Writing Log 10 This course was designed to introduce me to the field of management. In actuality this course was more than an introduction, this was a hands on immersion into the field. At first you may think, what does Finger Puppet Management TV have to do with my introduction to the field of management but very quickly you are dealing with actual management scenarios. As with any course curriculum, the Professor is the guide on our journey and while we may think we know everything our guides have an intended destination that encompasses our learning the objectives based the developed plan. "Planning involves estimating future conditions and circumstances and, based on these estimations, making decisions about the work of the manager and for all employees for whom she or he is responsible." (Hitt, Black, Porter, 2012, p.11) Immediately we were told we would be broken up into groups to complete our semester long project. This could go either way but took the pressure off of me to figure out what team I was going to be part of or if anyone really wanted me on their team. Positive was this was our first class so not sure how many people were actively making first impressions. The Second class was a different story, we were told to break off into groups of 6. Instinctively our group gravitated toward each other immediately. We did not know each other but we knew that we were the ones verbally engaged during the first class and come to find out later that is what each of used as our initial determination in seeking out team members. Many of the other teams struggled and took a long time to figure out who their team would be. For many in this class this would be their first experience in dealing with task groups and would later find out they were actively involved in the stages of group development. While we were given basic parameters the majority of the project would be left to our team to figure out. In essence it was like starting a small business. We had to develop strategic plan, team charter, division of labor, and task accountability all while dealing with intra and interpersonal relationships. The overall project was divided into milestones which built on each other similiar to setting task completion goals in a company. Each milestones objective had many factors to consider and for our team to be successful we would have to collaborate, discuss, and meet outside of class in order to be successful. In addition to our milestones we also had weekly reading and writing logs that contributed to our learning process. From management environment and history, planning and strategic management, thru to leading and motivating it was all designed to place us in this simulated OJT training plan. Observable class tasks were designed to challenge our group as well as allowing our Professor to view group dynamics. At every step we were provided feedback so that we can ensure the group was heading in the right direction towards overall completion of the task. This feedback not only aided in creating a better end product but it also acted as a source of reward which motivated our team to continue giving our best effort. This class and the design of the curriculum provided us an outstanding insight to management while allowing us to deal with many of the learned concepts in a real time environment. As a later in life student I found myself wishing I had attended college right after high school and was a part of a class like this. I have been in the management field for many years and the concepts I have learned this semester would have made me a better manager, motivator, leader. If by some extreme chance you missed the learning objectives of this class then you truly were not involved. What is it to be a manager? Is it the the four functions of management as outlined by Mr. Fayol, Mintzberg's alternative view of 10 roles grouped under interpersonal, informational, and
decisional, or how Katz said the 4 skills we needed were conceptual, interpersonal, technical, and political? We have covered many areas that managers should know. Do we know them let’s say like Spock, doubtful but we should strive to become fluent in all areas of management. Truthfully, knowing is only part of the challenge, correctly applying at every turn is the bigger challenge. From my perspective the best managers are the ones who know their strengths and weaknesses and are not afraid to say they do not know something. Captain Kirk was aware of his strengths and weaknesses and he used his communication and negotiation skills to be the best leader he could be. There are so many qualities to have to be a great manager and the great thing is you don't have to be someone else. You have to be the best version of you. Technical, interpersonal and conceptual skills are all equally as important as you advance through the company. The position itself is so much more than a title. Too many times individuals are striving for the title or the pay that comes with the position and lose sight of the importance of the position. You must not only utilize the values you were raised with but make the choice to also embrace the values of company we work for. This class has taught me so much and instilled a desire to be more than a title but to strive to be the liaison and catalyst that provides my company the greatest opportunities for success, while developing a team with high morale and enthusiasm. References: Mitt, M. A.; Black, J. S.; Porter, L. W. (2012). Management, Upper Saddle River, NJ, Pearson Education, Inc.