Most Effective Management Style for a Modern Workplace

Most Effective Management Style for a Modern Workplace Executive Summary This leadership project is a study of effective leadership in modern business organizations. This project begins with an introduction on leadership, a review of leadership theories throughout the history and distinguishes between the focus of earlier literature on leadership which is central around leader characteristics styles and the new leadership theories of leadership development, transformational leadership, charismatic leadership, and visionary leadership. The next section is on the different leadership models and frameworks being applied and used in modern organizations. These models identify the responsibilities required of people holding leadership positions. The following section introduces Juthoor Development Services and discusses the type of leadership strategies and approaches that are used and applied in the company. The focus of leadership then is shifted to that of team leadership due to the practices in Juthoor Development Services. The section on Personal Leadership describes and evaluates my own leadership style and the leadership skills that need to be developed and enhanced. This section includes personal reflections and an extensive action plan on individual leadership. The project concludes with an overview on what was discussed and recommendations for better leadership which results in better performance. Introduction A leader is an individual that possesses a mixture of skills and styles that makes a team want to follow the leaders direction; hence leadership is the ability to motivate and influence a team to achieve a specific target and goal. Leadership is all about creating a vision and comprises the power to convert the vision into reality. Different styles of leadership, different kinds of leaders lead to different results in an organization. In the business world, leadership is generally related to performance. Effective leaders are those who have the ability to add value to their company by increasing its bottom lines. It is widely known that organizations all around the world lose because managers are not adequately skilled and knowledgeable. The main reason behind this issue is that managers are not aware of how important their role is in an organization. They are unaware of the necessity of leadership issues that should enter into all their decision-making activities. Literature Review Strategic leadership is fundamental for accomplishing and sustaining competitive advantage in this century (Ireland and Hitt, 1999). Effective leaders have been repetitively distinguished for their important role they play in identifying opportunities and making the right decisions that overall affect an organizations procedures and bottom line (Finkelstein et. Al, 1996). The effective and efficient skill leaders practice adds substantial business value to the organization. Review of academic research and studies on leadership expose a changing series of schools of thought starting from the Great Man theory to Transformational Leadership theory. Earlier, majority of leadership literature and study was mainly centered on leaders characteristics and leadership styles. According to (Yukl, 1998), great attention of earlier leadership studies were centered on the performance of lower-level management and how they should perform as they offer supervision, support and constructive feedback to their team However, this new century and modern research shows a new interest and fresh new perspective on leadership. Nowadays, research, studies and theories are focusing on leadership as a whole, followers and the relative nature of leadership in an organization. The rapid change in the business environment has made people think about leadership on different levels. Leithwood et al. (1999) believe that instead of looking only at the quality and characteristics of a lea der, our focus needs to be shifted to the leadership challenges in organizations and companies. They viewed leadership in term of their nature and the challenges faced which will result in developing leadership as a whole instead of just a single leader. The result and materialization that has come out from the new interest of studying leadership mainly focused on managing invariable change is called the New Paradigm model. Today, leaders steer a world that is undergoing continuous change. The New Paradigm model involves modern theories and styles such as charismatic leadership, visionary leadership and transformational leadership. Visionary leadership refers to the act of creating a practical, sensible, and solid vision of the future for a company (Nanus, 1992), Charismatic leadership involves creating a personality that is so influential that people are naturally drawn to the leader, and transformational leadership is a leadership style that forms positive transformation in followers. Transformational leadership is the style being promoted in modern organizations. Old models view leadership as a process that that entails motivating others takes place within a team and entails goal achievement (Northouse, 2001). Modern leadership focuses on leadership development and development of social capital. Other modern studies have emphasized on the relationship between leaders and their followers, some authors stress the importance of studying follower ship because leaders are followers and followers are leaders. The two entities are interconnected and are equally essential for the success of the organization. Leadership Is Not a Solo Act The picture of a heroic person who leaps in to save the day is what is engraved into our minds. But all gathered facts from studies imply that the constant success of a company is a collective and group effort rather than a single effort. Kouzes and Posner (2002) confirm that after studying numerous cases on effective leadership, they did not find any example of astonishing accomplishment that happened without the dynamic participation and support of many individuals. What is understood from this is that Leadership is a team endeavor. Without team work and the support of people a single person cannot get astonishing things done in a company. Dispersed Leadership A theory that is currently gaining interest and getting plenty of attention is the dispersed leadership. This type of leadership, with its basics in sociology and psychology defines leadership as a practice that is spread throughout a company rather than exclusively with the officially elected leader. The importance therefore transfers from developing leaders to developing leaderful companies with a communal accountability for leadership. The significances of group of people relationships in the leadership agreement, the requirement of a leader to be recognized and accepted by his/her followers and the understanding that no single person is the perfect leader in all situations have set a rise to a new school of leadership thought. The dispersed leadership theory introduces a less official approach to leadership where the leaders responsibility is separated from the organizational hierarchy. It is suggested that people at all levels in the organization and in all jobs can apply leadership influence over their peers and consequently influencing the whole leadership of the organization. Heifetz (1994) differentiates between the practice of leadership and the practice of power hence separating leadership from formal organizational power roles. Raelin (2003) discusses of developing leaderful organizations through simultaneous and combined effort. The first thing to do is make a clear distinction between the concept of leader and leadership. Leadership is referred as a method of logic-making and direction-giving inside a team and the leader can only be defined on the base of his/her association with others in the team who are acting as followers. Along these lines, it is fairly probable to visualize the leader as emergent rather than predefined and that the leaders responsibility can be implicit in the course of exploratory of the relationships within the team (other than by giving attention to the leaders personal character or qualities). Dispersed leadership demonstrates on notions such as organizational culture and environment to emphasize on the appropriate nature of leadership. It is a communal conception and suggests for a shift from the growth of individual leader characteristics to recognition of what comprises an effective leadership practice within a company. A shift in the spotlight from the individual leaders to the leadership relationships (amongst the leader and followers). Leadership Development Leadership development is the process of developing leadership practices and leaders in an organization. It focuses on creating and sustaining social assets as a whole. At the core of leadership developments involves the combined capability of individuals to set goals and successfully carry out leadership functions and roles to build a strong team that meets commitments and attains organizational goals. The accomplishment of goals and leadership activities should come with and without official authority. Saxenian (2006) has branded the new type of leaders that have emerged as New Argonauts who challenge the business and dynamically lead an organization despite the ongoing change in the business environment. According to Saxenian, these Argonauts leaders certainly echo todays leadership. (Argonauts where a brand of heroes in ancient Greek, source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argonauts). Transformational Leadership in modern organizations When companies adopted themselves to the constant evolutionary change, transactional management was in good turn of managing those changes. However, with the circumstances and situations of present organizations performance need undertaking some essential, transformational changes. And managing these changes needs new traits; one of these traits is applying transformational leadership in organizations. The book Leadership written by James MacGregor Burns in (1978) was one of the first books to introduce the concept of transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is where leaders transform their followers. This leadership theory holds high importance in this century especially in recent literature. Transformational leadership builds on the foundation of transactional leadership. Nevertheless, as Burns clearly affirms what is needed today is not the old traditional style of Transactional leadership, but the new style of Transformational leadership. Tichy and Devanna (1986) have researched leadership throughout the years and came up with a list of specific characteristics which distinguish transformational from transactional leaders. Some of these characteristics are listed below: Agents of Change: Transformational leaders encourage flat structures and flexible workplaces. They are able to get the organization to adapt quickly to change. Courage: Transformational leaders face reality and do not fear risk. Confidence in the followers: Transformational leaders have faith in their team members. They give them a boost and push when required and try their best to empower them. Life-long Learning: Transformational leaders believe in life-long education and attempt to extract lessons from experiences. Vision Capabilities: Transformational leaders see the big picture. Their visionary abilities are excellent. Live by their Values: Transformation leaders have values they live by. Passion and Enthusiasm: They pump their followers with their enthusiasm to get them going. Ability to face the unknown: Transformational leaders do not life with fear and are ready to face the worst situations knowing that they can handle anything that comes their way. According to Bass (1998), the transformational leader motivates followers to do more than formerly expected. Bass reveals that a leader is able to transform his/her followers by: Emphasizing on the significant of goal and task, by creating awareness Encouraging the followers to direct their efforts for the company Meeting the followers needs. Bass and Avolio (1994) have proposed five transformational styles that leaders typically display; these styles and behaviours are illustrated in the table below: Transformational Style Leader Behaviour Idealized Behaviors Speak about their values Emphasize the significance of having a sense of purpose Take into consideration the consequences of decisions made Support new opportunities Discuss the issue of trust amongst each other Inspirational Motivation Have an optimistic look about the future Talk with enthusiasm about what needs to be accomplished Articulate a compelling vision of the future State confidence about goal attainment Present a thrilling image and picture of what to consider Intellectual Stimulation Examination of critical issues Search for differing views when attempting to solve issues Encourage individuals to look at things from different perspectives Propose new methods of how to complete tasks Individualized Consideration Make time for mentoring and teaching Help others to build on their strengths Spend time listening to others personal needs Encourage personal development Idealized Attributes Lets others know that it is a pride being connected with them and Work to build others respect Show power and capability Assure everyone that barriers will be overcome In 2007, Hooper and Potter broaden the concept of transformational leadership and identified 7 types of competences of transformational leaders, these competences are: Building direction Being a Role Model Communication Arrangements and Grouping Get the best in his/her people Leader as a change representative Suggesting decision in a crucial situation Nature of Leadership in Modern Organizations Contemporary organizations take up a range of HR management and leadership activities to boost staff contentment and satisfaction. Efforts are centered on enhancing and raising the quality, expertise and capabilities of the employees. In addition, providing intensive training and development activities helps in improving the quality. Recent studies have given a lot of attention to emotional intelligence, especially transformational leadership. Emotional intelligence has become a major part of leadership in modern organizations. Emotional intelligence is a leaders capability to ones ability to be alert of ones personal feelings, be alert of employees feelings, to distinguish between them and to use the information to direct the leaders thoughts and behaviour. Emotional Intelligence contains three types of capabilities: assessment and expression of feelings, directive of feeling and using feelings in the decision-making process. According to Goleman (1998) emotional intelligence is twice as important as technical skills and IQ for jobs at all levels. Motivation is also an important element in leadership in modern organizations. The abilities of any employee will be limited if they are not encouraged and motivated to execute their jobs. According to Bass (1998), compensation, appraisals, incentives and job security can motive employees to achieve their assigned goals and execute their jobs effectively. As a leader, part of the job involves understanding employees and learning motivational strategies to enhance performance. The main challenge is that every employee is different, therefore, what may work for one employee wont work for the other. Communication has also been a major part of leadership. Up-ward and down-ward communication are equally important and need to be transparent and effective. A Leaders responsibility is to ensure such communication takes place and should eliminate all obstacles in the way of corporate communication. Team leadership is the most rapidly growing area of current research. Modern leaders in organizations do not think of themselves simply as a body of authority, but rather a team leader because they understand the significance of a team compared to just individuals. By understanding the skills of the team members and what motivates them, leaders earn respect from their style not solely because of their position. Culture and leadership Modern theory has shifted its attention to figure out what the link between leadership and culture and how leadership changes from one culture to another. Collins (2001) has revealed proof of leadership behaviours that are cross-cultural, and others that are culturally focused. However, studies and evidence on the relationship between the two elements (leadership and culture) are still very limited. John Adair Action Centred Leadership Model a model for team leadership According to Adair, the effectiveness of the leader relies on meeting three areas of need within the work group.The three parts of Adairs model are generally represented by 3 overlapping circles; this model is a helpful technique in assessing what effective leaders responsibilities are. The challenge for the leader is to manage all parts of the circles successfully. Task definition of task to be achieved Action plan allocation of job and resources managing the quality and time of effort monitor performance aligned with action plan amending the plan Team sustaining regulation and control encourage team work motivate team assign junior-leaders encourage and inspire team communication develop and build the team Individual listen to personal troubles and issues Appreciate and honour individuals give positions and ranks distinguish and use individual capabilities develop he individual To be able to meet the three areas within the work group, specific leadership roles have to be executed, these functions are: Awareness of what is happening in the work group and its processes. Being alert at all times. Understanding the functions and tasks that are required and the skill to accomplish and complete the task successfully. Case Study: Juthoor Development Services Juthoor development services are an organization comprising a team of real estate development professionals who provide comprehensive services to clients across the Middle East. Juthoor works with its clients through out the three critical phases of the development process (project feasibility, project implementation and development control). The complete organization is based on Team work, although each employee has an important role to play, their combined efforts is much more valuable. Jose Lora, is the CEO of the company and leader, heads the entire team of professionals. Juthoors vision Juthoor Development Services vision is to build the Oman of tomorrow. The employees key responsibility is to work towards this vision. The success of the organization lies in the employees ability to work as a team and build the Oman of tomorrow. Leadership in Juthoor Development Services The leaders relationship with his/her followers is extremely important. An organizations failure or success rate all relies on the leader and the nature of leadership. According to Robbins and Finley (2000), involvement and empowerment of the employees are two key behaviours a leader must possess. There are many ways a leader can strengthen the relationship with his/her followers. At Juthoor, the leader of the company understands the significance of the relationship between himself and the rest of the team. He adopts the following two behaviours: Asking questions instead of giving answers (For example, asking an employee How do we proceed on this? What do you think we should do next). This involvement gives a sense of purpose and satisfaction to the employees. This helps employees envision the goal and improve their efforts to achieve and excel in their part of the job. Giving followers the opportunity to lead (For example, asking an employee to lead a meeting or put an employee in charge of a task that the leader is taking part in). This empowerment gives the employee the confidence and helps him take ownership). Juthoor Development Services is a team-based organization. Therefore, the focus of this case study will be around team leadership. The Functional Model This model focuses on how a company and how the work group is being led rather than whom the leader is. This results in lesser time spent focusing on the person who is in the leadership role and instead put all the attention on the leadership function that is taking place. This model emphasizes on the nature of the work group and the followers of the leader. This is exactly what is taking place in Juthoor Development Services, work is done in teams and the team spirit in the company is high and ensures transparent communication. Due to the fact that Juthoor is a service provider for real estate development, the key to success is the collaboration of the team. The business is based on team work. A group of people together is not necessarily a team. A team is a number of people that get together that have high level of interdependence, working towards a common goal. (http://www.teal.org.uk/et/page5.html) A team has a number of advantages for an organization: Maximization of HR: team members are trained, coached by other members. Success or failure is not pointed at individuals, but rather the team as a whole. Greater outputs and results. A team is known to outperform a group of individuals. There is continuous improvement and development. The way a team is lead has a huge impact on the success. The leader in Juthoor is responsible and holds these values: Commitment to the team members as well as the mission that needs to be achieved The desire to support a team, serve and lead Experience, enthusiasm, and energy. The ability to build a team and achieve more as a team Team Leadership It is known that team work and team spirit are fundamental in enhancing the growth in an organization. The saying goes, Two heads are better than one. Taking up all the responsibility and working alone will only reach you so far; team work is required and is vital for desired results. Different individuals have different skills and talents, bring them together to work on a specific task or certain goal will prove that they would outperform any individual. According to Belbin (1993), there are two types of leaders; Solo leader and Team leader. The major difference between the two revolves around the behaviour and participation of the two as seen below: Solo Leader This type of leader interferes and sticks his/her nose in everything This type of leader delegates tasks and roles without interfering Attempts to mold the team members into specific standards Develops team members and encourages them to grow Collects acolytes Seeks talent and does not fear team members with special talents Team Leader Team leadership differs from Solo leadership in the following ways: (http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/leadrshp/le2diffs.htm) Responsibility is shared among the team members and is not only burdened by the leader Control is left to the group and not just the leader. The leader views the team as a whole and not as individuals. Expression of needs are encouraged by the leader In todays business world with the rising complexity and the irregular nature of modern workplaces promote Team leaderships as opposed to Solo leadership. According to Belbin (1993), team leadership is not as natural as solo leadership, however he suggests that team leadership can be learned and developed. Jose Lora, the CEO of Juthoor takes the approach of Team Leader. It was his idea to start Juthoor Development Services and he understands how important an effective team is in the success of the organization. He ensures communication, reads feelings and emotions, practices emotional intelligence and takes time to understand each team member to know what his/her personal needs are and what motivates him or her. The nature of leadership in Juthoor is revolves around team leadership and transformational leadership. Jose Lora is a true e leader who inspires the work group to put their efforts towards a shared vision of the future. The leadership style in Juthoor is highly visible, and built on communication. Jose Lora doesnt lead from the front, as he gives responsibilities to the team members. Juthoor is a team-based organization, therefore, is there is any problem or issues, all heads are put together to solve the problem and make a decision. Team meetings are conducted daily between the team members to ensure proper communication, transparency and to tackle issues before they arise. Juthoors Leadership Framework The leadership model used by Juthoor has 9 key fundamentals and they are: Builds Shared Vision Team Building and teamwork Strategic thinking and planning Focuses on outcomes Maximizes Potential Opportunities Managing and developing staff Transformational Leadership Motivates Coaches Delivers Results Many organizations develop their own leadership frameworks because there is no one size will fit all framework, although most frameworks in organizations are similar, they are not exactly the same. I believe that it is not the framework that is significant, but rather the process by which it is developed. Case Study Discussion and Recommendations Management needs to obtain and use their compassion and social expertise to improve their personal transformational leadership. Thus, the challenge for any modern organization, including Juthoor development services is to build and develop the emotional intelligence of the management. Suitable involvements may be required to improve and build on their competencies and that would entail education and intensive role-related training. Managers ought to be encouraged to improve and develop their skills by constant self-education and learning. Companies must offer encouraging supports for staff learning and improving management and supervisors vital emotional competencies, motivation and team building techniques required for their roles. Companies should recruit individuals that hold a vision and have a pleasant personality that is also known as charisma. There should also be suitable shifts in the companys organizational structure and to encourage flat structure and less complicated hierarchy. Changes in organizational culture are also required to reward staff for learning and self development. The changes in organizational culture and structure should encourage managers will encourage attain emotional intelligence competencies required for employee motivation. It is well known that, the most complex part of leading a team is motivation of work group members. In practical and theory, motivation plays a vital role in a organizations management. Motivation is an essential part of effective performance. Throughout my experience in working at Juthoor, I believe the factors Affecting Leadership Effectiveness in an organization are the following: The leaders personal characteristics including personality, skills, and outlook. The leaders experience with dealing with teams and work groups The features of the team, their attitude and expectations. The relationship between the leader and the work group The type of company The organization culture structure The type of tasks that need to be accomplished The external business environment My Leadership Development Plan This part of the report is central around my leadership style and my leadership development needs. This section addresses a number of questions like, Do I have the right combination of skills to lead an organization?, What skills need to be developed to lead effectively? How can I develop and establish myself? How can I influence others? Throughout my career, I have spent a lot of time observing myself and the nature of leadership in the organizations I worked for. At the beginning of my journey, the main challenge for me was trying to understand the difference between managers and leaders. Once that was figured out, I shifted my entire focus to understanding, observing, and learning from the leaders I worked for. One of my professional goals is to become a leader one day, and to be able to influence and motivate a team to achieve and succeed. Therefore, I spent an incredible amount of time studying and observing the leaders in my life. I have studied the leadership theories including characteristics, styles, and modern leadership theories of transformational leadership, etc. and based on the findings of the literature review conducted in the second section of this report, I assessed my leadership skills and checked my ability to execute and implement effective leadership in my job and contribute to the leadership functions of the organization. Out of all the different types of leadership styles, can say that I take the approach of situational leadership style. I dont view a leadership position as an authority position, I view it as the ability to touch other peoples lives and help them grow. I actually feel that I best relate to situational leadership style because I am extremely flexible when situations arise and occur. Situational leadership is the approach of changing your style to best suit the circumstances. However, earlier I used to not be an expert at this because I always resisted change and felt like I lo st focus when things didnt happen the way I expected them to. But as I changed jobs and got more experience, I understood that change is required and I must learn how to handle and adapt to situations instead of getting angry over things not working out the way I wanted them to. There are a number of ways I have practiced my leadership in my job, for example, when I am heading a group I make sure to emphasize the importance of working together. Although I am the leader of the group, I do not show it to other. I work just as hard as they work and try to give as much constructive feedback as I can. My approach is all centered on listening to the team members, understanding their point of view, asking them what their recommendations are and I try to encourage participation. I would say that I am always very fun to be around. When a task needs to be accomplished, I dont give out orders, I give each member the choice about what part they want to handle. Once we complete a task or reach a specific goal, I usually show my appreciation for their work through celebrating together, either inviting them for lunch or dinner. I have assessed my skills and used a number of tools and techniques to evaluate my

R.E Coursework Religion and Medical Issues Essay

Ai) Infertility is when a couple cannot naturally conceive a child. There are many treatments to get around infertility; some of these, may however raise moral issues. There are many treatments available; Fertility drugs are one of these, this is where an infertile woman is given drugs, which stop infertility and make a woman capable of carrying a child. These are recognised by the church, as the sacredness of life is not threatened. AIH (artificial insemination by the husband), is another of these treatments. The sperm of the husband is taken and artificially put it in the wife. AID (artificial insemination by the donor), this is for if the man does not produce sperm. An anonymous donor donates his sperm, which is then artificially put into the woman. Gamete storing, is a fairly new process where the gametes are frozen, this means that if one of the parents has a treatment which makes them infertile, they can use the gametes which are stored. Surrogacy. This is where an alien hostess carries the baby. The sperm of the man is artificially inserted into the hostess. This is not recognised by the church because it is very similar to adultery. Aii) Roman Catholics have the view that life is sacred and therefore the sacredness of life must be protected. The church believes that no one has the right to children; if someone is infertile it is because it is supposed to be that way. Any of the treatments, which involve the destruction of embryos, are banned because this is the same as abortion and that is banned in the Catholic Church. The Church bans any of the treatments, which involve artificial insemination by the husband, as this involves masturbation, which is a sin in the eyes of the church. In AID and surrogacy the child does not get to know their biological parents, the church believes that the child has a right to know their biological parents. All forms of fertility treatments involve procreation outside of sex; God intended procreation to be part of the sex act. Other Christian churches allow IVF and AIH as they believe it is a good use of technology to provide families with the happiness of children. God intended families to have children, if IVF or AIH is the only way to do that it should be done. The egg and sperm are from the husband and wife and so it is not counted as adultery and therefore it is still a pure loving act. Some of the embryos are destroyed in these processes; embryos, which are not yet foetuses, so therefore it is not considered murder. The other churches still have major concerns about the other treatments; they have not banned them, however. All churches encourage childless families to adopt as they believe all children should have a loving happy family. iii) Generally Christians believe in transplant surgery and think that it is a good thing. Some Christians have some ethical issues, however. They believe that it would be wrong for rich people to pay for organs. It is well known that some wealthier 1st world citizens would be more than willing to exploit uneducated, 3rd world citizens to save themselves. This is known as the black market. The people in Africa may not be well educated and therefore do not realise that it is dangerous. It could be dangerous as the surgeon in Africa may be using dirty equipment and therefore the African would be vulnerable to infection. It is also exploiting the poor which is condemned by the bible. Some Christians are opposed to using organs from the dead but support using those of the living. They believe that organs such as the heart are an intrinsic part of the individual created by God. Transplanting organs from the dead into the living is usurping the role of God, and humans do not have the right to play God. This is a sin and is condemned by the Bible. Jesus taught us to love thy neighbour. If an organ can be transplanted while someone is alive then it is not vital and transplanting it would be, ‘loving thy neighbour.’ Some Christians believe all transplant surgery wrong and condemn it. They believe that transplants ignore the sanctity of life. This is a great sin in the eyes of the church. They believe that transplanting organs is ‘playing God’ and this is one of the great sins. They also believe that it is very expensive and requires very skilled people of which there are few. It raises the question of when someone is considered dead, as the heart needs to be removed when it is still beating. It diverts recourses from less expensive treatments which could help far more people than transplants. Most Muslims believe that transplants are wrong. They believe that it is against God’s will to remove anything from the body after death this means that none of the organs can be removed. They believe that God created each person and so to remove something from one and put it in another is to act as God which is the greatest sin in Islam. They believe that life is sacred and only God has the right to give and take it.

Geologic Destinations for California Tourists

If youre going to California, be sure to put some of these geologic attractions on your must-see list. Volcanic Sites You might not think of the Golden State as a volcanic wonderland, but it surely is. Here are just a few of the most noteworthy places. Medicine Lake volcano is a subdued caldera in the northeastern highlands, full of diverse volcanic landforms including spectacular lava tubes. Its preserved in Lava Beds National Monument. is where Californias most recent eruption was, in 1914-1917. Thats in a National Park. may be Americas most beautiful volcano, and a splendid example of a young stratovolcano. The Morros, near Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo, are a chain of nine volcanic necks, remnants of ancient seafloor volcanoes. Theres nothing else like them—and there are also beaches and a haunted hotel. Devils Postpile is a good destination if you want a break from climbing in the Sierra Nevada. Its a textbook locality for columnar jointing, which happens when a thick body of lava slowly cools and naturally fractures into hexagonal columns like a box of pencils. Devils Postpile is in a National Monument. lies in the desert beyond the Sierra, a place where a now-vanished river scoured flows of basalt lava into fantastic shapes. Combine it with a visit to Manzanar and other highlights of the Owens Valley. More young volcanoes sit in the Mojave south of Baker. In the San Francisco Bay area, Oaklands Round Top is a dissected volcano exposed by quarrying and preserved as a regional park. You can even get there by city bus. Tectonic Highlights Death Valley is one of the worlds premier localities for seeing fresh crustal extension, which has dropped the valley floor below sea level. Death Valley is a National Park and a nice day trip from Las Vegas. The San Andreas fault and other major faults like the Hayward fault and Garlock fault are highly visible and easy to visit. Do some reading beforehand in one or more of several good books. is a tremendous graben, downdropped between the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains. Its also the site of the great 1872 earthquake. Just a couple hours drive away is the hauntingly familiar Red Rock Canyon State Park. Point Reyes is a large chunk of land that has been carried on the San Andreas fault (along with Bodega Head) all the way up from southern California beyond San Francisco. That displaced crustal block is in a National Park. For a real geologic thrill, see Point Lobos near Monterey, almost 200 kilometers away, where the same rocks appear on the faults other side in a state park. The Transverse Ranges are a great discontinuity in the fabric of California and one of Americas most dramatic landscapes. State Route 99/Interstate 5 over the Tejon Pass, between Los Angeles and Bakersfield, will take you across it. Or take a similar trip on State Route 33, farther west. Lake Tahoe is a large downdrop basin in the High Sierra, filled with one of Americas finest alpine lakes, and is also a prime playground at all times of year. are widespread in California, where decades of leading research have not exhausted the knowledge to be gained or the enjoyment to be had from these unsung witnesses to plate tectonics. The Coast Beaches, coastal cliffs, and estuaries up and down the state are scenic treasures and geologic lessons. See my selection of geologically interesting places.   Beaches need no introduction, but theres more to them than sand and sea. Laguna Beach in the south and Stinson Beach and little Shell Beach in the north are examples that are full of geological interest. Other Geologic Features The Central Valley may seem like something to drive through as fast as possible on your way somewhere else, but its full of geological interest if you take the time to poke around. The Channel Islands are known to geologists as the California Continental Borderland—and a brand-new National Park. Petroleum is a big part of California geology. Visit a natural oil seep at Coal Oil Point in Santa Barbara, the spectacular tar seeps  at nearby Carpinteria Beach or the famous tar pits of Rancho La Brea in Los Angeles. In the southern San Joaquin Valley, drive through the Kettleman Hills to see the heart of the industry—in fact, the original asphalt seep at McKittrick and the site of the great Lakeview oil gusher are just off the highway. Joshua Tree is a distinctive desert area displaying many standout features created by arid erosion. Its protected as a National Park. Playas are strewn all over the great deserts of southern California: Owens dry lake, Lucerne dry lake, Searles lake (with its tufa towers), and El Mirage are just a few. What is a desert without sand dunes? The booming Kelso Dunes are an essential stop in the Mojave, south of Baker. If youre nearer Mexico, try the Algodones Dunes instead. Theyre the largest dunefield in California. Yosemite Valley, home of Half Dome, is an unforgettable collection of landforms created by crustal denudation and glacial action. Its also the worlds first place set aside to become a National Park. For more ideas, see the California Geology category

Watergate Essay - 1580 Words

Watergate â€Å"Watergate† is a term used to describe a complex web of political scandals occurring between 1972 and 1974. Although twenty-five years has passed since the notorious President Nixon resigned from office, the infamous legacy left by Richard Nixon and his administration will never be forgotten, leaving the American people with distrust among Politicians and disrespect for the American Presidency. In August 1968, Nixon stated at a Republican convention, â€Å"America is in trouble today not because her people have failed but because her leaders have failed (Porter, 206).† This ironic quote foreshadows the demise and corruption of one of the most controversial presidents, Richard Millhouse Nixon. On January 20, 1969, Richard†¦show more content†¦George Liddy and E. Howard Hunt; Judge John Sirica sentenced the â€Å"Watergate Seven†. Although Nixon was worried about the break-in, he advised the White House press secretary, Ron Ziegler, to dismiss the incident as â€Å"a third-rate burglary† (Anson, 107). In the years ensuing the invasion at the Watergate building, questions and controversy have surfaced consequent to whether or not the White House, under the control of President Nixon, was either directly or discursively involved in the planning or performing of any illegal deeds. As the Watergate scandal unfolded, the Nixon administration was quick to mitigate the responsibility for the occurrences, however, in actuality, numerous facts and particulars ascertain White House involvement and justify the repercussions (Spear, 58). The arrests of the â€Å"Watergate Seven† eventually uncovered a â€Å"White House-sponsored plan of espionage against political opponents and a trail of complicity that led to many of the highest officials in the land† (Emergy, 11†). These high political executives included former United States Attorney General John Mitchell, White House Counsel John Dean, White House Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs John Ehrlichman, White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, and President Nixon himself. Evidence corroborating White House involvement was ample and immense. On April 30, 1973, close to a year after the burglary and subsequent to a grand jury investigation of the break-in,Show MoreRelatedWatergate Of The Watergate Scandal1135 Words   |  5 PagesWatergate Scandal The Watergate Scandal happened almost 43 years ago; the event will never be forgotten. The Watergate scandal defined, perhaps for the first time, that a president of the United States could be portrayed as untrustworthy. Richard Nixon ran for a second term in 1972, in which he won by a huge margin. The Democratic Party had their headquarters at the high-end Watergate hotel. The break-in happened on June 17th, 1972, in which a security guard noticed the tape on the door lockRead MoreWatergate643 Words   |  3 PagesWatergate Student’s Name Professor Course Institution Date The Watergate Scandal was considered one of the most of disturbing political scandals in the history of America. This Scandal brought down a President and his administration, also made the American public distrust the government which still goes on today. In 1972 there were two break-ins at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee, located in the Watergate office and apartment complex located in WashingtonRead MoreWatergate670 Words   |  3 PagesVery few American’s over the age of 20 do not know about Watergate. They have seen the plots in movies, history books, TV shows, and Made for TV movies. Some of the media plots are real and some not so much. Contrary to popular belief â€Å"Forest Gump† was not the person to crack open Watergate [ (Groom, 1994) ]. That honor goes to a simple security guard at the Watergate Complex, Frank Wills [ (AHC, 2012) ]. Mr. Willis was making his rounds when he became aware of tape covering the locks on theRead MoreWatergate740 Words   |  3 PagesWatergate Lucia San Nicolas HIS/145 October 19, 2011 Marciano Flores Watergate The Watergate scandal shocked millions of Americans when it was revealed in 1972. The president at that time was Richard M. Nixon, who himself was involved within the scandal. The Watergate scandal took place in 1972 when a group of five men broke into the offices of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate office complex in Washington. The five men involved in this burglary were eventuallyRead MoreWatergate637 Words   |  3 PagesWatergate Scandal Ever since the beginning of time, scandals have occurred. But one of the biggest and infamous scandals is the Watergate. Approximately forty years ago from date, a Watergate protector found a small portion of tape attached on the lock of on the National Democratic Headquarters door. Then it all began. The Watergate’s attempted break in was a part of a bigger operation by President Nixon. The rumor was Nixon’s supporters and people involved in the scandal wanted to tarnish theRead MoreWatergate722 Words   |  3 Pagesstory of Watergate is both historically and politically interesting. It began to occur from the Pentagon Papers, in which Daniel Ellsberg handed over to the press. The Pentagon Papers contained secret documents outlining the history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam (p.848).These secret documents would bring to light the deception of the the morning of June 17, 1972, at 2:30 a.m. 5 burglars were arrested inside the office of the Democratic National Committee, located inside of the Watergate buildingRead MoreWatergate3095 Words   |  13 PagesRunning head: WATERGATE 1 WATERGATE DEVRY UNIVERSITY ONLINE. OCTOBER 20, 2014 WATERGATE 2 INTRODUCTION Watergate is a word that will forever be connected to the 37th President, Richard Nixon. What started out as a botched robbery at the Democratic Reelection headquarters would later become know for bringing down the Presidency. The American public would be able to see and hear firsthand what actually occurred in the Whitehouse behind closed doors, becauseRead MoreThe Watergate Scandal1543 Words   |  7 Pagestrustworthy – or so they thought. Unfortunately, shortly after Nixon was elected to his second term of presidency in 1972, the Watergate Scandal changed America forever by creating a sense of mistrust toward the government for the American people because of The Nixon Administration’s actions. It all began on Sunday, June 18, 1972 when Frank Wills, security guard at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., found a piece of tape that was preventing a door from locking. After removing the pieceRead MoreWatergate Complex After The Watergate1781 Words   |  8 Pagesin the Watergate complex after signs of breaking in were found on the doors. No one at that time knew this subtle crime would lead to the greatest scandal in the US history and the resignation of the current President, Richard Nixon. Evidences later showed that the Watergate Incident was only a mere part of the ugly crimes the Nixon Administration had committed to achieve their ultimate goal of reelection, and Nixon had intentionally attempted a cover up to save his reputation. The Watergate incidentRead MoreThe Watergate Scandal2082 Words   |  9 PagesThe Watergate Scandal Richard Milhous Nixon was the thirty-seventh President of the United States of America from 1969 until 1974. Nixon completed his first term as President in 1973 and was re-elected for the position for the next four years. However, Nixon would have his time in the White House cut short by the series of events that occurred in the twenty-six months that followed the Watergate burglary. On June 17, 1972 five men, one White House employee and four Cubans, broke into the Watergate