Question of the week 18: Synergy

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘question of the week’! For this week, the word ‘synergy’ will be covered in the following question:

How can synergies be created in group projects?

The term synergy stands for the effort that is given by two individuals working together, producing results greater than that of two individuals working alone. Apart from individuals, synergies could also involve companies, medicines, diseases, and pests, just to name a few. For instance, when company A provides technologies whilst company B provides distribution expertise, both companies can then produce products that take advantage of each other’s know-how, thereby creating profits for both which would not have been possible if they worked individually. But how do these synergies appear in group projects?

Group projects combine the knowledge of a number of people. The problem however lies in the amount of information that can be shared, and the relations that are built. When a team encounters individuals who push their ideas through, and are not open to everybody’s contribution, it becomes more difficult for synergies to appear. This is because ideas will get rejected or ignored, and those controlling the group will end up controlling the type of knowledge shared. Another issue lies in the amount of information, where everybody voices their ideas but none are combined. This then leads to ideas being piled up but not properly being used to create synergies.

For synergies to appear in group projects, it would require individuals to be open to each other, share as much relevant knowledge as possible, and ensure that all group members feel that they are a part of the project. This helps motivate everybody to work harder as their contributions are recognized, and encourage knowledge sharing.

In short: Synergy stands for the combined effort of two things, be it individuals, companies, or medicines, that produce an effect greater than adding both individual efforts. For synergies to appear in group projects, it becomes important to maximize knowledge sharing through actively listening to every member, and to motivate them by ensuring that everybody’s contribution will be seen in the project’s results.

If you have any questions or differing opinions, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 17: Succinct

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘Question of the week’! In this week’s entry, the word “succinct” will be covered in the following question:

Should your Curriculum Vitae (CV) be succinct?

The term succinct stands for something that is brief, to the point, concise, and precise. Examples include a succinct speech, succinct letter, succinct description, succinct example, all of which mean that what is communicated is short but to the point. Whilst writing in a succinct style allows for a quick understanding, it comes at an expense of less attention to detail. As a CV is the first type of information an employer obtains about you, should your CV then be succinct?

When looking at the purpose of a CV, it is meant to give a brief background of a person that is relevant to the job. For instance, it is beneficial to show some experience in dealing with companies for a consultancy job, or competence in math for an engineering job. However, it is impossible to put a person’s life experience on paper, and there are many skills and qualities that do not end up in a CV yet contribute to the job position. This is why a person should write a succinct CV, as only the most important background details is enough for an employer to spark an interest. It should also be seen that a CV is only meant to filter people based on personal backgrounds, which is only done to cope with the number of people that apply for a job. Thus, a CV of 10 pages will not help at all despite giving a more detailed image of a person’s background.

In short: Succinct stands for something that is brief, to the point, concise, and precise. When looking at a CV, there are a lot of experiences, skills, and qualities that a person can put on. However, considering the volume of CVs an employer receives plus the need to spark interest with just a couple of relevant background points, it is important to write it succinctly.

If you have any doubts or differing opinions about what was said, then please don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 16: Nepotism

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘Question of the Week”! For this week, the word ‘nepotism’ will be covered in the following question:

Is nepotism bad?

The term nepotism stands for favoritism shown towards relatives or friends over other individuals. An example of this includes when a high positioned manager recruits a friend or family member in a role without taking into account other individuals who may seem more suitable for the task. Another instance is when advice is being asked from a stranger and a family friend. A person would be more inclined to listen to a family friend even though the stranger may be more informed. These examples may seem to give a negative impression on nepotism, but is it really bad?

There are some reasons why nepotism is bad. Choosing a relative or close friend for personal gain and power is such an instance. This means that the person was placed only to fill a position, not necessarily to do a task. Another instance is when a person owes another a favor and so is then pressured to give a position. This means that the other person has his or her own incentive for being in the company. Both cases show that nepotism leads to the wrong person being employed.

Nepotism on the other hand can also lead to positive results when used in an appropriate way. For instance, when a boss chooses employees based on creating a company culture that is close, having close friends or family join can actually lead to a faster way of unity and acceptance of the new employee. This means that the company culture can be easier to achieve and maintain. Another instance is when trust is required for highly sensitive information. A relative or friend will be less inclined on stealing and selling company secrets than a newcomer due to the relationship built. Thus, when used appropriately, nepotism can also lead to positive results.

In short: Nepotism stands for favoritism towards family and friends over others that are deemed strangers. Depending on the person’s intentions, nepotism can actually lead to positive results. These include a quickened acceptance of company culture, and a more stable form of trust.

If you have any questions, or differ in opinions, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 15: Soothe

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘question of the week’! For this week, the word ‘soothe’ will be covered in the following question:

How do you soothe a nation that has been struck by a natural disaster?

The term soothe stands for something that calms, relaxes, or relieves. For instance, after having a long jog in the heat, drinking water has a soothing effect. It relieves your thirst. Watching a movie or listening to music after a long day of work also soothes your mind as it takes your attention off of the heavy workload and makes your relax. Also, when a person is in pain, medicine helps soothe it.

When looking at the effects of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami strike, the country was devastated. Natural disasters devastate populated areas, leaving a lot to recover. However, each country does in the end recover from the trauma experienced. Haiti’s earthquake in 2010 may have resulted in the loss of life and destruction of infrastructure, but foreign countries, institutions, and individuals are soothing it by providing aid in the forms of food, manpower for rebuilding, and money for buying equipment. This will and currently is occurring in Japan. Other forms of soothing come from the affected country’s government dedicating transportation routes for delivering aid, debt relief, and technical assistance from professionals.

In short: To soothe means to comfort, relieve, or relax somebody or something. When looking at natural disasters, a nation soothes itself by accepting foreign aid through donations, debt relief, food and water, manpower, and money, just to name a few. It is this soothing process that turns an affected country back to normal.

If you have any questions or a different opinion towards the answer, then please do not hesitate in leaving a comment!

Question of the week 14: Psychological resilience

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘question of the week’! As you may already know, the past week saw some traumatic events occur in Japan. First, an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 struck just off the east of Japan. This was then followed by a tsunami that swept inland, devastating coastal cities and damaging a nuclear power plant. I’ve been personally quite touched by the events that occurred, and really wish and hope all the strength that Japan recovers and learn from this tragedy.

In this week’s entry, the term ‘psychological resilience’ will be covered in the following question:

Does psychological resilience lead to hope?

The term psychological resilience stands for the ability to cope with, and bounce back from, stress and catastrophe. What occurred in Japan had, and still has, a large emotional impact on individuals. This may include people directly affected by it, people that know of others affected by it, or people that are touched by the stories and experiences that are shared by those affected. Yet, it is their resilience that makes them want life to go back to normal, help others who are in need, and learn from what went wrong. Resilience is also apparent in people who lost loved ones, as they try to accept that what happened cannot be changed.

With a resilient mindset, a person is able to create hope. Resilience pushes a person to return back to normal, which is done by creating hope for others as well as for oneself. A loved one that is missing makes a resilient person hope that he or she is still alive. In other words, whilst resilience is a state of mind, it leads to hope that drives a person to get back to normal.

In short: Psychological resilience stands for the ability to cope with stress and catastrophe. When found in a person, it leads to that person trying hard to return life back to normal. It is the process of returning back to normal that creates hope in finding loved ones, personal belongings, and in learning about what went wrong so that it won’t occur in the future again.

If you have any questions, disagree what was said, or have another opinion, then please do not hesitate to comment!

Question of the week 13: Lucid

Hi and welcome to Edit-your-work’s ‘question of the week’! This week the word ‘lucid’ will be covered in the following question:

How important is it to have a lucid mind during an emergency?

The term lucid stands for something that is clear, understandable, rational, and not confusing. Examples include a lucidly written text, lucid directions, and a lucid mind. A lucid mind in itself means a person that knows exactly how to behave in a given situation. Thus, a person who is in a burning house would not panic and instead keep low to avoid being suffocated by the smoke.

When an emergency happens, such as a fire, earthquake, or tsunami, the first reaction is panic because everyone is scared for their lives. However, it is this panic that creates more danger. A lucid mind means a person stays calm and thinks clearly on how to get around safely. Furthermore, it would also help other people become calmer. Having a lucid mind means being alert and knowledgeable on how to act during an emergency. Thus it is important that you take safety precautions seriously in order for you to have a lucid mind.

In short: Lucid means something that is clear, easily understandable, rational, and not confusing. In case of emergencies, it is very important to have a lucid mind so as to prevent panic, which creates further danger. To have a lucid mind means to have a knowledgeable and calm mind during an emergency.

If you have any other opinion or have something interesting to share, then please do not hesitate to comment!

Question of the week 12: Volatility

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘question of the week’! The word that will be covered is ‘volatility’, which will be found in the following question:

What drives stock volatility?

The term volatility can be used to describe something that is unstable, unpredictable, and affected by external factors. An example would be when a person is at first peaceful, and then suddenly shows an outburst of anger. Another example would be a person who randomly shows aggression, which is triggered by the environment. These are forms of unstable and volatile behavior. The stock market shows this type of behavior as well, as any form of new knowledge would lead to the buying or selling of stocks. But what exactly drives stock volatility?

There are an endless amount of reasons why the stock of a company rises and drops in price. Examples include natural disasters that stop the flow of raw materials, national problems that stop imports and exports, and labor disputes that halt operations. Company statements that introduce for instance change, a new product line, or problems between managers, also influence the price of the stock. There is however only one factor that drives it, information. This is why when the CEO is usually replaced when a company performs poorly for a couple of periods. An individual would not want to own stock of a company when hearing negative news, whilst wanting to own stock if they hear for instance a new, more efficient form of technology to be used in their production facility. Thus, information about and from the company drives stock volatility.

In short: Volatility can be defined as something that is unstable, unpredictable, and affected by external factors. Stocks are volatile because depending on what information is heard about the company, it determines whether somebody buys or sells stock. Thus, information drives stock volatility.

If you would like to voice out your opinion, or believe that what was written is wrong, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!