Brandon W. Jones

In a world of ordinary people with ordinary lives, everything can become very repetitive and boring at times. The ordinary things in life become very ordinary if no action is taken to change things. Once in a while there are extraordinary people that come along that with a special ability to find the best in everything and everyone. They have the ability to make everyday, even every situation, into the best moment in their life. They are able to make everyone feel like they are very important. Capt. Flanagan has the special ability to make everyday into a special day. Because he is able to do that, he helps to make the world a better place.

In a world full of negativity and complaining, a positive attitude can affect a lot of people and change the world. Someone that is very positive like Capt. Flanagan, can make the world a better place. With all the negativity and stress of the world, a smile or a kind gesture can go a long way. Many times when people are going through a rough time in life a smile is all that is needed to redirect someone’s attitude.

The blog by Bob Sutton titled “Work Matters” and the article “Can Personality Be Changed?” by Carol S. Dweck both talk about how personality is developed and beliefs/knowledge are shaped. Many people have the idea that each person is born with their individual personality and that it will not change through life experiences. Others believe that an individual’s personality is shaped continually through life. In a similar sense, some believe that people are either born smart or dumb. They feel that those who will be successful in life are born that way, while those who are unsuccessful are also born that way. On the other hand, there are people who believe that the success or failure of an individual is an individual choice regarding their behaviors.

I believe that each person is born with a distinct personality, but ideas and beliefs can change as each person journeys through life. Each person to a large extent is born with the foundation of their personality and then through life experiences they develop the structure of their personality. Each person is born with specific talents and personality traits that they can either develop or not develop through life experiences. Some of those personality traits may include humility, knowledge, wisdom, etc. Talents may include art, music, sports, etc. While each individual may have specific talents or personality traits that they are born with, it is possible to obtain a new talent or trait through practice and dedication.

I also believe that some people are born with greater opportunities while others have fewer opportunities. Those born in Africa have a different set of opportunities than those born in North America. Those who are born with many luxuries have different opportunities than those that are born with nothing. There are cases where people born with nothing can become great, while those born with many luxuries don’t do become anything.

Success versus failure is completely dependent on who is setting the standards. For example, in football when a team wins only one game one season and the following season makes the playoffs and loses, the team will have been successful. On the other hand, if another team makes it to the AFC or NFC championship game one season and loses and then comes back the following season to lose in the AFC or NFC championship game again, they will think of their season as a failure. Success is determined by each individual.

As the articles stated, no one is destined to have a particular destiny that they are not allowed to control. There are certain factors that are set in life that are out of each person’s control, but beyond those factors, the sky is the limit. Each person can determine the goals for the things they want to accomplish in life. They can then do everything within their power to accomplish their goal. Every person will face some degree of failure, but can continue to work through those failures to be successful in the long run. Hard work is the key to every good thing in life. Those who attain their goals are the ones who put in the necessary effort. No one is destined to be a failure. Each person can succeed if they are willing to put forth enough effort. If someone wants to become smarter, they can study by working hard and then they can become smart.

The articles Women Feel More Free to Be Women and Study says flirtatious women get fewer raises, promotions discuss how some women in the workforce are now using their good looks and ability to flirt to persuade people into promoting them.  The reason why they try to use their looks to get promoted is because they feel they can attain an advantage over others.  In a sense, it is a statement of insecurity of their professional abilities.  In addition, the system that promotes those who flirt the best is a flawed system.  It is not bad to be attractive.  What is most important, however, is the level of confidence a person has and the way they carry themselves. When someone is skilled in the work they do, they can let their work speak for itself.

The articles How to get hired and MBA Skills explain what it takes to be a successful professional.  Some people think the only thing that matters is whether or not an individual can come up with the correct solution to a problem.  In the current global economy the solution is very important, but not as important as how well the solution can be sold.  The articles emphasized the importance of having soft skills, but didn’t go into detail on why they are important. 

Why are “soft skills” important?

The following are three reasons why soft skills are important:

1. The outsourcing in the global economy.
2. Opening lines of communication.
3. Creating a comparative advantage

The outsourcing in the global economy

In the current global economy everything that can be outsourced is outsourced.  The labor markets in foreign countries are relatively inexpensive compared to those in the United States.  Due to the cost savings created from outsourcing, jobs within the United States have been lost.  In the current state, employees must have the soft skills to retain their jobs.  The soft skills give the individual workers the advantage over the foreign workers.  The soft skills bring the product or service to life and help to develop loyalty.

Opening lines of communication

In a world of networking, the ability to effectively communicate, both verbal and written, opens lines of communication.  Once a line of communication has been opened, it is essential that the communication is professional, ethical, and courteous in order to continue the business relationship.  When the communication is not professional, it detracts from the service or product that is being sold. 

Creating a comparative advantage

Customer loyalty is a major comparative advantage that companies can obtain.  One major contributor to customer loyalty is the level of customer service and customer satisfaction.  Effective communication is essential in providing customer service. 

High level managers are also able to create their comparative advantage through their communication with investors and stake holders.  They are also able to distinguish themselves from their competition through their professional communication.  On the other hand, poor soft skills can eliminate the comparative advantages of the services or products.

The Kenneth W. Monfort College of Business is taking a very innovative approach to the changing environments in the current economy.  By constantly evaluating their approach to learning and teaching they are constantly improving.  The reason why they are continually changing is because that is the only way to progress and keep up with their competition.  When a university, organization, or company desires to keep up with their competition, they must continually be evaluating their progress, as well as, market.

In the article Teaching Smart People How to Learn by Chris Argyris, Chris explains that the smartest or most educated people within an organization are the hardest ones to teach within the corporate environment.  He also explains that those same people, when put in the academic environment, are very teachable.  Generally the managers within the company have the highest level of education.  One aspect he highlighted was that managers, when asked to look within themselves for areas of improvement, are very reluctant.  They in turn find the faults and reasons of failure in others and begin to play the blame game. 

There are two reasons why the educated become less teachable in the corporate environment compared to the academic environment. 

1. The academic environment is thought of as a safe house with everyone equal.
2. The division of authority and responsibility in the corporate world generates pride and an inability to learn. 

The Safe House of the Academics

Managers in the academic world are willing to learn and are very teachable.  The academic world is a safe house for learning.  In the learning/safe house environment, managers are open to suggestion because they won’t receive a poor work evaluation based on their comments and responses.  In the academic world, managers are able to learn and be very open.  They enter the academic world with the expectation of learning something new.  In the academic world, managers have a sense of equality amongst their peers in the classroom.  Managers entering the academic world become students and have a much more humble attitude.  They expect to be taught and are open to learn.

The Pride of the Managers

Managers are given authority to lead, and with that authority comes additional responsibility.  When individuals receive an added measure of authority and responsibility, it is the natural disposition of all men and women to feel they are superior.  They begin to feel they are smarter or more experienced and deserving than others to be in the position of leadership.  Although, it is true that they must have specific qualifications to be in their position, they change in their disposition.  They begin to develop a level of arrogance thinking they are better than their subordinate employees.  This disposition is a level of pride.  Once managers develop this pride/arrogance, they shut themselves off from their subordinates.  The managers develop a sense that they are better than their subordinates.  Once managers have reached this stage, they discount the ideas of all their subordinates and are no longer humble and teachable.

Overcoming the Pride of the Position

In order for a manager to overcome the pride of the position, they must realize the goal of the company and understand that every employee is a part of the whole team.  By realizing that the company is a team, they will understand that the company will only be as strong as the weakest link.  In order for the team to work at full strength, everyone must be working together.  The managers must be humble and know that they don’t have all the answers to all the questions.  They must also understand that their success depends on the success of those they work with.  In cases where the manager could improve to help the team, they must make the changes necessary.  The managers must be teachable.  They must forget about themselves with a “me, me, me” attitude and work for the success of the team.  If they do that, the team will work together for a common goal and the company will be successful.  The success of the company will reflect on the leadership of the managers.