Backlash has been described as a complicated struggle over normativity The WritePass Journal

Backlash has been described as a complicated struggle over normativity Abstract Backlash has been described as a complicated struggle over normativity Abstract1. Introduction2. The Concept of Backlash3. Backlash and the Contemporary Positions of Men and Women in Organisations4. ConclusionReferencesRelated Title: Backlash has been described as a complicated struggle over normativity (Robinson, 2000). What does this mean? How can the concept of backlash help us understand the relative positioning of men and women in organizations? Abstract Men have historically occupied an invisible, gendered space within the work environment. Their privileges compared to women, and their power compared with women, have gone unnoticed through this invisibility.  Ã‚   Through feminism, there has gradually arisen an awareness of these hidden inequalities, and the ways in which men have been prioritised as the ‘neutral’, over-riding voice in the workplace. This awareness has led to some redistribution of power, as women take on greater responsibility, more powerful roles, and obtain better pay. However, the consequences of this have been that men have, in some instances, started to see themselves as victims of women’s growth in the workplace through the phenomenon of backlash. Although seemingly a simple concept, backlash is complex and tricky to measure, and has a number of consequences for both men and women.  Ã‚   The notion of normativity helps us understand the ways in which victimhood has been appropriated by some men to reclaim the power they feel they have lost.  Ã‚   Ideas around backlash and normativity have had a number of repercussions for the workplace and organisational politics, some detrimental to women’s position, although there are suggestions that the right approach to equality can overcome these issues. 1. Introduction The following essay will look at the concept of ‘backlash’, the notion that people are resisting structured organisational attempts to ensure that marginalised workers are employed and given opportunities for promotion. While the concept embraces a number of marginalised workers, for example people of colour and people with disabilities (Burke and Black 1997), this essay will consider only the case of ‘backlash’ for men against women employees.  Ã‚   Male ‘backlash’, it has been claimed, has existed for some considerable time, and is stronger now than in the past (Faludi 1991).   Backlash can be unconscious: men may be unaware that they hold the attitudes they do towards women (Burke and Black 1997). First, the notion of ‘backlash’ will be discussed, and the ideas that it presents â€Å"a complicated struggle over normativity† (Robinson, 2000) analysed. Next, the essay will consider how the notion of backlash is useful for understanding the hierarchical relationships between men and women in organisations. 2. The Concept of Backlash In order to understand the concept of backlash, it is first necessary to look more closely at men’s position within organisations.  Ã‚   It has been argued that men’s status as gendered goes unnoticed by themselves and by others within the organisation.  Ã‚   Men are assumed to be the norm, and to speak for the whole of human kind (Nelson 2006).   Typically, men in organisations are unaware of themselves as men, with â€Å"self-knowledge as gendered subjects †¦ noticeably absent† (Whitehead 2001, p. 309).  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the state of being a man means occupying one of (at least) two possible gendered positions.   While gender is a visible ‘fact’, with most (but not all) men and women being visually distinguished as such, behind this ‘fact’ â€Å"gender is enacted, and society has a pattern of practices and expectations that make this enactment visible† (Bilimoria and Kristin, 2007, p. 38).   Ã‚  Ã‚  While often seen as a genderless, cerebral environment, the workplace, no less than other cultural and social contexts, is one in which organisational decisions are made in an embodied, gendered context (Whitehead and Moodley 1999).   Within the workplace, gender differences exist both visibly and invisibly, and at a number of different levels.   One of the most important of these levels is the symbolic: the ways in which language, clothing, physical symbols, printed media and similar function to express positions about gender. Ideas, attitudes and perceptions also contribute to the complex mix of engenderment in the organisation. The social and political structures of an organisation might appear neutral, however it is likely to be based upon invisible engenderment at deeper levels (Blanpain et al 2008). It should be noted, however, that recognition of the gendered nature of the workplace should not be taken as a simple binary between male and female: â€Å"transgender identities further complicate notions of the gendered subject†. Additionally, invisibilities of sexuality further complicate the matter: the relationship of lesbian to womanhood, and the gay man to masculine identities, needs also to be considered   (Melzer 2006). There is an unfair balance of power between men and women in the workplace, with men generally getting better pay, conditions and holding higher positions within organisations. Women’s abilities as leaders often go unnoticed or are ignored, and the phenomenon of the ‘glass ceiling’ is well-documented (Haslett et al 1992).   This unfair balance seems to be a function of men’s invisibility as gendered subjects: if men are perceived unconsciously to be the norm, then women are by definition outside the norm, and are consequently subject to poorer work conditions including pay and promotion. One reaction to this is for the oppressed groups to act to make people aware of men’s privileges and bring to light their hidden engenderment.   This opens the possibility of making the inequalities between men and women visible to all.   Mutua (2006) describes â€Å"unearned benefits† which men possess, just by being born men, and suggests that rather than seeing the inequalities between men and women in the workplace in terms of how poorly women are treated, we reverse this and look at, for example, how much more men earn on average than do women (Mutua 2006). In general, there has been a concerted effort in many countries to make gender inequalities in the workplace more visible (Kabeer et al 2008). This can, however, make the privileged group – men – defensive and angry.   By making people more aware of male engenderedness, and by   bringing   the inequalities that this hides to light, ‘backlash’ can result, as men start to see themselves as victims.  Ã‚   As such, they begin to occupy an ambivalent position, both invisible and visible. There are reasons for men to claim both these states. Robinson suggests that men have good reason to want to be invisible, as invisibility allows them to continue to enjoy benefits that women cannot access.   However, they can also gain from being visible, and visible as an oppressed group, a victim of female power (Robinson 2000).   Faludi (1991) made the concept of ‘backlash’ popular.   While, she suggested, anti-feminist feeling has always played a part in modern America, there have been particular incidences of backlash in recent history, particularly when â€Å"women are poised to make real gains in social and political life† (Boyd 2007, p. 5).   For Faludi (1991) backlash works by presenting an opposite position as the truth, and by blaming women for wider social difficulties, that is, blaming feminism for creating problems for women, rather than offering a solution to such problems (Walby 1997) The notion of ‘backlash’ is often presented as a simple reaction by men against a growth in women’s rights. However, the idea is more complex than this suggests. For example, it can cover different types of male resistance to attempts to redress inequalities between the sexes: men who may once have approved of this in principle, but now no longer do so, and those who have never approved of equality for women (Goode 1982). Backlash has also changed over time, with Faludi (1991) arguing that it is more common now than in the past. This increase may be down to a number of reasons including increased competition in organisations for pay and position, the growth of political correctness in the workplace, and increased media coverage of gender inequalities. Men are also increasingly aware of how the workplace is changing, with women gradually gaining more power and taking on roles that used to be the sole preserve of men (Burke and Black 1997).   Backlash can also be seen as a function of male insecurity over a changing world, as men blame women’s increased power for ills which befall them.  Ã‚   These feelings are fuelled by a predominantly right-wing media and corporate culture (Kimmel 2004). Estimates vary regarding the prevalence of backlash. Early studies (Astrachan 1986; AMOI 1988) suggested that up to 90% of men were in favour of women maintaining a traditional role.   While backlash in organisations seems to have been clearly identified, there are relatively few empirical studies assessing its prevalence, and a lack of clarity about the best ways of measuring it. Many researchers use the Implicit Association Test, a wider social psychology test designed to measure automatic associations between mental concepts in memory as a way of quantifying implicit stereotypes about gender (Rudman and Glick 2001) There are also different understandings of the impact of backlash on the wider workplace: backlash can increase tension between men and women, makes bonds between men stronger, and can fracture relationships between women to the extent that women have carved a role within the male environment or not (Burke and Black 1997). Backlash is sometimes known as ‘competing victim syndrome’, a term used by Cox (1995) to describe the ways in which, in education, boys interest groups tried to define a position of victims of feminism (Mills 2001). There are several factors which can exacerbate backlash.     If an organisation lacks effective communication both about the phenomenon of backlash and measures that can be taken to combat it, men are likely to be suspicious of any changes. If a clear case is made for proactive measures for women, backlash is less likely (Gandossy et al 2006).   If men are excluded from equality planning, or if they are not seen as part of the solution to inequalities, then this can also make backlash feel worse.   Organisations can take practical steps to including men in such planning, for example identifying a core group of men who are committed to women’s rights and ensuring support from senior management (Ruxton 2004).  Ã‚   Certain organisational structures can also make backlash more intense. For example, where a culture of blame is fostered, with men seen as the causes of women’s disadvantage, men are more likely to react negatively against any perception that womenâ⠂¬â„¢s situation in the workplace is improving.   Equally, if the organisational culture has prioritised men and masculinity, perhaps unconsciously, men may react more strongly against women’s improving situation (Angus 1993). It is also possible that backlash is stronger in organisations where a higher number of minority employees have been taken onto the workforce. As we have seen, the concept of backlash is not as simple as it has sometimes been portrayed in the media (for example, a recent daily mail article appeared to blame feminism for crises in the National Health Service (Phillips 2011)), but rather, as Robinson suggested, it may rather be a complicated struggle over normativity. That is, it concerns a wider debate about the concept of the ‘norm’ and what is considered the ‘normal’ in society today.  Ã‚   The notion of the norm can be seen as rooted in concepts of the natural, and what is inherent or given in human nature, rather than a social, political or cultural construct.   By recognising that the ‘norm’ is, in fact, a construct, we open ourselves to the possibility that the given can be changed.   Feminism in general can be seen as a struggle against the notion that femininity and masculinity as they are experienced in today’s society are fixed. This notion that the female (or mal e) is a given is supported by much of contemporary science (Cameron 1995).  Ã‚   Robinson suggests, in this context, that seeing men as victims of feminism is not as straightforward as a reversal of positive discrimination, but is part of a larger debate about the ways in which normality is defined, and hence as part of a debate about normativity (Robinson 2000).   As Robinson (2000) points out, the notion of masculinity, and the understanding of what it means to be male, is open to debate, can be challenged, and may change.   He also emphasises that the debate over normativity is one about power; who holds power in society, and whether they rightfully do so. Seen in this context, the move by which men have presented themselves as victims is not simply one which happened by chance. Instead, men have been able to take on board the power that is currently vested in the ‘victim’: portraying themselves as oppressed (Bekerman and Zembylas 2011).   Backlash, under these terms, becomes a complex struggle for control over scarce resources and power over the symbolic languages in which notions of masculinity and femininity are normalised.   Men use backlash as a means of making themselves visible as men   and as victims, to accrue the benefits which come with being seen as the disadvantaged partner (Robinson 2000).   Consequently, by claiming the status of victims, men are able to maintain their position as those in power and control, with the added respect and material gains that goes along with this. Privileges are masked by the guise of victimhood which men have decided to wear.  Ã‚   It should be noted, however, this iss ue is made more complex by debates about the notion of power. Some suggest that power relationships are a myth, while there is an illusion that power is vested in the hands of a minority, in fact all groups in society are oppressed: â€Å"power is actually a form of a myth which subjugates all people† (Bad Subjects 1998, p. 55). 3. Backlash and the Contemporary Positions of Men and Women in Organisations The above suggests that backlash is a complex concept which underpins recent developments in contemporary awareness of feminism and women’s rights. But what repercussions does this have for understanding the positions of both men and women within organisations? There are signs that backlash is thriving in business and business organisations. Writing of the USA in the early years of the 21st Century, Bilimora and Piderit suggest that women were increasingly ‘opting out’ of the business world, for example moving on to start their own businesses, partly as a result of a backlash against the notion that women can ‘have it all’ and successfully juggle home and work (Bilimora and Piderit 2007).   This move to self-employment and starting one’s own business as a way of stepping outside the hostility of the male-dominated business environment has been reported elsewhere, for example The United States Small Business Association reported a 58% growth i n women running businesses (SBA 1993), while Carey and Bryant (1995) suggested that women-run businesses were expanding into previously male-dominated areas (Carey and Bryant 1995).   It has also been reported that women can experience hostility as result of special initiatives designed to promote equality, can become over insular as they bond together in women-only networks, thus ruling out the possibility of a further assault on male power structures, and open to charges of elitism (McCarthy 2004). However, some organisations have found that promoting equality measures in the right way can avoid backlash. Wittenberg-Cox and Maitland (2009) describe the case study of Nestle, who sought to prioritise gender equality within the workplace. They rejected the diversity approach popular in the USA in favour of promoting gender balance. Their approach was to involve men, and particularly male leaders, from the outset, with gender awareness workshops for leaders and executives. They found that this approach saw men committed to and leading organisational change, and the company thus â€Å"avoided the backlash that is common in companies that launch â€Å"women’s† initiatives† (Wittenberg-Cox and Maitland 2009). 4. Conclusion To summarise, men have historically occupied an invisible, gendered space within the work environment. Their privileges compared to women, and their power compared with women, have gone unnoticed through this invisibility.  Ã‚   Through feminism, there has gradually arisen an awareness of these hidden inequalities, and the ways in which men have been prioritised as the ‘neutral’, over-riding voice in the workplace. This awareness has led to some redistribution of power, as women take on greater responsibility, more powerful roles, and obtain better pay. However, the consequences of this have been that men have, in some instances, started to see themselves as victims of women’s growth in the workplace through the phenomenon of backlash. Although seemingly a simple concept, backlash is complex and tricky to measure, and has a number of consequences for both men and women.   Ã‚  The notion of normativity helps us understand the ways in which victimhood has been a ppropriated by some men to reclaim the power they feel they have lost.  Ã‚   Ideas around backlash and normativity have had a number of repercussions for the workplace and organisational politics, some detrimental to women’s position, although there are suggestions that the right approach to equality can overcome these issues.    References AMOI (1988) ‘American Male Opinion Index’, Conde Nast, New York Angus, L B (1993) Education, inequality, and social identity, Routledge, USA/ UK Astrachan, A (1986) How Men Feel: Their responses to Women’s Demands for Equality and Power,   Anchor, New York. Bad Subjects Production Team (1998) Bad subjects: political education for everyday life, NYU Press, USA. Bekerman, Z and Zembylas, M (2011) Teaching Contested Narratives: Identity, Memory and Reconciliation in Peace Education and BeyondAuthorsZvi Bekerman, Michalinos ZembylasPublisherCambridge University Press, 2011 Bilimora, D and Piderit, S K (2007) Handbook on women in business and management,   Edward Elgar Publishing, 2007 Cheltenham Glos. Blanpain, R, Dickens, L and Kaj, S (2008) Challenges of European employment relations: employment regulation, trade union organization, equality, flexicurity, training and new approaches to pay, Kluwer Law International, The Netherlands. Boyd, S B (2007) Reaction and resistance: feminism, law, and social change, UBC Press, USA Burke, R J and Black, S (1997), ‘Save the Males: Backlash in Organisations’, Journal of Business Ethics, 16, 933-942. Cameron, D (1995) Verbal hygiene: The politics of language, Routledge, UK Carey, A, and Bryant, B (1995)   Women-owned business growth, USA Today, USA Faludi, S (1991) Backlash: The Undeclared War Against Women, Random House, London Gandossy, R P, Tucker, E and Verma, N (2006) Workforce wake-up call: your workforce is changing, are you?, John Wiley and Sons, USA Goode, W J (1982) ‘Why Men Resist’, in B Thorn and M Yalom (eds.) Rethinking the Family: Some Feminist Questions, Longman Inc. New York Greenwald, A. G., McGhee, D. E., Schwartz, J. K. L. (1998) ‘Measuring individual differences in implicit cognition: The Implicit Association Test’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1464-1480. Haslett, B, Geis, FL and Carter, M R (1992) The Organizational Woman: Power and Paradox, Greenwood Publishing Group, USA Kabeer, N, Stark, A and Magnus E (2008) Global perspectives on gender equality: reversing the gaze, Routledge, New York /   Oxford Kimmel, M (2004) Men and masculinities, ABC-CLIO, USA Melzer, P (2006) Alien constructions: science fiction and feminist thought, University of Texas Press, USA Mills, M (2001) Challenging violence in schools: an issue of masculinities, Open University Press, UK Mutua, A D (2006) Progressive Black masculinities, CRC Press, USA Nelson, S M (2006) Handbook of gender in archaeology, Rowman Altamira, Lanham Phillips, M (2011) ‘The real reason our hospitals are a disgrace’, Daily Mail, 17th October 2011, London. Robinson, S. 2000 ‘Introduction: Visibility, Crisis and the Wounded White Male Body’, in Marked Men: White Masculinity in Crisis, Columbia University Press, New York Rudman, L A and Glick, P (2001) ‘Prescriptive Gender Stereotypes and Backlash Towards Agentic Women’,   Journal of Social Issues, 57:4, 743-762 Ruxton, S (2004) Gender equality and men: learning from practice, Oxfam, UK United States Small Business Administration (1993) Women Business Owners, SBA, Washington DC Walby, S (1997) Gender transformations, Routledge, UK. Whitehead, S M (2001) The masculinities reader, Wiley-Blackwell, Cambridge. Whitehead, S M and Moodley, R (1999) Transforming managers: gendering change in the public sector, Routledge, London. Wittenberg-Cox, A and   Maitland, A (2009)   Why Women Mean Business, John Wiley Sons, USA

The Importance of Napoleon to essays

The Importance of Napoleon to essays THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE NAPOLEONIC WARS TO MODERNITY The French Revolution and Napoleonic years are very important to European history because they mark a time of great change and transformation, a time when Europe was in the thralls of its rise to modernity. Two of the aspects of modernity brought to light during the French Revolution were the increasing importance of the middle class and the idea, though not necessarily the practice, of political liberty. However, some of strides made in France toward modern liberty were almost completely erased only a few years after the Revolution by Napoleon Bonaparte, who brought his own thoughts on modernity to Europe with the advent of nationalism and total warfare. One of the other ways in which the Revolution affected the rise of modernity was by asserting the importance of the middle class and masses. Before the revolution, France was made up of three estates: The First Estate was the Church, which made up 1-2% of the population, the Second Estate was the nobility which made up less than 2% of the population and the Third Estate was the commoners, which made up approximately 96% of the population. Whereas the First and Second estates enjoyed luxury, extensive privileges and great wealth, the Third Estate were the heavily taxed and poorly treated bourgeoisie, peasants and city workers. One of the reasons the revolution originated was the discontent among the lower and middle classes in France. Those in the Third Estate grew tired of the unjust laws and taxes they were forced to live by and decided to take a stand, eventually making their mark in French society. One of the first times the masses asserted themselves was when the newly formed National Assembly was drawing up a Constitution. Angry crowds in Paris rioted, forcing the National Assembly to recognize their demands. The people were protesting heavy taxes, and outrageous food prices. Ne...

Contemporary Leadership Theory Literature review

Contemporary Leadership Theory - Literature review Example According to the paper findings there is a wide range of leadership theories which have been developed through the years. The theories are classified into seven. The first is the known as the Great Man theories, which are founded on the idea that leaders are extraordinary individuals whose leadership qualities are inborn. The use of the term â€Å"Man† was intentional since it was generally held throughout the early half of the twentieth century that leadership is a male attribute; in fact, William James wrote that the course of history is determined by great men, without whom the masses could not progress. The next group is the trait theories, referring to the focus on traits or qualities that a good leader is thought to possess (though which are not necessarily inborn). The study of â€Å"great men† that preceded this yielded very few commonalities among them, giving rise to the idea that what defines a leader would be the set of admirable characteristics he possessed , such as intelligence, self-confidence, determination and integrity . Behaviourist theories are anchored on the actions of leaders rather than their attributes. Behaviour patterns are studied and categorised to comprise â€Å"leadership styles†. The next school of leadership theories is known as situational leadership. This set of theories views effective leadership not in terms of traits or actions, but the match between these and the situation being addressed. The situational leadership model holds that â€Å"the style of leadership should be mathed ot the level of readiness of the followers†. ... 66). Behaviourist theories, which came next, are anchored on the actions of leaders rather than their attributes. Behaviour patterns are studied and categorised to comprise â€Å"leadership styles†. Behaviourist theorists conceive of leadership in terms of the roles they fulfil, and the manner in which they are expected to fulfil them (Crainer & Dearlove, 2003, p.1). The next school of leadership theories is known as situational leadership. This set of theories views effective leadership not in terms of traits or actions, but the match between these and the situation being addressed. The situational leadership model holds that â€Å"the style of leadership should be mathed ot the level of readiness of the followers† (Hellreigel & Slocum, 2007, p. 221). The model (also known as contingency model) is comprised of three basic components – a set of possible leadership styles, a taxonomy of alternative situations which leaders are likely to encounter, and a stipulatio n of which style constitutes appropriate response to which situation. More recently, the transactional theory of leadership has emerged, focusing on task orientedness and ability to direct groups in a particular way so as to accomplish specific goals. Compliance is ensured through different approaches, such as offering incentives, threatening sanctions, appealing to the group’s sense of duty or selflessness, or prevailing upon their followers’ rational judgment, with the leader having little personal involvement with the group other than driving them to achieve an objective (Martin, et al., 2006, p. 47). Finally, the transformational leadership theory is based on the belief that leadership is not just the sole prerogative of people at the

Essay on Police and the Community Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

On Police and the Community - Essay Example A lesser barricade could be people’s self-esteem and self-perception (Morris, 2008). This is because they do not view themselves as activists or leaders. This perceptual concern is a barrier for over 36% of the adults in America. Not being an activist or leader is a barrier for 42% of adults who are not involved but wish to be. Disengaged participants in several focus groups stated that they wish for a fearless director with organizational skills, knowledge, plans, enthusiasm, a selfless attitude, and honesty. This group also puts more weight in disliking politics than adults on not knowing anyone else taking part in the activity. In order to overcome these obstacles, authorities that are involved in public participations should ensure that those who are involved in the activity are protected. Authorities need to educate people on these barriers and assure them that they will be safe after they take part in the activity (Thurlow, 2008). Question 2 Policy makers have a tough ta sk of carrying out what is best for their constituents plus their countries. This makes them the voice of the citizens. It is extremely vital that a police chief should be a policy maker for his constituent or country due to several reasons. These reasons are: police chiefs have interests of constituents and interests in the country. They also defend the constitution. Since policy makers are elected by the public, this will also give a chance to police chiefs to be elected by the public. Each policy maker has an obligation of defending the constitution. Police chiefs are also obliged to defend the American constitution, and this makes the liable policy makers (Chief of Police, 2007). A policy maker is a person who is responsible for making the policies of an organization. This includes the government or any other institution that requires regulations. A statesman refers to a diplomat or politician who has had a long, as well as respected duty at the national or international level. It has been said that police chiefs should be politicians. This is not a brilliant idea. Politicians have an obligation of representing and responding to the constituents, voting on legislation, participating in budget discussions and taking part in committees. Even though, police chiefs need to realize these factors, their central duty is to implement the law. This is a vital duty. They need to be separated from political matters so that they could execute their tasks to the fullest. If police chiefs are allowed to be statesmen, then this would interfere with the neutrality of the police force from politics. It will interrupt with the activities of the police force (Samuels, 2000). Question 3 Similarities Community oriented policing as a philosophy that encourages organizational strategies, which hold up the organized use of problem-solving techniques and partnerships, to tackle the immediate factors that give rise to public security issues. The security issues are social disorders , crime as well as fear of crime. Community oriented policing also comprises of three key components in America as well as other nations. These components are: community partnership, organizational transformation as well as problem solving. Most countries, including the United States, think that

Communication Style Case Study Essay Example for Free

Communication Style Case Study Essay Communication style is definitely very important in a work environment especial in the health care setting. Finding the right way to communicate with other staff members will keep an open communication channel with everyone. Which in return make other staff members feel respected and provide a much better work environment and the best quality of care for the patient. Now I will go over the scenarios from Checkpoint 8-4 and my own personal experience at work. Scenario number one, is about Robin, a psychiatric nurse that expressed aggressive communication. That led to Rashed to respond passive, by planning to be passive-aggressive with robin in the future when he would have an opportunity. Robin way of speaking to rashed in a firmed and raised voice, only made rashed feel hurt, angry and revengeful toward robin. The fact that rashed needed his job kept him quite but did not stop him from thinking of revenge towards the future with robin. This type of passive communication does not solve and problems are not solved. It might even become less cooperative during work. Rashed even stated that maybe he would not do anything unless he told to do so. Which in return can only mean that the nurse will end of doing more work unless he asked for help that he needs. Scenario number two, Pamela a school nurse was using nonassertive communication. When in doubt about anything communication is the best way to clear up anything. By taking matters into her own hands know she created double the work and in return increased her stress by retesting everyone. A nonassertive person when try to delegate end up doing more work. By not approaching Bridget regarding her concerns, she became a passive person and did not say anything due to the concern of displeasing others. Nonassertive behavior can also cause, anger, confusion and irritation to others. Nurses can sometime feel overworked because they are passive and accommodates others and in return have a poor functioning team. Scenario Number three, Rosa was a manager of the ambulatory care surgical center that was using assertive communication. Mabel one of the surgical technicians used aggressive communication with Rosa. Rosa was very forward about wanted to work together as a team to solve problems for the best quality care for the patient. Rosa used aggressive communication when she told Mabel that she was the granddaughter of the chairmen of the board  and would get her head served in a platter. Mabel expressive words only showed that she had anger, annoyed, stressed, angry and impatient. Knowing how to express your needs in a positive manner can help relate and resolve any problem that arises. Using assertive communication is a good way to be confident, addresses problem without belittling oneself and other staff members. Improving the way we express ourselves can have a positive effect and outcome at work with better harmony. My Scenario, took place around 8 years ago when I started working a unit called â€Å"1202†, surgical and nonsurgical unit. Six trauma beds and six nontrauma beds. We all worked pretty much in a team. Took report on all patients in order to know what was going on with every patient in case anyone needed help or anyone of us took a break or lunch break. We also rotated being charge nurse. And like always had to divide that patients according to severity and try to balance out the possible admits. Being in charge meant that we were in indirect way responsible for the patients and would be the last one to get the admit in case we had to jum p in and lend a helping hand. It was finally my turn to be in charge and of course that typical older nurse with more years always companied about having to many hard patients and need to trade off one of his patients and when it came to his admit asked if I could take it and he would take the next one. I found myself being nonassertive and took the admit in order to keep peace and not hear him nagging all night. To make the story short the following patient he took but was taken to the operating room, two patients got discharged and only left him with two stable patients. While I was still in charge, ended up with six patients and no discharges. And still responsible for overseeing everyone else’s job. At the end of the day I was tired, mad and overwhelmed. All this gave great experiences to be more assertive in a positive way, explain my rational for how I divided the assignment and offered as much help as needed in order to work as a team for the best patient care. Effective communication is very important not only for the staff members but also with the patient and family member in order to achieve a positive outcome for the patient and for a positive work environment with stress free workplace. Always keep in mind that no matter how much effective communication we might have we are bond to run into conflicts, it just the way we decide to delegate and resolve problems for a positive environment. Aggressive communication can only  bring more problems instead of solving them. Assertive communication is always the best way to go because we show confident, respect and ability to work in a stress free workplace. Reference Hansten, R., Jackson, M. (2009). Clinical delegation skills: A handbook for professional practice. Jones and Bartlett Learning, 4(4th), 279-292.

aristotle :: essays research papers

In my opinion the consequences of our actions should play as a reminder in our effort to assess what is ethical behavior and what is not. It can be said as a reminder because, individuals may learn from their actions. The consequences of their actions are either ethical or not. Therefore, every time the individuals look back to their actions, they will remember whether the actions have left them a good result or not. Thus, they will create a habit that may help them to make choices on whether their actions are ethical or not. According to Aristotle’s theorizing of agency, there is a link between ethics and the idea of responsibility to actions performed voluntarily. Based on this explanation, individuals can actually choose their actions assessing which behavior is ethical and which one is not. Individuals live according to moral virtue, which means that they are involved in choosing actions properly. However, there is a moral question that keeps coming up, which is how the individuals choose the right course of action in any given situation. Human beings are both rational and passionate creatures. With their intelligence and emotion or desire, human beings make their decision. They realize that they have a natural function to choose what they think is right and wrong to obtain the â€Å"supreme Good.† More over if a human being follows his or her rational principle, he or she will reach the idea of a good life. The definition of a good life may be different for everyone. However, based on the Aristotle’s ethical theory, it is said that a good life is reached when individuals have fulfilled their proper natural function. There are two modes of thoughts whereby the practical mind apprehends variable, contingent truths. They are: art or technical skill and prudence or practical wisdom. The art of technical skill is the state where an individual make something with the involvement of true course of reasoning. With this skill, individuals can choose and make their decision with reasoning. Therefore, the effort of assessing what is ethical and what is not is made with this skill. Prudence or practical wisdom is where the individuals choose practical actions that are conducive to the sorts of goods. This is also where the individuals decide to take actions that are either good or bad for them. aristotle :: essays research papers In my opinion the consequences of our actions should play as a reminder in our effort to assess what is ethical behavior and what is not. It can be said as a reminder because, individuals may learn from their actions. The consequences of their actions are either ethical or not. Therefore, every time the individuals look back to their actions, they will remember whether the actions have left them a good result or not. Thus, they will create a habit that may help them to make choices on whether their actions are ethical or not. According to Aristotle’s theorizing of agency, there is a link between ethics and the idea of responsibility to actions performed voluntarily. Based on this explanation, individuals can actually choose their actions assessing which behavior is ethical and which one is not. Individuals live according to moral virtue, which means that they are involved in choosing actions properly. However, there is a moral question that keeps coming up, which is how the individuals choose the right course of action in any given situation. Human beings are both rational and passionate creatures. With their intelligence and emotion or desire, human beings make their decision. They realize that they have a natural function to choose what they think is right and wrong to obtain the â€Å"supreme Good.† More over if a human being follows his or her rational principle, he or she will reach the idea of a good life. The definition of a good life may be different for everyone. However, based on the Aristotle’s ethical theory, it is said that a good life is reached when individuals have fulfilled their proper natural function. There are two modes of thoughts whereby the practical mind apprehends variable, contingent truths. They are: art or technical skill and prudence or practical wisdom. The art of technical skill is the state where an individual make something with the involvement of true course of reasoning. With this skill, individuals can choose and make their decision with reasoning. Therefore, the effort of assessing what is ethical and what is not is made with this skill. Prudence or practical wisdom is where the individuals choose practical actions that are conducive to the sorts of goods. This is also where the individuals decide to take actions that are either good or bad for them.

Roll of thunder hear my cry

Tailor's novel shows how racism and injustice continues even after when black slavery was ended as it is an unfortunate part of America's history. Cassia experiences racism and injustice in the store at Strawberry since she was treated unfairly since she had to give priority to white people in the queue Just because of the color of her skin. In this essay, it will contain how racism and injustice Is shown when Cassia was at the store, how It affects the reader and the Intentions of the author In this passage.Racial discrimination Is when you are showing abusive behavior towards members of another race, In this case It Is Mr.. Barnett discriminating Cassia. Injustice Is shown throughout the passage as white people were superior to black people as they were segregated by the Jim Crow Laws which gave white people more power over black people. In the passage, Mildred D Taylor shows that racial discrimination still existed during the Great Depression as Cassia was racially abused. For exa mple, â€Å"Whose little Ruggeri Is this! This reveals that Mr.. Barnett Is a racist person as he Is purposely calling classes a â€Å"Ruggeri† which Is offensive to black people. The writers intention to use the word â€Å"Niger† was to show that it was an alternative word to call a black person and how it was used frequently during the Great Depression and the slavery times towards black people. This makes the reader understand the word â€Å"nighÐ’Â « was a word used every day and offensively towards black people during the Great Depression.It was also so common that white people felt it was alright to say â€Å"inning towards a black person since there was no consequences for saying a racist word as black people were inferior. However, even Hough the word â€Å"Niger made Cassia angry since she doesn't understand that white people were superior during the Great Depression but Stacey seems to understand and had to accept this as he is older than Cassia so th erefore, he has experienced more things such as this event but inside him, he retains his anger as he knows the consequences.This creates an effect on the reader as he/she would think this is vile and disgusting so therefore, since Cassia loves making revenge plans, the reader would be eager meaning that he/she will continue reading to find out more. This elapse the reader to understand that even after when black slavery was ended, black people were still continuously discriminated with the word â€Å"Niger† as the Jim Crow Laws kept white people superior to black people. Mildred D Taylor also shows that Injustice still existed during the Great Depression as black people were not allowed to question/speak up for themselves.For example â€Å"This gal your, Hazel? ‘ ‘No sun,' answered the women meekly, stepping hastily away to show she had nothing to do with me†. This shows that black people wasn't allowed to speak up for themselves because of the UK Klux Kla n as they threatened black people. The Jim Crow Laws allowed white people to gain superiority over black people so therefore; If a white person killing a black person, the white person will not be charged meaning that Injustice existed even when slavery was finished so black people lived In fear as Hazel was â€Å"stepping hastily away to show she had nothing to do with† Classes.The writer's Intention was to show that black people wasn't allowed to speak up for themselves so therefore, they still didn't have freedom even after slavery was ended people. This helps the reader to understand that during the Great Depression, black people were muzzled by white people because there was a lot of injustice and racism towards black people which made black people inferior. In the passage, black people were not allowed to touch white people which made black people inferior. For example, â€Å"and tugged on his shirt sleeve to get his attention.He recoiled as if I struck him†. Thi s shows that some white people like Mr.. Barnett didn't like to be touched by black people because he thinks that they are dirty and disgusting as he â€Å"recoiled† when Cassia tried to get his attention. From this, the writer's intention is to show that white people didn't like being in contact with black people as they think they are too superior to them during the Great Depression. The writer also showed that black people was viewed as dirty people so therefore, white people didn't allow black people to touch them.This helps the reader to understand that not only black people was discriminated but they wasn't allowed to touch white people which means they didn't have freedom as they couldn't touch white people and they were treated like filth. The writer also intended too â€Å"recoiled as if I struck him†. This creates an effect n the reader as it gives a better imagery of how Mr.. Barnett reacted when Cassia tried to get his attention. If a black person touched a white person then the black person would be punished and would probably be lynched Just because he touched a white person.This is similar to Emmett Till's case but instead he said â€Å"Bye, baby' to a white female as he was leaving a store but then he was tortured and murdered because of what he said. This shows that black people had no freedom as they could only do certain things towards a white person but instead white people would be able to do anything to them. In the passage, Mildred D Taylor shows that racial discrimination and injustice continued during the Great Depression as black people were treated unfairly. In this case, Mr.. Barnett treated Cassia as an inferior person so he told Cassia to get her â€Å"little black self back over there and wait some more†.This reveals that black people had to be served last in a queue which shows that black people were treated unfairly during the Great Depression as Cassia was forced to wait longer even though she waited for a while. Mr.. Barnett also shows no respect towards black people as he said â€Å"little black self†. The writer's intention is to show that black people was racially discriminated in a shop as they were treated unfairly and had to wait until all the white people was served during the Great Depression.This helps the reader to understand that even black children was racially discriminated during the Great Depression as Cassia had to wait longer until all white people was served but Cassia understands that adults â€Å"ruled things and there was nothing that could be don't about them. † This reveals that Cassia understands things about adults but doesn't understand why white people are superior to white people and also made Cassia upset as she was being so kind to Mr.. Barnett but Mr.. Barnett responded rudely.In conclusion, this passage helps the reader in many ways to understand the theme of racism and injustice such as understanding how life was like being a black per son during the Great Depression, how unfair it was and how they lived in fear such as when Cassia was racially abused by Mr.. Barnett. Injustice and racism is shown throughout the passage as Mr.. Barnett racially discriminates Cassia. The passage also helps the reader to understand the theme of racism and as when Hazel was scared and had to be silenced by Mr.. Barnett.