to comply with the team assignments of the last week. Responsibilities of each member have been thoroughly analyzed and examined after the deadlines. We have been able to realize and to accept our strengths and weaknesses. The most important concept learnt the last week is that transformational leadership differs significantly from transactional leadership. I also have learned that to be successful means working as a team as well as preserving individual strengths and opportunities. Actually both individual and team approaches must be combined for better results.
2. What would you recommend to your management/leadership based on these concepts?
Firstly planning strategies will be recommended. The best advice is not to wait until the last moment and to work, because it is apparent that time management helps to reduce many errors. After assigning the work to students it is necessary to outline that there is no such word as “I” as, there is a word “Us”.
One more recommendation is to help employees to realize their personal goals to motivate them to assist organization in reaching the desired goals. It is the main weakness of my organization. You give the extra miles to reach company’s goals and nothing is done to motivate you and to help you in realizing your personal goals. If organization thinks that “you are motivated by the salary” I believe that is a wrong attitude towards employees, because they don’t feel motivated enough and they will be out of track as a group and will be thinking only as individuals.
3. How will these concepts impact you personally and professionally?
The teamwork practice learned last week can be applied to all spheres of life. Actually, we are not alone in this world and we need interaction with others. Our actions always affect work of other people. It is necessary to develop teamwork spirit. For example, if you have children, they have their assignment, and you do not help them, they would not feel motivated to perform the assignments. But if you show interest in their tasks they will be motivated. In the professional sphere if a project is assign to me, I always try to apply the concepts of communication, responsibility, planning, consistency and motivation to succeed. If people working with you do not feel confident, respected and motivated enough, they would not do their best.
4. What is the value added from these concepts, or what differences can these concepts make to your organization?
The value added from these concepts is to reduce misunderstanding, mistakes and improper communication and consequently to increase respect, good communication, and motivation of every employee.
5. Describe important references used this week. List the references in proper APA style.
References
- Avolio, B. & Bass, B. (1988). Transformational Leadership, Charisma and Beyond, in Hunt, J., Baliga, H., & Dachler, C. (eds) Emerging Leadership. Massachusetts: Lexington Books.
- Farr, J. (1997, September). Leadership vs. Management: Do You Know the Difference? Retrieved October, 13, 2006, from: http://www.businessleader.com/bl/sep97/leadrshp.html
- Miller, P. (2006) What’s the Difference between Leaders and Managers? High Beam Research. Retrieved October, 13, 2006, from http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc0.asp?docid=1G1:75161342&refid=ink_tptd_mag&skeyword=&teaser=
- Starratt, R. (1993). The Drama of Leadership. London: Falmer Press.
- Storey, J. (2004). Leadership in Organizations: Current Issues and Key Trends. New York: Routledge.
- The Difference Between Management and Leadership. University of Edinburgh: School of Engineering and Electronics. Retrieved October 13, 2006, from http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/MENG/ME96/Documents/Intro/leader.html