My Mentoring Account In Nursing Practice Nursing Essay

My Mentoring Account In Nursing Practice Nursing Essay This is my reflective account of my performance as a mentor in clinical setting, assessing the learning environment and the strategies used for teaching and assessing a student nurse. I have been mentoring student and newly qualified theatre practitioner for many years as a registered nurse for more than 20 years and as a qualified anaesthetic practitioner for 3 years. Working alongside with different mentors in the past help me to understand the different characteristics of being a mentor and developed my own style of facilitating learning within a clinical setting. I have unique experienced of conveying knowledge to others in a way that is comprehensible and significant through my work as a multi-skilled theatre practitioner. Because this assignment is a reflection of my performance in mentoring and assessing a student in nursing practice, Gibbs reflective cycle (1998) will be used the same model I used when I did my University post graduate course 3 years ago. Currently the hospital has program of mentoring university students and newly graduates. The program is in addition to the current program that familiarise students and new graduates to the theatre they will be assigned. It considers influencing the students learning experience by mentorship and assessment. The surgical setting as a learning environment will be examined and the accountability and value of the role of a mentor will be looked upon at. Finally, the overall performance of mentoring will be evaluated. To follow the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC2008) names will be changed and withheld confidential information and the student will be named as my mentee. According to the NMC (2006) students on NMC approved pre-registration nursing course be required to be supported and assessed by a mentor. The nurses / operating department practitioners selected to be mentors should be in the register and should be required to be up to date with their skills, knowledge and competencies with continuity. On the first day of my mentee right after her orientation, we have drawn up her learning opportunities so that there was an awareness of what my mentee hoped to gain from the operating theatre experience. As part of the course work one teaching session and one assessment were arranged. Teaching session includes informal and formal. The formal session happened in the theatre operating room and involved positioning of patients before surgery. My mentee was on her first clinical placement and is not familiar and no experience within a theatre setting. Present during the procedure were myself, my mentee, the rest of the theatre team and an unconscious patient under general anaesthesia. Before any learning lesson took place, it is crucial to build an effective working relationship with the student (Bally, J, 2007). Being kind to her and offering assistance for any needs she might have. My mentee feel that she is part of the team and that she wont feel alone. I build up her confidence by expressing to her that at any point of the teaching session if she did not understand a protocol, or why things were done, or why that thing is important, I will be there to explain and guide her. Learner must be made feel that they are welcome and important; this way will assist the learner to incorporate themselves into the clinical environment (Welsh and Swan 2006). Being approachable and friendly I was enabled to maintain a trusting and comfortable relationship beneficial to learning. My student felt that my character has a strong professional relationship throughout the learning experience. According to the student I am mentoring with, the relationship reduced her tension and anxiety which can affect her ability to learn. Anxiety in students happen to diminished when the mentors are capable of building good working relationship with the students for almost their entire placement (Slevin 2005). Openly welcoming and recognising my student in the team give her a sense of valued as an individual resulting in a positive effect on their self esteem. Personal attributes of the mentor is sometimes the number one barrier when creating effective learning experience. You need to be a good role model to be a good mentor. When I was a nursing student in my own country, I had mentors who were good role models where I learned more and given a chance to share my ideas and feel that I was valued. The results were I enjoyed my placement and excelled in my learning outcomes. To be a successful mentor, it is important that you will find ways to improve the learning environment. It can be a difficult task when creating suitable environment and can affect the learning experience. Nursing students has different backgrounds. Some had good experience working in a healthcare setting as healthcare assistant before entering to University while some just went straight to enrol in a nursing course; therefore, it is necessary to make an appropriate environment for each individual to take full advantage of the learning process (Lowenstein and Bradshaw 2004). The setting for the formal learning session was demanding as my mentee was not familiar working in a hospital theatre based environment. The chosen location was a theatre where it is located at the most secluded area to minimise interruption. This will ensure that my student will give her full attention during the teaching session. Evaluation of the learning process and assessment of the effectiveness of the session will help me to achieve by good planning of teaching session Hinchcliffe (2004). Numerous teaching sessions took place before assessment was done to guarantee that my mentee will feel confident and gained the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out the procedure. We involved each other thru direct questioning, discussion and observation and my mentee is fully aware that she has been assessed at the time of questioning. I taken into account in which the manner my mentee learns as it is important to recognize her learning style so that it can be incorporated to the learning material to facilitate effective learning (McNair et al 2007). Recognizing her individual learning style helps me to arrange her learning preferences. According to Kolb (1984) there are four distinct styles of learning or preferences which are based on four stages, diverging, assimilating, converging and accommodating learning styles. Although mentor and learner has different learning styles the NMC (2006) has developed a standard which point out that mentors have to strive and achieve best fit practice with the level and type of learners that they came upon in training as mentors and learners has different learning styles. It was felt that my mentee is a reflector as she likes to be given adequate time to think things through before reaching to conclusion. She also likes to observe in contrast to direct participation and slow to make up her mind and reach a decision as opposed to her as good in listening and assimilating information. For that reason the diverging learning style was applied for best possible learning. On a variety of occasions, it was clear that my mentee is good in watching a procedure before performing it. Prior to the start of any session, together we made proper visual checks and verbal questionings to the patient and noted in the pre-operative checklist. I pointed out that confirming the patients correct details is of paramount importance and one of the many safety issues she has to consider. Knowing that we have the correct person and the correct procedure, my mentee told me that she is happy and confident to proceed. Surgical room department is one of the most stressful environme nt in the hospital, thus, we give our student an assurance and support that they need from us. When doing the safety positioning of patient before surgery, I was talking to my mentee through the procedure step by step as I put the patient under anaesthesia, intubating and positioning the patient for a procedure. A number of questions followed to test my mentees understanding of the process and she correctly prioritised the order of step by step procedure. In this assessment, my mentee demonstrated theoretically her ability to integrate to the team to provide safe and effective care for the patient. It was also felt that my mentee was learning in an andragogical way, the teaching methods for adult learners, a term used by Knowles (1970). This became obvious when drawing up her learning opportunities. As the formal session involved not only my mentee it was felt that all different types of the learning styles should be consider as every student had their own styles of learning. Realising what the individual characters and needs is important for learning to be effective. Audio-visual materials were used for teaching as this type of learning aids can speed up learning through the use of diverse senses (Neeraja 2008).It is evident that group work allowed the student to produce a working relationship and expectation and it made the learning environment enjoyable and gives me a greater insight into different learning styles when doing it within a group. A written self-assessment followed the session to support my student to assess her strengths and weaknesses. This style of assessment can be valuable for the students as when they assessed themselves can occasionally focus on a negative or limitation. This gives me a chance to advise and correct the weakness and help to point out positi ve aspects of my mentees practice (Welsh and Swann 2006). I told my mentee that she needs to improve her self confidence to make a speedy safe decision before and during a procedure. I also pointed out some concerns on her practice document leaving it out to the last minute and be assertive enough to get it filled in at a regular intervals. Also discussed was her progress and conversely how she taught she was doing. At this point I discussed her development and that she is progressing well and that I was very pleased with her overall performance. I ended the review of her performance with a sandwich feedback (Hinchcliff 2004). It consists of giving not so good feedback inserted between positive feedbacks. My mentee was pleased to fulfil her learning objectives and that she enjoyed the way teaching happens as I took into consideration her individual learning style. She pointed out that an up to date induction pack before placement will be of big help as it makes her less anxious about working in the different surgical department after only having her hospital placements. An action plan has been drawn in response to this. The website directory of the university has been made up to date so students can now access up to date information in relation to this placement. Students should be provided with an induction pack as it will prepare them for the placement ahead (RCN 2007). On reflection the learning experience in general was very encouraging as my mentee was able to accomplish her competencies in an environment conducive to learning. I was able to established effective working relationship and leadership with by influencing and being a role model. By acting as a role model in clinical setting and looking to address natural obstacles in the surgical theatres as operating room are known to be full of activity and issues with staffing levels which contribute to effectiveness on the quality of assessing students (Phillips et al, 2000). I probably could not only develop myself and my student but also other mentors conduct and practice in a constructive way (Girvin 1998). My mentee has given me a positive feedback on my performance as her mentor and made very supportive and encouraging comments. She felt she was fully integrated into the learning environment and thought she was part of the surgical team. Upon reflecting on what I have found difficult about the learning experience, I found that as a mentor I can be faced with different forms of liability as I should be able to validate the marks given for an assessment. As a registered professional, I am accountable in the decisions I will make and must act in the best interests of service users (HCPC 2012). This is obviously no different to the role of the mentor and assessment of student in clinical practice. For that reason, assessing my students competencies brings the same responsibility I have to my patients (Jarvis and Gibson, 1997). After much examination and evaluation of the whole learning experience, I am looking forward to further develop my role as mentor to be a good contributor in educating future nurses. I will attempt to speak more slowly and clearly and learning more about my student before the assessment. I would consider gaining feedback of my student performance from my colleagues as it would allow taking into account the view of other professionals to promote clinical excellence and professionalism. To conclude, mentoring and assessing is fundamental in helping the student to have a complete learning experience. Mentors and student should outline their aims and objectives at the beginning and a professional relationship should be preserved throughout. Assessing nursing student is paramount in delivering a safe and competent nursing care.

Black Boy :: essays papers

Black Boy Richard has many different ideas on how to deal with racism. Throughout the entire first part of the book he makes many references as to what he believes could help the problem. Although the most frequent method he practiced to deal with racism was acceptance, Richard does not believe this is the best way to handle it. Richard believes that educating oneself about racism bests combats the problem. Through education, Richard thinks that people can more easily come to realize how severe the problem is. He believes that far too many people are simply accepting racism because they don't know what it is like to live without it, and have no idea how to go about ridding themselves of the problem. Richard feels that if both whites and blacks could know what it would be like without the institution of racism running many of the aspects of their daily lives, then both races would benefit from this knowledge and change the nature of many of their actions. The belief that people need to be educated about the subject is commonly supported throughout the text. Entering the seventh grade Richard first realizes that racism is never talked about seriously. He thinks to himself, "Nothing about the problems of Negroes was ever taught about in school; and whenever I would raise these questions with the boys, they would either remain silent or turn the subject into a joke. They were vocal about the petty individual wrongs they suffered, but they possessed no desire for a knowledge of the picture as a whole.". This shows how Richard is aware of the lack of education, and also brings to light his misunderstanding of why there was a lack of education. Richard believed at this time that the reason blacks were not educated about the subject and nothing was ever done was because of white authority. The truth was the reason lied much deeper into the human character, and originated equally, if not more, from action the blacks took (or didn't take). Many southern blacks at this time had no idea of what life without racism would be like (besides the 'fairy tales' of a non-racist northern society). And because of most peoples' natural desire to maintain traditions (and promote a static reality), even when changing traditions would prove beneficial far in excess of the costs of the change, the majority blacks themselves in the south took no real action to promote change.

Leaders Are Born Not Made

ESSAY TITLE: LEADERS ARE BORN NOT MADE AUTHOR: AYODELE OLATOYE SUMMARY: The essay refutes the viewpoint that leaders are born not made, and seeks to establish through valid arguments, illustrations and documented evidence that leaders are actually made and not born WORD COUNT: 1920 LEADERS ARE BORN NOT MADE Folklore has lulled us into believing that some people are born leaders while others are not.Regardless of tribe, ethnicity or race, most people can trace their origins back to a monarchical or feudal system where the offspring of the reigning family found themselves thrust into leadership positions regardless of their inclinations to rule or not. To further impress this upon our collective psyches, the legends of such royal ancestors are interwoven with thrilling notions of romantic adventure and grandeur, and we unwittingly find ourselves mentally acquiescing to the untruth that some people are born to lead while others are destined to merely follow.History has however proven ot herwise; leaders are made not born. The fall of monarchical systems of government occurred slowly but surely over centuries, as it became apparent to all that leadership is to be earned, and is not a birthright. Nobility was no longer a question of bloodline but of courage, strength of character and the ability to motivate your peers to follow you in achieving a common goal. Some critics would argue that the most prominent features of leaders such as courage, charisma and strength are personality traits which are inherited and cannot be taught (Colleen 2012).Research has however shown that the human personality is extremely malleable, and under the right tutelage and exposure to carefully calibrated exercises, leadership attributes can be developed by anyone who is willing to invest the required amount of time and energy to achieve these results (Parks 2005). It has also been argued that another key requirement for leadership is pleasant good looks which are an inherited feature (Co lleen 2012).This is however an unsubstantiated assumption and perhaps is only relevant in the realm of politics where the ability to assume an office is often indicative of a strong political machinery backing you, and not your ability to lead and motivate. True leadership is not an office but a lifestyle. Mahatma Ghandi may not have qualified as a prospect for GQ’s cover page but he is undisputedly one of the most influential leaders in modern history. Perhaps it would be instructive to clarify who a leader is before proceeding further. ‘A leader is a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a certain goal’ (Merriam-Webster n. . ). Leaders exist in almost every facet and sphere of life we may choose to examine; the family unit, schools, religious organisations, business institutions and states. The manner in which they influence people varies from individual to individual. One of the areas which has witnessed the most review and analysi s is the business environment, where the efficacy of a leader could determine whether an organisation thrives or goes under, and with it the fates of staff, shareholders and other stakeholders whose livelihoods are inexorably linked to the business.We will therefore restrict our review to the attributes of a successful business leader and an analysis of whether such traits are inherited or cultivated. One key trait which most of the literature written on great business leaders agree on as a required characteristic is excellent communication skills. A leader must be able to clearly communicate his vision in compelling terms that will motivate his team to follow him into the thick of the fray, be it the floor of the New York Stock exchange or into the last quarter of the year where the sales figures will determine whether the organisation sinks or swims.Is the ability to communicate convincingly an inborn trait? History would lead us to believe otherwise. According to folklore, Demost henes was the most famed of Greek orators whose first attempt at public speaking earned him the derision of his peers for his efforts (Horne 2007). Through dedication and the proper tutelage, he overcame a speech handicap and eventually became a voice that all of Greece respected. In the modern world, the abundance of voice coaches and public speaking training material points to the fact that excellent communication skills can be learnt.In addition, as organisations continue to grow in size and staffing, an increasing amount of the intra-organisational communication is written and no longer verbal. CEOs communicate their vision and the company’s direction to the entire staff via written emails. Though some critics may maintain that good communication skills are inherited, it is unlikely that even the strongest proponents of this view will believe that the ability to type concise emails is an inborn talent. Another important leadership trait is passion; passion is infectious n d galvanises those around you into pouring their energy into the goals you have set. It is obviously apparent that some people are naturally more passionate than others and this is inarguably an inborn personality trait. As a leader however, you are not required to be passionate about every single thing; you however must be passionate about your job, your organisation and the objectives you have set. In the book ‘Who Am I; The Quest for Entrepreneurial Identity’, Charles Y. Murnieks states ‘†¦ ntrepreneurial passion is significantly related to the setting of proximal goals’ (Murnieks 2008). This suggests that any leader who is fiercely committed to a goal inadvertently becomes passionate about it. Goal setting and focus is a trait which can definitely be taught and are the precursors to the passion that a great leader needs. On the other hand, being a passionate person in a general sense is no guarantee of great leadership. On the contrary, passion tha t is not built on predetermined goals may lead to emotional decisions which could destroy an organisation.A third important leadership trait is courage. In the course of running an organisation, a leader must have the courage to take decisions which could either make or break that organisation. Whether it is choosing the sectors to invest businesses capital in or selling off an ailing subsidiary, his courage will constantly be put to test. He must also have the courage to face his staff with candour and give unpleasant feedback to an employee who may not be pulling his weight.A study by Daniel Goleman surprisingly revealed that fearlessness, amongst others, is often an inherited trait (Goleman 1986). It appears that some children are born with a higher threshold of fear and risk aversion than others. An insensitivity to fear however does not necessarily make a courageous leader. In the article ‘The Meaning of Courage’, Richard Zinbarg states ‘In my view, however, we cannot be courageous or strong in situations in which we have no fear or anxiety whatsoever’ (Zinbarg 2010). Courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. despite anxiety or fear’ (Rachman 1978). This thus means that the quality of courage which one needs to have to be an effective leader is not ingrained at birth, but rather is developed over time by the habit of constantly facing ones fears. Many leadership training organisations teach this trait with rock climbing or mountain climbing exercises, which will gradually help the students face down their fears and take challenges head on.The military also recruit young men and women into their ranks and through trainings, exercises and exposure to real armed conflict situations, gradually shape them into courageous combat ready soldiers. This is perhaps one of the reasons why the American people had until recently only voted ex-military political candidates into office; they naturally believed that these men would have cultivated the traits of strength and fearlessness during their time in the military. Integrity is another important attribute of a good leader.The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines integrity as the ‘firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values (Merriam-Webster n. d. ). Are some people born with integrity whilst others are born with a propensity for deceit and inconsistency? Research shows that children growing up are prone to adopt the moral code and values which their models exhibit from birth to about the age of 7, when they begin to observe and appraise the results of actions on subjects as well as the attendant repercussions.They then begin to form their own value system which continues to be shaped throughout their lives (Thomas 1993). Integrity is a learned attribute and leaders can therefore not be born with it; it is an acquired trait. A review of the biographies of great leaders often refer to defining moments in their lives where experiences occurred that shaped and defined their moral codes for the rest of their lives. One of the greatest examples of this is the story of President Abraham Lincoln, fondly known as ‘Honest Abe’ by the people of America.He exposed himself at a very early age to character moulding literature that extolled the virtues of integrity and individual struggle, thereby internalising the accounts of other great men and consciously adopting their moral codes (Carwardine 2003). The mere fact that peer pressure, lack of a proper family structure and environmental/ community factors have been identified as three of the main contributing factors to teen crime (Muhammad 2008) establish that integrity or the lack of it is a learned behaviour and not an inherited trait.This is one of the reasons why juvenile corrective authorities always seek foster parents for adolescents whom they perceive to be in danger of being corrupted by their soci ety. The human race has made exceptional leaps in the past century on numerous frontiers; medicine, law, science, technology, and most of the other endeavours we have focused our mental energy and resources on. In the business world, the number of registered companies (either with physical or virtual offices) is rising quickly and with it the portfolio and profile of its owners and managers.The leaders of these advancements and breakthroughs did not let questions of their genetic predisposition to leadership deter them from achieving the feats they have accomplished. Proposing that leadership is a birthright and therefore the exclusive right of a privileged few would be encouraging scores of people to abdicate their natural duty of being the best version of themselves they possibly can, encouraging them to ignore the plethora of opportunities to lead and make a difference, encouraging them to give up at the first sign of difficulty.The last and arguably the most important trait of a great leader is faith; faith in his ability to lead his team and actually make a difference. It is only by understanding that great leaders are made and not born that we can have the faith to put ourselves through the gruelling process it takes to shape our minds and bodies, and thereby become the exceptional leaders that we all can be.Bibliography Carwardine, Richard. Lincoln. London, 2003. Colleen, Sharen. â€Å"Leaders are Born not Made. † Thinking is Hard Work, 2012. Goleman, Daniel. â€Å"New York Times. † New York Times, 2 December 1986. Horne, C. F. Heritage History. History Curriculum Homeschool, 2007. Merriam-Webster. â€Å"Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. † http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/integrity. Muhammad, Ali. Youth Crime; Causes and Remedies. 2008. Murnieks, Charles Y. Whom Am I; The Quest for Entrepreneural Identity. 2008. Parks, Sharon Daloz. â€Å"Leadership Can Be Taught: A Bold Approach for a Complex World. † 2005: 5-6. Rachman, Stanley. Fear and Courage. 1978. Thomas, Laurence. Morality and Psychological Development. Basil Blackwell Ltd, 1993. Zinbarg, Richard. The Meaning of Courage. 2010. Leaders Are Born Not Made ESSAY TITLE: LEADERS ARE BORN NOT MADE AUTHOR: AYODELE OLATOYE SUMMARY: The essay refutes the viewpoint that leaders are born not made, and seeks to establish through valid arguments, illustrations and documented evidence that leaders are actually made and not born WORD COUNT: 1920 LEADERS ARE BORN NOT MADE Folklore has lulled us into believing that some people are born leaders while others are not.Regardless of tribe, ethnicity or race, most people can trace their origins back to a monarchical or feudal system where the offspring of the reigning family found themselves thrust into leadership positions regardless of their inclinations to rule or not. To further impress this upon our collective psyches, the legends of such royal ancestors are interwoven with thrilling notions of romantic adventure and grandeur, and we unwittingly find ourselves mentally acquiescing to the untruth that some people are born to lead while others are destined to merely follow.History has however proven ot herwise; leaders are made not born. The fall of monarchical systems of government occurred slowly but surely over centuries, as it became apparent to all that leadership is to be earned, and is not a birthright. Nobility was no longer a question of bloodline but of courage, strength of character and the ability to motivate your peers to follow you in achieving a common goal. Some critics would argue that the most prominent features of leaders such as courage, charisma and strength are personality traits which are inherited and cannot be taught (Colleen 2012).Research has however shown that the human personality is extremely malleable, and under the right tutelage and exposure to carefully calibrated exercises, leadership attributes can be developed by anyone who is willing to invest the required amount of time and energy to achieve these results (Parks 2005). It has also been argued that another key requirement for leadership is pleasant good looks which are an inherited feature (Co lleen 2012).This is however an unsubstantiated assumption and perhaps is only relevant in the realm of politics where the ability to assume an office is often indicative of a strong political machinery backing you, and not your ability to lead and motivate. True leadership is not an office but a lifestyle. Mahatma Ghandi may not have qualified as a prospect for GQ’s cover page but he is undisputedly one of the most influential leaders in modern history. Perhaps it would be instructive to clarify who a leader is before proceeding further. ‘A leader is a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a certain goal’ (Merriam-Webster n. . ). Leaders exist in almost every facet and sphere of life we may choose to examine; the family unit, schools, religious organisations, business institutions and states. The manner in which they influence people varies from individual to individual. One of the areas which has witnessed the most review and analysi s is the business environment, where the efficacy of a leader could determine whether an organisation thrives or goes under, and with it the fates of staff, shareholders and other stakeholders whose livelihoods are inexorably linked to the business.We will therefore restrict our review to the attributes of a successful business leader and an analysis of whether such traits are inherited or cultivated. One key trait which most of the literature written on great business leaders agree on as a required characteristic is excellent communication skills. A leader must be able to clearly communicate his vision in compelling terms that will motivate his team to follow him into the thick of the fray, be it the floor of the New York Stock exchange or into the last quarter of the year where the sales figures will determine whether the organisation sinks or swims.Is the ability to communicate convincingly an inborn trait? History would lead us to believe otherwise. According to folklore, Demost henes was the most famed of Greek orators whose first attempt at public speaking earned him the derision of his peers for his efforts (Horne 2007). Through dedication and the proper tutelage, he overcame a speech handicap and eventually became a voice that all of Greece respected. In the modern world, the abundance of voice coaches and public speaking training material points to the fact that excellent communication skills can be learnt.In addition, as organisations continue to grow in size and staffing, an increasing amount of the intra-organisational communication is written and no longer verbal. CEOs communicate their vision and the company’s direction to the entire staff via written emails. Though some critics may maintain that good communication skills are inherited, it is unlikely that even the strongest proponents of this view will believe that the ability to type concise emails is an inborn talent. Another important leadership trait is passion; passion is infectious n d galvanises those around you into pouring their energy into the goals you have set. It is obviously apparent that some people are naturally more passionate than others and this is inarguably an inborn personality trait. As a leader however, you are not required to be passionate about every single thing; you however must be passionate about your job, your organisation and the objectives you have set. In the book ‘Who Am I; The Quest for Entrepreneurial Identity’, Charles Y. Murnieks states ‘†¦ ntrepreneurial passion is significantly related to the setting of proximal goals’ (Murnieks 2008). This suggests that any leader who is fiercely committed to a goal inadvertently becomes passionate about it. Goal setting and focus is a trait which can definitely be taught and are the precursors to the passion that a great leader needs. On the other hand, being a passionate person in a general sense is no guarantee of great leadership. On the contrary, passion tha t is not built on predetermined goals may lead to emotional decisions which could destroy an organisation.A third important leadership trait is courage. In the course of running an organisation, a leader must have the courage to take decisions which could either make or break that organisation. Whether it is choosing the sectors to invest businesses capital in or selling off an ailing subsidiary, his courage will constantly be put to test. He must also have the courage to face his staff with candour and give unpleasant feedback to an employee who may not be pulling his weight.A study by Daniel Goleman surprisingly revealed that fearlessness, amongst others, is often an inherited trait (Goleman 1986). It appears that some children are born with a higher threshold of fear and risk aversion than others. An insensitivity to fear however does not necessarily make a courageous leader. In the article ‘The Meaning of Courage’, Richard Zinbarg states ‘In my view, however, we cannot be courageous or strong in situations in which we have no fear or anxiety whatsoever’ (Zinbarg 2010). Courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. despite anxiety or fear’ (Rachman 1978). This thus means that the quality of courage which one needs to have to be an effective leader is not ingrained at birth, but rather is developed over time by the habit of constantly facing ones fears. Many leadership training organisations teach this trait with rock climbing or mountain climbing exercises, which will gradually help the students face down their fears and take challenges head on.The military also recruit young men and women into their ranks and through trainings, exercises and exposure to real armed conflict situations, gradually shape them into courageous combat ready soldiers. This is perhaps one of the reasons why the American people had until recently only voted ex-military political candidates into office; they naturally believed that these men would have cultivated the traits of strength and fearlessness during their time in the military. Integrity is another important attribute of a good leader.The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines integrity as the ‘firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values (Merriam-Webster n. d. ). Are some people born with integrity whilst others are born with a propensity for deceit and inconsistency? Research shows that children growing up are prone to adopt the moral code and values which their models exhibit from birth to about the age of 7, when they begin to observe and appraise the results of actions on subjects as well as the attendant repercussions.They then begin to form their own value system which continues to be shaped throughout their lives (Thomas 1993). Integrity is a learned attribute and leaders can therefore not be born with it; it is an acquired trait. A review of the biographies of great leaders often refer to defining moments in their lives where experiences occurred that shaped and defined their moral codes for the rest of their lives. One of the greatest examples of this is the story of President Abraham Lincoln, fondly known as ‘Honest Abe’ by the people of America.He exposed himself at a very early age to character moulding literature that extolled the virtues of integrity and individual struggle, thereby internalising the accounts of other great men and consciously adopting their moral codes (Carwardine 2003). The mere fact that peer pressure, lack of a proper family structure and environmental/ community factors have been identified as three of the main contributing factors to teen crime (Muhammad 2008) establish that integrity or the lack of it is a learned behaviour and not an inherited trait.This is one of the reasons why juvenile corrective authorities always seek foster parents for adolescents whom they perceive to be in danger of being corrupted by their soci ety. The human race has made exceptional leaps in the past century on numerous frontiers; medicine, law, science, technology, and most of the other endeavours we have focused our mental energy and resources on. In the business world, the number of registered companies (either with physical or virtual offices) is rising quickly and with it the portfolio and profile of its owners and managers.The leaders of these advancements and breakthroughs did not let questions of their genetic predisposition to leadership deter them from achieving the feats they have accomplished. Proposing that leadership is a birthright and therefore the exclusive right of a privileged few would be encouraging scores of people to abdicate their natural duty of being the best version of themselves they possibly can, encouraging them to ignore the plethora of opportunities to lead and make a difference, encouraging them to give up at the first sign of difficulty.The last and arguably the most important trait of a great leader is faith; faith in his ability to lead his team and actually make a difference. It is only by understanding that great leaders are made and not born that we can have the faith to put ourselves through the gruelling process it takes to shape our minds and bodies, and thereby become the exceptional leaders that we all can be.Bibliography Carwardine, Richard. Lincoln. London, 2003. Colleen, Sharen. â€Å"Leaders are Born not Made. † Thinking is Hard Work, 2012. Goleman, Daniel. â€Å"New York Times. † New York Times, 2 December 1986. Horne, C. F. Heritage History. History Curriculum Homeschool, 2007. Merriam-Webster. â€Å"Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. † http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/integrity. Muhammad, Ali. Youth Crime; Causes and Remedies. 2008. Murnieks, Charles Y. Whom Am I; The Quest for Entrepreneural Identity. 2008. Parks, Sharon Daloz. â€Å"Leadership Can Be Taught: A Bold Approach for a Complex World. † 2005: 5-6. Rachman, Stanley. Fear and Courage. 1978. Thomas, Laurence. Morality and Psychological Development. Basil Blackwell Ltd, 1993. Zinbarg, Richard. The Meaning of Courage. 2010.

To Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis - 1005 Words

Character Development and Theme PBA â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† by Harper Lee is an exceedingly powerful novel. It includes many significant minor themes such as racism and hatred which leave the reader to have grown more attentive to the past once they complete the book. The book takes place in Maycomb County Alabama during the great depression. During this period there was a great deal of hate and prejudice towards people of color, in addition to a great regard to social class. The novels protagonists, Atticus Finch a well-respected lawyer and his children Jeremy â€Å"Jem† Finch and Jean Louise â€Å"Scout† Finch are a few of the towns occupants who respect others regardless of social class or race. For this reason, Atticus has no objections†¦show more content†¦In part two chapter thirteen, Atticus’ sister Alexandra tries to convince him to fire Calpurnia, because she like most of the town did not respect African Americans. She says, â€Å"†¦you’ve got to do somet hing about her†¦ you’ve let things go on too long†. Atticus later in the conversation responds by saying, â€Å"Alexandra, Calpurnia’s not leaving this house until she wants to. Yu may think otherwise but I couldn’t have along without her all these years. She is a faithful member of tis family†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . These words of Atticus demonstrate that he has a soft- hearted, loving identity as well as respecting those around him. When his sister attempts to brainwash him to fire Calpurnia, Atticus shuts it down in addition to calling her â€Å"family† which most people would not even think of calling an African American that. This ultimately relates back to the theme of the virtues of equality. When the trial began to approach, the town’s negativity became more prominent. Many of the inhabitants began to direct hateful words to Atticus and his family. They used revolting words like â€Å"nigger-lover† constantly which leads scout to believe that her fathers’ beliefs and motives are wrong. Atticus tells Scout, â€Å"This case, Tom Robinson’s case is something that goes to the essence of aa man’s conscience- Scout I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man.† This statement from Atticus reveal that he is a strong, and determined, because even after being the target of soShow MoreRelatedTo Kill a Mockingbird Character Analysis Essay763 Words   |  4 PagesEssay Prompt: In a 1-2 page character analysis, explain what makes Atticus such a good parent, using quotes and evidence from the text to back up your claims. The Most Memorial Parent In 2003, the American Film Institute chose Atticus Finch, a respectful, dignity attorney from To Kill a Mockingbird, as the greatest hero in 100 years of film history. Harper Lee published To Kill a Mockingbird in the 1960s and it immediately received huge acclaims from readers throughout the world. In the novelRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis783 Words   |  4 PagesMockingbird Characters A mockingbird is someone or something that does no harm to others. In the story To Kill A Mockingbird, there are three characters that symbolize a mockingbird. They are Boo Radley, Atticus Finch, and Tom Robinson. These characters are innocent and do good to others. They also deserve no harm to be done to them. Boo Radley is a character the symbolizes a mockingbird. People like Mrs. Crawford spread rumors about Boo. â€Å"As Mr. Radley passed by, Boo drove the scissorsRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis721 Words   |  3 Pagesclass 6th Period English ll December 21 To Kill a Mockingbird is written by Harper Lee. It is the story of a black man’s struggle for justice. The protagonists Atticus Finch and his daughter Scout and other characters such as Tom Robinson and Bob Ewell, the author reveals her themes showing the evils of racism and the need in humans for respect. heroism is found in this novel, characters who show both physical and moral courage. Three characters to start are Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose, andRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis903 Words   |  4 Pages To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel written by Harper Lee, takes place during the Great Depression in the fictional town of Maycomb County, Alabama. The novel is narrated by Scout Finch looking back upon events within her childhood in Maycomb. She retells the various adventures she’s had with her brother, Jem, and father, Atticus. Scout and Jem are often getting themselves into trouble whether it is because they are pestering their reclusive neighbors the Radleys, or are destroying the gardens of anotherRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis1557 Words   |  7 PagesThis quotation shows that to have courage isn’t always when you are being brave but when you finish something that you start. In the book â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† By Harper Lee,   Many characters show the trait of courage throughout the book. It also s hows many important parts of the book through these quotes that are shown. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper lee Atticus shows the trait of courage a lot in the book.   The next two quotes are ones that show that Jen is a person in the novelRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis832 Words   |  4 PagesThe classic novel â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† is a thrilling bildungsroman following the timeline of a young girl named Jean-Louise (Scout) Finch, written by Harper Lee. As a young girl, Scout lacked a biological mother, the result of a sudden health tragedy. Mothers play a very important role in the life of a young girl. A Mothers goal is to guide their children down a healthy path of life while providing the necessary components needed to thrive. Although Scouts mother died years ago, her motherRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis924 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel To Kill a Mockingbird is based on the passed experienced from Harper Lees childhood. The character of Atticus resembles the author’s father, and the character of Scout resembles herself. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by the well known author, Harper Lee. This book is written in Scouts perspective to portray her life. The main character, Scout, who is also the narrator is portrayed as a young girl who is still learning the rules of life. Her father, her brother Jem, and nannyRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis956 Words   |  4 PagesEmpathetic Development in To Kill a Mockingbird Developing genuine empathy is one of life’s greatest challenges. In To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses unhypocritical, more experienced characters like Atticus to expose Jem and Scout to adult knowledge. Their adult influence is what brings about the empathetic growth and maturity of Jem and Scout. Atticus is one of these adults. After Scout is upset by her teacher’s inability to understand Maycomb County’s culture, Atticus delivers theRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis1033 Words   |  5 Pagespsychology. Children are molded by the milieu they are raised in, as apparent throughout the story of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Countless times we are exposed to children who are raised in different environments, from the Finchs to Ewells to even the Cunninghams. While we follow Scout, a 6 year old girl, and Jem, a 10 year old boy, through the story, we get to see their characters’ personalities evolve and change due to when and where they grew up at. We also get to experience how theyRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis1244 Words   |  5 PagesWas Atticus Finch was the true hero of To Kill A Mockingbird? Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird narrates the journey of Scout Finch from an immature, feisty, close minded young girl, to a strong, brave and courageous girl that now knows the truth about Boo Radley the towns ‘freak’. Boo Radley is middle aged man who is known as a creep but by the end of the novel they realise that he is a nice man. Scout is the daughter of Maycombs brave and courageous lawyer, Atticus Finch who defends Tom Robinson