Differing Leadership Styles

1.0 This aim of this essay is to examine differing styles of leadership and their effect on group performance and communication by defining each style and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each. Due to word constraints this paper will only provide an overview of the topic and will focus on leaders of business task groups in particular.

1.1 Leadership style can be defined as “a pattern of emphases, indexed by the frequency or intensity of specific leadership behaviour or attitudes which a leader places on the different leadership functions” (Casimir, 2001). Alternatively, Anderson and McColl-Kennedy (2002, p. 546) suggest that leadership style is the way in which a leader mobilises and focuses the group members toward achieving organisational goals. Group performance relates to how effectively members achieve the overall tasks and functions set for the group (Lie et al, 2003), whilst communication is broadly defined by The Cambridge Dictionary of American English as successfully giving thoughts, feelings, ideas or information to others through speech, writing, bodily movements or signals.

2.0 Leadership styles can be described as either directive or supportive and can be further categorised as Authoritarian, Participative or Laissez-faire, although a number of alternative titles exist (Myczyk & Steel, 1998).

2.1 An authoritarian leader is one who, as the title suggests, runs their group very much as a dictatorship. They hold all of the authority for group and are personally responsible for the actions and tasks performed by group members and hold themselves accountable for the conclusions and recommendations formed by the group (Koene, Soeters & Vogelaar, 2002). It is not often that an authoritarian leader delegate’s responsibility, tasks or leadership responsibilities to other group members but instead remains the central control. Ehrhart & Klein (2001, p. 162) describes how a leader taking an authoritarian view will generally not ask for input from group members and does not encourage group members to think for themselves and become pro-active in meeting the group task. Communication not relating to the task on hand is not encouraged or rewarded within this leadership style and instead, the leader will communicate information to the group members in a one-way only communication stream (Norrgern & Schaller, 1999).

2.2 The tasks of a group being led by an authoritarian leader are quite often met faster than any other leadership style, as there is minimal time for discussion and debate of ideas and solutions. However, if this method is to be efficient in its recommendations then the group leader must be fully aware and conversant in the task at hand, the possible solutions and must also have the ability to investigate those solutions and make relevant choices and recommendations based on that information (Casimir, 2001). Given this, the task may not always be achieved as effectively as it could have been had there been more discussion regarding the alternatives.

2.3 Gans, Lape & Rutan (2002, p. 58) states that another symptom of the one-way communication channel adopted by authoritarian leaders is that members are often unaware of the progress or direction of the group. This can lead to poor motivation of members who have no desire to work on a project when they are unsure of its progress and receive little or no attention for their role. People in these groups are less likely to challenge the group leader as they are seen to hold little standing in comparison.

2.4 Muczyk & Steel 1998, suggests that it is in times of crises when directive, autocratic leadership behaviour is more acceptable. A real world illustration of this point can be found by looking at First Bank System of Minneapolis and the appointment of John Grundhofer in 1983, who was bought in to overhaul the organisation and better facilitate shareholders interests, which had lost nearly $11 million in the previous year. After six months of tough decisions, Grundhofer had increased the market value of the company by over $15 million as a result of his autocratic leadership style and cut throat decision-making.

3.0 In contrast to authoritarian leadership, participative leaders delegate authority, responsibility and leadership tasks to other group members. Members of the group are actively encouraged to contribute ideas and are involved in the decision making process (Anderson & McColl-Kennedy, 2002). Whilst the leader is still responsible for the outcomes of the group and the implementing of strategies, group members are responsible for the tasks that they have been delegated and are held accountable for their decisions.

3.1 The communication channel is two-way under this leadership style, flowing from the leader to group members and visa versa. Regular meetings and feedback from the leader to members support this channelling of information (Lie et al, 2003).

3.2 The role of a participative leader differs somewhat than that of an authoritative style. Emphasis shifts from investigating alternatives and decision-making to more of a management role, in co-ordinating the delegation of responsibilities to other group members. In this style Coene, Soeters & Vogelaar (2002, p. 202) suggests it is common for the leader to become a ‘referee’ of sorts to control the behaviour of members and to ensure that they are co-operating and facilitating teamwork for the best interests of accomplishing the common goal.

3.3 Whilst an authoritarian leader is only interested in the goals of the organisation, a participative leader will give some consideration to the interests of the group and how best to advance these, in addition to fulfilling the task (Myczyk & Steel, 1998).

3.4 One of the advantages of participative leadership is that the decisions made are often more effective than authoritarian styles. This is due to the more extensive research and discussion of alternatives, as well as the inclusion of multiple points of view (Gans, Lape & Rutan, 2002). Group members led by a participative leader are often more productive, effective, co-operative and efficient than members who are led by other leadership styles, as suggested by Casimir (2001, p. 265). Group motivation is also higher than in any other leadership style as members are acknowledged and praised for their role within the group.

3.5 In situations where there is only one alternative, this type of leadership may not be successful, as members could spend time looking for alternatives that do not exist. Whilst the time taken to reach group goals may be slightly higher than that of a group operating under an authoritarian leader, the benefit of more detailed investigation and recommendations will normally offset this (Anderson & McColl-Kennedy, 2002). This leadership style may also not be effective if there are pressing time constraints on the project. The time involved in the different stages of delegating, investigating and evaluating options as well as facilitating group members may be too great to the organisation if an immediate solution is required.

4.0 The third category of leadership technique is the Laissez-faire model, also known as the permissive style. Unlike the previous two styles, permissive leaders are generally not involved in the operations of the group and instead hold an almost silent role (Lie et al, 2003). This leadership style can be either extremely effective or not effective at all based on the communication flow within the group. If communication is unclear then this can lead to the frustration of group members and ultimately, poor performance. In its most efficient form the communication within the group is clear and purposeful which allows group members to have a sense of direction (Norrgern & Schaller, 1999). To be effective, communication channels must exist between the leader and the members and visa versa, as well between the group members themselves.

4.1 A common problem with permissive leadership is that the leader is so undefined that it often appears as if there is no leader at all. Eventually, group members will start to take on leadership responsibilities and characteristics of a leader. If more than one group member does this then there is the potential to cause great conflict.

4.2 Koene, Soeters & Vogelaar (2002, p. 200) details how the permissive leader often uses their delegation abilities to depart themselves from any responsibility or accountability of the group’s outcomes and as such the group members themselves may feel overwhelming pressure to perform too highly and take on too much responsibility.

4.3 Laissez-faire leadership did not work in favour of General Motors Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Robert Stemple, as the company lost market share and billions of dollars due to Stemple’s inability to make difficult decisions and the undefined roles or group members (Muczyk & Steel, 1998).

5.0 There is no right or wrong style of leadership, and indeed many leaders use a combination of styles. The success of a particular group and there ability to achieve the goals of an organisation lies initially in selecting which is the appropriate style of leadership behaviour to adopt in that particular situation (Ehrhart & Klein, 2001). This can depend on the time constraints, the group members, the task at hand and many other variables. There are advantages and disadvantages of each and these should be carefully considered when choosing a leadership style. Anderson & McColl-Kennedy (2002, p. 552) discusses how if a leader is only interested in self-promotion then leadership style will be irrelevant as each style can be manipulated for personal gain. Although leadership style can be accountable for some disconcertion, it is the leader who is carrying the style that will inevitably challenge its effectiveness.

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Database Applications

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the databases applications that Rawlling is currently using in the Assembly Department. After analyzing the current situation then a proposal will be made to improve the application and the way Rawlling operates when dealing with their databases.

I work as an assembler at Rawlling. I have no contact with computers. Because of this I have little knowledge about the databases applications that are used, except for what I have picked up over the years. I do know that Rawlling uses Microsoft in any and all applications. Rawlling is also negligent when it comes to updating software in some of the computers.

Rawlling has state of the art technology when it comes to software, equipment and machines to help run production at a higher rate of speed. When it comes to technology in areas of accounting, and information then they lack the readiness to stay with the times. Because of this some work areas may have two computers that are side by side. The manager can be seen working with one computer and then stepping over to the other computer. This process may take a manager numerous times before he is able to complete the task that is needed.

The purpose of two computers is to access different databases at the same time. An example of why someone would want to do this is during the time of production when the models of cars that are being built are being changed. During this time management may need to view the layout of the models that are approaching to make sure that they have the parts at the workstations that are needed for each model. These leaders need to view the parts that each station has on hand. The second computer is needed to be able to send messages to the parts department to order any part that is needed to build the models of automobiles that are approaching.

Another problem that I have seen is the time that it takes management to gather information. It seems that it takes a long time to retrieve information when switching between databases. Some of this may be due to the computer itself but I am sure that some of this time that is wasted is due to the fact that different databases are being used and because of the system that is used to handle the retrieval is slow.

The problem with this is that there is one person that has a need for two computers because he or she cannot access two different databases at the same time. The leader needs to go back and forth between the computers with learning what they need from one computer and then using another to order what is needed.

With the application software that is available I would propose improvements for the Assembly Department. Instead of the old slow outdated application database that is currently in place I would recommend that Rawlling invest in a distributed database that can handle the Internet, as well as the intranets. Doing this would help the end user, Rawlling to access information at a higher rate of speed and be more efficient in doing so. Doing this Rawlling’s management would not lose so much time trying to get information that is critical for production because they are switching between the databases trying to get information and then placing orders as a result of that information. They would also not need to keep and maintain so many computers in the work areas.

Should Rawlling invest in a databases application that is equipped with multi-task applications then information will be at hand. An example of this would be when a manager who wants to view production and determine if the parts that are needed are at the workstations. After a manager views this information and makes the decision that parts need to be ordered then it would be best for the manager to place this order on the same computer at the same time when he sees that parts are needed. It seems like a waste of time and effort to move back and forth between computers.

In conclusion it would be best for Rawlling to update to a distributed database application system so information between the end user, intranets and the Internet is easily accessible. They lose time and money because they negligent to change and update their system. Managers lose time by waiting on information instead of spending this time taking care of the business.

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Extreme Racing

This document has been prepared in order to compare the different features of racing wheels. The Xtreme Customizing race car needs to be fitted with four lightweight racing wheels that are able to withstand the stress produced on and off the race track. During my reaserch I have come across many different products. These products all vary in size, weight, cost, strength and design according to the application. Throughout my reasearch, I have found that the metal alloy being used to make the wheel has a direct effect on these properties. I have taken this into consideration to help find the best product to suit our needs.

The main three types of material used in making racing wheels is aluminum, steel and chrome. Aluminum wheels are the lightest available on the market today and are resonably priced. This seems to be the reason for the gaining popularity of the aluminum alloy wheels among racing teams. The steel rims are a bit heavier, stronger and less expensive than the aluminum ones. These are usaully used in heavier applications such as drag racing where any other wheel would twist and bend under the stress. The heaviest and most expensive rims would have to be chrome based. Although there the heaviest and most expensive, they by far have the best finish, look and style. Many racers like these because they make the car stand out the most and are well respected by the fans. I believe because of our racing style and our vehicle of choice, it would be best to go with a lightweight aluminum racing wheel.

Another thing that should be considered is the spoke design. Each wheel may range from having anywhere from three to sixteen spokes. The spokes on a wheel help to transfer stess evenly throughout the part. It also helps to cool down the brakes by circulating the air flow through the tire to the brake pads. The fewer the spokes, the faster the cooling rate while on the track. Although choosing a wheel with very few spokes takes away from the strength of the wheel, so a medium must be reached. I believe that it would be safe and wise for us to choose a rim with seven or eight spokes. This will allow just enough air to keep the brakes cool without sacraficing alot of strength.

In the racing world the ideal rim would be one of very light weight and very high strength. Usaully to get one property you have to sacrifice the other. A very light weight rim will not have the high strength tolerence a heavy rim would and vice versa.

The rims that we require for the Xtreme Customizing Race Car do not have to be extremely strong because they’re to be mounted on a lightweight car. Although it must be able to handle the everyday stresses of racing. Motegi Racing says "our newly designed lightweight racing wheels are able to cope with the everyday stresses on and off the track". Many other companies also state there aluminum wheels to be the strongest and lightest among the competition.

I have reasearched a different variety of wheels and come to conclusion on which one will best suit our needs.

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Office Automation and Software

In the fast paced world of today, anything that can make things easier or save someone time is a must have. We have four types of office automation and three group software programs that each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

The first type is unified messaging. We utilize the conveniences of e-mail and voice mail. The main advantage of e-mail is saving money on long distance phone calls. Our company saves thousands of dollars in long distance charges because most of the time an e-mail can get the same message across that phone calls used to. One disadvantage of e-mail is it takes a little bit longer to type a message than to just call someone. Also, messages sent through e-mail may sometimes get misunderstood. Tone of voice and body language can be an indicator to the meaning of a comment, without those, it is sometimes hard to understand the person’s message. When using e-mail we need to remember that the other person cannot see or hear our thoughts.

The second type of office automation we use is facsimile. One advantage to the facsimile is that it is a time saver. Instead of mailing documents and waiting days, we use faxes to send them immediately. The obvious disadvantage is that we can only fax a copy of a document and cannot send the original. We still need mail to send originals. Another disadvantage of faxes is the lack of confidentiality. Faxes can get intercepted on either end and leave a person skeptical about using fax for anything classified.

The third type of office automation is electronic filing. Since we use computers for the majority of our work here, we need a place to save it all. We have numerous drives to save our work in and each employee has their own file to save their work. The advantage of having our own files on the hard drive is space.

There is much more space available than on CDs or floppy disks. The disadvantage of saving our data on the different drives is not being able to access that work from home or on the road. I guess this could be looked at an advantage to some people who don’t want to work from home. We also still have floppy disks to save documents on. They do not get used very much because any computer we log on to we can access the hard drives. The disadvantages to floppy disks are the space. They cannot hold as much data as a hard drive. The advantage of floppy disks is that we can take them anywhere.

The final type of office automation is image processing. Copy machines are probably used more than any other office equipment. When it comes to our aircraft paperwork and logbooks, we do not use electronic. The FAA still requires paper logbooks therefore most paperwork is copied and copied some more. The huge advantage of having copy machines is that a duplicate can be made quickly. Many times we are in a hurry to get an aircraft out the door and do not have time to enter data into our Computerized Maintenance Program so I make copies of all of the paperwork and enter it at a later time. Without copy machines our printers would get much more use than what they were made to handle. The only disadvantages I can see with copy machines are if they are jammed or broken. Sometimes I spend too much time trying to get a machine to work and end up reprinting it. In that way, I guess copy machines can be a headache to people who rely on them in a pinch.

The first of the three group collaborative software programs that we have here is Lotus Notes. Lotus Notes is our e-mail and organization software program. Besides e-mailing others, we also use it to schedule appointments, keep track of “to do” items, and organize addresses and phone numbers. I use Lotus Notes religiously.

I rarely write anything down on a paper calendar because it is so much easier to schedule things in Lotus, which will eventually remind me of them. That is one advantage to using Lotus, another is having a central location for everything. I do not use a rolodex or have numbers scattered about, they are all in one place. A disadvantage to Lotus is that it runs on the “L” drive and if it is down so is our e-mail. We can always use our own accounts like Yahoo, etc. but for people that do not have any other e-mail, it can be a pain when it is down. The second group software program is our Intranet. Our Intranet can be accessed from any computer at any site. It gives our company a good way to communicate information across all our sites. A huge advantage of the Intranet is having one place to go to find information about the company. It is all right at our fingertips. The disadvantage of the Intranet is that it is the only place to find some information so if it is down, we are left out in the cold.

The final group software program we have is our CD-ROM server. I used to work in the library so this one is near and dear to me. The CD-ROM server is a program that lets everyone see the publications we hold on CD-ROM in our library. It runs on a remote desktop so each user that logs in is seeing the same icons and data. The disadvantage to that is anyone can go on and change the settings and believe me they do. The advantage to having our CD-ROMs on a server is that the mechanics can look at the pub they want without having to go to the library and check them out.

Those are the main office automation and software programs we have that I know about and use. I am sure there are others that different departments use that I don’t know about.

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Mad Cow Disease

Have you ever found yourself at home watching television and the latest Wendy’s commercial comes on advertising their newest burger? Suddenly you find yourself thinking, “It sure would be nice to have that nice juicy burger.” Sure you have, and that is the entire point of the commercial. However, do you ever stop to think what the consequences could be in eating that burger? No one ever stops to think that they could possibly contract Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the human form of the bovine ailment known as “mad cow” disease. This disease is not a great concern at this point in the United States, but it is sweeping across Europe at an alarming rate. Even though “madcow” disease was not considered a very threatening disease in the past, studies show that if not curbed, this disease has the capability to turn into an epidemic.

“Mad cow” disease, known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, (BSE) is thought to be transmitted when cattle eat meat-based animal feed. This feed, meat and bone meal ground from the carcasses and entrails of cattle or sheep and then fed to the other cattle, is considered the most likely channel by which the disease spreads among herds. Scientists believe that it spreads to humans by the consumption of contaminated beef. It appears to be carried by a rogue protein called a “prion” not by a microbe, and therefore cannot be blocked by cooking beef thoroughly.

Many steps are being taken in Europe as an attempt to launch a Europe-wide strategy to stop mad-cow disease from spreading to humans. Many people have died from the human form of the disease in Britain and France, and many more have been infected. “Mad-cow disease is now moving from one member state to another,” EU Health Commissioner David Byrne said. “We should adopt an overall approach to address the risks so consumers can see what is done to protect their health” (Constant Brand, Herald Leader 2000). Therefore, bans of French beef imports as well as East European nations have been put into affect since the discovery of infected cows in France, and because scientists stumbled upon infected cattle in Germany and Spain.

What measures is Europe taking to eradicate the mad-cow situation? “Agriculture ministers from the 15-nation bloc were expected to approve the temporary fodder ban Monday along with other recommendations. Last week, they agreed in principle to more testing of cattle of 30 months and older,” (Constant Brand, Herald Leader 2000). Under this proposal, half a million cattle could be tested during the first six months of 2001. Thus, the EU will then review whether continued testing is needed. The European Commission also suggests that the “specified risk material” meaning brains, nerve tissues, and other animal parts be expanded to include the intestines of cattle of all age groups. These parts are thought to be key in the spread of mad-cow disease (BSE), or the human form Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

It is very simple to see why this disease is a universal alarm. The United States does a great deal of international trading. Therefore, this evidence of mad-cow disease could easily make its way to the United States and onto every kitchen table in America. Not only are cattle getting sick, people are dying due to this potential plague. Restaurants like Wendy’s loose mass profits due to scares like this, which also makes the economy suffer. These are only a few reasons why the United Nations should take every precaution necessary to eradicate this disease. Based upon the findings on this subject, I’ll think long and hard about the consequences in eating that juicy hamburger the next time a Wendy’s commercial comes on to tempt me.

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Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics is the study of physics that examines the presence and effects of air or gases, especially when interacting with moving objects or living organisms. Aerodynamics are the forces that act on the surface of a body in motion moving through the air, or the pressure exerted by air flowing past a stationary object. Examples of airflow around bodies are: gas in engines and furnaces, air conditioning of buildings, vehicles, buildings and bridges, bird and insect flight, musical instruments, etc.

Air is viscous; viscosity is the ability of a flowing liquid or gas to resist the flow of objects going through it. In air, viscous forces are generally small in comparison with other inertia forces, which can cause instability and turbulence when objects move through them. This is why air close to the Earth’s surface is generally turbulent, as is the air near other bodies moving through air. The problem of turbulence has never been completely solved however, engineers can usually predict its affects and compensate for it.

The compressibility of air determines the speeds at which pressure changes are transmitted the flow field. The speed of sound is about 340 m/s at sea level, and 296 m/s in the stratosphere, the difference is due to air compressibility. If the speed of a body transcends the speed of sound, the pattern of airflow changes and pressure waves turn into shock waves. Mach speed is the number of the ratio between a body and the speed of sound. The design of efficient aircraft shapes for flight at speeds greater near or greater than Mach one is one of the most challenging problems in the field of aerodynamics.

Viscosity and compressibility are the most difficult factors to deal with in theoretical thermodynamics and the development of aerodynamics in this century has been possible only through using experimentation with theoretical aerodynamics. In order to test theories scientists use a wind tunnel, a tool used to study the effects of air, to test their theories.

Aerodynamics is applicable to more studies than those of aeronautics however; scientists use wind tunnels to study the affects of air pressure on new architectural designs, and to study the natural winds that flow over the Earth’s surface. Other places use aerodynamics to investigate things such as bird flight, pesticide and spray diffusion and distribution, and snow drifting. Other studies include aerodynamic forces on downhill skiers, cars, high-rise buildings, model ships and trains, a flexible stadium roof (sky dome), snowmobiles, motorcycles, parachutes, and so on.

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Architecture

What a sad sight to see: a young boy in the house with nothing to do. After complaining of boredom, his mom urges him to do something out of the house for once. She raids his bedroom closet, unravels the pile of dirty clothes, and finds a glistening package with the words “Do Dad Sketch Pad” through the translucent plastic wrapping. It looked familiar to her, then she snapped her fingers and remembered exactly where it came from. It was the art set that she had bought for him for his tenth birthday. Now boredom could no longer be an excuse for the young boy. Proudly and swiftly, his mom drug him across the house by the ear and gave him a push out the front door while slapping the sketchpad and charcoal into his chest.

The boy is stunned. A few minutes pass as the boy adjusts to this somewhat foreign environment. He takes a few steps back toward the front door when he stopped to hear a chirping sound close by. Although never being interested in the simple sounds of the outdoors, he began to notice the lively atmosphere around him. He becomes intensely interested in the unseen source of the recurring noise. He creeps toward the dense forest where the sounds origins lie. As he inches toward the periphery of the woods, his neck bends further backward as he gazes up at the large sentinels that stood guard. He crosses the threshold of the initial gate-like line of trees and continues walking deeper into the forest. Every other step he would turn around to catch a glimpse of his house, which seemed to comfort him knowing home was near. The sounds are getting louder and he is getting more anxious with every step. The boy turned around once again to make sure his house was still in sight, but his heart began to pound when he could not see the through the dense brush and vegetation. However, he receives a burst of confidence and continues on deeper until he finds a comfortable rock to rest upon. It was a spot where the sunlight found a way onto the forest floor. A patch of flowers nestled together between the roots of the redwoods which tower above him. The boy notices the mathematical symmetry that lies within the flowers as he examines their evenly spaced petals. He picks and places a small, yellow flower onto the top of a blank sheet in his sketchpad and explores the joy that it brings. Using the charcoal, he slowly forms the contour of the delicate flower before his eyes. He forgets that he is alone in the dense forest, for he finds comfort in the natural benevolence that he is encompassed by. His newfound passion for drawing is suddenly interrupted by the same chirping sound that lured him to that very spot. He looks above in attempts to trace the hidden sound. He finds it in the midst of the treetops. He keen eyesight fixates on the birds actions, as it works diligently constructing a nest. The boy was amazed at the intricate design in which the bird wove, and begins to capture the actions on paper.

The boy had an idea, one that would bring his new friend closer to his house. He flipped to the next blank page in the sketchbook. He began making his own intricate design, one that combined the comforting look of his own house, yet maintaining the intricacy of the bird’s nest. He ran home to show his mom the product of his venture into the natural world in which she urged him to explore. His mother was absolutely amazed at his work.

Art combined with structural design is absolute beauty for me. I have always seen the mathematical much passion for the coming together of science and the art that is found in nature. For beautiful structures that are found in a natural setting Such as Skyscrapers that seem to shatter the laws of physics are so breathtaking to me, for they have this same combination of art and structure. Creations such as the World Trade Center and the Sears Tower which can be seen above all the surrounding structures makes them kings of our great cities, resembling the medley of art and the mastery of structural design. The glass windows that encompass the whole building almost resemble an ornament made out of blown glass. The shear size gives them a rare elegance and makes them profound pieces of art as well. Buildings like these are structural wonders that have changed the structural world forever.

Growing up with a deep love for art, I would perceive things differently than others. I saw trees as strong sentinels always on guard as landscapes would come alive. Things of nature awed me. I was always walking around as I sized-up everything in sight like an artistic critic at the Julliard School of Art. Nature is a mathematical wonderland filled with symmetry and perfect design. With evolution being its creator, the natural world has gradually changed and adapted to the tendencies of the environment. A spider web has the precision and strength, and is made of the most effective material to withstand the rigors of the environment. Not only does it have the physical perfection that evolution has sculpted throughout the existence of the spider, but it also contains the symmetrical beauty that attracts artists from around the world. Evolution has a strong mathematical tendency, and it brings joy to me to witness such beauty.

My experiences in art grew as an adolescent. I was always good at taking images and thoughts from my brain and accurately and precisely translating them into art. Art class in school has always been the highlight of my schooldays, for it is somewhere for my imagination to run wild and be creative. With every art teacher I had, they quickly realized my natural talent, but it wasn’t until high school that my talent was truly exercised. Sculpture class for three years in high school was beneficial to me in many ways. It was a relaxation course that took my mind off of my other more strenuous classes. My creativity inclination expanded and it has helped me to develop into an exceptional student artist while I became very good with my hands. My teacher trained me how to “think” artistically and how to attract the eye with various methods. I worked with all types of materials and studied many different artists’ work. While in sculpture class, I had created many structurally and artistically magnificent pieces.

I have a natural feel for physics, and was born with the ability to sense a structure’s aptitude and strength. My mastery of every sport I have played and my good hands is an example of this. My liking and skill in physics turned into a training process in high school as well as art when I took the course in my junior year. The following year as a senior I took the advanced placement physics course to further my knowledge of the field. I learned how motion is calculated and about all the physical forces that I somehow always knew about since I was young. For a class project I constructed a bridge made out of balsa wood and model glue that held the maximum resistance that could be tested. A week later, a laboratory physicist found it to hold a maximum weight of four hundred pounds. Now, I consider myself a highly knowledgeable physicist for my age group.

My math skills were exceptional from the very beginning of my educational tract and have gone as far as conquering the complex concepts of calculus. This skill is incorporated into and greatly coincides with my other skills previously mentioned. I think logically as if I am constantly solving a math problem in my mind, and I have a very orderly manner of thinking. This also affects my organization, for I am extremely meticulous and orderly in my doings. I see that mathematics is not only greatly demonstrated in nature, but it is a significant part of my life as well.

With college approaching, I have been researching possible future career paths. I have been told that one’s love in his job is the most important aspect of all, and one should choose a job that corresponds to his skills and talents. There are certain jobs that fit my skills and interests. However, the job that best fits my talents is architecture. After extensive research on this career path, I have learned many aspects about the subject.

“Architecture is one of the most influential professions in today’s society. As an architect, you would have the responsibility to shape the environments in which people spend their daily lives.” Architecture reflects the society that builds it, but it also affects the way that society develops. There is a need for people with the imagination to create buildings and cities our society needs to keep pace with its evolution. Therefore, there is a high demand for architects as society grows.

Simply enough, architects have to make drawings. They create all aspects of the built environment. An architect must build structures that can withstand the forces of nature and that must be sturdy to ensure safety. An architect must be exceptional at mathematics to undertake daily designing tasks. Most of all, natural talent in artistic creativity is a must in this job. One must obtain a degree in architecture to perform all of the necessary tasks required in the job. An architectural education equips people with the talents to enter a broad range of careers.

The educational process of architecture is a long and grieving one. In high school, a prospective student should take challenging courses such as physics and calculus to prepare for the engineering side of the college education. Architectural colleges generally have a separate atmosphere from the rest of the school. Before going to an architectural college, one must realize the intensity of the work, and one must be entirely dedicated to this field of study in order to be successful. “The lights never go out in a school of architecture.” Most often, a student of a school of architecture will go on a five-year tract in college. The first two years will be spent completing general education requirements, which is basically the same as many other students in different majors. Although there are some art and 3-dimensional designing courses that are taken in these first couple of years with a great emphasis on free-hand drawing skills; the student will not begin the study of actual structures until his or her junior year. These studies progress for the remaining years at the architectural school, but in the fourth year one will generally begin working on projects using CAD technology. Technical writing is also taken in these years that is the style of language that is commonly used in the work force. Universal code training is another subject of learning for the students, which may vary from state to state. After one graduates from an architectural college, there is still more training necessary to ensure quality and success.

There is a minimum requirement of three years professional practice in an architect’s office or equivalent. The student will be an apprentice to his or her mentor in this stage, and will learn all the tasks done by a working architect through one-on-one training and cooperative projects. Once this stage is completed, the student can then take the state architectural exam to be able to work independently on his or her own. Therefore, an architect must become NAAV accredited. The test is eight hours in length, and tests everything that one should know to practice in that state. This test is a giant step for the student, who may walk out of the testing center an official architect.

After years of experience on the job, an architect can be eligible to practice in more than one state. To practice from state to state, an architect must take an exam with the NCARB. One has to keep in mind the different environmental and building codes that vary from state to state. Certain states have more requirements than others, mainly due to differences in environments, landscapes, and natural disaster compensation. The education and testing fully prepares the student in becoming a successful architect.

For most architects, the job is not solely confined to designing and making drawings. For many, the job is multi-faceted and cooperative. Besides drawing, architects perform many tasks throughout the workweek such as searching for projects, interviewing for jobs, surveying land, having meetings to discuss ideas, and writing technical reports. Detail is everything in an architect’s job, and relaying the ideas to coworkers and clients is even more important. People skills are a must for this job, for it is most often a collaborative effort on projects. A managerial architect is always making the balance between the number of workers on one project, and the speed at which the project must be completed. Quality is often sacrificed with the higher worker loads on one project; however, time is always spared. The job atmosphere is very professional, and the dress is still formal abroad.

The designing of structures has changed drastically in the last decade due to advancement in technology. For thousands of years, designers and architects used only free-hand drawing skills on parchment or paper before the actual construction took place. In 1989, CAD (Computer Aided Drawing) was created in conjunction with the newfound computer age. In the first years of its development, the software was not beneficial over most architects’ free-hand drawing skills, for the technology was too slow and too unnatural for its users. However, in recent years, the software has become good enough and the computer processors have become fast enough to allow this CAD technology to actually outdo regular drawing methods. Now the designing process is faster, more precise, color coded, more professional, and simply easier than the old way. There is no telling how far the technology will improve, and how much time and energy will be saved in the process.

There are many different branches of architecture. Conservation is the restoration of old, out-of-date, and usually historical buildings. There is domestic architecture, which is mainly the designing of new homes and apartment complexes. The most price worthy projects are within the major cities in the skyscrapers. Transportation architects design roads and highway systems. Naval architecture is the designing of naval ships. Landscape architecture is the reshaping of land for a desired effect such as a golf course. The list goes on and on.

Many jobs fit the major natural talents and learned skills that I have. Engineering is a field that works with logical reasoning, mathematics and physics. Efficiency is the utmost goal for an engineer. Architects must know certain fields of engineering and physics to design strong buildings and structures. An interior designer uses his or her artistic talents to make a living space or workplace comfortable and appropriate for the environment that it resides in. They use color schemes, light variations, and creative artistic ability to accomplish this job; however, there is no serious physical structural designing skills required. Construction workers and builders work with their hands constantly to build structures that are designed by an architect, but there is little creativity involved in a construction worker’s job. An architect obtains all the skills necessary in designing structures that I have.

Although architecture seems very challenging and time consuming, the rewards are unmistakable. A good architect can combine structural and physical knowledge with artistic creativity to create structures for society. An architect is talented and skilled in various areas. This would be a great responsibility for society, and an honor to do. Although I have very little experience in the technological area, I based my choice more on my mathematical interests. There will always be a need for architects as long as society continues to burgeon. This everlasting demand for architects is a promising feature in the work force today, especially since the signs of a slowing economy and increasing unemployment rates. Therefore, I will be pursuing a degree in architecture in college. My profound interests in mathematics, art, building, physics, designing, creativity, and a fulfilling sense of purpose are all fruits of architecture, which are carried out on the natural landscape that I love so much. In college, I will learn the knowledge and skills to be an architect, a job I was seemingly destined to do. Only then can I take all the skills and knowledge and passion for the field of architecture that I have to give back to the community which has so richly taken care of me.

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