June 30, 2009
Mr. Robert Hansen
District Supervisor, Network Design
Re: The open position of the second line engineer
Dear Rob:
I understand that you have a position open for a second line engineer. You are inquiring about Bill Finch. I think that Bill would make a good addition to your team and be a benefit to both the company and to your team.
Bill has been involved in the community as a member of the Board of Directors of the local YMCA. He is active in the Lions Club.
His customer report rate was higher than average but just short of expected objective. His team has met their safety objectives and has stayed well within budget.
Bill has been distant as of late which is caused by his wife having cancer and is not doing well in treatment. He has missed two days in the last six weeks without a call out. His management skills are good but he needs to work on his ability to see things from both sides.
I have known Bill for several years and the problems that he seems to have at this time stem from his wife’s illness. He is hard working and devoted to the success of the company. The change of job location and new position would be beneficial to both the company and Bill. Bill I know would do a great job for you. I do not generally recommend people I do not believe will do the job.
Sincerely,
Gordon Palmer
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Kitty Locker hits a home run
Blog: June 23, 2009
After reading Kitty locker’s article, it brings back some bad memories and good ones. I was taking a management class and we were doing a group project related to the film Twelve Angry Men. We were to act as the jury members and come forth with a verdict. There were five of us in the group. There was one girl who took on the leadership role who became the Jim in group one in Locker’s article. She did not know the word collaborative meant. She had her own ideas and there was no changing her mind. The other members other than me allowed her to run rough shod over the group. We had several group secessions which were a total waste of time and effort.
I think one reason for this was that we never interacted outside the classroom other to say hi in passing. One of Kitty’s reasons for the failure of group one was no socialization among group members. As time passed, the paper was not addressing the actual purpose and goals for the project. I had to go to the professor and talk to her about the situation and what could be done to remedy the problem or shall we say an opportunity. I ended up writing my own reflection and handing it in separately. The group paper received a 71, my paper received an 87. Focus was lost due to several of the same factors Locker’s study discovered. Factors were; lack of personal attachment to the group and the purpose and goals of the project, no proper division of labor and utilizing each member’s knowledge and skill levels, formed an attitude about revising drafts, and failure to correct inter group conflicts. These were the reason our group did not make the mark. This was my bad memory.
In one of the RPW classes with Professor Breeze, we had a group project of making a newsletter. There were four people in the group. To be honest with you I do not remember if we actually had a leader. We meet outside of class several times and each of us utilized our skills and knowledge. Two of us did all the copy and writing the needed articles and the other two people used their graphic design shills to do the layout and design of the newsletter. We all knew each other from other classes and there was a connection that was not present in the management class. This was truly a collaborative effort. We determined the audience of the newsletter and designed the whole project to achieve that goal. There did seem to be all the inter group conflict that was present in the management class. We did our assigned parts of the project and everything came together well and before the due date. I would work again with this group of students anytime. After reading Locker’s article, I can understand and see why group dynamics are so important to a successful completion of a project no matter what it is. It is like a marriage, people have to learn the word compromise. This word is a valuable tool in group projects.
After reading Kitty locker’s article, it brings back some bad memories and good ones. I was taking a management class and we were doing a group project related to the film Twelve Angry Men. We were to act as the jury members and come forth with a verdict. There were five of us in the group. There was one girl who took on the leadership role who became the Jim in group one in Locker’s article. She did not know the word collaborative meant. She had her own ideas and there was no changing her mind. The other members other than me allowed her to run rough shod over the group. We had several group secessions which were a total waste of time and effort.
I think one reason for this was that we never interacted outside the classroom other to say hi in passing. One of Kitty’s reasons for the failure of group one was no socialization among group members. As time passed, the paper was not addressing the actual purpose and goals for the project. I had to go to the professor and talk to her about the situation and what could be done to remedy the problem or shall we say an opportunity. I ended up writing my own reflection and handing it in separately. The group paper received a 71, my paper received an 87. Focus was lost due to several of the same factors Locker’s study discovered. Factors were; lack of personal attachment to the group and the purpose and goals of the project, no proper division of labor and utilizing each member’s knowledge and skill levels, formed an attitude about revising drafts, and failure to correct inter group conflicts. These were the reason our group did not make the mark. This was my bad memory.
In one of the RPW classes with Professor Breeze, we had a group project of making a newsletter. There were four people in the group. To be honest with you I do not remember if we actually had a leader. We meet outside of class several times and each of us utilized our skills and knowledge. Two of us did all the copy and writing the needed articles and the other two people used their graphic design shills to do the layout and design of the newsletter. We all knew each other from other classes and there was a connection that was not present in the management class. This was truly a collaborative effort. We determined the audience of the newsletter and designed the whole project to achieve that goal. There did seem to be all the inter group conflict that was present in the management class. We did our assigned parts of the project and everything came together well and before the due date. I would work again with this group of students anytime. After reading Locker’s article, I can understand and see why group dynamics are so important to a successful completion of a project no matter what it is. It is like a marriage, people have to learn the word compromise. This word is a valuable tool in group projects.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Paper Toy Airplane
The project was a simple exercise that was an example of what can happen when communication breaks down or appears to break down. My partner and I had some communication problems but they were resolved. The lines of communication must be in total sync in order for collaboration to be successful.
The steps for producing a paper airplane are easy, Sharon hit it dead on. My only suggestion was to use a straight edge to crease the folds for a better and crisper fold.This was a great deal smoother than other group projects that I have been involved with. Each person put forth with their suggestions and we went from there.
Sharon did a great job of making the directions for our target audience, young children. She made the steps easy to follow to the finish product. She conveyed the point of the exercise, the production of a toy plane made from paper that children themselves could make from a 8.5 by 11" piece of paper. The simple folding the paper in the specific way the steps indicate, results in a toy that they made on their own.
The main problem that I see with group projects are there are too many chiefs and no Indians. The agenda is not a matching one. Everyone has something of their own that they re trying to accomplish other than the purpose or goals of the group's reason for being formed in the first place.
The steps for producing a paper airplane are easy, Sharon hit it dead on. My only suggestion was to use a straight edge to crease the folds for a better and crisper fold.This was a great deal smoother than other group projects that I have been involved with. Each person put forth with their suggestions and we went from there.
Sharon did a great job of making the directions for our target audience, young children. She made the steps easy to follow to the finish product. She conveyed the point of the exercise, the production of a toy plane made from paper that children themselves could make from a 8.5 by 11" piece of paper. The simple folding the paper in the specific way the steps indicate, results in a toy that they made on their own.
The main problem that I see with group projects are there are too many chiefs and no Indians. The agenda is not a matching one. Everyone has something of their own that they re trying to accomplish other than the purpose or goals of the group's reason for being formed in the first place.
Introduction of myself-Gordon
Hello everyone:
I am finally setting up my blog Gordon-scuttlebutt. I am a three major student in Corporate Communications, Rhetoric and Professional Writing, and English Creative Writing. I will be graduating in December of 2009. I like to write, read and going fishing when I can find the time. My wife is glad that the end is in sight and we can start doing things that we haven't been able to do because of school. Traveling is our main source of relaxation.
I am looking forward to working with everyone.
Enjoy the class,
Gordon
I am finally setting up my blog Gordon-scuttlebutt. I am a three major student in Corporate Communications, Rhetoric and Professional Writing, and English Creative Writing. I will be graduating in December of 2009. I like to write, read and going fishing when I can find the time. My wife is glad that the end is in sight and we can start doing things that we haven't been able to do because of school. Traveling is our main source of relaxation.
I am looking forward to working with everyone.
Enjoy the class,
Gordon
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