All Pieces Of Literature The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

Almost everyone has made a sacrifice in their lifetime that benefits others around them. These sacrifices can be hard to make, since the individual does not receive any satisfaction, but it may be necessary to forgo something to benefit other members of society. These sacrifices can be forced upon an individual by the majority, or can be voluntarily made. If making sacrifices for the greater good is the way a certain group has always done it, then it is accepted from the viewpoint of enculturation, or the adaptation of a society’s members to the norms shared by a culture. Individuals will continue to make these sacrifices so they don’t interfere with concept of normality within their society. This is evident in a few of the works of literature that the class has gone over: The Lottery, The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, Battle Royal, Equus, Harrison Bergeron, and Huckleberry Finn are all pieces of literature that include various types of sacrifice being made to benefit the greater good. In The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, every June, villagers gather in the town square for the lottery, ran by Mr. Summers. The children arrive first, collecting large amounts of stones, followed by the arrival of the parents. In this town, the lottery isn’t what the reader thinks it is. Whoever s name gets drawn out of the black box is stoned to death by the children in the town. This culture sacrifices one individual every June for harvesting success for the rest of the year. It is aShow MoreRelatedThe Lottery, by Shirley Jackson1468 Words   |  6 PagesToday’s American Literature tends to put more of a realistic tone to writing than in previous time periods. Writers point out what society as a whole likes to pretend does not exist, and were often frowned upon for doing so. In Shirley Jacksons â€Å"The Lottery† she does exactly that by portraying themes like the inhumanity of violence and the tendency people have to follow traditions even whe n they do not agree with them. In a short biography about Jackson it says â€Å"The story was met with an avalancheRead MoreEssay on The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: an Analysis1522 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Eklund The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: An Analysis The short story â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson was written in 1948 and takes place in a small town, on the 27th of June. In this story, the lottery occurs every year, around the summer solstice. All families gather together to draw slips of paper from a black box. When reading this story, it is unclear the full premise of the lottery until near the end. The heads of households are the first to draw a piece of paper from the blackRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson And A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner960 Words   |  4 PagesThe Use of Symbolism in â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner The use of symbolism is used in literature to enhance writing and add meaning to a story, this is evident in the two short stories â€Å"The Lottery† written by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† written by William Faulkner. With the authors use of symbolism Jackson and Faulkner are able to add depth to their writing in a way that connects with the readers. By adding symbolism to the short storiesRead MoreHuman Corruption Of Human Nature1140 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Corruption in â€Å"The Lottery† â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson is a classic short story in U.S literature. Written in 1948, the short story has been published in multiple languages around the world. It is still a required reading in U.S today. The story was later adapted into both a TV short and a play (â€Å"Shirley Jackson’s Bio†). Jackson uses irony and symbolism in â€Å"The Lottery† to show the corruption of human nature. The story opens up on a clear June day. It continues to describe an ominousRead MoreThe Lottery vs the Destructors Essay examples1046 Words   |  5 PagesThesis In Shirley Jackson’s, â€Å"The Lottery†, and Graham Greene’s â€Å"The Destructors†, the author creates a story filled with symbolism, irony, grim reality, and a ritualized tradition that masks evil, which ultimately showcases how people blindly follow tradition. Outline I. Introduction II. Setting B. Time Period III. Plot A. What messages are seen inRead MoreLottery Essay Symbolism1249 Words   |  5 Pages a dove representing peace, and the color green can symbolize the feeling of envy. The following pieces of literature, â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, â€Å"We Wear the Mask† by Paul Laurence, â€Å"Richard Cory† by Edwin Arlington Robinson, and â€Å"Mirror† by Sylvia Plath are all poems that use symbolism. The story â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson narrates about people living in a small American town. Jackson talks specifically about the horrendous actions that this society practices, which is not a new occurrenceRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay987 Words   |  4 PagesThe Lottery By: Shirley Jackson Summary: The Lottery happens in June every year in a small village of about 300 people. Its a tradition held annually for well over 80 years and Mr. Summers who oversees several civic activities in the community like square dances, teenage club, and the Halloween program as well as the Lottery. The Lottery normally starts around ten oclock in the morning and is finished around noon, the townspeople gather at the center of the town. A small old blackRead MoreCritical Analysis of The Lottery695 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery,† written by Shirley Jackson takes place on the twenty-seventh of June in a small town in the United States. The beginning of the story starts off talking about the local children gathering around and the town square where the lottery is held. At the square, the little boys begin to gather stones from small to large ones and pile them up. The next people to show up at the village square are the husbands as they are discussing daily life amongst e ach other, then finally, the wives beginRead MoreIgnornance of Tradition in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson1014 Words   |  5 Pagesdown from generation to generation. More often than not communities all over the world blindly follow these practices with little regard to who started them or why they were enacted in the first place. The community, in the short story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, is no different. The community members follow the tradition of the lottery without any consideration to its ramifications. Shirley Jacksons goal for writing The Lottery is to get the reader to question why certain things are done.Read MoreUse of Symbolism in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson1146 Words   |  5 Pagesbulb represents ideas that just sparked into a character’s head. In the short story, â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, a village has just entered the month of June, meaning that the lottery is to begin. When everyone was present, the heads of the households’ names were called one by one to pick up a slip of paper. It was then discovered that the Hutchinson family was the chosen family to participate in the lottery again. When Mr. Hutchinson, Mrs. Hutchinson, Bill Jr., Nancy, and Little Dave each got

The American Dream Still Deferred Many Years Later

The American Dream: Still deferred, many years later Langston Hughes poem Harlem presents a series of images in which dreams are deferred, destroyed, or otherwise rendered unattainable for African-Americans. The applicability of the images to the African-American experience is subtly rather than explicitly reinforced. The name of the poem is the most potent reference to the authors concern about the treatment of his people. But when he asks: Does it dry up/ like a raisin in the sun? it is hard not to think of the skin of slaves, drying up in the sun in the antebellum south. Hughes does not need to explicitly mention slavery. The words Or fester like a sore / And then run? also refers to how slaves tried to run and escape their masters. Maybe it just sags/ like a heavy load reinforces the image that African-Americans have been treated as beasts of burden in the past. The poem ends with an image of explosion, implying that sustained injustice results in anger and resistance, even violence. Injustice cannot be weathered indefinitely. But although the images of the Hughes poem are African-American in character, the metaphors used to describe the plight of injustice have universal applicability. The children of illegal immigrants who have grown up in this country, have known no other nation other than America yet cannot move forward and secure and education or a legitimate job because of their illegal status also find themselves with deferred dreams, like theShow MoreRelated A Raisin in the Sun Essay: Importance of Deferred Dreams734 Words   |  3 PagesImportance of Deferred Dreams in A Raisin in the Sun      Ã‚   A dream is a hope, a wish, and an aspiration. Young people have dreams about what they want to be when they grow up. Parents have dreams for their childrens future. Not all of these dreams come true at the desired moment - these dreams are postponed or deferred. A deferred dream is put on the back burner of life(Jemie 219), and it matures to its full potential, and is waiting when you are ready to pursue it(Jemie 219). It isRead MoreEssay about Analysis of Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes615 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis of Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes Dreams are the driving force of America today. Every person has some sort of dreams and or goals. Although in life everyone has dreams and goals, there are obviously more struggles for some ethnic groups than for others. The poem, Dream Deferred, by Langston Hughes, is one mans expression of his dreams during a difficult time period. As a black man in a time period where African-Americans were considered an inferior group of peopleRead MoreA Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes1736 Words   |  7 Pages All Langston Hughes ever wanted was for people to have their dreams accomplished and the motivation to bring change forward. However, Hughes’s dreams almost came tumbling down for speaking out in one of his poems. In 1940, Hughes had been investigated by the FBI following the release of his poem â€Å"Goodbye Christ†. Numerous accusations had arisen, stating Hughes â€Å"†¦[was a] member of the Communist Party, [ran] for public office, called for a race war, married a white woman, and studied CommunismRead More Unfulfilled Dreams Exposed in Hughes Harlem Essay1135 Words   |  5 PagesUnfulfilled Dreams Exposed in Hughess Harlem      Ã‚  Ã‚   Most of us have dreams that we one day hope to fulfill. They could be little dreams that will take little time and effort to accomplish, or they could be big dreams that will take more time and energy to fulfill. Nevertheless, whether ones dream is as mundane as hitting the numbers or as noble as hoping to see ones children reared properly, each dream is equally important to the person who has it (Bizot 904). Each dream is also equallyRead MoreThe Dreams Of African Americans1352 Words   |  6 Pagesup with a dream to become better or have more in life. Not all dreams become reality. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make a dream come true. In the early 1950’s, it was extremely hard for an African American to have their dreams come true. A poem by Langston Hughes entitled â€Å"Harlem† describes the dreams of African Americans during this time period. Lorraine Hansberry wrote â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† based off of this poem and it furth er depicts the struggles African Americans went throughRead MoreHarlem Renaissance Poets: Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen1065 Words   |  5 PagesThe Harlem Renaissance was a time where creativity flourished throughout the African American community. At the time many African Americans were treated as second class citizens. The Harlem Renaissance acted as artistic and cultural outlet for the African-American community. The Harlem Renaissance, otherwise known as â€Å"The New Negro Movement† was an unexpected outburst of creative activity among African Americans In the poems Harlem by Langston Hughes, America by Claude McKay, and Incident by CounteeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Dream By Langston Hughes1909 Words   |  8 Pagesunique way as well. The two pomes are about dreams, the first poem, Dream is about what could possibly happen if we let go of our dreams and don t purse them. The second poem, Harlem is about the possibilities of what could happen w hen we postpone our dreams. Both poems do not exactly end with a happy ending, for they show the regret that we will be left with, possibly even death. The poem Dream by Langston Hughes is about following your dreams, because we never know what our near futureRead MoreThe American Dream : Dead, Alive, Or On Hold?916 Words   |  4 PagesThe concept of the American Dream has been with us as long as we have been a nation. In Brandon Kings â€Å"The American Dream: Dead, Alive, Or On Hold?† he presents us with his version of the American dream. According to Kings, the American dream is defined as â€Å"The potential to work for an honest, secure way of life and save for the future† (611). The American dream may differ between every individual and how they perceive it. To some, the American dream is to have a decent job and to be financiallyRead MoreThe Life and Poetry of Langston Hughes Essay776 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to Becky Bradley in American Cultural History, Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. Growing up, he dealt with some hard times. His parents divorced when he was little and he grew up with neither of his parents. Hughes was raised by his grandmother since his father moved to Mexico after their divorce and his mother moved to Illinois. It was when Hughes was thirteen that he moved out to Lincoln, Illinois to be reunited with his mother. This is where Hughes beganRead MoreLangston Hughes : Jazz Poetry And Harlem Renaissance1212 Words   |  5 PagesHughes Jazz Poetry and Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes was an African American poet who was born on 01 February 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. His parents separated and later divorced during his childhood. Subsequently he was raised predominantly by his maternal grandmother. His grandparents were politically active and supporters of the abolition of slavery. They were activists in the movement for voting rights for African Americans. Through their active involvement in his upbringing, they shaped his

Coursework on multicultural management Free Essays

Cross cultural training as one of the greatest managerial challenges of globalization is the heart of human resources management in the public sector. The author’s main advocacy is that of encouraging the public leaders to â€Å"assume the responsibility for creating new models of management systems† (Hill, Charles 2004). As an effective answer to the challenges of globalization, the author believes that the world is in need of training and educating globally competitive Human Resources professionals and that the government must do its part by financially supporting such immediate needs. We will write a custom essay sample on Coursework on multicultural management or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is the global competition that gave way to the increasing cultural diversity in companies and in the public sector. The focus of modern and globally competitive management strategy should then focus on its culturally diversified human resources. In this article, the author raised several vital questions in relation to human resources management in the global and multicultural environment. First the author asked how executives can develop a multicultural management group. Secondly the author wanted to explore the role of human resources in the management of negotiations and international collaboration. Lastly, the author dug on the ways of developing cross-cultural competencies. According to the author, a globally competitive agency must seriously consider the concept of trans-nationalism by creating and maintaining â€Å"multifaceted organizational cultures† (Bartlet and Ghoshal 1992 cited in Hill 2004). Global leaders are required to cope with cultural relativity and part of that step is to carry out cultural awareness training (Bochner, 1992 cited in Hill 2004). That awareness training must include an understanding of the country’s national culture and how its people think. A management specialist asserts that â€Å"Cultural differences significantly influence management approaches and the performance of employees within organizations† (Hofstede, 1989). A globally competitive leader must first learn the techniques of global negotiations which requires an awareness and understanding of the multicultural facets of the negotiation process. This skill however according to the author needs to be learned and practiced overtime. In the case of a globally competitive public manager, one has to develop the essential characteristics of a global leader. These characteristics according to Hill involve a global mindset, global leadership skills, and ability to lead cross-cultural teams, energy and talent to participate in global networking, and skills as a global change agent. In the context of public administration in education, the author recommends that a global leader must incorporate faculty development and exchange and team building for its members. A globally competitive public administration should also develop and maintain cultural exposure and a public-centered, multi-lingual work environment in addition to textbook and case study development. The concept of the globalization of human resources management is a vital aspect of any organization that must be placed immediate attention. Since globalization require the interaction of organizations in the international arena, it is important that its leaders and members should be able to develop cultural sensitivity. Global competition opens opportunity for people of different cultures to come together to negotiate, build business relationships and maintain a culturally diversified working environment. Human resources management therefore plays vital role in securing that each organization is recruiting and training globally competitive and culturally sensitive leaders. ARTICLE II. Multinational enterprises, employment relations and ethics Apart from cultural sensitivity, globalization also poses challenges to employment relations and ethical perspectives of globally competitive organizations. This article specifically addresses the issues concerning business ethics like child labor, work environment safety and work pay rates. Ethics, although seen in different perspectives and in some relations with values, is a concept that is still considered a relative term in the business arena. In this article ethics has been discussed in comparison and in contrast with the concept of law. The author questions how can business leader gauge if business rules, practices and values can considered ethical? The author also explored the concept of universal approval as a benchmark in drafting an organization’s statement of values and ethical standards. Because values are relative, the acceptability of practices depends on the existing cultural norms in a certain society. â€Å"Values are always matters of taste or whim, and cannot be proved to be true, or valid for all time in all places, their nature and consequences can be identified† (Donaldson, John 2001). On this ground, ethical standards are always debatable. Still human resources are the main concern of this article since all organizations are composed and run by people. Globally competitive enterprises must therefore focus on critical analysis of the values and ethical standards they attempt to implement especially with the presence of cultural diversity. The author in this regard assessed that judgment of business ethics cannot be based upon legal structures rather on the culturally acceptable standards of the country on which an enterprise operates. In the author’s view, ethical standards of each enterprise must look into some principles of employment conditions that would generally be considered acceptable for at the European community. First, an ethical work environment must give its members the freedom to move around the working community, provide equal opportunities for men and women, training and a high standard of health and safety protection at work. The author’s main point is that ethical standards of different work environments, especially that relates to cultural diversity, differ on situations and not on principles upon which such ethical standards are based upon. The bottom line of the author’s argument is that business codes of ethics do not suffice for an organization to become successful in its operation but still they are held important as they serve to inform its members of the values that the company is expected of them. At the least business ethics are vital elements of the organization’s operations in matters of decision-making and of forecasting and shaping its future. â€Å"The key to managerial ethics is the development of individuals so that, ideally, they will possess the moral attributes required for the apprehension, appreciation and handling of ethical issues and dilemmas† (Donaldson, 2001). Business ethics should not therefore serve as borderline for each member rather it must be drafted in a way that independent moral judgment of each member can still be practiced. The author’s question is that apart from the existing organizational ethical standards, what more should each globally-operating enterprise should need? Apart from addressing the issues of working environment safety, child labor and gender sensitivity, global organizations must balanced such principles with the value of strong self-belief. What the author therefore recommends is adapt economic and business pluralism. A personal opinion on this matter would lead to a conclusion that respect for each person’s identity and preferences should always be an important consideration. Although it has been established as some form of business rule that a company must operate according to the existing laws in the country where it operates, cultural diversity poses a great challenge for each organization to balance cultural norms, ethical standards and laws with human respect especially those who are operating with people of different colors. ARTICLE III. Diversity Management and Cultural Competence Dreachslin is concerned about the importance of cultural diversity awareness and recognition of managers in a globally competitive organization. An awareness of one’s group identities according to the author â€Å"helps shape our world view and influence our cultural style, including what we value, how we behave, and what we believe† (Dreachslin, Janice 2007,p.79). It is one’s awareness of a cultural identity and preferences that help him define his way of interacting with such culture in reference to human respect. The author also finds the issue important because of the presence of human biases and preferences that create possible disagreements and thus conflicts in an organization which caters to the needs of people from different cultures and beliefs. Because globally operating organizations necessitates the employment of culturally diversified people, it is not surprising that disparities in the workforce arise evidently. This trend had been viewed by two opposing advocates. On one side, some believe that cultural competence is as important as celebrating our differences. On the other hand, some believe that placing importance of such issue would only contribute to cultural conflicts. The question raised in the middle of the author’s discussion is on what is the better approach to diversity management- homogenization or customization? On the basis of healthcare industry, the two approaches were compared. In the author’s perspective, â€Å"homogenization is necessary to build common ground and unity of purpose in the context of diversity, without which strong performance is not possible† (ibid.). It is stressed in the article that identities, being an inevitable part of cultural diversity, maybe chosen individually and socially. In that sense, one’s actions towards his relationship or interaction with people of the same culture or that of the other culture are seriously affected because expectations or at least impressions are created from the start. Such impressions or expectations therefore define our ways of communicating with others. Homogenization tells us that a common ground can possibly be created on which both parties can meet or agree with. The other side of the coin, the concept of customization, necessitates the satisfaction of one’s need to express his uniqueness by expressing the values and characteristics we share with those of the same affiliations. Customization therefore advocates and encourages the display of individual cultural differences not for cultural identification but for the sake of human need and satisfaction. Both concepts have their own benefits and costs like all other concepts and ideas but management specialists like Donaldson recommend the employment of both but stressed that this be done in balance. Communication has been highly regarded as a vital tool in managing one’s own leadership style. In reducing cultural conflicts, leaders are required to utilize the communication tool efficiently and effectively. Donaldson suggests that leaders must ask themselves if their communication styles are required by their jobs or their styles were purely their personal preference. The answer would definitely go for the former proposition. Experts suggest that serious attention must be put on managing diversity in order to have a positive impact on employee performance. It is to be stressed that diversity in this context encompasses gender disparities or gender gaps. Kochan stressed that â€Å"diversity is both a labor-market imperative and social expectation/ value† (Kochan, et al. 2003, p.18). In the practice of managing diversity, it is important that leaders must not focus on pointing out cultural and gender differences. Globally competitive leaders are rather required to employ balanced management styles through efficient communication strategies. These can be his powerful tool in building an organizational culture and human resources practices that would generally be practical and applicable to its culturally diversified people. Despite the presence of obvious cultural and gender differences, global leaders must be able to develop the skills of training its employees to professionally practice respect by simply treating its people based on what is just and rightful and without prejudice to any party involved. REFERENCES C. A. Barlett, and S. Ghoshal (1992). What is a Global Manager? Harvard Business Review 70 (1992): 124-132. John Donaldson (2001). Multinational enterprises, employment relations and ethics. Employee Relations. Bradford: 2001. Vol. 23, Iss. 6; pg. 627, 16 pgs Janice L Dreachslin (2007). Diversity Management and Cultural Competence: Research, Practice, and the Business Case.Journal of Healthcare Management. Chicago: Mar/Apr 2007. Vol. 52, Iss. 2; pg. 79 Geert Hofstede (1980). Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-related Values (Beverley Hills, CA: Sage, 1980, 1984). Pan Suk Kim (1999). Globalization of human resource management: A cross-cultural perspective for the public sector. Public Personnel Management. Washington: Summer 1999. Vol. 28, Iss. 2; pg. 227 Michael Porter (1990). The Competitive Advantage of Nations (London: Macmillan, 1990). 2 Oded Shenkar How to cite Coursework on multicultural management, Essay examples

Traits of a Good leader free essay sample

Today we live in a modern world where change is the only constant. We are surrounded by uncertainty in our daily lives, whether it is personal or professional. It is important to understand that a leader has to be comfortable dealing with uncertainty and change. First it is important to understand who a leader is. At the most basic level, a leader is someone who guides or leads other people. In more detail, a leader is a strong individual who has a vision or a purpose. He or she also has the skills and dedication required to see this vision through, guiding others to believe in this vision and implementing the plan so that the desired result is achieved. The authors of Leading the Way look at seven angles or attitudes that make a successful leader. If these seven blocks are considered and improved, one is sure to be a more effective leader. According to Leading the Way, the two basic foundations of leadership are individuality and insight. It is vital to understand these before one can succeed at being a leader. Individuality is ones personal identity. Who you really are, what you stand for, that is individuality. When it comes to leaders, one who displays a strong individuality be being himself or herself is a powerful personality who will be looked upto. Individuality means bringing ones personal experiences, values and beliefs to the table (Leading the Way. 40). It is good for a leader to have his or her unique style and to follow the values he or she believes in. Personal experience is one of the greatest strengths of individuality. Every individual has his or wealth of unique experiences. When a leader is proud of his or her individuality and displays it openly he or she is sure to be more effective. I am trying to implement this is my personal daily life by dissecting my own values and trying to see what makes me unique. I have found that I am a very open person, direct and emotionally expressive. I let my emotions guide me. This is who I am as an individual and has played a large part in my success as well as failures. Being emotionally expressive at work has helped my team understand my passion for my work that I love what I do and that has greatly benefitted me. It has a negative impact on my relationships, so I am working on controlling my emotions to reduce emotional outbursts. I am a firm believe that it is always better to be yourself no matter what. Ralph Waldo Emerson summarizes thus concept of individuality beautifully in the form of this quote: â€Å"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment†. The second foundation that is vital for a good leader is Insight. To the lay man, insight might simple mean understanding, or reexamining and then understanding. Leigh and Maynard break this down into three parts self awareness, understanding others, and seeing what is going on. In order to be insightful, one must be aware of himself or herself. Knowing your strengths as well as your flaws, seeing yourself and understanding who you really are is insight. A good leader is one who is completely aware of himself or herself, the positives and negatives. In order to be insightful, one must also understand other people. Why are others how they are? What are his or her strengths, weaknesses? Really understanding others is a tough skill to master, but if a leader tries to understand his coworkers he will be more liked as well as a much more powerful leader. An insightful leader is also one who is aware of his surroundings and not just looking, but â€Å"seeing† what is happening around him or her. I am trying to incorporate this in my daily life by questioning my own choices. I’m trying to understand why I do certain things, why I make certain decisions. Sitting down and thinking about my personal values, and the reasons why these are important to me has made me gain more insight into my own life. For example, I find that a value that is vital to me is trust. When I tried to understand why its so important and my number one value, I have realized that being let down in relationships has made me form trust issues. I am also trying harder to understand and appreciate others. Doing this is actually helping me strengthen relationships with loved ones. The next important leadership capability that Leigh and Maynard talk about is â€Å"initiate†. Being initiative means being proactive or action oriented. To initiate something is to start something or take the first step to begin something. This is a crucial quality that a good leader must possess. To take initiative the right way, one must put in a good deal of time and effort into researching the material, forming a way to approach it. Taking the required risks to begin something new, have the determination to follow it through. A good leader is a risk taker, but he or she is also ready to take responsibility for his or her actions. A good leader is willing to be held accountable for both failure as well as success. The leader often must be the one instigating the task. He or she bears the major risk and should be ready to be accountable for it. Leadership is a powerful position, and as famous people have said â€Å"with great power comes great responsibility†, this entails a leaders role too. In my everyday life, I am trying to take more initiative by taking on new tasks, and following through what I start. Sometimes a big mistake I make is procrastinating. Nowadays I am trying to begin and follow through my tasks. To take on new things, the results I am getting are a huge boost in my confidence. My coworker is also impressed that I am getting so much more done and asked me what my secret is! I have always been ready to face the results of my actions; so taking responsibility comes to me naturally. The fourth tool that a good leader should possess is the ability to engage and involve everyone to achieve the vision. A synonym for involve is to include. A good leader is an individual who engages his team, by empowering individuals. The leader makes the individuals feel valued and important. He empowers the individuals through programs to develop their skills and through coaching and mentoring. The leader also receives constant feedback about himself or herself from people and improves his ways based on the criticism. When people feel important and included, then they are more motivated to deliver the best results. A good leader will work on engaging his employees. To incorporate this step into my daily life, I am trying to hear more opinions from people. Whether it was a team project I had for economics last week where I was the team leader, I asked everyone for their ideas and we all worked together as a team. Respecting and gathering the opinions of others makes them more involved and eager for sure, but it also brings about creativity and positive energy to the task. Inspiration. It literally means to be motivated or moved emotionally to be creative and get a productive task done. A good leader is one who inspires people. An inspiring leader is one who taps into what really is his or her personal motivation and passion. He or she is passionate and expressive. The leader should have a clear larger than life vision, and be able to talk about this honestly. This vision should be something that reaches people. People should believe in this vision and find the leader is genuine and passionate. Communication is also a crucial key to be inspiring. A good leader will have effective ways to communicate the vision and truly motivate people to believe in it and act on it. In my life, I am tapping into what own inspiration is. I find great sources of inspiration from quotes and success stories. I have started keeping a journal of these inspiring thoughts and look at them when I need a push or motivation. â€Å"A good leader inspires others with confidence in him; a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves †- Anonymous. The sixth skill that a leader should possess is the ability to improvise. Improvising means being able to adapt. In an uncertain world, a leader should be able to face changes head on and adapt to them. To make things and situation work by compromising and improvising. A good leader needs to be flexible, as nothing is written in stone. In changing trying situations a leader has to be flexible and find a solution with the available resources. A leader has to be creative and innovative, to make things work along the way. When stuck in a challenging situation the leaders ability to be innovative and encouraging will define the success of the organization. In my daily life I find improvising difficult. When stuck with uncertainty, I am more focused on the problem than finding a solution. My goal is to try to improvise and work on finding solutions. Last week at work I had to file a report by the end of the day and my colleague called in sick. Normally I would have been worked up and focused on how tough it would be to accomplish this task alone. I tried to improvise by getting all the documentation done at work and then filing the report once I was home so I could have it ready the next day. The seventh key to being a successful leader is the ability to implement plans. Implementation literally means putting into action. In order to implement, one must be action minded with a can-do attitude. A plan must be formed and the leader must follow it through with persistence and dedication. Feedback is an important aspect of implementing and a leader should encourage and give helpful feedback. The leader must also track the progress of the task and make sure that it is going smooth. Don’t worry that people don’t listen to you, but worry that they watch you. A leader should exhibit the model behavior that he or she receives from employees. The ability to implement and follow through is the only way to ensure success. I have started making sure that I follow through and complete any task I take on. I used to procrastinate a lot , but now I am trying on getting things done in a timely manner and also track the progress of my tasks. An individual who wants to be the best possible leader should really work on improving these skills. Leadership is a way of life. A leader really makes a change and leaves his or her mark. As President Adam’s said â€Å"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. †