Creating a sense of community Essay

Introduction Organizations, leaders and employees often need to be commended on a job well done and celebrate it with some exceptional time off from work. This is a positive step for the organization because it not only shows appreciation for those individuals who come to work every day to make sure that their organization achieve all of its goals, but illustrates the organizations appreciation for it valuable staff and employees. This can be done by simply honoring most federal and calendar year holidays throughout the year, company holidays including time off for birthdays and banquet celebrations as well. In addition, on a dismal note, sometimes an organization may have to honor its employees and staff for tragic circumstances that may occur throughout the year. Celebrating the community is key for an organization in terms of keeping their employees motivated and excited about giving their best effort on each task at hand. Kouzes & Posner mentions that celebrations serve as important a purpose in the long-term of an organization as does the daily performance of tasks ( Kouzes & Posner, p.310, 2013). Celebrating the community serves as a medicine that brings an organizations and its employees together in each prospective shared values and commitments. Overview of community building practices Kouzes & Posner states that In acknowledging the community (†common unity†) that individuals share with each other, a sense of team spirit is created among leaders who build and maintain the social support that is required for individuals to thrive and excel during tough times ( Kouzes &  Posner, p.310, 2013). Organizations must have in place an supportive structure that will support the employees and enhance their opportunities for appreciation for their hard work. Communities that have a strong commitment for connecting celebrations, community and commitment will set themselves far above average organizations. An outstanding leader who has made the vow to help renew those employees’ commitments will be headed in a positive direction. This approach will serve as a motivational and retention tool for the leaders and organization. Organizations should commit themselves on building fun activities and socials that are fitted for those employees, it’s a celebration of appreciation and respect. Celebrating those outstanding deeds that each employee exemplified should not be kept in house. The good news should be shared with the community, the public. Kouzes & Posner suggest that private rewards do little to set an example for the organization ( Kouzes & Posner, p.313, 2013). However, having the opportunity to share someone’s story of success is worth celebrating and it will also highlight the individual and the organization in a positive manner. Organizations that connect celebration, community and commitment for the long haul will undoubtedly be successful. Organizations that ensure that their employees understand that they are part of the big picture know that shared values, destiny and victories are important to securing a sense of community. Leaders should make sure that all employees have the opportunity to play a functional role in the celebrations and the framework that support the organizations values. Celebrations can come in all forms such as cyclical celebrations, celebrations of triumph, personal transitions, workplace altruism, events and ritual for comfort and letting go. Not every celebration is upbeat and enjoyable. There are times when a employee may have a sick family member or even suffered a loss of a loved one. Author Colleen Young mentioneds that in ttoday’s organization, the fledgling, but active, community continues to grow, providing peer-to-peer support and information for a very specific point in the health continuum, namely for people living with life-threatening disease, for friends and family who care about and for them, and for people dealing with grief and loss (Young, C. 2013). Different cultures There are many different cultures all around the world that handle  their employees differently. Individuals take time to celebrate their prospective cultures that have a particular meaning for them. Leaders that do not implement group interactions or celebrations could lack the reinforcement of a common purpose for different cultures. The organization have to get involved in each culture collaboration. The cultures in communities are many, such as the Chinese community which is the largest and the fastest growing group among Asian and Pacific Islander populations. It also has many different dialects that a leader and organization must understand. Furthermore, there’s the African American Community and the Central American Community. The African American Community has a group history of oppression and survival also affects the way it is organized. The networks and organizations that form to protect the rights of their members influence the way in which members of the group organize for self-help. It is important for an organization to know about their history and celebrated it accordingly. Lastly, there is the Central Americans who fled from poverty and oppression in their countries to seek a more secure and better life in a new place here in the United States. Challenges that leaders face in respecting the cultural differences Some of the challenges that a leader may encounter are not knowing the unknown and how to deal with tension among the groups when resources are limited. Another challenging situation that will likely to confront the leader is struggling with immigrants whose culture, institution and tradition are not readily familiar to most mainstream groups. Some of those cultures may not have community groups with leaders. Therefore, there is no organization or guidance. Culture typically refers to a set of symbols, rituals, values, and beliefs that make one group different from another. Culture is learned and shared with people who live or lived in the same social environment for a long time. Provide best practices for overcoming these challenges There are several best practices that can help the leader to overcome those cultural challenges. Kouzes & Posner discusses that Reflection and Action can help when social interactions required to uphold individuals or groups to a high standard. People are asked to go beyond their comfort zone, so as a leader you should set the example by getting personally involved in the celebrations of varies cultures ( Kouzes & Posner, p.329, 2013). Some other  best practices may include Plan a celebration today, reinforce core values in your celebrations. A leader need to start the celebration right now and don’t procrastinate. Understanding those cultures now will make for a better transition of understanding. Lastly, a leader should understand the cultures values and what they aspire to realize ( Kouzes & Posner, p.331, 2013). Being innovative and obtaining values and loyalty are key factors that will enable a leader to be successful in dealing with multiple cultures. SDLP I will implement my understanding of connecting celebration, community and commitment to my professional career. I have a clearer picture of how to bond and recognize those employees who work hard and treat them like an individual should be treated. I will go a step further in implementing a framework that will celebrate the key values of my staff when they go the extra mile to achieve their goals. My commitment to them will highlight and reward them not just internally, but publically as well. I know that this will be a motivation tool that can help shape the future of me as a leader and my organization. I will document my newly found knowledge of celebrating a community in my SDLP.