A Black Mans Tribute to His White Mother Essay Example for Free

A Black Mans Tribute to His White Mother Essay James McBride, has a personal element in its origin that is carried throughout the text. The author attempted to discern his race, and uncovered the touching story of his Jewish mother who experienced her own personal Diaspora: she immigrated from Poland to Virginia, and from Virginia to New York City. The latter move took much courage, because she had to abandon both her faith and her family in order to follow her heart, ultimately marrying the titular black man and founding a lasting family. The aforementioned personal element really helps carry the narrative forward: James McBride wishes to tell his own story, but realizes that he cannot tell his own without telling his mother’s. Intentionally or not, this works quite well on a meta-textual level, as it reinforces how tightly tethered his family is to one another, which serves as an extreme counterpoint to her other family (indeed, her other life) that she left behind in Virginia. See more: Homelessness as a social problem Essay The work also serves to broker a much-needed (then, as much as now) discussion regarding racial division within America. A neutral observer might view the subtitle of the work and ask why race is so important to the narrative; as McBride illustrates, one cannot discuss this particular tale of immigration, life, and success in the context of America without discussing the racism that permeated the country†¦how, even in the shadow of civil rights triumphs, many saw race as an excuse to divide, as opposed to an opportunity to come together. Despite the rather serious premise, the book ultimately comes across as more uplifting than depressing. The memoirs of times when race relations are so bad also serve to make one grateful that present day America is much more tolerable regarding matters of race (though not, of course, perfect). McBride cleverly embeds this idea in the very title of his work, implying that the color of water—transparent clarity—can only come through a mixture of race as opposed to segregation. The notion of reconciliation within the work is not limited to matters of race: the epilogue of the story features McBride becoming more in touch with his Jewish heritage, effectively bringing the journey of his mother full circle: as she had to leave Judaism behind in order to forge a new life and a new identity, James McBride has to re-discover it as a way of determining his own identity. Throughout the work, there is an undercurrent of the importance of education. The text emphasizes that all twelve of Ruth McBride’s children become college-educated, and readers feel every bump along the way as she tries to get them through college. However, even while reading about these economic difficulties (a relatively touchy subject in the shadow of near economic collapse), readers are offered a glimpse of hope: the work alternates chapters written by James and chapters written by his mother, so even as the narrative makes one concerned for how the children will turn out, the gripping narrative of James reminds audiences that they will turn out just fine. In a way, that is the pattern of this book: tension and release, tension and release†¦the tension of Ruth’s struggle with her old family, and the release of the success with her new family. There is the tension of financial hardships and the release of financial success. And in a story that is essentially about the American dream, tension comes from the possibility that America may not be ready for Ruth’s dream. In turn, the release is the joy of Ruth not settling for the American dream: rather, she creates and actualizes her own. The Gentle People: A Portrait of the Amish by James Warner provides an intimate look into a group that is still a mystery to many Americans: the Amish. True to its word, the book is primarily comprised of photographs of the Amish that are artificially made to look like washed-out, â€Å"antique† photos. These are usually accompanied by a biblical verse, so one is able to more properly get into the Amish mindset. The old versus combined with the old-timey feel of the photographs really gives a feeling that one has become â€Å"unstuck in time,† as Vonnegut might say. Would-be sociologists will find this book to be a treasure trove of information regarding Amish society, particularly regarding relationships. According to the book, public affection between married individuals is highly frowned upon by Amish society, as their affection for one another is too sacred to be shared with outsiders. As should not be surprising, many of the ideas are founded in Christian writings and have been espoused by Christian writers, though the Amish take things to their logical extreme: John Donne, for instance, counseled lovers not to weep at their beloved’s funeral, because the affection was too valuable to share with outsiders. The Amish have taken Donne’s advice about love after death and have applied it to love during life, which can be something of a shock when one first reads about it. Of course, modern day feminists will find much within the book that is upsetting to their cause. The Amish have taken Ephesians to heart, and strictly expect wives to submit to their husbands in all matters. There are even limits to how much children can be exposed to the school system, with the assumption that only God can provide wisdom, and everything else is foolishness. While these are basic precepts for Mormons and taken for granted in their society, it is jarring for onlookers (particularly liberal onlookers) to first see the number of restrictions that are placed on people and expressions. Fortunately, the author has a built in ethos: James Warner was born to a Mennonite household, so he has quite a bit of background regarding this issue. However, that is what makes the book disappointing on several levels: it does not concern itself with any deep revelations about Amish history, and does not serve well as an introduction to the Amish lifestyle simply because no historical context is offered. The book and its photos are put forth as a kind of â€Å"slice of life† view of the Amish†¦however, considering that it was first printed over four decades ago (and was arguably offering out-of-date content even back then), the work struggles to find a proper audience in the modern day. After all, it is not a book for the Amish: its pictures and passages are simply redundant for them, and more conservative Amish may even consider its author something of a traitor†¦a man who abandoned their private lifestyle, only to make a profit by publically invading that privacy. The book is also not intended for those wanting to fully learn about the Amish: as elaborated on above, it does not delve into their history, and offers no context for the actions taken by the Amish. The ideal audience for this book, interestingly enough, would be modern photography buffs: the pictures are quite striking, and the measures taken to make them seem more ancient than they are may very well offer the aspiring photographer new tricks for his or her toolbox. For everyone else? There are far better books about the Amish, especially for those who wish to know their full story.

The Present Environmental Ecological Crisis Theology Religion Essay

The Present Environmental Ecological Crisis Theology Religion Essay There is the worldwide recognition of the present environmental/ecological crisis and there is a central belief amongst the religions that nature was created by God and should be protected. As environmental degradation has occurred, we begin to ask ourselves about the relationship between human beings and nature. The focus on religion and the environment has grown in recent years. Researchers have looked specifically at the role of religion and ecology. Taylor defines the field of religion and ecology as one that focuses on: Identifying the obstacles that the worlds mainstream religions may pose to environmental sustainability, and secondly the resources such religions may have available for promoting environmentally beneficent behaviors, (992). There is the recognition that the Earth is in danger from human activity and use and changes need to be made in order to sustain life on the Earth (Taylor 998). Why is it important to use religion as a means for environmental action? Berry states that it is human carelessness and greed that caused the environmental problems that we are faced with today (30). With this in mind, we look to religion as this is what some individuals believe holds a large degree of responsibility for the start of our environmental problems. Lynn Whites 1967 essay, The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis suggested a link between religion and the environment. White singled out Christian attitudes as a reason for the environmental crisis. He proposed that the attitudes of individuals who do not regard nature as a central importance need to be changed. The earth needs to be respected and used in a manner that will help to preserve it for future generations, rather than exploit it for the present. White suggested that it was when the Industrial Revolution began that the human concern for the environment was lost to a greater degree than had been seen in the past. White interpreted the Bible as presenting human dominance over nature, leading individuals to care about themselves and industrial progress rather than about environmental matters and the ultimate effects of their actions on the earth. Besides Whites interpretation, there are many other suggested explanations for how humans viewed the world, and their resulting actions. From the philosophy of Rene Descartes, the universe was seen as a machine. It was from this time that economic progress was a priority and the long-term effects from the development and use of nature was not regarded as an issue (Sevier, 41). This is a view similar to that held by White, in that human progress and development has led to the environmental effects. However, this view does not specifically mention the role of religion. Carters interpretation of this issue suggests that the ecological crisis is not a result of Judeo-Christian traditions, but rather stems from the interpretation of the Bible and giving human beings dominance over other life forms (animals, plants) (358). This led to the exploitation of natural resources and ultimately to where we are today with the issue. Regardless of how it initially happened, we have to face reality and realize that as a society we have caused considerable damage to our planet. The role of religion Anthropologists suggest that religion persists because it has value to us, and such value can be either intrinsic, instrumental, or a combination thereof, (Strada 59). Sevier writes that, Traditionally, religion used to play an integral role in linking people to the natural world, imbuing people with the knowledge and values that make caring for it a priority, (38). Six major religions Buddhism Christianity Hinduism Islam Judaism Indigenous Religious Buddhism There is a universality of suffering. Being aware of suffering and produces compassion. Though traditional Buddhism regarded human life over that of animals, there is presently the recognition that all life forms should be respected equally. As humans we got ourselves into this ecological/environmental crisis and we are the ones that need to get ourselves out. Source: Swearer Christianity There is often seen to be a failure on the part of Christians in how they had interpreted the Bible and used the resources that God made available to them. Lynn Whites 1967 essay is an example of this. However, this is not the belief of all individuals. There recently has been an increased awareness of the environment in the United States as churches are initiating responsibility towards environmental protection. Hinduism Hindu images relate to the powerful natural world. Ecological sensitivity is based on the relationship between humans and how they respect the gods and goddesses related to the earth. In South Asia, the effects of pollution, both in the air and water, have been felt, particularly in recent years. With the values that Hinduism has towards the environment, reflection is starting to occur on how individuals can best approach the ecological challenges that are occurring. Islam An environmental ethic is in the Quran, but leaves an opening for Muslims to incorporate creative and innovative solutions in the contemporary context. A green jihad has recently begun. This is a common term for the green movement that promotes environmental protection. Source: Denny Judaism Ecological issues were never a central focus of Judaism, but rather were dealt with as they came about. An environmental perspective suggests that a belief of Judaism is that we are only tenants on this earth. The earth must then be cared for as there are other inhabitants, both presently as well as in the future, that will be living here. Source: Fink Indigenous Religions For individuals following indigenous religions, there is an understanding of their place in the local environment. Native Americans have believed that there are spirits in nature and the environment needs to be taken care of. Grim writes that in indigenous beliefs, to analyze religion as a separate system of beliefs and ritual practices apart from subsistence, kinship, language, governance, and landscape is to misunderstand indigenous religion. The respect for nature and the environment is still present amongst the Indigenous peoples. What is evident, however, is wherever indigenous peoples have endured, they have maintained a loving experience of place and an understanding that spiritual forces capable of leading humans into both utilitarian and self-understandings abide in all of these places, (Grim). Source: Grim How do we create a solution? An environmental crisis is here. It is recognized throughout the world, and its presence is agreed upon by the major religions. But what is the next step? How do we go about creating a solution? Can there be a common ground for science and religion in that both work together towards a solution? Bouma-Prediger quotes Edward O. Wilson in saying that religion and science are the two most powerful forces in the world todayif religion and science could be united on the common ground of biological conservation, the problem [of biological catastrophe] would soon be solved (1392). Can religion and science work together? Hossein Nasr writes, The environmental crisis now encompasses the entire Earth, (3). He suggests that there is a crisis of values and that as humans, we have participated in creating the destruction of the environment. A need exists to develop a path across religious frontiers without destroying the significance of religion itself and to carry out a comparative study of the Earths of various religions as has been carried out for their Heavens, if these terms are understood in their traditional metaphysical and cosmological sense, (Hossein Nasr 3). We need to regain the loss of a moral and social awareness as ecology becomes more individualistic and systems based. Many researchers recognize that a global stance needs to be taken by religions, with them working together to create a more comprehensive worldview and ethics to assist in reversing this trend, (Tucker and Grim). This is along similar lines with what Hossein Nasr writes, that dialogue on the environment must take place between religions on a global scale. Tucker and Grim continue by writing that, This is critical because the attitudes and values that shape peoples concepts of nature come primarily from religious worldviews and ethical practices. The moral imperative and value systems of religions are indispensable in mobilizing the sensibilities of people toward preserving the environment for future generations. Religious factors and environmental behaviors and attitudes Sherkat and Ellison analyzed data from a 1993 General Social Survey to look at religious factors and environmental behaviors and attitudes. Their study revealed that contradictory findings on the connection between religion and environmental concern and activism are the result of varied influences of religious schemata and resource interactions on different indicators of environmental concern and activism, (83). Sherkat and Ellison were not able to conclude specific religious influences on the environment, but suggested that Whites 1967 essay had the possibility of being a primary influence for religious leaders to take a pro-environment stance and actions (83). Religion and the environment are intertwined in that they have had a history and will continue to have a role together in the future. This may be one area where science and religion can find a common ground both have the environment in their best interest and can work together to find a solution to the current environmental crisis. As religious traditions and beliefs have shaped human values and behaviors towards the environment in the past, this is one possibility for working toward positive environmental attitudes for the future.

The Hindenburg :: American America History

The Hindenburg The Inferno The arrival of the Hindenburg, thirteen hours behind schedule, at Lakehurst, New Jersey, on the evening of May 6, 1937, promised to be routine. The ship had an unblemished safety record on eighteen previous Atlantic crossings. In fact, no passenger had ever lost his life on any commercial airship. Still, because this was the beginning of the most ambitious season yet for airship voyages, reporters, photographers and news reel cameramen had their eyes and lenses focused on the great dirigible as it approached. When disaster struck it was sudden. Without warning flames gushed from within the Hindenburg's hull; thirty-two seconds later the airship lay on the ground, ravaged. Never had the sights and sounds of a disaster in progress been so graphically documented. Within a day, newspaper readers and theater audiences were confronted by fiery images of the Hindenburg. Radio listeners heard the emotional words of newsman Herb Morrison, sobbing into his recorder, "It's burning, bursting int o flames, and it's falling on the mooring mast and all the folks. This is one of the worst catastrophes in the world. . . . Oh, the humanity and all the passengers!(Marben 58)" When this floating cathedral, called the Hindenburg, burst into a geyser of flaming hydrogen there was a tremendous impact on the public, although two thirds of the people on board survived. Two theories about why it happened surfaced and this tragedy put an end to the short age of these massive airships. The demise of the Hindenburg had a searing impact on public consciousness that far surpassed the bare statistics of the calamity. Men and women escaped, even from this inferno. One elderly lady walked out by the normal exit as though nothing had happened and was unscratched. A fourteen-year-old cabin boy jumped to the ground into flames and smoke. He was almost unconscious from the fumes when a water-ballast bag collapsed over his head. He got out. One passenger hacked his way through a jungle of hot metal using his bare hands. Another emerged safely, only to have another passenger land upon him and cripple him. One man, at an open window with every chance to jump to safety, went back into the flames to his wife, both died. The final count was 36 dead, including 13 passengers. Nearly two thirds, of the 97 persons on board survived, but that fact was forever obscured, and the name Hindenburg became comparable only to the name Titanic(Abbott 69).

Merchant Of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

Villain of Venice   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People often find security and self-assurance in acting evil towards other people. They may be out to destroy others, or improve their own social status. However, at the same time, the “villain'; may also be out for revenge. Shylock, from William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, has each of these motives as he takes on the role of the antagonist in this play. Shylock, the Jew, manages to mistreat almost everyone in his life. He especially acts as a villain towards Lancelet his young servant, Antonio the Christian, and even his own daughter, Jessica.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shylock is a very harsh master to the young Lancelet. He is very belligerent towards the young boy, and he seems to enjoy mistreating the young boy. “Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.'; (Act 2, Scene 5, Line 9) He realizes that Lancelet is much lower than he is on the social and economic level, and he does not let the youngster forget his status by continually acting antagonistic towards him. He makes Lancelet appear to be a sluggard who sleeps all day and does little work. He always seems to criticize the poor boy behind his back and complain about his laziness. Even after Shylock sees that Lancelet is gone, he continues to reproach his work as a servant. It seems as though Shylock is trying to elevate his own self-esteem, by acting contentious towards his servant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way in which Shylock treats his own daughter is beyond comprehension. He virtually locks her in the house when he goes to the masque one night. Shylock redundantly enforces the importance that she lock the house up after he leaves. Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum…   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clamber not you up to the casements then, Nor thrust your head into the public street… But stop my house’s ears (I mean my casements). Let not the sound of shallow fopp’ry enter my sober house. (Act 2, Scene 5, Lines 30-37) He makes her captive in her own home and forbids her to so much as look out a window. Jessica refers to her home as hell and, although she is sad to see him go, tells Lancelet that he is making a wise decision. It is evident throughout the play that Shylock does not care as much for his daughter as he does for his material possessions. When he tells Jessica to lock up the house after he leaves, it is not because he fears for her safety, but rather because he is hesitant about leaving his personal property. Merchant Of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays Villain of Venice   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People often find security and self-assurance in acting evil towards other people. They may be out to destroy others, or improve their own social status. However, at the same time, the “villain'; may also be out for revenge. Shylock, from William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, has each of these motives as he takes on the role of the antagonist in this play. Shylock, the Jew, manages to mistreat almost everyone in his life. He especially acts as a villain towards Lancelet his young servant, Antonio the Christian, and even his own daughter, Jessica.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shylock is a very harsh master to the young Lancelet. He is very belligerent towards the young boy, and he seems to enjoy mistreating the young boy. “Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.'; (Act 2, Scene 5, Line 9) He realizes that Lancelet is much lower than he is on the social and economic level, and he does not let the youngster forget his status by continually acting antagonistic towards him. He makes Lancelet appear to be a sluggard who sleeps all day and does little work. He always seems to criticize the poor boy behind his back and complain about his laziness. Even after Shylock sees that Lancelet is gone, he continues to reproach his work as a servant. It seems as though Shylock is trying to elevate his own self-esteem, by acting contentious towards his servant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way in which Shylock treats his own daughter is beyond comprehension. He virtually locks her in the house when he goes to the masque one night. Shylock redundantly enforces the importance that she lock the house up after he leaves. Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum…   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clamber not you up to the casements then, Nor thrust your head into the public street… But stop my house’s ears (I mean my casements). Let not the sound of shallow fopp’ry enter my sober house. (Act 2, Scene 5, Lines 30-37) He makes her captive in her own home and forbids her to so much as look out a window. Jessica refers to her home as hell and, although she is sad to see him go, tells Lancelet that he is making a wise decision. It is evident throughout the play that Shylock does not care as much for his daughter as he does for his material possessions. When he tells Jessica to lock up the house after he leaves, it is not because he fears for her safety, but rather because he is hesitant about leaving his personal property.

Midterm Exam Essay

1. (TCO 1) Suppose your company sold $25,000 in merchandise to a customer for cash. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation? (Points : 12) 2. (TCO 2) Suppose your company sold $50,000 in merchandise to a customer for cash. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation? (Points : 12) 3. (TCO 3) Rationalization is one of the components of the fraud triangle. What types of rationalization could a person use to justify misconduct? How can a company protect itself from rationalization as a part of fraud? (Points : 12) 4. (TCO 4) What is horizontal analysis of financial statements? How does horizontal analysis differ from vertical analysis? (Points : 12) 5. (TCO 3) Separation of duties is a key feature in an internal control system. Why is separation of duties such an important internal control? Give an example of separation of duties as an internal control. (Points : 24) 6. (TCO 1) Describe the balance sheet. Why is this statement important to the company, creditors, and investors? (Points : 24) 7. (TCO 4) Name and describe one liquidity ratio. What does this ratio measure? What is the formula for this ratio? (Points : 24) ACCT 301 Midterm Exam 2 1. (TCO 1) The retained earnings statement shows all of the following except which one? 2. (TCO 1) Management’s views on the company’s short-term debt paying ability, expansion financing, and results of operations are found in which of the following? 3. (TCO 4) For 2010, Fielder Corporation reported net income of $30,000; net sales $400,000; and average share outstanding 6,000. There were no preferred stock dividends. What was the 2010 earnings per share? 4. (TCO 4) A useful measure of solvency is which of the following? 5. (TCO 2) Which pair of accounts follows the rules of debit and credit, in relation to increases and decreases, in the same manner? 6. (TCO 2) The principle purpose of posting is which of the following? 7. (TCO 3) Joe is a warehouse custodian, and also maintains the accounting record of the inventory held at the warehouse. An assessment of this situation  indicates 8. (TCO 3) The following information was taken from Hurlbert Company cash budget for the month of June: 9. (TCO 11) Managerial accounting information does which of the following? 10. (TCO 11) Which one of the following is not a direct material? 11. (TCO 11) Sales commissions are classified as which of the following? 12. (TCO 11) Manufacturing costs include which of the following? 13. (TCO 11) Neeley Manufacturing Company reported the following year-end information: 14. (TCO 5) What effect do changes in activity have on fixed costs per unit? 15. (TCO 5) Which one of the following is not an assumption of CVP analysis? ACCT 301 Midterm Exam 3 1. (TCO 5) A company has total fixed costs of $210,000 and a contribution margin ratio of 30%. How much sales are necessary to break even? 2. (TCO 5) How much sales are required to earn a target income of $70,000, if total fixed costs are $100,000 and the contribution margin ratio is 40%? 3. (TCO 6) For which one of the following budgeting aspects does the budget committee generally have the responsibility? 4. (TCO 6) Under what situation might a budget be most effective? 5. (TCO 6) How does long-range planning compare to a master budget? 6. (TCO 6) Which one of the following is a source of information used to prepare the budgeted income statement? 7. (TCO 7) When is a static budget most appropriate in evaluating a manager’s performance? 8. (TCO 7) Which type of center is the housekeeping department of a manufacturing company? 9. (TCO 7) For which of the following is an investment center manager responsible? 10. (TCO 7) Merck Pharmaceuticals is evaluating its Vioxx division, an investment center. The division has a $45,000 controllable margin and $300,000 of sales. How much will Merck’s average operating assets be when its return on investment is 10%? 11. (TCO 11) Financial and managerial accounting are both concerned with the economic events of an enterprise. Similarities between financial and managerial accounting do exist, but they have a different focus. Briefly distinguish between financial and managerial accounting as they relate to (1) the primary users, (2) the type and frequency of reports, (3) the purpose of reports, and (4) the content of reports. 12. (TCO 4) Are short-term creditors, long-term creditors, and stockholders primarily interested in the same characteristics of a company? Explain. 13. (TCO 5) In the month of  September, Nixon Company sold 800 units of product. The average sales price was $30. During the month, fixed costs were $7,200 and variable costs wer e 60% of sales.

Euthanasia: Death and Life-sustaining Treatment Essay

Physicians are committed to sustaining life and relieving suffering. Where the performance of one duty conflicts with the other; the patient’s wishes should prevail. Physicians are required by the principle of patient autonomy to respect a competent patient’s decision to forgo life-sustaining treatment, which prolongs life without reversing the underlying medical condition. Life-sustaining treatment includes, but is not limited to, mechanical ventilation, renal dialysis, chemotherapy, use of antibiotics, other drugs, and artificial nutrition and hydration. Define euthanasia and identify the difference between the types of euthanasia (passive/active euthanasia) Euthanasia is defined as the administration of a lethal agent by another person to a patient for the purpose of relieving the patient’s intolerable and incurable suffering. Some opponents feel that euthanasia is incompatible with the physician’s role as healer, would be difficult to control if made public policy, and would pose serious societal risks. Instead of practicing euthanasia, physicians should be sensitive to the needs of dying patients. Patients should not be abandoned when cure is impossible and should continue to receive emotional support, comfort care, adequate pain control, respect for autonomy, and effective communication. Discuss your beliefs regarding euthanasia. Are there any circumstances when you feel it is justified? Explain your answer. When it becomes evident that a patient’s disease is incurable and death is imminent, palliative care may serve the dying patient better than curative care. Palliative care is directed toward providing relief to terminally ill patients through symptom and pain management. The goal is not to cure but to provide comfort and maintain the highest possible quality of life. Going beyond relief of disease symptoms, palliative care includes relief of emotional distress and other problems so that a patient’s last months and days may be as comfortable as possible. Traditionally, in educational Define and describe the special populations as presented on the Pro/Con web site, and how this population might be adversely affected by euthanasia. Discuss your beliefs regarding euthanasia and these special populations. Identify and describe the law(s) concerning physician assisted suicide in the state you reside or the state you consider your â€Å"home state.† Compare and contrast laws in your home state against either Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act or another state of your choice.

Inspirational Leader

1. 0 Introduction The Book that I had selected on business is â€Å"The Inspirational Leader† which written by John P G Tan. John P G Tan is one of the country’s highly sought after leadership trainer and speaker. The purpose of this book is to help bring about better management and leadership amongst the people of the country. His belief is that we can become leaders who can make the difference. John P G Tan trains for companies large and small and his training sessions have been consistently rated as excellent, exciting and enriching.He runs his own training company, Professional Skills Trainers Sdn Bhd, and has developed â€Å"The Inspirational Leader† program, a program which made a difference to countless people. Besides that this book is to give us the skills that we need to turn from a scratcher to a soarer. (John (2002) said) This book will also point us in the direction of the areas that we will need further development on. We can become inspiring leader s, but we must know the skills and the reason for being inspirational rather than remaining mediocre of this great transformation process. John (2002) said) So it is with leadership. There are those who think that they are leaders when in reality the only thing that they are leading is themselves into delusion about their leadership abilities. On the other hand, there are those who lead their team to greater heights, whose goal in life is to add value to those for whom they are responsible. There are the ones who inspire us to go on. (John (2002) said) This book will help is discover just how to become an inspiring leader.The book gives us, step-by-step, and in a very down-to-earth manner, the skills that we will need to, for examples, get your leadership paradigms right, overcome negative mindsets of leadership, think out of the box, acquire the essential skills that you will need to become an effective, inspiring leader. 2. 0 Climbing Up the Inspirational Leadership Rungs To becom e an effective leader, one has to climb the Five steps of Leadership. John believe that there are perhaps 6 Levels to the question of leadership. He call this the 6 Rungs of Inspirational Leadership. John (2002) said)The reason is because RUNGS denote that we have some climbing to do, that effort is needed if we want to proceed and that the effort will require us feet as well as our hands. The journey is not an easy one but rewarding one nonetheless. The first Rung is that of YEARNING. At this level, we are not even a leader yet. We just eyeing the horizon, thinking about all the wonderful things that we would do if we were a leader. John’s experience is that most of the people here are around the 25-28 years of age bracket, educated and who have a desire to go forward.For some, the way forward seems to be well prepared, but for most of us the way ahead can seem rather hazy. But we have that desire to progress and to that end our arm ourselves with the necessary qualification s and training to get to that next level. (John (2002) said) The second rung is that of BEING, being the manager or leader, that is, we get here by being technically competent. At this point people follow you because, quite frankly, they just don’t have a choice. You are their boss and whether they like it or not, they are going to have to take orders from you.Not the prettiest of situations to be in, but a situation relished by some people nonetheless. But before you go off and think that this rung is therefore obsolete, think against. It is a position that you must have. But you must not stay put here. You must have the desire to keep on keeping on. (John (2002) said) The third rung is the rung of BEFRIENDING. Here, your subordinated actually quite enjoy being with you and will actually do things for you because they want to rather than feel that they have to.At this level, to get people to turn towards loving you, you would have to practice a fair amount of human relations skills, as well as communication skills. The problem is that most of us progress upwards on technical competence. (John (2002) said) Rung four is the rung of PRODUCING. This is when people admire you because they see that your leadership brings about results. They come to you with a problem and you help them solve the problem, not refer them to some other department. They come to you with a crisis and you develop opportunities out of that crisis.The level four person is one adroit in the skills of problem solving, creative thinking and communication. (John (2002) said) The fifth rung had to do with what you have done with your subordinates. The other levels were generally about you but a level five, the rung of REPLICATION, you are more concerned about your people’s development. At this level, the leader’s concern is about helping his people develop to their fullest potential. (John (2002) said) The last level, level 6 is about INSPIRING. Here, the people are loyal to you because you are loyal to them. Here, they are true followers because they see in you a true leader.They are willing to walk two miles when you asked for an extra one because they saw the same trait in you. At this level, you are an inspiration to the people around you. (John (2002) said) 3. 0 The 3 Essential Skills A guy called Robert L Katz did some research and found that we all needed three essential skills. He called these skills technical skills, human skills and conceptual skills. (John (2002) said) Technical skills are essentially knowledge skills, the type of skills you acquire when you go to college and university for your studies. At the lower level management, technical skills are of great importance.This simply means that if you are to begin progressing, you will need to be technically competent. (John (2002) said) Human skills are the skills required to work with human beings and since almost all work is centered around other human beings, we will be in great need of these skills. Executives in all levels of management require this skill be it lower, middle or top level management. People who have this skill are able to get the best out of their people towards greater heights of achievement and self-development. All of us believe that we are pretty good at handling people.But the truth is that for most part there are more people who practice bad human relations skills than those who practice good ones. (John (2002) said) The third skill is that of conceptual skills, the ability to think and conceptualize, visualize and then help make things materialize as a result of the ability to look ahead. This skill becomes more and more important as you climb higher up to the 6-R. As you get to the level of Producing, you are going to need lots of this skill. Conceptual skill is like that, that is if we have it, and use it. We create value for others be they our internal customers or our external ones.Conceptual skills help us to surpass the competition , position and reposition products and services so that we create value for those we serve. This in turns brings in a level of loyalty that we would not have otherwise achieved. (John (2002) said) 4. 0 Stop That Bad Trickle Down The problem with management and leadership is that they suffer from what is sometimes called the trickle down effect. What is the trickle down effect? Simply this. We get into the job market. We report to a boss who is less than inspiring. These not quite so professional bosses push down lousy management practices and principles on us.By virtue of the fact that we are at the bottom of the totem people, we dare not challenge any of these bad bosses. The day arrives and we become bosses. Now is the time to let out some of our pent-up feelings. So we push down all the things that we didn’t like pushed at us to those below us. We trickle down bad management and leadership practices. The guys below us wait till it’s their turn to do more of the same . Well, it’s about time this is stopped. And it can stop with you. (John (2002) said) Take a little time off and ask yourself what are the good things that you have learned from your previous bosses.List these things down. Basically, listing down the good things that you have seen in your bosses. Make sure that you trickle these down to your subordinates. Then ask yourself what are the not so nice things that you have had to lap up from those above you. List them and make sure that you do not perpetuate these practices. 5. 0 Treat People As People Let’s start with this major area of self-development- if you want to turn hate to love, for example, the area of Human Skills. One of the problems that we face today is that people don’t really care for one another. We are only nice to others when we need them to do something for us.At other times, we are nice to them because we might need them to do something for us in the future. The rest of the time, we just canâ₠¬â„¢t seem to be bothered. We have lost the sense of looking at people as people. We often mouth words like â€Å"people are our biggest assets† and then we go and treat them otherwise. Insincerity is rife in management today. We tend to look at people only as things to help us achieve our objectives. In many situations we call up others not to find out how they are, but to see if we could somehow solicit their help to achieve some goals that we have. (John (2002) said) Treat people as people.If you like being treated as a thing, useable to others only when they need you, then do the same. Don’t bother to inquire after health and well being of your subordinates. Only call on them when you need things done. And when you don’t need them, cast them away. (John (2002) said) If you do that, then please remember, that’s what they will do to you too. Take a good look at yourself today and very sincerely ask yourself the following questions. Please be brutally si ncere and honest with yourself. Am I a user? Do i really look after cares and concerns of my subordinates or do I just tend to look after my own cares and concerns?Do I ooze charm only when I need the other person’s help? Or am I really concerned about the developmental welfare of my people? 6. 0 Watch The Words It is easier said than done. Criticizing, condemning and complaining are about the easiest things to do, almost second nature to most of us. A simple example will illustrate this point. (John (2002) said) When you are out driving your car and someone overtakes you rather recklessly what is your normal reaction? I would bet that the tough â€Å"crazy driver† would have gone through your mind more than once. Looks like we are about the only ones driving at the right speeds on the roads.We have the habits, and it’s a bad habit, of looking at things, seeing the worst in them and then condemning the person or persons involved. (John (2002) said) Well it was s imply this, that negative words can really kill a person’s initiative. And when we have done that, it can take ages to try and win that person’s confidence back against. Watch your words. Take a good look over your vocal thesaurus and see what kind of words, phrases and jargon you use. Learn to reduce the usage of words that criticize, condemn and complain. (John (2002) said) Remember, if you are a manager, your words hold weight. So what has this got to do with black dot?Just this, address the black dots when you see them. But address them with words that build and develop, not words that destroy and demotivate. 7. 0 The Other Guy’s Got Right Too We are still looking at the rung of Befriending at rung three where you are trying to change the attitudes and mindset of the people whom you manage from one of â€Å"have to† to â€Å"want to†. This if you remember, is a prerequisite of changing from hate to love. (John (2002) said) At this point it migh t be a good idea to take a look at this principle, the principle that the other guy does have rights, the same kinds of rights that you have.Perhaps a good place to start would be to look at what some of these rights are. People have the right to be respected and to be treated in a respectful manner. It matters not what his or her station in life is, the point is simple. If that person is a human being, then he or she deserves to be treated with some level of respect. (John (2002) said) The trouble is that most of us equate respect for the other person with his or her socio-economic status. Thus a doctor gets greater amount of respect than say a perhaps a construction worker.The guy who comes around to sell lottery tickets, well, he is a nuisance anyway, disturbing our peace as we have dinner and so does not deserve that much respect. (John (2002) said) We do not actually list down who gets more respect, but we judge and we act accordingly very quickly. I believe that people have th e right to disagree with us. Just try and remember this one, the other guy’s got rights too. 8. 0 The Wisdom Of The Open Mouth Well, the open mouth is basically about how we speak with people, what we do with our mouths. It’s about positive communication skills and therein lies the important words – positive.There are many people who relay nothing but negatives when they open their mouth. Their talk is all about the bad side of people, situations, whatever. Would that they refrain from opening their mouths and fouling up the air. (John (2002) said) Yet there are others who, despite their problems, maintain a positive front and convey nothing but goodness from their mouths. But the Wisdom of the Open Mouth is not about not saying negative things. It’s about saying positive things, saying things in such as way as to edify, to build up the other person, to add value to what is being said and whom it is being said to.At this point it may be good to remind our selves that the wisdom of the open mouth lies not only in the mouth but in the heart and in the mind. The Wise Mouth knows that the brain and the heart must be engaged before words are spewed forth. (John (2002) said) The Wise Mouth thinks before speaking. The Wise Mouth has decided that the words that come from it will build human relation bridges rather than barriers. The Wise Mouth has decided that it will encourage rather than discourage, edify rather than vilify, mold rather than scold. John (2002) said) The Wise Mouth will seek out ways to say things in a positive, caring manner and in so doing add value to those around him or her.The Wise Mouth will not allow foul words to contaminate it. Foul words do nothing but offer an illusion of comfort. Give yourself an oral check-up. Are you generally spreading the good news or the bad news? God knows that there is enough bad news in the world today – take a peek at your daily newspaper and you will get the drift. Kind words ar e often hard to come by, but when they do come by, they add such a dimension of real warmth and comfort to one’s soul. John (2002) said) 9. 0 TeamWork Truth be told, this word â€Å"TeamWork† or Teambuilding is overused and under-understood. Most of us think that teamwork is just about a bunch of people, wearing the same T-shirts, working together. But is that all there is to teamwork? Not by a mile it isn’t. (John (2002) said) The role of inspirational leader’s role in a team is to lead the team to higher grounds, setting down greater and greater challenges. Every team, in order to do well, must plan ahead. But planning ahead is not just about anticipating what actions the team will have to do first next and so on.Planning requires us to also look at what we would like to be or like to achieve at the end of the activity period. (John (2002) said) It is easy to evaluate our team members on quantitative results but such results are not the be-all and end-a ll of team efforts. Perhaps leaders ought to be looking at things like value-inculcation of their team members as well. Inspirational Leaders do one thing much better than uninspiring ones – they encourage their people to talk, to participate, to give feedback – whether positive or negative feedback. John (2002) said) Inspirational leaders also tend to inspire their teams by allowing greater levels of participation in team activities and in team decision making. It is the leader’s duty to bring the best out of his or her people. Look at them and spot their strengths and then strengthen them even further. By sending them for further training and then allowing them to practice what they have learned during those training sessions. By writing up a three – year development plan for these folks. By not waiting for them to ask you to develop them, but to do so proactively. John (2002) said) Then you need to look at their faults and remedy them immediately.Never allows a subordinate’s faults to become a habit for habits are hard to break. 10. 0 Motivating There are two kinds of motivation – one that is centered around motivating yourself and another that is centered around motivating others. At this juncture, I want to only address the one which is centered around motivating others. (John (2002) said) The first principle of motivating others I believe has to do with our own perception of people. This one is really quite self-evident; you treat people nice, they tend to treat you nice. John (2002) said) You treat them bad and you can bet your boots that they will treat you rotten. Somehow, unfortunately, most of us just don’t quite seem to get this into our heads. The second principle of motivating others has to do with giving them the recognition that they deserve for the work well done. A third principle in motivation is simply this – your integrity level. Say what you mean and mean what you say.Always keep to your word. As an inspirational manager your word and your integrity is more important than your signature. John (2002) said) Nothing destroys the confidence that your people have in you than a lack of integrity. Principle number four has to do with involving people. Getting your people involved in the work that you are doing, getting them involved in the decision making process, communicating with them your intentions and asking for their feedback tend to result in better all-round performance and productivity. (John (2002) said) Principle number five has to do with rewards. Make sure that you reward your people for work done. The problem is that too many of us take the easy way out when rewarding our people.We bribe them with money, and only money. Think about how to reward people in different ways. (John (2002) said) 11. 0 The Inspirational Leader At Work The inspirational leader is one who keeps on keeping on; who keeps on reading and learning more and more about the business, th e science and the art of leading, managing and inspiring his or her people. (John (2002) said) Most of us start the journey at a point, when we were formally appointed into some sort of managerial or leadership role. At that point in time, most of us only had our technical expertise to fall back on. John (2002) said)We had little by way of awareness of the skills required to become better leaders. We were at the stage of Unconscious Incompetence. What this means is that we did not know that we lacked the skills of becoming a good leader. (John (2002) said) Then people complain about us or higher ups recognize our lack of ability and they point these shortcomings to us. At this point we move from Unconscious Incompetence to the stage of Conscious Incompetence. (John (2002) said) We now know that we don’t know. A big help this is – but it is nonetheless a good start.We then embark on training programs and so on to enhance our leadership skills. (John (2002) said) We lear n new things to practice. Some of the things in this book might be new to some of you – but to others, they might not. Whatever it is, you learn and begin to practice. You are now in the stage of Conscious Competence. (John (2002) said) What this means is that you have now decided to put into practical application what you have actually learned. Here’s something for those if you who have learned but refuse to translate that learning into practical application – you are still at Conscious Incompetence.Progress is slow and sometimes mistakes are made. But that is really quite acceptable. This is the stage of Conscious Competence. (John (2002) said) You are able to do what is required of you – but you have to think through it before you can practicalize it. The last stage is that of Unconscious Competence. At this stage, you are able to unconsciously put into practice all the various principles that you have learned. All the stuff that has been written in th e preceding chapters is no longer a problem for you. Because you have been practicing them, you have been incrementally improving on them. John (2002) said) 12. 0 Conclusion For as long as we retain our humanness, all of us are going to make mistakes. But then mistakes are simply opportunities to improve.The inspirational leader knows how to take corrective steps when he or she makes mistakes – including apologizing for their mistakes. Then he or she picks up the pieces and gets on with it. As the leader keeps improving, he or she gets to level 6 of the 6-Rungs of Leadership. Here, he or she knows how to delegate, motivate, communication, reward inspire and lead his or her people through the synergistic practice if all the skills acquired.Please don’t think that all there is to being inspirational is in this book. There are just so much more to know, to understand, to practice. The inspirational leader is a true professional who understands the needs to continue improv ing. He picks up extra skills, skills on assertiveness, strategic thinking and a whole range of other career-enhancing skills that will make him an asset to his company, his bosses, his peers and his subordinates. Some final words, is the journey worth it? Those who have travelled that road with me all agree that it is. Those who have travelled that road as my subordinates believe that it is.