Blog #2
Page 1294-1295 on Thomas Alva Edison
The article on Thomas Alva Edison was written as a summation of the man’s genius and dedication to invention and discovery. The article starts off on page 1294 detailing his childhood and his vast appetite for reading and concludes on page 1295 with his struggles to maintain control of his patents.
A key moment of the article is his work as a night telegrapher. He was instructed to type the number 6 every hour so his bosses would know that he was still there awake. He instead invented a machine that would automatically type the number for him while he was out drinking at bars. This was his first invention that had public use. As a student this is key, not in that I can slack off on a job and go drinking but that your best moments can come when you are figuring out a way to make your life easier.
Another important note about Edison was that he did not just go about inventing random, useless items. His goal was to create a commercially viable product that anyone could use. This applies to me directly because throughout life you will be working for various bosses and regardless of what you think unless what you have created is applicable for the project at hand its useless.
The third thing to take away from Edison is that even with great success comes hardship. In December 1877 Edison began having a lot of success but his creditors began coming after him for payment on the loans they had given him. Life is not all peaches and crème but you have to manage your finances and be ready for the financial difficulties life throws at you.
Beals, G. (1999). The biography of thomas edison. Retrieved from http://www.thomasedison.com/biography.html
Page 1095 on “Getting things done” by David Allen
The mantra “procrastination is the only way I ever get anything done,” is obviously a poor way to live one’s life but more often then not I find myself behind on deadlines and due dates. That is the key reason I decided to use this example as one of my reviews.
The first example I will take is his weekly review. By following along and collecting your notes, calendar and projects you can go back on your week and check and make sure that you have competed everything in a timely fashion. This will make sure that you have finished each project completely. I personally make lists to prevent myself from forgetting assignments and such. As I go through and complete items I will cross them off my list. This does not always help me to start my projects in a timely manner but it ensures that I do not at least completely forget about them.
The second example I have is creating a filing system. Allen thinks that by having a efficient filing system is key to keeping organized and ready to access all your information. This is one thing I do succeed at in that I have a filing cabinet where I put school projects, receipts, tax information and to do lists to keep myself on track. This will help me in the future to always be organized in my career of choice.
The last example is to coordinate your outcomes with your actions. This will allow you to come up with a clear picture of what needs to be completed to be successful. By setting up a list of what exactly you need to complete with the due dates this will allow you to stay on track during complicated assignments.
Allen, D. (2010, October 8). Getting things done. Retrieved from http://www.gtdtimes.com
Page 1092 on “The Functions of the Executive” by Chester Barnard
This article focuses on what an executive needs to do to maintain control as well as unity and success in his business.
The first thing I took away from this was the need for communication. He says that everyone needs to know what and where the communication channels are. This will allow everything to flow more smoothly. He also said to make sure that the lines on communication were direct.
He also says that the head honcho is not a dictator and should focus not only on short term goals but on the long term goals and values of the company. This relates to me in my future because I will need to do both of these not only as an executive but as an entry level employee as well.
The third takeaway I had was that not only do the executives adhere to a stricter moral code then the rest of the company but they also are in charge of creating the moral code for the rest of the company. It seems that too often I read an article on some sleezy executive sleeping with his secretary or embezzling funds. As the head of your company you need to set a higher standard for your employees.
Chester barnard. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.vectorstudy.com/management_gurus/chester_barnard.htm
Page 1184 on Warren Bennis the leadership guru
Warren Bennis is a renowned leadership speaker and an expert in the field. From the article on him these are a few of the key points I picked up on.
The first note I had on Warren Bennis was that you need to develop organizational learning. It allows you as a boss to make sure that all of your employees are on the same page as far as their level of knowledge is concerned. It also ensures that your customers will all get the same level of service from all of your employees.
The second thing I liked was the myths of leadership. It is common to think that you have to be born with the ability to hold a crowd or the right words to say in each situation. This is not true. By pushing this knowledge to your employees you will enable more to think that they too can reach their full potential as a leader.
The third note was the five skills in emotional wisdom that give you certain abilities. He said that in order to run a good business or be a great leader you need to use these abilities to their fullest potential this will allow you to become a great businessman.
Bennis, W. (n.d.). The crucible of war.
Retrieved from http://warrenbennis.com/images-home/Ch_1.pdf
