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After completing the challenge assessment assigned in module one, my mind began racing about how long Rodney Adkins had been working for IBM. One of my dreams is to work my way up the ladder and become CEO of a successful company, and that thought process sent me in search of articles to help me realize that goal. Coincidentally, the very first step in becoming a CEO is acquiring an education; therefore, I'm on the right track!

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Are you ready to clamber up the greasy pole of success? If so, you should start with an engineering degree (and, yes, join a fraternity while you're at it). After graduation, grab a few years of related work experience before heading back to school for an MBA at a top university, and then follow that up with a stint at Bain or McKinsey. Finally, make the jump to the company you hope to lead one day, and be sure to get some operational experience and international exposure.

These are the steps I identified while studying Fortune 100 CEOs and 222 CEOs from 18 companies which survived for more than 100 years . I also interviewed CEOs and experts on CEO succession from Egon Zehnder , Heidrick & Struggles, and Merryck & Co .
Education
Unless you're a founder, your chances of making it to the top job without a degree are virtually non-existent. Just over half of Fortune 100 CEOs have a degree in business, economics, or accounting, while 27% studied engineering or science, and 14% law. Fortunately, there's no need to spend your money on a top-school at this stage. Ford's Alan Mulally, for example, did his undergrad degree at the University of Kansas. AT&T's Randall L. Stephenson is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma. In his latest book, Malcom Gladwell argues that among people with similar SAT scores those who attend a lower ranked school do better in life. He argues that it allows them to maintain their confidence, while even smart kids can struggle in a classes stocked full of academic overachievers.

It's different for MBAs, though, where grades matter less than the school's brand and the networks formed. Close to 40% of Fortune 100 CEOs did an MBA, and 60% of them went to an elite school. If you have the option, Harvard is still the place to go. In 2012, 40 Fortune 500 CEOs had an MBA from the world's best known business school.

This is unlikely to change anytime soon. As markets become more globalized, more CEOs of America's largest companies are likely to come from overseas. Hence, many of them will have their first degree from home, but in order to burnish their U.S. credentials, an MBA from a top school will be helpful. We can also expect more engineers at the helm. Partly, globalization is at play again. Emerging economies often put greater emphasis on engineering and science degrees, funneling more talented youngsters into those fields. So, the likelihood that a CEO from an emerging economy is an engineer is going to be higher. Moreover, engineers tend to have an advantage when it comes to technology and digital markets. According to Andrew Roscoe from Egon Zehnder, an executive search firm, this is one of the issues high up on the agenda of selection committees. It is therefore not surprising that CEOs at some of the most prominent companies, such as GE's Jeff Immelt, ExxonMobil's Rex Tillerson, or Apple's Tim Cook, have technical degrees. Expect more of this!
Career path
Large organizations are complicated ecosystems, proving difficult for outsiders to adapt and navigate within them. The board members of Fortune 100 firms are intimately familiar with this dynamic, preferring to select internal candidates in 79% of the cases. Similarly, only 11% of the 222 CEOs in the long-living organizations that I studied were outsiders. In the most successful long-living firms, the number was even lower: 3%.

This does not mean that CEOs spent their entire career in the same company. Some work for a few years in one of the big consulting firms. A 2008 USA Today survey found that the odds of a McKinsey consultant becoming the CEO of a public company were the world's highest at 1 in 690. Morgan Stanley's James P. Gorman, for example, was a senior partner in McKinsey's financial services practice, before moving to Merrill Lynch and then Morgan Stanley. Operational experience is important, though, as a direct move from consulting to CEO is a rare exception. In fact, you're more likely to make such a move from a law firm after proving yourself by helping the firm with your legal services.

Eventually, most future CEOs move into substantial operational roles, typically running the largest division or the most important international business, before they get offered the top spot. Three-quarters of Fortune 100 CEOs come from operations. In a recent article, Adam Kleinbaum, a professor at Dartmouth College, highlighted the potential downside of such a career trajectory. Moving straight through the ranks of the core business translates into narrow interpersonal networks and limited opportunities to connect with people in different parts of the organization. And this matters as the CEO's job is often a lonely grind, where it helps to have trusted friends and allies you can consult to find out what's really happening at the ground level.

The alternative career path is finance, as 32% of Fortune 100 CEOs previously held the post of CFO. Usually, these careers are even more confined, creating the danger of viewing the entire organization through the prism of figures. On the other hand, Will Moynahan from Heidrick & Struggles, an executive search firm, points out that CFOs are typically the only ones with substantial experience in communicating with shareholders. Being fluent in the language of high finance with all manner of external stakeholders is a valuable attribute in public company CEOs.

As we expect the world to become more global and interconnected, future CEOs will be confronted with countless unforeseen issues and challenges. Boards are aware of this and will put a premium on track records which reflect a wide breadth of experience. This does not mean that a solid finance or operations background will be dismissed, but throwing something else into the mix is certainly useful. A few years spent working as a consultant obviously comes to mind. IBM's Ginni Rometty is a good example of someone with a variety of different postings. She started her career in General Motors before she joined IBM as a systems engineer. After a job in IBM consulting - where she spearheaded the acquisition of PricewaterhouseCoopers - she became head of marketing and strategy, before taking the top job.
Personal characteristics
Selection committees need to examine the full package, meaning both personality and track record will be taken into account. Recent research by Egon Zehnder goes a step further. In a survey of 800 executives, 78% stated that a person's track record is actually a poor indicator of future success, while 87% believe that personal traits explain the difference in performance between good and great. Considering how difficult it is to measure personal traits, this is not necessarily reflected in the decision of who will be appointed. After all, if a CEO decision turns out to be wrong, the members of the selection committee want to deflect the blame. Still, even during the gruesome climb to the top, some personal characteristics are helpful.

On top of the list comes personal drive and ambition. Climbing to the top translates into stress that not everyone is cut out for combined with extremely long working hours. Bill Gates, for example, spent 10,000 hours programming on a high-school computer from the age of 13 . Sears' Edward Lampert lost his father at the age of 14, and helped to support his family by working after school and on weekends, while still earning good grades. In 2003, he was kidnapped in a parking lot outside his office. Two days after his release, he was back in the office to negotiate an important deal. It's people like these that you'll have to compete with for the CEO job.

Communication skills are also high up on the list of requirements. At a time when every gesture and utterance can quickly be shared through social media, small gaffes can cause major harm to a firm. Not all future CEOs possess natural talent. So for some of them it comes back to hard work. Chris Beer from Merryck & Co, a company organizing CEO mentoring by former CEOs, and a Professor of Practice at Warwick Business School, recalls a client who was a strong performer, but simply did not get along well with any of his colleagues. He was about to be side-lined but then learned through mentoring how to adapt his style and has since thrived in the organization.

In my own study on CEOs from long-living companies, I found that the ability to listen is equally of high importance. Margaret Heffernan, who has mentored numerous CEOs, refers to a capacity to understand the needs of others and the business. Sometimes this requires tough decisions. She recalls that as the CEO of InfoMation Corporation, she recommended her own dismissal to the board when this was necessary for the business to excel. The company had shifted from B2C to a B2B, an area she did not feel she had sufficient expertise.

Finally, it will not come as a surprise that the ability to build connections both with peers and bosses matters. 15% of Fortune 100 CEOs were members of a fraternity . In a globalized world, the nature of networks might change, but connections will matter even more. In fact, the ability of former McKinsey's consultants to arrive at the top can partly be explained by the firm's unprecedented alumni network. It even has its own exclusive job offers.
So is there a pathway to CEO?
There's no guarantee you'll ever reach the top job of a large organization, because chance and circumstance also plays a substantial role, but if you follow these steps, then you'll certainly increase your chances.

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How To Become A CEO: These Are The Steps You Should Take

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A study of the CEOs of America's 100 largest companies reveals that you can increase your chances to reach the top by starting with an engineering degree, grabbing a few years of related work experience before heading back to school for an MBA at a top university, followed with a stint at Bain or McKinsey.

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Rodney Adkins is a successful and productive leader, but, not all managers are alike. Reading about all of the makings of a great manager left me curious about the qualities that poor managers possess. Additionally, I want to avoid manifesting toxic qualities if I ever find myself in a position of power. According to the video, toxic bosses are incapable of inspiring others and are incredibly conceited; I can not imagine Rodney Adkins would be so effective if he had any of these poor qualities.

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How to Spot a Toxic Boss (Signs of a Bad Manager and a Terrible Leader)

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This image reminds me of what the first chapter teaches about the 'controlling' function in management. Controlling in terms of management is defined as continually gathering information, making comparisons, and then trying to find new ways of improving productivity through organizational modification. The image below displays the opposite of what should be done in the 'control' process. Change is a good thing, especially if it leads to progress.

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According to the readings presented in module one, "the proportion of men to women in management ranks seems to have changed little in the last ten years"(Certo). This comic corresponds perfectly with that information. There are not enough women progressing into leadership roles. The untapped potential is limitless, and hopefully, there will be improvements over the years. As a woman, I will work hard and fight my way into a male-dominated industry.

Certo, S. C., & Certo, S. T. (n.d.). Modern management: Concept and Skills (14th ed.). Pearson Education.

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This comic illustrates an issue that many companies face. Ethical decisions are undeniably essential to having a desirable public image, but sometimes the lure of success could take businesses down a darker path. If a choice is unethical but would result in a company making a sizable profit, would they make that choice? There are times it seems that companies are only concerned with the ethical side of things when their mistake is made public. Such as, in the car manufacturing industry. There is a pressure to make the latest and most magnificent automobile design, which could lead to rushed designs and as a result, more recalls.

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The research and studying I did throughout module two yielded an abundant amount of information regarding diversity and its' impact on the workplace. Below is a chart that highlights the ages, races, and genders of small business owners. What I found intriguing was the age demographic. 50 and over has the highest percentage of small business owners. Furthermore, women are also starting to rise in the ranks as 36% of small businesses are woman-owned. It will be intriguing to see how these percentages will change over the years.

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This image shows what diversity is really about. In multinational businesses, there is an abundance of potential employees available throughout the globe. If a company is considering going global, they should also keep an open mind and hire the people that are most suited for the jobs that will be made available. Host-country nationals and third-country nationals are excellent options for encouraging a unique and productive work environment. Having a positive geocentric attitude would take a multinational business to the next level.

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This article overviews the lawsuits directed at four automobile manufacturers. Volkswagen AG, Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, and General Motors Company were targeted. It is implied that the automakers misrepresented their vehicles and knew that their airbags were prone to defects. The issue lies in Takata corp., an automotive supplier that has proven to produce rupture-prone airbags. Were these companies covering up the safety defects? If so, this is an issue of ethics. If these companies even had an inclination that their airbags could be faulty, they should never have allowed them to be placed in their automobiles.

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Owners of vehicles with rupture-prone Takata Corp. air bags sued four additional auto makers, accusing them of concealing defects in the safety devices now tied to numerous deaths and injuries.

The legal complaints, filed on Wednesday in a Miami federal court, targeted Volkswagen AG, Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and General Motors Co. They follow lawsuits against other large auto makers that have resulted in settlements collectively totaling more than $1 billion, and required car companies take significant steps to galvanize consumers to bring vehicles to dealerships for repairs.

The lawsuits filed Wednesday allege plaintiffs suffered financial losses because the value of their vehicles declined as a result of the safety defect, now linked to 22 deaths, more than 180 injuries and the largest automotive recall in U.S. history. They alleged the auto makers misrepresented their vehicles as safe despite knowledge of problems with their air bags, which risk exploding and spraying metal shards.

"These auto manufacturers were well aware of the public safety risks posed by Takata's air bags long ago, and still waited years to disclose them to the public and take action," said Peter Prieto, a plaintiffs' lawyer representing consumers in widespread litigation consolidated in the Florida court. He said the complaints filed on Wednesday represented "an important step forward in holding them accountable, and ensuring all consumers exposed to these dangerous air bags receive the recourse they deserve."

A Daimler spokesman called the allegations in the complaint "unfounded" and declined to comment further. A Fiat Chrysler spokesman said the company hadn't been served with the lawsuit against it and declined to comment. A GM spokesman said the auto maker had no reports of ruptures in vehicles with the relevant air bags. A Volkswagen spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The legal actions come on the heels of other widespread litigation, congressional hearings and investigations stemming from a safety crisis that prompted the unprecedented recall of vehicles with up to nearly 70 million air bags in the U.S. alone. The air bags used propellants with ammonium nitrate that can destabilize after prolonged exposure to heat and humidity, leading to explosions, investigations have found.

Takata filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. and Japan last year amid mounting liabilities from the recalls with plans to sell operations to a rival. The Japanese automotive supplier also pleaded guilty last year to criminal wire fraud for sending misleading testing reports on the air bags to auto makers. Next week, a Senate panel will hold a hearing on the pace of the recalls, with the U.S.'s top auto-safety regulator and automotive executives expected to testify.

Honda Motor Co., historically Takata's largest customer, last year reached a $605 million settlement covering 16.5 million vehicles with rupture-prone air bags. The agreement contemplated Honda ultimately paying only $484 million in consideration of its recall efforts.

Toyota Motor Corp., BMW AG, Mazda Motor Corp., Subaru Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. also reached similar settlements. Similar claims remain pending against Ford Motor Co.

Write to Mike Spector at mike.spector@wsj.com

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More car makers sued over defective air bags

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Owners of vehicles with rupture-prone Takata Corp. air bags sued four additional auto makers, accusing them of concealing defects in the safety devices now tied to numerous deaths and injuries. The legal complaints, filed on Wednesday in a Miami federal court, targeted Volkswagen AG, Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and General Motors Co.

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This video gave me additional insight into corporate social responsibility. It is paramount to see just how vital social responsibility is to ensure that businesses do not participate in morally reprehensible actions that could hurt others. However, according to the video, the practice of being socially responsible is about more than preventing fraud and corruption. It is about how companies are "making their profits" not how they are spending them. Therefore, grand acts of charity are not the key to being morally right. It is about respecting society and respecting our planet. Moreover, companies need to make their profits without causing harm to others.

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What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?

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The comic below reads: "A 34% cut in our corporate ethics should return us to profitability." This message is just a reminder of how morally corrupt some companies can be, and how essential it is for businesses to really think about ethics when making decisions. Being ethical should always come before making a profit. This was included because it relates to my personal gr

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Module four's required readings emphasized how lucrative planning is to a successfully run business. This article outlines three critical elements for improving management through planning. Devising a plan is the first step, followed by defining your long-term goals and figuring out exactly where you want to see your company in the coming years. The last step is putting the plan into motion. The intention of these steps greatly resembles what the Modern Management textbook teaches. Following the six-step process to planning and being willing to follow through on the objectives set in spite of complications is my takeaway on proficient preparation.

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In my experience leading dozens of business planning workshops in countries all over the world, I'd say only about 10% to 15% of teams I've encountered have an effective business planning process. Sounds low, doesn't it? What many business owners fail to understand is that good planning equals good management.

Let me explain. Planning is about managing resources and priorities in an organized way. Management is related to leadership, and it's related to productivity.

Here are three steps to get you planning better and, in turn, improving your management.

1. Devise a plan. As the business owner, you start by writing important details down. You don't need to sweat every detail of creating a long document. Instead, jot down essential points as bullets, and tables, and bare explanations. The strategy element of planning is to focus on what you're good at, what matters, which people are most important to you and what you can do for them. It's about positioning, determining your target market and product focus.

It's important to document these details in order to communicate your vision to employees. If you don't have a team, there's value in referring back to your original thoughts regarding the path for your business and comparing them to actual results.
Related: 5 Ways to Kick-start Your Business Planning
2. Define success. In order to chart your path, you'll need to define long-term goals. Think broadly about how you see your business in several years.

From there, get specific. You'll want to establish milestones for when you want to accomplish certain goals, and know who you will want to carry them out. Go beyond sales, costs and expenses, and look at what really drives your business. It might be conversions, page views, clicks, meals, trips, presentations, seminars and other engagements.

Then, establish a review schedule -- when you and your team review changed assumptions, track results and make changes as necessary.
Related: Are You a Goal-Getter?
3. Put it in motion. Can you see the management brewing? Tracking and analyzing numbers can help you manage the work behind the numbers. You'll be in a better place to recognize and highlight what's working and what isn't working for your business and your team.
Suppose traffic is up, but conversions are down. You collect your data, review it with your team and develop a plan to make changes toward reaching your goals. That's management.

Managing your business successfully requires more than just praise and pats on the back. Sometimes it means focusing attention on problems, helping people solve them if possible, discussing and embracing mistakes, and, in the worst case, weeding out people who don't care about bad results. This can all be accomplished more efficiently when you have a plan in place.
Related: How to Become a Master Problem Solver
Either way, whether results are better than expected or worse, the planning and tracking makes your follow up easier. The process itself adds commitment and peer pressure to the team. Highlighting good performance is easier when there are agreed-on numbers to define it. And, probably most important, dealing with poor performance is always hard, but not quite as hard when you can focus on the specific numbers instead of personalities or office politics.

Which brings me back to where I began: Planning is management. Without planning, your management is at a real disadvantage.

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How Business Planning Leads to Better Management

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In my experience leading dozens of business planning workshops in countries all over the world, I'd say only about 10% to 15% of teams I've encountered have an effective business planning process. Sounds low, doesn't it?

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International companies and how to manage such companies was the theme of this module. Reading about the intricacies and difficulties of achieving such an endeavor had me thinking about the many companies that have been up for the task. It turns out; there are quite a few. In the image below, there are some examples of just some of the companies that could be considered multinational. For me, living in the United States is like living in a bubble, it never crossed my mind that people across the seas are eating the same foods and drinking the same drinks as I am right here. It is astonishing the kind of reach some of these companies have achieved. Despite the difficulties of going global, many companies have tapped into that potential and are proving that it is possible to have such success.

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Reliable and effective decision-making is a vital part of running a business. To make a decision is to choose the best of all alternatives. In the image below, a man is struggling to perform a typically programmed decision. He is deciding between two similar options that will both lead to the same outcome. Spending too much time on low-risk choices could be a potential time-waster, and take away from more essential undertakings. This comic encourages me to think further on my own decision-making process. Do I ever over-complicate it?

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In this module, we learned a lot about international management. This article lists 7 pros for taking a company global. Benefits such as revenue potential,  furthering your outreach, access to talent,  learning about a new culture, foreign investment opportunities, improved reputation, and diversifying the company's markets are all great perks to taking a company to a global level. Many of these benefits were covered in the readings assigned in this module, but this article gives a fresh perspective on globalization.

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Have you been thinking about taking your business global? If executed properly, globalization can bring your organization many benefits. Here are seven of the most common advantages involved with expanding your business on an international scale:

1. New Revenue Potential

By taking your business global, you get access to a much larger base of customers. If your product or service is a success, you can enjoy increased revenues from these new customers even if you have saturated your markets domestically. Globalizing could be exactly the shot of life your company needs to take its revenues to new heights.

2. The Ability to Help More People

The solutions your business offers undoubtedly have the potential to help your customers improve their lives in some way. When you take your business global, you can help an exponentially greater number of people find the answers to the questions or challenges your company helps solve.

3. Greater Access to Talent

Another excellent benefit of taking your business global is that you get access to a new pool of potential employees with unique skills and mindsets. You may even find that these potential hires have skills that are hard to find in your home country, which gives you an edge on other organizations in your field that have not yet gone global.

4. Learning a New Culture

Getting information about a new place can help make your organization more well-rounded. Having an understanding of people who are not from your country will give you a new perspective on relations with customers, and may even help you work better with domestic customers and business partners. Hiring a cultural consultant will help guide you in creating marketing content that takes into account culture and any linguistic nuances.

5. Exposure to Foreign Investment Opportunities

Foreign investment can be extremely valuable for your business as many companies already know. This may be the reason why in 1997, foreign investment was up to seven times the level it was in the 1970s. When you go global, you can more easily learn about these investment opportunities and how beneficial they can be for your company.

6. Improving Your Company's Reputation

Businesses that can successfully go global and market their offerings to a totally different population will enjoy the prestige of calling themselves an international company. It is not an easy feat to accomplish, meaning prospects and potential business partners will instantly think more highly of your company when they know you have an international presence.

7. Diversifying Company Markets

If your business only has one or two areas where it can sell services or products, what would happen if these markets experienced a dramatic shift because of a natural disaster or other unforeseen circumstance? Taking your business global allows you to diversify your markets so your revenue sources are more stable: even if your domestic activity is slow, your business will not take as large of a hit since your global market will make up the difference.

Going global has a number of advantages, but they do not come without challenges. If you can create an effective strategy for getting over the hurdles that globalization might present, the process can reap many benefits that your business will get to enjoy for years into the future.

Working with a company that specializes in not only translation, but cultural consulting can assist you in preparing authentic marketing content, localized landing pages and SEO as well as a transcreated homepage specific to a new global market you are attempting to gain entry into. Understanding the culture and what will resonate will play a huge role in the success of your global expansion efforts.

Dynamic Language offers language services in over 150 languages. If you have any questions on our cultural consulting services or have content ready to be quoted feel free to get in touch.

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Have you been thinking about taking your business global? If executed properly, globalization can bring your organization many benefits. Here are seven of the most common advantages involved with expanding your business on an international scale: 1. New Revenue Potential By taking your business global, you get access to a much larger base of customers.

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There is a question of maintaining ethics on an international level. The Coca-Cola company reportedly does "approximately 2,500 independent audits" yearly to ensure that their Human Rights Policy is met. They are ensuring that no forced child laborers are working for their company. Additionally, they are members of the Child Labor Platform so that they have better access to initiatives that work against child labor. This article displays an excellent example of what respecting human rights looks like.

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World Day Against Child Labor gives us all an opportunity to reflect on the gravity and persistent challenge of child labor and what we are doing to address the issue globally. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 152 million children (age 5 to 17) around the world are in child labor, of whom 73 million perform hazardous work because of its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out.

This year, the ILO is focusing on health and safety related to child labor. According to the ILO, young workers sustain up to 40% more occupational injuries than do adult workers. The risks of hazardous work on children's health and development is a timely reminder that children belong in education, not in the workplace.

At The Coca-Cola Company, we continue our efforts to ensure that persons under the age of 18 are not employed within any of our own operations. Our Human Rights Policy and Supplier Guiding Principles strictly prohibit the use of child labor, and independent audits validate adherence to these expectations. Each year, we complete approximately 2,500 independent audits within our system and supply chain.

Since 2013, we have been working on a due-diligence process through third-party organizations to look at 28 of our largest sugar sourcing countries to examine the realities of forced labor, child labor and land rights issues in The Coca-Cola Company supply chain. To date, 15 sugar studies have been published and are available on our website. While the reports, to date, have not shown systemic child labor, they have revealed isolated incidents reflecting that the socio-economic realities in many countries are such that there is a constant risk of children entering into work. By partnering with our sugar sourcing mills, we aim to ensure that their supply chains are aware of the risks and prohibition of child labor and to support their efforts in surrounding communities to create alternatives for children.

The Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 has a focus on ending all forms of child and forced labor by 2025. Child labor, especially in its most hazardous forms, is abhorrent to many of us. But in looking to solve this challenge, we must recognize that no one person, business or organization can do so on its own.

Collaboration is key, and that is one of the reasons why we are members of the Child Labor Platform (CLP). The CLP provides a vehicle whereby companies, employees and their representatives, governments and others can come together, explore good practice and initiate initiatives to address child labor. Most recently, the CLP supported the development of a new legal database containing the list of all tasks and occupations that are prohibited to children under 18 by the legislation of 149 ILO member States.

Unfortunately, this will not be the last year we will observe a World Day Against Child Labor but, by coming together, as this day gives us the chance to do, the goal of elimination by 2025 is possible.
Brent Wilton is director of Global Workplace Rights at The Coca-Cola Company.

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How Coke is Doing its Part to Help End Child Labor by 2025

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World Day Against Child Labor gives us all an opportunity to reflect on the gravity and persistent challenge of child labor and what we are doing to address the issue globally.

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This module made me evaluate myself and how I make important decisions. In the workplace, a pivotal part of being a good manager is making the decisions that others have difficulty making. Perhaps it would be in my best interest to practice evaluating a more significant number of alternatives to settle on the most practical one. The image below showcases the best steps to take in coming to a decision and it is a shining example of what I need to perfect.

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Strategic management was a point of interest in the seventh chapter of our textbook. This video gave me an interesting and in-depth rundown of what this process requires. It starts with environmental scanning and understanding what the business world looks like at the moment. The next step is assembling a strategy and figuring out how you plan to go from point A -to- point B. Furthermore, the strategy will need to be implemented, monitored, and evaluated. As somebody who desires to work my way up into management, this information is essential to my growth.

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Module five included an abundance of information regarding responsibility, authority, and delegation. This comic specifically addresses delegation and demonstrates how it can be used poorly. The boss that initially delegated the project did not instill the proper obligation in the employee. Instead of completing the task, the employee gave the responsibility to someone else. Delegating tasks is an excellent use of resources, but too much delegating could result in a total lack of productivity. This artifact demonstrates an example of obstacles related to subordinates which is a topic that is highlighted in the chapter readings.

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The photo below gives a visual aid to represent the four types of organizational cultures. After learning about the different cultures, the clan culture spoke to me the most. In the picture, it is expressed with hearts. 'Clan' culture encourages employees to develop a familial bond and focuses on freedom and encouragement. From my understanding, small businesses would thrive from a clan culture. However, larger businesses tend to require a more rigid and stable approach. 'Hierarchy' is presented as gears, as all the working parts are precise and serve a specific purpose. Overall, the chart helps give a reminder as to what these four cultures represent and what they value.

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This comic is a nod at what an unproductive strategic planning team looks like in the business world. Planning is important but should not be held up by an abundance of minute details.

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My initial readings about responsibility in the workplace led me to look further into what kind of responsibilities a job may require. This article outlines the importance of following job-specific responsibilities and being held accountable for personal performance. Additionally, the requirements of a manager are highlighted along with the employer's responsibility to keep the workplace safe. Completing the tasks assigned to you accurately and efficiently is essential to doing a job effectively. Managers are liable for your performance and should be mindful of their employees and monitor their productivity. The information from this article elaborates on responsibility, and that was a subject touched upon in module five. Above all, taking on a job implies you are willing to take on the task and do it properly; that is what I took away from this lesson.

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Types of Workplace Responsibility

All companies, whether large or small, rely on people to fulfill a set of responsibilities to ensure the proper operation of the business. Employees need to be aware of what is expected of them, while owners and managers need to make sure that policies are followed and expectations are being met. Some employees may be given more responsibilities than others, but everyone must maintain the basic requirements of a productive worker.

Job-Specific Responsibilities

Each employee in a company, whether hourly or salaried, at an entry-level position or in upper management, operates daily based on a specific job description for their position. It is the employee's responsibility to perform the duties of that position to the best of their ability while adhering to company policies and protocols. They should come to work when expected, manage their time well and seek to be a positive part of the corporate team. Workers should address management with any questions or problems they encounter and work for the good of the company.

Personal Performance Accountability

Another general responsibility for all employees is owning up to mistakes and being held accountable for your actions. Rather than putting the blame on a co-worker or making excuses, employees who accept responsibility for their mistakes or poor judgement become positive assets to the organization. Managers may need to have some difficult conversations with employees in order to establish this expectation, but ultimately, accountability as an office standard will create a positive and productive work environment.

Managerial Oversight and Leadership

A manager's primary responsibility is to keep their team or department on track to meet goals and measure up to company standards. A good manager is also responsible for developing the skills and performance quality of the employees under their supervision. By offering feedback, training and opportunities for advancement, managers create a positive work environment and commitment to the company. Conversely, leadership that seems disinterested in its staff's well-being will not earn the respect and loyalty of its employees.

Provision for a Safe Workplace

By regulation of the U.S. Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that all employers provide for the safety of their workers. Workplace environments must meet OSHA standards and are subject to possible inspections. Employers must provide and maintain equipment that is safe to use, post signs reminding workers of safety protocols, provide regular safety training and keep records of work related injuries or illnesses.

Handling of Financial Obligations

Some employees, particularly those in the accounting or payroll departments, are responsible for correctly handling the finances of the company. Careful attention to accurate record keeping is important as well as following standard accounting and business practices. Others who have access to office petty cash or discretionary funds should use them only for official business purposes and should turn in accurate receipt records to the accounting department. Employees who submit requests for reimbursements should also maintain integrity when recording mileage and meal expenses.

General Professional Conduct and Representation

In every company, all employees from top management on down, should seek to conduct themselves professionally, not only in their work, but outside of work as well. Business policy guidelines and codes of conduct should be followed by everyone and seen as a standard for representing the company not only to vendors and customers, but to the general public as well. Outside of work, personal integrity, or lack thereof, can reflect back on a company.

For example, if an employee of an appliance repair shop who regularly enters customers' homes is arrested for petty theft, customers may assume the company itself is a dishonest operation, even if the employee simply proved to be a poor hire.

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Both employees and employers have responsibilities in the workplace that ensure the efficient operation of a business. Responsibilities include fulfilling the roles of a specific job, overseeing department work flows, providing training, handling the company's finances and ensuring workplace safety.

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Departmentalization was a significant subject in chapter eight of our module five readings. However, my curiosity expanded beyond the examples provided in the textbook. This article delves into what restaurant departmentalization looks like. The departments can be split by region, types of customers, staff functions, products, and services offered, chain of command, or a combination of more than one department. Truthfully, the structure does not differ from how other organizations tend to departmentalize. However, the article provided was informative and gave me a real-world example of how things work.

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What Are Types of Departmentalization That Would Be Used in a Restaurant?

Departmentalization is an aspect of organizational design where a business divides its staff into smaller units based on tasks within the company. Most companies, including restaurants, are likely to use two or more types of departmentalization at the same time. Restaurants are often organized around the types of food served, the tasks handled by the staff and the chain of command in the company. Other departments may be developed if there are a add-on services such as banquet facilities and catering or if there are several stores within a geographic region.

Regional Groupings for a Restaurant Chain

Regional grouping is likely to be used in a restaurant chain where more than one branch of the same chain exists in a region, city or county. For example, the 25 percent of McDonald's restaurants that are not franchises are managed by a hierarchy of staff, including area supervisors. Each area supervisor is responsible for the performance of a group of stores within a specific geographical area.

Staff Functions in a Restaurant

Functional departmentalization in a restaurant allows the separation of sales and marketing tasks from those jobs connected with operations. Sales would fall under the role of a server assisting customers and helping them select an enjoyable meal while operations in a restaurant centers on the preparation of food. In this scenario, management may have difficulty deciding where to include staff that makes and serves drinks at the restaurant's bar, because they are involved in both activities.

Products and Services Offered

Departmentalization according to product type could work in various way depending on the size of the restaurant. Activities and costs related to food preparation and service might be separated from those that related to the preparation and serving of drinks. In large restaurants, the kitchen may be divided into preparation sections such as salads, grilling station, side dishes and desserts. In this type of departmentalization, the bar becomes a separate department from the dining area or kitchen, a logical method of categorization in this industry.

Chain of Command

Chain of command departmentalization works when the restaurant is large enough to require more than one management division. For example, roles may be divided into front of house and back of house. The manager who oversees servers, food runners, bartenders and hostesses will be in charge of the front of the house. The back of house manager will oversee workers such as chefs, cooks, and dishwashers.

In some instances there may also be a General Manager or Owner who will oversee the entire operation and staff.

Types of Customers

Customer departmentalization works by dividing the organization around the different types of customers. In a restaurant environment, this could take the form of individual customers versus catering for corporate clients and hosting group events. One group of staff may handle the day-to-day operations of the restaurant, while a separate group manages the catering arm of the company, whether on the premises or outside. Departmentalization like this would effectively also be functional and possibly chain-of-command departmentalization at the same time.

Combined Departmentalization of a Restaurant

Depending on the size of a restaurant, it may use two or more types of departmentalization. A chain may split its operation along the lines of both product and chain of command by having a food department and a beverage department, with food reporting to the chef while beverage reports to the licensee. A smaller restaurant may use functional departmentalization, such as kitchen operations versus customer service, and combine this with process departmentalization. This would result in the kitchen staff, already defined by function, being further divided into segments.

Some kitchen staff would focus on actual cooking and food preparation while others would assist with more service related tasks like dressing salads and plating desserts for delivery to guests.

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What Are Types of Departmentalization That Would Be Used in a Restaurant?

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Restaurants are typically organized into several departments to facilitate efficiency of operations. Departments may be organized by locations of venues, tasks handled by staff, types of services offered or by chain of command, or departments for services such as banquet facilities and catering .

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This artifact is a call-back to performance appraisals. In my opinion, performance appraisals based on a rating scale are arbitrary and do not accurately represent an employees abilities. You can not possibly sum up someone's performance with a simple adjective. There are so many more factors to consider. Free-form essays and critical-form essays may be time consuming, but they are a fair way to appraise an employees performance.

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Building successful and productive teams is a fundamental part of having a cooperative work environment. Chapter 12 gave an abundance of information regarding the steps in developing a team and how groups are formed for different purposes. Forming is the first stage of building a team, and this article gives ideas on how to ease the tension among new team members. Many of the suggestions give members an opportunity to show their personality and creative-thinking skills.

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Whether you want to do new hire orientation icebreakers or just bond your team closer together, check out our list of awesome team building games that you and your team will want to play over and over again.

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This article takes a closer look at a trending topic in the chapter readings. Interpersonal communication includes communicators, messages, feedback, context, and channels.  When one person is speaking while the other listens, a one-way process is occurring. A two-way process occurs when two people are communicating messages at the same time, and there is both sending and receiving. In particular, something the article brought into perspective was the potential noise that surrounds communication. According to the article below, "complicated jargon, inappropriate body language, inattention, disinterest, and cultural differences" are all types of noise that can distort a message. It was interesting to learn more about such an important facet of communication.

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Develop your interpersonal communication skills. Learn about the communication processes and how to develop your verbal, nonverbal, listening and other skills.

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Developing emotional intelligence can help you gain control of your emotions and sync them to your rational mind. In my personal life, it feels like my emotions overrule my brain on more than one occasion. However, my feelings never impact my professional attitude, and that is something I have grown to be proud of over the years.

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In chapter 12 of the Modern Management textbook, emotional intelligence is profoundly touched on. The chapter outlined the attributes associated with emotional intelligence, such as; self-awareness, self-motivation, self-regulation, empathy, and so on. However, this article delves a little deeper into the concept. The benefits of developing each attribute and suggestions on how to improve them are elaborated on; it gave me a better idea of how to grow emotionally. Ultimately, I have learned the importance of observing others and being aware of how your actions can affect your coworkers. It is also essential to take responsibility for your actions, accept feedback, listen to others and have empathy for their situation. There are many ways to improve emotional intelligence; you just have to be aware of the need for improvement.

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Goleman's (1998) popular book, Working with Emotional Intelligence, suggests that emotional intelligence accounts for 67% of the abilities needed to be a successful leader and is twice as important as technical proficiency or IQ. This research has subsequently been supported by a number of studies.

In this article, we summarise the key 5 elements of emotional intelligence, the benefits of each and how to improve them.

What is emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to identify and manage your emotions, as well as other people's emotions.

If you're emotionally intelligent you have the ability to:

Identify what you're feeling

Know how to interpret your emotions

Understand how your emotions can impact others

Regulate your own emotions

Manage other people's emotions

Some people naturally inherit high EQ but it's a skill that you can practice and develop. By practicing emotionally intelligent behaviours your brain will adapt to make these behaviours automatic and replace less helpful behaviours.

The 5 features of emotional intelligence

Daniel Goleman determined that there are five fundamental features of EQ, each with their own benefits:

1. Self-awareness

Self-awareness is the ability to accurately recognise your: emotions, strengths, limitations, actions and understand how these affect others around you.
Benefits:

Increases the likelihood of you handling and using constructive feedback effectively.

By knowing your strengths and weaknesses you can improve your organisation's performance, for example, you may hire individuals who perform well in areas you struggle with.

Improve self-awareness by:

Keeping a diary of the situations that have triggered disruptive emotions in you, such as anger, and your thoughts and behaviours during those situations. With this information you can form an understanding of your emotions and reactions and work towards self-regulation.

Receiving feedback from staff as this can highlight how others perceive you and it also helps you target unhelpful reactions.

Observing the response others have to your behaviour.

2. Self-regulation

Self-regulation allows you to wisely manage your emotions and impulses - you show or restrain certain emotions depending on what is necessary and beneficial for the situation. For example, rather than shouting at your employees when you're stressed you may decide which tasks can be delegated.
Benefits:

Self-regulation helps earn the respect and trust of employees.

Useful when adapting to change.

Allows you to react rationally.

Improve self-regulation by:

Taking responsibility if you have made mistakes. Rather than blaming others admit that you are at fault. You'll feel less guilty and your team will respect you for it.

Responding to situations calmly as your communication is more effective when you're in this state and this feeling will spread to others. Breathing techniques, such as controlled breathing, can be useful practice.

3. Empathy

To be empathetic means you are able to identify and understand others' emotions i.e. imagining yourself in someone else's position.
Benefits:

Provides you with an understanding of how an individual feels and why they behave in a certain way. As a result, your compassion and your ability to help someone increases because you respond genuinely to concerns.

Especially helpful when delivering constructive feedback.

Being empathetic shows your team that you care. For example, if a manager reacts angrily after finding out that an employee has been arriving to work late because their child is unwell, the team is likely to react negatively towards the manager. It would be more favourable for the manager to be understanding and agree on a plan of action with the employee, such as, the employee starting work earlier and finishing later.

Employees will respect you more and subsequently job performance will improve.

To develop empathy:

Imagine yourself in someone else's position. Even if you have not experienced a similar situation, remember a situation where you have felt the same emotion your employee is experiencing.

Practice listening to your employees without interrupting them.

Observe your employees and try to gauge how they're feeling.

Never ignore your employees' emotions, for example, if an employee looks upset don't disregard this - address it.

Try to understand first rather than form a judgement. For example, you may initially feel annoyed at an employee who seems cold and disinterested. However, after discovering they suffer from social anxiety you may feel more sympathetic.

To communicate your empathy keep your body language open and regulate your voice to show your sincerity.

4. Motivation

Being self-motivated consists of: enjoying what you do, working towards achieving your goals and not being motivated by money or status.
Benefits:

Reduces your likelihood of procrastinating

Increases self-confidence

Keeps you motivated even if you face setbacks

Makes you focused on achieving your goals

Spreads to the team

To increase your motivation:

Remember why you're doing your job - maybe think about why you wanted it initially.

Set new goals if you lack them.

Remain optimistic because to be motivated you must be positive. Even when there is a setback or a challenge identify one positive factor about it.

To increase your employees' motivation explain why they are valuable, using example, as this will provide them with a sense of purpose.

5. Social skills

Effective social skills consist of managing relationships in a way that benefits the organisation.
Benefits:

Effective social skills helps you to build rapport with your employees and earn their respect and loyalty.

Employees will trust you which is especially valuable if unwelcomed decisions have been made, such as a rise in performance targets.

When you interact with your employees you can identify the best way to meet their individual needs and identify how their abilities can be used to achieve the organisation's aims.

Staff will feel comfortable presenting ideas to you and discussing concerns.

Improve social skills by:

Developing your communication skills. Problems can arise if there is bad communication, such as, misunderstandings upsetting employees. Listen to feedback to work out what to target, for example, the manner in which you speak may need work or perhaps your body language.

Learning how to provide praise and constructive feedback.

Cooperating and working together with your employees because you are all working towards a shared goal.

Listening to employees and practicing empathy.

Building relationships with your employees will assist you in understanding how to manage each individual.

Resolving conflict by looking at the situation from all the viewpoints involved and try to come to a compromise that benefits everyone.

The 5 features of emotional intelligence can all be improved with steps outlined in this article. Start working on these today and notice how you're able to connect with people at a deeper level.

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The 5 Features of Emotional Intelligence

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Goleman's (1998) popular book, Working with Emotional Intelligence , suggests that emotional intelligence accounts for 67% of the abilities needed to be a successful leader and is twice as important as technical proficiency or IQ. This research has subsequently been supported by a number of studies.

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The quote below brings me back to chapter 12 and the information regarding emotional intelligence. You have to be fully aware of others and their thoughts and feelings to communicate effectively. This quote also reminds me of the communication skills required for an encoder to clearly express a message to a decoder/destination. It is critical to ensure that the message you are trying to send is adequately understood and can not possibly be misinterpreted. The illusion of successful communication can stumble even the most adept encoders.

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As highlighted in the module seven readings, directive behavior involves the leader telling others what to do and how to do it. Directing includes low support and high levels of direction. Supportive behavior consists of the leader showing genuine interest in their followers and treating them kindly. Supporting includes high support and low levels of direction. Coaching involves identifying inappropriate behaviors and correcting them supportively and delegating consists of assigning tasks to those that are capable of taking on responsibility. Coaching is highly directive and highly supportive. Delegating involves low support and low direction. In my opinion, each leadership style could be applicable depending on the work environment and the maturity of the employees. However, supportive leadership is my favorite.

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In this module, there was a great deal of discussion surrounding leadership and management. Leading and managing are two separate operations, but all managers should strive to be excellent leaders. Leading is considered a subset of management. The comic below gives the nod to an age-old saying, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." A good leader knows how to lead their followers to their task, but a great leader can inspire them to complete the work.

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In my opinion, the most exciting topic brought up in module seven was intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Through research, I was able to ascertain that intrinsic rewards suit my motivational goals more appropriately than extrinsic rewards. The article below gave me a better idea of what constitutes an 'intrinsic' reward. The four most critical intrinsic rewards are a sense of meaningfulness, choice, competence, and progress. When my work is valued and encouraged it motivates me above anything else. With that in mind, I believe feeling competent and meaningful brings me the greatest satisfaction.

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Motivational dynamics have changed dramatically to reflect new work requirements and changed worker expectations. One of the biggest changes has been the rise in importance of psychic, or intrinsic rewards, and the decline of material or extrinsic rewards. This author draws upon recent research to explain the popularity of intrinsic rewards and how these rewards can be used to build a high-engagement culture.

I have been researching workplace motivation for about 30 years and I'm amazed at how much has changed recently. Automation and off-shoring have eliminated most of the highly repetitive jobs in the U.S., while global competition has produced flatter, more responsive organizations that require employees to use judgment and initiative to a much greater extent. Over this same 30-year period, the proportion of American workers who say that their work is meaningful, allows them discretion, and makes use of their abilities has more than doubled-from less than one third to about two thirds. ¹ In addition, younger workers now come to organizations with different expectations than their parents. Raised during an era of rapid technological change and instant access to data, they respond best to work that is more meaningful, allows them to learn cutting-edge skills, and lets them find their own ways of accomplishing tasks.

Most of the motivational models used today were developed in earlier eras, when work and workers were different. That is why my colleagues and I developed models and strategies of motivation that better reflect the changes in today's work dynamics. ² In doing so, we discovered that intrinsic rewards have become more important and more prevalent in the workplace today. This article will describe the reasons for this increase and why intrinsic rewards are so important today.

Extrinsic and intrinsic rewards

Extrinsic rewards-usually financial-are the tangible rewards given employees by managers, such as pay raises, bonuses, and benefits. They are called "extrinsic" because they are external to the work itself and other people control their size and whether or not they are granted. In contrast, intrinsic rewards are psychological rewards that employees get from doing meaningful work and performing it well.

Extrinsic rewards played a dominant role in earlier eras, when work was generally more routine and bureaucratic, and when complying with rules and procedures was paramount. This work offered workers few intrinsic rewards, so that extrinsic rewards were often the only motivational tools available to organizations.

Extrinsic rewards remain significant for workers, of course. Pay is an important consideration for most workers in accepting a job, and unfair pay can be a strong de-motivator. However, after people have taken a job and issues of unfairness have been settled, we find that extrinsic rewards are now less important, as day-to-day motivation is more strongly driven by intrinsic rewards.

The intrinsic rewards in today's work

To identify these intrinsic rewards, we began by analyzing the nature of today's work. Basically, most of today's workers are asked to self-manage to a significant degree-to use their intelligence and experience to direct their work activities to accomplish important organizational purposes. This is how today's employees add value-innovating, problem solving and improvising to meet the conditions they encounter to meet customers' needs.

In turn, we found that the self-management process involves four key steps: ³

1. Committing to a meaningful purpose

2. Choosing the best way of fulfilling that purpose

3. Making sure that one is performing work activities competently, and

4. Making sure that one is making progress to achieving the purpose.

Each of these steps requires workers to make a judgment-about the meaningfulness of their purpose, the degree of choice they have for doing things the right way, the competence of their performance, and the actual progress being made toward fulfilling the purpose. These four judgments are the key factors in workers' assessments of the value and effectiveness of their efforts-and the contribution they are making.

When positive, each of these judgments is accompanied by a positive emotional charge. These positive charges are the intrinsic rewards that employees get from work, ranging in size from quiet satisfaction to an exuberant "Yes!" They are the reinforcements that keep employees actively self-managing and engaged in their work.

The following are descriptions of the four intrinsic rewards and how workers view them: ⁴

Sense of meaningfulness. This reward involves the meaningfulness or importance of the purpose you are trying to fulfill. You feel that you have an opportunity to accomplish something of real value-something that matters in the larger scheme of things. You feel that you are on a path that is worth your time and energy, giving you a strong sense of purpose or direction.

Sense of choice. You feel free to choose how to accomplish your work-to use your best judgment to select those work activities that make the most sense to you and to perform them in ways that seem appropriate. You feel ownership of your work, believe in the approach you are taking, and feel responsible for making it work.

Sense of competence. You feel that you are handling your work activities well-that your performance of these activities meets or exceeds your personal standards, and that you are doing good, high-quality work. You feel a sense of satisfaction, pride, or even artistry in how well you handle these activities.

Sense of progress. You are encouraged that your efforts are really accomplishing something. You feel that your work is on track and moving in the right direction. You see convincing signs that things are working out, giving you confidence in the choices you have made and confidence in the future.

Levels of intrinsic rewards

Professor Walter Tymon (Villanova University) and I developed and refined a measure of the four intrinsic rewards, now available as the Work Engagement Profile. ⁵ Together with our colleagues, we have used it for research, training, and interventions in a number of organizations in the U.S., Canada, and India.

We found it useful to break down each reward into three levels-high (the top 25% of our norm sample), middle-range (middle 50%), and low (bottom 25%).

High-range scorers experience the four intrinsic rewards most intensely. These rewards are highly energizing and engaging.

Middle-range scorers experience these same rewards to a more moderate degree-as somewhat positive but limited. For example, their work may seem reasonably meaningful when they stop to think of it; they may have a fair amount of choice but have to live with some decisions that don't make sense to them; they may feel they do most things pretty well but not a few others; and they may feel they are making some progress but less than they would like. They experience these reward levels as moderately energizing and engaging-enough to put in a "fair day's work," but end up feeling less satisfied than they would like.

Low-range scorers are dissatisfied with many aspects of their work. They may feel their work is relatively meaningless or pointless, that they are unable to make or influence decisions about how to do their work, are unable to perform work activities very well, and are making little or no headway. Experiencing these feelings drains the workers of energy and they are likely to become cynical and resentful about their job over time.

Important benefits of the intrinsic rewards

Our research findings to date reveal the widespread benefits of the above intrinsic rewards for both organizations and employees. ⁶

From the organization's viewpoint, our data confirm the impact of the intrinsic rewards on employee self-management. For example, people with high reward levels show greater concentration and are rated as more effective by their bosses. But the benefits extend beyond self-management. The intrinsic rewards are strong predictors of retention. Note that this is the "right" kind of retention-keeping the people who are energized and self-managing rather than those who can't afford to leave. We find that employees with high levels of intrinsic rewards also become informal recruiters and marketers for their organization. They recommend the organization to friends as a place to work and recommend its products and services to potential customers.

The intrinsic rewards are also a relatively healthy and sustainable source of motivation for employees. There is little chance of burnout with this form of motivation. Workers with high reward levels experience more positive feelings and fewer negative ones on the job. Their job satisfaction is higher, they report fewer stress symptoms, and are more likely to feel that they are developing professionally. ⁷

Overall, the intrinsic rewards seem to create a strong, win/win form of motivation for both an organization and its employees-and one which suits the times. This type of motivation is focused on the shared desire that employees' work makes an effective contribution to meaningful purposes, so that it is performance-driven. It embodies the kind of self-management and professional development demanded by younger workers. It does not depend on large outlays of money to generate extra effort, so that it is feasible when funds are tight. Furthermore, intrinsic rewards do not require that a boss be present, as exemplified by the growth of the virtual work and telecommute environments...

Despite these benefits, however, a number of managers underestimate the importance of intrinsic rewards, and continue to treat financial rewards as the key factor in motivating others. While some of this bias may simply come from their use and familiarity with older models, there is another explanation. Research shows that, although people are quick to recognize the role of intrinsic rewards in their own behavior, there is a general tendency to assume that other people are motivated mostly by money and self-interest. ⁸ In our workshops, for example, managers are commonly surprised to learn that intrinsic rewards are valued as much by their employees as by themselves. So, it is important to educate the managers in your organization on this issue.

Building a high-engagement culture

In our work with managers, change agents and training specialists, we have developed seven guidelines for building a culture that supports high levels of engagement and intrinsic rewards: ⁹
1. Begin with a meaningful purpose.
Unlike financial rewards, you simply can't task the Human Resources Department with developing an "intrinsic reward system." Building intrinsic motivation is largely a line management responsibility, although HR can offer considerable help. That responsibility begins with spelling out a meaningful purpose for the organization. To be meaningful, this purpose usually needs to involve more than profit, tapping directly into the contribution that the organization's work makes to its customers-the contribution that allows it to earn a profit. Again, it is largely that sense of contribution to something of value that drives the entire self-management process.
2. Build intrinsic motivation and engagement into management training and executive coaching.
As mentioned earlier, managers tend to recognize the role of intrinsic rewards in their own motivation, but often underestimate their importance for other people. To build a culture of engagement it is important to incorporate training on intrinsic motivation and employee engagement into management development programs. We also find that managers are more credible and effective in promoting the value of engagement when they first learn how to better understand and manage their own intrinsic rewards. Training typically begins by getting managers in touch with their own intrinsic rewards and then shifts to learning how to support the intrinsic rewards of their direct reports. At executive levels, the four intrinsic rewards also provide a useful framework for executive coaching. For example, the New West Institute builds its coaching on executive transitions around the four rewards, identifying what would be most meaningful for the executives in their new position, what choices they have, the new competencies they need to build, and the ways they will identify progress. ¹⁰ Training and coaching, then, are an important part of embedding intrinsic motivation and engagement into the organization's culture.
3. Focus conversations on meaningfulness, choice, competence and progress.
Leaders from the top down need to convey the same message-that the organization stands for doing work that matters and doing it well. When approaching any work project, leaders can underline the importance of contribution by focusing discussions on the basic questions in the self-management process:

What can we do here that is meaningful?

What creative choices can we think of to accomplish this?

How can we make sure we're doing this work competently?

How can we make sure we're actually accomplishing the purpose?

These questions bring employee contributions to the foreground and highlight the intrinsic rewards.
4. Engage the "middle."
Pay special attention to building intrinsic motivation for people in the middle ranges-the large group that is only somewhat engaged. If you are able to move their intrinsic rewards to the high range, they will combine with the people who already highly engaged to form a large majority of highly engaged, energized people-the critical mass needed to support a culture of high engagement.
5. Measure intrinsic reward levels.
Without some way of assessing the state of intrinsic rewards in your organization, you will be flying blind. We use the Work Engagement Profile for systematic measurement, though with experience it is possible to get a rough sense of reward levels from everyday conversations with employees. ¹¹ Measuring the reward levels will show you the overall level of engagement in your organization and allow you to recognize improvement. It will also allow you to determine if any rewards are at lower levels than others. Because self-management requires all four reward levels, the lowest rewards will tend to act as a drag on overall engagement over time-so that they deserve special attention.
6. Provide missing building blocks for intrinsic rewards that you need to bolster.
Each reward has its own unique building blocks. Building a sense of competence involves actions that are different than those used in building a sense of choice, for example. The following is a list of key building blocks. ¹²

Sense of Meaningfulness:

Sense of Choice:

Sense of Competence:

Sense of Progress:

Notice that some of these building blocks involve relatively observable or "hard" elements, such as job designs, information systems, and formal authority. Others involve "softer" aspects of organizational culture and managerial style, such as a non-cynical climate, celebrations, trust, and skill recognition.
7. Adopt a change and implementation process that is itself engaging.
You could try to build intrinsic rewards using a centralized, top-down decision process. But we find that it makes more sense to use the change process itself as a means of fostering high levels of engagement. That was the genius of the Work Out process used by Jack Welch to help change the culture at GE. ¹³ Similar processes are now used for planning and change in a number of organizations. ¹⁴ In these applications, participatory processes allow teams of employees to identify meaningful work-related problems, recommend solutions that make sense, apply their diverse competencies, and experience a rapid sense of progress. When these processes address the building of intrinsic rewards and engagement, they not only yield workable solutions but also produce their own sense of excitement- which often serves as a significant turning point in the organization's culture. ¹⁵

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Notes and References

1. These data are from James O'Toole and Edward Lawler, III, The New American Workplace, Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.

2. This article is based on research findings and experience collected with the following colleagues: Walter Tymon, Jr., Villanova University; Erik Jansen, Naval Postgraduate School; Bruce Vincent and Steve deBree, New West Institute; and Betty Velthouse, University of Michigan, Flint.

3. The self-management process is described in more detail in Kenneth Thomas, Intrinsic Motivation at Work, Berrett-Koehler, 2009.

4. These descriptions are adapted from Kenneth Thomas and Walter Tymon, Jr., Work Engagement Profile, CPP, Inc., 2009.

5. The Work Engagement Profile, with interpretive materials, is available in print form through CPP, Inc., at www.cpp.com/WEP. An online version will be available in 2010. Information on the reliability and validity of the Profile is provided in the Work Engagement Profile Technical Brief, available online at www.cpp.com/WEPtechbrief.

6. These findings are summarized in the Work Engagement Profile Technical Brief.

7. These finding are also summarized in the Work Engagement Profile Technical Brief. I am particularly indebted to Professor Jacques Forest of the Universite du Quebec a Montreal for permission to summarize his work. See also the findings on professional development in the article by Walter Tymon, Jr., Stephen Stumpf and Jonathan Doh, "Exploring talent management in India: The neglected role of intrinsic rewards," Journal of World Business, 2010 in press.

8. This finding was reported by Chip Heath, "On the social psychology of agency relationships: Lay theories of motivation overemphasize extrinsic incentives," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 1999, pp. 25-62.

9. I am particularly indebted to Bruce Vincent and Steve deBree of the New West Institute, an early adopter of the Work Engagement Profile and my book, Intrinsic Motivation at Work (Berrett-Koehler, 2000 and 2009). They have contributed a number of lessons learned from their applications to organizational change and executive transition coaching.

10. Information on New West's approach to executive transition coaching is available at www.newwestinstitute.com.

11. For more specific advice on recognizing and increasing intrinsic reward levels, see Intrinsic Motivation at Work, 2009.

12. This list is adapted from the Work Engagement Profile. A more detailed discussion of the building blocks and related management actions is contained in Intrinsic Motivation at Work.

13. The Work-Out process has been described in a number of books, including Jack: Straight From the Gut, by Jack Welch with John Byrne, Warner Business Books, 2001.

14. See for example the participative planning process described by Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff in Future Search, Second Edition, Berrett-Koehler, 2000.

15. This observation is based on the change work of the New West Institute, which is built around the concepts in this article. Information on the New West Institute's participative approach to change is available at www.newwestinstitute.com.

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The Four Intrinsic Rewards that Drive Employee Engagement - Ivey Business Journal

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Motivational dynamics have changed dramatically to reflect new work requirements and changed worker expectations. One of the biggest changes has been the rise in importance of psychic, or intrinsic rewards, and the decline of material or extrinsic rewards.

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This article discusses transformational leadership and the characteristics that are synonymous with this leadership style. Transformational leadership encourages innovation, morals, cooperation, responsibility, standards and so on. The article below also contrasts transactional and transformational leadership. Transactional leadership identifies with predictability, consistency, and a lack of innovation. It was intriguing to take a more in-depth look at these two opposing leadership styles.

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What is transformational leadership? A model for motivating innovation

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The transformational leadership style inspires workers to embrace change by fostering a company culture of accountability, ownership, and workplace autonomy.

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According to the module eight readings, product strategy "is the link between the operations strategy and the other functional strategies"(Certo). The article below gives some insight into how to develop product strategy. Four main components have to be considered;  including customers, competitors, business, and macro environment. Define what customers genuinely want out of a product, consider what competitors are offering and position your product following them, figure out how the product will turn a profit, and take into consideration different economic factors. This article taught me a great deal more about product strategy and helped strengthen the idea presented in the chapter readings.

Certo, S. C., & Certo, S. T. (n.d.). Modern management: Concept and Skills (14th ed.). Pearson Education.

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The term "product strategy," much like the entire role of product management, doesn't have a standard definition. It means different things at different companies. Some companies don't have a product strategy at all.

However, as product management functions continue to proliferate both startups and large companies, it's increasingly important for leaders to develop an effective product strategy. Doing so requires product leaders to step away from their (many) day-to-day responsibilities to think about the big picture.

The product strategy describes who your customers are, how your product fits into the current market, and how it will achieve business goals. The strategy helps your team focus on what will have the most significant impact on your customers and the business.

This guide covers how to fit strategy development into your other planning activities, the four key components of an effective product strategy, and when to iterate on your strategy.

Product strategy turns the vision into a roadmap

Product managers take part in a number of strategic planning activities. Every company has different planning practices, but I've noticed some commonalities amongst the highest performing digital companies. These companies have an audacious vision, a roadmap that defines what products and features to build to achieve that vision, and a product strategy that describes how product development fits into the business strategy and company vision.

Company vision

The company vision is typically set by the Chief Executive Officer, potentially with help from a Chief Product Officer or other c-level executives. The vision describes the ultimate impact the company will have in the world.

In our episode, " Crafting a Vision is Product Management," Blade Kotelly, Leader of the Advanced Concept Lab at Sonos, said that the vision should be at the bounds of what's imaginable while still speaking to customer needs. "The best vision always speaks to enduring human needs", he said. He elaborated, saying that if the vision is too fantastical, it's not actionable. But if it's too specific, there isn't room to iterate based on customer feedback.

IKEA's vision is to "to create a better everyday life for the many people." This vision is not specific to the product they offer today (furniture) and is not something that can be definitively defined as achieved in the near future. It's a north-star that inspires employees and customers.

Product strategy

The product strategy is typically set by the Head of Product. The product strategy describes how product management will help the company achieve the company vision and business goals.

When I interviewed Steven Haines, Author of the Product Manager's Survival Guide and former Senior Director of Product Management at Oracle, he described how developing a product strategy fits into a product manager's role:

"It is vital that people who are in product roles be able to look at what's going on with the business, identify what that future state ought to be and create a pathway to get there."

The product strategy describes your target market and your method for achieving business goals. The method may entail building a single product, managing a portfolio of products in order to conquer a category, as Michel Feaster described in " Conquering a Category is Product Management," or building a platform via an API, as Jeremy Glassenberg described in " Building APIs is Product Management."

Product roadmap

The product roadmap is typically set by the Head of Product, with input from product managers who are closer to customers and engineers. The product roadmap describes what products and features will be built to realize the strategy and vision, who is responsible for building those product features, and, sometimes, an estimate of when those products and features will be released.

The 4 key components of product strategy

The vision is the north-star the company is working to achieve. The roadmap specifies the products and features to build to get there. The strategy describes how to build product features to realize that north-star.

According to Bob Caporale, Author of Creative Strategy Generation and former Head of Thomas & Betts' Global Product Management and Technology teams, an effective strategy covers four key components: your customers, your competitors, your business, and the macro environment. I'll break each of those down and then give you an example of a product strategy.

1. Customers

The foundation of a successful business is a product that customers want. Therefore, the product strategy should first define who your customers are. Many companies serve multiple customer segments. For example, many banks provide services to both consumers and businesses.

Make sure you have a strong understanding of your customers' needs before setting a long-term product strategy or roadmap. And be willing to adjust as you get feedback from your customers throughout the product lifecycle.

2. Competitors

Most companies have direct competitors in their market, or, at least, companies that provide a similar value proposition. The product strategy describes how you position your product to your customers given the other products and services on the market.

In the cloud storage market, Box is more tailored to the needs of large companies than Dropbox. Airbnb provides guests with the opportunity to live like a local, while the major hotels provide a consistent experience across the world.

3. Business

For-profit companies have shareholders that expect the company to make money and provide a return on investment. The product strategy describes how the product will make money and achieve business goals.

Twitter is a consumer product that monetizes its user base through selling advertising space to brands. Box sells subscriptions to its enterprise customers. Companies employ a variety of different business models. It's important to define your business so that your team understands how the product facilitates it.

4. Macro Environment

The macro environment accounts for economic, technological, political, and cultural forces that may affect your market and your product over the short and long-term. The product strategy should account for the below factors as appropriate:

Emerging markets where your product may have demand

Emerging technologies that may impact your customers

Economic forces that may impact your customers' budgets or needs

Evolving customer needs and behaviors

Amazon's product strategy

In 1997, Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, published his first letter to the company's shareholders. The strategy he described has obviously been successful given that Amazon has not only gained significant market share in retail and e-commerce but also built successful products, such as Amazon Web Services, in entirely new markets.

Below are some of my favorite quotes from this letter. You'll notice how it describes Amazon's current and target customers, competition and market position, business goals and strategy, and the high-level macro forces that may affect the company in the future.

Bezos shared Amazon's strategy of continuing to serve existing customers and expanding into large new markets and outlines the company's high-level product priorities to beat the competition:

"Our goal remains to continue to solidify and extend our brand and customer base. This requires sustained investment in systems and infrastructure to support outstanding customer convenience, selection, and service while we grow. We are planning to add music to our product offering, and over time we believe that other products may be prudent investments. We also believe there are significant opportunities to better serve our customers overseas, such as reducing delivery times and better tailoring the customer experience."

In terms of business goals, Bezos opts to favor long-term growth over short-term profitability:

"We will continue to make investment decisions in light of long-term market leadership considerations rather than short-term profitability considerations or short-term Wall Street reactions."

In describing the macro forces in Amazon's market, Bezos emphasizes the importance of personalization, which after 20 years since the letter was published, Amazon seems to be the leader:

"Today, online commerce saves customers money and precious time. Tomorrow, through personalization, online commerce will accelerate the very process of discovery."

Iterating on your product strategy

In today's world, where new technologies are constantly reshaping customer experiences, and startups can capture market share faster than ever before, it's critical for product teams to be willing and able to quickly iterate on their product strategy. Bob Caporale emphasized this point:

"If you go out with an immovable plan, your plan is almost inevitably going to fail."

If you spend too much time developing your strategy, it may be outdated before you get to market with the product. There are three factors that should influence your product strategy:

The product lifecycle

In the early stages of building a new product, your strategy will be focused on discovering the needs of your customers and finding product-market fit. Once you find product-market fit, your strategy will be focused on growing within your market and exploring adjacent markets. Eventually, your strategy will be focused on scaling your team and operations and reaching markets throughout the world in a profitable manner.

In " International Growth is Product Management," Vinay Ramani, Head of Global Growth at Uber, emphasized the importance of adapting your product to the unique needs of customers as you scale to new markets across the world.

Customer feedback

The most effective product leaders I've interviewed get feedback from their customers throughout the product lifecycle. They're constantly working to understand their customers' needs and test new product and feature concepts.

As product managers run surveys, interview users, and build and test prototypes, they learn what products and features will have the most significant on their customers and the business and adapt their strategy accordingly.

The company lifecycle

In " Continuous Transformation is Product Management," Eric Ries, the Author of The Lean Startup and The Startup Way, described how as companies grow, they often lose sight of the entrepreneurial practices that helped them to get to where they are. It's critical for companies to maintain these entrepreneurial capabilities so that they can continue to adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs.

Eric has helped companies including General Electric to update their product strategy to be more focused on building new products. He advises companies to emphasize experimentation and data-driven decision making to discover how they can better serve current customers or reach new markets.

Getting started and leading execution

If you don't have a strategy, it's easy to lose focus on what's most important to your customers and your company. Block off time on your calendar (which I'm sure is already pretty busy) to set and re-evaluate your product strategy. Your strategy will help your team focus on your business goals and your customers and set a roadmap for execution. But your strategy is worthless if your team doesn't follow through on the execution.

To ensure execution, communicate your strategy to all relevant stakeholders in your organization. This includes sales and marketing teams, engineering teams, and the c-suite. Remember to be willing to iterate on your strategy based on customer feedback and changing market conditions.

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How to Develop Your Product Strategy | TIPM

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The term "product strategy," much like the entire role of product management, doesn't have a standard definition. It means different things at different companies. Some companies don't have a product strategy at all. However, as product management functions continue to proliferate both startups and large companies, it's increasingly important for leaders to develop an effective product strategy.

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Module eight dabbled in the definition of quality assurance, but I wanted a more in-depth look at what it truly means. The importance of a QA team and how to create and manage one was addressed in this article. Quality assurance helps meet expectations, build trust, effectively cut-costs, and maintain high-quality standards. Additionally, creating a successful QA team relies heavily on distributing responsibilities to the right people and making every job role clear. Managing a team includes specifying requirements, establishing rules, tracking progress, encouraging improvement, and nurturing a friendly environment.

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What Makes a Good Quality Assurance Team and Why It is So Important

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Wondering whether Google has a QA team, not sure whether you need a QA team? Learn about the importance of quality assurance.

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Quality management pertains to the overseeing of operations and ensuring those operations meet the highest standards of excellence. As a whole, quality management includes quality assurance and quality control. Quality assurance is the preventative measure of quality management. All products have to meet up to the standard set by quality assurance. Next, we can take a look at quality control. Quality control is part of detecting the problems and ensuring products are perfect before being released to consumers. The image below encompasses the idea that quality assurance and quality control are just part of the components that make up the bigger picture.

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Personal power and formal power are said to be the two categories that the five types of power in leadership reside. The article below gave me further insight into the coercive, reward, legitimate, expert and referent powers. From my studies, the reward and referent types of power speak to me the most. It is important to reward good behavior, and in a way, those rewards may gain you the respect present in referent power.

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Driving cultural change and organizational transformation is now a priority for business es that were heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. They've realized that for their company to survive - let alone thrive - they need to be agile in their operations and prepared for any future disruption . Adding this necessary agility is a process that starts from the top, but many leaders are finding that they aren't sure where to start.

There's no tried-and-true approach for how to respond to a pandemic, especially when its impact differs so greatly from company to company , industry to industry . As a result, many business leaders are going back to the basics in hopes of understanding their sphere of influence and how they can best utilize it to drive positive change in their company's culture .

The hope is that by u nderstanding power dynamics and how the se dynamics affect others will uncover insights about what type of leadership a company currently has, and if that type of leadership is truly what the company needs.

The five bases of power were identified by John French and Bertram Raven in the early 1960's through a study they had conducted on power in leadership roles. The study showed how different types of power affected one's leadership ability and success in a leadership role.

The five types of power are divided in two categories:

Formal Power

1. Coercive

Coercive power is conveyed through fear of losing one's job, being demoted, receiving a poor performance review, having prime projects taken away, etc. This power is obtained through threatening others. For example, the VP of Sales who threatens sales folks to meet their goals or get replaced.

This type of power can be used to set high expectations for employee performance. Leaders can use coercive power to establish innovation as part of their employee's responsibilities - if people aren't able to come up with new and inventive ways of doing things, then they might get re placed with someone who can provide that value.

2. Reward

Reward power is conveyed through rewarding individuals for compliance with one's wishes. This may be done through giving bonuses, raises, a promotion, extra time off from work, etc. For example, the supervisor who provides employees comp time when they meet an objective she sets for a project.

This is all about positive reinforcement and can work to really incentivize people while on the job. The draw of a reward - whether big or small - can foster creativity, healthy competition, and excitement across your team. Even if it isn't realistic to offer rewards all the time, t h e energy reward power can generate will encourage cultural change that sticks even after the fact.

3. Legitimate

Legitimate power comes from having a position of power in an organization, such as being the boss or a key member of a leadership team. This power comes when employees in the organization recognize the authority of the individual. For example, the CEO who determines the overall direction of the company and the resource needs of the company.

Driving cultural change with legitimate power means leading by example. If you want your employees to prioritize things like innovation, automation, or building out digital capabilities, demonstrate the import ance by communicating the why it aligns to with business goals , why it is the right move for the company, and why employees have the power to make a difference - and back your words up with the resources and support teams need to su cceed .

Personal Power

4. Expert

Expert power comes from one's experiences, skills or knowledge. As we gain experience in particular areas, and become thought leaders in those areas, we begin to gather expert power that can be utilized to get others to help us meet our goals. For example, the Project Manager who is an expert at solving particularly challenging problems to ensure a project stays on track.

With expertise comes respect. People are more likely to trust your insights and follow your lead if they know that you have a wealth of knowledge in a relevant field. For leaders who model expert power, they can drive organization-wide cultural change by encouraging others to become experts, too. This could look like practicing knowledge-sharing throughout the company, so people can access a single-source of truth to inspire and inform their innovation efforts. This could also look like using your expertise to provid e training opportunities for new and useful skills .

5. Referent

Referent power comes from being trusted and respected. We can gain referent power when others trust what we do and respect us for how we handle situations. For example, the Hum an Resource Associate who is known for ensuring employees are treated fairly and coming to the rescue of those who are not.

You can hope that your efforts to be a leader to your company - whether through a successful business quarter or a successful digital transformation - will result in referent power. If you have referent power, it means you have already made progress towards changing your organizational culture . And with each successful project, this reference will only grow , encouraging your employees to take bigger, smarter risks and keep moving forward.

Leading Teams Through Transformation

We live in the age of agility, meaning that businesses either must adapt or fall behind. You can change your processes, upgrade your tech, and increase your market visibility as much as your like, but if these changes aren't backed up by the people at your company, your efforts will inevitably fall short.

It's up to leaders to make sure that their organizations can keep up with these changes by driving cultural transformation alongside all other transformation effor ts. This is best done by strong leadership who aren't afraid of using their power for the good of the company and who care about empowering employees across the business to grow and innovate .

Being cognizant of how leadership's power effects their employees is a great first step but needs to be followed with a commitment to change. And for this change to make the biggest impact, it needs to involve each and every employee in your company.

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5 Types of Power in Leadership (With Definitions) | Quickbase

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Driving cultural change and organizational transformation is now a priority for business es that were heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. They've realized that for their company to survive - let alone thrive - they need to be agile in their operations and prepared for any future disruption .