Staying Positive while Delivering Negative News

11/27/12

Mr. Pelling,

Thank you for your great idea on the reward, but I'm afraid it may not be the best option. It's fantastic to know that we have a dedicated and hard working employee such as yourself to sacrifice the task of accomplishing more work for the benefit of others, but I am not sure your fellow companions feel the same way. Being able to complete this task, other workers may have to work more hours to cover up for the one employee that is on vacation. Also, paying an employee for their work and paying for their days of rest are two totally different things. Being said, I apologize for declining your pitch, but if you continue to work your best and inspire your fellow workers, I'm sure we will figure out a much greater, but inexpensive, bonus.

Sincerely,
Iomar Rodriguez
Chief Executive Officer
Atwood Corp.

Chapter 7: "Positive" Negative Communication

Providing Constructive Criticism
Scenario: Brandon, who works at Stuff (retail store), isn't reaching the required sales average. Politely give him some constructive criticism on how he can boost his skills and be more aware of his requirement.

Email:

To: babrooks@scompany.co.us

Subject: Work ethic and requirements

November 26, 2012

Brandon,

Have I told you that this month, the company has had 20% gain in income? If this continues, company may afford to raise the salary of out employees. Everyone will get raises and I just want to make sure you're part of that. You are a great employee with a great personality, and I want you to use your people skills to increase you're individual sales average. Doing this, keep in mind that you need a 7% raise in your sales to reach the required 30 individual sales. 

I look forward to giving you earned raise,

Iomar Rodriguez

President and Owner of Stuff

2012 Election

If I were able to vote this year, I would vote for Rocky Anderson and Luiz Rodriguez from the independent party. Being independent myself, Candidate Anderson seems to have a better moral to his plan and cares more about the important economical issues. Instead of talking about 47% of Americans and stuttering after every 2 words, thinking about good things to say, Anderson is more about cutting taxes and introducing better laws to help everyone is today's economy. He's not trying to take more money from the rich, or make the poor give more money, he's just trying to balance everything out and make it more fair and ordered. Also, for a random reason, his vice-president has the same last name as me.

Shark Tank

1. Season 3/Episode 14
2. Company: Wild Squirrel Nut Butter
-Home made peanut butter made by 2 college girls from Oregon.
-$50,000 for 10% stake
-Offer from Barbra ($50,000 for 40% stake) and the girls accepted the offer.
-Company: CAB20
-$200,000 for 20% stake
-Music band/business
-Kevin & Robert ($200,000 for 50% stake) but they didn't take the offer.
-Company: Mix Bikini
-$50,000 for 5% stake
-Business/Website where you can customize a bikini
-Offer made by Barbra ($50,000 for 25% stake)
-Company: Billy Blanks Jr. Dance With Me
-Fitness workout
-$100,000 for 25% stake
-Offer from Daymond and Mark ($100,000 for 50% stake with contingent on deal with Zumba) and he did take the deal.

1. Season 3/Episode 13
2. Company: AirBedz
-$250,000 for 15% stake
-Custom design air mattress to fit in the back of truck.
- Offer from Barbra ($250,000 for 50% stake) but didn't take the offer.
-Company: Skyride Technology
-Roller-coaster type ride that's manually used that you can train with, transport, entertain and much more.
-$3,000,000 for 20% stake
-Didn't get any offers.
-Company: Boot Illusion
-$100,000 for 30% stake
-Allows women to go from a shoe to a boot, or a boot to a shoe.
-Offer Daymond ($100,000 for 75% for just the boot tech) Barbra ($100,000 for 55% stake) and they accepted Barbra's offer.
3. The best company was the boot illusion because of how clever, yet stylish it was.
1. Season 4/Episode 1
2. Company: Coat Chex
-$200,00 for 10% stake
-Coat check system
-Offer from Mark ($200,000 for 33% stake) did not take offer
-Company: Bev Buckle
-$50,000 for 10% stake
-Belt buckle that holds your beverages
-Robert ($50,000 for 75% stake) Kevin ($50,000 with 12% royalty) Barbra ($50,000 for 51% stake) took Barbra's deal.
-Company: Body Walking
-$100,000 for 10% stake
-Massage therapy with someone walking on you
-Did not get any offers
-Company: Buggy Bed
-$125,000 for 7% stake
-Bed bug glue trap in between your furniture
-Kevin, Daymond, Mark, Barbra and Robert ($250,000 for 25% stake) they took the deal.
3. I believe the most creative product was the Bev Buckle because of how usual it can be and because it fits it's audience well.

1. Season 4/Episode 2
2. Company: Surfset Fitness
-$150,000 for 10% stake
-Surf simulator/fitness program
-Mark ($300,000 for 30% stake) Robert ($150,000 for 20% stake) Daymond and Kevin ($150,000 for 25% and unlimited manufacturing) took Mark's deal.
-Company: Alpha M
-$50,000 for 10% stake
-DVD to show men how to "dress to impress"
-No offers
-Company: ECreamery
-$250,000 for 33% stake
-Customize your ice cream
-Kevin ($125,000 for 25% stake), but recalled the offer.
-Company: CATE App
-$50,000 for 5% stake
-Call or Text eraser
-Kevin & Daymond ($70,000 for 35% stake) Barbra ($50,000 for 25% stake) took Kevin and Daymond's deal
3. The best product idea was the Surfset Fitness because it is not only fun, but it makes a lot of money.

1. Season 4/Episode 4
2. Company: Back 9 Dips
-$150,000 for 15% stake
-"Chicken dips"
-Lori and Daymond (
-Company:
-$
-
-
-Company:
-$
-
-
-Company:
-$
-
-
3.

DFW: Election

The article, Romney had the best night of campaign, Obama "fell flat," experts say.  Romney came to attack Obama and put him in defense mode without losing control, and according to the professionals, he did. They pushed back and forth about different subjects and as Obama seemed to "avoid questions," Romney answered them with confidence.

Romney had the best night of campaign, Obama "fell flat," experts say - The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_21694490/romney-had-best-night-campaign-obama-fell-flat-experts-say#ixzz28L369nTL

I believe I am independent. I do not want to, and I will attempt to never vote for presidents (because I don't like politics), but after playing this "game," it says that I should vote for Obama. I came in thinking I was going to come in 50% Obama and 50% Romney so that I could continue to believe that I'm independent, but as the questions were answered, it seemed that I agree more with Obama than I do with Romney. The game ended as 79% Obama and 29% Romney. You're expecting me to say "my thoughts have changed," but to be honest, politics still annoy me and I am still going to avoid voting for any presidents.

Deferred Action Analysis

Lapan, Tovin. "Start of deferred action program gives immigrants a reason to celebrate." Las Vegas 

     Sun. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. <http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/aug/16/ 

     legal-residency-sight-deferred-action-program-gets/>. 

The article, it is explaining how the deferred action program is giving immigrants the option of getting degrees, being able to temporarily avoid deportation. These degrees include getting driver's license, scholarships and jobs. Immigrants who already have degrees are offered more opportunities and better jobs. But, it all comes with a catch, for some immigrants open themselves up for immigration after turning in their applications. Also, they may be given fees after sometime, making immigrants, such as Astrid Silva (a 24 year old girl who is publicly known for being in the Dream Act), reconsider.

 Through this article article, I've learned that offers can be made that will call your ear, but they may not always tell you the details. In other words, this act sounds pretty good, but if you research more about it, it has multiple "catches" and unfair hooks. The same thing occurs in business, when a deal is offered, but not every detail is announced.

Team/Group Building

1. The most possible cause of conflict among people can be lack of communication.

2. A team is internally organized, with specific goals and usually has specific roles for different members, as a group is just a collection of people with something in common, such as having the same birth place or interests.

3. Flat organizational structures affects communication because an individual may take expanded roles to do important tasks, and you need to have good communication because you will then have to do a lot of face-to-face meetings with teams and members.

4. When deciding between a face-to-face meeting and an electronic meeting, you must consider the facts of issues that are sensitive, who knows each other, relationships, location, time, and physical characteristics.

5. Some teams cannot reach the highest stage of team development because of conflicts in the team. Things such as team building activities can help stop those conflicts and to show that it is possible to work with each other.

6. Agendas and minutes are important to group success because the closer you and your team become and the more each of you become used to each other, the faster you can get through projects and work on new things; you can work better together.

Team Activity Project: Big foot. In this game, you must put everyone in a straight line and blindfold them. You must them communicate with each other to line up according to shoe size (smallest to biggest). The catch is that you cannot say your shoe size and without vision.

Is Anyone Listening?

1. Listening is so very important because is more than just hearing, it is an interactive process that takes concentration and commitment. Effective listening in business is so crucial to providing quality service, facilitating groups, training staff, improving teamwork, and supervising and managing for improved performance. If we practice our listening skills, we will be more successful in anything we do, for everything we accomplish we use the skill listening.

2. The 4 different types of listening are;

• Casual listening, which is listening for pleasure, amusement and relaxation.
• Listening for information, listening for information and data (self-explanatory.) 
•  Intensive listening, when you listen to obtain information, solve problems, or when you persuade or dissuade.
• Empathetic listening, empathy meaning when a person attempts to share another's feelings or emotions, so making empathetic listening when you listen to someone express their feelings (an example can be counselors.)

I think the types of listening I spend most of my day doing are causal listening and listening for information. Since I am in school for most of the day, I am constantly listening for information so that I can gain more knowledge and do better educationally, and when I'm giving my brain a break from work, I use casual listening to talk to my friends and listen to music.

3. The 6 poor listening habits are;

• Faking attention, when you fake that you are listening to the speaker.
• Allowing disruptions, which is when you allow distractions to disrupt your train of thought or focus on the speaker.
• Over-listening, when a listener attempts to record everything the speaker is saying that they miss the main ideas or major points.
• Stereotyping, judging someone before they speak because of their physical features or perceptions, making  it harder to actually listen to what they're saying.
• Dismissing subjects as uninteresting, such as when a student asks a teacher "are we doing anything important in class today?"
• Failing to observe nonverbal aids, which can be when a listener is not tracking the speaker, missing important gestures or expressions.

I believe the 2 of these 6 listening habits that I'm the worst at is over listening because I want to obtain as much information as possible, making me miss the major points, and faking attention, meaning that I'm tracking the speaker, but in my "own world," not listening to a word they're saying.

4. I think I am a moderate listener. When I do listen, I try to gather as much information as possible, and when I'm not, I don't pay attention to a word the speaker says. I hear, but I don't listen. For example, whenever I'm really tired, I have a hard to listening to what the speaker is saying, though when I'm wide awake, I try to gather to much information, making it harder to remember everything the speaker says before he/she is finished.
5. My weakness in listening can be focusing. I either focus to hard, or I don't focus enough. A strategy I could use is not to get distracted so easily and to tone everything else out when the speaker is speaking. I tried this strategy at my Project Kick-Off convention on 9/12/12 at 6:30pm and it came out as a success. I wasn't distracted at all and I listened to every single presentation.

Job Interviews and Non Verbal Communications

Contributor. "How to Use Nonverbal Communication in a Job Interview Read more: How to Use Nonverbal 

     Communication in a Job Interview." eHow. eHow Contributor, n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2012. 

     <http://www.ehow.com/how_2032755_use-nonverbal-communication.html>. 

Riggio, Ronald E., PH.D. "Using Effective Nonverbal Communication in Job Interviews." Psychology 
     Today. Ronald E. Riggio, n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2012. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ 
     cutting-edge-leadership/201101/using-effective-nonverbal-communication-in-job-interviews>. 

SHAI COGGINS.com. SHAI COGGINS, n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2012. <http://www.shaicoggins.com/ 

     nonverbal-communication-between-the-genders/>. 

healthvermont.gov. Vermont Department of Health, n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2012. 

     <http://healthvermont.gov/family/toolkit/ 

     tools%5CF-6%20Cultural%20Differences%20in%20Nonverbal%20Communic.pdf>. 

1. To make a great, lasting impression, make sure you come to an interview well-dressed and groomed. During the interview, be sure to make eye contact to show that you are confident and sincere. Focus during the interview, have good posture and demonstrate interest on what the interviewer is saying. Be polite and and let your body language portray your professionalism. Stay calm and try not to fidget to much, but don't be too relaxed to the point where you're slouching. Ask questions to show that you are interested, but be sure to watch your tone and facial expressions so that you don't give off the wrong vibe. Present your resume in a professional manner to show confidence and maturity, and when you're finished, shake hands with everyone in the room.

2a. Some differences in nonverbal communication between different cultures can be gestures, because every culture has gestures toward each other and if you do (in their culture) an offensive gesture, problems could occur. Another difference can be touch and eye contact, because some cultures have different personal space issues and insecurities.

2b. Tone, facial expressions, body language, gestures, physical orientation, and eyes are all things to keep in line when talking between genders. Men and women all have their differences with these characteristics of nonverbal communication, but is a great thing to try to master to show complete respect and maturity.

Barriers to Intercultural Communication

Although it is said that there are many other barriers to intercultural communication, the main 7 include; Ethnocentrism, the belief that the specific patterns of behaviors desired in one's own culture are universally valued, which is considered a barrier because when problems could occur between people of different culture because they'll think that their own culture is the right way to do things. 
Stereotypes, a mental picture of the main characteristics of another group, creating preformed ideas of what people in this group are like, being a barrier because all cultures make stereotypes, making themselves think differently of the other person.
Chronemics, the study of how a culture perceives time and its use, and it's a barrier because if different cultures are on different time frames or don't use their time wisely, it is hard to do business and communicate.
Proxemics, the study of cultural space requirements, it is a barrier because cultures have different personal spaces issues, and if you violate it, problems could occur.  
Haptics, the study of touch, having the same issues as proxemics.
Kinesics, the study of body language, for if you're doing a certain gesture, someone of another culture could take it the wrong way.
Finally, there's language,  communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. If you don't speak the same language, it will be very difficult to communicate and do business.

Smart Stock Portfolio 8/22/12

Apple

T.S- AAPL

Shares- 200

P.P- $615.21

C.P- $662.99

Gain- $9,555

Current Event- Apple is working on improving China's labor conditions and give the workers better places to work.

Best Buy

T.S- BBY

Shares- 100

P.P- $25.96

C.P- $17.78

Gain- $-818.08

Dick's Sporting Goods

T.S- DKS

Shares- 3000

P.P- $41.96

C.P- $49.62

Gain- $22,973.10

DirecTV

T.S- DTV

Shares- 1500

P.P- $46.54

C.P- $51.45

Gain- $7,362.45

Current Event- DirecTV plans on having there stocks and profit increase drastically when football season comes around because of the season pass they're going to provide. 

Finish Line

T.S- FINL

Shares- 2000

P.P- $22.39

C.P- $22.33

Gain- $-139

Hershey

T.S- HSY

Shares- 500

P.P- $61.69

C.P- $72.31

Gain- $5,309.80

Humana

T.S- HUM

Shares- 1500

P.P- $87.44

C.P- $68.75

Gain- $-28,043.80

Nike

T.S- NKE

Shares- 2000

P.P- $104.38

C.P- $95.49

Gain- $-17,792.60

Current Event- Nike is now charging $315 for the new Lebron X basketball shoes. They haven't been too successful in selling these shoes so far.

Pepsi

T.S- PEP

Shares- 1000

P.P- $64.95

C.P- $72.76

Gain- $7,804.50

Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF

T.S- VIG

Shares- 400

P.P- $58.13

C.P- $58.89

Gain- $304.64

Monthly Group Ranking: 29th

Ch 1: Communication Intro/Failure

1. Communication: the process of exchanging information and  meaning between or among individuals though a common system of symbols, sings, and behavior. In other words, to explain the communication process includes expressing feelings, conversing, speaking, corresponding, writing, listening, and exchanging.

2. Proper and effective business communication is essential in order to be successful in today's work environments. Recent studies of executives document that abilities in writing and speaking are major causes of career success in many fields. Even though communication is necessary in everyday life, it might not come automatically in the business world.

 3. Communication breakdown can occur in multiple ways, such as when words are not present in the receiver's vocabulary, or when there are nonverbal signals that contradict a verbal message. A major breakdown could also be when expressions such as "uh" are used or when someone dresses inappropriately.

4.  The 3 ways that messages or communication can be transmitted are two-way; face to face, two-way; not face to face, and one-way; not face to face. I think the best sort of communication out of the 3 is two-way communication, face to face. I say this because you can actually meet and interact with the person. You can see them physically and understand their personality and the attitude, which is a good thing to know when doing business. The worst type of communication is one-way communication, not face to face. It's the worst because it will be hard to have a full conversation and you aren't actually speaking to each other, it's all through technology.

5. There are 3 different types of barriers to effective communication, one of which is the difference in education, experience, and other complexities of encoding and decoding messages. Another barrier can be physical interference occurring such as a noisy environment, interruptions and uncomfortable surrounding when having conversations. The last, but not least, barrier is mental distractions, like being worried about other subjects other than listening and decoding messages.  These could all be dangerous because if a co-worker or partner can not understand what you're trying to tell them, mistakes could happen and situations could be bad.