Construction procurement and legal framework for construction Essay

Construction procurement and legal framework for construction operations - Essay Example It may be either small scale or large scale. For successful completion of the construction project, effective planning is crucial. There are various types of construction: 1. Residential building construction 2. Commercial building construction 3. Industrial building construction 4. Heavy civil construction. The type of construction is the chief determinant of the variety of approach to the procurement of construction services. Construction procurement is absolutely crucial to the delivery of a project on time, budget and high quality. Good procurement is synonymous with the success of the project (Fewings 2013). Suicide bidding relating to a very low bid at a tender age, spending, over budgeting and ex ended time frames may all lead to poor standardization. The loss of knowledge about procurement may cause clients to incur unnecessary additional costs that could be avoided by choosing the right method of procuring. Construction is also prone to other conditions such as weather, labo r availability, finance, topography, ground conditions, and logistics. Selecting the absolute optimal and most effective method is difficult as reliance is more based on past statistical evidence. The clients order the construction that may be for sale or for any other usage. The construction procurement basis include determining the criteria for the project, setting contractual framework, setting tender and selection process, inviting the tenders and awarding a contract. There are key priorities that are maintained, that is, standardization, sustainability, reduced cost of procurement and public accountability (Fewings 2013). Standardization There is a legal framework provided for since the conception of contract formation to its execution. The comparison of the standard of building is outlined in the construction contract law. There are qualities checks of the building process that have to be maintained. This includes efficient completion of the project within an agreed time frame . Execution of a construction project is a team work between the clients. The contractor and the consultant therefore advocate for the three or more parties involved to have mutual agreement on the responsibility and roles of each other for successful completion of the project. Sustainability It applies for both physical positioning of structural connections, structural beams, walls, roofs and foundation. The bilateral symmetry and articulation of the design is greatly considered during construction. Sustainability may also be mental, the willingness of the contractor to complete the project in good timing. Reduced cost of procurement All factors of production are taken into consideration during the procurement process. The main aim is to maximize efficiency and consequently, minimize delay. Public accountability The public does a follow up on the ongoing project. This is essential as the critic is deemed necessary for maximum productivity in a unique and efficient way. Importance o f construction procurement (i) Greater skill of worker The regular repetition of an undertaking by an individual firm makes its performance routine.

Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Book Review - Essay Example Frustrated from being treated as losers, some students took extreme steps like injuring others and more dangerously killing fellow students and others. If we start analyzing the issue from the root cause, we can understand the reasons why children at young age or adolescents develop the tendencies like harassment, discrimination, maltreatment, singling out, humming and hounding which is nothing but bullying. It is clearly understood that bullying has many forms of intriguing aspects related to it. Boys or girls may start at a tender age but it has its own reasons for such strange behavior. The major reasons for children start bullying depends on the characters of parents and teachers etc., since these are the immediate guardians to the children, if not this parents or teachers at school whoever are close to the children with respect to time get to influence them. Human beings develop or grow by observing the surroundings and so they are called as social animals. Bullying is not what which is imbibed by birth, the situations and people around them make children harass whoever comes in contact with them. Children at young age don’t have that much understanding to differentiate between genders or elderly people, teachers, family members and friends are the easiest scapegoats. The beginning of bullying may start from people surrounding the child start interfering in their matter and trying to alter their thoughts and at the same time molding them in a way what their parent or guardians need their wards to grow. This noble effort may be a good weapon to blend their children into a multi-talent adolescent, but it may have serious consequences if the child is already preoccupied by thoughts of his own. At this time if someone tries to interfere with their thoughts and intentions, emotions that may burst paving a way of bullying whoever tries to bother them. The greatest responsibility of molding

Warren Buffet Case Study Essay Example for Free

Warren Buffet Case Study Essay Executive Summary: On May 24, 2005, it was announced that Berkshire Hathaway would acquire PacifiCorp. from parent, Scottish Power, for $5.1 billion in cash and $4.3 in liabilities and preferred stock (Bruner, Eades, Schill). After the announcement of the acquisition, the market responded very positively the same day. Berkshire’s stock price had increased by 2.4%, PacifiCorp.’s parent, Scottish Power’s by 6.28% and SP 500 closed up 0.02%. Berkshire Hathaway’s 2.4% shares increase was equivalent to $2.55 billion. Since this is not consistent with results of other acquisitions of the same order, it must be Warren Buffet’s â€Å"cult†-like following that allows this to happen. Rather than rationally studying the market information of the acquisition, the general public puts their trust in Warren Buffett as an investment guru. Berkshire held many different types of industries in their portfolio, but prior to the acquisition of PacifiCorp., Berkshire did not have significant investment in the energy sector. The now more diversified investment portfolio of Berkshire after the acquisition was expected to provide more stable returns. Often throughout the case study, Buffett’s view on a company’s â€Å"intrinsic value† was spotlighted as one of his predominate investing strategies. Book value and the investment outline are the two alternatives to intrinsic value. Buffett rejects them because these alternatives neither can give clear and accurate information about the expected profit in the investment. A company’s intrinsic value, though, is a company’s value relative to the present value of its discounted future cash flows (Bruner, Eades, Schill). And this is how Buffett evaluates his investments, asking will future cash flows provide an acceptable return on investment. Problem: The primary problem in the Warren Buffett case study would be whether or not the intrinsic value of PacifiCorp. justifies Berkshire Hathaway’s bid price? Secondary problems presented include how does the PacifiCorp. acquisition stand up against Berkshire’s â€Å"elephant only† approach to investing? Thus, whether or not PacifiCorp.’s acquisition would be able to further Berkshire’s already staggering annual growth rate of 24%? Analysis: Drawing from the financial statements in the text’s exhibits, PacifiCorp.’s annual operating cash flows equaled $1.76 billion. Given this calculation, it would seem as though it would be a relatively short time before Berkshire Hathaway would accumulate enough value on the acquisition for them to receive an expedient return on their investment. â€Å"The cost of lost opportunity† is a philosophy of Warren Buffett’s that also applies to this case (Bruner, Eades, Schill). By entering into the energy market with the acquisition of PacifiCorp., the firm can hopefully continue on their incredible growth rate trend. Without it, Berkshire would likely have eventually plateaued. Recommendation: It is advised that Berkshire Hathaway follow through with the acquisition of PacifiCorp. The firm will continue to cycle large sums of cash flows through their company with this deal, therefore inducing growth and also adding intrinsic value to their firm. The firm also has a lot to gain by entering into the energy market, which already has a stronghold on American interests and adds diversity to their portfolio.

Effective Leadership In Nursing Practice

Effective Leadership In Nursing Practice Leadership is a trend of a crew and interactive it to people, encouraging, motivating and permitting them to underwrite to accomplishing organisational victory. The leadership requires being strategically focused and his performance practices to build obligation and achieve the best effort from your people. Leadership by invocation a variety of thoughts, reflections, image and include power, influence, followership, dynamic personality, charisma, goals, autocratic behaviour, innovation, cleverness, warmth and kindness. Leadership is help to do the right things to themselves and also for others. In set of direction, build an inspiring vision, and will create something new. Leadership will map out, where you need to go to win as a team or an organization. Mills. (2007). Leadership must continue in every healthcare facility where impression change and achieving high standards of patient care are stipulated in job titles, such as Director of Nursing, Nurse Consultant, or Modern Matron. Leadership combines the use of interpersonal skills to influence others to accomplish a specific goal. (Sullivan and Garland, 2010). Mentorship/leadership from senior leader smoothes is transitions from clinical roles to formal leadership roles. They must learn the business side of healthcare while maintaining the care side. -Kathleen Sanford, DBA, RN, FACHE; Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer, Catholic Health Initiatives, Denver, Colorado. 2.0 Understanding on Leadership Styles There are numerous concepts about leadership styles, many relating a range two conflicting styles with an integer of intermediary stops amongst them. Well try here to contemporary four styles that review many of the standing theories, and to show how they interrelate with alternative, wide-ranging way of considering at leadership style. Krause, T. (2007). Autocratic. Autocratic leaders maintain on doing it all themselves. They have all the power to make all the judgments, and dont frequently tell anyone else approximately what theyre doing. If you work for an autocratic leader, your job is typically to do what youre expressed. Democratic. A democratic leader comprehends that there is no organization deprived of its people. He looks at his and others situations in terms of tasks rather than status, and often refers in decision-making as his own. He receives that expert also means the buck stops with him. Though he understands the organization as an obliging endeavour, he distinguishes that to face the significances of his choices alone. Laissez-Faire Leadership Style. A Laissez-Faire leadership may be the best or the poorest of leadership styles, also recognises as the hands-off ¨ style. He will afford little or no bearing gives to staff. Their will finish much liberty as feasible. All authority or rule given to the employees. They are analogous in that abstracted as passive prevention of problems, decision manufacture and answerability (Avolio et al., 1999). 3.0 Leadership Style Is Apparent In The Effective Provision Of Health Autocratic Leader is sustaining the specialist by force, gravity, pressures, compensation and judgment, or position. While, has perfect image, and potency or may not be track verdict the organization in the particular way, they not nervous with whether anybody else adopts with what they doing or not. Autocratic leadership to variety quick decision-making, and eradicates opinions over how and why belongings get done. If, as is repeatedly true, the lead was alarmed with his own control and standing, hell be observing over his assume, and touching to gurgle any disapproval to him or his thoughts and results. Novelty or the use of others thoughts is only allowable if its fragment of the leaders plan. Effects on the organization Autocratic leaders frequently dispensation fear and caution in their awaken and others in the organization incline to facsimile their defence of their situation. Habitually, autocratically -led organizations are not mostly supportive of special relationships, but much additional input to chain-of-command. Everyone has her individual sphere, and keeps it at all outlays. Communication inclines to go in solitary one direction up as a result of which report can become the normal way of scattering news in the organization. Autocratic leadership affords a stable and threatened work location and conclusive, active leadership. While the autocratic leaders are not insufferable and dreaded, but rather respected, and even precious be contingent on their own behaviours, example like anybody else or they can be enjoyable people, even eager to attend and act on others ideas- on the organization itself like armed or soldiers want somebody resolutely in charge. Democratic Leader, Recognises that there is no organization deprived of its people. He looks at his and others sites in standings of tasks rather than prestige, and often accesses in decision-making. While he petitions, ethics, and takes into reason others attitudes, however, he sees the vital responsibility for judgment making as his own. He accepts that authority also revenues the lowest stops with him. Democratic leadership invitations are the contribution of staff affiliates and others, not only in executive, but in determining the organizations vision. It agrees everyone to express sentiments about how things should be done, and where the organization should go. By carrying in everyones thoughts, it augments the organizations potentials. But it unmoving leaves the final choices about what to do with those philosophies in the indicators of a single person. Effects at the organization Democratic leadership, with its prominence on equivalent status, can inspire friendships and moral relationships during the organization. It benefits people sensation treasured when their ideas are solicited, and even further so if those estimations are merged into a final finding or policy. What a democratic leadership doesnt undeniably do while it can is create staff ownership of the organization and its areas. Although everybody may be demanded for philosophies or sentiments, not all of those are used or combined in the workings of the organization. If there is no actual conversation of ideas, with a subsequent overall agreement, a sense of ownership is improbable. Thus, democratic leadership may have some of the disadvantages of autocratic leadership a absence of buy-in deprived of the advantages of rapid and strong decision-making that originates with the removal of discussion. Laissez-Faire leader. Their believed in freedom of choice for employee and leaving them alone so they can do as they want. The basis for this style of leadership is twofold. Firstly, there is a strong belief that the employees know their jobs and best to leave them alone to do jobs. Secondly, the leader may be in a election-based position and may not want exert power and control for fear. There is virtually no participation, involvement, and to do communication in workforce. Laissez-faire leadership can only lead to anarchy, inefficiency and can be dismissed out of hand as useless. Effective of laissez-faire leadership seem to be negative. Empowering leadership, where leadership-power are deliberately and consciously delegated, organizational empowerment for overall acceptance of this vision is produced. This style of leadership works best when people are capable and motive to decide and are nit hindered by a central coordinator. Effects on the organization Leader behaviour on the organization has passive, non-directive approach. Almost any behaviour by the group is permissible due to the leaders lack of limit-setting and stated expectations All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine their goal, make decisions and resolve problems on their own. The employees are high skilled, experienced, educated and they have pride in their work and also the drive to do it successfully on their own. Outside experts such as staff specialists are being used. The employees are trustworthy and experienced This style should not be used when it makes the employees feel in secure at the unavailability of manager. Leader is unable to thank the employees for their good job. This manager doesnt understand their responsibilities and hoping the employees can cover them. 4.0 Leadership Style Of A Leader That Facilitates Staff Development Both nurses and supervisors stated that it was characteristic for the democratic nurse manager to highlight teamwork and obligation to work. The employees had an option to voice their sentiments and take share in problem-solving and decision-making. Though, the nurse manager was eventually predictable to be a decision-maker Donley, R. (2008). Was different perception of the nurse manager position in these styles? On the hand, dome supervisor felt that nurse manager did not attitude out as managers, but as team members. This destined that the nurse manager individual tasks might be of subordinate importance. She is working a lot with us and she has difficulties performing her own duties as nurse manager. Supervisor said that a nurse consumed a significant role in collaboration and its growth with the members of dissimilar professional group and amid effort components. They services to get the personnel to promise to the joint goal were considered as noteworthy. Planning composed with the personnel moulded a foundation for employee commitment to work. This type of leadership defers to the group to help make decision. This can create an environment in which employees feel valued, but at the same time, it can take some of the leadership authority away from the leader. People will not expect the leader to make important decisions and will devalue their role in the organization. This can cause problem in the long run as it also leads to a slower process for getting things done. Sometime leader is firm, but unlike coercive leader, they also are fair. While this is an improvement, it still having problems. The disadvantage of this is that employees are still not given opportunity to provide feedback o suggest alternative methods for doing things. An experience leader will choose the leadership style that work best in any given situation. Example, when there an emergency Code Blue, on the other hand, she may be a directive autocrat who gives instructions unilaterally to less experienced nurse while she closely supervises their work. Some leadership used a dictating style when leading their employees. With style of leaderships, the leader will make every decision for the group and enforce it strictly. In some situations, this can be a benefit, but at the same time it can lead to problem with employees. If the employees know that they have no input in what goes on, they will get discouraged with their roles. Hey will simply defer to the manager in every area instead their own common sense as well. Critical and creative thinking about the nurses means that there is no time for cautious rumination and planning the nurses must rapidly take situation and produce a solution that is both efficient and causes minimal conflict. The leading nurses also predictable to exhibit creative thinking skill: and also exploit the time they have to safeguard that worker are not just current and working. Nurses attraction upon their original side to suggest new ways of carrying staff together and getting the job done well. The skills nurse required when a nurse graduates from school and yield his RN license, their mostly has basic leadership skills to smear to direct persistent care. As he willingness to variation nurse, nurse manager and, eventually, nurse need to learn more about leaderships. Its significant for a nurse to seek advice and mentoring from senior nurse leader who can provide truthful response about his leadership style. Importance nurse has trended toward a communal governance model of management that includes nurses in decisions moving their preparation. In that model, nurse manager uses a permissive democrat style, hopeful her nurses to actively contribute in clinical decision-making and monitoring their outcomes. The nurse executive, in turn, uses the same style to establish nursing councils with representation from staff nurses. One of the most common types of leadership will involves trying to manage every last detail of an operation. With this type of management, you might get to oversee more details, but you will also create resentment among your employees. Many employees do not like to be like to be micromanaged, and will start to dislike your leadership style. This type of leadership fosters distrust with employees because it makes them feel like you cannot trust them to do even the simplest tasks. Some leaders should to delegate a great deal of responsibility to those underneath them. While this strategy can free up time for the manager, it can also lead to increased mistakes. If the leader delegates too much responsibility, it can overwhelm the lower-level employees and lead to issued. It can also create an unorganized environment in the workplace because this often leader to the leader being absent. Since the lower employees are authorized to do more, the leaders role is diminished. Nurse leaders to guide effectively without hand-holding or condescension, rather than simply telling subordinates what to door not just instructing. He demonstrate the utmost fairness in all situations, they grow more confident both in his leadership performances. The leaders must deal with many kinds of people as doctors and other medical settings. They must cultivate excellent listening skills and the further develop empathy and compassion they possess. When dealing with families and patients, the leaders must exhibits the utmost professionalism without losing touch of their humanity and ability to make an emotional connection. A new nurse as leaders is the fact that effective leaders are also proficient clinically. The new nurses can incorporate leadership fundamentals while developing competency in their profession in exploring the Synergy model Kerfoot (2001) contend, A leader cannot provide direct good care. The leaders obligation is to create the environment in which good people can provide good care, Healthcare management can benefit from examples of the other successful corporate habits in organization The book Built to Last, a study of successful corporate habits indicates that continuity of leader and on-going leadership development contribute significantly to success of an organization. In a follow-up research book, Good to Great, Hersey, P, Blanchar K. (2002) describe a level 5 leader as one who states that level 5 leadership is one of the key determinants of organization greatness. How staff members perceive nurse-manager is critical to recruitment and retention efforts. Effective leaders use successful strategies for time management. Often leaders allow minutes and hours to be wasted on nonessential tasks such as opening mail, filing, and responding to noncritical requests from other. Effective leader is use self-discipline to organize these tasks and assign priority to projects that product result. By learning from management experts such as Stephen Covey, nurses can perfect their time management skills. In his book, The 7 Habit of Highly Effective People, describe the time management matrix that encourages leaders to focus most of their time on noncurrent activities. A leader can use time efficiently while building staff members self-esteem, as exemplified by the concept of 1 minutes praise described in the One Minutes Manager finding creative, quick, and individual ways to thanks staff members, colleagues, and customer is an important leader skill. The personal acknowledgement of staff members builds morale and improves retention. Communication occurs through speech, nonverbal signal, and written documentations. It is essential that leaders disseminate and interpret information quickly and accurately. A 2 year study of Chilean nurse leader suggested that leadership is characterized by exerting a positive influence on others through good communication. At the root of effective communication is delivering the message in such a way that the listener will hear it. Strategies effective decision making such as help leaders understand intuitive decision-making strategies. There are also tool such as the decision tree and force-field analysis that help a group analyse data and options when solving problems. Educating leaders and team members about different decision-making strategies cultivates critical-thinking skills. These tools encourage teams to remain focused as the team members evaluate possible solutions. Creation Skills used by nurse leader create opportunity, value, relationships, and quality for their employees and organizations, for example, implementing a formalized mentor training program to increase the retention of new staffing is creative approach to retention. If a manager does not have a creative solution to a particular situation, the manager should be able to identify these qualities in others so that ideas for improvement are still brought forth for evaluation and implementation Create opportunity for employees that leaders are only as effective as the employees who work for them. A part of a leaders role is to create opportunity to encourage employees personal and professional growth. Brunt provides an overview of the America Nurses Associations scope of standard of practice for professional development of nurses. Leading others by example and role-modelling can be effective. Promoting collaborative practice creates opportunities, especially in the areas of relationships between Doctor and nurses. Create quality through continuous improvement and error reduction should not be hidden in the basement and emergency only before the accreditation survey. A focus on quality and error reduction should be everywhere: in units, at meeting and others. Leader should encourage employees to continually challenge the status quo. Everyone should continually use organizational process improvement, root-cause analysis tools, and creative teamwork to improve process. This goal is accomplished by mentoring, leading by example, and designing reward system that encourage this behaviour. Many organizations are using Six Sigma, a data-drive method of identifying and reducing defects errors such as define, measure, analyze, improve as the steps to improved operations that fall standards. To create relationships with strategic partners with understanding the relationship with partners is imperative. The organizations must find partners with synergies, enter into contacts with person that fill a void in the organization, and then capitalize on the expertise available. It is often best to control partner relationships, not ownership. The doctor are valuable partners, leader-leaders should strive to understand doctor, and help them succeed, incorporate them into hospital process such as operational analysis, error reduction and solution identification. 5.0 Conclusion Today hospitals are struggling operationally and financially. The reasons are complex and multifaceted. Training leaders is an effective way to proactively address operational inefficiencies and ineffective practices in human resources. Leaders should be encouraged to identify their own weakness and use these skills and tools to develop and promote competency. In order to strengthen nurse leaders for nurses and managers should include leadership skills and expectations. Leadership education and training should be one of many initiatives related to process improvement that incorporate research, best practices, and methods that inspire our current and future leaders. An important moral imperative to ensure that our healthcare organizations are led by individuals and team who display relational skills, concern for their employees as persons, and who can work collaboratively to achieve a preferred future for themselves, patients and organization . The healthcares faces a looming shortage of leaders, nurses and other healthcare professionals to implementing strategies to ensure effective leadership is paramount. The developing and promoting viable nursing leadership for future, organizations can achieve the goal of providing quality care for healthcare consumers. The findings suggest that by investing energy into relationships with nurses, relation leaders positively affect the health and well-being of their nurses and, ultimately and outcomes for patients The nurses must use their leadership behaviour to positively influence organizational outcome and need to appreciate the inter-relationship between developing nursing practice, improve quality of care and optimizing patient outcomes. Healthcare organizations need nurse leaders who can develop nursing care, are an advocate for the nursing professions and have a positive effect on healthcare through leadership. In Word Counted 3197 (Excluded Table Of Content Reference)

Comparing Burgess and Drapers Theory of Family Violence and the Film,

Comparing Burgess and Draper's Theory of Family Violence and the Film, The Burning Bed    I.   Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Burgess and Draper argue coercive patterns of family interaction represent the principal causal pathway that connects ecological instability to violence within families.   They maintain this raises the possibility that some of the common correlates of such violence are themselves reactions to sudden or chronic ecological instability.   For example, alcoholism, depression, and anxiety may be responses to ecological stresses in the family, such as loss of employment, excessive financial debt, or divorce.   Burgess and Draper suggest that violence towards one's mate or children may consequently be a direct result of ecological instability.   They argue that certain individual traits (e.g. problem drinking), which have previously been assumed to precipitate violent behavior, may actually be the result of the same factors that lead to family violence itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The movie, The Burning Bed, is a made for TV movie centered on the issue of family violence.   The main characters were Francine and Mickey Hughes, a battered wife and abusive husband.   In the story, Francine struggled with Mickey's violence and intimidation for the better part of twenty years and finally ended up killing him in his sleep.   It is a vivid and realistic movie about domestic violence and the way society viewed such violence in the not so distant past.   By comparing the movie to Burgess and Draper's hypothesis, some agreements and some disagreements become apparent.   Do Burgess and Draper adequately explain and predict the Hughes's pattern of domestic violence?    II.   Ecological Instability   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ecological instability describes when a... ... beaten and afterwards when she was scarred and bruised, I feel that Mickey Hughes deserved what he got only he should have suffered more.   The compassion I feel towards any woman who is victimized by a man probably makes me biased in that way.   After reading Burgess and Draper's article, I feel even more justified in my position.   They make the reader look for the cause of the abuse somewhere other than with the woman or the man's drinking.   The way Burgess and Draper's article mirrors the abusive relationship in the Hughes family helps to put the violence in the right perspective where an adult can still be held responsible for his own actions.    Works Cited: Burning Bed, The (1984) (TV).  Ã‚   Directed by Robert Greenwald.   Writing credits: Rose Lieman Goldemberg. Ohlin, Lloyd and Michael Tonry, eds.   Family Violence.   University of Chicago Press, 1989.

Proper Etiquette and Interview Skills Essay -- Etiquette Interviews Ma

Proper Etiquette and Interview Skills Business Etiquette Business etiquette is made up of significantly more important things than knowing which fork to use at lunch with a client. People may feel that if you can't be trusted not to embarrass yourself in business and social situations, you may lack the self-control necessary to be good at what you do. Etiquette is about presenting yourself with the kind of polish that shows you can be taken seriously. Etiquette is also about being comfortable around people (and making them comfortable around you!) Being a good conversationalist To be a successful conversationalist, you must also believe that listening is power. Because our society places so much emphasis on speaking as the way to win friends and influence people, good listeners can quietly have a powerful and subversive impact. You should also remember that speakers have little power without listeners. Speakers share their wisdom and try to persuade, but listeners make meaning of what is heard -- they make the ultimate decision to act on what they hear. When it comes to talking during an interview, sometimes less is more. As a general rule, you should speak one-third of the time and definitely no more than half of the time. That's because the best interviews have a give-and-take atmosphere where you're discussing who the company is looking for, why you're the right candidate and how having you on board will solve the firm's challenges. To do this, you need to ask questions and try to draw out your interviewer rather than talking about yourself nonstop. Phone Etiquette Employers use telephone interviews as a way of identifying and recruiting candidates for employment. Phone interviews are often used to screen candidates in order to narrow the pool of applicants who will be invited for in-person interviews. They are also used as way to minimize the expenses involved in interviewing out-of-town candidates. While you're actively job searching, it's important to be prepared for a phone interview on a moments notice. You never know when a recruiter or a networking contact might call and ask if you have a few minutes to talk. Good phone ability is a requirement of almost every job at all levels. This is a chance to demonstrate your phone communications skills. Face-to-face communication consists of three elements: words, tone of voice and bo... ...gh your training program each year? †¢ How does your company's tuition reimbursement program work? †¢ What new product lines/services have been announced recently? †¢ What is the average age of top management? †¢ Will you describe ______________ to me? (The personality of a ranking officer often reveals a lot about the company philosophy). †¢ Could you tell me about public transportation to your company? †¢ How many people are you interviewing for this position? †¢ What are the things you like least/most about working here? †¢ If I am extended an offer of employment, how soon after this would you like me to start? †¢ When can I expect to hear from you? As the interview closes, be sure to express interest in the position and briefly summarize why you are qualified. Then ask what the next step will be or when you can expect to hear from the interviewer. This inquiry demonstrates your confidence and interest and gives you important information. Finally, ask for a business card so you can send a thank you letter within 24 hours. If no card is available, make sure you learn the correct spelling of the interviewer's first and last name.

The Leadership Education

A. Leadership education. While the debate over whether effective leaders are born that way or can learn these skills, the fact remains that even natural-born leaders need some help in understand the dynamics involved in teams. All of the U.S. military branches of services recognized this need early on and established service academies to help train their future leaders, but people in business, academia and other professions also have relevant leadership education available as well. According to Barker and Rost (2000), the content of leadership education courses required for the 21st century should address three general categories: (i) the evolution of social change and development, (ii) the processes that influence social development, and (iii) the dynamics of human nature in change processes. These authors add that, â€Å"Leadership education is aimed at producing citizens for a democratic society† (p. 3). B. Continuing education. Many professions require continuing education credits to maintain credentialing and privileges for practice; for example, lawyers and healthcare practitioners must complete a set number of credit hours each year for this purpose. While all professions may not mandate it, the individual pursuit of continuing education in any field should be regarded as a sound business investment, just as the provision of such training by organizations makes good sense. Because of the importance of having effective leaders in any organizational setting, it is vitally important for them to remain cognizant of changes and innovations in their field, as well as in allied fields that may impact their industry. Today is an excellent time to be a professional in search of continuing educational opportunities, though, because of the explosion in adult education classes designed for this purpose, particularly in online forums of various types. In this regard, Jarvis (2002) reports that, â€Å"Adult and continuing education is changing at a tremendously rapid rate in this contemporary, urban world,† and the purposes for which adult leaders are seeking continuing education have changed in fundamental ways in recent years (p. iii). Likewise, Beaudoin (2002) points out that, â€Å"The proliferation of instructional technology in the past decade, particularly in higher education settings, is having a profound impact on how teaching and learning now occurs, and is transforming the means by which institutions reach and support an emerging worldwide market across time and distance† (p. 131). This author adds that because it is so important to organizational and individual success, continuing education has a well developed format concerning not only to the planning and management of continuing education activities, but also insights in the area of leadership (Beaudoin, 2002). C. Types of education. Because every business situation is unique, leadership is taught in a variety of ways across many disciplines. According to Nirenberg (1998), â€Å"Most schools of business typically include the study of leadership as part of a survey of organizational behavior (OB) theory and not as a course in its own right. By all accounts, though, there are continuing and adult education opportunities available for virtually any vocation and avocation today through community colleges and online learning forums and even busy professionals can take advantages of these services. More importantly, though, effective leaders need to be well-rounded individuals with a basic understanding of how the business world works and what makes people behave the way they do. The types of education required for these complicated purposes are clearly a lifelong endeavor because they must continue to be updated and refined, and the more variety in the educational services taken over the course of a individual's career, the more effective leader that person will likely be. The Leadership Education A. Leadership education. While the debate over whether effective leaders are born that way or can learn these skills, the fact remains that even natural-born leaders need some help in understand the dynamics involved in teams. All of the U.S. military branches of services recognized this need early on and established service academies to help train their future leaders, but people in business, academia and other professions also have relevant leadership education available as well. According to Barker and Rost (2000), the content of leadership education courses required for the 21st century should address three general categories: (i) the evolution of social change and development, (ii) the processes that influence social development, and (iii) the dynamics of human nature in change processes. These authors add that, â€Å"Leadership education is aimed at producing citizens for a democratic society† (p. 3). B. Continuing education. Many professions require continuing education credits to maintain credentialing and privileges for practice; for example, lawyers and healthcare practitioners must complete a set number of credit hours each year for this purpose. While all professions may not mandate it, the individual pursuit of continuing education in any field should be regarded as a sound business investment, just as the provision of such training by organizations makes good sense. Because of the importance of having effective leaders in any organizational setting, it is vitally important for them to remain cognizant of changes and innovations in their field, as well as in allied fields that may impact their industry. Today is an excellent time to be a professional in search of continuing educational opportunities, though, because of the explosion in adult education classes designed for this purpose, particularly in online forums of various types. In this regard, Jarvis (2002) reports that, â€Å"Adult and continuing education is changing at a tremendously rapid rate in this contemporary, urban world,† and the purposes for which adult leaders are seeking continuing education have changed in fundamental ways in recent years (p. iii). Likewise, Beaudoin (2002) points out that, â€Å"The proliferation of instructional technology in the past decade, particularly in higher education settings, is having a profound impact on how teaching and learning now occurs, and is transforming the means by which institutions reach and support an emerging worldwide market across time and distance† (p. 131). This author adds that because it is so important to organizational and individual success, continuing education has a well developed format concerning not only to the planning and management of continuing education activities, but also insights in the area of leadership (Beaudoin, 2002). C. Types of education. Because every business situation is unique, leadership is taught in a variety of ways across many disciplines. According to Nirenberg (1998), â€Å"Most schools of business typically include the study of leadership as part of a survey of organizational behavior (OB) theory and not as a course in its own right. By all accounts, though, there are continuing and adult education opportunities available for virtually any vocation and avocation today through community colleges and online learning forums and even busy professionals can take advantages of these services. More importantly, though, effective leaders need to be well-rounded individuals with a basic understanding of how the business world works and what makes people behave the way they do. The types of education required for these complicated purposes are clearly a lifelong endeavor because they must continue to be updated and refined, and the more variety in the educational services taken over the course of a individual's career, the more effective leader that person will likely be.