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Cutting Edge: Module Assignment

Presented To: Mrs. Shyamala Shankar
From: Vipul Vyas

Cutting Edge – Module Assignment

Q1. What is Integrity? What are the different facets of Integrity?
Cutting Edge – Module Assignment
 Integrity is consistency of actions, values, methods, measures,
principles, expectations and outcome. As a holistic concept, it judges the
quality of a system in terms of its ability to achieve its own goals. A
value system's abstraction depth and range of applicable interaction may
also function as significant factors in identifying integrity due to their
congruence or lack of congruence with empirical observation. A value
system may evolve over time while retaining integrity if those who
espouse the values account for and resolve inconsistencies.
Integrity may be seen as the quality of having a sense of honesty and
truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one's actions. The term
"hypocrisy" is used in contrast to integrity for asserting that one part of
a value system demonstrably conflicts with another, and to demand that
the parties holding apparently conflicting values account for the
discrepancy or change their beliefs to improve internal consistency.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity,
nothing else matters. -- Alan K. Simpson
Integrity is “comprises the personal inner sense of wholeness deriving
from honesty and consistent uprightness of character.”
That definition comes from the etymological origins of the word
“integrity”. Integrity derives from “integer”, the Latin word for
“whole”. In other words, people who have integrity behave in ways that
are consistent with their stated beliefs and values. They act as one.

Here are some other ways of understanding what this means.

1. Integrity is being seamlessly whole.

2. Integrity is being whole not fractional.
3. Integrity is taking everything – and everyone – as a whole, not

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 dividing things as “yours” and “mine”, home and work, my idea and
your idea, what I want and what you want.
4. Integrity is the avoidance of deception and expediency.
5. Integrity is being the same person to everyone, whoever they are.
6. Integrity is adherence to one’s convictions.
7. Integrity is maintaining values steadfastly and focusing on what you
believe is right.
8. Integrity is doing what you say you’re going to do; keeping your
promises; being a person of your word.
9. Integrity is not talking about diversity in the company’s press and
having barriers to entry for certain people; not saying you believe in
your people as your greatest asset and refusing some people
opportunities for advancement.
The bottom line when it comes to integrity is that it allows others to trust you.
And without trust, you have nothing. Trust is the single most important factor
in personal and professional relationships. It is the glue that holds people
together. And it is the key to becoming a person of influence.
At one time you could assume that others would trust you until you gave them
a reason not to. But today with most people, you must prove your
trustworthiness first. That’s what makes integrity so important if you want to
become a person of influence. Trust comes from others only when you
exemplify solid character.
It has been said that you don’t really know people until you have observed
them when they interact with a child, when the car has a flat tire, when the
boss is away, and when they think no one will ever know. But people with
integrity never have to worry about that. No matter where they are, whom they
are with, or what kind of situation they find themselves in, they are consistent
and live by their principles.

Where Does Integrity start in business?

In an effort to build upon a foundation of integrity, the first requirement
would be to establish excellent rapport with clients. Based on many years
of study, the best and most practiced method for achieving rapport is by

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 way of Relationship Marketing. Just as it sounds, Relationship Marketing
is founded on the single and most critical characteristic, known as
“Integrity.” However, achieving true integrity with clients often leaves
many an entrepreneur bewildered, grasping for techniques and strategies
that guarantee their futures. But integrity is not something that can be
grasped and then simply used. Integrity in its essence must be so
ingrained within the nature of an individual, its company and the team
members, that it remains steadfast no matter what. Without question,
others sense it and find it very attractive.
The 7 Principles of Business Integrity
The following 7 Principles of Business Integrity are the basics of integrity and
a good starting off place to consider. By integrating each of these principles
within a company environment, the result will be nothing short of a major
rebirth of the enterprise.
Principle #1: Recognize that customers/clients want to do business with a
company they can trust; when trust is at the core of a company, it is easy to
recognize. Trust defined is assured reliance on the character, ability, strength,
or truth of a business.
Principle #2: For continuous improvement of a company, the leader of an
organization must be willing to open up to ideas for betterment. Ask for
opinions and feedback from both customers and team members and your
company will continue to grow.

Principle #3: Regardless of the circumstances, do everything in your power to

gain the trust of past customer’s and clients, particularly if something has gone
awry. Do what you can to reclaim any lost business by honouring all
commitments and obligations.
Principle #4: Re-evaluate all print materials including small business
advertising, brochures and other business documents making sure they are
clear, precise and professional; most important make sure they do not
misrepresent or misinterpret.

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 Principle #5: Remain involved in community-related issues and activities
thereby demonstrating that your business is a responsible community
contributor. In other words, stay involved.
Principle #6: Take a hands-on approach in regard to accounting and record
keeping, not only as a means of gaining a better feel for the progress of your
company, but as a resource for any “questionable “ activities; gaining control
of accounting and record keeping allows you to end any dubious activities
promptly.
Principle #7: Treat others with the utmost of respect. Regardless of
differences, positions, titles, ages, or other types of distinctions, always treat
others with professional respect and courtesy.

Q2. What is Conflict? What are the different ways to build adaptability?

Conflict is actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests.

A conflict can be internal (within oneself) or external (between two or
more individuals). Conflict as a concept can help explain many aspects
of social life such as social disagreement, conflicts of interests, and
fights between individuals, groups, or organizations. In political terms,
"conflict" can refer to wars, revolutions or other struggles, which may
involve the use of force as in the term armed conflict. Without proper
social arrangement or resolution, conflicts in social settings can result in
stress or tensions among stakeholders. When an interpersonal conflict
does occur, its effect is often broader than two individuals involved, and

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 can affect many associate individuals and relationships, in more or less
adverse and sometimes even humorous way.

A clash of interests, values, actions or directions often sparks a conflict.

Conflicts refer to the existence of that clash. Psychologically, a conflict
exists when the reduction of one motivating stimulus involves an
increase in another, so that a new adjustment is demanded. The word is
applicable from the instant that the clash occurs. Even when we say that
there is a potential conflict we are implying that there is already a
conflict of direction even though a clash may not yet have occurred.

Types of Conflict
A conceptual conflict can escalate into a verbal exchange and/or result in
fighting.
Conflict can exist at a variety of levels of analysis:
1. community conflict
2. diplomatic conflict
3. economic conflict
4. emotional conflict
5. environmental resources conflict
6. external conflict
7. group conflict
8. ideological conflict
9. international conflict
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 10. interpersonal conflict
11. intersocietal conflict
12. intrastate conflict (for example: civil wars, election campaigns)
13. intrapersonal conflict (though this usually just gets delegated out to
psychology)
14. organizational conflict
15. intra-societal conflict
16. military conflict
17. religious-based conflict (for example: Center For Reduction of
Religious-Based
18. Conflict).
19. workplace conflict
20. data conflict
21. relationship conflict
22. racial conflict

Conflicts in these levels may appear "nested" in conflicts residing at

larger levels of analysis. For example, conflict within a work team may
play out the dynamics of a broader conflict in the organization as a
whole. (Theorists have claimed that parties can conceptualize responses
to conflict according to a two-dimensional scheme; concern for one's
own outcomes and concern for the outcomes of the other party. This
scheme leads to the following hypotheses:
High concern for both one's own and the other party's outcomes leads to
attempts to find mutually beneficial solutions.
High concern for one's own outcomes only leads to attempts to "win"
the conflict.
High concern for the other party's outcomes only leads to allowing the
other to "win" the conflict.

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 No concern for either side's outcomes leads to attempts to avoid the
conflict.
The more difficult type of conflict is when values are the root cause. It
is more likely that a conflict over facts, or assumptions, will be resolved
than one over values. It is extremely difficult to "prove" that a value is
"right" or "correct". In some instances, a group will benefit from the use
of a facilitator or process consultant to help identify the specific type of
conflict. Practitioners of nonviolence have developed many practices to
solve social and political conflicts without resorting to violence or
coercion.
Conflict can arise between several characters and there can be more
than one in a story or plot line. The little plot lines usually enhance the
main conflict.
Conflict also defines as natural disagreement resulting from individuals
or groups that differ in beliefs, attitudes, values or needs. It can also
originate from past rivalries and personality differences. Other causes of
conflict include trying to negotiate before the timing is right or before
needed information is available.

The following are the causes of conflict:

➢ communication failure
➢ personality conflict
➢ value differences
➢ goal differences
➢ methodological differences
➢ substandard performance
➢ lack of cooperation
➢ differences regarding authority

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 ➢ differences regarding responsibility
➢ competition over resources
➢ non-compliance with rules (LO)

Causes

Structural Factors (How the conflict is set up)

➢ Authority Relationships (The boss and employees beneath them)

➢ Common Resources (Sharing the same secretary)
➢ Goal Differences (One person wants production to rise and others want
communication to rise)
➢ Interdependence (A company as a whole can't operate w/o other
departments)
➢ Jurisdictional Ambiguities (Who can discipline whom)
➢ Specialization (The experts in fields)
➢ Status inconsistencies
➢ Need of land, water and food (whole country)

Personal Factors

➢ Communication barriers
➢ Conflict management style
➢ Cultural differences
➢ Emotions
➢ Perception
➢ Personalities
➢ Skills and abilities
➢ Values and Ethics

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 Conflict can be very destructive in a workplace environment, and dealing
with it is not easy, it is hard to define what causes conflict as every situation
is different in every different workplace.
Communication is a big factor in workplaces, and with good
communication a workplace can work perfectly well, however when there
is a lack of communication a team will crumble, a simple misunderstanding
can lead to a bigger conflict if left unresolved.
Personal Conflict is can also be a big issue in the workplace, personality
clash in the office can be very difficult to deal with and can lead to lots of
other problems, such as your opinions and ideas being ignored and them
making you look foolish in front of your colleagues, this is a very
unhealthy environment to work in and also doesn’t make anyone involved
feel very good and can even result in people wanting to leave.
Conflict in a workplace also does only effect those who are directly
involved it also involves the team within they are working which is why it
is a good idea to get it sorted, nip it in the bud.

Ways of addressing conflict:

Accommodation – surrender one's own needs and wishes to accommodate the
other party.
Avoidance – avoid or postpone conflict by ignoring it, changing the subject,
etc.
Avoidance can be useful as a temporary measure to buy time or as an expedient
means of dealing with very minor, non-recurring conflicts. In more severe
cases, conflict avoidance can involve severing a relationship or leaving a
group.

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Collaboration – Work together to find a mutually beneficial solution. While
the grid views collaboration as the only win-win solution to conflict,
collaboration can also be time-intensive and inappropriate when there is not
enough trust, respect or communication among participants for collaboration to
occur.
Compromise – find a middle ground in which each party is partially satisfied.
Competition – assert one's viewpoint at the potential expense of another. It can
be useful when achieving one's objectives outweighs one's concern for the
relationship.

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 Adaptability

Adaptability is the power, or ability, to adjust one’s self to circumstances, to

make things suitable, or to alter something in order to make it fit for a new use.
No one can live in this complex world of ours without being faced with many
changes and the need for altering plans, however well laid those plans may be.
Adaptability, then, is a highly desirable characteristic, and one well worth our
every effort to cultivate. The person who can easily and quickly adjust to
unexpected situations is equipped with one of the most important powers
possessed by human beings. It is good to have plans and know what is to be
done, and how and when, but it is, perhaps, even more important to be able to
make necessary changes on short notice that will accomplish the desired result.

Cutting Edge – Module Assignment

Ways to build adaptability:
“Accept the Change,”
“Expand Your Options”
“Take Action”—and offers the attitudes and behaviors you need in order to move
successfully through each phase.
The final section is called “Strengthen Your Adaptability,” which is a process of
noticing what you’ve learned and recording it so you can use it again when
needed—which of course you will because adapting to life is a never- ending
process.

1. Have a positive attitude.

2. Learn to gain acceptance.
3. First impressions mean a lot.
4. Build relationships.
5. Learn to assess and modify your work skills.
6. Learn to join the culture workplace is a family with its own customs and rules.
If you want to succeed, then it's important to be accepted as a valued team
member. That means that you will have to respect and follow the family's rules
and customs. Be alert and be willing to adjust your style and habits to your new
surroundings and not expect or demand the other way around.
7. Learn to understand and play politics. Politics is sometimes seen as an ugly
word. We all believe that success should be based solely on merit. Sometimes we
can get down right indignant on that point. While merit is always important, it is
even more important when viewed within the fabric of the company. Refer to the
stated and unstated policies, protocols and procedures of the company. Watch
and learn. Who has the power? How did they come by it? What can you do to

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support and respect that power? The point is to do the very best work you can
and to do it strategically for your success.

8. Learn to understand your role in an organization. One of the biggest stumbling

blocks for first time employees is not understanding their role and mistakenly
spending valuable time doing someone else's work or trying to be the boss. Not
only is this usually unproductive, but nosing in on others' work can be very
frustrating for your co-workers and your boss. The best rule of thumb is to start
by truly understanding your job and being the very best at it. Once you are
exceptional, others will come to you for advice and advancement will follow.
9. Learn to understand your role with your boss. My job is to do my work the
best that I can and to support and be loyal to my boss. If I can keep my eyes
focused on that, I'm sure to succeed. Interestingly, later on in my career I had a
boss that I didn't agree with as often as I should have. But during this experience,
I learned much more about leadership and achievement than from some of my
bosses with whom I always agreed.
10. Learn to listen. This tip is a huge life lesson tip as well. It is also one of my
lifelong challenges. Sometimes it's very hard to hear criticism or complaints, but
if you can swallow your pride and really listen to what people are saying, you
can use this information and have some of the most incredible successes at work
and in life. Good listening often requires taking notes, asking clarifying
questions, and at the end repeating the message to the speaker to make sure you
not only heard -- but also understood -- the real message.

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 Today’s organizations are characterized by changing, dynamic
environments in which the need for adaptive workers has become
increasingly important. Although adaptability is not a new concept, the
pace and types of change we are experiencing only continues to grow,
which has caused research sponsors, academic researchers, and
practitioners in organizations to become increasingly interested in
understanding and enhancing adaptability in the workplace. For example,
changing technologies and automation continue to alter the nature of
work tasks requiring employees to learn new ways to perform their jobs.
Mergers, “rightsizing,” and corporate restructuring also require
individuals to learn new skills to be competitive for different jobs. In a
global economy, many jobs require individuals to learn to operate
effectively in a variety of different countries and with individuals who
possess different values and orientations than themselves. Workers need
to be increasingly adaptable, versatile, and tolerant of uncertainty to
operate effectively in these changing and varied environments. Yet,
adaptability, flexibility, and versatility are elusive concepts that have not
been well defined in the psychological literature and are therefore difficult
to measure, predict, and train effectively.

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Q3. Reading Jonathan Livingston Seagull – Richard Bach.
Give the summary of the Book and write what they have learnt from
reading this novel.
The theme and the message from the book are about self-perfection,
self-sacrifice and individuality.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a book about a very independent bird, who
dared to question what was being taught and told to him by the elders. He
didn't just want to spend his days searching for food and hanging out doing
what was expected of him - he was different, and dared to dream. He spent
his days learning to fly faster and better than any other gull in the flock. He
learned from all of his searching and trying that he could do anything, if he
wanted it badly enough and just went for it, even to the point of becoming
an outcast. At one point in time, in so learning and perfecting his craft, he
crash landed and died, going onto a higher lever of his awareness, to learn
more lessons from his guide, Fletcher. He continues through the story,
becoming more and more proficient in his endeavours and in turn becomes
a teacher/guide to others, becoming a kind and loving soul along the way.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a bird who wants nothing more than to fly.
Raised in a group of gulls that saw flying as only a means to an end,
Jonathan challenged their way of life by believing that flying could be
about more than transportation or getting food... it could be about joy and
happiness and freedom. When told he was irresponsible for trying exceed
his expectations Jonathan replied: "Who is more responsible than a gull
who finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life? For a thousand

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 years we have scrabbled after fish heads -- and now we have a reason to
live -- to learn, to discover, to be free!"

An outcast from his flock, Jonathan took his exile with a grain of salt,
finding joy in his love for flight and his constant desperate desire to grow
and to learn. He pushes himself to the breaking point and is never satisfied
enough with his knowledge and never tires of the quest to obtain more.
Bach gives us a character that stands alone with his ideas and beliefs and is
rewarded for his patience and courage. The second half of the book shows
Jonathan learning so much that he transcends his earthly form into a higher
plane of being. Here, Jonathan is met with other gulls who like him, strive
for excellence and do not see flying as a means to an end, but simply love
to fly for the sake of loving it. This part begins to reflect a bit of the
Buddhist mindset about heaven and a universal knowledge which can seem
a bit confusing at first. Jonathan finally returns to his flock on Earth to try
for better or worse to show that there is more to life than what they are
striving for.

This is a fable about the importance of making the most of our lives, even if
our goals run contrary to the norms of our flock, tribe or neighbourhood.
Through the metaphor of flight, \ Jonathan’s story shows us that, if we
follow our dreams, we too can soar.

Amazing inspiring story of seagulls. It tells us nothing is impossible in this

world. You just have to have the desire to achieve it.

Cutting Edge – Module Assignment