What Makes A Person Famous At Work Psychology Essay

What Makes A Person Famous At Work Psychology Essay What makes a person famous at work? Fame or popularity at work is much desired. To understand the phenomena, it is important to understand about fame. A research concluded that a person who is well known and liked is considered as popular (Scott, 2007). In other words a popular person is one who is likeable and socially visible. Babel (2001) further established the factors like social visibility and likable are most important for popularity. An individual who is sought after and liked is considered popular. What constitutes as popularity? According to Kerlinger Lee (2000) three forces which make up popularity. Attraction, that includes the force which brings together the individuals. Repulsion diverts and drives apart individuals. Indifference, that causes uncertainty in the mind on an individual. So these three factors can make or break an employees image at work. Popularity is often considered an individual matter; however this is not entirely true. Popularity is also a group orie nted phenomena (Rubin, Bukowski, and Parker, 2006). This means that it is an individuals quality to be popular, but he or she has to be in some sort of group to be popular or to gain fame. So understanding popularity can be measured individually and also in group. According to one research, popularity has two dimensions i.e. acceptance or rejection (Bukowski, Hoza, and Michel Boivin 1993). Another research concludes that Popularitys label is given to a specific employee by his co workers based on their perception which they develop after working with that particular worker for some time period. Popularity and fame are difficult phenomenon to understand and comprehend. It is difficult to judge about an individuals fame and popularity. There are no set rules present to measure these two states. Productivity and Popularity A research concludes that some employees are more popular than others, so often they are treated in a different way than others (Scott, 2007). This research has examined popularity in context of organizational behavior. The next question is what makes a person popular or famous at work. The popularity of person is depends on their ability to perform on the job (Zelst, 2001). This research requested the co workers to nominate a person to work with. This researcher found that people who have better working skills are popular among the workforce. The results of the research showed that people who are satisfied with their job are found to be more popular and co workers are willing to work with them. This research was conducted on construction workers. The key conclusion of this research is that popularity at work can be achieved if an employee has good working skills and is satisfied at the job. Popularity can lead to celebrity status. Research shows that popularity and fame is something most people enjoy and crave for (Hogan, 2003). This research states about the lure of fame develops from childhood and sustains through Adulthood. Another research found similar results. It concluded that employees with greater productivity are generally more popular among co workers (Porter, and Ghiselli 2000). This research asked the respondents to choose five co worker, with whom they would have had liked to work in a group. All the groups were given some task. The result of this research showed that the groups having popular members showed more productivity. Hence, it can be concluded that popular members are those who are good and quick at what they do. Working speed is also an important aspect as far as co workers are concerned. Nobody wants to work for long hours. Long working hours cause fatigue and stress to all the people involved (Park, Kim, Chung, and Hisanaga, 2001). To avoid working long hour, employees swiftness of work is imperative. Hence, working speed of a person is important for their fellow workers. Popularity also depends on factor which can be personal or situational (Fleeson, 2004). Flessons research states that people tend to judge others based on behavior of a person during specific events. They create a perception according to the behavior of a person. It shows that behavioral aspects play a key role in making a person popular and gaining celebrity status. Lodahl and Porter (2001) conducted a research on airline workers. The research was based on the popularity of the team leaders. 55 groups were included in this research. The results showed that the groups which had popular leaders produced better results. These findings can be looked at in two ways. It can be said that the leaders are popular as they are good at what they do. Besides on the flip side it can be stated that popular leaders are able to motivate and make their sub ordinates perform better. According to one research, popularity is dependent on various factors. The research aimed to find out what makes a child popular at school. Early Family environment plays a role in developing a childs behavior. That behavior plays a role in the popularity of the child at school (Conti, Galeotti, Mueller, and Pudney, 2009). Another research intended to find out the reasons of people communicating with each other in office. It said that people who communicate in turn influence the behavi or of each other (Anderson and Martin 1995). Popularity at work and Job satisfaction Office popularity plays a role in job satisfaction. Zelst (2001) found that employees, who feel that they are high on interpersonal popularity, are able to perform better on job. This research also gave reasons of the claim. A person who is popular is likely to feel greater job satisfaction. Besides he or she considers the working environment to be worker friendly. Another positive and important factor for a popular employee is that the relationship with co workers is extremely pleasant. This includes the relationship with upper management. In essence it means that the communication channels with top management are open for that employee. The last finding of this research was that a popular employee feels that the company thinks for welfare of employees. So, clearly a popular employee benefits the company as he or she is more likely to stay loyal. A research states that an employee with a positive outlook is more likely to be popular among his co worker than an employee who has a neg ative outlook towards life. A positive employee is more likely to mingle around with his fellow staff and gain fame. Adverse effect of Popularity However, being popular has some drawbacks as well. One research finds show that people who are popular are more likely to face bullying at work. The reason stated is that as everybody likes them, so some people find a reason to hate or be jealous of them. This makes popular people vulnerable to bullying (Tariq, and Ali, 2011). This research shows that Fame and popularity can be a double edged sword sometimes. Appearance and Popularity A research concluded that good looks are a major advantage for people. People tend to make a positive impression and perception for co workers who are well maintained (Langlois, Kalakanis, Rubenstein, Larson, Hallam, and Smoot, 2000). The research concluded that such people are more likely to get positive response from their co workers. Being physically attractive would include dressing well. This was a general research. Other researches have questioned the relationship between popularity at work place and being attractive. Some early researches had shown that once a person is well aware of the mental abilities of somebody, physical attractiveness become secondary (Eagly, Ashmore, Makhijani, and Longo, 2001). However, later researches such as Hosoda, Romero, and Coats, (2003) have proved that the phenomena of physical attraction hold its affect irrespective of the abilities of a person. Celebrities have to do a lot of stuff to be able to maintain their image, especially in their dres sing. So to become an office celebrity, an employee should focus on dressing as well. Another research proved that perception is influenced by wearing good cloths. A research was conducted which measured the 10 qualities. This research was conducted on teachers. The test scaled the teachers on awareness, professionalism, integrity, dependability, intellect, trustworthiness, efficiency and hard work. These teachers were graded then by their principal on the above mentioned attributes. The results showed that those teachers who did professional dressing at work got the most positive results. The principal considered them as dependable, reliable and with high self esteem (Kenner, Underwood, McClune, and Stephen, 2001). This shows that dressing plays a significant role in developing a positive perception among co workers and top level management. So to become a celebrity at work, dressing sense is imperative. This point is important as the new generation doesnt consider professional clothing as important. The new generation has been brought up wearing t-shirts, and jeans (Dickerson, 2003). So, their reluctance is understandable. However many professionals still consider it unacceptable. A research concludes that many companies are worried about this trend in their employees. Often managers feel upset about their employees dressing and take it as a lack of respect towards the job (Oleck 2001). So, to gain popularity and acceptance of the top level management it is important to dress carefully. Some researchers have pointed to that fact causal dressing in offices has been slowly promoted by some market players (Lilly, 2003). However, on the flip side the perception among the decision makers hasnt changed much, as many researches show that top level management still believes in the value of formal dressing. Humor is another important aspect. People who use humor are more likeable and hence they gain popularity among the staff. Such people are able to get positive attention towards them (Scott, 2007). Another research found similar results. It found that supervisors who have a good sense of humor are preferred. The supervisors who use humor to deflate awkward situation are thought of as more worker friendly (Cooper, 2002). In another research, the same researcher explained more deeply about humor at work. Cooper explains that the humor should be non hurtful and the receiver should not feel hurt by the remark. Humor can have an adverse effect on staff, if it is not well placed (Cooper, 2002). So, the celebrity status can take a dent if an employee is making jokes at the expense of others. Everything has to be used in proper manner. Humor can only be done when the person is feeling happy about his job. In this positive attitude plays a role Some researchers believe that popularity is linked to their personal nature of a human being. An extravert is more likely to gain popularity. This is because they enjoy the attention. Rewards of being popular are not in their minds. They are just being themselves (Ashton, Lee, and Paunonen, 2002). People who tend to be helpful and not argue much have a greater chance to be popular at work. Such people are considered as understanding, warm and kind. Obviously with such perception they are highly likely to be more popular than others (Scott, 2007). As stated in the research co worker support is considered a factor which helps an employee in gaining popularity. Co worker support is considered as a critical and urgent help one can give to his fellow worker at the hour of need. Often that can make a big difference in image building, hence increasing the popularity. This is a factor which cannot be neglected. Another research state, that people who are high on self esteem are generally mor e popular at work place. Self esteem typically includes how one judges himself (Daniels Leaper, 2006). So one has to work on his or her, own self esteem to become a celebrity at work. Popularity and fame has a lot to do with confidence in other words. Ethical behaviour and popularity Ethics also play a role in popularity of a person. A persons reputation as being a fair individual can be considered as a big positive point (Jones Skarlicki, 2005). Providing equal and justified treatment to all subordinates is also considered ethical. Scholars consider that there are 4 dimensions to justice. All of these factors are related to employee popularity (Colquitt, 2001). So, if an employee is favorable to few or unethical, it is highly unlikely that employee would get fame in the office. Another interesting aspect is learning about measuring popularity. Some scholars explain that that popularity can be measured by a rating system (Bukowski, Hoza, Boivin, 1993). This research also puts friendship and popularity in different spectrums. Hence, friendship and popularity cannot be measured by the same template.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens Essay -- essays research

â€Å"It has often been remarked that woman have a curious power of divining the characters of men†(75). This quotation from The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens reflects the opposite of what a typical Dickensian society is supposedly based upon. In this standard society, the plot would be based around the life of a dominant male. Although the title reflects a male name, the movement in the novel is directly related to the exploits of a particular character, Rosa Bud. Fondly called Rosebud by her peers, she is the apple of every man’s eye and the envy of every woman’s. She takes control in the plot not because she evidences forceful or masculine qualities, but because the powerful characters in Cloisterham, males, are all in love or feel a kinship to Rosebud. The power is therefore transferred into her hands as a result of her ability to influence these characters through their love and admiration for her. Attending school at a nunnery, Rosa’s female friends rarely have any contact with men. Through her betrothal to Edwin Drood, Rosa is the only woman within the nunnery that has a man to court her. She is the only woman mentioned, in the nunnery, that is going to be married off to a man, not God. Rosa capitalizes on this situation by leading the other girls in the nunnery to be her â€Å"poor pets†(118). She realizes that the girls as well as the head of the school, Miss Twinkleton, who describes Rosa as her â€Å"pet pupil†(14), look at her to be the embodiment of romance because of her prospective marriage. Miss Twinkleton and the girls live their love lives through Rosa, â€Å"over her shoulder†(51). Rosa feeds into the situation by making sure that the girls are watching her and letting Edwin know that they â€Å"must get married . . . the poor girls would be so dreadfully disappointed† (17). She uses her power over Edwin, which is given through l ove and devotion to her and both of their parent’s wishes for them to be married, as a way to stay in control at the nunnery. She is the object of the gaze to all of the girls and Miss Twinkleton, â€Å"nothing escapes their notice†(18). Realizing that she is the object of their gaze, she remains in control by showing the girls what she has with Edwin from afar. The girls are under the impression that Edwin and Rosa are in a perfect relationship when, in actuality Rosa decides that they have to â€Å"pretend that you (Edwin) are engag... ...t can be said from the information gathered that Rosa tries to keep bits of information from people so that she is the only one that has all of the control. The squabble that occurs between Neville and Edwin is a result that Neville feels that Edwin does not appreciate Rosa and his â€Å"good fortune that is not by any means necessarily a result of his good merits†(60). Neville has affection for Rosa after just meeting her a few nights ago. The argument results in Neville flinging his â€Å"dregs of wine at Edwin Drood†(61). This scene reflects Rosa’s ability to take new people that come to Cloisterham and get them to instantly feel a kinship to her. She has the capacity to force Neville into â€Å"rising in a fury†(61), after just recently meeting him. The plot line in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, although written in the 19th century, reflects the life of Rose Bud. Though she does not appear to be the main character in the novel, the plot revolves around her actions and opinions. Her secrecy about certain things to different characters enables her to accomplish this. Every other character’s fascination with her makes it easy for her to make allies and create confidant, all working in her favor. The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens Essay -- essays research â€Å"It has often been remarked that woman have a curious power of divining the characters of men†(75). This quotation from The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens reflects the opposite of what a typical Dickensian society is supposedly based upon. In this standard society, the plot would be based around the life of a dominant male. Although the title reflects a male name, the movement in the novel is directly related to the exploits of a particular character, Rosa Bud. Fondly called Rosebud by her peers, she is the apple of every man’s eye and the envy of every woman’s. She takes control in the plot not because she evidences forceful or masculine qualities, but because the powerful characters in Cloisterham, males, are all in love or feel a kinship to Rosebud. The power is therefore transferred into her hands as a result of her ability to influence these characters through their love and admiration for her. Attending school at a nunnery, Rosa’s female friends rarely have any contact with men. Through her betrothal to Edwin Drood, Rosa is the only woman within the nunnery that has a man to court her. She is the only woman mentioned, in the nunnery, that is going to be married off to a man, not God. Rosa capitalizes on this situation by leading the other girls in the nunnery to be her â€Å"poor pets†(118). She realizes that the girls as well as the head of the school, Miss Twinkleton, who describes Rosa as her â€Å"pet pupil†(14), look at her to be the embodiment of romance because of her prospective marriage. Miss Twinkleton and the girls live their love lives through Rosa, â€Å"over her shoulder†(51). Rosa feeds into the situation by making sure that the girls are watching her and letting Edwin know that they â€Å"must get married . . . the poor girls would be so dreadfully disappointed† (17). She uses her power over Edwin, which is given through l ove and devotion to her and both of their parent’s wishes for them to be married, as a way to stay in control at the nunnery. She is the object of the gaze to all of the girls and Miss Twinkleton, â€Å"nothing escapes their notice†(18). Realizing that she is the object of their gaze, she remains in control by showing the girls what she has with Edwin from afar. The girls are under the impression that Edwin and Rosa are in a perfect relationship when, in actuality Rosa decides that they have to â€Å"pretend that you (Edwin) are engag... ...t can be said from the information gathered that Rosa tries to keep bits of information from people so that she is the only one that has all of the control. The squabble that occurs between Neville and Edwin is a result that Neville feels that Edwin does not appreciate Rosa and his â€Å"good fortune that is not by any means necessarily a result of his good merits†(60). Neville has affection for Rosa after just meeting her a few nights ago. The argument results in Neville flinging his â€Å"dregs of wine at Edwin Drood†(61). This scene reflects Rosa’s ability to take new people that come to Cloisterham and get them to instantly feel a kinship to her. She has the capacity to force Neville into â€Å"rising in a fury†(61), after just recently meeting him. The plot line in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, although written in the 19th century, reflects the life of Rose Bud. Though she does not appear to be the main character in the novel, the plot revolves around her actions and opinions. Her secrecy about certain things to different characters enables her to accomplish this. Every other character’s fascination with her makes it easy for her to make allies and create confidant, all working in her favor.

Journey for Truth: The Life of Sojourner Essay

The contribution of the life, philosophy, and activism of Sojourner Truth was that she was effective in preaching to the community as a freedom fighter, abolitionist, and feminist. Representing many classes of people in Antebellum United States, she was able to illuminate for others the hardships and desires of black people, the poor and oppressed, and women. As slaves, blacks had no personal freedom. They had no rights to themselves or their families, were whipped and tortured, experienced segregation and denial of citizenship, were denied salaries, and, women especially, endured the devastating agony of having their babies and children stripped from them and sold off to other arrogant and inhumane slave masters. In an effort to encourage radical change in her time, Truth took up the risky cause of making speeches against the strong forces of evil and in support of the righteous values of freedom and respect. Liberating herself and other people was not limited by class, racial, economic, or gender lines, rather she held the torch of freedom as a beacon for all oppressed people to follow, calling for empowerment of the weak, tolerance for differences, and protection for all people (Waxman, 2007). Truth was born into slavery in the late 1790s, in a more rural area outside of the bustling New York City. At the age of nine, Truth, then named Isabella, was sold by the slave master away from her parents and one remaining sibling to another New York slave owner. For nearly thirty years, she experienced a life of extremely difficult conditions, being repeatedly sexually abused and physically assaulted, and some of her children were forcibly taken from her and sold into bondage. Luckily, after the New York Emancipation Act of 1827, Truth was freed along with other former slaves of this Northeastern region, and in 1843, Truth was inspired to assume her new name and began a mission of journeying across the country as an itinerant preacher, supporting the efforts of abolitionists and feminists in the North, becoming actively involved in breaking down the slave system and pressing for the rights of all subjugated people (Mullings, 2005). Truth’s most famous speech at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851 is a wonderful demonstration of the strength of her ideals and the power of her words. In an excerpt from Brah and Phoenix’s 2004 article, Truth is quoted as having preached: That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody helps me any best place. And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm. I have plowed, I have planted, and I have gathered into barns. And no man could head me. And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much, and eat as much as any man–when I could get it–and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne children and seen most of them sold into slavery, and when I cried out with a mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me. And ain’t I a woman? (p. 77) Her sharply painful and moving words, rich with truth and experience, sent tides of strength and power through the country’s movement for all levels of freedom in regard to all kinds of people. In countering tyranny with liberty, and violence with peace, Truth became an emblem of the almost suffocated soul which was able to rise up, speak out, and lend valuable energy and motivation to the essential activism of her time. In defending her womanhood, her personhood, her right to full citizenship and social inclusion, Truth demanded respect during a time when evil was easily cast down the noses of the dishonorable elite. Standing firm in her beliefs and finding power in the spirituality of goodness, Truth was able to meet eyes with her oppressors and effectively shake the foundations of a flawed system.

My Lot in Life Issues of a Stepparent

My Lot in Life: Issues of a Stepparent Part I Letter to a Friend 04 April 2014 Dear Amy, It has been a long time since we had a heart-to-heart talk, and by now you must have figured that I have a very important reason for writing this letter. I need your advice on what I should do about my stepdaughter, Jessica. I had a fight with her last night after I confronted her for bullying a classmate. She told me that I am not her real mother and that I cannot tell her what to do. You know that I love Jessica like my own. I will do everything to make her happy. I just do not understand why she would say that to me especially now that her dad is away for work most of the week. He had to accept that high-paying job in another city so that we can have enough to spend for the needs of our growing family. I thought that we had each other to turn to, but she no longer opens up to me like she used to when she was little. I do not have a clue about what is bothering her. I do not think that she is jealous with her new sister. It seems to me that the older she gets, the farther she drift s away from me. I would not have known about her classmate if the principal at her school had not asked to talk to me. She said that a mother, Mrs. Davenport, complained to her about Jessica and her gang harassing her daughter, Beth. According to Mrs. Davenport, it started when her daughter became friends with a boy named Jerome. At first I thought that it was not serious, and that the adults should not interfere. It is normal for kids to have crushes, to fight over silly things. However, when the principal described the problem in details, I was speechless. Jessica and her gang have been spreading rumors that Beth’s mother worked at a bar and had been a mistress of several men before she was finally able to get married, which of course, was not true. She added that Jessica posted on Facebook an edited picture of Beth in underwear for everyone to see, and called her a flirt. The principle told many more stories about Jessica, but at that time, my head has already stopped working. I was shocke d. I told myself over and over again, â€Å"No, that was not my Jessica.† At her age, Jessica is still a baby. She must have thought that she was in love, and that she can get Jerome to turn his attention to her by humiliating Beth. The things that Jessica and her friends have been doing are not appropriate for their age; they are very alarming. I know that to fully understand her situation, I should not merely focus at her infatuation with Jerome. I must know if anything bad happened to Jessica that made her behave that way. I must find out what it is that bothers her, or if someone is influencing her to do what she has been doing. I need to be aware if the problem is my parenting. I love her so much, and I will not let her become a delinquent. Perhaps, I should ask her dad to talk a leave from work so that, together, we can pay more attention to Jessica and the situation she is going through. I will talk to the people in her regular environment—her close friends and teachers at school. They may be able to tell me if there is anything unusual about Jessica, or if Jessica told them of a problem that she could not tell me or her dad. Most of all, I would let her know that I love her and that I will always take her side no matter what. Maybe that way she would realize that she can trust me, that I am her mother after all. My friend, you have been through this before so I figured that you could give me ideas on what I should do. Your best friend, Meg Part II Research After many years of trying my best to become a good stepmom to Jessica, I realized that she has not learned to trust me completely. The even bigger problem is that, she is involved in a bullying situation in her school, and she refuses to talk to me about it. I felt disrespected when she said that I am not her real mother when my only intention was to show her the right way. I only have her best interest in mind, but she does not allow me to be a part of her life. As per Harvey and Wenzel (2001), stepparents should not attempt to act as a substitute for a biological parent. Instead, they should aim to have a mutually acceptable relationship with their stepchild (Harvey Wenzel, 2001). It is likely that Jessica sensed my effort to become a mother to her but she thought that I planned to replace her real mom. Jessica’s biological mother died when she was six. About a year and a half later, her dad and I started dating. We waited for almost two years before we decided to get married. At first, Jessica seemed to take it lightly. She was such a sweet girl; it did not take long for me to love her. I thought that telling me that I am not her real mother is a sign of disrespect. However, Lintermans (2010) suggests that there are many reasons why a stepchild would say that to a stepparent and most of them have nothing to do with respect. This could mean that I have done something to cause Jessica to feel that way about me and that what she said was not a question of respect but of how I played the role of a mother to her. Bullying Behavior Research shows that the children living with a stepparent are more at risk of developing behavioral problems than the children living with two biological parents (Hetherington Kelly, 2002). Now I understand that I should not primarily blame myself for what is happening to Jessica. We were fine when she was younger, but I should look at the possibility that she is only beginning to feel the pressure of living with a stepfamily. The birth of her half-sister probably makes her feel that she is now an outsider. The new baby is the main reason her dad endured working far from home. Jessica is too young to understand on her own the complexity of our situation on her own. As a stepparent, however, I should have explained to her why her dad had to accept that job, and that even our family is never complete without her. Jessica and her friends were reported to have been bullying a classmate. The Child Welfare Information Gateway (2014) defines bullying as an act of using force or influence to intimidate others. I learned from the principal that Jessica and her friends have been tormenting their classmate, Beth. A young adult like Jessica normally engages in a bullying behavior to gain attention and respect (Child Information Gateway, 2014) In some cases, the perpetrators are not aware that what they are doing is wrong or how it affects their victim (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2014). Having mentioned that, I am starting to think that Jessica only wants to get noticed—by her dad, who she does not see very often. Jessica needs his love and attention. Maybe, she told me that I was not her real mother as a way of saying that she needs her dad. Role of Parenting In a study conducted by Dr. Claire Cartwright and her peers (2009), they found that more than a third of participants reported experiencing resentment towards their stepparents for taking a disciplinary role. They felt angry when their stepparents obliged them to follow their rules. After evaluating my past behavior and decisions, I realized that Jessica has several reasons for not liking me anymore. When she turned eleven, I thought that I needed to protect her from negative influences in her environment. I demanded that she should be home by seven o’clock, limited her TV time during school days, and reported to her dad about almost every instance that she was with her friends. I thought that by doing that, I was able to make her feel that she matters a lot to me. Dr. Cartwright went further with her study by talking about a young girl who was close to her stepfather and spent a lot of time with him until she became a teenager (2009). At the interview, the girl admitted that she was grateful for the support given by her stepfather, but they began to have conflict over his attempts to discipline her as she reached her teenage years (Cartwright, Fansworth, Mobley, 2009). This is the same situation Jessica and I have been going through. We liked each other very much before, but things changed between us when, from being a friend, I turned into a disciplinarian. Even when my intentions are good, my methods are simply not the type that Jessica would appreciate. Dealing with the Issue Harvey and Wenzel (2001) argue that if a stepparent decides to remain emotional about the situation, he or she may hold the child responsible for it. The stepparent may also blame it on his or her partner, or on other people (Harvey Wenzel, 2001). The key is to go deeper into the problem, and to carefully analyze each of the possible solutions with his or her partner (Harvey Wenzel, 2001). In this regard, I should not get emotionally affected by what Jessica told me. Talking to the people in her immediate circle can help me find the information I need to deal with the situation. Also, I should consult her father about the solution that will best work for Jessica and our family. The quality of any relationship is dependent on the time and attention partners want to put into it (Harvey Wenzel, 2001). I understand that earning back Jessica’s respect will require my dedication. What we feel towards each other may signal a more intricate issue that we want to avoid (Harvey Wenzel, 2001). I need to make her feel safe about being honest at home. I may be able to get her to trust me if I show her that I have an open mind (Harvey Wenzel, 2001). In all these attempts to reach out to her, the presence of her dad is invaluable (Harvey Wenzel, 2001). If Jessica sees that her dad trusts me by getting involved in it, she may start to realize that she, too, can trust me. Part III Solution The paper is written from the perspective of a stepparent who is concerned about her child’s behavior. The problem discussed is not true for the author. Most stepfamilies undergoing behavioral problems need education rather therapy. In many cases, simply being aware that what they are experiencing is typical is enough to give them hope of reconciliation (Harvey Wenzel, 2001). Families need to learn about stepfamily dynamics in order to have a good grasp of what is going on. Online and offline information are given for free by many organizations focusing on stepfamily relationships (Cartwright, Fansworth, Mobley, 2009). Families may also seek therapy and join support groups. One particular agency that provides professional help to stepfamilies in different parts of the country is the National Stepfamily Resource Center, formerly known as the Stepfamily Association of America. It is a nonprofit organization that allows couples and children in stepfamilies access to research-based resources related to stepfamily issues and the professionals who work with them (NSRC, 2014). They also offer media consulting and products intended for stepfamilies. They provide a list of trained therapists who can provide families help with regard to their specific problem, as well as guidelines on how they can find professionals that meet the needs of their family (NSRC, 2014). The National Stepfamily Resource Center can make a great starting point for people who are dealing with a stepfamily problem for the first time. Meanwhile, Strong Stepfamilies assumes that the stepfamily is different from a nuclear family; hence, they design customized approach to stepfamily concerns. Based in North Carolina, Strong Stepfamilies focuses at selecting the right tools and resources for helping stepparents and their children (Strong Stepfamilies, 2014). The founder of this institution has conducted independent research about stepfamilies with emphasis on the issues of a stepmother. Its mission is to get families to recover from the trauma, and to adjust within a newly blended family. Professionals at Strong Stepfamilies begins by evaluating where the conflict stems from, and then identifies if an individual, couple, or family counseling is necessary (Strong Stepfamilies, 2014). The institution also offers group counseling, where people with common stepfamily concerns are grouped together for sharing of ideas (Strong Stepfamilies, 2014). I conclude that my relationship with Jessica is in jeopardy due to many reasons, most of which have nothing to do with respect. She could be feeling the pressure of being a stepchild, now that her dad and I have a baby together. She might also not like the idea of not seeing her dad as often as she used to. Also, I must change the way I treated her, and ask her dad to have time for her as much as he can. I am clueless about how I should deal with the solution, but I can find the information I need from the National Stepfamily Resource Center. In case, I realize that we need therapy, we will seek help from Strong Stepfamilies. References Cartwright, C., Farnsworth, V., Mobley, V. (2009). Relationship with step-parents in the life stories of young adults of divorce. Family Matters 82: 30-37. Child Welfare Information Gateway (2014). Chapter 6: Preventing child abuse and neglect. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/educator/educatorf.cfm. Harvey, J.H., Wenzel, A. (2001). A clinicians guide to maintaining and enhancing close relationships. Routledge Hetherington, E. M., Kelly, J. (2002). For better or for worse: Divorce reconsidered. New York: W. W. Norton. Lintermans, G. (2010). The secrets to stepfamily success. New York: Gloria Lintermans. NSRC (2014). About the NSRC: Who we are. Retrieved from http://www.stepfamilies.info/about.php. Strong Stepfamilies (2014). About us. Retrieved from http://strongstepfamilies.com/about