The document provides instructions for a student assignment to complete a table profiling the leadership, culture, and performance of one "best" organization and one "needs improvement" organization. It includes a template for the table with prompts for research on various factors. It then provides discussion questions for 2+ pages analyzing differences between best and needs improvement organizations, qualities of the best organization, factors indicating issues for the needs improvement organization, the role of teams, and recommendations for strengthening team performance. Students are asked to cite at least 5 sources in their response.

1. In your responses to at least two of your classmates, compare
and contract your respective views of the fundamental concepts
and current state of the field with respect to leadership and the
human services. 150 words of response to each discussion forum
Forum 1: Leadership in Human Service Profession
According to the article Dialogue by Co-Intelligence Institute,
‘dialogue is shared exploration towards greater understanding,
connection, or possibility (Co-Intelligence Institute, 2003).
Basically, this is to say that not all communication is dialogue.
Dialogue can at times be truly charmed, melting the limitations
between us and the world and boarding up fountains of
understanding and reverberating power. A flash of grace occurs
when occurrence upsurges as we practice listening more
intensely exploring more acquiescently with one another. A
form of dialogue is how we often talk about things that are
really important to us or things that interest us. For example,
my two biggest passions are traveling and playing rugby.
Whenever someone brings up the idea of traveling and or
playing rugby, I get so passionate and inspire to keep the
conversation going just so I can relate to them. The definition
of dialogue affects the understanding of leadership within the
human services profession simply because unless a human
service individual is passionate about the career that they have
chosen, they won’t be able to properly do their job. So many
times, I have seen individuals that are extremely rude to their
clients simply because they have no passion for their jobs, they
are mostly working for the paycheck. In the article The Power
of Mindful Leadership by Bill George, George asserts that
‘mindfulness is the practice of self-observation without
judgment with a focus on our minds and inner voices’ (George,
2015). This is to say that we live a very fast-paced life that

2. often we ought to be mindful of our surroundings, how we
interact with one another, and how distracted we are. In a fast-
paced world, mindfulness enables a person to clear their mind,
focus on the important aspects of their life, as well as
encourages creativity.
References
Co-Intelligence Institute. (2003). Dialogue. Retrieved from
http://www.co-intelligence.org/P-dialogue.html (Links to an
external site.)
George, B. (2015). The power of mindful leadership. Huffington
Post. Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-george/the-power-of-
mindful-lead_b_7878482.html
Forum 2: Leadership in Human Services Profession
Human services are beneficial services meant to help the less
fortunate, and therefore human service professionals are
concerned with bringing in activities for empowering vulnerable
social groups. The human service industry has various human
life challenges like emotionally forcing interactions and job
opportunity-related stressors. Human life challenges result in
traumatic stress and psychological disorders (Harker et al.,
2016). However, despite these challenges, less effort has been
created to enable human services to persist and paddle for
success. Psychological factors such as mindfulness related to
cultivating can eradicate human life challenges in the human
service industry.
Mindfulness is a self-understanding practice and takes
necessary precautions that benefit without judgment, focusing
on minds and inner voices. Mindful practices comprise regular
exercising, eating a balanced diet, praying, and meditation
(George, 2015). Mindfulness practices like regular exercising
keep the body active and prevent health problems. Reflections
as a mindfulness practice help one to focus on important things

3. rather than focusing on unnecessary things. Meditations help to
build resilience to deal with challenging times.
Mental health is the wellness of an individual to sustain the
daily pressures of life. It is what makes life enjoyable,
fulfilling, and productive. Mental health needs to be improved
to avoid mental illness (Power, 2010). Building resilience and
individual strengths can help to promote mental health.
Strengthening families helps to stop mental health because it
supports stability; it gives family members a peaceful mind to
settle their needs. Similarly, to improve mental health, an
individual's economic environment and social health must be
improved and not communities.
Dialogue is where people share their thoughts on what is
essential to achieve greater possibility, understanding, or
connection. Understanding dialogue can be through three types
of communication: antagonistic communication, creative
communication, and banal communication. Open discussion is a
dialogue that happens when the communications lack structure,
procedures, or disciplines. The benefits of open dialogue
include finding common ground and revealing assumptions for
reevaluation. Tools for open discussion include popcorn and
other circle changing, stone and chime, penny for thoughts,
facilitation, and retaining a common center.
In conclusion, mindfulness, mental health, and dialogue affect
the human service profession's leadership. Mindfulness involves
administration within the human service profession by
encouraging physical exercises to curb the challenge of
emotionally forcing interaction. Building resilience and
individual strengths that promote mental health affect
leadership within my human service by depriving job-related
stressors that might result in low job vacancies (Power, 2010).
Dialogue brings peace and new ideas within my human service
profession, making it successful and prospers without members'
complaints.

4. References
George, B. (2015). The Power of Mindful
Leadership. Huffington Post. Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-george/the-power-of-
mindful-lead_b_7878482.html (Links to an external site.) (Links
to an external site.)
Harker, R., Pidgeon, A., Klaassen, F., & King, S. (2016).
Exploring Resilience and Mindfulness as Preventative Factors
for Psychological Distress Burnout and Secondary Traumatic
Stress among Human Service Professionals. Work, 54(3), 631-
637. https://doi.org/10.3233/wor-162311 (Links to an external
site.)
Power, A. (2010). Transforming the Nation's Health: Next Steps
in Mental Health Promotion. American Journal Of Public
Health, 100(12), 2343-
2346. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2010.192138 (Links to an
external site.)
Overview: In the 2nd assignment link you find instruction to
write a 6-8 page paper. Based on experience in teaching 630, I
want to offer you an option, which earns the same credit and
covers the same topics.
This option uses a table (chart) in which you identify
· The “best” organization-- a profile describing one, larger or
more widely known company, based on research ratings and
your opinion
· A “Need-to-Improve” organization--a profile of one (1) larger
company or agency, likely to have had recent negative media
coverage.
Then, you will add a discussion below your completed table--
approximately 2, maybe more, pages. (See a section of this
Guide BELOW the table template).

5. Table Template:
Profiling The “Best” and A “Need to Improve” Organization--
based on research and individual opinion
“Best”
Need to Improve
· Name
· Industry Sector
· Mission (purpose)
· Rank, reported in a national rating-- 100 Best, Best for the
World, or Best Nonprofit
· Important factors for this rank (list or write a brief
description)
· # of employees
· Headquarters Location
· Name of CEO

6. · Gender and race of this leader
· Is there evidence of this leader’s attention to diversity of the
company’s workforce?
· Revenue (or budget) for the most recent year
· Trends for new products and services--aim to list three (3) See
note below.
· Culture of this organization (see note)
· Does the culture align with mission? Is there evidence of
development --increased revenue or promising product/service
trends?
· Org. Structure (see note below)
· Does the organization place emphasis on teams and projects,
or does the organization emphasize centralized control, based
on your research and opinion
· Has the organization had a change in leadership within the
past 2 years?
· Has the organization faced media coverage that was critical or

7. negative in the past 2 years?
· Using recent media coverage, do you believe this organization
is planning for Co-Vid 19 protections? (See note below).
· If this organization is a “best” company, what’s the most
important reason? (your opinion, based on research)
· Identify whether the organization aims more
towards efficiencies of time/product or service… OR does the
company aim towards effectiveness of product and service…
OR perhaps a mix? See note below.
· If this organization “needs to improve” what is a
recommendation for improving it?
Notes:
Factor 12: Trends See company or agency website. Look for
“press” information or “About…” links for media stories
suggesting new products or services the company is promoting.
If this company is a consumer-centric company that has a large
online presence, scroll down the home page to the end to see a
likely link or a site map to help you find company information.
Factor 13: Culture Keep in mind the four (4) categories of
cultural values--hierarchy, market, clan and adhocracy
(adapting). Remember that an adhocracy, and perhaps a market
focused organization culture is more likely to be using teams
for innovation and problem solving. Go ahead and take a look
at “Managing Teams ” posted to the Cyber Lounge (Linda
Smith, date posted: Jan 2). Locate and read the article by J.

8. Super (2020) found in the UMGC Library, titled "Building
Innovative Teams: Leadership....". This article is worth your
time and thought.
Factor 15: Structure Consider a quick review of the
organization structure information you gathered for
2nd Discussion's surveys . Use the Org. Structure notes
attached to the "READ 1st" post, bottom or 1st entry to the 2nd
Graded Discussion, which you just completed.
Factor 19: Co-vid Planning Select 1-2 articles to quickly
review. Search the company’s website, especially press section
for recent planning. Consider doing a google search for news
articles. And make use of a major analysis of organization
trends from Cornell-- use the UMGC library > OneSearch, and
these search words: “COVID-19 and the workplace:
Implications, issues and insights…” published 2020. Or, use
this link: https://www.stripes.com/news/us/six-ways-your-
office-will-be-different-in-2021-assuming-you-ever-go-back-to-
it-1.656934
Factor 21: Effectiveness and Efficiency for performance. For a
refresher on concepts, more information see this link:
http://stics.mruni.eu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/45-53.pdf
Lists of Companies based on ratings: Links to Use for Research
You are to identify or select one (1) example of a “Best”
Company and one (1) example of a “Needs-to-Improve”
Company. Select 2-4 resources using the links below.
The Best Companies to Work For
(Site also includes lists of ratings for people-care companies
and companies for millennials)
Forbes Just Companies
(site examines company practices that are more than just
attention to company capital)
Forbes Best Employers
Best Nonprofits to Work For (google search, list is sponsored

9. by the NonprofitTimes.com)
Best for the World (google search, list is developed by
"certified B Corporations", which focuses on sustainabil ity and
decreasing climate changes)
Money Worst Companies to Work For
10 Unmistakeable Signs of a Toxic Culture
Discussion Guide: After completing the Table (chart) write
two (2) or more pages double-spaced, with paragraph indents to
signal change in topics.
Start with the idea that organizations, deemed best and worst
are likely to have major differences. Identify at least three (3)
differences you believe to be important, based on your research,
and describe the likely impact on alignment or overall focus for
the organization, especially how the culture, mission and
structure appear to tie together, or not.
Then focus on your “best” organization. Write 1-2 paragraphs
about the qualities that make it best. Keep in mind the
importance of culture and structure that suggest
alignment. Also consider the role for the mission, and recent
indicators such as new products and services, as well as
information about Co-vid planning.
Turn your focus to the example of a company with room to
improve. Using your data from the table, what factors stand out
as indicators of things not working well? Identify two (2) or
more reasons and explain their impact on management, effective
use of mission (or not) and the dynamics of the existing
culture. Write a paragraph.
Bring your attention to use of teams in the organization. This
function may be hidden, but if you view an org chart for the
company and find a flatter structure (or set of structures
because there can be multiple charts). View the company
website to look for evidence of a range of projects, and
multiple, ongoing ones. Both flatter organizations and multiple

10. projects are signals from which to assume team work. Describe
the likelihood of team influence on company
performance. Then, wearing a manager’s hat (or role) for this
company suggest three (3) management actions that can develop
or strengthen team performance so that work becomes more
collaborative and inclusive. Write 1-2 paragraphs about
managing team work projects.
Aim to use at least five (5) articles and other professional
resources, including the company or agency website. You may
find additional sources from individual web actions.
In your discussion use APA in-text citation format
(7th ed). Add a reference list to the end of the document, also
using APA rules.
Remember to check the entire documents for word use, grammar
as needed, and correct spelling.
Do not use books as source material, unless you feel uncertain.
Use of e-books will take extra time.