Think Globally, Act Locally

When creating this blog, and considering ways to enhance it's visual presentation, I considered the thing that is most important to me. This thing encompasses significance in every aspect of my life. As a matter of fact, everything I hold dear, and to be important, is tied directly to this thing. Whether it pertains to my spiritual beliefs, people I care about, or activities I enjoy being a part of, all things I hold dear to tied to this one thing. While reading my blog you may have had a feeling this "thing" is important to me.  The thing I am referring to is our beautiful Earth and all that dwells on the Earth.
My wife and I are always trying to preserve the Earth by practicing the three "R's". You know what they are... Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This topic deserves at least a masters thesis. I don't have that kind of time to devote at the moment, but I would like to remind everyone why it is important to think green and to chill out and engage in thinking green at a smaller level - at a local level. Consider the beautiful locations throughout the world and the beautiful people populating many of these areas. Consider the great chain we all take part in - whether we like it or not - and the wonderful thing it is that we can work together to promote the prosperity of our natural resources. Every sunset and every human smile is a thing that has the ability to remind me of the beauty of both the human spirit and our beautiful Earth. Our conservation must begin in our own homes and our own communities. Find ways to conserve. I promise... they're out there. Let us go forth, and with enthusiasm, take care of this Earth and one another.

Change

When is change welcomed? The majority of people would argue that change is uncomfortable and therefore unwelcome. Most people do not run toward change, but rather runaway. This - of course - is essentially a form of denial, as history has provided a myriad of examples suggesting that change is necessary, important and a vital function at all levels in society. If asked, a group of individuals would more than likely indicate they would prefer to progress and avoid any form of digression. However, when the winds of change come through, people seem to be inclined to complain about their particular lot in life and long for the "greener grass on the other side." It is our natural human disposition to follow this exact trend.
There is a positive side to this scenario. Life can be improved upon and there truly are greener pastures awaiting the disheartened and downtrodden. However, its important that individuals practice the art of self-improvement in whatever state life they find themselves in at the time. I suggest optimism, excitement, gratitude and hard work as the solution for this ailing problem, which seems to be plaguing a large segment of society. If there is ever an economic struggle attacking millions of people, you can bet the need for optimism is needed more than ever. This is the reason why I have decided to discuss this topic and to suggest ways to overcome fear and inhibitions. In closing, I encourage others to chime in and impart - his or her - opinions for positive change and the acceptance of the new.

Egoism

Psychological Egoism postulates that human beings act purely selfishly – that all people have personal motivational factors at the root of any interaction they engage in. Ethical Egoism suggests that certain acts we perform are simply our nature. Therefore, acting out of self-interest stems from our desire for self-preservation and is only natural, acceptable and even moral.

            A police officer probably would like to avoid being shot. Most people don’t want to be shot, but if it came down to it, in the event of a drive by shooting, for example, most people would hide behind another individual and would most likely avoid jumping in front of another person in order to preserve their own lives. According to psychological egoism, people from all walks of life, will undoubtedly dodge danger and live up to the saying “every man for himself.”

           These issues allude to the concept of self-interest. Prosecutors, for example, carry a similar stigma to that of a salesman or a mechanic. The stigma I am referring to suggests individuals in these fields will forget about ethics and personal morals in order to achieve what they need, or to make a profit. “What they need” is the essence of this last statement. They are acting out of self-interest. They most likely have families and therefore their self-interest extends towards their family members. However, morals can become difficult to assess. In returning to the concept of ethical egoism, an ethical egoist  is always self serving. So while choices may at times appear to potentially be made without an ethical foundation, but a starving family may be the reason why. To go a bit deeper, the unethical salesman, trying to feed his family, is ultimately attempting to avoid guilt or personal concern for his family - the salesman is thinking about his own well-being. A good example of a struggling moral human issue could be of a man who steals medicine to provide aid to a sick child… while the act is immoral, and the man is still committing a crime, the crime seems less sever due to the circumstances. These are factors people need to take in to consideration in order to formulate righteous judgment.

Initially, ethical egoism may sound strictly self-serving. However, this may not necessarily be the case. In the case of the last example, people are often placed in situations where they need to push an agenda in an effort to preserve home and family. Initially, it may seem appropriate to simply assume an apparently selfish individual is making poor choices. However, this may be rash. It is important to consider all sides of every aspect and be aware of individual factors. In doing so, individuals in any given interaction will better preserve relationships, build lasting bonds and promote future acts of selflessness.

Why I Blog

Blogging is rather new to me. I only recently decided to begin my adventure into blogging. In the past, I only had a vague understanding of its purpose. However, I did not have a strong understanding of its various usages and potential. I am truly excited about the advancements in technology we are experiencing throughout the world. With the advancement of technology any individual can create a blog and instantly share information quickly and cost effectively with other individuals on the other side of the globe. I will examine the purpose, design, content, and audience of my blog and the rationale that was behind its creation.

I will focus primarily on the purpose of my blog, as that is the most valued reason for its conception. The purpose of creating my blog is threefold. These reasons consist of fulfilling an assignment, creating a professional - personally scripted, digital environment - where I can expose my thoughts and opinions to the rest of the digital world, and lastly, to connect with others. I believe all of these reasons are valid, although, each category may have a separate and distinct rationale.

Completing an assignment is always important. The very act of setting goals and accomplishing them builds strength of character and self-confidence. In referring to manager and subordinate delegation, Stephen R. Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People said, “Trust is the highest form of human motivation. It brings out the very best in people. But it takes time and patience, and it doesn’t preclude the necessity to train and develop people so that their competency can rise to the level of that trust.” I would like to focus on the time and patience aspect of motivation. Writing, in the same way, takes time and patience.

In my youth, I struggled with this concept and I was not willing to apply the time and patience necessary to successfully engage in any form of writing, or any form of schoolwork for that matter. As a result, my confidence and satisfaction in writing vanished. This, in turn, contributed to my grades dropping and the declining of my grades in other subjects. However, one of the key moments in my personal, academic and professional life was when I decided to complete an assignment with a genuine desire to succeed, or at least care. I did it on my own and I hadn’t had the desire to do so for several years. I remember feeling a sense of satisfaction. I also realized I was capable of setting my mind on something and going after it.

My ultimate purpose, therefore, is to help inspire other aspiring writers and to promote the rejuvenation of their spirits. This, I would hope, will help connect us on a higher, but equal, level of understanding. In the process of developing connections with others, I would also like to create a professional atmosphere on my blog; one that encourages interaction on a professional level.

            Perhaps the most significant purpose behind the creation of my blog is to bring out the innate joy that comes from writing. In order to do so, I strongly believe I would need to promote enthusiasm in my own writing, as well as for the writing in my audience. When we write we share a piece of ourselves and actually fulfill an inner need. Said D. Ray Reutzel and Parker. C Fawson, “Beneath layers of resistance, we have a primal need to write. We need to make our truths beautiful, and we need to say to others, “This is me. This is my story, my life, my truth.” We need to be heard.” People have many needs, but perhaps the most important need is that of being heard and properly understood.

            Being heard is the essence of inner peace. When we are heard we feel understood. We feel cared about. We ultimately take part in one of the most important occurrences in this human existence and that is to feel connected. I would argue that is the primary driving force and success of all social networking websites. People sign up and spend a good deal of time connecting with one another. These connections are now able to take place at anytime of our 24-hour cycle and we can connect with anyone, anywhere in the world. This, I would say, is the essence of my blog… the ability to connect with others.

            The design of my blog is meant to be simple and to work on a wide variety of levels. It’s meant to allow me to interact with people from all walks of life – all over the world. My vision is to create interaction, between my self and others, on a global scale. Thus, placed an image of globe, the planet Earth in the background. Given the fact that I plan on interacting with a wide variety of people, hopefully all over the world, I intend to keep my blog simple in appearance verbiage. An example of this could be bold headings at the beginning of a new topic and a brief summary of my thoughts on the topic. I believe the second most important thing I can do is to create simplicity.

            My content is to be directed toward a professional audience. However, I believe professionalism does not exclude pleasure. A professional environment should allow room for a few jokes and acceptable lightheartedness. With these things in mind I would hope one would come to the conclusion that I am promoting an atmosphere of calmness and pleasure.

            I believe the purpose, design, content, and audience will work cohesively and promote my endeavor to create an adventurous digital environment. Writing is truly meant to be an adventure. Like children, writing offers an opportunity to tap back into our imaginations that may have lain dormant for many, many years. This is one such concept I would like to tap into on my blog and I hope to be able to inspire the same excitement in others.

 References

Covey, S. R. (1989). Habit 3: Put First Things First. In The 7 Habits of Highly

     Effective People (p. 178). New York: Free Press.

D. Ray Reutzel and Parker C. Fawson, Traveling Tales: Connecting Parents and Children through Writing The Reading Teacher Vol. 44, No. 3, Teachers' Choices Best New Children's Books (Nov., 1990), pp. 222-227

Generation Y Blogging

After being asked what makes a good blog I began to contemplate a few different things. To begin with, generation Y offers many advancements in communication. Social networking is very good example of one such advancement in communication. Each day, more and more people, from different walks in life, are participating in digital communication. Digital communication transmission is any form of communication that takes place through digital means. Blogging is one of the newest and most efficient ways to communicate digitally. In order to be most effective, blogging must be done with consideration of content and the audience.

Today, the two primary forms of digital communication taking place are through mobile phones and the Internet. In fact, the Internet was recently introduced onto the mobile phone platform and is preparing to make significant advancements. Mobile phone providers are currently introducing the fourth generation of Internet access. Therefore, as these two forms of powerhouse communication continue to intertwine so will accessibility, and thus, far more effective for those ready, willing and able to take advantage of its benefits. Thus, blogging is something many industries will be able to take advantage of in almost any place an individual with access may find themselves in.

Journalists, for example, will be able to utilize and create digital content when covering a headlining story. This means information sharing is going to improve and the competition is going to become fierce. Due to the nature of fierce competition, it is necessary to consider a few key elements and this applies toward anyone wishing to generate a following for their blog, or simply to get any attention at all.

            In term of efficiency, there are few things to consider when creating a blog. A blog should have a clearly defined purpose. For example, a reader should be able to easily know what the blogger is trying to convey. So, just like a college level paper, each blog should have a thesis, or a main point. Presenting the main point does not need to follow the same set of rules as college level writing, but it should at least give the reader a simple sense of what the writer is trying to convey.
            I was also able to stumble upon a few tips provided by an author at about.com. The author, Laura Lake, a marketing specialist at about.com stated, “Blogs have core components that increase their success such as content, distribution, and frequency, but you need more than that to get people to read it.” Lake later went on to state, “Popular blogs have one thing in common, an individual voice. A voice will not only gain readers, but it keeps them.” Laura raises awareness to the fact that keeping readers is just as important as gaining readers and individuality is crucial.

In addition to this, Laura Lake went on to give 5 tips, which would help promote a successful blog and increase readership. She mentioned blog personality, consistent posts, simplicity, reader comments, and an appealing title. To go into each of these briefly, personality alludes to the personality of the writer and keeps things interesting; consistency simply refers to updating the blog regularly – around two to three times per week; simplicity is straight forward, but many writers make a mistake in this area as they tend to over think things; reader comments can make a blog interactive and can help a blogger obtain constructive feedback. Lastly, an appealing title is considered to be the frontlines of a blog and can move a blog from a position in which it is being ignored to a blog that is receiving hundreds of hits in a considerably short period of time.

 I’ve reviewed a few of my classmate’s blogs and all of which have significant strengths that will appeal to their individual audience’s. I believe that with time their blogs will continue to flourish and attract attention. I learned that attention to detail, font style and coloring, background and a strong title are just a few of the elements which I can mention and that have been seriously considered and put into effect in these blogs. Each of the writers shared information that seemed to create a good deal of excitement and passion in their writing. On the other hand, it also appeared that a few of the writers overthought their objectives in some areas and their blogs seemed to carry on a bit to long. However, this is simply an healthy attribute the individual writer will learn to harness and overcome. I believe each writer I had the privilege to critique is well on his or her way to creating a successful and appealing blog.

Reviewed Blogs

http://lacyridgellgwyn.blogspot.com/

http://communicationscapstone.blogspot.com/

http://blogtocommunicte.blogspot.com/

                                                                  

                                                                  References

Lake, L. (n.d.). Top 5 Tips to Creating an Effective Blog [Blogging Tips].

     Retrieved January 31, 2011, from http://marketing.about.com/od/

     marketingmethods/tp/blogmarketing.htm

Effective Conflict Mediation

Conflict in any environment is natural and bound to take place. Most movies require some form of conflict in order to help the audience develop a sense of loss and later to recover and feel the joy and excitement of recovery. Hollywood writers base a portion of a films premise on this very concept. Also, most psychiatrists would argue that a relationship free of any contention, or a portion of turmoil, is possibly in a far worse state than that of a relationship with apparent struggle.

Struggle, many times, may imply an effort is being put forward to resolve conflict. Therefore, it can be argued that conflict is natural and healthy. What remains to be determined is the affect we have on a given situation based on our response. So how do we respond? The situation presented regarding an employee who has alienated clients and coworkers is a great scenario to evaluate conflict resolution and no doubt these kinds of situations take place all of the time and in many environments. The work place is one such environment, but it tends to be a complicated organism. However, like most things that become complicated a simple fix just might be the answer.

Prior to finding a fix to a problem it’s important to know the root of the problem. This requires sincere research and if the appropriate steps aren’t taken the problem can actually escalate and worsen; we in effect create a greater issue. Dennis Sandole studied the various ways in which conflict can be best resolved. In his published work "Comprehensive Mapping of Conflict and Conflict Resolution: A Three Pillar Approach, A." he states, “Although, prescriptively, an effective intervention ought to depend upon knowing something about any given conflict and its causes and conditions before intervening into it, descriptively, there is a "two-culture problem" between the academic and other researchers who study and theorize about conflicts and the practitioners who actually try to intervene in them. My objective here, therefore, is to propose and outline such a mapping in a manner that connects theory to practice, to maximize the prospects that interventions will be effective: unless we know what makes conflicts "tick," we may, good intentions to the contrary, only make matters worse.” (Sandhole 1998)

With these factors being taken into consideration it becomes important to find out what the root of the problem might be with an employee. I would suggest giving all parties involved the benefit of the doubt. This would entail the necessity to engage the situation and take the time to sit down and have face-to-face interaction with the employees involved in the conflict. While doing so, I would suggest that empathy is key to providing mediation and resolving the situation for both parties.

So many times dismissal is a choice management rushes toward and the resolution of conflict is simply observed through avoidance rather than careful consideration and big picture thinking. This kind of scenario relates directly back to our fight or flight mentality and unfortunately taking flight always seems like the easiest solution but reaps a far lesser reward.

References

Sandole, Dennis J.D. "Comprehensive Mapping of Conflict and Conflict Resolution: A    Three Pillar Approach, A." , December 1998

Media Technologies

Media, and the means in which we obtain it, now comes in many formats. These various formats are becoming more and more accessible and the audience is widening. The five primary forms of media technology that come to mind are the Internet, television, magazines, newspaper and mobile media. Technically, I’ve really only listed four media technologies and they all can be accessed via mobile means. The fact that WIFI and 3G is growing so rapidly only increases the number of ways to access media.

            The Internet is now the best, easiest, fastest and most inexpensive way to find information and for people to share information. The usages are becoming more diverse and it’s actually taking a good deal of business away from anything that previously relied on paper as a means of transmitting information. The audience utilizing the Internet is increasing in it range, but is more naturally used by those individuals born during the digital boom or after around 1980.

            Television probably reaches everyone, but extends itself to a bit older demographic. It requires little technical knowledge and has also gone digital. Television offers news networks that cover a variety of important news and media, but it’s important that individual check a few different sources, as one source may be a bit biased and the news may be slanted.

            Magazines are found at the check out stand of every grocery store and are an important means of media delivery. It’s often easy to decipher between accurate and inaccurate information. For this very reason many people may argue that it is not a legitimate source of media. However, the number of people buying into magazine media alone is an indication of the potential magazines have as an engine to propel media – whether in paper or digital format.

            Newspapers are a bit of an oxymoron. All major newspapers have begun delivering their editorials through the Internet. In fact, they’ve embraced this technology, but the name news-paper has lost a good deal of meaning, as it has lost a lot of business through paper distribution. Obviously, newspapers are probably the number one contender in terms of accuracy and reputation. This is a standard they’ve lived by for centuries. They were originally close to being dubbed the fourth branch of government and are known as the watchdog. The saying, “blew the lid of the story,” comes from the newspaper and it’s journalists finding the truth and exposing prominent individuals for poor and, sometimes, dishonest choices.

 We’re living during a time where all of these formats can be accessed through mobile means on the go. Honestly, this very fact must take all of these options in to consideration, but we must be sure to exercise temperance and balance and avoid loosing sight of where the real world starts and the digital world ends.

Adventures in Writing

Writing is something many people tend to stray away from. I personally have endured this exact struggle in the past. However, over the last several years I have come to truly enjoy writing as a form of self-expression and creating clarity for others. I believe effective writing does just that. I've learned that writing should be for an audience... not to build my self up, but rather to cater to the needs of the audience. To go a little further, writing should be a means to happily and humbly connect with others, rather than to glorify oneself or to control or slant information.

 I recently learned about the acronym K.I.S.S., which means Keep-It-Simple-Stupid. It sounds funny – and possibly silly – but it's so true. Many times we forget to just keep things simple, and I believe this inhibits an audience's ability to truly enjoy reviewing any kind of information and has the potential to even disengage, or weaken, any kind of connection. Many times the most profound experiences take place under rather simple circumstances or series of events.

Often times, we as human beings, tend to complicate the things we engage in and for personal reasons. We may want to impress another individual, or group of individuals, or we may want to advance our own interests. An individual, regardless of any external stimuli, should never allow themselves to stray from his or her core values. It is my opinion that writing can remain consistent if a writer writes for his or her audience and remains true to his or her core values. Therefore, a simple rule of thumb is to remember one thing…. simplicity does not imply stupidity!