Discussion questions and their application in learning

FORCE

Conduct a mind map for the concept of "Power"

POWER

HEGEMONY

AUTHORITY

PRESTIGE

Force: I used this because a country that needs to take military action to protect its borders uses force, a way of showing their power to protect their homeland.

The authority figures in any company have the power to make policy, change policy, to hire and fire and train people -- all of which results from their power within the company.

An important part of the power that executives and managers hold is their strategic abilities to influence how their company should run, who should be the leader, and what the image should be that is marketed to the consumer and the public.

Hegemony: this is normally seen as an abuse of power; slaves were subjected to the hegemony of their masters, for example. It also suggests domination by one person over another, and some companies are run this way with employees fearful at every turn they might be fired.

Prestige: a brigadier general commands respect and if he is part of an elite unit -- or has otherwise distinguished himself in battle -- has achieved a powerful position which has prestige.

TWO: How do people gain power and influence in the workplace? In my situation, I demonstrated to my superiors -- through my actions and my ability to get things done -- that I had strong leadership skills, and as a result I was promoted to a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) position and given the duty of training and leading 10 soldiers.

MODIFICATION

ADJUSTMENTTHREE: a mind map for the concept of "Change"

CHANGE

CONVERSION

ADAPTION

Adaption: This means arriving at the needed change of a plan or strategy. For example, new orders for a soldier means he makes the adjustment to adapt to those instructions.

Adjustment: This is the act of applying the needed change to arrive at the corrected position or strategy. If the company commander wants us ready at 1800 hours instead of 1700 hours, we make that adjustment.

Modification: making a limited change in a plan or an organization; military units modify their tactics depending on the enemy's position.

Conversion: the act of changing from one order to another; the conclusion of that change in a military sense is the conversion from inactive to active duty, for example.

Change: to shift from one place, opinion, or strategy to another and to accept that shift; in the military change is part of the landscape and soldiers learn quickly to adjust.

FOUR: Present a time when there was a serious change of some kind; how did I work through it? A person in the military learns to adopt to change; we have had so many with such a variety of leadership styles and with a myriad of business approaches to leadership that most soldiers adapt and move on, avoiding drama or resistance.

FIVE: Yes I have experienced major changes. We have had major and sudden changes in my military units and I have shown leadership by helping new troops through changes they didn't understand and weren't ready to comply with immediately. In the military, if you resist changes ordered by superiors, you are in a tough position. You made the wrong choice of getting into the military if you resist change.