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Week 15 (Reading Reflection)

During the past two weeks, I have finished the book by Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People. In this blog, I’m going to discuss parts four through six.

Part four is entitled, “Nine Ways to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment,” and has nine chapters.  This section deals more with how to confront people when situations are indeed negative. The first chapter in the section is entitled, “If You Must Find Fault, This is the Way to Begin.” Carnegie explains that if there is something that needs to be corrected in a situation, start with telling the other person what you appreciate about or praise them or what they are doing. He then goes onto cite Abraham Lincoln being the master of this during the Civil War when many of his generals had felt defeated but needed criticism and suggestions on where to go or what do next.  The next two chapters follow a similar theme. Carnegie discusses, “How to Criticize—and Not Be Hated for It.” Often times, people tend to use self-deprecating humor to make others feel comfortable in awkward situations. Carnegie suggests using a similar approach.  Instead of pointing out the criticisms of someone else first, talk about your own faults which tends to soften the blow to the other person. This also takes humility on behalf of the person doing the criticizing.  While I do not have many life experiences, I have found that narcissistic people tend to have the most trouble exercising this technique. Furthermore, Carnegie notes that if you can call attention to people’s mistakes, indirectly they tend to be more receptive and can put the pieces together themselves.  By doing this, it can also keep their pride intact and avoid humiliation. In chapter four, Carnegie discusses how to avoid giving orders.  He believes that it is more effective to ask questions of someone instead of ordering them around. It was not until reading this that I realized my mother does this on a daily basis. Whenever she needs something done, she will ask, “Would you mind doing ____?” To which, I usually reply, “Sure!” However, my dad will say, “Alexis, I need you to do ____.” It was not until reading this chapter that I noticed the difference between the two approaches of my parents, and why I do not enjoy doing things for my father. It goes back to the idea of making others feel important. My mother makes it seem as if I am doing her a favor, but when dad speaks, it is as if I am somehow beneath him. I can also see a parallel between my co-workers. One person in the office tends to phrase things like my father and the other ladies use phrases like my mother. I have the same reactions to each that I do my parents.  Chapter five entitled, “Let the Other Man Save Face,” continues to play on the idea that the other man needs to keep his ego intact.  Carnegie illustrates this by comparing two different ways of firing people. One approach was more coarse and made other person feel as if they were insignificant. The second approach cited specific examples of what the employee had done that was beneficial to the company and wished them the very best in the future. I think it is obvious which scenario any person could prefer. Chapters 6 and 7 coincide with each other as six pertains to how to motivate people to be successful and seven discusses giving something people to live up to.  Chapter six notes to never underestimate the power in praising the littlest thing.  When I have been put in leadership positions, I believe this is something I have failed to be successful and need to be aware of in the future. Furthermore, Carnegie in chapter 7 uses the common phrase, “Give a dog a bad name and you may as well hang him.” He then goes onto say, “If you must deal with a crook, there is only one possible way of getting the better of him—treat him as if he were an honorable gentleman. Take it for granted he is on the level. He will be so flattered by such treatment that he many answer to it, and be proud that someone trust him.” Chapter eight entitled, “Make the Fault Seem Easy to Correct,” discusses exactly what is said, which is something I never considered to be important.  This also coincides with giving someone praise and making them feel good about what they have to do.  It also goes along with the idea of giving them a name to live up to. I know personally I procrastinate on doing anything that seems impossible.  For example, the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is considered impossible and a dreadful thing according to a great portion of the population.  Hearing how people have characterized it has given me less motivation to study for it because I feel as if it would be useless even though I know it is not. While this is not correcting a fault, the same principle still applies. Chapter nine ties all of the elements previously discussed in part four together.  Carnegie adamant about this one thing: “Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.” He uses William Jennings Bryan, Woodrow Wilson’s Secretary of State, as an example. Bryan believed that he should be sent to Europe to try to bring about peace shortly after World War I began, but Wilson decided to send someone else on America’s behalf.  To soften the blow to Jennings, Wilson made Bryan feel as if he was too important to do this job, and it worked.

Part five is entitled, “Letters that Produced Miraculous Results.” Before Carnegie wrote this book, he used to deliver this information in a seminar/class format. After many request he decided to write the book. After his seminars, people would write to him about their successes using his methods.  Some of these letters are cited in this section, but he uses these to demonstrate one point.  The only way his methods work if they are genuine.  He states, “[T]he principles taught in this book will work only when they come from the heart. I am not advocating a bag of tricks. I am talking a new way of life.”  As I read this, I thought about my mother and grandfather. For them, they do not try to con or manipulating people into doing what they want by using these techniques. For them, it has become a habit and second nature which is why they are so successful in dealing with people.  

Part six’s title explains itself: “Seven Rules for Making Home Life Happier.”  While they are important for personal relationships, I am only going to briefly mention them since this blog is focused on the business aspects of relationships.  The first is, “Don’t Nag.” Carnegie notes that this is the quickest way to achieve mutual unhappiness which should be the last thing a person wants in a relationship. The second is, “Don’t try to make your partner over.”  The third, “Don’t criticize,” which was explored very in depth throughout the book. The fourth is, “Give honest appreciation.” The fifth is, “Pay little attentions,” and the sixth is, “Be courteous.” The seventh and final rule is, “Read a good book on the sexual side of marriage,” which is self-explanatory.

Out of the three books I have read this semester, this book has been my favorite with the colloquial style and anecdotes that fill it. Like Carnegie expresses, you do not want the challenge to seem as if it is impossible to accomplish.  His colloquial style makes it seem as if his principles are possible to master, and seeing my grandfather and mother use them on a daily basis confirms that they are achievable.  Over the weeks I have been reading this book, my perceptions of people and own words have changed, and I hope to continue to better my communication with people by using Dale Carnegie’s principles.

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Week 14 (Internship Reflections)

Over the course of the last two weeks, I have been assisting Mary Marshall with preparation and execution of the Strategic Doing Practitioner’s Seminar and proofing promotional and distribution materials for this summer’s courses.

 For the Strategic Doing Practitioner’s Seminar, I aided Mary Marshall in planning the course, obtaining curriculum materials, and preparing refreshments for the course. During the planning of the course, I used our software system, CampusCE, to execute the minor details such as finding a room to host the course on campus, to register students, and send correspondence to the group. When obtaining the curriculum materials, Mary Marshall and I used the 2016 curriculum book in addition to other handouts and compiled them into one folder.  In addition to these two big tasks, there was gathering of other minor course materials like notepads, pens, pencils, markers, etc.  Furthermore, an important part of UNA’s Continuing Education courses is the hospitality component, which is reflected through the providing of refreshments.  For this course, I went with Mary Marshall to the store and collected refreshments for the course including coffee, soft drinks, and finger foods.  After their purchase, it was my responsibility to set up and organize the refreshments in the room.

 The second major task over the course of the past couple of weeks has been proofing the promotional and distribution materials for the summer 2017 semester.  This has involved keeping in touch with the printing company, designing the materials, and reviewing their versions on a consistent basis.  For the most part, everything has had a template.  It is more of a matter of inserting the information into the template and proofing both the text and design.  As far as proofing text is concerned, I have been checking the course descriptions for grammatical errors, comparing the dates and other detailed course information with the information in CampusCE, and ensuring there is not class conflictions with the selected locations and rooms.

 Over the past couple weeks, I enjoyed getting to help plan and execute another seminar, but it has been even more challenging to learn the process of publishing and printing excellent promotional and distribution materials.

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Week 13 (Reading Reflections)

John D. Rockefeller once said, “the ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee. And I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun.” Out of the books I am reading this semester, I have been most excited about reading How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.  Over the years, many different versions of the book have been printed with updated stories, but I decided to go back and read the first edition published as I did with Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.  On a personal note, I was most excited about reading this book because my grandfather used to teach classes based on the course in between the 60’s and 80’s, and this is the edition he taught.  Furthermore, it was his book I used so I also have his notes made in the book to reflect upon too.  In this blog, I am going to discuss the first three parts of the book.

The first part of the book is on the “Fundamental Techniques in Handling People” with three subtopics entitled, “If You Want to Gather Honey, Don’t Kick Over the Beehive,” “The Big Secret of Dealing with People,” and “He Who Can Do This Has the Whole World with Him. He Who Cannot Walks a Lonely Way.”  In the first section, I heard the voice of my mom throughout the section, because as a child I could be very disagreeable and heard the phrase “if you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive,” too many times.  The anecdote to introduce the section was very interesting as he talks about “Two Gun” Crowley, Al Capone, Dutch Schultz, and other criminals who the inability to accept responsibility for and justify all of their actions. Carnegie notes that criticism is ineffective because it always results in putting the other individual on the defensive and “wounds their pride.” Consequently, it is very difficult to win people over to your point of view or your side if this happens.  Carnegie makes it a point to note that “we are dealing with creatures of emotion,” and have to consider that in our mindset in dealing with people. The story in this section that intrigued me the most is one of Abraham Lincoln. After the Battle of Ghettysburg in the Civil War, he grew to be frustrated with General Meade because he had an opportunity to capture General Lee and his troops thus ending the war. Instead, he chose to do something else.  As a result, Lincoln decided to write him a letter; however, Lincoln did not send it immediately.  In fact, he decided not to send it at all because after he imagined himself in General Meade’s position, he realized that he might have done the same thing.  When I envision Abraham Lincoln, his temper is the last thing I consider. Nevertheless, humanizing him helped me realize that it is ok get angry and upset, but the response to it is the most important part in dealing with it. In the second chapter, “The Big Secret of Dealing With people,” Carnegie emphasizes that how people get their importance is not only how to win them over, but also what determines their character and how to base your behavior in dealing with them. This coincides with the notion that criticism damages a man’s pride in that criticizing would fail to give him a feeling of importance.  Carnegie cites Charles Schwab’s philosophy, “I believe in giving a man incentive to work. So I am anxious to praise but loath to find a fault. If I like anything, I am hearty in my approbation and lavish in my praise.” This is very contrary to what man typically does.  This section in particular reminds me of both my grandfathers. My maternal grandfather, who taught Dale Carnegie classes, definitely employs this philosophy, but my paternal grandfather is never pleased with anyone or anything and is frequently considered to be “the most miserable man I have ever met” by many who encounter him. Furthermore, Carnegie also distinguished between appreciation and flattery.  He claims, “One is sincere and the other is insincere. One comes from the heart out; the other from the teeth out. One is unselfish; the other is selfish. One is universally admired; the other is universally condemned.”  Often times, I have struggled with delineating between the two, but this definition makes a very clear distinction.  The third and final chapter in this part, “He Who Can Do This Has the Whole World with Him. He Who Cannot Walks a Lonely Way,” discusses the importance of being able to seeing things from the other person’s perspective. I think the title of the section sums up the consequences perfectly. Carnegie also notes that typically people are “self-seeking”; therefore, an unselfish person tends to be an “enormous advantage.”

The second part of the book is entitled, “Six Ways to Make People Like You,” with six chapters.  The first one is entitled, “Do This and You’ll Be Welcome Anywhere,” which focuses on the importance of being interested in other people.  Often times when meeting new people, I find it difficult to maintain a conversation with them because I do not feel like I know the right questions to ask, but this is something my mother is really good at. After reading this section, I think that open ended questions are probably the best solution.  Carnegie is sure to note that people love talking about themselves and will tell you any information if you are just simply curious.  This interest in other people is almost sure to secure whatever you’re wanting.  The second chapter in the section is entitled, “A Simple Way to Make a Good Impression,” which is simply just to smile. Carnegie notes the common phrase, “Actions speak louder than words,” and since you only have a few seconds to make that first impression, it is an easy solution. The third chapter in the section covers something most would think is a common thing to do when meeting and befriending a person, but after contemplation, I think it might not be to obvious.  It is to remember the person’s name.  This coincides with making a person feel important which can be partially accomplished by knowing their name.  I thought a cool trick when trying to remember a person’s name is to repeat it back to them.  It almost resembles re-writing something over and over until you remember it. The fourth chapter notes that an easy way to be a good conversationalist is by being a good listener.  I would like to believe that this is one of my better qualities since I do not love talking about myself, but it came to my attention that there is a difference between listening and being an engaged listener.  This is something that can be difficult depending on the situation, but with practice it will continue to get better.  It also circles back to being genuinely interested in the other person.   Chapter five also goes back to the topic in chapter four as it says that in order to be interesting to other people you should also continue to talk in terms of the other man’s interest. Chapter six ends the section by discussing “How to Make People Like You Instantly.” Carnegie this is best done by making other people genuinely feel important, and he cites many examples when this worked to individuals benefit. However, it must be sincere which circles back to giving sincere compliments instead of flattery.  

Part three is entitled, “Twelve Ways to Win People to Thinking Your Way,” so consequently, there are twelve chapters.  The first has my favorite title, “You Can’t Win an Argument.” I think the title is self-explanatory, but Carnegie makes some other interesting comments in the section. Carnegie states, “Why prove a man he is wrong? Is that going to make him like you? Why not let him save face? He did not ask for your opinion.”  This statement made me think twice.  One of my huge faults is I love to be right, especially when it comes to arguing with my father because he always has to be correct.  But after contemplation, no matter how much arguing I do my dad never changes his opinion, and as frustrating as it is, it does not make life easier just more difficult.  This is the reason that as I have matured and gone “away” to school it has become easier to just let him be right and avoid an argument all together. Like Carnegie says it best, “The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.”  The second chapter makes a similar point, “Show respect for the other man’s opinions. Never tell a man he is wrong.”  The third chapter can also be summed up by its title, “If You’re Wrong, Admit It.” While I hate to admit being wrong, Carnegie makes it a point to note the benefits of admitting you wrong.  He cites multiple examples of how admitting your wrong before getting the “Old Harry” often times leads to less frustration from the other individual. Chapter four is entitled, “The High Road to a Man’s Reason,” which Carnegie said can be done maintaining composure and temper in disagreements. Carnegie cites Rockefeller Jr. and his miners’ strike.  When dealing with the striking workers, he decided to emphasize their interest by using words like “you” and “yours” instead of loosing his temper which would only have exacerbated the issue. Carnegie quotes Lincoln, “that drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall.”  While the phrase has been around for centuries, it is applicable for the centuries to come. The fifth chapter in the section discusses “The Secret of Socrates”: “In talking with people, don’t begin by discussing the things on which you differ. Begin by emphasizing—and keep on emphasizing—the things on which you agree.  Keep on emphasizing—if possible—that you are both striving for the same end and your only difference is one of method and not of purpose.”  If I had heard this secret years ago, I cannot begin to imagine how many arguments could have gone differently, especially with my brother. Furthermore, Carnegie also notes it is imperative to get the other person to say “yes” almost immediately, which would indicate an agreement, rather than the other person saying “no.”  Often times in dealing with people, it is imperative to know how to handle criticism and receive it, since others may not have read this book and know that criticism is never a good thing.  Carnegie notes in chapter six that the best way people can take complaints is to listen completely to the complainer and do the majority of the talking.  By doing this the other person, feels relieved but also that their thoughts and opinions are of importance, which Carnegie notes in previous chapters.  In the following chapter, Carnegie makes a similar point.  Chapter seven discusses how to get your way when the other person is uncooperative in doing what you want.  Carnegie recommends trying to let the other person think it is his idea. When I think of this, I thought about how adults might try to manipulate a child, but it really is not like that at all. It stems from making the other person feel as if their opinion is the most important.  It is your responsibility to make them see the benefits in an indirect way.  Furthermore, chapter eight also makes it a point to mention that while your goal is important, it is equally important to see it from the other person’s perspective.  Carnegie also notes that it is important to do it earnestly and honestly to the point that if our perspective is wrong or incorrect we should be willing to admit it.  In chapter nine, “What Everybody Wants,” Carnegie writes to never underscore how sympathy towards another person’s perspective and desires can help you in dealing with them.  He uses Al Capone as an example. He could arguably be one of the most hated people in American history because of his violence, yet I could be in his same situation if I had endured the same circumstances throughout his life that brought him to that point.  While it might be extreme, it is true. When I was younger, I typically could be harsh in my judgment of others, but over the years my mother kept preaching to me this principle (little did I know where she got this idea from).  To my surprise, practicing this daily has made me more compassionate and understanding in my everyday dealings with people. Chapter ten shifts to a different perspective as it discusses the idea of appealing to the “nobler side of people.”  Carnegie notes that everyone likes to see himself as a wonderful person and doing the right/just thing, so if what someone is proposing to an individual supplements this motion, why should not it be used? John D. Rockefeller Jr. used this when talking to newspaper photographers taking pictures of his children. Instead of putting it in terms of himself, he said, “You know how it is, boys. You’ve got children yourselves, some of you. You know it’s not for youngsters to get too much publicity.” While sometimes it is not as easy as this, it can still work.  However, I do think people in our present day culture is getting increasingly selfish and is having increasingly less regard for doing the “right thing” so this approach may be more difficult. In a similar manner, chapter eleven discusses using something the movies do: dramatizing it. Since Carnegie believes that people relish the chance to be a part of something important, stating the truth may come across as insignificant.  Instead, make it sound “vivid, interesting, and dramatic” thereby making it sound more important, and people do not want to miss out on anything important. In chapter twelve Carnegie expresses another strategy to get  your way if nothing else works: throwing down a challenge. I personally love nothing more than proving people wrong so this idea would definitely speak and motivate me to help or do something for someone else. Carnegie notes that a game gives man “[t]he chance for self-expression. The chance to prove his self worth, to excel, to win…The desire to excel. The desire for a feeling of importance.”

I wish I could go into more detail about the information and anecdotes expressed provided because it gives the book so much more life. These examples and anecdotes help see the principles come to life and where I can apply them in my own life.  I look forward to applying these principles in my dealings with others in the future.

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Week 12 (Internship Reflections)

During the last two weeks I have been updating contact records in our email database, Constant Contact and performing routine task. This program emails previous students regarding classes based on their interest expressed in our registration system. On our registration materials, they can choose if they would like to be notified of new class offerings in the following semesters.  When we enter their data into the registration system, we also select the classes they are interested in whether it’s governmental auditing, personal enrichment, GIS, computer, and other categories. From there, I take registered students in the database and merge their contact information into Constant Contact.  After the merge, I make sure their interest are correct so they are on the correct mailing list.  While part of updating the Constant Contact database includes adding new entries, the other part includes removing invalid email addresses and people who have blocked our emails.   Furthermore, I have continued with the routine task of setup for ILR, making customer calls, and preparing materials for other classes.

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Week 11 (Reading Reflection)

In this blog, I will be discussing Part 3 of Eric Ries book, The Lean Startup, entitled “Accelerate.  This section of the book is subdivided into parts called, “Batch,” “Grow,” “Adapt,” and “Innovate.” As a whole, “Accelerate” focuses on how startups can grow without “sacrificing speed and agility” needed for any lean startup to become a “lean enterprise.”

In the chapter entitled, “Batch,” Ries discusses the necessity of conducting experiments with the products without large amounts of investment for planning and design up-front. He opens the chapter with an anecdote about a family labeling address envelops for newsletters.  The daughters believed that it would be faster to stuff all the envelopes at once and then address them.  On the contrary, the father believed that stuffing the envelope and addressing it immediately would be the most efficient way.  Many people, including me, would believe that the daughter’s hypothesis would be correct, but Ries notes that many studies have confirmed the father’s belief. “Single-piece flow” is stuffing one envelope at a time according to lean manufacturing, and works because of “small batches.”  “Batch size” is the amount of work moving from one stage to the next.  The one envelop is considered the smaller batch; whereas if the envelop was filled, it would be the entire number of newsletters. The idea of doing smaller batches allows the entrepreneur as a company or individual to detect issues in the deployment of the product quickly and fix it even quicker, allowing faster feedback from and to the customer. Ries then elaborates on this idea and discusses the applications in many different professions including education.  This illustration I found the most interesting.  He notes that instead of the large-batch system in which curriculum being changed only once a year; however, School of One challenges this common way.  It gives students a daily list of learning task which are crafted around their learning needs and styles. The results from this schooling experience resemble the structure of homeschooling, which I did fourth through sixth grade.  During my time as a homeschooler, I was got a year ahead in math, and had other educational advantages like taking classes with people of different ages.  This mixture of people gave me a different kind of knowledge in addition to advanced knowledge, so much so, that in some areas of academics, I was bored when I went back to traditional school.  Furthermore, other studies completed with homeschoolers show similar results in academic knowledge.  This illustration allowed me to better understand the concept of smaller batches and believe in it.

Ries tackles the chapter of “Growth” through describing the principles of the engine of growth and that of innovation accounting. He asserts that “New customers come from the actions of past customers,” and “excludes one-time activities that generate a surge of customers, but have no long-term impact.” Ries then describes four means that past customers can aid in the acquisition of new customers, which are word of mouth, a side effect of product usage, funded advertising, and through repeat purchase or use. In order to continue to grow, Ries cites three generators of growth.  The first is called “Sticky Engine of Growth” which is governed by this one rule: “if the rate of new customer acquisition exceeds the churn rate, the product will grow.” However, these metrics cannot use total number of customers to determine their acquisition numbers. The most important component of this engine of growth is the ability for the company to make it more attractive to existing customers, which is usually done by means of incentives. Next is the “Viral Engine of Growth” which is usually employed by online companies and applications and is quantified by a feedback loop.  The viral feedback loop is determined by using the viral coefficient, and the higher the coefficient, the faster the product s spreads. The final engine of growth is called the “Paid Engine of Growth.”  This is usually accomplished by “increasing the revenue from each customer or drive down the cost of acquiring a new customer.” Companies that use this platform are typically phone applications or social networks. In reading this chapter, one of the most important things to avoid is what is called “vanity metrics.” Ries defines this as results from test used prop the company’s belief, or for simpler terms, the “feel good” results. This is always a caution for any company as they grow, adapt, and innovate.

Chapter eleven entitled, “Adapt” is one of the most important sections in the book as it discusses building an adaptive company by investing the right process so teams will grow but eliminate dysfunctional bureaucracy using the five whys.  Ries notes that adaptive companies, “automatically adjusts its process and performance to current conditions.” Throughout the book, Ries notes the importance of being timely and efficient; however, in this section he makes specific note that quality is still more important than time. If quality is missing, then it will cost the business more later with respect to company employees attitudes an customer happiness, something both true for service and product oriented businesses. Furthermore, the Five Whys are used to prevent problem symptoms and get to the “root cause.”  An example of the five whys for a stopped machine:

1)         Why did the machine stop?

2)         Why was there an overload?

3)         Why was it not lubricated sufficiently?

4)         Why was it not pumping sufficiently?

5)         Why was the shaft worn out?

Basically, it is asking why however many times is necessary to get to the root of the problem. This system also allows corporations to find optimal pace in production when coupled with working in small batches. However, one risk that can come up with the Five Whys is also the Five Blames. Ries explains how to avoid this issue by “[making] sure that everyone affected by the problem is in the room during the analysis of the root cause. The meeting should include anyone who discovered or diagnosed the problem, including customer service representatives who fielded the calls, if possible.  It should include anyone who tried to fix the symptom.” Additionally, the Five Blames can still only be completely avoided if an environment of trust amongst everyone, which is very difficult to acquire.

The last chapter entitled, “Innovate” brings the book full circle, and discusses how to implement innovation as the company grows.  However on some level, a company cannot grow unless it has innovation, as a lack of innovation will stunt its ability to grow. As corporations continue to grow, they may have more capital to use, but it does not mean that it should necessarily be used which is what Ries notes when he discusses “Scarce but Secure Resources.”  Balancing the two is vital ad typically managed better by small startups. Furthermore, Ries believes that successful innovation requires separate development authority, a personal stake for the employees in the matter, formal experiment platform (to have operational procedures and accountability, not to discourage creativity), and separation from the parent organization. Without separation from the parent organization, failure from an innovation or customer dissatisfaction could directly affect the success of the parent company. Furthermore, a huge pitfall of companies innovating is having the same team surrounding one product.  Often times, this leads to employees misusing their best skillsets (example: creative mind being delegated the growth plan). Ries opts to combat this with providing employees the chance to do different types of work by means of cross-functional teams to develop around each area and hand them off to different team.  The variance of products and team members allows for flow of new thoughts to be considered in the development of the product.

Part three, “Accelerate,” takes the perspective of the managerial issues that come with growth and innovation.  While the other sections take a similar perspective, its primary goal is to help the employees in their respective disciplines. This section of the book serves to focus on how startups can grow without “sacrificing speed and agility” needed for any lean startup to become a “lean enterprise.”

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Used in Week 10 Blog 

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Week 10 (Reading Reflection)

Over the past two weeks, I have continued my reading in the novel, The Lean Startup, and this blog will discuss the elements outlined in part two of Eric Ries work. Ries calls part two of the book as the Steer portion in which he outlines and examines the feedback loop.  Furthermore, the four subsections include “Leap,” “Test,” “Measure,” and “Pivot (or Persevere),” all of which can be found in the feedback loop.  

In the introduction section of the “Steer” portion of the book, Ries introduces the “Build-Measure-Learn Feedback Loop” which he describes as essential in building a sustainable business and/or startup.  This three step process (in the picture) is designed for entrepreneurs to optimize changes to occur rapidly and efficiently in a company.  Therefore, this cycle is best completed when time is minimized throughout the entire loop. However, Ries also notes that taking more time to execute a portion of this process correctly is just as important as doing it quickly.

In the “Leap” portion of the “Steer” section, Ries introduces the topic by citing the financial struggles of the Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his friends when starting out.  As a reader and student, the most frightening proposition to me if I were an entrepreneur is the ability to raise capital for such a small company. However, their value-hypothesis possessed two important “leap-of-faith” questions many startups face. Because they could validate their site by the visits from users each day, instead of focusing on how to retain users and if advertisers would find value, they could focus on how much advertisers would pay.  This story illustrates two propositions for every start up: the value creation hypothesis and the growth hypothesis.  In order to answer the both questions, one must determine if the new product is value-creating or value-destroying in both the short and long term. Furthermore, another important component of determining the value hypothesis is the customer archetype, which allows understanding the potential customer and their potential problems.  

While the “Leap” section focused on the analysis of the customer and the product goal, the “Test” section discusses the discontinuance of analyzing and building the minimum viable product. According to Ries, a minimum viable product is the very first version the consumer can purchase and it allows entrepreneurs to learn as quickly as possible. The consumers first using the product are usually considered the “early adopters,” since they are the ones who are testing the product essentially.  Ries also states, “Early adopters are suspicious of something that is too polished: if it’s ready for everyone to adopt, how much advantage can one get by being early?” As a perfectionist, I believe this is one of the single most important statements in the book.  As an entrepreneur and student of Innovation Engineering, I have to continually remind myself that it is ok for the product to not be perfect at first, so this statement proves to be liberating for me and I can only imagine for other entrepreneurs. In the following pages, Ries opens up to discuss different types of minimum viable products (MVP) including a video MVP and concierge MVP.  A video MVP shows customers a video of how to use the product, while a concierge MVP chooses to give a few users a modified version of the product. In addition, Ries states, “[A] common outcome of a concierge MVP in to invalidate the company’s proposed growth model, making it clear that a different approach is needed.”  In this section, Ries also discusses the role of quality in an MVP. He believes that “If we do not know who the customer is, we do not know what quality is.” An important thing to note is that the customer does not care how much time the product takes to construct, but they only care if it meets their needs.  So while doing things with the minimum time necessary is important, it is even more important for the consumer to have a product that meets their needs, which would win over more customers (the ultimate goal).

                 The next section entitled “Measure” is about innovation accounting which can be measured in three different steps. Innovation accounting is used to determine the financial standing with respect to where it is now and creating experiments to learn how to move the real numbers closer to the ideal financials in the business plan. Innovation accounting starts with turning leap-of-faith assumptions into a financial model that is quantitative. First, the MVP can be used to run test to determine the company’s current standing. Then the startups would tune their current issues/problems toward their ideal financial status. Lastly, the company would have to determine whether to “pivot or persevere,” which is discussed in detail later. Establishing a baseline can be done through a variety of test, but they all include using a MVP.  This step is called the first learning milestone.  The second learning milestone is done by “tuning the engine,” which can be accomplished through a variety of analysis and test, which are outlined in the remaining subsections in the chapter. Ries notes an important concept for all of tests entrepreneurs typically perform, “[p]oor quantitative results force us to declare failure and creative motivation, context, and space for more qualitative research.  These investigations produce new ideas—new hypotheses—to be tested.” Ries also states that it is important to make all the data credible to employees, which eliminates the potential for a hostile environment, which would not be conducive to free thought necessary to move forward in the development process.

After doing all of this analysis, the last section is “Pivot (or Persevere)” which discuss the steps that should be taken after analysis done according the the “Measure” section.  Persevering means continuing with the actions the company is currently taking; however, this result is in the minority. Pivots are typically harder to make because it requires the ability to be willing to make change.  While Ries did not say it explicitly, it was implied that it takes humility to take the pivots necessary to be successful in the future. However, he does explicitly say taking a correct pivot requires the ability to be objective and unemotional in the process. Pivots can take many forms as they vary depending on the issue the startup is facing.  

The topics discussed in the “Steer” portion of the book are used to lay a solid foundation for part three, which is called “Accelerate.”  The principles, “Leap,” “Test,” “Measure,” and “Pivot (or Persevere),” have to be done first in order to reach the “final destination.” While this is typically the least favorite part of the process of innovation, it is the most vital as it will allow entrepreneurs and customers to have success in the future.  

[avmordecai-blog]

Week 9 (Internship Reflection)

During the last two weeks, I worked on my responsibilities for the Strategic Doing Seminars. I mostly attended planning meetings and worked with the instructors to plan the class like the course textbooks, refreshments, and teaching materials and set up for the meeting rooms.  I also continued my set up for ILR, worked on preparing course materials for other classes, and entered course registrations into the database.

[avmordecai-blog]

Week 8 (Reading Reflection)

Over the course of the next few weeks, I will be reading The Lean Startup by Eric Ries.  Ries is an entrepreneur and programmer who has run both failed and successful businesses.  He currently works for and owns IMVU which is primarily responsible for the development of avatars in messaging and video games.  This book is designed to teach aspiring and current entrepreneurs a way to change their management process to promote more innovation. He divides the book into three parts: Vision, Steer, and Accelerate.  This blog is going to discuss the principles taught in the Introduction and Vision portion of the book.

                 The introduction is a somewhat typical introduction.  It outlines why he decided to write the book, a brief list of what the book is going to discuss, and how to read it.  Ries explains the five principles of the Lean Startup which are:

1)         Entrepreneurs are everywhere.

2)         Entrepreneurship is management.

3)         Validated learning.

4)         Build-Measure-Learn.  

5)         Innovation accounting.

The first chapter of the section Vision, is entitled “Start”.  This chapter discusses issues regarding entrepreneurial management which led to the Lean Startup process.  His goal is to change the way company employees and managers process information and resolve processes.  Previously, company’s would modify products by starting with a vision, then developing a strategy (usually a company’s platform) in order to develop a product. Ries modifies this thinking process to pivot instead of strategy and product to optimization.  These terms indicate a more customer oriented approach as it takes into consideration of the opinion of consumers.  

The second chapter is entitled “Define” which examines the title of an entrepreneur and startup. Ries explains that startup is “a human institution designed to create a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty.” This is important because the size of the company, industry or sector of economy is irrelevant in taking this into consideration. He then delves into explaining the role of innovation which he divides into three categories:

1)         Incremental innovation – improvements to existing products and serving existing customers (the most common type)

2)         Sustaining innovation – struggle to create breakthrough innovations

3)         Disruptive innovation – creates new and sustainable sources of growth

During my studying of Innovation Engineering, the differentiating between of these was very essential in executing projects and acquiring knowledge of the subject.  Ries continues with the notion people often find it difficult to execute these disciplines because they are not trained in this discipline, but rather planning and analyzing plans.  While this is important, this cannot be done without the innovation portion, which is why the innovation curriculum is vital to aspiring entrepreneurs.  A key point in this chapter is the emphasis that the innovation does not have to “make sense fast” initially because sometimes the most valuable tools we currently use were viewed as impractical.  This point allows Ries to further develop his next topic.

                 The third chapter in this book is “Learning”. This chapter discusses his process of launching the avatar and developing the product to fit consumer needs. Initially, the avatar was developed as a “profile picture” idea when people were using instant messaging.  The software was developed to be used on all the major provider’s platforms, but when they went to test the avatars with first generations users, they hated the idea of it.  This was due to the fact they were afraid of how their friends would perceive their avatar’s over the internet since they were designed to be a reflection of the individual.  However, when asked if they would mind using with with strangers, they jumped at the chance because these people had no preconceived notion of what to think about the individual.  This story is used to provide entrepreneurs with a couple different points.  Just because a product or service is not beneficial in the way you had initially designed it for, it does not mean it can’t be modified to be used in another light.  The second is to provide an essential mindset for all entrepreneurs, “Do not get too attached to your innovation.” This is going to be a common theme throughout the book, and is a central point in the Innovation Engineering curriculum.  

                 The fourth and final chapter in the “Vision” section is entitled, “Experiment”. This part uses the scientific method and applies it to business.  Ries notes an important assumption one must undertake in applying the scientific method. Like many other inventors, he believes that in order to learn, you have to be willing to fail. He also explains two terms, value hypothesis (testing how valuable it is to the customer) and growth hypothesis (how customers will discover the new product or service).  He also dictates that the goal of the scientific method should be to determine the concierge minimum viable product, which is used to measure what customers actually do.  Ries also highlights four questions that need to be asked and answered honestly for the entrepreneur:

1)         Do customers recognize that they have a problem you are trying to solve?

2)         If there was a solution, would they buy it?

3)         Would they buy it from us?

4)         Can we build a solution for that problem?  

However, it is important to answer all of these questions rather than just skipping to the fourth question, which is noted and confirmed in the Innovation Engineering curriculum.

                 I am enjoying reading this book because it is intertwining real life examples of implementation and failure at implementation for various notable companies and people.  I look forward to continuing to read this book.  

[avmordecai-blog]

Week 7 (Internship Reflection)

Over the course of the past two weeks, I have completed my weekly miscellaneous responsibilities, prepared, and worked Start Start Weekend.  

My weekly miscellaneous responsibilities are centered around class preparation.  I created name tags for the courses over the past two weeks and assembled class packets for those which included acquiring UNA Continuing Education and Outreach distribution materials as well as class handouts. I have also been setting up refreshments for the ILR class and assisting the members with any immediate needs they have.  

                 In preparation for Smart Start Weekend, I worked with Mitch Hamm to assemble the materials and contact registered students. I assembled teaching materials for Mitch and created packets to be used for the registered students.  This was a huge task as it included preparing a power point, activity worksheets, and other Innovation Engineering curriculum pieces. Furthermore, I submitted weekly reports regarding the people registered.  This was important because he needed to create a profile for them in the Innovation Engineering database that they could access over the next thirty days.

                 At the event, I served as the contact for the caterers and a mentor for people registered for Smart Start Weekend. Fortunately, the catering portion of my responsibilities was simple.  I just needed to make sure they were there on time and the food was set up on schedule, and I had no issues. They were very easy to work with and quite friendly.  My mentoring responsibilities were a little more intense and involving.  I worked specifically with one group all weekend, the majority were from Denmark.  As mentor, it was my responsibility to guide them in developing their idea using the tools with innovation engineering.  It was somewhat difficult at times because they did not totally comprehend the goal of the system as a process, and I do not think I did a great job of explaining it. Furthermore, they grew increasingly frustrated when Mitch, “Blew up their idea.” This is a technique employed by the Innovation Engineering curriculum.  Initially, they did not understand the importance of this tool, but it is designed to encourage the team to think about their idea in a different way and maybe better.  It gives the idea a more comprehensive evaluation.  Ultimately, they understood the importance of this process and even took some paper materials with them back to Denmark, and ask Mitch if he could extend their access to the Innovation Engineering website until April, which I believe he did.  

Overall, this weekend was exhausting, but I learned a lot about how to lead a team and how to successfully execute multiple responsibilities for a larger event.

[avmordecai-blog]

Week 6 (Reading Reflection)

During the past two weeks, I have completed reading Think and Grow Rich! by Napoleon Hill.  The reading material covered topics of “Power of the Master Mind,” “The Mystery of Sex Transmutation,” “The Sub-Conscious Mind,” “The Brain,” “The Sixth Sense,” and “How to Outwit the Six Ghost of Fear.”  In the following paragraphs, I am going to include a little summary and reflection on each topic.  

The first topic in this section of reading was “Power of the Master Mind”.  Hill describes this as the “driving force” that translates plans into action (249). He then goes on to define power as the “Organized and intelligently directed knowledge.”  While some of the information provided in this chapter was knew, a lot of it was adding on to ideas that were presented previously. Like the importance of infinite intelligence and one’s ability to acquire different types of knowledge. He also goes on to note that Gandhi “is the most powerful man now living” because he has figured out how to master the mind, rather than being just some “eccentric” (255).  I thought this reference was interesting because he has since passed, and today’s society tends to look upon him favorably for his ability to use his knowledge and power.  At the end of the chapter, Hill describes something very profound and through provoking. He claims:

 “Poverty and riches often change places, The Crash taught the

world this truth, although the world will not long remember

the lesson. Poverty may, and generally does, voluntarily take

the place of riches.  When riches take the place of poverty,

the change is usually brought about through well

conceived and carefully executed PLANS. Poverty needs no

plan. It needs no one to aid it, because it is bold and ruthless.

Riches are shy and timid.  They have to be ‘attracted’” (258).

 I thought this assertion was interesting because I think this alludes to a direct correlation in the work ethic of an individual. He repeatedly notes the ability for one to choose their own destiny.  It also almost reminds me of a value that children learn when they are young, sometimes it is harder to do the right thing, and easier to do the wrong thing.  While these are two different scenarios and ideas, I think it follows the notion that the “worse” part in easier case is the easier of the two options.

                 The next topic was the most shocking and surprisingly interesting in the book, “The Mystery of Sex Transmutation”.  When I first read the title, I was very intrigued by the topic. This chapter is one that really dated the book because it primarily focused on the influence of women on men in their private lives. Hill asserts that women have the power to help shape the view of how a man sees himself.  In other words, a man will live up to the expectation that the most important woman in his life will set for himself. He notes that some of the greatest leaders had a “modest, self-denying wife, of whom the public had heard but little or nothing” (279). I thought this statement was very interesting because I can think of instances where this is not true, like Eleanor Roosevelt, but plenty where it is true. As a result, I am still not sure how to take this statement.  Because this book was published in the 30s, women did not have a prominent role in the work force so the counter influence was not noted.  This is something I would like to re-examine in from post the Great Depression until present.  

                 The topic following “Sex Transmutation” was the “Subconscious Mind.”  I think this is something that people in our current society are very familiar with since there has been heavy emphasis on psychology.  In this section, he notes seven major positive and negative emotions (297).  He also asserts that the negative thoughts will inject themselves into one’s mind voluntarily but positive thoughts require concentration (297).  These list of emotions allow Hill to introduce the idea of faith and fear, through which he continues to explore in the remaining topics.  At the end of the chapter, he stated something that I really liked and need to remember as I tend to worry and let fear encroach my though process.  He said, “Faith is the only known agency which will give your thoughts a spiritual nature.  FAITH and FEAR make poor bedfellows.  Where one is found, the other cannot exist” (301).  

                 The next topic builds on the idea of the “Subconscious Mind” by examining “The Brain”. This was a short chapter as it tied the “Sex Transmutation” and “Subconscious Mind” ideas together by defining the role of the brain.  Hill describes the brain as being “a broadcasting and receiving station for thought” (302). With the use of “station,” it gave me a different perspective on the brain.  Often times, I have thought of it as a control center, and to some extent it does. But the word “station” has a different implication to me.  I tend to think of a train station, which is a place where someone can go to change a course of direction, reach a final destination, or start a new journey.  In a similar way the brain can end a thought, change a thought, or create a new one.  

                 The next topic he discussed he labels the “Sixth Sense” because there is not a good adjective to describe it, and one has to master all of his philosophies in the previous chapters in order to understand it. I totally disagree with that statement because what he describes as being the “Sixth Sense” in this chapter is really what is commonly called the “Creative Imagination” (312). However, an idea he does discuss in this chapter is the notion that the “Sixth Sense” is something that can be used to drive out fear. While he does not discuss the fine details of defeating fear in this chapter he does discuss it in the next.

                 The last topic of the book is somewhat self-explanatory, “How to Outwit the Six Ghost of Fear.”  While fear is in the title, this entire section deals with driving out, indecision, doubt, and fear, something I struggle with in different aspects of my life (327). The first part of the section examines symptoms of different types of common fears like, poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of a love of someone, old age, and death.  After discussing the symptoms of each, he then has a profound subsection entitled “The Seventh Basic Evil” which is one’s susceptibility to negative influence; however, Hill goes into describing how to prevent this from happening to yourself. This is something that I tend to struggle with and it is a section in the book I have ear marked and will keep referring back to. After his “pep talk,” he gives questions for a very detailed self-analysis which I would recommend to everyone.  While I found that I had many strong areas, I also discovered and re-affirmed the thoughts of my weak areas. Hill then states the key to great riches and success is “mastering one’s own mind,” and he corroborates his thoughts with a quote from Plato, “The first and best victory is to conquer self.  To be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile” (368,373).

                 Throughout this book, he has said that one could achieve great riches by doing one thing, and after reading the conclusion, I believe I have uncovered exactly what he meant by that.  One has to take control of their own life extending to their mind, plans, actions, imagination, knowledge, and desires.  In other words, Napoleon Hill is ultimately saying, “carpe diem”.

[avmordecai-blog]

Week 5 (Internship Reflections)

Over the course of the past two weeks, I have completed my weekly miscellaneous responsibilities and prepared for Shoals Start-Up Weekend.  

My weekly miscellaneous responsibilities are centered around class preparation.  I created name tags for the courses over the past two weeks and assembled class packets for those which included acquiring UNA Continuing Education and Outreach distribution materials as well as class handouts.  I have also been setting up refreshments for the ILR class and assisting the members with any immediate needs they have.  

 In preparation for the Shoals Start-Up Weekend, I have been completing a variety of tasks.  I have been working in conjunction with Mitch Hamm to distribute advertising materials on campus and providing information to classes regarding the event. In addition, I have been submitted reports on enrollment in the event to Mitch whenever I am in the office.   Furthermore, I have been working with Mary Marshall-VanSant on the catering order for the event.  We are using Chartwells with UNA dining to fulfill the order.  We met with them this past week to finalize the food offerings for each day of the weekend event.  We are providing a small breakfast and full lunch on Saturday and Sunday and dinners on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with snacks in between.  We were able to offer a wide variety of food, so hopefully, all of the participants will be able to select something they enjoy for each meal.  Since the event is this coming weekend, I will be working more in preparation for the event and on the weekend, so in my next entry I will have more details.  

[avmordecai-blog]

Week 4 (Reading Reflection)

Over the course of the past two weeks in reading Think and Grow Rich! by Napoleon Hill, I have covered the topics of imagination, organized planning, decision, and persistence.  As I have been reading these chapters, there are some statements that have both made an impression and caused to contemplate them further which I will be discussing in the remainder of the blog.

Hill defines imagination as “literally the workshop wherein are fashioned all plans created by man” (126).  He then goes onto describe two different types of imagination, synthetic imagination and creative imagination. Hill claims synthetic imagination is the faculty that “one may arrange old concepts, ideas, or plans into new combinations” whereas creative imagination is the faculty that “the finite mind of man has direct communication the Infinite Intelligence (127).  After reflection, I believe that synthetic imagination is my strongest of the two.  With this topic, I found it difficult to understand how to develop these skills.  I can only guess that one is only able to develop them by acquiring knowledge which was discussed in a previous section. Hill goes onto note that imagination allows ideas to be transformed from a burning desire into in an obsession.

In the next section, Hill discusses organized planning which he claims to be “the crystallization of desire into action” (147) and is the longest section from this portion of reading. He goes onto state, “[y]our achievement can be no greater than your PLANS are sound” (150) and how important Master Mind groups are.  These groups are like-minded individuals who are to help you reach your goals.  He then goes onto describe the major attributes in successful leaders of these groups which include, unwavering courage, self-control, keen sense of justice, definiteness of decision, definiteness of plans, habit of doing more than paid for, pleasing personality, sympathy and understanding, mastery of detail, willingness to assume full responsibility, and cooperation (153-154).  Like most, I’d like to think that I possess many of these qualities, but I find one of my biggest struggles in this list is definiteness of decision.  I have a bad habit to over think things in all aspects of my life, mostly because I do enjoy analyzing things which is manifested in other areas.  However, over the course of the past couple years, I have found that writing things down and giving myself and drop dead date for when something needs to be completed has helped in making definite decisions more quickly.  Furthermore, Hill also includes a list of major causes of failure in leadership which include, inability to organize details, unwillingness to render humble service, expectation of pay for what they “know” instead of what they do with what they know, fear of competition from followers, lack of imagination, selfishness, impertinence, disloyalty, emphasis of the “authority”, and emphasis of title.  Of this list, I believe as I have previously noted that imagination tends to be the weakest on the list; however, one of my strengths is imagination.  I have noticed that on both of these lists there are qualities that can be complimented by someone else on the team, but there are also qualities that are essential that cannot be replaced by someone on the team.  For example, while organization tends to be my strength instead of imagination, I can find someone else whose strength is imagination.  Additionally, I think it is important to note that imagination is not merely someone’s ability to be creative in coming up with new ideas or solutions.  I have come to understand that part of it entails someone’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances and open mindedness through these changes.  Furthermore, qualities like disloyalty, selfishness, and fear of competition can only be changed within the leader if he or she chooses to change them.  In the following pages, Hill goes onto describe applications and business practices of successful leaders such as how to complete a briefing.

                The last two sections discussed decision and persistence, which I both think have strong correlations.  Hill defines decision as the mastery of procrastination.  He then goes to note the importance of definite decision by citing the story of John Hancock and Samuel Adams in the hours leading up to the decision for them to side with the Patriots in the Revolutionary War.  Furthermore, he goes onto note that September 5, 1774 should be the most important date in U.S. history since it was the day that the Correspondence Committee arranged the First Continental Congress, and without these individuals planning this meeting, the United States would not likely have been formed.  Hill also makes an observation that I have not considered until now. He asserts, “Indecision is a habit which usually begins in youth...The major weakness of all educational systems is that they neither teach nor encourage the habit of definite decisions” (223).  I found this statement to be particularly interesting since this book was published during the 1930s which has before an undecided major was official introduced in universities.  However, I do not believe this was a foreshadowing of what was to come in the decades following. This statement definite challenged my perception of the past as it pertains to the education of generations before.  In my opinion, they have seemed the most driven and certain minded people when juxtaposing it with my generation who tend to be more “free spirited” regarding both educational pursuits and personal life.  Hill then describes persistence, “the sustained effort necessary to induce faith.”  I think these two sections correlate in that one who does not have a strong ability to make definite decisions will not have persistence.  These qualities both require someone to have a conviction for something they believe strongly in.   Regarding business, I think one’s ability to make decisions is often the physical reflection of persistence.  When I think of someone who has persistence, I tend to think of hyper focused individual with one goal in mind, which others tend to associate with a “ruthless” and “cold-blooded” demeanor as noted by Hill (225).  For people who tend to struggle with this trait, Hill believes this attribute can be cultivated and is based on these “definite causes”: definiteness of purpose, desire, self-reliance, definiteness of plans, accurate knowledge, cooperation, will-power, and habit.  Fortunately, I have been described as my peers to have this type of persistence, which has been known to intimidate them at first, but this also stems from my desire to be successful and give the most in every aspect of my life. I think persistence is an attribute that can be cultivated and properly directed by parents at an early age if they choose to.  I was the child who was extraordinarily defiant and wanted to do accomplish things “my way” which made things difficult at home for a long time, but once I realized that things did not always have to be my way, I was able to channel my persistence into the ability to accomplish worthwhile goals.  I can see Hill’s directions on development of persistence throughout my life.  In the early years, I had a definite purpose with burning desire for its fulfillment; I would acquire a definite plan and would not be deterred.  However in order to be successful, I was missing the last and most important quality, a friendly alliance with one or more individuals who will encourage you to follow through with your plans and purpose.  This was only to be achieved through learning.  Since I have figured out the formula, I have been able to achieve every goal I’ve set so far. 

[avmordecai-blog]

Week 3 (Internship Reflections)

Over the course of the past two weeks, I have completed and started new projects for the ILR class, Shoals Start-Up Weekend, and for Mary Marshall.  

The two projects I completed were the ILR directory and marketing report for Mary Marshall-VanSant which were mentioned in my previous entry. The directory was both proofed and printed within our department.  I was able to learn how to assemble it using tools within our office. The directories were distributed among members with high praises.  The marketing report for Mary Marshall-VanSant was also completed and submitted to her, which she distributed among her colleagues.  She was impressed with the compilation of information and the analysis performed on it.  After acquiring the class information, I categorized each class.  I then compared the courses offered categorically within each school using pie charts. Fore example, I compared the amount amount of classes between accounting, geography, leadership, etc. at UNA with a pie chart.  Then I also compared the same type of course category among differing schools.  For example, I compared the amount of leadership courses offered at each school.  

I also completed other miscellaneous responsibilities. These included setting up refreshments for ILR and other courses during the week, printing off name tags for ILR and other courses, gathering and copying course materials, and assembling class packets for distribution.  These class packets were specifically for the Introduction to Investing Seminar and Massage Therapy Certificate program.

While the past couple of weeks have been somewhat slow, I will be much busier in the coming weeks since Innovation Week is the last weekend in February.

[avmordecai-blog]

Week 2 (Reading Reflection)

Over the course of the past two weeks, I have started to read the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Hill studied a variety of prominent business men including Andrew Carnegie, Charles Schwab, Henry Ford, William Jennings Bryan, Woodrow Wilson, and others. He decided to write the book upon the request of an audience member at a commencement address, Congressmen Jennings Randolph.  Hill had spoken at Randolph’s graduation, and after hearing his advice, he sent him a letter many years later explaining the impact of his speech on his life and that it had the potential to help a multitude of people.  This letter was written in the middle of the depression, and Hill decided to write the book.  Since then, it has been one of the most highly regarded business books on the market.

In the book, he first states that there is one thing that these experienced men have in common that can be attributed to their success. Persistence.  He does not say it explicitly, but it is implied in every story. He takes a particular interest in Thomas Edison and refers to him multiple times within the first few chapters. The first principle he introduces is the desire to acquire success.  He discusses a few people throughout history who seemed to have mastered this in different areas outside of business, such as John Bunyan, Helen Keller, Booker T. Washington.   He asserts that, “There is a difference between WISHING for a thing and being READY to receive it. No one is ready for a thing, until he believes he can acquire it.” (51).

He then moves onto his second principle faith, which he defines as “visualization of, and belief in attainment of desire” (66).  He then further explains, “FAITH is a state of mind which may be induced, or created by affirmation or repeated instructions to the subconscious mind, through the principle of autosuggestion.” Autosuggestion is something that can only be achieved through self confidence.  He then outlines the “Self-confidence formula,” which is developed by psychologist and consists of five things:

1)         Demand continuous action toward your goal attainment

2)         Realize that the dominating thoughts of the mind will eventually reproduce themselves into physical action and reality, and concentrate your thoughts on them for thirty minutes daily to create a mental picture.

3)         Any desire that is persistently held in mind will seek expression through a means of attaining the object, so spend time developing self confidence.

4)         Write down your goal.

5)         Do not engage in any activity that will not benefit your goal or others involved with your goal.

I believe that these steps are essential to success, and I have found that I already implement some of them in my life, especially the practice of writing them down.  The area I need to improve upon is spending time thinking about my goals on a regular basis. While I tend to plan out how to achieve my goal, I do not know that I take the time to reflect on my progress.  I tend to keep looking at the next thing, which is important but so is the other.

                 The third principle he explains into more detail is the idea of “auto suggestion,” which is somewhat an extension of faith. He describes it as “the medium for influencing the subconscious mind.” He then goes on to describe the necessity of making plans and asserts, “When plans appear, they probably ‘flash’ into your mind through the sixth sense in the form of an ‘inspiration’” (100). He uses the common example, in order to be successful you have to visualize yourself being successful.

                 His fourth principle is specialized knowledge, “personal experiences or observations.” However, he asserts that people must understand, “knowledge will not attract money unless it is organized, and intelligently directed, through practical PLANS OF ACTION, to the DEFINITE END of accumulation of money.  During this chapter, I thought about a distant family member.  He had immense potential in science, but because he was not given to the tools to properly channel his knowledge post school, attributed his lack of effort, he has become a bitter, condescending, and pessimistic individual.  He had what Hill would describe as “potential power,” but his laziness prevented him from being able to use his knowledge. He then outlines ways to purchase knowledge, which would include, experience, education, books, and special training courses. He then goes onto state that “Those who are not successful usually make the mistake of believing that the knowledge acquiring period ends when one finishes school” (110).  I tend to think of my mom in this situation.  She has three different majors two business and one in geography, which has a reputation for technology.  Technology is continually changing so in order for her to keep her job, it is imperative that she can be adaptable and willing to learn new technology. I think this is something my generation has the ability to do very well since we grew up in an era with vast technological advances occurring every year.  

                 Throughout my reading so far, I have come to understand that persistence, the ability to be able to plan, and receptive to new knowledge is essential in being successful in business.

[avmordecai-blog]

Week 1 (Internship Reflections)

My internship is with the UNA Continuing Education and Outreach department. This department offers non-credit courses and professional and personal development courses to the community. This week classes started back for the UNA Continuing Education and Outreach department; therefore, much of my time was spent registering students for classes and assembling class packets, which included learning materials.  In addition, I was also asked to design course labels for the classes this semester that can be used for filing.  Furthermore, I was assigned two larger projects to begin working on.

The first project is for a program called, The Institute for Learning and Retirement.  This program, frequently called, “ILR,” offers classes for senior citizens who want to spend time with friends and learn too.  In addition to their classes, they often take “field trips” within the community, for example, Alabama Music Hall of Fame, Joe Wheeler Plantation, and Burritt Museum in Huntsville. The project is to assemble a contact directory for them, which included pictures.  In order to complete the task more quickly, I exported their contact information from our registration software to an Excel file.  I then used Word to perform a Mail Merge with their information. There were four entries to a page and I manually inserted the relevant image for each contact entry.  While the importing of contact information was quick, the insertion of each image took longer because I could not figure out how to do a Mail Merge with pictures.  I searched for options to be able to do this but was unable to perform one that worked.  

The second project is a marketing report for Mary Marshall.  Her assignment wants me to compare our course offerings and registration software with other schools.  The schools I need to include in the report ranged from community colleges to other universities which extended as north and west as UNA, as south as Birmingham, and as east as Huntsville.  My report includes the courses offered and a description of each. Furthermore, I categorize each class, so I can later perform an analysis that determined the most popular and biggest categories across all schools and for each school. I have only completed the information from some schools because I am having to search for all the courses and contact each school for their software information.  I should be able to finish and finalize the report by midweek next week.