Course Relections

We have officially come to the end of the beginning of this Master's program. With the conclusion of this first course I can look back and clearly record some progress and lessons learned. It seems to me that these past 9 weeks flew by. Maybe this is because we packed each week with new and exciting assignments gearing us toward an action research paper accompanied by a presentation. It could be because this course fell smack dab in the middle of my work and family life (both of which are full time jobs). Mainly, I feel this time passed quickly because I truly enjoyed every minute of it!

I would do myself and this course an extreme injustice if I didn't start with our instructor Matt Earnhardt. Matt made this course for me. All of this stuff I learned was relatively new and a bit confusing at times, but he kept me focused and informed. I never felt that I couldn't shoot him an email, ask a question, or pick his brain. He was quick with grades (which helped me chart my progress) and quick with replies. I couldn't have asked for a better instructor for my first Master's level course. Thanks Matt for everything!

I felt the course was more than adequate in preparing me for in-depth research as a leader. I was reintroduced to the Hunt Library and its vast amount of resource material. I learned qualitative and quantitative research methods to gather information. Literature reviews and annotated bibliographies were new to me, and I can now see how they can guide my research in the future. I also learned that you can not trust everything you find on the Internet. I already had a good idea of that one, but using the CARS technique to validate a sources was quick and effective. But the biggest lesson I learned was in action research.

By conducting my action research I can honestly say that I am a better facilitator for my Security Section. I chose to introduce some critical thinking elements into my training regiment. I got to weigh the pros and cons of old methods of training with using CT and discovered that everyone benefited from thinking critically about our training topics... especially me! I learned that action research sparks an ongoing process to implement an idea and continue to improve on it. I am better for it and my guys are interested in our training times together.

Overall, I have nothing negative to say about this course and its development. There were times when this new (and sometimes confusing) information seemed overwhelming, but Matt was there to keep me focused. He let me figure it out by pointing me in the right direction and letting me "go with it". If this first course has any reflection on the next steps in this journey then I am all in for one heck of a ride.

On to the next one!

JP

Good Presentation Design

If you have ever sat through a Power Point presentation and felt well rested at its conclusion I can completely empathize with you. Why are most visual presentations so incredible boring? How do presenters of the "Death by Power Point" really think their audiences are getting anything out their presentation? Why must we suffer?

To answer these questions I took a closer look at why most business presentations are horrible. Gary Reynolds discusses the "Power Point Culture" in his article Presentation Zen. He describes a disconnect between audience and presenter when the presentation lacks creativity. It is not Power Points fault! PP is a useful tool to create a slide show. The blame lies with the creator (or lack there of). he points out some very basic concepts that can make a boring presentation into something memorable.

First, Reynolds touches on the misuse of multimedia tools. The Internet is full of tools a presenter can use to build a solid visual display of information. But what is the best way to use all these tools? Understanding how the audience processes information is a good step. Taking a gander at who you are presenting to is another. And, keeping it simple is probably the most important. His research shows that narration with visuals is better than narration alone, and people learn better when words are narrated rather than text. Too much visual can detract from the process and the delivery must be presented in an organized and integrated way.

Second, planning is vital for a presentation to be well received. Inputting some thought into the material, organizing, creating a story, and rehearsing are keys to success in preparing a great product. Gary suggests to start with the end in mind and gain an understanding of the overall purpose of the presentation. People don't plan to fail, they just fail to plan. Sketching out the presentation from start to finish before ever opening up Power Point (or any other tool to build a slide show) is the only way to inject creativity into a final product.

Finally, good old fashioned showman-ship helps to round out a solid performance. Making eye contact and stepping away from the podium can help build a connection with your audience. Using a remote control clicker to move through the slides is another great idea. But most importantly, pace throughout the presentation is vital. Keeping the information moving at a steady pace will keep the audience engaged. Subtle pauses can help to allow ideas to sink in, and gives you a pulse check on your audience.

Delivering a great presentation does not have to be difficult. using online tools like Prezi.com can really impact a slide show. Keeping it simple yet entertaining will help to keep the focus. Rehearsing your material will build confidence in your abilities and knowledge of the subject matter. Being creative in a building a presentation takes a little work and time, but we will all be better off for it!

Remember... The best way to get to Carnegie Hall is with PRACTICE!

JP

The Quantitative Research Method

Research methods within the social sciences can be broken down into two main categories, qualitative and quantitative. A definition taken from Aliaga and Gunderson (2000) describes quantitative research methods as "explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analyzed using mathematically based methods, in particular statistics". While qualitative methods seek how something happens quantitative research aims to discover the why. Both methods should be used to paint a description of social reality.

Scientific research uses empirical and theoretical research to describe social realities. Obtaining data by some systematic means and comparing the data with concepts, perceptions, or theories helps to gain a better all-around description of the target object. To answer the question why something happens in society empirical collection and analyzation of data is used to statistically find solutions. Quantifying the data makes analyzing easier to accomplish in an environment that may have many variables within an observation unit. Assigning a numerical value to gathered data can help track the changes observed and make an assumption to be researched further.

For example, if I wanted to find an answer to why the divorce rate in America hovers around 50% I would need to collect some data on marriages over a span of time. Now, there are almost 400 million Americans out there and it would not be efficient to poll every married couple and divorced person in America. To get a good sample of the population I would look at creating a random sample of both married couples and divorced people. Because the sample is designed to represent the American married and divorced population I would have to take in consideration some sampling errors to adjust for variables within the sample group. With a certain level of confidence that my sample is a good representation of the larger group I can then create a questionnaire or survey with some questions I want answered. I can then quantify my data into charts, graphs, and other measure methods to see why most people get divorced. This is how quantitative methods plays a part in the scientific method of studying social phenomena.

It is important to use both quantitative and qualitative methods in research to gain a 360 degree view of an issue. Analyzing data and infusing some perceptions and theory can help find answers to large social issues. Using both of these methods together will ensure all the angles can be covered when researching within a large, ever changing, and dynamic society.

JP

Qualitative Research

This week in Leadership Foundations in Research we dove into the realm on qualitative research. One definition that I found interesting stated, "Qualitative research is all about exploring issues, understanding phenomena, and answering questions" (QSR, 2013). According to QSR "This method of research analyzes unstructured data, including: open-ended survey questions, literature reviews, audio recordings, pictures and web pages" (2013).

Tying critical thinking into qualitative research is a seamless way to interpret data retrieved from literary sources, interviews, and web sites. Collecting information on a topic in an unstructured manner lends the researcher an ability to think about the results, find similarities and connections, and develop meaningful conclusions. Unlike quantitative research where testing hypothesis, cause and effect, and specific variables are the defining principals, quantitative research identifies patterns and themes viewed through a wide lens. This is a far more creative approach to understanding human nature, points of views, and ideas which can vary due to individual perceptions and assumptions.

In the past few weeks I have created a literature review, built my first survey, and dissected the validity of a web page. I found myself flowing easily through the data collection phases, making mental and literal notes on important points and topics, and really thinking about my conclusions. Even in the midst of new lessons and assignments I felt a creative bug creep in to my research process. In the past I have conducted many quantitative research projects where I followed the scientific method to prove or disprove a hypothesis. The research is methodical and structured. There isn't much about the human nature, or the world we live in for that matter, that follows such ridged structure. Practicing some good 'ol quantitative research allowed me to collect data from random sources and draw conclusions from thinking rather than measuring.

As a leader it is important to be proficient at both quantitative and qualitative research principals. It is important to be able to reason through situations methodically and subjectively. It is important to understand there are several good ways to find answers to any problem. Utilizing these abilities will make good leaders great and great leaders memorable.

Please take a minute and complete my first survey.

http://kwiksurveys.com/s.asp?sid=8w2xe8kywaz7vev220931

Make it a Great Week!

JP

See more on Qualitative Research at http://www.qsrinternational.com/what-is-qualitative-research.aspx

Critical Thinking About Critical Thinking

Approaching the half way point in my first Masters of Science in Leadership course I take pause to reflect on my progress in critical thinking. It is fair to say I had an open mind going in to this program which helped me establish a reference point to base my progress. I knew going in that I knew very little about what I was undertaking, yet I also knew that I would be challenged intellectually and therefore grow as a thinker. Scratching the surface of critical thought processes and learning the basic elements and intellectual standards of CT I have discovered that I actually have a pretty firm foundation to build upon. The seed was already planted, and the circumstances are ripe for growth.

Linda Elder and Richard Paul have defined critical thinking as "the ability and disposition to improve one's thinking by systematically subjecting it to intellectual self-assessment" (2010). By this definition I can state accurately that I have become more aware of my thoughts since day one-week one. I find myself applying an open minded approach to every aspect of my life. I consistently question my thoughts and actions, both past and present, to see if I am in fact using a fair objectivity, reasonable assumptions, and clarity of thought with minimal bias or preconceived notions. Being challenged weekly to utilize the elements and standards of CT in my studies and assignments I have quickly developed some acute habits that have spilled over into my very active life. I find myself analyzing everything!

The spark for me in critical thinking is questioning. It is amazing to discover where my mind takes me when I start to question my own thought process. I haven't really made a distinct effort to begin internally, but I catch myself questioning my first reactions to situations that pop up. For example, as a husband I find myself pausing to reflect on what my wife is really trying to say to me in our conversations instead of hearing the bits and pieces I think are important. As a father I have begun to see the world and all its bewilderment through my children's eyes. At work I have developed more patience with the little things that may not make sense to me and look for the bigger picture. I have rapidly become more reflective and analytical, but not to any extreme measure. I feel more capable to soak up my surroundings and see things more clearly. And this is only week 5!

Just like any skill acquired in life it will take practice and determination to keep sharp. To keep progressing in CT and truly Master this program it will take some running, tripping, and falling outside my comfort zone. I can keep pushing myself to hone my CT skills. I feel very comfortable and confident in some assumptions going forward...

I will be a better person through CT.

I will develop intellectually and thereby be better equipped to contribute.

I will Master this program.

JP

Reference:
Elder, L. with Paul R. 2010. http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/critical-thinking-development-a-stage-theory/483

Ballet Slippers or Adorable

For this week's blog I will be talking about choices. The meat of this post is based on a lecture from Dr. Sheena Lyengar, The Art of Choosing. In her very elegant speech Dr. Lyengar drew a defining line between America's infatuation with options and how other cultures around the world feel about today's plethora of choices. She made some interesting observations to the assumptions we as Americans share when we think of the "right" to have choices. These assumptions are:

1. Make your own choices.
2. More options leads to better choices, and
3. Never say no to choice.

In the land of the free our culture seems to connect the right to choose with freedom. It is almost unthinkable to stand by and allow another person or entity to make our decisions for us. Where we live, where we work, what we choose to do with our time and money are all choices Americans feel strongly about making for ourselves. As a culture we place the highest value on our ability to make our own choices. But, is this concept always a good thing? I mean, shouldn't some choices be up to those who actually know what they are doing? For example, just because I have internet access and e-trade.com does this make me the best person to make financial decisions on how and where I should invest my money? Granted, it is my money after all, but seriously... my stock broker friends spent years in school, studying and analyzing stocks, dissecting market trends and practicing their trade on a daily basis. When I overhear them "talking shop" amongst each other they could very well be speaking Latin for all I know. Yet, I still have the choice to fumble around on my own with my hard earned money in hopes of making a profit. Maybe the right choice would lie in who I choose to invest my money for me, but that requires a lot of trust on my part. Do I really want to give that kind of power away to a broker I may not even know? So, in response to the first assumption maybe I shouldn't always make my own choices. Either that, or I better become well versed in every facet of my decision making process, but who has time for that?

#2. More options leads to better choices. I spent 8 years of my life in the car business. In those years I worked for Toyota and Mercedes-Benz for the most part, and the dealerships I work for were known as mega-stores. High volume sales has taken over high profit sales in direct response to information available to the general public. Back in the old days of the car trade it was pretty hard to tell how much profit the dealer was making on a car. Good luck getting your hands on a true invoice! But now there are several websites with the sole purpose of sharing cost and invoices for the consumer to make the right choices. Instead of making a nice profit on a few cars the industry has changed to making smaller profits on a LOT of cars. I can not tell you how many times I have seen a customer get overwhelmed with the many options available to them. Surely they could find the perfect car for their needs or wants with SO many choices to choose from. My experiences tell me otherwise. As a seasoned sales person I found that by asking just a few qualifying questions like what they will be using the car for, what features are most important to them, do they have a color preference, what type of budget have they prepared, and so on I eliminated the choices down to just a few good options. This narrowing of the choices made for happier customers and a well paid sales guy. In reality, less is sometimes more. 

Finally, Never say no to choice. I find it very hard to deal with absolutes. Never and always are some of the most overused fallacies in the book. However, going back to the choice-freedom American value theory, I believe there requires a great deal of trust needed in society as a whole, those who lead us, and our sense of individualism for Americans to give up our tight grip on making our own choices. I also believe this assumption is pretty well founded. As long as I have the ability to choose or not choose to make a choice I can go on about my life feeling warm and cozy under the blanket of freedom woven by my country's ideals. It is almost impossible for me to imagine a world where there is no choices. History has taught me that the old class system in Europe was kind of like this concept. Your father made shoes, his father made shoes, and there was really no other choice out there for you and you were going to make shoes as well. People assumed their roles within their societies and that was that. I think the shift from that idealism was spawned by the belief that humans aren't supposed to be void of choices, and as long as I have that ability I feel my basic need of self worth is fulfilled.

In conclusion, I can absolutely appreciate Dr. Lyengar's view points on misplaced values on having and making choices in the American culture. From an objective point of view I can see some flaws in the assumptions carried by our culture. In a world so dominated by advertising, consumer spending, and technological advancements it seems we have more choices than ever. But does reality spin the same story? Are we, in effect, constricted by so many options? Have we as a nation placed too much stock in the choices portfolio? If so, we may have shifted from a country of independent free-thinkers to a nation of sheep being led by money hungry shepherds. As Dr. Lyengar noted in her experiment at the nail salon when choosing between Ballet Slipper or Adorable pink nail polish... do we really need fifty shades of pink?

Please take some time and check out Dr. Sheena Lyengar's lecture at:

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/sheena_iyengar_on_the_art_of_choosing.html

A500.3.4.RB_Powell Exploring the Hunt Library

Exploring the Hunt Library

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University has many avenues, tools, and applications available for its students. From their physical campuses to the World Wide Online community ERAU offers access to state of the art resources. The Hunt Library is one resource that has helped me learn and grow as an Eagle.

Taking its name from one of EARU's earliest presidents, Jack R. Hunt, this online library offers access to thousands of articles, books, journals, DVDs, links, and services from online "Ask a Librarian" to research guides. The library offers a search engine on its main page that provides hits to key words and topics. Similar to other online search engines like Google or Bing thousands of matches to key words pop up from a search request, but Hunt differs in a very important way. Hunt Library provides a very specific collection of the links to articles, books, journals, and documents within its database. While Google searches the entire web for key words Hunt keeps you on track with scholarly references. In other words, Hunt Library lets you become the librarian!

For example, this week in my course of study I had to research Organizational Leadership. First, strictly out of habit, I Googled this topic and got 34 million hits (in .18 seconds!). That sounds like more than enough material to thoroughly gather information, but let's be honest, I won't venture beyond more than the second page of links. Also, I got links to universities, Wikipedia, ads to apply to Masters programs (sorry already in one), and other sites that wouldn't really help me in my quest. Now, entering the same search criteria in the Hunt Library resulted in 320,648 hits. This is still more than I will use for my research, but Hunt offers me a way to filter out mediums or refine my search criteria. I could search newspaper articles, dissertations, magazines, or books. I could use these field independently of each other or group them together for a more broad reference bank. Google didn't offer that!

Overall, I am truly lucky to have any of this information at my finger tips. Hunt Library offers me, and all Eagles out there, a very real and functional research system. My goal in taking this course of study is to better my self as a person, student, and ultimately a leader. Having the Hunt Library in my tool box definitely will help me get there.

Library on my people... library on!

JP