Your Biggest Problem Tackled

Your Biggest Problem Tackled

There's usually no quick solution to problems that seem insurmountable, but that doesn't mean it's time to start breathing slowly into a brown lunch bag to avoid hyperventilation or a fainting episode. Greensboro, N.C.-based nonprofit leadership educational institute Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) has launched a program that provides a problem-solving methodology to avoid the madness.

The program, Navigating Complex Challenges, gives participants a problem-solving strategy they can use right as they're learning it, says Brenda McManigle, PhD and global manager of open enrollment programs. "One of the things that's really unique about it is it involves individual action learning," McManigle says. "A person will bring an actual complex challenge and work that."

The program begins with pre-work before participants ever arrive, and continues with online follow-up work after they leave the three-day face-to-face sessions. The experience is 12 weeks altogether.Launched the last week in March, with additional sessions scheduled for June and September of this year and January and March of 2007, examples of problems brought to the Center include how to integrate organizations following an acquisition and how to effectively bring a new product to market.

Eight weeks before the course begins, participants receive pre-work including a 360 by Design feedback assessment as well as an assessment that gauges the organization's readiness for innovation. They are also asked to start developing a "social network map" in which students are asked to think about all the stakeholders who will be affected by the outcome of the challenge.

In addition, participants are asked to interview the person in the organization who is championing the challenge, such as the manager who has assigned them the task that's worrying them so much, as well as a few stakeholders. Two weeks prior to the program, students have a 90-minute meeting with a CCL coach to clarify pre-work and start talking about the challenge that will be brought to the face-to-face sessions. From there the approximately 20 students come to the face-to-face in which they are set up in "learning teams" of four to work as peer coaches confronting one another's challenges.

The tuition, $4,800, includes meals, but students are expected to pay for travel and accommodation themselves. A week after the face-to-face sessions, the coach calls students for an assessment on how the challenge has been reframed and what steps will be taken to work through it.

Two weeks after, a 10-week online follow-up course begins in which students can bring the other members of their learning team, along with actual stakeholders of the challenge, into a virtual space for time with the coach. After those 10 weeks are over, the coach has a closing 30-minute call with participants after which they decide if they want to continue with counseling. The cost for additional time with the coach is $250 an hour.

"I think one of the things we really try to get people to focus on is the fact that they don't have all the answers, they're not going to have all the answers," says McManigle, "and so how do they develop their network and reach out to people to get the greatest degree of difference in perspective on what they're trying to accomplish." For more information, visit www.ccl.org.

Key Drivers of Talent Management Revealed

Key Drivers of Talent Management Revealed

Just when you may be despairing that no one appreciates your work, the 2006 Talent Management Survey has been released. Announced on Monday at the International Association for Human Resource Information Management (IHRIM) Conference in Washington, the results of the survey reveal that an overwhelming majority of companies cite talent management initiatives as a major sector of interest within their organizations for the next three years.

Conducted jointly by San Ramon, Calif.-based human capital management technology consultancy Knowledge Infusion and Burlington, Mass.-based IHRIM, an organization for human resources technology professionals, the survey found areas such as performance and learning management, succession planning and recruiting set for growth. Survey respondents, comprised of IHRM’s 3,000 members and Knowledge Infusion’s customer base, are primarily in HR management, with a majority representing organizations that generate more than $1 billion in revenue. According to a release issued this week, reasons cited for the increase in importance of talent management included recognition of the link across training, knowledge and performance, what was seen as a looming talent shortage and the realization that internal re-deployments of workers can often be more effective than external recruiting.

More than 77 percent of respondents said they would see dramatic increases in talent management initiatives within the organization over the next three years, Knowledge Infusion CEO Jason Averbook noted in the release. Substantial buffing up may be needed, for instance, in the area of human resources process and technology, which more than 40 percent of organizations surveyed said they currently have little or none of. "The lack of integrated processes along with little to no measurement of the workforce demonstrates that most organizations should increase their focus on talent management initiatives immediately," said Knowledge Infusion president Heidi Spirgi. And that’s not the only finding underscoring a deficiency.

Forty-two percent of respondents reported little to no effectiveness in the relationship between HR and training in creating and executing joint human capital management initiatives.

Fifty-two percent said HR is never invited into the boardroom to discuss future organizational goals; 38 percent do not have a senior executive at the company who is responsible for the performance of the workforce; 88 percent report their organization is limited or not successful at all at aligning business goals to measurable business results; and 72 percent said they have no analytic tools to measure the impact of HR on business results.

Luckily, though, help is on the way. Fifty-four percent cited they are planning to purchase a performance management solution over the next three years and 78 percent indicated collaboration between training and HR will be greater over the next two years. For more information, visit http://knowledge-infusion.form25.com/newsletter.

Source: Training Magazine

No End to Workplace Ridicule

No End to Workplace Ridicule

Lest you thought all those lengthy sexual harassment policies and ethics training programs were finally paying off, Boston-based employee performance consultancy Novations Group has news for you. Racial, ethnic slurs and other inappropriate comments made in the workplace, failed to decline last year, according to an annual national telephone survey of 612 employed Americans conducted last month for Novations (www.novations.com) by Media, Pa.-based International Communications Research.

Following a pattern established over the last four years, the most frequent offensive remarks were sexually related, with the incidence of improper sexual remarks rising by 4 percentage points, from 31 percent in 2004 to 35 percent last year. Ridicule based on sexual orientation also shot up 4 points, from 20 percent in 2004 to 24 percent last year, Novations Group consultant Tom McKinnon reported in a press release.

Incidence of ethnic and racial slurs also hasn’t improved, remaining consistent over the past four years: Ethnic remarks were overheard by 29 percent of employees in 2005, 28 percent in 2004, 28 percent in 2003 and 29 percent in 2002, while racial slurs were overheard by 29 percent in 2005, 30 percent in 2004, 27 percent in 2003 and 29 percent in 2002. African-Americans were half as likely as whites to overhear racial comments, by 17 percent to 30 percent, and Westerners were more likely, by 36 percent to 24 percent, to overhear such remarks than Northeasterners.

In addition, ethnic slurs were more likely to be overheard by Southerners than by Northeasterners, by 32 percent to 27 percent. And, if sex, ethnicity or race didn’t get your employees, then there’s a fair chance they were ridiculed about their age. Age-related ridicule was noted by 22 percent of employees.

Source: Training Magazine

A LOOSE THREAD

A LOOSE THREAD

Ever notice how a loose thread can lead to the unraveling of an entiregarment?In your daily life, a similar thing occurs. If you don't take care ofsome the little things, (having the right supplies you need to do yourjob, returning an important telephone call in a timely way for example),then your day can become unraveled.Take care of the little threads during your day. Don’t get unraveled.

Generation Y motivated by different factors to previousgenerations

Generation Y motivated by different factors to previousgenerations, say HR and finance professionals

According to new research from recruitment consultancy Robert Half Finance &Accounting, HR and finance professionals around the world believe that thebenefits packages that motivate Generation Y are distinctly different fromprevious generations.

The survey, conducted in 2005 with 1,800 HR and finance professionals in 11countries around the world, reveals that 83% of HR and finance professionalsbelieve that Generation Y are motivated by different factors to other agegroups.Motivating factors for Generation Y, according to the HR and financeprofessionals surveyed, are:

* Flexible hours: 36%
* Performance-related salary and bonuses: 33%
* Programs for career development: 32%

HR and Finance professionals believe that Generation Y are most likely toleave their company for the following reasons:

* The lack of career development prospects: 50%
* Poor salary and bonuses: 39%
* An inadequate work/life balance: 12%

Phil Sheridan, Managing Director of Robert Half Finance & Accounting,comments: “Generation Y is seeking employment opportunities that complementtheir lifestyle and include strong provisions for career development andfinancial rewards. Their behaviors and preferences will shape corporatelife. Organizations need to review the benefits and packages that they offertheir workforce to ensure that they hold onto this generation of workers.”

Source: http://www.roberthalf.co.uk

Six Interview Mistakes

Six Interview Mistakes

by Michael Neece, founder of Interview Mastery Monster Contributing Writer

It's tough to avoid typical interview traps if you're unsure whatthey are. Here are a half dozen to watch out for

.1. Confusing an Interview with an Interrogation.Most candidates expect to be interrogated. An interrogation occurswhen one person asks all the questions and the other gives theanswers. An interview is a business conversation in which bothpeople ask and respond to questions. Candidates who expect to beinterrogated avoid asking questions, leaving the interviewer in therole of reluctant interrogator

.2. Making a So-Called Weakness Seem Positive.Interviewers frequently ask candidates, "What are your weaknesses?"Conventional interview wisdom dictates that you highlight a weaknesslike "I'm a perfectionist," and turn it into a positive.Interviewers are not impressed, because they've probably heard thesame answer a hundred times. If you are asked this question,highlight a skill that you wish to improve upon and describe whatyou are doing to enhance your skill in this area. Interviewers don'tcare what your weaknesses are. They want to see how you handle thequestion and what your answer indicates about you

.3. Failing to Ask Questions.Every interview concludes with the interviewer asking if you haveany questions. The worst thing to say is that you have no questions.Having no questions prepared indicates you are not interested andnot prepared. Interviewers are more impressed by the questions youask than the selling points you try to make. Before each interview,make a list of five questions you will ask. "I think a good questionis, `Can you tell me about your career?'" says Kent Kirch, directorof global recruiting at Deloitte. "Everybody likes to talk aboutthemselves, so you're probably pretty safe asking that question."

.4. Researching the Company But Not Yourself.Candidates intellectually prepare by researching the company. Mostjob seekers do not research themselves by taking inventory of theirexperience, knowledge and skills. Formulating a talent inventoryprepares you to immediately respond to any question about yourexperience. You must be prepared to discuss any part of yourbackground. Creating your talent inventory refreshes your memory andhelps you immediately remember experiences you would otherwise haveforgotten during the interview

.5. Leaving Your Cell Phone On.We may live in a wired, always-available society, but a ringing cellphone is not appropriate for an interview. Turn it off before youenter the company

.6. Waiting for a Call.Time is your enemy after the interview. After you send a thank-youemail and note to every interviewer, follow up a couple of dayslater with either a question or additional information. Try tocontact the person who can hire you, and assume that everyone youmet with has some say in the process. Additional information can bedetails about your talents, a recent competitor's press release orindustry trends. Your intention is to keep everyone's memory of youfresh.

Source : www.monster.com

TOP TIPS: How to implement a recruitment strategy

TOP TIPS: How to implement a recruitment strategy

To win the talent war, you need an efficient and well-managed recruitmentprocess and the ability to develop and inspire your employees. Thesepointers will help you decide how to improve your company's recruitingpractices.

1. Identify needsA skills audit of the organization may highlight a particular area forconcentration, or reveal untapped existing skills within your company. Fillthe most important positions first - e.g., where poor result from anunder-resourced team is a threat to business. Clues on applicants’ CVssuggest the type of person they are. For example, bad grammar could indicatea lack of attention to detail.

2. The selection processEnsure your HR processes follow best practice to ensure that no unlawfuldiscrimination occurs. Advertise the position where it's most likely tocapture the attention of the type of person you want to recruit. Ensure thatsenior management ask the most effective questions that will best reveal theskills of the ideal applicant.

3. Bringing in the consultantsFor niche roles it's more efficient to call in consultants in a particularfield. The right supplier can fill a more particular role much quicker thanif you were to speculatively place an advert and hope for the best.Consulting experts helps to fill a position with a capable and highlyskilled individual who may not have been found otherwise.

4. Managing interviewsdon’t leave the interviewee waiting in reception for longer than fiveminutes - an interview is a two-way process and if the candidate does notfeel valued, they may not accept the job. Explain to the interviewee whenthey can expect to hear a decision from you - failing to make decisionsquickly enough may discourage the intended employee from waiting for an

5. Develop a retention policyOnce your candidate\'s in the role, it’s important to keep them there. Duringthe induction process, make sure the new employee understands their role andwhere they fit within the company. Offer training and regular appraisals toassess personal development and career goals. Companies that actively engagetheir employees are rewarded with loyalty and longevity.

Source: Alan Rommel, Parity Resources: http://www.parity.net

Time Tip-Telephone Tag

Time Tip-Telephone Tag

I love technology. I am not a technical person but I admire thetechno-things that have helped my business, productivity andprofitability. Things like laptops, the Internet, and email have cutcosts and boosted productivity and profits dramatically during the lastdecade.With almost all new technological breakthroughs, there is a period thatis heralded as the answer to all our problems followed quickly by alearning period during which we figure out how to best capitalize onthis new way of working.

Voicemail fits this paradigm. Voicemail-the culprit that heightened“telephone tag” to an art form.Ten years ago, I had to pay the salary of a receptionist or acquire theservices of an answering service to handle incoming telephone calls. OrI might use an answering machine with a limited recording limit. I optedfor the live receptionist.
More personal, more real, I thought.Then along came voicemail, a way of accepting incoming phone calls at alow cost with more options than an answering machine and a way of moreeffectively handling phone calls than before, giving the caller theopportunity to receive answers to their inquiries without talking to areal person.

Multiple menu options surfaced (if you would like sales, press 2, if youpress 2 and would like to receive a copy of our catalog, press 4, if youpress 4 and would like our winter catalog, press 5, but if you wouldlike our spring catalog, press 6…..).

I actually timed a menu optionthing recently and it took over a minute and a half to get to the optionthat I wanted to get to the information I needed.Voicemail also creates a new opportunity for people to duck your calls.Many people rarely answer a phone when it rings waiting until you haveslogged through their voicemail menu, then to play your message anddecide whether or not to call you back. Of course, when they call youback, they get your voicemail system and then you have to listen totheir message and decide whether or not to return their call. Hmmm.

Telephone tag and you’re it!We need a better system. Here are a few suggestions to better deal withvoicemail and avoid telephone tag.

1. Use an alternative to telephone. Look, people you call are going toduck your call via voicemail so use a different mode of communicationthat might have a better rate of success of getting through. Fax yourmessage or email it or even use a first class letter. Some of those“old” methods are better than the new technology.

2. Don’t spill the beans. Want someone to call you back? Don’t give themthe entire speal in your voicemail. Less is more. A little intrigue. Teasers. “Debbie. Please give me a call to talk about how to make yourjob easier” v “ Debbie. I found a new online course for only $259 thatwill show us how to get a lot more done in less time with a lot lessstress. The problem is I can’t afford to buy it on my own. Would you bewilling to kick in half of this and we could share the program? Let meknow if you want to do this.”

3. Be specific. If you want a return call, don’t end with “Call me assoon as possible” or “Call me soon” or “Call me when you can”. Everyonehas “too much to do”. You are then just one more thing to do. Thosevague requests wind up in the “as soon as possible” pile of Never NeverLand that rarely gets acted upon. Instead, give a specific day and timeto call back. Don’t give two or more choices because that willnecessitate a call back from that person to confirm which date and timeis best to return the call.
For example: “Joe, this is Don. I need to speak to you about how to makethe Anderson research run more smoothly. Give me a call back on Tuesday,the fifth at 9:00 a.m. I blocked that time for you. If this doesn’t workfor you, please give me a call to reschedule and leave a message on myvoicemail with at least two alternate dates and times for us to talk.
Gutsy? Offensive? Well, 95% of the time you will not hear back from thisperson to change the date and time you have selected and you willaccomplish what you intended to do on the date and time you have selected.

by Don Wetmore

Six Interview Mistakes

Six Interview Mistakes

by Michael Neece, founder of Interview MasteryMonster Contributing Writer

It's tough to avoid typical interview traps if you're unsure whatthey are. Here are a half dozen to watch out for.

1. Confusing an Interview with an Interrogation.

Most candidates expect to be interrogated. An interrogation occurswhen one person asks all the questions and the other gives theanswers. An interview is a business conversation in which bothpeople ask and respond to questions. Candidates who expect to beinterrogated avoid asking questions, leaving the interviewer in therole of reluctant interrogator.

2. Making a So-Called Weakness Seem Positive.

Interviewers frequently ask candidates, "What are your weaknesses?"Conventional interview wisdom dictates that you highlight a weaknesslike "I'm a perfectionist," and turn it into a positive.Interviewers are not impressed, because they've probably heard thesame answer a hundred times. If you are asked this question,highlight a skill that you wish to improve upon and describe whatyou are doing to enhance your skill in this area. Interviewers don'tcare what your weaknesses are. They want to see how you handle thequestion and what your answer indicates about you.

3. Failing to Ask Questions.

Every interview concludes with the interviewer asking if you haveany questions. The worst thing to say is that you have no questions.Having no questions prepared indicates you are not interested andnot prepared. Interviewers are more impressed by the questions youask than the selling points you try to make. Before each interview,make a list of five questions you will ask. "I think a good questionis, `Can you tell me about your career?'" says Kent Kirch, directorof global recruiting at Deloitte. "Everybody likes to talk aboutthemselves, so you're probably pretty safe asking that question."

4. Researching the Company But Not Yourself.

Candidates intellectually prepare by researching the company. Mostjob seekers do not research themselves by taking inventory of theirexperience, knowledge and skills. Formulating a talent inventoryprepares you to immediately respond to any question about yourexperience. You must be prepared to discuss any part of yourbackground. Creating your talent inventory refreshes your memory andhelps you immediately remember experiences you would otherwise haveforgotten during the interview.

5. Leaving Your Cell Phone On.

We may live in a wired, always-available society, but a ringing cellphone is not appropriate for an interview. Turn it off before youenter the company.

6. Waiting for a Call.

Time is your enemy after the interview. After you send a thank-youemail and note to every interviewer, follow up a couple of dayslater with either a question or additional information. Try tocontact the person who can hire you, and assume that everyone youmet with has some say in the process. Additional information can bedetails about your talents, a recent competitor's press release orindustry trends. Your intention is to keep everyone's memory of youfresh.

Source : www.monster.com

How to get Fired..

Advice You Can Live Without

If you came here looking for advice on how to stay employed, just do the opposite of everything I tell you here.

• Arrive late for work Being on time is for wimps. Drag yourself out of bed whenever you feel like it. Stop to run an errand on your way to the office
• Don't forget the coffee No not for your boss -- for yourself! You're already late so why not stop for a cup of coffee on the way to work? Don't forget to get a muffin or a roll too (crumbs on your tie look really good).
• Eat at your desk I mean your coffee and roll, not your lunch silly. Why would you want to work through lunch anyway? And take your time — you're in no hurry to start working.
• Take a long lunch An hour for lunch? Are they nuts? That can't possibly be enough time to get together with an old friend and run a few more errands.
• Have a drink What's lunch without a couple of beers? It'll relax you. So what if you smell like a brewery?
• Make personal phone calls If you can't make your phone calls from the office, when else will you find the time? Don't make those calls short and sweet -- chat away.
• Speaking of chatting... Let's not forget about the good old Net. You can go into a chat room any time of day, so why waste your precious personal time.
• Send lots of email Use those eight hours at work to take care of all that personal email. Oh and don't forget to use your work email address.
• Download, download, download... Your connection is much faster at work than on your home pc. And besides, there are some things you wouldn't want your significant other to see.
• Make the customers/clients really mad There are several ways to do this. If you deal with customers in person, ignore them while you talk to your co-workers. Don't have answers to their questions. If most of your contact is by phone, keep yours busy so clients can't get through. If they bother to leave a message, don't return their phone calls.
• Don't ever go beyond your job description Even when a project is down to the wire and your help is desperately needed, just remember: "It's not your job."
• Leave work early. Who made that five o'clock rule anyway? If you leave 15 minutes early think of how much you can get done before dinner.
• Party hardy Nights are made for partying. Don't worry — you can sleep late tomorrow. After all, you do plan to get to work late, don't you?
  

as published in about.com

READING FACTS

READING FACTS

By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

-95% of all the books in America are purchased by only 5% of the people.The other 95% of the people purchase the other 5% of the books. (They probably don’t read them; they don’t have the time; they give them awayas gifts.)

-The average person has two hours of reading per day.

-If someone, making $50,000 per year can save one hour per day, whichtranslates into a savings worth $6,250 per year, year after year.

-The average person reads at approximately 200 words per minute.

-The average person, reading just 15 minutes per day, can read one bookper month, twelve books per year.

-The average person retains only 5% of what is read once, after thirtydays.-Reading is a primary source of new knowledge and skills for moresuccess in life.

-This is the “Information Age”. Half of what we know today, we did notknow fifteen years ago. The amount of knowledge has doubled in the lastfifteen years and is said to be doubling again every eighteen months.

-We receive more information in one day than people in the early 1900’sreceived in their lifetime.

-Increasing reading speed and comprehension is a skill that anyone canlearn without regard to their education, background, job, or intelligence

-Increasing reading speed and comprehension is an essential tool intoday’s competitive environment and it is the most immediate and easiestTime Management tool to increase your career success.

Simplify your Day

By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

In my Time Management seminars, which I have conducted for more than 100,000 people from around the globe, I show people how to get more done in less time, with less stress; to help them have more time for the things they want to do in their work and personal lives.

If you can recapture a wasted hour here and there and redirect it to a more productive use, you can make great increases in your daily productivity and the quality of your life.

Here are five of the many techniques I share in our Time Management seminars, each one of which will help you to get at least one more hour out of your day for additional productive time.

1. Run an Interruptions Log. The average person gets 50 interruptions a day. The average interruption takes five minutes. Some five hours each day are spent dealing with interruptions. Many are crucial and important and are what we are paid to do but many have little or no value. Run an Interruptions Log to identify and eliminate the wasteful interruptions. Just use a pad of paper and label it “Interruptions Log” Create six columns: Date, Time, Who, What, Length, Rating. After each interruption is dealt with, log in the date and time it occurred, who brought it to you, a word or two about what it related to, the length of time it took, and finally the rating of its importance: A=crucial, B=important, C=little value, and D=no value. Run it for a week or more to get a good measure of what is happening in your life. Then evaluate the results and take action to eliminate some of the C and D interruptions that have little or no value.
2. Delegate It. We all have 168 hours each week and when you subtract 56 hours for sleep and another 10 hours for personal care, that doesn’t leave a whole lot of time to get done what needs to be done. Delegation permits you to leverage your time through others and thereby increase your own results. The hardest part of delegation though, is simply letting go. We take great pride in doing things ourselves. “If you want a job done well, you better do it yourself”. Every night in Daily Planning, look at all that you have to do and want to do the next day and with each item ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my time?” If it is, do it. If it isn’t, try to arrange a way to delegate it to someone else. There is a lot of difference between “I do it” and “It gets done”.
3. Manage Meetings. A meeting is when two or more people get together to exchange common information. What could be simpler? Yet, it can one of the biggest time wasters we must endure. Before a meeting asks, “Is it necessary?” and “Am I necessary?” If the answers to either are “no”, consider not having the meeting or excusing yourself from attending. Then prepare a written agenda for the meeting with times assigned for each item along with a starting time and ending time. Circulate the written agenda among those who will be attending. There is no sense in holding a meeting by ambush. Let people know in advance what is to be discussed.
4. Handle Paper. It’s easy to get buried today in the blizzard of paperwork around us. The average person receives around 150 communications each day via email, telephone, hard mail, memos, circulars, faxes, etc. A lot of time is wasted going through the same pile of paper day after day and correcting mistakes when things slip through the cracks. Try to handle the paper once and be done with it. If it is something that can be done in a minute or two, do it and be done. If it is not the best use of your time, delegate it. If it is going to take some time to complete, schedule ahead in your day calendar on the day you think you might get to it and then put it away.
5. Run a Time Log. If you want to manage it, you have to measure it. A Time Log is a simple yet powerful tool to create a photo album sort of overview of how your time is actually being spent during the day. Simply make an ongoing record of your time as you spend it. Record the activity, the time spent on it, and then the rating using A, B, C, and D as described in #1 above. Some examples of how your time might be spent: Made telephone calls, 35 minutes, A; Answered emails, 48 minutes, B; Attended staff meeting, 55 minutes, C. Run this for a few days to get a good picture of how your time is being spent. Then analyze the information. Add up all the A, B, C, and D time. Most discover a lot of their time is being spent on C and D items that have little or no value. Finally, take action steps to reduce the C and D items to give you more time for the really important things in your life.