Worst Day of My Life

The Worst Day of My Life It was August 20th 2005 on a Friday morning. I woke up and I was feeling alright. I did what I usually do on Fridays. I cooked, cleaned, took a shower, brushed my hair, and then sat in the living room to watch T. V. Next, my favorite show came on and I was happy and excited to  watch the new episode. Later, the phone rang while I was watching the T. V, then I got up  and then answered the phone. It was my sister in law calling, to tell us that our father had passed away about  an hour  ago.I could not believe what I was hearing; I throw the phone on the floor, fell to my knees and started crying. My mother and everyone else ran towards me, asked me what was wrong and what I found out over the phone. I could not talk at all; I was out of breath from crying. But they all knew something terrible had happened. My mom picked up the phone from the floor and then talked with my sister in law, to find out the sad truth. My mom was shocked like me when she hea rd what I heard.When my siblings found out, we all fell apart and started to cry and hug each other. We prayed and asked god to get us through the tough time we were going through. After we prayed I went and sat in the corner with my brother and older sister. Three of us kept sitting and crying. After that my mother was trying to comfort us, but she could barely talk because she was crying so much. Unfortunately crying wouldn’t change the reality. My mother had to break the news to everyone over the phone.It was very painful hearing my mom breaking the news to the rest of the relatives, but we had no choice. In conclusion, our life has changed dramatically ever since my father’s death because my mother had to take all the responsibilities. Life was never the same for us, for we are missing the head of the household. Since the loss of our father is a fact, we had to live with the pain and get used to it. And every time that date passes we remember the grief of losing ou r father. Worst Day of My Life The Worst Day of My Life It was August 20th 2005 on a Friday morning. I woke up and I was feeling alright. I did what I usually do on Fridays. I cooked, cleaned, took a shower, brushed my hair, and then sat in the living room to watch T. V. Next, my favorite show came on and I was happy and excited to  watch the new episode. Later, the phone rang while I was watching the T. V, then I got up  and then answered the phone. It was my sister in law calling, to tell us that our father had passed away about  an hour  ago.I could not believe what I was hearing; I throw the phone on the floor, fell to my knees and started crying. My mother and everyone else ran towards me, asked me what was wrong and what I found out over the phone. I could not talk at all; I was out of breath from crying. But they all knew something terrible had happened. My mom picked up the phone from the floor and then talked with my sister in law, to find out the sad truth. My mom was shocked like me when she hea rd what I heard.When my siblings found out, we all fell apart and started to cry and hug each other. We prayed and asked god to get us through the tough time we were going through. After we prayed I went and sat in the corner with my brother and older sister. Three of us kept sitting and crying. After that my mother was trying to comfort us, but she could barely talk because she was crying so much. Unfortunately crying wouldn’t change the reality. My mother had to break the news to everyone over the phone.It was very painful hearing my mom breaking the news to the rest of the relatives, but we had no choice. In conclusion, our life has changed dramatically ever since my father’s death because my mother had to take all the responsibilities. Life was never the same for us, for we are missing the head of the household. Since the loss of our father is a fact, we had to live with the pain and get used to it. And every time that date passes we remember the grief of losing ou r father.

Christian Ethics

INTRODUCTION (DEFINITION) Christian ethics are theological teachings which govern decision making and the moral position of the Church based on various sources of guidance. These are traditions, church authorities, human experience, the Natural Law, the Bible; in particular Jesus’s Commandment of love, the Beatitudes and the 10 Commandments â€Å"You shall not steal† (Ex 20:15). HISTORICAL SETTING Christian ethical teachings vary between denominations for example, the Catholic Church places particular emphasis on Natural Law and authoritative bodies.The Protestant Church turns to scripture as its main source of ethical guidance due to the belive in â€Å"sol scriptura† (salvation through scripture alone, a belief originating in the Reformation of the Church. ) Despite these differences, the Bible remains the common source of morality among all denominations. SPECIFIC EXAMPLE: ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS/CLIMATE CHANGE Christian environmental ethics are specifically conc erned with the belief in humanity’s role as stewards of the Earth and how this role should be responsibly undertaken being a privileged bestowed by God.Prominent issues within Christian environmental ethics include Climate Change and deforestation. Climate Change is defined as a long term change in the Earth’s climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature. There are many factors believed to be contributing to Climate Change. These include an overconsumption of fossil fuels which when used emit greenhouse gases. The Church’s stance on Climate Change is that it is the result of humanity abusing the role as stewards of the Earth by taking more than they need from it.Using the words of Pope John Paul II, Climate Change is caused by modern society being given to â€Å"instant gratification and consumerism. † There are many national and international Christian initiatives which aim to address Climate Change such as Carit as Australia’s â€Å"A Just Climate† campaign. Established in 2011, this campaign aims to promote ecological sustainability to minimise the impact of Climate Change. Its focus is the poorer communities of the world, being the most vulnerable to the effect of Climate Change such as rising sea levels.Its methods include: community awareness programs and facilitating participation of poor communities in national discussions. Internationally, the Ecumenical World Council of Churches (WCE) is an example of the Christian communities response to Climate Change. It has been present since 1992 at every United Nations Climate Change Conference and is especially concerned with the effect Climate Change has on the world’s poor, promoting the concept of sustainable communities.It’s motivation lies in Genesis 2:15 in which God entrusts Adam with the Garden of Eden â€Å" the Lord God, took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it. † Today , humanity like Adam has the obligation to the world as responsible stewards. Using the words of Pope Benedict XVI â€Å"The wonder of God’s creation reminds us of the need to protect the environment and to exercise responsible stewardship of the goods of the Earth. † INTRODUCTION- DEFORESTATIONDeforestation is the loss of forest cover being converted into things such as agricultural land, golf courses and cattle paddocks. Consequences are wide ranging and include soil erosion, extinction of tree species as well as the endangerment or extinction of animal species which inhabit these forests. The Church’s opinion of deforestation is similar to that of Climate Change. Responsible stewardship of the land would not have caused not have caused such damage as deforestation has done.Society’s role as custodians of the land is demonstrated in the Bible by the quote â€Å"The land is mine;) with me you are but aliens and tenants† (Lev 25:23). This excerpt i llustrates society’s role as caretakers of the land and that the responsibility is to preserve the world. From this and other teachings found in the Church, it can be seen that the Christian ethical stance on forestation is that taking from the Earth should not be motivated by overconsumption but by sustainability.As Pop John Paul II said â€Å"Man cannot make arbitrary use of the Earth, subjecting it without restraint to his will. † Various Christian organisations established for the protection of the environment include Catholic Earthcare Australia (CEA), founded in 2003 by Australian Catholic Bishops. Its aim is to promote understanding of the sacredness of nature and functions as an advisory agent on ecological matters for Catholic Bishops and initiating sustainability programs.An example of this is the publication of â€Å"On Holy Ground† which is a faith based program for reflecting on environmental issues created by the CEA in conjunction with the Catholi c Education Office (CEO). An international example of the Church’s response to deforestation and other sustainability issues is POPPA Benedict XVI’s address at the opening mass of World Youth Day Sydney, 2008. He states â€Å"There are also scars which mark the surface of our earth: erosion, deforestation†¦ in order to face and insatiable consumption. With such a large audience the message of sustainability was spread to many countries. CONCLUSION Ethical issues are significant to the adherents of Christianity as they provide a means to living based on the teachings of Jesus who preached love and respect for God’s creation. The growing environmental concerns of Climate Change and deforestation are examples of modern society’s neglect of the Earth and, by extension their obligations to caring for it. Christian adherents are therefore called to encourage change and sustainability in the world around them.

Evolution of the resort design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Evolution of the resort design - Essay Example This building actually acts as the springboard of testing the polychrome revised architecture in the evolution of Resort design .It is a good example of the great inner geometric application and new syntax. This is accompanied by the variations in a number of its structures that were built with great floor plan which gives it a multifaceted cultural background with great space utilization techniques. Deeper scrutiny of the building exposes a combination of a variety of techniques with patterns that are in line with the organization of different apartments that constitute it (Gargiani, Le Corbusier, Rossellini & Piccolo 32). In contrast to other similar buildings where color is merely a tool for articulating and modifying space, Worawia Holiday Haven Resort marks the paradigm shift in use of color from form to independence and revelation of a new social dimension of color. Across the globe there are a number of artistic works that marks the history of such places and defines the socia l, political and economic environment that existed before. In other words, history is traced trough some of these artistic works that include unique architectural designs on landscapes, monuments, pillars and other archival sculptures. It is important to discuss the individual artists concerning their contribution on the history of the arts an in that respect one great Greek artist APOLLODORUS of Damascus who is credit with a number of historic architectural items in the world. He was a Damascus-born Greek who became one of the greatest engineer and architect at the height of the rule of Roman Empire where he worked. Below is Worawia Holiday Haven Resort floor plan with a Lodge (Dormitory) building, one large Family bungalow, three standard bungalows, Reception building with carpark, swimming pool with swim-up pool bar, and barbecue hut by the pool. photo : Agostino Calandrino Other examples include Renaissance Barcelona Fira Hotel, Spain - 17 Sep 2013 Design: Ateliers Jean Nouvel T he tower's facade is bright white on the south, west and east elevations in order to reduce solar gain due to exposure to the sun. The north facade is matt black to help it absorb as much solar radiation as possible during the short time it is exposed to the sun. It is one of the pieces of work with outstanding interior design. Theories and philosophies There are various theoretical concepts that are spoken by the structure itself once it is constructed. Design of resorts captures the space factor which is increasingly becoming scarce in most residential sites. There has been an increasing cases of setting up buildings in a way that the blend with the topography of the site and the cultural affiliation of the immediate society. Various architecture scientists attest to the fact that the contemporary society strives to spare any little space and maximize the allocated site with an expansive interior and relatively slim exterior. It is important to note that any sensitive architectura l creation must incorporate the important influence of image to the public when designing a house. Quality of design in massing proportions and architectural language will be a

A Curriculum Development Issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Curriculum Development Issue - Research Paper Example A social policy statement which was established in 1980 and amended in 1995. The statement explains the meaning of nursing, diagnosis requirement of a nurse and the main purpose of nursing activities. It clearly explains the requirement of a competent nurse in the health sector. It talks about the basic knowledge which is required of a qualified nurse. The statement specifies the main components required in the definition of nursing role and competent in the health sector. As observed by Fasoli (2006), nurses’ schools and faculties are supposed to comply fully with the Nursing: A social policy statement. The policy does not give room for immediate advancement of the training methodology. The strictness of the policy statement limits the advancement of the nursing curriculum. The curriculum is delimited by the policy to act immediately to the emerging technological and health changes. On the other hand, the policy restricts the nursing training schools from advancing the circular without the approval of the concerned health body. Health schools are expected to train what is speculated in the policy. Health policy on the other hand, is very useful in the nursing profession and most specifically in the training process. It clarifies the requirement for a credible nurse. It provides a guideline of what should be taught in the healthcare school. Its strictness is very essential in maintaining the quality of nurse activities in the health sector. ... The policy does not give room for immediate advancement of the training methodology. The strictness of the policy statement limits the advancement of the nursing curriculum. The curriculum is delimited by the policy to act immediately to the emerging technological and health changes. On the other hand, the policy restricts the nursing training schools from advancing the circular without the approval of the concerned health body. Health schools are expected to train what is speculated in the policy. Health policy on the other hand, is very useful in the nursing profession and most specifically in the training process. It clarifies the requirement for a credible nurse. It provides a guideline of what should be taught in the healthcare school. Its strictness is very essential in maintaining the quality of nurse activities in the health sector. Nursing school are limited the power of including irrelevant contents in their curriculum. Any additional in the curriculum must be approved by t he entire health sector. Nurses have the capability of working everywhere in the world due to the universality of the health policy. The policy has also helped nurses in specifying their position in the health sector. The role of the nurse in health sector is clearly explained in the policy. This reduces role confusion in health sector. Curriculum Development Strategies Development of nursing curriculum as a process has neither beginning nor an end. Once it has been developed, the curriculum undergoes modifications and refinements as it becomes evaluated and implemented. This modifications and refinements are performed because a nursing curriculum that is perfect cannot be finalized and achieved when the context within which the

Loyalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Loyalty - Essay Example Customers are exposed to numerous brands every day but they choose the ones that our trustworthy. Brands need to work hard in order to grab customer’s attention and to become their favorite. If it is successful in delivering the promises customers will automatically become loyal. Halliburton & Poenaru (2011) state that building trust among customers takes time and requires emotional and rational bonds to keep it strong for the future. Companies can safe-guard themselves in unstable situations (recession) if they are able to establish strong links with customers. No matter how risky the economic conditions are loyal customers would not stop buying these brands. However, some customers are easily distracted by prices and promotional offers and continuously switch their preferences. Their level of loyalty is seasonal and changes according to promotional campaigns. Such customers cannot be controlled. They can only be attracted using innovative offers. Companies should reinforce the importance of their brands or services so that customers do not deviate towards other products. Halliburton. C & Poenaru. A, 2011, ‘The Role of Trust in Customer Relationships,’ Discussion Paper by ESCP Europe Business School, Accessed online on 15th May, 2014,

Critically discuss the view that capital markets created the Essay - 4

Critically discuss the view that capital markets created the conditions that led to the new economy bubble and the banking crisis - Essay Example This essay aids, to discuss the view that capital markets created the conditions that led to the â€Å"new economy† bubble and the banking crisis. Old economy firms were or are large, well established firms that operate in a form of traditional sector. Old economy firms have small investment and less involved in the current technology era (Torre & Schmukler 2007, p. 88). These old economy firms were the ones, which dominated the entire economic activities before the introduction of the dotcom epoch. The current dotcom era ushered in the economy back in the 1990s, leading to the creation of new and high-growth firms hence improving the economic status of many countries â€Å"bubble† and causing banking crisis internationally. Old economy firms usually exhibit low volatility and suffer continuous dividends as they continue to participate in mature firm sectors, which tend not to provide potential investments for companies (United Nations Conference On Trade And Development 2009, p. 90). In contrast, new economy firms operate in advance technology industry sectors and the highly competing and successful firms have the opportunity of building value at a higher growth rate. Good examples of these new economy firms include primary firms, whose operations involve commerce and technology-based services such as Intel, Google, eBay, and Cisco. These new economy firms typically operate in environments, which are extremely different from of the old economy firms and have more volatile stocks (Stiglitz & Ocampo 2008, p. 30). New economy firms do not necessarily pay dividends since they opt to reinvest their profits into new businesses or expansion. Old and new economy firms not only differ in terms of their activities, but also they differ in the way markets value them. New economy firms tend to have strong volatility valuations since their modes of

Research design in psychology-week 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research design in psychology-week 5 - Essay Example Potential research questions as far as the quantitative approach towards addressing the issue of juvenile crime can be descriptive, predictive or casual. A descriptive question for this quantitative research can be ‘What is the relationship between the social environment and juvenile crime?†. A predictive question can be â€Å"Does the social environment predict the juveniles’ ability to indulge in crime?† A casual question which compares the different variations of a phenomenon to identify the cause of something can be â€Å"does variation in exposure to different social environments produce a change in a juvenile’s ability to commit offences?† These research questions can be addressed by either limiting the scope of the research to certain factors of the social environment like dynamics of the family, community support or the effect of the media and music. A possible hypothesis for adopting a quantitative approach to this area could be relaye d in the following way: â€Å"If the social environment has an impact on juvenile crime, then there should be an observable correlation between various social factors in the lives of juveniles and their rate on criminal behavior.† A breakdown of the factors that constitute to the social environment (such as domestic violence, substance abuse, peer pressure or schooling etc) can be used as independent variables whose relationship will have to be determined on juvenile delinquency (the dependant variable). Looking at the research by adopting a qualitative approach the possible potential research question one might ask is ‘What role does the social environment play a role in the lives of juveniles and their ability to commit crimes?† Other research questions relating to the issue at hand could be ‘Why do juveniles commit crimes?’ or ‘How can juvenile crime be prevented?’ or So while our quantitative approach tends to find out if there is a p ossible relationship between our two defined variables the qualitative approach will analyze this relationship and go into the depth of it. Qualitative research will analyze and evaluate the criminal behavior of juveniles through a social learning perspective. Even though in qualitative research we do not use quantities, they can be used to prove or disprove a hypothesis, however primarily it is used to gather and analyze data. Resources Creswell, J. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications,

Problem Solving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Problem Solving - Essay Example This is because there is no definite solution to a problem as all solutions lead to development of new problems and solutions. Problem solving techniques are on-going processes needed for the survival of an organisation. Halpern (2002) explains that problem solving techniques should be able to find and formulate the problem that affects the progress of an organisation, implement a decision, audit the results obtained from the decision made and review the obtained results to determine if they are appropriate. More effort, energy, time and money should be spent on the prior stages of problem solving techniques rather than on the later stages. However, most executives ignore this fact as they aim at acting quickly and decisively thereby creating a type III error (working on the wrong problem) (Paradies & Unger, 2002). Therefore, this report will discuss problems that curb the development of organisations and appropriate problem solving techniques that are used to eliminate this paradigm. This report will also analyse features of these problem solving techniques and the issues faced while applying them to the problems. Most organisations especially new business enterprises are faced with strategic planning problems. Such organisations are unable to appropriately define the strategy and direction of their firms. They are unable to formulate efficient decisions in distribution of the organisational resources such as capital and labour, a fact that affects their capability to strive in the stiff market competition (Bradford & Duncan, 2000). Most researches, studies and surveys that have been conducted show that most successful organisations implement the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis into the culture of the organisation to strategically plan for the operations, decision making and resource distribution tactics. According to Lorenzen (2006), SWOT analysis comprises of the identification of organisation's objectives to determine internal and external factors which may enable or prevent the achievement of these objectives. The SWOT analysis was formulated by Albert Humphrey with the aim of helping business ventures to effectively identify areas for development by matching the strengths of the organisations to available opportunities and the weaknesses to potential threats that the organisation may face. This enabled organisations to attain competitive advantages over their counterpart business enterprises. In other words the SWOT analysis enables organisations to detect the threats and weaknesses of the organisation and convert them to strengths and opportunities that the organisation can utilise to increase its performance. Also organisations are able to effectively overcome these threats and weaknesses thereby attaining appropriate market control due to implementation of strategic plans into the culture of the organisation (Tracy, 2000). The internal factors comprise of the strengths and weaknesses that determine the accomplishment of objectives of an organisation for example the 4Ps, manufacturing capabilities and personnel among others. On the other hand the external factors comprise of opportunities and threats that an organisation faces such as technological changes, socio-cultural changes and the competitive position of the

We need to respect each other Essay Example for Free

We need to respect each other Essay As-Salamu `Alaykum: This type of greeting is common in the Arab Muslim countries meaning Peace be upon you. This greeting indicates that every person should ask for the well being of others. Respecting each other’s independence, rights and wishing for the well being of others is an integral humanity feature which should exist in every single individual who call himself/herself Human. Bible also says, †Do to others what you want others to do to you. † Thus in almost every religion respecting others emotions, belief, self respect is a must directive. But is that really happening or we just use religion to harm others than safeguarding interest of humanity. The Present day scenario: Today, the world is more like a small village wherein every single person is able to connect himself/herself with the rest of the world. There is freedom of speech and expression in almost all the countries of the world. The standard of living has improved in many countries. But a big problem has also cropped up in this new advanced world. And this new problem is of jealousy. Today no nation wants to be called backward in any field. Every country is trying hard to make more military arrangements than the neighbor. Steps are taken to prove supremacy in trade. Even the sovereignty of other country is also kept on stake just to prove power status of the country. The eastern people in wake of progress adopt culture of the western countries and there by displacing there past ethical values and moral. At once, multiculturalism and the banner of tolerance commands a trivialization of values, while sustainability of tradition seems to ever more hinge on its profitability – where value replaces virtue. This philosophy often rides the coattails of modernization, of westernization. In the race for success and progress we almost forgot to respect each other’s culture, sovereignty, equality and self-respect. Let’s just have an idea of the changes happening in the world and the possible ways of improving our attitudes towards them. East and West. 2. Cultural changes and respect of culture: Culture is infamously difficult to define, harder thus to then preserve. As the habits, lives, and histories of the over 6 billion individuals on our planet entwine. Cultural changes have been dominant in the eastern countries like Japan, China, India, Thailand, Malaysia etc. At these places, people are trying to copy all the ways of living of the western people. Reason being that they believe that by copying such ways they will be called people with class and their country will be identified as developed nation. Anthropologists are always pressed to provide concrete examples, and tangible evidence of their efforts. Highlighting cultural threats or extinction is not as black and white as a corporate bottom line, nor Compared to the West, can we in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) be considered more collective than individualistic. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Collectivism can lead to heard mentality and a sense of confinement. Individualism can put the success of one at the expense of another or many, and an ultimate alienation of self. Respect of culture is must and need to be recognized as an asset of our forefather’s. These people do not know that the western people are trying to copy the eastern culture as they find eastern culture to be more ethical based and sole soothing. People in western countries are copying the clothing styles of China, marriage rituals of India etc. These people are trying to extract all the moral values from the eastern countries and give to their children whom they find separated from the family values. Risk to sovereignty and respect of sovereignty: Sovereignty means the independence of the country to make decisions of its own without the interference of any other country. Every country today is sovereign but literally. The present fact is that in the wake of proving its autonomy on the world politics, every developed nation is trying to risk other country’s sovereignty. In the field United States is at the top level. By attacking Afghanistan and Iraq in the last few years, the country proved its supremacy over the world politics. But along with that the risk to sovereignty of other countries has again reinstated the tensions of cold war. East and West. 3. The risk of possible Iran and United States war has increased. Reason being that United States do not want a nuclear state in the gulf region to maintain its control over the crude oil. Whereas Iran wants to protect its boundaries from the eyes of the United States resulting in increasing tension in the middle east. The territories of Pakistan are attacked with a view to kill terrorist but against the will of the government of that country. Further more United States is trying in making a deal with India on nuclear supply but on the terms of risking its sovereignty. Respecting each other’s boundary is a must thing but with an attitude like that United States is inviting more enemies from the eastern world. Risk on Equality and respect the idea of equality: Equality is the emphatic commitment to democracy is born of a commitment to equality. Thus every person in this democratic world enjoys equality before law, equality to enjoy fundamental rights etc. Still the equality discriminates in these countries especially in United States. For instance the seventeen-year-old seem fit for political participation than some of the voting population. Regardless, it is a degree of discrimination. Furthermore children address their elders and even parents by their first name in the democratic nation. This may be called equality but along with that it undermines the importance of relationships. Thus democracy in the United States goes far to promote equality though their system does discriminate against age. Conclusion: In the nutshell, we can conclude that independence and respect of each others sovereignty, culture, right to equality, status and power identification in the International affairs is an important factor that should be considered so as to bring about peace in the world.

Performance Management systems Essay Example for Free

Performance Management systems Essay 1. What is the main goal of a Performance Management System? Performance management systems are designed to improve both individual and organisational performance by identifying what skills are needed to perform a role, providing regular feedback and assisting the employees in their career development. The overall aim is to equip staff with the competencies and commitment to deliver on shared organisational goals . 2. Why is it necessary to develop and implement a Performance Management System? A well developed performance management system assist to develop staff and can result in significantly improved output and performance, which ultimately leads to improved results for the organisation. Without a well developed and implemented performance management system, an organisation can risk poor staff performance and a high turnover of staff due to lack of support. 3. What are the three stages of Performance Management? †¢ planning for performance – setting performance goals, establishing performance standards and setting performance expectations, identifying developmental goals in work (action) plans †¢ performance appraisal – observing, documenting and assessing performance †¢ performance improvement – providing regular feedback, review performance appraisal, rewarding excellent performance 4. List the four groups who are involved in Performance Management? †¢ your team †¢ you, as a supervisor †¢ human resource professional †¢ union representatives. 5. Why is it necessary to ensure that performance management and review processes are consistent with business objectives and policies? Staff performance plans must be based on the overall aims and objectives of the organisation so as to ensure that each staff member is working cohesively towards the same goal. They must also adhere to organisational policies so as to ensure that they are fair and consistent across the organisation. This also assures that they comply with legislation (that is, presuming that the policies set out stipulate this). 6. Write a paragraph explaining why you think performance evaluations are necessary and the method/s that you consider best to be utilized. I think the importance of performance evaluations is twofold. In my experience, working in an extremely under-resourced organisation, it has been very difficult for me in the past to gain feedback from my supervisors about my performance. One to one time with a manager is rare. This has at times resulted in frustration because I have felt as though I have not been able to gain direction in my work. I fear that at times this may be the case for the staff that I supervise also. Therefore, I believe that on one level performance management systems are extremely important as a method of support for staff. On a more obvious note, performance management systems can also lead to improved output and performance of individuals, which ultimately leads to improved results for the organisation. In terms of what method I believe to be most effective, I believe that there are some core principles that must be followed. The plans should be developed with staff so as to ensure owndership, implementation must be consistent and timely (3 month reviews shouldn’t be undertaken at 7 months! ). 7. Why is it important that both managers and employees receive suitable training in how to handle performance review interviews? Without training about how to handle performance review interviews, there is a very big risk that the appraisal will not be effective and even more concerning is that it could prove counterproductive and damage the supervisor/employee relationship. Training equips managers and team leaders with skills to conduct positive appraisals. It assist employees to understand the new relationships and how performance issues are openly discussed and resolved. Training sessions also can assist employee to see how their work links to the goals of the organisation. 8. Explain why and how often you think performance appraisals should be held? I believe performance appraisals should be held after 3 months in a role and then every 6 months following this. I write this in the context of the organisation for which I work. One to one time with your manager is difficult in our organisation and I believe that in the past this has led to staff feeling very unsupported. There has been quite a high turnover of staff in some programs and I believe that this could be addressed by stronger support systems in place from management. While some may argue that appraisals at such regular intervals can be difficult for managers to implement due to time constraints, I believe firmly that this investment will be returned in increased staff output. 9. Why is it important to recognize the contribution of your work group members and why should you do this? Recognising the contribution of group members is an important method of motivating staff. It reinforces positive contributions and shows their importance to the organisation. If the contribution of staff members is not recognised, it risks losing the motivation of a team who may feel that their work is for no purpose and is not appreciated. We all need a thanks! 10. List three pieces of legislation that are related to performance management †¢ Fair Work Act (2009) †¢ Workplace Health and Safety Act (1995) †¢ Awards/Enterprise Bargaining Agreements/Union Collective Agreements. 11. How would you devise a training plan incorporating both monitoring and coaching for individuals with poor performance? It is important to spend time to time to try and understand why a staff member may have poor performance. This is important in determining what action to take – be that formal training or coaching. The following points – from the course book – I would certainly include in any coaching I was to undertake: †¢Good coaches challenge employees and ask questions that help the employee to discover how to improve. †¢Coach when you wish to focus attention on any specific aspect of the employee’s performance. †¢A coaching meeting should focus on just one or two aspects of performance. †¢Any more than that and employees won’t remember the main impact of your meeting. †¢Keep coaching conversations brief and between 5 to 10 minutes long. †¢Being an effective coach requires understanding what motivates the members of your team. Remember that people are motivated in different ways. Be sensitive to the things that drive your people to perform. †¢When things are performing well, take the time to understand what is working and why. †¢Good coaching is guiding, not telling or doing. †¢Allow the employee to own the problem and its solutions. Ask them: ‘How finally feels as though she is getting somewhere. In terms of monitoring, I would plan more regular catch ups with the staff member (perhaps monthly) to discuss progress. I would continue to implement reviews at the times stipulated by organisational policy. I would also ask for regular feedback from the staff member. 12. How can you provide support services if required? †¢Provide details of union representatives †¢HR representative details †¢Training options †¢Set up future one-to-one meetings †¢Work manuals †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"buddy† system in which staff member is teed up with competent staff member 13. If the individual continues to perform below expectations what process would be necessary to implement? If the poor performance continues, it may be necessary to give a written warning to the staff member. This is discussed further in question 20. 14. Why is it necessary to document and record performance? Documenting and recording performance can lower the risk if a person chooses to challenge a negative appraisal. Holding records of poor performance may assist to cover an organisation legally if the employee raises an unfair dismissal claim Documenting good performance is also important so as to avoid claims of favouritism for example of undeserving staff members. Documenting performance also makes it much easier when the time for appraisals comes around, particularly for managers who are managing a large number of staff. 15. Explain the term â€Å"interpersonal conflict† Interpersonal conflict is the most apparent form of conflict for workplace participants. It is a disagreement or differing views between two or more people over a particular idea, thought, or action.. Also language and personality styles often clash, which can create conflict in the workplace. ref http://www. mediate. com/articles/donaisB2. cfm 16. How does interpersonal conflict affect the workplace? Interpersonal conflict is is easy enough to observe in the form of office politics, gossip, and rumours. It can lead to a negative work environment, with groups forming within the workplace. Unless these conflicts are resolved, they can lead to a very challenging and unfriendly workplace. In more extreme cases, interpersonal conflict can lead to charges of harassment and discrimination or at least the feeling that such things exist.