daniflestado

[daniflestado]

INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT NO. 3

How would you describe Billy Bean's career before he became a baseball team manager? What do you think was his motivation in switching careers from player to manager?

Billy Bean was first a baseball player before he became a baseball team manager. He was drafted in the first round since he has five tools: he can run, field, throw, hit, and hit with power. He turned down his full scholarship in Stanford to be a professional baseball player. However, when he was recruited, he was not confident about what he can do. He did not play well.

He was signed because of his ability, but he needs to be successful to be confident, and once he becomes confident, that is when a team benefit. He was told that he is a potential superstar and can do everything. However, when he was already in the field, he was not able to show his talent. I think his motivation in switching careers from player to manager was that he lacked belief in himself. He deems that he is not a good baseball player and so he gave up and chose to become a scout instead.

Why do you think Billy changed his approach to recruiting and selecting players for the Oakland A's? What would you say was the role of Peter Brand (economist turned assistant team manager) in this innovation? How would you describe Billy's and Peter's approach in selecting the roster of new players for the Oakland A's?

Oakland Athletics loss their key players: Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, and Jason Isringhausen to another team. Billy’s colleagues thought that the problem was simple as that and so they wanted to be in charge of replacing the players they have lost with those they know that can play. Since Oakland Athletics have a limited budget, they cannot compete with the offer given by other teams. The reason why Billy wanted his colleagues to think differently and changed his approach in recruiting and selecting players. He supposed that they will fail if they continue to follow what others are doing.

Peter Brand studied economics at Yale. He worked as a special assistant for Mark Shapiro of Cleveland Indians by doing player analysis. He advised Billy to buy wins by buying runs instead of buying players. His role in this innovation is for people to realize that teams are overvaluing and undervaluing players. People are disregarded due to biased reasons and perceived flaws such as age, appearance, and personality.

Billy and Peter used sabermetrics in selecting the roster of new players for the Oakland Athletics rather than trusting the experience and intuition of Oakland scouts. Players were chosen based on their on-base percentage. They employed statistics to find value in players that others cannot see. Peter believes that they can make an affordable championship team as people in baseball undervalues some players. Utilizing this methodology, they were able to hire Chad Bradford, David Justice, and Scott Hatteberg.

What did the other scouting agents and coaches have to say about this unique approach? What made Billy and Peter believe in their approach despite the feedback and (non)cooperation of colleagues and industry veterans?

The other scouting agents and coaches are opposed to their unique approach. Grady Fuson accused Billy of destroying the team, which led Billy to fire him as the head scout. Billy also faced disapproval from the Oakland Athletics' manager, Art Howe. Art ignored Billy and Peter’s strategy and played his preferred lineup. Billy told Art that if he does not play the way the team is designed to be, whatever move Billy makes will not matter.

As their team gets behind early in the season, critics considered Billy’s new method as a failure. Billy and Peter believe in their approach despite the feedback and noncooperation of colleagues and industry veteran. Peter claims that the sample size of their method is too small to deduce that it does not work. Billy persuaded Stephen Schott, team owner of the Oakland Athletics, to go on with their approach. He traded Carlos Peña, their traditional first baseman, to force Art to bring into play Scott Hatteberg. Since he made similar deals, Art has no choice but to play the team Billy and Peter have designed; in which, after three weeks, the Oakland Athletics were only four games behind first.

What would you say is/are the effect/s of this innovation among the players they eventually recruited for the 2002 season? Would you say that this approach benefited or harmed the players? Why?

The effect of this innovation among the players is that they were empowered. They were given a chance to be a professional baseball player once again by performing the job they are not used to doing. This approach benefited the players as they are not overlooked. For instance, Scott Hatteberg only played as a catcher so he does not know how to play first base. Oakland Athletics taught him and during the game against the Kansas City Royals, he made a walk-off home run and the team achieved 20 consecutive wins.

What do you think was the purpose behind the Boston Red Sox's attempt to recruit Billy as their general manager? Do you think Billy should have accepted their offer? Why/why not?

John Henry, the owner of the Boston Red Sox, would like Billy to be their team’s general manager. He was offered $12.5 million salary, making him the highest-paid general manager. The Boston Red Sox attempted to recruit Billy because John understood that sabermetrics will be the future of baseball. I think Billy made the right decision of not accepting their offer because Oakland Athletics believed in him as a general manager and trusted him in his decision to continue using the system, he and Peter made even though they keep on losing early in the season. Although the Red Sox and not Oakland Athletics won the 2004 World Series by employing the model they developed, Billy was still able to do what he wanted, reinvent baseball by winning the World Series with their approach.

Why do you think change is difficult to accept and carry out in one's life? Why do you think some people persevere in trying to change their lives despite the challenges they face? Are the results/outcomes worth the hardships experienced? Why/why not?

Change is difficult to accept and carry out in one's life because most of the time an individual performs actions that he/she is in the habit of doing. Executing something that is regularly followed is easier than carrying out a thing that is done for the first time. Some people persevere in trying to change their lives despite the challenges they face because they want to be a better version of themselves. The results are worth the hardships experienced because whatever the outcomes are it will be a learning experience for the person.

[daniflestado]

Know Thyself

Part I: Personality Tests

MBTI

·      Do you agree or disagree with your test results? Why?

I agree with my test results considering that I can relate to it. I enjoy working alone or in small groups, as well as, value innovation and creativity. I believe that being a creative problem-solver is the reason why I was able to stay and continued studying interior design for one year. However, my dream is to have my own brand in the future. So, I transferred to De La Salle University, and enrolled in a business course. Like Logicians, I also struggle in finding a career that fulfill my needs.

·      Do the recommended careers (based on the infographics) appeal to you? Why/why not?

Careers on the infographics namely Software Engineer, Medical Scientist, Mathematician, Psychiatrist, and College Professor do not appeal to me. I am more interested in the creative and the business industry. Still, on the 21st slide which also has recommended careers for INTP, I am glad that it includes occupations on the mentioned industries. For business, it suggested Financial Analyst and Economist. While for the creative industry, it recommended Architect.

·      How will the knowledge of your personality type help you to become a successful business leader?

Since I know now that I have a unique personality, this can work towards my advantage and will help me to become a successful business leader. I can offer exceptional products and services which are not similar with present brands. I can make my brand distinctive as much as possible to make it out of the ordinary.

Big 5

·      How does your introversion/extroversion level compare across these 2 tests? Do you agree with the results? Why/why not?

In the MBTI, I got more than half on introversion and about half on extroversion in the Big 5 test. I do not agree with the results because I think I am not sociable. Even though I can approach people and start a conversation, I only do it when it is needed. There are times that I just really want to initiate a talk, but that rarely happens. I get pleasure from spending my time alone or with my loved ones which is just a small group.

·      Based on the definition of each trait, how would you describe yourself?

I can describe myself as an outgoing and social person who also enjoys time for herself. I am not emotionally stable, but is friendly and optimistic. I am somewhat careful and diligent. I have high levels of intelligence and imagination. I am not traditional and conventional.

·      In your view, are the results of your MBTI and Big 5 tests consistent? Why/why not?

The results of my MBTI and Big 5 tests are almost consistent. I agree with all factors except for Factor I. I suppose the difference on how the question is constructed and how I relate it to my experiences resulted in a different interpretation. On one of the statements, I agreed that I am the life of the party, but it only happens with my family and a small circle of friends. I believe that my MBTI and Big 5 tests will be consistent if I disagreed with it.

·      Does this test give you additional insights into your personality traits, in addition to those you discovered in your MBTI results? Why/why not?

Yes, this test gave me additional insights into my personality traits. I was able to recognize that I am approachable, hopeful, cautious, and a hardworking individual. Moreover, I was guaranteed that I truly have a unique personality.

Part II: R-I-A-S-E-C Profile

·      Is the definition of each characteristic in the R-I-A-S-E-C profile consistent with what you know about yourself? Why or why not?

Yes, the definition of each characteristic in the R-I-A-S-E-C profile is consistent with what I know about myself. I believe that I am attracted in occupations that require paperwork. I am interested in leading other people. I am keen on work that deals with art and design. I would like to be of help and serve my fellowmen.

·      Do any of the suggested jobs fitting your R-I-A-S-E-C profile interest you? Why or why not? Which of the suggested jobs do you think you can do, based on the level of preparation prescribed in the O*Net profiler?

The suggested job that interest me is Agent & Business Managers of Artists, Performers, & Athletes. I have thought about creating a brand that supports local artists. I want to help aspiring artists like me to be known and be heard of their stories. Based on the level of preparation prescribed in the O*Net profiler, the suggested job I think I can do is Advertising & Promotions Managers. I will need a four-year bachelor’s degree, as well as, classroom job and on-the-job training which De La Salle University can offer.

·      Do you think you will have a fulfilling career if you take one of the suggested jobs for your profile? Why or why not?

No, I think I will not have a fulfilling career if I take one of the suggested jobs for my profile. Despite the fact that I thought about managing artists, I am confident that I will be truly happy if I pursue my dream. I really wanted to have my own brand, have a physical store, be in charge of it, and create a little community. I am captivated in putting together the two things I am passionate about: art and business. I am firm on attaining my dream.

·      Do you agree with the comparison between your level of introversion/extroversion to your R-I-A-S-E-C profile? Why or why not?

I agree with the comparison between my level of introversion to my R-I-A-S-E-C profile. I am characterized as introverted in the MBTI and I scored high on the social portion of my R-I-A-S-E-C profile. Although I am more comfortable working alone, I do not hate the idea of working in a small group. I would love to teach and help my employees grow. I also intend on learning from them.

Part III: SelfStir 360° Assessment

·      What did you learn about yourself by doing the SelfStir assessment?

I become more aware of myself. I learned about the traits I need to improve on. I was reassured with the qualities I already know. I realized that I have to improve on collaborating with others, as well as, in clearly and effectively expressing myself. I also grasped that I must be more objective, respectful, and be nonjudgmental in discussions.

·      What is your greatest strength and your greatest weakness? Did these traits surprise you? Or are you already aware of them?

My greatest strength is motivating others and my greatest weakness is collaboration. I am already aware of my traits in the top five statements on both contexts. I was surprised that I scored low on the statement “I enjoy participating in teamwork. I seek collaboration and participation by asking for and encouraging the sharing of ideas, experience, knowledge, and perspectives." I thought I am active enough, but I was not in their perspective. I will make an effort to be better in that area.

·      What do you think about other people’s rating of you? Are you surprised to learn about their impression of you? Or are you already aware of the image you project to the world?

I am already aware of the image I project to the world in terms of the top five statements where I got the highest ratings. I believe that the reason why I am already aware of it is because it is the persona I wanted to show to other people. However, I was surprised to learn about their impression of me in terms of the bottom five statements where I got the lowest ratings. I suppose these are the traits I disregarded. Since I am now aware of it, I should improve such qualities.

·      How important is a 360° assessment in the workplace?

A 360° assessment is important in the workplace, especially when hiring new workers. It will enable managers to know more about applicants’ skills, abilities, and other characteristics. This will help managers recognize if a potential employee fits with the specifications of a particular job.

·      How can this assessment help you become an effective leader?

This assessment can help me become an effective leader by being self-aware. It will enable me to recognize the qualities that I need to improve on and I am good at. By continuously developing my traits, I will become well-rounded. Through a 360° assessment, I will be capable of understanding my workers. For instance, my employee scored low on collaboration, I will give more independent work tasks to him/her and assign him/her from time to time on team tasks so that he/she can become better.

[daniflestado]

INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT NO. 1

Who are Generation Z? 

A person is part of Generation Z if he or she is born from  1997 onwards. They are characterized as more open-minded when compared to the previous generation. With issues regarding gender, marriage of gay and lesbian couples, single parenting, and the like, Gen Z tend to view these things as normal topics. As an individual who belongs to the said generation, I agree with the description stated in the article about Generation Z. Through social media, I can see the thoughts of my peers and I have noticed that they are indeed open to talk about matters such as gender and family structures. 

When it comes to Generation Z and Generation Y, they have similar views on present issues. In my case, I have two sisters who are Millennials; my father is a Baby Boomer, and my mother is part of Generation X. Whenever we have conversations about current affairs, I observed that my parents and I have a different perspective, but most of the time my sisters and I have the same opinions. It is interesting to know that it does not only happen in my family. Generation Z and Millennials have naturally similar stance on contemporary issues. 

Similarity and Difference Among Gen Z and Its Importance To Know Oneself

I had my first smartphone when I was 10 years old; I was grade 5 back then. It was a small rectangular pink touchscreen with buttons on the lower portion of the phone. The two online platforms that I commonly used at the time were Facebook and Twitter. Now, I regularly go to YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Like my peers, I am online almost constantly, around 16 hours a day. From what I see on social media, my peers keep on sharing posts about anxiety and depression. With this, I can say that social media have a negative effect on our generation. Since teens can now see what young adults and older adults are doing through their posts, some imitate what they do and what happens is when the response they get made them feel good, they will keep on doing it even if it is not appropriate for their age. An example of this are photos of teenagers wearing revealing clothes and posting it on online platforms. In spite of that, social media have also positive effect on our generation. My peers are more confident in showing their true selves to the public. They are more vocal with their opinions regarding a specific matter. These behaviors that I observed from my peers are important for me to know more about myself. With the similarities we share, I will be able to recognize my strength. For example, being authentic can be one of my strengths as an individual who is part of the new generation. By being true to myself, family, and friends with what I post online, my employer in the future can easily know me better by just looking at my social media sites.

Since Generation Z are more likely to be enrolled in college and less likely to be working as teens and young adults, these make them the best-educated generation yet. However, not working as teens and young adults depends on one’s situation in life. I know people my age who worked during our long school break when we graduated in senior high. In my case, I tried working, but I worked in our company so I do not consider it as a true job. I have not tried working for a summer job like being a crew in a fast food restaurant or anything similar. With this difference in circumstances with my peers, I will be able to recognize my weakness. For instance, not having experience in terms of working with other organization aside from our company will be considered as a disadvantage on my part when I look for a job in the future. 

5 Challenges Generation Z are Facing Today and Solutions to Overcome It

In today’s VUCA world where there are volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, there are 5 challenges that Generation Z are currently facing: moving back to the family home, disrupted education and training, destruction of existing models of work, youth unemployment, and layoffs. 

Young adults have to move back to their provinces or their parents’ house after living alone or with their roommate/s as face to face classes are suspended. In my case, I moved out of the condo I was renting and stayed in my parent’s house in the province. 

Due to social distancing, online classes are held instead of the regular face to face classes. As a student that is enrolled in an online program, I feel the same way as my peers. I also think that I do not properly absorb the information I get and not understanding the material fully, as well as, teachers are going through the content quickly which makes the discussion not in depth. In this case, Generation Z might face lack of opportunity or skills considering that fewer jobs and internships are available. 

In the same way, social distancing resulted to a halt in hospitality, travel, and retail industry. For this reason, young adults are inclined in choosing a more stable profession and or consider careers in medicine. 

Because of COVID-19, there has been an increase in youth unemployment as today’s graduates are less likely to be employed due to their lack of experience which is not appealing for employers at the moment. 

Furthermore, layoffs are prevalent during this time for companies have to lessen their expenses so they can survive and usually inexperience workers like fresh graduates that are newly hired are dismissed. Since some industries are interrupted, employees working in such had lost their jobs or been placed on temporary, unpaid leave.

In order to overcome such challenges, Generation Z need the help of the government and businesses in various industries. The following are 5 key takeaways that I got from the articles which will enable me and my generation to conquer the current rapidly changing world: remain resilient and drive positive change, accelerate progression towards online arrangement, greater help from the government, embrace issues of Millennials and Gen Z, and urgent, extensive efforts from industry players to support Generation Z. 

Gen Z need to remain strong and take action to positively impact their communities as older generations are also having difficulty in navigating the new normal. I can do my part by being selfless and more aware of the needs of others; instead of focusing on the things that I was deprived of due to the pandemic. 

Now is the time to quicken the advancement with regards to online learning, online training, e-commerce, work-from-home, and the like to keep up with the current situation. In addition, this will enable Generation Z to have the necessary knowledge, skills, and opportunity for them to be employed in the future. 

With the help from the government, industries that were suspended, can slowly recover and graduates from such industries can be of help to affected businesses. 

By not giving opportunities to Millennials and Generation Z, companies may lose out on talent in an increasingly competitive market. That is why embracing the issues resonating most with Millennials and Gen Z is important. The opinions and experiences of both generations will be beneficial for organizations targeting such generations in understanding consumer behavior. 

Lastly, industry players are essential in making urgent, large-scale efforts to support Generation Z as they have the capacity to do so. By giving assistance, industry players will gain from it as Gen Z consumers tend to support large businesses that have positively impacted society during the pandemic. In the future, they would want to work for such companies that helped them and their peers, making them loyal to the organization.