Don't Recall Ever Having Used a Charter Before

            Currently I am taking two classes through the University and one for the library.  All three are online.  Currently two have to do with project charters.

            I hadn't made the connection of the Grants Magic class being related to any of my schooling courses until after I contributed my thoughts to the discussion of my other charter class.  We were supposed to come up with a scenario in a situation gone wrong and how more productive it would have been to use a charter.  I had read some material and looked at countless videos and was still at a loss.  I sent a few links over to my husband and asked him to please review and dummy it down for me.  How would I possibly be able to explain how a charter would work for me if I haven't ever remembered using one before.

             Roland did come up with a situation that in which we had adapted the plan (or charter) of another but it really wasn't accurate to what I thought that I needed. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think a lot of trial and error has to take part before one actually knows what to plan. It wasn't just me that lacked understanding.  This particular week seems to have the entire class at a loss.  The scenario I finally came up with is one we are currently trying to smooth over, and that is the library staff and functions of the facility.

            As of now, our library is not even considered a public library by definition, but rather a third party operation.  There are many who are willing to assist in order to keep the existence of the library, but not everybody knows quite "how" to assist. Not everyone has been trained.  Not everyone is qualified to handle every aspect of what needs to be done.  Our leaders have been spread too thin or else haven't quite gotten the gist of all things either.

            My instructor had asked permission to use my example in her lecture.  Wow.  I must have had a better handle on it than I thought.   Still there are several class members who are still in the "Huh?" stage.  I answered one class mate using the example of Roger Bushell the great escape found here and here.  I wasn't able to create a project charter for the library as my understanding of the entire aspect is still limited.  In order to assist my fellow classmates with something visual, I also created this mock charter according to my own understanding and shared it with the class.

            I realize I've written many thoughts in this post that my average reader may not understand.  Welcome to My World!  This is where I am Roger Bushell had served in the British military during World War II and was known for planning and assisting in great escapes from prison camps.  When he arrived in what the Germans believed was an escape-proof camp, Roger was asked to assist with the largest escape on record.  Roger accepted the challenge and met each prisoner of the camp in order to utilize each skill so that the entire camp would be able to work together to make this escape.

          Now a written charter would not have worked as they couldn't risk having the German soldiers know what they were planning.  Several teams had been created to help the plan to move along.  Some teams would dig tunnels, some teams would hide the underground dirt,  there was even a team of prisoners practicing Christmas carols as a means to cover up the noise of the digging.  It was actually quite a genius plan.

          Without the verbal charter or organization of the teams and specific jobs of communicating and working together, the prisoners would have not been able to dig the tunnels or make their escape (WWII). Each of these team members would also have a project charter.  Danny (and Danny was not actually the leader in the movie, but was the only name I could think of) would assign his team members to dig certain parts of the tunnel and send another team member to collect something to hold the tunnels in place.  Hector would select music and pretend to lead his choir in beat with the hammer (or other tool being used) and the scavenger has to work with all groups to learn what is needed and what to steal or trade.  Probably not the best example of a charter, but I think this is how it works.  I asked for the class or instructor to please correct me if I'm wrong - and perhaps add their own thoughts and fill in the blanks that I still don't understand.

            A proposal was made at the last library meeting I attended for four teams to work on finances, PR, training;  I forget the other.  I signed up for training.  We have a new check in/check out system (no longer on cards and pockets . . . yea!), public computer assistance and Dewey decimal filing that we need to take care of.  Those are the three big ones that I see. Each team should create a charter similar to that above and break each group down even further.

            We need to utilize the talents of our volunteers so that we can know how often to schedule, who specializes best in each area and how they will best work together.  I would really like the opportunity to assist in training and get to know each volunteer.  As of now, I really don't know many of the volunteers and so I don't know where their strengths are or where they feel most comfortable.

Reference:

Project Charter. (2017). Retrieved from GoLeanSixSigma.com: https://goleansixsigma.com/project-charter/

Sturges, J (Director). (1963). The Great Escape [Motion Picture].

Squadron Leader Roger Joyce Bushell. (n.d.). Retrieved from Pegasus Archive: http://www.pegasusarchive.org/pow/roger_bushell.htm

World War Two – The Great Escape. (2016). Retrieved from History on the Net: https://www.historyonthenet.com/world-war-two-the-great-escape/

 

Sometimes we have to go off course to make Dreams Happen

                For math class this week, we (the students) are required to post a discussion about our dream job.  I think all throughout the course we are required.  We are also required to take ourselves in optional directions.  I know it's a good thing to keep an open mind.  Sometimes our direction is thrown off course.  Sometimes we realize the dreams we're chasing are not really what we want.  Often we're not prepared for the alterations that fall into our path.  Many times we are in control.  Sometimes we're not - but we need to learn how.

                So the math discussion prompt is for me to look into my magic crystal ball and see my future in my dream job with math.  Becoming an accountant was never a dream job.  Working with numbers has always felt more like a nightmare that a dream.  A dream job with numbers?  This is what I posted for my math class yesterday:

"My Dream Job without math . . . that would be a dream, for as we discovered in last week's discussion, math is essential for so much in our lives.  I think it would be fantastic if I did have that ideal awesome job, so awesome in fact, that I would never look at the clock to see what time it is because I am thoroughly enjoying myself that I don't even think about the time.

"Even if that were true, there's still that matter of my paycheck and the money management.  I am majoring in accounting.  I don't feel like that's my dream job, however.  I would like to serve others in a positive way.  My husband is working on his masters in business.  Right now he is considering opening an adult day care.  If the crystal ball is accurate, we will be up and running our business in less than four years.  He will do all the marketing, and I will balance the books, cut checks for payrolls . . . Chances are really great that I will have a need for knowing the decimals that we get to learn this week (yippee)

"If someone else reading the crystal ball would tell me that I can just slide out my future with no math at all, I wouldn't believe it."

            I don't know what I may have considered "the dream job" when I was younger.  Each of us has a different perspective of what the dream job entails.  In the area I live now, I would think that just  finding employment within a 20-mile radius within the county would be a dream job for a lot of people.  There's really not a wide variety to choose from, let alone obtain  - especially for a full time.

                 I would love to get paid for my thoughts - so I could not only make a living, but have a handsome sum to set aside for those emergency situations, or a well-deserved vacation.  I realize there is pocket change to be had through blogging.  I don't enjoy seeing ads clutter up anyone's blog page.  Why would I then let it clutter up mine?

            Few are successful at making their passion work for them in their profession.  There many who have to take a second job to support their dream desires.  My cousin, Michelle, is an artist.  My brother-in-law, Bill, is a photographer and my brother, Corey is an actor.  Each seems to have to hustle from one assignment to the next - or (in Bill's case) do it on the side more as a hobby, and if he should get paid for what he loves, maybe it's a perk.

                Roland asked me what it is that I love that I could make money on.  I'm not going to love it if I have to put a price tag on it.  He doesn't get it, but there are some of us who do relate to Harry Connick's character, Justin Matisse from Hope Floats when he says:

                "You're talkin' 'bout the American Dream. You find something that you love, and then you twist it, and you torture it, try and find a way to make money at it. You spend a lifetime doing that. At the end, you can't find a trace of what you started out lovin'. What did you start out lovin'?"

            The choices of majors for an online college seem to be limited.  I went with accounting, because of the four choices, it seemed the most promising as far as finding a job.  Plus, my belief was that I could be left in a backroom to do my thing and I wouldn't have to socialize with anybody.  I'm learning quickly that with any job I get, I am going to be a part of a team and I will need to contribute to more than just the books. 
 

                Here are my speaker's notes of a power point which was the last assignment I had to turn in for the philosophy class that I took last mod; the one I had attempted to correct in this post:

"I became an accountant so that my employer would stick me in a back room to do the books and I would not have to talk to anyone. My knowledge would be of our spending and profit; that would be it.  Why would I ever need to learn what takes place on the floor?  It is not my job to mingle with the clients or other employees. 

"For example, if I was working in an adult daycare,  I wouldn’t have to know  what time the seniors eat; just what was spent  on food and what profit we made. That is all I was hired for, right?

"If a client were to ask a CEO or one of his employees a question, ideally the answer would be the same.   Would that also apply to the accountant?  Would the accountant have to attend all of the meetings as the CEO to fully understand the ins and outs of the company?  Would the CEO have to go on Undercover Boss to understand the employees who might think they’re at the bottom of the totem pole?  It’s a matter of communication and respect. 

"We each have something to bring to the table.  What is it that brought us to adult day care?  Why do we care about this company?  What can we add to the company that others may benefit?  How do we achieve this goal? By working together, by researching the needs of our clients, learning their likes and dislikes and understanding what will work best for them.

"Now say, for instance, we were having a meeting about ways to improve the center or bring in more clientele.  First, we need to brainstorm what it is we'd like to accomplish and share our ideas.  Don't be afraid of making suggestions.  If you think there's something valid to share - share it.  We need to listen to one another - even if we don't agree with what is being said, we need to allow each team member to complete his or her thoughts. Furthermore, we need to work together and utilize our skills and talents. 

"Band members need to listen and take cues, not only from their conductor but the other instruments which surround them.  Sports team players need to understand the communication both off and on the field so that they may play a successful game.  CEOs and those they employee need to work as a team and stay in sync so that everyone can understand what is expected to make for a successful company. A good leader will delegate effectively. 

"Now I understand.  I am still a link in the chain of a working function.  If the client or anyone expressing potential interest asks me about Generations Adult Day Care, my answer should come out the same as the business owner.  I need to know more than just the book end of the business.  I must be a team player as well.

"Remember to be a team player. Every employee and position are necessary for any company to function as a whole. It is important for all participants involved that they maintain a positive attitude,  don’t allow your emotions to cloud your reason. Contribute to the workforce and share their ideas.  We are each in a different stage of critical thinking, which is a good thing, as we need the diversity.  We need to rely on one another so that we can function together as a whole. As we take these steps to work together, our communication is bound to improve."

             I had actually borrowed the "band member . . ." paragraph for an assignment I had done in another class.  However, with the English class I am currently taking, I am learning that I have to come up with new ideas and not borrowing from past assignments.  Whoops.

            I have such a strong belief in communication, and have used it as my theme in past assignments, so instead of looking at it from the employees perspective, I have decided to approach this assignment from the consumer's point of view.  I actually have more ideas as a consumer than I do first-hand knowledge as an employee.  Perhaps it will make for a better assignment.