From Loki to Thor

Aka: From Manager to Leader

            What is the difference between Loki’s and Thor’s manager styles? Loki is a manager while Thor is a leader. Managers are about managing things and objects, leaders about leading people. Leaders must have followers to lead (Kruse, 2013). A leader is someone who is more concerned with influencing others than promoting himself/herself and is someone who can motivate others to reach a common goal. This is what makes Thor a leader and what develops any good manager into a great leader.

            When we first meet Thor, he is a superhero who only looks out for himself, but as he has experiences and learns to put others’ needs before his own, he becomes a leader. Thor, like a good leader, put his team needs ahead of his own glory and power. “Leadership… focuses on influencing others towards a specific goal or objective and helps bring about useful changes in an organization” (Holland & Albercht, 2014). To be a good leader, be an influencing guide and promote others’ strengths, (Fiege,K., & Branagh,K. (2011).

            Motivation is another important character trait for a good leader. Thor motivates others by leading by example and uses his hammer to create a feeling of strength and empowerment, which motivates those around him. Bill Gates said, “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others” (Kruse, 2013). What makes a great leader is someone who can motivate and empower others to reach high goals.

            Loki is a manager. He is all about planning, executing, and achieving his goals through power. Thor is a leader. He puts the needs of others first and motivates others. He knows how to motivate others to achieve a goal. To become a good leader we need to be more like Thor; we need to find out what our hammers are and use them to influence others. Let’s  be a great leaders rather than just ordinary managers.

References

Fiege,K., & Branagh,K. (2011).Thor: the god of thunder. United States: Paramount Pictures.

Holland, D. & Albrecht, C. (2014).Introduction to management. United States: My Educator. Retrieved from: https://www.myeducator.com/reader/web/961/chapter9/mk7sn/Educator

Kruse, K. (April 2013). What is leadership?. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/04/09/what-is-leadership/

Why Does It Matter?

            Why is it so important to be professional as an employee? By showing employers that you possess certain professional characteristics, you prove to them that you are worth having around. These characteristics include being action-oriented, being positive, and, most importantly, being passionate about your work. If you can master these characteristics, you will be considered a professional employee and be open to endless opportunities. 

            The first characteristic is being action-oriented. This is a person who is willing to take chances and not afraid to take some risks. Not every chance taken ends in a success and can be risky, but they can lead to confidence-building experiences and produce new ideas (Sundheim, 2013).  Each time an employee takes action and puts his/her ideas on the table, for all to see, they are learning and building their confidence.

            The second characteristic is being positive. A positive enviroment is what makes a business a great place to work. Negativity spreads like a virus and makes people hard to work with. Employers are looking for happy people who work well with others and are willing to do any task assigned to them (Turck, n.d.).

            The final characteristic that defines you as a professional employee is being passionate about your work. Forbes magazine describes someone who is passionate about his/her job as someone who never actually works a single day of the year (Sundheim, 2013). If you are passionate and enjoy what you do, it comes across in your work.

            A professional employee is one who is willing to fail, is positive, and is passionate about his/her work. These characteristics create not just professional employees but team members who are assets to the companies they work for. Why does professionalism matter? It matters because it’s what makes you an employee worth having. 

References

Sundheim, K. (2013, April 2). 15 Traits of the ideal employee. Retrieved September 25, 2014. http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensundheim/2013/04/02/15-traits-of-the-ideal-employee/

Turck, J. (n.d.). Ten traits of a valuable employee. Retrieved September 26, 2014. http://realtruth.org/articles/100108-004-society.html