Technology Trends and Issues :: essays research papers fc

Defining Technological Literacy Given the current state of technology, a researcher should have little difficulty in finding relevant definitions that embody a spirited understanding of underlying technical and societal interactions that craft a view of the technically literate person. As an exercise, extracting the common elements from various experts’ definitions of technological literacy should result in a generalized perspective that would provide a foundation supporting further literacy definitions for aspects of technology such as computers or genetics. However, this is easier than it sounds. As Gagel (1997) confirms, â€Å"defining technological literacy has proven to be an unexpectedly complex and difficult task†. The difficulty in defining technological literacy is exposed by a number of factors. One factor relates to understanding perspective and determining whether the term is best defined by putting the emphasis on â€Å"technology† or â€Å"literacy† or whether the subject is best approached laterally. Indeed, Gagel describes the technological literacy from a technology perspective as opposed to defining literacy and then establishing parameters supporting technological literacy. Perhaps this approach contributed to the author’s difficulty in defining the term. As technology is so diverse and crosses many boundaries, perhaps the definition of technological literacy should do likewise, and not be restricted to either a â€Å"technology† or â€Å"literacy† perspective. Another factor contributing to the difficulty in defining technological literacy involves the improperly weighting of computer influence on the term’s definition. In a speech given by former President, Bill Clinton, this misunderstanding is propagated further. He states, â€Å"Today, technological literacy – computer skills and the ability to use computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity and performance – is a new basic that our students must master. â€Å" (Clinton, n.d.) Clearly, this mindset is remiss and precludes the contribution of myriad other technologies affecting our daily lives. According to Harrison, â€Å"Computer literacy is but a subset of technological literacy, but if this mindset is not encouraged, then the richness of technological literacy will not be passed on to next generations. As technologists, we have the daunting task of reversing this rapidly flowing river.† (Harrison, 2000) So, the question is how to define â€Å"technological literacy† without being trapped in too narrow a perspective and without utilizing a specific technology to add meaning to the term. It is important that society controls technology for it to serve us purposefully in our daily lives and lifestyle in general. For us to control technology, an understanding and knowledge is required to allow us to make informative decisions on how it will affect our lives.

Health Science

Ministry of Higher Education Oman Medical College Health Science Program By: Marwa Rashid Al-Flaiti Objectives: To fined the rate of fermentation of the apple and carrot juices, and compare their rates to each other. Introduction: Procedure: A 5. 00 ml of apple juice was taken in a clean 150 ml conical flask and diluted with 50 ml of distal water. Then, 2. 00 grams of Baker's yeast and 5. 00 ml of solution of Pasteur's salts were added to the above conical flask.The content of flask was shacked well and maintained the temperature of the reaction mixture between 35-40 ? c by using hot water path. After that, 10 drops of the reaction mixture from the flask were taken after 10 minutes and added to a test tube which contained 1. 00 ml of Benedict's reagent. The test tube was placed in hot water for about 2. 00 minutes and changes in color were noticed. The last step was repeated every 10. 00 minutes for 6 times.The same procedure was used for carrot solution and rate of fermentation for both solutions were found. Observation: * Volume of fruit juice taken = 5. 00 ml * Volume of dist. Water added = 50. 0 ml * Weight of Baker's yeast added = 2. 00 gm * Volume of solution of Pasteur's salts = 5. 00 ml Time (Min)| Color of reaction mixture on reaction with Benedict's solution in case of 😠 | Apple| Carrot| 10| Blue| Dark Blue| 20| Green| Green| 30| Green| Green| 40| Green| Green| 50| Green| Green| 60| Green| Dark Blue|

If I Were the President of India Essay

Gandhiji’s full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was born on October 2, 1869 in a town called Poxbandar, Gujarat. He was the architect of India’s freedom and one of the greatest men of this century. Mahatma Gandhi’s life was dedicated to the ideals of truth, non-violence and love. Young Gandhi had his primary education up to the seventh year at Porbandar. Then his education continued at Rajkot. Once an Inspector of Schools visited the school. The teacher dictated some English words. Gandhiji had spelt the word ‘Kettle’ incorrectly. The teacher noticed this, and made signs to Gandhiji to correct it by copying from his neighbour. But Gandhiji did not do so. He also felt that the same teacher, who had taught him that copying was bad, was not right in prompting him to do so. Still, the respect he had for his teacher did not grow less. When Mahatma Gandhi was only nineteen years old, he went to England to become a barrister. He obtained the degree of Barrister-at-Law and started practising law in South Africa. Once he had to make a journey by train,, so he bought a first-class ticket. During the journey, an officer of the railway asked him to vacate his seat for a white man, and to move to the van on the train. Mahatma Gandhi refused. The railway officials, with the help of the police, had his things thrown out. He was also removed from the carriage by force. Thus Gandhiji was subject to untold shame. This incident transformed him. Gandhi started an organisation and called it ‘The Natal Indian Congress’. It was to carry on the struggle of the Indians against racial discrimination. He also started a newspaper called ‘The Indian Opinion’. The paper became an organ to give information about the struggle. Mahatma Gandhi stayed on in South Africa for nearly 21 years to fight against racial discrimination against Indian settlers. He propagated the concept of Satyagraha (satya means truth and agraha firmness). It was the use of ‘Soul-Force’ against ‘Brute-Force’ or violence. He trained men, women and children as volunteers. He called his band a ‘Peace Brigade’. He won his battle when, finally, the South African Government gave in to his demands. Gandhi now became a world-renowned person. He soon earned the title of ‘Mahatma’ (maha means great and atma means soul) among Indians all over the world. Gandhiji came back to India in 1915 and built an ashram on the banks of the Sabaramati river near Ahmadabad. It was called ‘Satyagraha Ashram’. The way of life that he practised there was known as ‘Sarvodaya’ the well-being of all. He fought peacefully for many causes and succeeded in persuading the government to abolish many abuses against labourers in Bihar, the Kaira peasants in Gujarat, etc.

Captain Corellis Mandolin Essay Example for Free

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Essay Carlo asserts â€Å"War is a wonderful thing, in movies and in books.† By close reference to the novel, explore how war shows people at their worst and their best. The novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, written by Louis De Bernieres in 1994, explores â€Å"humanity; we sigh at their suffering as they are ripped apart and forever changed by war.†1 The quotation in the title is spoken by Carlo quite early on in the novel, at the end of chapter 15, titled ‘L’Omosessuale (4)’. He is referring to the idea that war is repeatedly shown to be patriotic, heroic, and indeed wonderful especially in film and literature. However, from Carlos’ experiences in Albania, he knows the true reality of war, as he has seen and experienced the suffering. We can trace Carlos’ progression of thought through his personal chapters; all entitled ‘L’Omosessuale’. He begins saying, â€Å"How wonderful it was to be at this war†(p.119) We hear him describe crossing the foreign border as â€Å"exhilarating†, and he and his comrades view themselves as â€Å"the new legionaries of the new empire that would last ten thousand years.†(p.119) This was his view at the very beginning of war, before he had really experienced any suffering. As he is yet to encounter any conflict, it is likely he has been influenced by the propaganda at the time, organised by the Italian leader, Mussolini. The next quotation is said slightly further on during Carlos’ experience, â€Å"How wonderful it was to be at war, until the weather turned against us.†(p.120) It is here that we begin to hear of some of the suffering that Carlo and his comrades had to endure, such as â€Å"we were ten thousand men soaked to the bone†(p.120). The real tragedy of war is death, and Carlo has had direct experience of this. He says, â€Å"War is wonderful until someone is killed†(p.122). This is when De Bernieres chooses to use graphic images to show the suffering that Carlo and his comrades endure. â€Å"I realised that I was covered with gory scraps of human flesh that were freezing fast to my uniform†(p.122). Finally, Carlo says the quotation in the title, â€Å"War is a wonderful thing, in movies and in books† on page 124. It is here that Carlo has realised the actuality of war, and can see that this idealised version is fictitious and can only be seen in movie and in books. â€Å"War scorches a trail through all of their lives. What seems, at the beginning of the novel, like a game, a challenge to manhood, a matter of honour, an occasion for political satire, becomes an appalling reality.2 Carlo asserts that war is shown to be wonderful in movies and in books. However, De Bernieres does not follow this trend, and shows the war for what it is. De Bernieres’ characters starve and die slowly with their entrails hanging out; he depicts the horror that they have to endure to fight for their country, and the suffering that they are put through. â€Å"It was as though a portion of my mind has disappeared, or as though my soul had diminished to a tiny point of grey light†(p.138). De Bernieres also shows the gore and bloodshed caused by the war, when he describes the death of Francesco. In chapter 19, L’Omosessuale (6), De Bernieres uses Carlo’s narrative to tell the reader the true details of Francesco’s death, and then the sanitised version for his mother. As well as this showing Carlos’ considerate nature, it also confirms that many people did view the war in a very different light from its reality, including Francesco’s mother. â€Å"He died on a fine day, Signora, with the sun shining and the birds singing.† â€Å"(He died on a day when the snow was melting and when, beneath that carapace, there were emerging a thousand corpses, knapsacks, rusted riffles, water bottles, illegible unfinished letters drenched in blood)† (p.148). Corelli wrote the novel, after falling in love with the Island of Cephallonia, and wanting to inform readers about what happened to this Island during World War II. For this reason, he has depicted a very real and veritable account of atrocities that occurred during the Second World War. â€Å"Everyone is shot, without regard for rank or role, even the medics and the chaplains.†3 However, in the film adaptation of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, directed by John Madden, war is viewed in a very different light. De Bernieres has said of the film â€Å"The problem is that film-makers take out all your good ideas and replace them with a load of stupid ones.†4 The depiction of war in the film is very different and many scenes seem to have been â€Å"watered down†5, in order to appeal to far wider audience. The movie has been widely criticised, after changing the story line drastically from a tragic story of the destruction and consequences of war, to a love story between Corelli and Pelagia. â€Å"Where de Bernià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½res’ book makes it clear from the start that war is unforgivingly ugly, for a long time the film’s only hint of this is a glimpse of Mandras’s battle-scarred feet.†6 Although much of De Bernieres novel depicts the horror of war, some of the consequences of war are indeed wonderful. Corelli and Pelagia would have never found love without the intervention of war in their lives, and although ultimately war destroys their love, the moments spent together made the war endurable. The prefatory poem at the beginning on the novel shows Louis De Bernieres hinting, even before the novel has begun, that war will be an important theme throughout. ‘The Soldier’ by Humbert Wolfe describes the waste of war, and the loss of lives and of youth. Links are evident between this poem and Captain Corelli’s mandolin as they both explore the way in which war has an effect on different people. The presence of war on the Island of Cephallonia has various effects on different characters and can expose people’s flaws and merits. An excellent example of this is the contrast shown between Mandras and Antonio Corelli. Corelli has been drawn into a war that he really has no heart for. â€Å"You mean you’re a soldier by mistake?† (p. 206, Pelagia). He has no desires to be a soldier and his character is often seen as anti-military. When giving punishments he does not follow the rules that are expected of him, â€Å"To everyone’s surprise the captain pointed his pistol straight into the face of one of the culprits†(p.324). However, although he had no intention of doing so, Corelli proves to be an excellent comrade and shows morality throughout the war. â€Å"This is my morality, I make myself imagine that it is personal†(p.351). This is greatly contrasted with the character of Mandras. He has very high expectations about the life of a soldier and feels he has to prove himself to Pelagia and the rest of the Island. He resents those who know more than him, yet does not want to prove himself intellectually, as he believes â€Å"no man is a man until he has been a soldier†(p.80) Carlos’ assertion that war is wonderful in movies and in books reflects a idealised view of the war. However, Mandras believes that this view was the reality of war and he felt that becoming a soldier would make him more worthy as a man. â€Å"I’ll come back and everyone will say, That’s Mandras, who fought in the war. We owe everything to people like him.† He is indoctrinated by what is expected of him, and is predicted to conform. However high Mandras’ expectations were, the war does not elevate him, it brings him down. During his experiences in war he saw others abuse their power, and now feels he has a right to do the same, The war de-humanises him, and instead of changing him for the better it changes him for the worse. The war in Cephallonia showed the best and the worst in people. In Antonio Corelli’s case it displays his merits as he has the opportunity to exercise his humanity in the treatment of others. From the beginning of the novel, Corelli is represented as a laid-back, light-hearted leader. Although he has a great talent as a leader, he is very modest and introduces Carlo as â€Å"one of our heroes, He has a hundred medals for saving life and none for taking it†(p.202). He proves himself as an excellent comrade and Captain by being faithful to his men until the very end. â€Å"There is no honour in this war, but I have to be with my boys†(p.392). His introduction of La Scala also shows good comradeship, as it is a humorous and practical solution to having to use communal toilets. This is also a crucial element of the novel, as before they go to join the shooting line up, they sing to maintain their composure. He also shows his forgiving nature when he chooses to forgive Gunter for what he has done. â€Å"I forgive you. If I do not, who will?†(p.397). He says of himself â€Å"I am not a natural parasite†(p.305) and this is seen clearly when he avoids any confrontation with Pelagia. He is uncomfortable about living with Pelagia and her father â€Å"Tonight I shall sleep in the yard and tomorrow I shall request alternative accommodation†(p.204). Corelli’s fondness for animals is De Bernieres way of showing positive traits in a character. The fact that Corelli is so attached to Psipsina shows that he is an admirable man and the reader feel connected to him. â€Å"The captain had some engaging traits. He tied a cork to a piece of string, and sprinted about the house with Psipsina in hot pursuit†¦and if the animal happened to be sitting on a piece of music, he would go away and fetch another sheet rather than disturb her†(p.250) Corelli also shows fondness for children in his relationship with Lemoni. Although there is a language barrier, the two are able to communicate on a different level, and are able to enjoy each other’s company. â€Å"The child was whooping and laughing, and it appeared that what was transpiring was a lesson in Italian. ‘Bella fanciulla,’ the captain was saying. He was waiting for Lemoni to repeat it. ‘Bla fanshla,’ she giggled.† (p. 211) He also appears to have a very different attitude than other soldiers, when he arrives in Cephallonia with his mandolin strapped to his back, and not a gun, as you would expect from a soldier. The mandolin â€Å"that was called Antonia because it was the other half of himself.† This love for music is another engaging trait that the captain has, and is one of the reasons Pelagia falls in love with him. We also see this originality to his character when Gunter Weber, a german soldier, introduces himself. Weber says â€Å"Heil Hitler†, yet Corelli says â€Å"Heil Puccini†, showing he has a very different attitude to the war, and will not be led by anyone. This again shows his love for classical music, as Puccini was a great composer, whom Corelli was an admirer of. His relationship with Pelagia is clearly one of great love and admiration, however it also contains sexual desires, which are never consummated. â€Å"Such slender fingers, such pink nails. He imagined them engaged upon amorous and nocturnal things, and realised that he was disturbing Psipsina.†(p.259, Corelli) This shows ongoing respect for Pelagia and her father, and also shows Corelli’s caring and considerate temperament. In contrast to Corelli, the character Mandras is brutalised by war. He believes that war will change him for the better, yet it changes him for the worse. He becomes a victim of propaganda and a victim of his insecurities. Before he leaves for war he tells Pelagia â€Å"I’m a Greek†¦not a Fascist†(p.214) War changes him for the worse as he is very easily led and allows others to influence him. This may have had a positive effect on Mandras if he had chosen Iannis to guide him, yet he chooses Hector, the leader of a branch of the ELAS. Joining this group causes him to abandon his personal values, and this is seen when he whips the old man. â€Å"Mandras did not even notice that the man had stopped moving, had stopped screaming and whining†(p.233). He manages to blank out the emotions that he should be feeling, and begins to enjoy the power he holds over this old man. â€Å"If you didn’t think about what it was, it sounded weirdly beautiful†(p.234) After returning from the war, he becomes much more manipulative, especially towards Pelagia and Drosoula. â€Å"Mandras had begun his exile into inaccessibility by dramatising the idea of death†(p.180). Pelagia was â€Å"convinced that he was doing it on purpose as an act of vengeance or punishment.†(p.180). This shows a very cruel side to Mandras that we have never seen before, and it clearly takes the war to bring out this negative side of his character. He has clearly been indoctrinated by the propaganda of the war, and this is seen in chapter 63, when he recites communist slogans. â€Å"The party is never wrong. Whoever is not with us is against us†(p.447) He does not seem to be questioning what he has been told, he just repeats it. He has experienced others abusing their power during his time with the ELAS and now sees this as an approved way of behaving. â€Å"De Bernià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½res explores power and its abuse†7 He insults and belittles Pelagia after he returns from fighting and tortures her further, even though he should see that she has suffered enough during the war. De Bernieres shows a side to Mandras that readers have never seen before. He represents him as evil and sadistic, and we see Mandras refer to Pelagia as a â€Å"slut†. His morals have disintegrated following his fighting with the ELAS, and feels that he can do whatever he wants. This is due to the fact that the ELAS would make up their own rules for their comrades to follow. The war de-humanises Mandras and he represents the damage that can be inflicted by extreme politics. In Mandras’ death, De Bernieres wants readers to feel pity for him, as it is clear the communist party has seriously indoctrinated him. He dies as a victim of the war, and a desire to prove himself worthy, and this also evokes compassion in the reader Carlo is a character in the novel who shows how war can bring out the best in people. He is a very honourable character, and has to live with the secret that he is homosexual. He puts aside his desire for Corelli in order to help the romance between Pelagia and Corelli develop. â€Å"I have loved you with the same surprise and gratitude that I see in your own eyes when you are with Pelagia†(p.384). He shows true bravery in front of the firing squad when stepping in front of Corelli to save his life. â€Å"Antonio Corelli†¦had found in front of him the titanic bulk of Carlo Guercio†(p.399). De Bernieres uses Carlo’s narrative in the chapters entitled L’Omosessuale, and this allows the readers to sympathise further with the silent suffering that Carlo has to endure during the war. His writings are eloquently written and his language is poetic and beautiful, showing the gentle side to his character. â€Å"He died on a fine day, Signora, with the sun shining and the birds singing.†(P.148, Carlo) â€Å"Father Arsenios was saved by the war†(p.292). De Bernieres absolves Arsenios after the war and liberates him from his former self. However, the characters perceive him as a mad man and cannot see that war has brought about his finest hour. He is referred to as the â€Å"crazy priest† yet he feels he is a saviour and â€Å"it is probable that, had he lived, Arsenios might have become a saint†(p.295). De Bernieres chooses to depict war in a graphic and realistic light in his novel, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Although in many films or books war is shown to be wonderful, this idealised version is proved wrong in De Bernieres novel, as he shows the suffering that the soldiers were forced to endure. He shows that the war has different effects on different people, and it can expose their faults or their merits. Mandras is forever changed by the war, as he returns indoctrinated by the communist party. His death proves that his natural environment is the sea, where he can be accepted and does not have to prove himself. In contrast Corelli’s merits are shown to be more prominent as the war develops, and also as his love for Pelagia develops. The reader is drawn to the character of Corelli, even though he is an occupying soldier, as he shows compassion, kindness and respect during his time in Cephallonia. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. (2017, Aug 23). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Journal Article Annotation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Journal Article Annotation - Essay Example The research undertaken by Thro (2007) have clearly emphasises the perception of the faculty in the American universities on academic freedom that is drawn to two different poles. Some of the members categorically says that the academic freedom is purely a constitutional myth while others opinion that it certainly is a practical reality. The author has tried to evaluate this from the functional point of academics rather than from the education and learning component in it. The findings of the research says that any institution that tried to infringe the operational freedom the faculty would soon find the lose the service of this faculty due to the lack of flexibility given to the teacher. Never in the article author tried to relate the myth and reality of freedom with the educational process . Unless these issues are assessed in the context of the entire educational process involving both teaching and learning the results and recommendations would tend to be highly skewed and prejudi ced. Thus the research on education and freedom need to explore more fundamental issues in the process involving the teacher and the taught rather than analysing the academic freedom from the faculty perspective alone. The technological development have created a huge impact on the education and the freedom prevailing on the learning process in the university campuses. The presence of online resources and excellent networks across the departments and centres have resulted in redefining the teacher -student relationship which have influenced the extend of freedom in the educational process. Availability of online resources like e-books, videos and audio files have taken the learning process beyond the walls of class rooms and eliminates highly differentiated class room experience. These initiatives have been found to be very effective in the curriculum planning of the humanities courses too. The research study reported have established the

Reflections on my Drug Administration OSCE Essay

Reflections on my Drug Administration OSCE - Essay Example Drug administration is one of the major roles of nurses. However, as I found out in the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) given to us, it entails much more than simply giving a patient a pill. It is an aggregate of all the principles and skills we learn as nursing students, and the application of theories into practice. In drug administration, we have to remember and practice patient safety, provide holistic and individualized patient care, have a solid foundation on knowledge about drugs and medication safety, and perform administration checks and documentation at all times. Much about the role of nurses in hospital can be learned from something as seemingly simple as a drug administration OSCE. Patient safety practices Patient safety is a crucial part of patient care. At all times, all health professionals should keep the safety of the patient in mind. Patient safety practices for drug administration begin at the first contact, from patient identification, patient ed ucation and information, patient contact, performance of procedures, to leaving the patient comfortable. One of the important principles in patient safety is infection control. Nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections are the most common complications affecting hospitalized patients today, and one of the major sources of infection is cross-infection by health care workers (Burke, 2003). Meaning, most patient obtain infection from the hands of those that are treating and caring for them. Most incidents that lead to infection can be prevented and one of the simplest ways to prevent this is by hand-washing. In the Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings released by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Boyce and Pittet, 2002), it is recommended that hand washing and hand antisepsis be done if hands are visibly dirty or contaminated. It should also be done before having direct contact with patients, before donning sterile gloves, after contact with a patientâ€⠄¢s skin, after contact with body fluids or excretion and wound dressings, and before eating or after using the restroom. In all aspects of contact with the patient, hand hygiene must be done. The guideline further recommends that health care personnel should not wear artificial fingernails, should keep nail tips short, and should remove gloves after caring for a patient. Thus, before drug administration, and even before handling drugs and preparing them, hand washing must always be done. It should also be done after patient contact, and in between interaction with different patients. Verifying patient identity is another important aspect of patient safety, and not being able to do this could lead to adverse results. Omitting verbal verification of patients’ identity prior to administering medications may lead to a potential adverse event 20% of the time in worst case scenarios (Lisby, Nielsen, and Mainz, 2005). Even with the use of medication administration technologies such as bar code verification, effectiveness in preventing errors is largely dependent on how practitioners use the technology to verify patient identity and drug identity (Englebright and Franklin, 2005). Remediable causes of having the wrong patient include absent or misused protocols for patient identification and informed consent, faulty exchange of information among caregivers, and poorly functioning teams (Chassin and Becher, 2002). During my OSCE, I failed to check the identity of the patient with my mentor. I understand that failing to properly verify my patient’s identity could lead to adverse consequences, and will make sure to keep it in mind in future patient interactions. Doing a brief clinical history can also contribute to patient safety. It allows nurses and other medical personnel to be aware of the patient’s condition, comorbidities, present symptoms and level of comfort. Particularly relevant in drug administration is asking the patient about other drugs being taken and for any personal history or family history of

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 6

Leadership - Essay Example 2003). The purpose of this paper is to describe the topic of leadership through applications and theory. Leadership plays an important role in the political game. Barack Obama won the presidency of the United States due to the fact that he was a transformational leader. â€Å"Transformational leaders are generally energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate† (Cherry, 2013). A transformational leader cares about the needs of his followers. The four key components of transformational leadership are intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, idealized influence, and inspirational motivation (Cherry, 2013). A firm led by a transformational leader has greater chance to succeed due to the ability of this person to motivate and inspire others. Two important leader styles are charismatic leadership and transactional leadership. A transactional leader does the necessary tasks to ensure his subordinates perform their job to a satisfactory level. Charismatic leader involves crea ting an inspirational self image that makes people drawn to you (Changingminds, 2013). An example of a charismatic leader is Steve Jobs. The managerial profession requires leadership skills to successfully perform the job. Managers are responsible for their actions and for the actions of their subordinates. An important skill that a leader must possess to be effective is excellent verbal and written communication skills. A person that does not possess superb communication skills cannot be a leader. Communication skills can be developed through education initiatives and training and development. Another important factor that can improve a person’s communication skills is active listening. â€Å"Active listening skills are conversational techniques that enable better understanding and more productive communication† (Palkoner, 2013). Listening well to what others have to say can help a leader recognize the needs and concerns of the work staff. Employees that are heard bui lt a greater bond of trust with the managerial staff. The ultimate goal for a leader is to achieve synergy. Synergy occurs when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The performance of a company is enhanced if it has a good leader in charge of the firm. Bill Gates is an example of a leader that started out small, but due to his superb decision making and leadership skills he turn Microsoft into the market leader in the software industry. A good leader recognizes that teamwork and cooperation are keys to success. The greatest ideas are often hidden in the minds of the floor workers because they are constantly exposed to the manufacturing operations of the firm. Exceptional leaders obtain input from the workers to then use that input in the decision making process. Input can be obtained directly or anonymously. Direct input is gathered by talking to specific employees in private or openly during employee meetings. A way to collect indirect input is by placing a feedback box in the premises of the company. A feedback box is useful only if management seriously considers implementing the ideas of the workers. People are not born leaders instead they acquire leadership skills through experience and education. Unique work experiences such as serving in