Posted: December 2nd, 2022

Diary Entries and Hero and Zero Moments

Diary Entries and Hero and Zero Moments

Business Studies
Title: Using Witherspoon’s Practices, use the data from your Hero and Zero moments, your diary entries or
Paper instructions:

This assignment is a reflective assignment that is evidence-based. The evidence will be diary entries that will be used to inform your reflection. Learning to be reflexive is a key skill to develop in the work place as people will be telling you things about yourself. You have to decide how true or untrue they are.

Assignment 1b has two parts: diary entries and the Reflective Journal. The link between the two is that the diary entries will form the evidence, together with your Hero and Zero moments, that you will reflect upon in your Reflective Journal. If you have no diary entries, you can only reflect upon the Hero and Zero moments using the lenses provided by concepts in the course.

Diary entries: No marks – This is the evidence for the Reflection
In week 1, you will decide on how frequently you will make your diary entries. These diary entries can only be viewed by you and teaching staff in the unit. No one else can view them. Diary entries are voluntary. Please number your diary entries.

What are the diary entries about?
Every week, you are expected to complete the required readings and complete the pre-seminar activities as well as the post-seminar activities from the preceding week. Many of the seminars will also have activities. The outcomes of the activities form the evidence to support any conclusion you draw about yourself in the Reflection. The central issue in relation to these diary entries is quality. Of course you can simply answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, but the question is ‘Why?” – Why did I get this result? Why did the seminar group react in this way? What assumptions did I make that led to the outcome? How did those assumptions come to be? Why didn’t I do it the other way? Why didn’t I recognise that my classmate would react in that way? Your answers to these questions can, and should be, used as entries. If you find yourself writing “if only… then….” you are going off track.

You will also need to apply the course concepts to the Hero and Zero moments. In relation to the Hero/Zero moments, and for the diaries to be useful, don’t make it about hindsight i.e. “I should have done X, or I should not have been quiet”. The central question here is why did you do X in the first place? Or Why were you quiet in the first place?

Reflection (2,000 words) Due end of Calendar Week 12; Submit in Word Compatible format; fully referenced (diary entries as well as academic references) please include your name in the file name.
Using Witherspoon’s Practices, use the data from your Hero and Zero moments, your diary entries or any insight gained over the teaching period to enhance your understanding of yourself. The goal is to gain insight to the lessons of your experiences. This is the most important part of this assignment. There are four components to this assignment:
1) report,
2) reflect
3) reframe and
4) Re-design.
Report
Report your key findings about yourself. The activities, readings and questions are experiments that you conducted upon yourself. What happened when you undertook these activities, read the readings and answered the questions? Summarise and report these results from your diary entries.

Reflect:
You are expected to look back retrospectively at the results you reported. Adopt a high level view to tease out the patterns that exist in your experiences in the course. Apply course concepts to look at the Hero and Zero entries, and other diary entries you may have made to draw conclusions about your understanding of leadership, what it means to be a leader, your assessment of your leadership capabilities, assumptions that drive you, and default approaches to situations that may exist within you. Here are some possible questions to start you off, to help you focus your analysis and interpretation. Please note that these are trigger questions only and are intended to aid your reflection. Do not use these trigger questions as headings, or structure your paragraphs around each of them.

Table 1: Question triggers from Witherspoon 2014, p264

Re-frame:
In this step, you are being asked to consider how you saw the situations you saw your self in in the Hero/Zero moments, the in-class activities etc. In other words, what lens were you viewing the world through? What identity was activated at that moment? Again here are some triggers for you.
Table 2: Question triggers based on author and Witherspoon 2014 p265

By the end of this step, you should be in a position to evaluate your own DLM capabilities. Such as:
o To what extent do you practice the capabilities of the DLM?
o Are you a good Sensemaker? What evidence do you have?
o Are you good at Relating? What evidence do you have?
o Are you good at Visioning? What evidence do you have?
o Are you good at Inventing? What evidence do you have?
o Why do you rate yourself this way? Do you think your peers and subordinates would rate you the same way?
o Did you treat an adaptive challenge as a technical challenge? Why?

Re-design:
Having analysed your Hero/Zero moments, ask yourself what does this mean for yourself? This is a big picture perspective. You may find contradictions; you may find hidden strengths or unknown weaknesses. Link these insights back to the capabilities of the DLM i.e. the extent and quality to which you practice these capabilities. Then outline what needs to change in relation to the capabilities.
You need to identify three concrete actions to take:
– What have you done well and should continue to do?
– What specific behaviour should you stop engaging in? Why?
– What specific behaviour should you start engaging? Why?
The re-design may take the form of “If…then.. statements”. If I encounter this situation X, then I will take actions Y”. These actions must be concrete steps and not statements like ‘I will sensemake better’. What will you do to engage in better sensemaking? In this last section, it is more than just 3 sentences. The identification of these behaviours should be flow from the data to your analysis and your interpretation. You must relate these actions back to the capabilities of the DLM.

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additional info : Advice on how to incorporate theory in your reflection:

Your Reflection needs to be more than just thinking about your Hero/Zero and diary entries. Your Reflection needs to apply theory to ground your analysis. So the focus is NOT to tell stories, but to ground your stories in theory. The question is why are you relating a particular incident? This incident must be used to illustrate the theory. So instead of saying “X hid in his office for large parts of the day”, say instead “sensemaking is social. This means it requires social interaction. By staying in his office the whole day, X was not interacting with people. Consequently his sensemaking was faulty.”

Now, the example I have given you is in itself incomplete so don’t go round reproducing it as a couple of important parts are left out. However it does demonstrate my point: I start off with theory (Red), explain it (green), then use the story to illustrate the theory (purple); and then conclude (orange)

Diary Entries and Hero and Zero Moments
Awareness – Reporting and Reflecting on Diary Entries
Serving the community and preserving human life is one of the passionate goals I have in life. I appreciate interacting with people and empowering them. I believe my little efforts can transform the life of an individual in difficulty. One of the pieces of evidence from the past activities is that I saved a child from drowning. I do not have specialized skills in diving, but I did all my best to save a dying child. The effort to save the life of another person does not involve specialized skills but the desire to help.
I am passionate about helping people who are in need. Serving the community is one of my strengths. One of the strongest indicators of my passion for serving the community is when I did fundraising to help people affected by the earthquake. The fundraising in Gujarat was successful in helping the families to get food and shelter. It was a devastating moment when the families were living out in the cold without food or shelter. I was inspired by a similar story of a man who would visit our neighborhood when I was young. I learned that helping the needy can make a great impact on their lives. The fundraising has been inspirational since today some of the affected victims have gone back to school and they are pursuing their academic goals.
I have realized that despite the setbacks I face in life I am optimistic that life will get better. I always look for better days ahead despite the setbacks I experience in life. I have a principle that nothing is too hard in their world for the dreamers. For instance, when I failed my computer graphic examination, I had to retake the test. I was passionate about taking the test again despite the emotional upheaval. I believe that the future is bright for the people who keep trying and looking for better days ahead. It is important to always be positive in life since some challenges are inevitable. When I was taking the examination again, I had to avoid the negative thoughts that I would fail again. I am happy that I did not fail but I am a witness today that those who keep trying will emerge successfully.
When I was preparing for business finance examinations, I realized something profound. I realized that I am a workaholic person. I love working on assignments to ensure I complete them on time. Sometimes I work past midnight to meet the deadlines. It is a sad moment when I cannot deliver assignments on time. Despite being a workaholic, I have realized that I rush at the last minute. Rushing the last minute, especially during exam time makes me anxious about the tests. I believe in the future I should reform the habit to avoid failing or performing poorly. Preparing ahead of time is effective in reducing the risk of failing and mounting anxiety about the results. Creating a timetable for the activities is effective in elaborate preparation.
Lessons Learned
I learned that leadership is dynamic when I enrolled in the Leading the Engaged Enterprise unit at Murdoch University. The lesson about dynamic leadership shows that leadership starts with an individual. Leaders have to embrace different roles in society which starts with taking personal responsibility (He, 2018). Another important lesson is that leaders should prioritize the needs of the recipients of their actions. The sacrifices they make will earn trust from the people they are leading. Trust is important since it will assure people that their interests are taken care of despite the challenges that occur (He, 2018). I learned that genuine service is effective in dealing with people.
Dynamic leadership involves proactive actions that can alleviate future problems (Williams, 2020). For instance, during a fundraising activity for the victims of an earthquake in Gujarat, I realized that such an act would reduce mortality rates, inspire hope, and encourage children to go back to school. Leadership is about inspiring generations to achieve their goals (Williams, 2020). Actions should not be meant to inspire emotions and pleas the society with short-term goals. One of the leadership principles is to think big. Leaders should not be overcome by short-term goals until they cannot see the future.
Implementing an enterprise resource planning system in my former company in Qatar was a great moment to discover my ability to lead multidisciplinary teams. I was passionate about the implementation of a new system that would revolutionize the system. During the implementation, I was charged with the responsibility of leading multiple teams. One of the emerging issues is the ability to deliver the project on time and within the expected budget (Ting, 2020). The implementation was a success since it transformed how the company operates. Leadership is about introducing change and making an environment better (Ting, 2020). Changing the world to a better place is the goal of every leader. People should strive to transform their world through their efforts and encouraging others to support their goals (Ting, 2020). The efforts should be made sacrificially and with genuine intentions. Efforts such as saving the lives of people affected by the earthquake are impactful since they will reignite the dreams of many people devastated by the loss.
I have realized that mentorship is an important element in life. When I left a permanent job for contract-based employment I realized I had made a big mistake. One of the reasons that I wanted to explore the world experience different environments. Decision-making is a process that should be deliberate and sober (Bradley et al., 2017). People should not make decisions in a hurry or under influence. Making the best decisions in life requires support from other people who have a better experience. Consulting from different people can improve the quality of decision-making.
Interpretation
The process of implementing a new ERP system in my former company was a success due to the desire to introduce change. During the desire for change, I had to go through various processes of lobbying and seeking support from the management. I was reminded of the change theory which stipulates that change occurs through a series of steps. Change is evident when the people who are responsible appreciate and embrace the change (Bradley et al., 2017). To achieve the desire changes, people should consider the stakeholders who are important in the process. Engaging the stakeholders will trigger the change process and lead to better results. Leaders have a responsibility to engage with various stakeholders to achieve success (Ting, 2020). During the process of engaging different personnel, my leadership skills were sharpened.
I was motivated to fundraise for the people affected by the earthquake despite being a victim of the same tremor. Fundraising for the victims was important in reigniting their goals and aspirations in life. According to the arousal theory of motivation, people are motivated by different factors (Kerr, 2021). For instance, I was worried that the earthquake would undermine the dreams of millions of children. I believed that providing an opportunity for them to go back to school was instrumental. Changing the course of the students through education is critical in inspiring hope in the generation (Kerr, 2021). Leaders have the responsibility to change the landscape of the events they experience in life.
The goal-setting theory of motivation indicates that setting specific goals is vital in realizing quality performance (Locke & Latham, 2019). I remember the theory since it is important in my academic life. I did not set specific goals on how to study for my exams. The mistake was detrimental since I failed the computer graphic examination. Another mistake was that due to poor planning I would study for the sake of the examinations. Goal-setting should involve various steps that are necessary to achieve the main goal. A proactive approach in goal setting is essential in identifying the time frame and requirements necessary to achieve the desired goal (Locke & Latham, 2019).
The decision to join a new company was motivated by Hertzberg’s two-factor hygiene theory. The theory states that various factors are instrumental in motivating positive behavior in a workplace (Chiat & Panatik, 2019). For instance, in my current job, I am not satisfied when I remember that I will have to reapply after the contract comes to an end. It is unlike the previous job where I was employed permanently. Although the current job is paying a higher salary, it does not ignite the motivation of permanent employment. Hertzberg’s two-factor hygiene theory shows that various factors at a workplace can cause satisfaction or dissatisfaction (Chiat & Panatik, 2019).
What I Should Stop and Start Doing
The hero and zero moments unveil some of the strengths and weaknesses I should evaluate to enhance my performance in the future. One of the weaknesses evident in the past experiences is the lack of proper planning. It was evident when I failed my examination that I was not adequately prepared. I had the time to study but I did not manage the time effectively. It is important to harness my skill in early preparation and time management (Chiat & Panatik, 2019). The skills are impactful in the job market since they can determine performance. It will be important to learn different skills that will help me to pursue my academic and professional goals.
I will stop engaging in procrastination since it can ruin my dream to be successful in life. I should set a timetable for various activities to avoid skipping vital activities. It will be important to prioritize the various efforts that can enhance my professional and academic performance. Following the timelines will improve my discipline and reduce the risk of deflecting secondary activities. For instance, I experience distractions during study time thus leading to poor preparation during the examination. The discipline will help me to avoid studying for the examination. Deliberate study efforts to improve my skills will help me to gain knowledge for future use apart from the examination.
I should continue with my humanitarian efforts to save and preserve lives. My efforts to save the life of a drowning child was impactful since it made the difference in her life. I remember that if I did not make the effort, the child would be dead today. The motivation gives me the strength to always look at ways of impacting the lives of other people. I will continue with efforts to save and improve the lives of other people. Improving the lives of others is critical in serving the community.
I should start showing a high level of responsibility at my current workplace. The efforts are critical in ensuring I get hired once the contract term ends. The level of responsibility will help me to find more opportunities to impact the community. I should start taking proactive efforts to improve my current workplace. Another approach is to always read ahead of the professor and understand the concepts effectively. The approach is effective in fast-tracking my professionals and academic goals. In the future, I will avoid the mistakes of failing in school.
If I have more examinations or tasks at the workplace I will prepare adequately to avoid failing. Failing in examination or workplace tasks may undermine my future records. I will strive to always join my study group to ensure we discuss the pertinent issues in the academic resources. Another approach is to always set time to study. I have realized that I love studying in the morning compared to the evening. I will make an effort to wake up in the morning for my studies. Effective planning is important to ensure I always understand the concepts taught in class.
A reflection on the zero and hero moments is important in changing my perspective about my performance. The exercise is effective in unveiling the strengths and weaknesses I should work on. It is essential to advance my skills in the future to achieve better goals (Chiat & Panatik, 2019). The major areas to focus on include preparing for exams and office tasks in advance and creating a timetable for various activities. The planning will eliminate the risk of congested schedules that lead to failure in examinations or professional tests. The hero and zero moments are impactful since they reveal the areas I should focus on for personal growth.

References
Bradley, A. P., Grice, T., & Paulsen, N. (2017). Promoting leadership in Australian universities. Australian Universities’ Review, The, 59(1), 97-105.
Chiat, L. C., & Panatik, S. A. (2019). Perceptions of employee turnover intention by Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory: A systematic literature review. Journal of Research in Psychology, 1(2), 10-15.
He, B. (2018). Diversity leadership multiculturalism: The challenge of the securitisation of Chinese migrants in Australia. International Social Science Journal, 68(227-228), 119-131.
Kerr, J. H. (2021). Anxiety, arousal, and sport performance: An application of reversal theory. Anxiety in Sports (pp. 137-151). Taylor & Francis.
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2019). The development of goal setting theory: A half century retrospective. Motivation Science, 5(2), 93.
Ting, J. (2020). Models for the future: Formal graduate studies could enhance the depth of leadership talent available in Australia. Australian Rationalist, The, (118), 40.
Williams, S. S. (2020). Culturally Sustaining Leadership: Supporting the Resilience of Indigenous Students in the United States and Australia. Journal of School Leadership, 30(6), 565-587.

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