TOEIC Test Prep Class, September 12th, 2015 (10am-Noon)

Starting in September, JASCO will begin offering an English class specifically
meant to prepare students for the Test of English for International Communication
(TOEIC). The TOEIC is being used more and more by Japanese employers to
determine the communication skills of their employees.
This 10 week classes starts Saturday, September 12th from 10:00am-Noon
until November 21st.

Classroom location: at JASCO (565 Metro Place South, Dublin, OH 43017)

Instructor: Daniel Stone of Two Birds One Stone Learning Center (JET alumnus)

Class Fee: $150 for JASCO members. ($200 for non-members) Test fees not
included. For registration and more details, visit our website: www.jas-co.org.

Best Regards,

Daniel J. Stone, MBA

ダニエル・ストーン

Founder and Principal Consultant

Two Birds One Stone Learning, LLC

3700 Riverside Drive, #21861

Columbus, OH  43221

Office:  614-219-9757

Cell/Text:  864-609-7295

Web:  www.onestonelearning.com

Pricing Methods for a Municipal Government Event Center

Individual Economic Summary: Pricing Methods for a Municipal Government Event Center
Daniel J. Stone
Ohio Dominican University

In July 2007, I returned to my home state of South Carolina after being away for 15 years with the last three being in the Tokyo, Japan area as an English Teacher on the prestigious Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. With an undergraduate degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, I eventually found work at the City of Greer in one of their newly created positions, Events Supervisor. On the mainstream level, the City of Greer was used as one of the props for the George Clooney movie, "Leatherheads" and since 1992, just outside of the City of Greer, German automaker, BMW has been manufacturing vehicles. Greer had just broke ground on a multi-million dollar construction project, Greer City Hall. This project included a multi-room events center, amphitheater, and gazebo (City of Greer, 2013).

My first assignment was to conduct market research to find out the fair market value for renting out the new spaces that were set to go online in the Fall of 2008. After meeting several times with the City Manager throughout the winter and spring of 2008, my findings were presented to the Greer City Council at the annual fee schedule meeting in the Summer of 2008. (Appendix A). In retrospect, the City of Greer's new event center and park operated in a monopolistic competition environment. When local hotels and churches are included, there is a large number of event hall operators acting independently, market entry and exit was not difficult, services were differentiated by location, capacity of event hall and the ability to have an event hall expanded to two or three rooms and be able to use a kitchenette, for example. While customers chose among products, non-price competition was essential as well. For example, a City of Greer resident received a discount.

Since a monopolistic competition environment has the characteristic of earning above normal profits which invites new entrants to the market, it appears that one other event hall began operations after the City of Greer's event center went online in October 2008. Furthermore, since new entrants will cause the City of Greer's demand curve to shift down and to the left and the Greater Greer supply curve to shift out and to the right, it is interesting to note that the prices that I presented in 2008 are the same in 2013 (Appendix B).

Considering that the position that I founded was eliminated among a few other newly created positions by the City of Greer due to the economic downturn known as The Great Recession of 2008, the supply and demand has not caused the prices to change. An existing competitor is still operating with business as usual. Barometric price leadership would suggest that one firm changes their price in response to economic conditions. But, five years and one of the most severe economic conditions since the Depression and the prices have stayed the same.

In conclusion, pricing of an event center managed by a government entity in a small town in the rural and small state of South Carolina comprises of the elements of a monopolistic competitor environment. Typically, the prices for goods and services will change depending on supply or demand. I suspect that due to the cumbersome nature of changing prices due to the annual fee schedule meeting coupled by the fact that the City of Greer benefits when other businesses such as their competitors are successful due to sales tax collections that the prices were set where they were desired by the Greater Greer area in 2008 and today. At the same time, if the City of Greer's event center does not remain profitable due to prices being too high, they can offset the loss with sales tax collections from the businesses in the municipality such as their competitors. Nevertheless, the City of Greer is serving its purpose as defined by Thomas Jefferson by enabling their residents a safe place to carry out an event. However, government entities are not businesses that are concerned with their bottom line and fall short in the implementation of money making activities. At present, the City of Greer's Recreation Department and Greenville Country Recreation District are at odds over the use of facilities and taxes to support those facilities (Greenville Online.com, 2013).

References
City of Greer. (2013). Events Center at Greer City Hall. Retrieved from City of Greer official website: http://www.cityofgreer.org/visit/events_center.php
Greenville Online.com. (2013). County-rec district merger expected to raises Greer taxes. Retrieved from website: http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20130620/YOURUPSTATE01/ 306200056/County-rec-district-merger-expected-raises-Greer-taxes
Keat, Paul G. and Philip L.Y. Young, Managerial Economics: Economic Tools for Today’s Decision Makers, 6th Ed. New York: Prentice Hall, 2009.

Two Birds One Stone Learning, LLC
www.onestonelearning.com
daniel.stone@onestonelearning.com

Suggestions on Learning and Improving your English

There are many ways to learn and improve your English.  Here are some suggestions:

1.  Enroll in an English as a Second Language (ESL) class.  Two Birds One Stone Learning is one of the few organizations offering a class in Columbus this summer.  To learn more about this class, please visit: Summer English Conversation Small Group

2.  Make a personal schedule to practice English.  Two Birds One Stone Learning works with students with private lessons either in person or online.

3.  Watch television programs in English.

4.  Listen to the radio in English.

5.  Practice your English with your family.

6.  Practice your English at work.

7.  Practice English at least one hour a day.

8.  Practice your English anytime you have a chance.  Please see our previous entry in this blog at
Language Learners: What is your level of responsibility for learning?   Remember, Be "8x" in your learning.

Two Birds One Stone Learning is based in Columbus, Ohio, but available in person or online.  To see if we are good for you, your family, or your business, contact Daniel Stone, Principal Consultant at daniel.stone@onestonelearning.com or visit our website.   

Language Learners: What is your level of responsibility for learning?

As language learners move from the beginner to intermediate and eventually to the advanced stages of their learning process, the responsibility for learning shifts from the teacher to the student. Setting realistic goals and understanding your level of responsibility during the learning process will allow you to think and become the second language you are striving for.

First, language learners need to set realistic goals. One of the biggest mistakes a language learner can make is to compare themselves to others and visa versa. Each person takes in and digests a second language differently therefore, we must compare ourselves to ourselves. For example, when we were a language learner in our home country, our ability was at level "X". Now, you have an opportunity to study a second language in a school environment in the country where the the language is spoken as a first language. It simply is not realistic to assume that after a period of three to six months that you will be able to speak the second language fluently. When you set goals, they have to be realistic and measurable. Set a series of short-term goals which ultimately will lead to your long-term goal. 

Maybe you'd like to order lunch at Subway but can't express yourself throughout the process? Find a way to get over this hurdle. Achieving this short-term goal is a boost to your confidence which is needed when you fall short on sophisticated vocabulary words, the conjugation of irregular verbs, and get overwhelmed with the various grammar points. The best way to measure your knowledge in English for example is by taking the TOEFL and TOEIC tests. Be prepared to take these tests more than once to achieve the desired score and stay positive by finding success in short-term projects.

Next, as language learners, you need to understand our responsibility for learning. At the beginner level, language learners are responsible for 25% while the instructor makes up the remaining 75%. In the intermediate level, the responsibility for learning is shared at 50-50. At the advanced level, language learners are responsible for 75% while the instructor makes up the remaining 25%.

With more and more of the responsibility being bore by the the language learner, these five tips for learning a second language will allow you to fill in the gaps as you move forward with your second language.

1. Find a structured course and stick with it. Whenever I take on a student for a private lesson, the lesson usually ends with them thanking me since for the past six months, they have been studying English by themselves and learned more in a one-hour tutoring session with me than they did in those six months. The key is to have structure and a sense of purpose that is measurable and specific. For example, "I am studying English because when I take a trip this summer to Australia, I do not want to take this trip with a tour. I want to travel independently." This was the case for my adult students in Japan. Or, "I want to return to my home country and work for a foreign company and the prerequisite is to have "X" score on the TOEIC in order to be considered."

2. Find what works for you. For me, I love to travel, try different kinds of food, watch sporting events and read about historical events. By identifying my hobbies, I was able to make language learning interesting when I became burnt out on the academic portion of my language learning studies. As a result, I continued to learn and remained grounded in my second language.

3. Be "8x". Years ago, a computer's hard-drive read CDs at a certain speed. Then the next generation of computers stated that the computers could read CDs at 2x the speed, or twice as much or twice as fast. I look at many language learners who perform at 1 or 2 "x", meaning that they attend a weekly class, maybe, and do some English-related homework. This is, they think, "enough." Since the language learner's responsibility grows as they become more and more advanced, this is not enough. Therefore, we must be 8x meaning we need to take advantage of every opportunity at our disposal. Structured learning courses may have computer-based programs that will allow extra repetition in troubled areas of our learning. Study halls may be available where we can ask the instructor for one-on-one instruction is another possibility. Maybe offering to exchange an hour of English conversation for an hour of advice on traveling in your home country is another way to taking in extra instruction.

Other ways are if you ride the bus to school, ask the person sitting next to you about the recent game. Explain that you are new to the area and don't know much about the game but know that the locals follow it and you are interested. Or, if striking up conversation with strangers is not for you, listen to NPR or other local talk shows on the radio on your commute to school. Make notes and strike up conversation with your teacher. Find out the weather on the local TV broadcast before school. If you are living in your home country and doing these things aren't possible since English isn't the main language spoken, download English songs, utilize the Internet by watching English-language clips on Youtube or listen to NPR.org. Read online magazines and newspapers. Do more than just the basics. As Chuck Noll, an American Football coach of four world champion teams in the 1970s stated, "Do the basics better than everyone else." In other words, do more than just enough to get by.

4. Make Friends. When I was a language learner in Japan, it was bitter sweet to learn of Japanese people's experiences when they studied English in the US. They had amazing stories of their experiences with American roommates, some even dated Americans, while others had stories of road trips across country. But, there were many Japanese people who said that finding friends were difficult. If they were around my age, I would reply, "If you were in California, why couldn't we have met?" This was because I was the lone American invited to the International Student Association's quarterly potluck party since I would always make friends with international students on campus. One of those friends became my girlfriend which later became my wife. My wife and I were able to learn from each other's home cultures and each other's languages. Now, in my late 30's I remain grounded in my second language as my goal is to express myself to my in-laws and have the opportunity with weekly Internet calls courtesy of Skype.

5. Never Give Up. The best tip is saved for last. Think for a moment about the size of the mountain you're considering to climb when you begin study a second language. One of my favorite saying that I learned in Japan is, "If we fall down seven times, we get up eight times." The key is to follow through and be aware of your goals. I suggest you write your realistic goals down with the date so that you can measure your progress. By doing these things you'll be satisfied with your language learning progress.

In conclusion, don't give up, remain perseverant to get through the baptism of fire of language learning. Keep goals realistic, measurable and understand the responsibility for language learning. Maintain structure, find a plan that works for you, be proactive, make like minded friends and never give up.

Daniel Stone has been a language learner of Japanese since the mid 1990s when he was a US service member serving at Fleet Activities in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa, Japan. Since then, he worked his way through college with financial assistance from the Montgomery GI Bill and earned his bachelor's degree one month before his 30th birthday. At 31, he began his formal language learning in Japan at Bunkyo University in Koshigaya City, Saitama, Japan. Today, he is the owner/operator of a company that trains expats in English, provides test preparation, and assists with the relocation and family support.

Contact Two Birds One Stone Learning to set up a free "getting acquainted" meeting to see if we are right for you.

Daniel Stone, Principal Consultant and Founder
daniel.stone@onestonelearning.com
www.onestonelearning.com

The 300% increase- More of my time as founding Center Director: My philosophy was and is to not have all the students, just the good ones.

International Student Enrollment is complex because there are so many moving parts that are contingent upon so many varying factors.  Branding is key and if your institution is known for not being cognizant to an international person's view towards smoking or have subpar spaces and simply do not have enough space or staffing to support, you will burnout staff and sully your brand along the way.  I recently was asked by the biggest educational institution in town as to why enrollment in one particular nationality saw a 300% increase.

In carrying out a PEST analysis, I was able to provide the following feedback to the top school official at The Ohio State University:

Question:
I hope to understand the 300% increase in the Autumn 2011 of Saudi students at our school.  Was it when your school went smoke-free and nearly every Saudi student transfer from your school to my school?

Answer: 
In employing a PEST analysis, this will give you a balanced perspective to what was going on in the world of Intensive English Programming (IEP) in Columbus in 2011.

Political 
The political environment in the Middle East in 2011 was very turbulent due to the Arab Spring movement.  Not only was ELS being inundated with the influx of Saudi Arabian Culture Mission (SACM) students which by and far really had no business being issued a F-1 visa due to not really exhibiting anything that would constitute admission to a university in the US, but we were also being approached from abroad by potential students from Syria, Egypt, Libya, etc.  If you were in the Middle East, were under the age of 30 and knew enough English to converse on the phone or had a friend or distant relative in the US, odds were that you were trying to get in the US as a F-1 student, so it seemed.

Economic 
The economic environment was favorable for an increase in Middle Eastern students due to the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP), managed by SACM, which basically gave just about anyone from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) a chance to study abroad more or less for the cultural experience, not necessarily for admission into a US university.  I would be interested in the figures that you provided of 111 KASP scholars in 2011 and and 117 KASP scholars in 2012 as to how many graduated the American Language Program at Ohio State and matriculated to an undergraduate or graduate program at any school and of course graduated.  At any rate, ELS had to temporarily pause the issuance of F-1 visas in the Fall of 2011 since the service and accountability provided by ELS was uneven as the CEO of ELS announced in 2012.  The student intake from the Middle East with KSA leading the way had simply overwhelmed the company's infrastructure.

Social 
The social environment was favorable for an increase in Middle Eastern students to transfer from ELS/Columbus to other area schools that could issue the student an I-20.  This was not due to the smoking policy at Ohio Dominican University (ODU) since this policy had been in effect since 2007.  ODU just wasn't enforcing the smoking policy.  In fact, ODU's Safety and Security team was actually smoking on campus themselves.  Once ELS took occupancy in June 2010, the issue became prevalent but other than the ODU security team tattling to me about a student smoking with no specifics, the smoking issue wasn't a driving factor for students to transfer from ELS/Columbus.  It wasn't till March 2012 when ELS devised a "Three Strikes Policy" which I implemented and caused a ruckus with one particular Chinese woman who had befriended some of the Chinese students at ELS.  The first violator of the "Three Strikes Policy" was a Chinese student.  The same holds true to Chinese students, our 2nd largest demographic behind Saudis.  The first violator had issues adjusting to life as a potential college student in the US and a hapless security team who was hesitant to do their jobs reported him because he would brazenly smoked for the whole world to see.  I did my job and he complained to his Chinese friend.  She was relentless with letters to the ODU President and then to ELS.  Some groups can spoil the good name of the others around them.  While they are not despicable themselves, they are a disgusting reminder to those around them.  This is the problem when people aren't held accountable and when they finally are, it is such a painful and foreign experience that they react in such a shameful way. This is how I compartmentalize the social scene at Ohio Dominican in the flight stage of the venture that I started.

Anyway, the reason that there were so many students transferring from ELS/Columbus was that there was no space for them at ODU.  We expanded to the adult education building on Airport Road which is a stone's throw from the ODU main campus but didn't do so till the Fall 2011 semester.  Ramadan was another reason that there were so many students that transferred from ELS/Columbus to OSU's ALP Program and Capital University's ESL Program.  Their scholarship would not permit them to return home and they were too new to take the ELS session off so they got around it by transferring to OSU and Capital which allowed them to partake in Ramadan and remain in good standing with their F-1 visa.

Technological 
Lastly, the technological environment was favorable for an increase in Middle Eastern students to transfer from ELS/Columbus since the spaces in the basement of the dorm building that ELS operated out of was cramped, drab, and downright disgusting due to a cracked foundation which caused water damage to books, paper, etc.  The copier would get jammed since the paper curled up due to the moisture, etc.  Students were receiving instruction in classrooms that had substantial amounts of water along the wall in the rug, and the white boards were curling off the wall due to the moisture.  In the Summer of 2011, we relieved this space to a degree by occupying unused classroom space on the ODU main campus.  Then in the Fall 2011 semester, we expanded to the adult ed building which alleviated the space issues.

To better assess the 300% uptick in Saudis, check with the Office of International Affairs (OIA) on transfers into OSU from ELS/Columbus or any other school.  That will likely be part of your number as well as students with initial I-20s arriving from KSA with SACM scholarship letters.  I was transferring students out left and right around the summer of 2011 due to Ramadan and the fact that every four weeks, more students from KSA were arriving or attempting to transfer in and I had no where to put them or enough instructors to teach them, so I gladly sent the students to a different school. My philosophy was and is to not have all the students, just the good ones.

Daniel J. Stone, MBA

Founder and Principal Consultant

Two Birds One Stone Learning, LLC

3700 Riverside Drive, #21861

Columbus, OH  43221

Office:  614-219-9757

Cell/Text:  864-609-7295

Web:  www.onestonelearning.com

Test Taking Tips (General)

1. Bring at least two pens/pencils with good erasers, a calculator with enough batteries and any other resources that your instructor allows you to. Bring a watch to the test with you so that you can better pace yourself.

 2. Keep a positive attitude throughout the whole test and try to stay relaxed. If you start to feel nervous take a few deep breaths to relax.

 3. Keep your eyes on your own paper, you don't want to appear to be cheating and cause unnecessary trouble for yourself.

 4. When you first receive your test, do a quick survey of the entire test so that you know how to efficiently budget your time.

 5. Do the easiest problems first. Don't stay on a problem that you are stuck on especially when time is a factor.

 6. Do the problems that have the greatest point values first.

 7. Don't rush but pace yourself. Read the entire question and look for keywords.

 8. Ask the instructor for clarification if you don't understand what they are asking for on the test.

 9. Write legibly. If the grader can't read what you wrote, they'll most likely mark it wrong.

 10. Always read the whole question carefully. Don't make assumptions about what the question might be.

 11. If you don't know an answer, skip it. Go on with the rest of the test and come back to it later. Other parts of the test may have some information that will help you out with that question.

 12. Don't worry if others finish before you. Focus on the test in front of you.

 13. If you have time left when you are finished, look over your test. Make sure that you have answered all the questions, only change an answer if you misread or misinterpreted the question because the first answer that you put is usually the correct one. Watch out for careless mistakes and proofread your essay and/or short answer questions.

 14. Double check to make sure that you put your first and last name on the test.

Daniel J. Stone, MBA

ダニエル・ストーン

Founder and Principal Consultant

Two Birds One Stone Learning, LLC

3700 Riverside Drive, #21861

Columbus, OH  43221

Office:  614-219-9757

Cell/Text:  864-609-7295

Web:  www.onestonelearning.com

Bridging the Communication Gap: Operator of English Language School/International Education Center

Strategies for Success: A Cumulative Body of Work of Graduate Learning Strategies

(BUS 510) Course

Daniel J. Stone

Ohio Dominican University

Bridging the Communication Gap: Operator of English Language School/International Education Center

How many international firms send employees to the US who can’t speak English? Modern technology such as the evolution of the Internet has allowed people access to information throughout the world. Jumbo jets can transport people and freight from one corner of the world to another in the matter of hours. As the global economies continues to become more integrated, employees are increasingly aware of the need to work productively with people from different cultures and backgrounds. (Harrison, P., 2006)

The US dollar continues to remain weak allowing people overseas who have the goal to live, work, and study in the US; universities overseas are overcrowded forcing international students to study in overseas countries such as the US. For assistance is English language instruction, people can turn to a number of professional organizations who specialize in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). My goal is to become an operator of an English language school/international education center located in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan or Mainland China for people who speak English as a Second Language (ESL).

Situational Analysis

At present, I’m a person with the following signature themes: responsibility, belief, restorative, focus, and futuristic. First, the data states that since I am talented in the Responsibility signature theme that I am committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty. Also, I take psychological ownership of what I say they will do and have conflict when I have to deal with those who do not share these values or take ownership. Next, since I am talented in the Belief signature theme that I have a defined purpose for my life that comes from certain core values that are unchanging. Then, since I am talented in the Restorative signature theme that I am good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it since I am adept at dealing with problems. Furthermore, since I am talented in the Focus signature theme that I can prioritize, and then act because I can take a direction, follow that direction through to its completion, and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. Lastly, since I am talented in the Futuristic signature theme that I inspire others with their visions of the future because I am inspired by what the future holds.

Research

Personal Strategies

Responsibility signature theme. My responsibility signature theme forces me take psychological ownership for anything that I am commit to, and I feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion. The reputation of the organization that I represent depends on it. Because of this, I have been known to look for ways to make up a service shortcoming to a customer if for some reason I am unable to deliver. I have always viewed an apology as an excuse and have always felt that excuses are unacceptable. I will be at odds with myself until I have corrected the problem at hand. Because of this, I am viewed as dependable because I have the following cornerstones: (A) doing things right, and (B) possessing impeccable ethics. Therefore, people will look to me first because they know that the task at hand will get done and get done right. (Your Signature Themes PDF citation)

The downside of this talent is people will come to me for help. I need to be selective in giving help because to operate as a fully functional leader, I need to focus on what only I can do as a leader of an organization. In the past, my willingness to overcompensate led me to take on more than I should. To ensure this, I need to hire people who are smarter than I am and hire people who have a positive attitude and understand that whatever skills they do not possess can be instilled through training. (Pozen, R., 2011)

Belief signature theme. In possessing the belief signature theme, my behavior is affected by the following core values that cause me to be family-oriented, have feelings of duty, loyalty, and spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics in myself and others. Because of this, I have the additional cornerstones of: (A) meaning and satisfaction to my life and (B) success is more than money and prestige. These cornerstones are my compass that guides me through the challenging periods that we all face. As with responsibility signature theme, many consider me to be dependable because they know where I stand. (Your Signature Themes PDF citation)

The downside of this talent is that if I am working in an environment that doesn’t mesh with my values, I am at odds with myself. The work that I do must be meaningful and matter to me. The work that I do will matter to me if I am given a chance to live out my values. In the area of financial rewards, salaries need to be compatible with the fair market value of an area, bonuses are awarded based on merit and benefits are accrued and provided for by a reputable organization. (Davis-Ali, S., 2009).

Restorative signature trait. In possessing the restorative signature trait, I am talented in identifying what is wrong and the solution to the problem. If given the choice, I prefer practical problems and seek out specific kinds of problems that I have dealt with many times before and that I am confident I can fix. One of the most satisfying feelings is to bring thing back to life by restoring something to its true glory by identifying the undermining factors and getting rid of them. I have a strong connection to my feelings and because of this, I know that if I do not intervene, the person, place, or thing that is the root source of the problem might cease to function. (Your Signature Themes PDF citation)

The downside of this talent is that I overlook my public image and “look bad” in the name of service of their team and customers. However, by “looking bad”, I am allowed to ask the difficult questions and challenge existing norms. Because of this calculated intervention, the risk is worth the reward if the collective whole can see the positive aspects that are being brought by my talent of identifying what is wrong and then giving a solution to the problem. (Ely, R.J.; Frei, F.X.; and Morriss, A. 2011).

Focus signature trait. In possessing the focus signature trait, I am talented in setting goals. By setting goals, I am given a clear destination. When I don’t set goals, my life and work can quickly become frustrating. It is important that each year, each month, and even each week I set goals. These goals then serve as your compass, helping me determine priorities and make the necessary corrections to get back on course. My ability to focus allows me to evaluate whether or not a particular action will help me move towards my goal. Because of this, what isn’t going to help me move towards my goal is ignored therefore forcing me to be efficient. (Your Signature Themes PDF citation)

The downside of this talent is that I become impatient. I view delays, obstacles, and even tangents as something that keeps me from focusing. Focusing on results rather than hours has the added benefit of allowing a better balance between family and work. To that end, I have been known to say, “Back on point” when others start to wander away from the task at hand. It is important that I remind myself that if something is not helping me move towards my goal, then it is not important. If it is not important, then it is not worth my time. Because of this, I am viewed by the team as a valuable asset. (Pozen, R.C. 2011)

Futuristic signature trait. In possessing the futuristic signature trait, I am talented in seeing in detail what the future might hold. I am driven by a better life, a better team, putting out a better product and living in a better world. I follow my heart by chasing my dreams by envisioning what could be. I am energized by these visions when the present proves too frustrating and the people around me are resistant to change. (Your Signature Themes PDF citation)

The downside of this talent is that people look to me to describe my visions for the future. They want a picture that can raise their sights and thereby their spirits. There is a lot of pressure in painting this picture for them. Because of this, there is a lot of trial and error. Being careless with communications will lead me to trouble since people will want to latch on to the hope you bring. By carefully laying out my goals, objectives and prioritizing activities to work relentlessly toward those objectives, the better things in life that you are working towards will become a reality in the future. (Collins, J. 2003).

Personal Strategies

Responsibility signature theme. First and foremost, in developing my responsibility talents, it is important for me to decide what I will stop doing if I take on a new responsibility. Since I have a high level of psychological ownership, it is easy for me to take on more than I can handle. It is important for me to keep the mental image of a balance scale in my mind. Next, it is natural for me to take ownership in all things that I’m involved in. It is important for me to share the responsibility with others so they can grow and develop too. Following through on my commitments allows me to work best when I’m given this opportunity. Since I can be trusted to get things done in a team setting, it is acceptable for me to let the team know that I don’t need to check in during a project, just at the end. By possessing the Responsibility talent, I have an instinctive sense of how to do things right. Others might need me to explain my choices and how I know what’s right. In closing, by asking my supervisor or professors for objectives of an assignment, it is important that I figure out how to fully meet them even if that means that I go above and beyond expectations. Throughout the process, ask for feedback about the quality of work as it is important for people with exceptionable responsibilities. (Text book citation)

Belief signature theme. Research suggests that in order to define my Beliefs in more positive terms that the focus needs to be what I am for instead of what I’m against. Volunteer work or community service in areas that fit with my value system will also define my beliefs. By partnering with someone who has strengths in Winning Others Over and Communications will help others relate to me know who I am and what I believe in. (Text book citation)

Restorative signature trait. The restorative talent allows me to find flaws and solutions to those flaws. To maximize effectiveness, it is important to solution and problem-solving talents. Next, it is important that I partner with people who have a positive approach. Their natural optimism will keep my problem-solving from becoming pessimistic. In fixing problems, sometimes the best way is to empower others to fix the problem. By partnering with developer talents to coach others in solving their problems, my talents will be refined and help others learn and grow. (Text book citation)

Focus signature trait. Research also suggests that in developing Focus, I need to take the time to write down my goals and post them where you can refer to them will make me feel more grounded and in control of my life. This is because I will be keeping my eye on the target. Also, when given an assignment, I need to clarify timelines and expectations in advance. As a team member, my greatest contribution to the team is to help others set goals. Also, at the end of a work session, take responsibility to summarize what was decided, define when these decisions will be acted upon, and set a date when the team will reconvene. My productivity can be at its highest level by setting intentionally setting aside periods of time and letting others know. This is because I can spend long periods of time concentrating on one thing. It is important to ensure that the people that I care about that you appreciate an opportunity for intense focus, but also are happy to hear them knock on your door. This is because my powerful goal orientation could at times supersede your people orientation. (Text book citation)

Futuristic signature trait. In developing my Futuristic strength, it is important that I take time to think about the future. The more vivid my ideas will become, the more time I spend considering my ideas about the future. This will allow me to be more persuasive about those ideas. By partnering with people who have strengths in the areas of Communication, Ideation, or WOO, you are able to work on the words used to describe the future. This will allow you to create vivid visual images and storytelling to become even more persuasive about what the future holds. A future vocation for me could be to be a guide or coach who inspires others to dream. This is because I can see what’s coming and how I can be better prepared for it. This helps people overlook the pain and problems of today due to my natural anticipation of a preferred future. To be better prepared for the future, research suggests that I partner with people who have strengths in Discipline or Arranger. One thing to be mindful of is to remain in the present. Because of my tendency to anticipate the future may mean that I’m disconnected from fully enjoying the moment. By partnering with people who have strengths in Adaptability, Context or Positivity will address this area. (Text book citation)

Academic Strategies for Success

Responsibility signature theme. For academic strategies for success in order to define my Responsibility, it is important for me to strive to always work ahead. This is essential since it is important that I see a problem or scenario ahead of time. While doing this, I should highlight the key vocabulary words, main ideas and characters. Also, by working towards a standard of achieving what it means to be a truly responsible student will help me discover what “doing it right” means to each of my professors. As before, trustworthy people that I collaborate with academically are key. A mentor or a circle of friends that are older than I am should be sought after to define responsibility in academics. As stated earlier, schedule a specific time for school work helps in assuming responsibility which is needed in investing the necessary time, talent, and efforts to be successful. (Text book citation)

Belief signature theme. Research suggests that in order to define my Beliefs for academic strategies for success, I should list my top 3-5 beliefs on a piece of paper and use as a bookmark. By doing this, it will filter whatever I am reading and hearing through the lenses of the listed core values. By arguing for and against certain issues will strengthen the positions that I am for and reflected upon when defending an opposing point of view. Also, I need to have an academic mission statement by integrating my core values into academics. An academic mission statement could be “leaving a certain place better than the way I found it.” It is essential to notice instances when I am willing inconvenienced to come to the aid of a specific person or group and ask, “Which of my core values drove this behavior?” By doing this, it will help others grasp what I value and why I value it. An ethics class will teach me to evaluate the rightness of decisions in the business field. (Text book citation)

Restorative signature trait. Research suggests that in order to define my Restorative talent for academic strategies for success school should be thought of as a way to improve myself. This will help in increasing my motivation and allow reflection in my progress. Feedback from my professors and follow through on what they have pointed out as deficiencies will allow growth academically. This will fill gaps in knowledge. An underlying value that repeats itself throughout the Academic Strategies for Success portion of research is relationships with people appreciated my ability to help them identify problems. (Text book citation)

Focus signature trait. For academic strategies for success in order to define my Focus, it is essential for me to associate with successful people. While it may seem a bit awkward, it is important for me to ask what they focused on to become successful. By using focus to link class-related assignments to the knowledge and self-management skills I will need to be successful in the future. Building the focus talent is important therefore I need to be selective in the range of activities I am involved in. Making lists help me focus and will assist in identifying what I will attempt to learn during a specific time period. Not only lists, but also outlines help me focus. This is because they help me plan before writing a paper. It is best for me to focus my full attention one project at a time therefore I should schedule my work in a way that allows this. By selecting classes that have defined direction and objectives, this helps in a small group setting since it will provide the opportunity to assist the group to see how the pieces of a project fit together to accomplish the overall objective. (Text book citation) Futuristic signature trait. The Futuristic talent in academics is strengthened by writing a description of my desired future and posting it where I will notice it frequently. Again, it is important to surround myself with people who enjoy philosophizing about the future. This support group will be instrumental at helping me achieve my aspirations. By doing this, I can connect what I am learning to where I want to go. It is important for me to talk about my goals and dreams with my friends, families and professors. This creates awareness of my objectives and will motivate me to follow through. Continuing persistence and proactive thinking on my part will help in ensuring that goals and dreams come true. By keeping others in the team focused on what can be will help the team share the vision that I see. By trying to understand what I’m studying will relate what I’m studying to where I see myself in the future. The end result of studying is an exam. Exams need to be taken seriously and preparation for an exam must be done thoroughly as this is a step towards the future. (Text book citation)

Professional Strategies

Responsibility signature theme. For professional strategies for success in order to define my Responsibility talent in careers, select work where I can be given more and more responsibility. This is because I often take the initiative, and always follow through, and do not need a lot of supervision. Managing others has been frustrating for me since their standards or responsibility does not match my own. When I can fully follow through on the commitments I made to others, I will be the most productive. Building trusting relationships with others is important to you, so choose environments in which you can surround yourself with dependable, trustworthy people. When selecting a team to join, be sure the other members are known for pulling their weight. (Text book citation)

Belief signature theme. Research suggests that in order to define my Beliefs for professional strategies for success, it is important for me to spend time thinking about my “calling”. This can be done by seeking employment in companies and organizations that exhibit a strong sense of mission that is committed to a positively affecting the quality of people’s lives. By working in a place that respects my commitments to my family and allows for a balance between work and family demands will enable me to thrive. (Text book citation)

Restorative signature theme. For professional strategies for success in order to define my Restorative talent in careers, select work where I can be given more and more responsibility. Talk to people who excel as customer service reps. Ask them what leads to their success and what they find rewarding about their work. Volunteer your time in an organization that needs someone to “breathe new life” into their work. Lastly, interview people who have a reputation for salvaging bad situations, turning companies around, or stepping in to solve problems no one else can seem to handle. Ask them what they enjoy about their work and what they actually do on a daily basis. (Text book citation)

Focus signature theme. For professional strategies for success in order to define my Focus in careers, I sometimes need to have a target identified for me. Structured environments that are predictable, detail-oriented, and reward your dependability and follow-through are likely to bring out my best. Roles that have identifiable goals, purposes, and objectives bring the most satisfaction to me. This will provide an opportunity to meet my own longer-term goals. Since I am capable to prolonged concentration and persistence, an environment with few interruptions and little need to multi-task work best. (Text book citation)

Futuristic signature theme. For professional strategies for success in order to define my Futuristic talent in careers, I should choose a career in which I can help others envision the future and inspire them to create it. An environment that rewards vision and creativity allow my freedom to dream and invent and allow my talents to flourish. By talking to other professionals such as designers, commercial artist, and city planners will allow the opportunity to envision the future. (Text book citation)

Development Plan/Gap Analysis

Summary

Franchising. In order to become an operator of an English language school/international education center located in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan or Mainland China for people who speak English as a Second Language (ESL) I will need to meet the criteria of franchising. By franchising, the owner makes the necessary investment of buying the real estate and building the language school/education center. Furthermore, I will be supported by training, technology, and anything else that I need. In turn, as an operator, I will have to use my honesty, integrity, commitment, and loyalty to customers and the owner. This would be a tremendous amount of trust placed on me as the operator but this is worth the owner’s risk since this plays into my strengths. As the operator, I am the CEO, manager, president, treasurer of my own business. (Cathy, S.T., 2002)

Buying an Existing Business. It is extremely unusual for a foreigner to enter Japan, South Korea, Taiwan or Mainland China with the intention to buy an existing business. The exception to this is likely to be in very specialized areas such as an English language school. (Roberts, D. and Roberts, E., 1999)

Essentials

In Japan, South Korea, Taiwan or Mainland China it is common for businesses to utilize the services of an introducer or third party vouch for me and my operation. This is because in this region, it is extremely difficult to establish business relationships with companies or organizations if I am unknown to them. By doing this, your local go-between will you’re your prospective colleagues evaluate my position and prestige and will lay the foundations of a business relationship based on trust. Therefore, I need to establish relationships and conduct research on potential introducers since it is important that these people are well-known and highly respected by the colleague with which I hope to do business. Furthermore, American business practices such as cold-calling or even responding to letters from unfamiliar parties which are outside the status quo. This sort of arrangement will result in contractual obligations that will made directly in the form of money or indirectly through the allocation of a share of resulting business. (Roberts, D. and Roberts, E., 1999)

Government Incentives. The governments of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Mainland China are keen to encourage international investment, particularly in the present economic climate. To offset some of the exorbitant costs in establishing a new business, there are a number of incentives available. The most substantial assistance available is through government-sponsored that are designed to help small and medium-sized foreign-owned companies who would otherwise have difficulties in securing host country guarantors for their business loans. (Roberts, D. and Roberts, E., 1999)

Traditional Office Space. As stated earlier, the franchisee route takes the burden off of the operator as the owner assumes that responsibility. An alternative will be to rent. Rental space can be found at a lower rate outside of central Tokyo for example. Also, rental space in an older office complex can be found at a lower rate. With a monthly rental fee, a year’s worth of rent is needed in advance. . (Roberts, D. and Roberts, E., 1999)

Virtual Office Space.

Office Equipment. Since office space is rented unfurnished and without any computer or communications equipment a decision to purchase or lease will need to be made. The best practice is to consult with the home country’s external trade organization as to how proceed. (Roberts, D. and Roberts, E., 1999)

Legal and Accounting Expenses Market Research Procedures for Registering a Company

Employing Staff. As an operator of an English language school/international education center I will need one native English speaker competent in the area of TESOL per 15 students. I will need one head teacher who will likely be a native English speaker who is competent in scheduling and manpower allocation to oversee the academics side of the operation. I will need one office manager who is preferably bilingual in the home country’s native tongue and English that will need to be competent in the area of accounts receivable, accounts payable and basic record and bookkeeping. (See Figure1)

Employer Obligations I. Conclusion Figure 1. English language school/international education center Director of Operations Head Teacher Office Manager English to Speakers of Other Language Instructors Temporary and seasonal administrative staff.

References

Benjamin, B. and O’Reilly, C. (2011). Becoming a Leader: Early Career Challenges Faced by MBA Graduates. Academy of Management Learning & Education, Vol. 10, No. 3, 452-472.

Cathy, S.T. (2002). Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People. The Loyalty Effect, 2002. 96-117.

Collins, J. (2003). Start a “Best New Year’s Resolution?” USA Today, December 12, 2003.

Davis-Ali, S. (2009). Success and Sanity: It replaces work/life balance. Personal Excellence, July 2009, 8.

Ely, R.J.; Frei, F.X.; and Morriss, A. (2011). Stop Holding Yourself Back: Five ways people unwittingly sabotage their rise to leadership. Harvard Business Review, January-February 2011, Vol. 87 Issue 4, p160-163.

Harrison, P.M. (2006). Diversity Training: A Sound Investment. Greenville Magazine, September 2006, 24-26.

Pozen, R.C. (2011). Extreme Productivity: A veteran executive outlines the principles for getting a lot done. Harvard Business Review, May 2011, Vol. 89 Issue 5, p127-131.

Roberts, D. and Roberts, E., 1999. Live & Work in Japan. Starting a Business, 1999. 200-220.