Workforce Development - A Good Investment?

Why The United States Needs a National Skills Agenda

The Council on Competitiveness in April published the Thrive report, the first in a series of targeted benchmarking reports intended to illuminate key areas of competitive advantage for Americans to succeed in the 21st century and provide an important framework for charting a path to prosperity for American citizens.

The Council on Competitiveness refers to itself as the only group of corporate CEOs, university presidents and labor leaders committed to the future prosperity of all Americans and enhanced U.S. competitiveness in the global economy through the creation of high-value economic activity in the United States.

The insightful report (available for free download) discusses in depth specific issues and strategies relating to increasing our global competitiveness through focused and aggressive workforce development practices.  The synopsis of the call to action follows:

During a time of turbulence and transition—driven by globalization, accelerating technological change, and volatility in global energy, currency and financial markets—America needs a national skills agenda to compete globally and to ensure a rising standard of living for its citizens.

National and Global Demographic Trends Are Raising Red Flags. Slowing growth of the U.S. workforce has the potential to slow economic output if productivity does not increase. Lack of adequate reading and math skills among new U.S. workers compounds this challenge. At the same time, hundreds of millions of educated foreign workers are entering the global workforce and competing for jobs that are increasingly vulnerable to Offshoring.

Four Critical Skills Strategies for the United States

1) Meet the Demand for Middle Skills

Middle-skilled jobs represent the largest number of total openings in the United States until 2016, and the United States is failing to adequately train Americans to take advantage of this opportunity. These jobs do not always require a college degree, but most require training, technical sophistication and initiative. They pay well and do not offshore easily.

2) Build Service Economy Skills

More than three-quarters of all jobs in the United States are in the service economy, yet many policymakers view them as low-skill, low-wage options. In fact, the service sector is driving demand for more complex and creative skill sets—including problem solving, communications, entrepreneurship, computational analysis, collaboration and teamwork.

3) Compete for Innovation Advantage

Simply saying America needs more scientists and engineers is no guarantee that the United States can compete successfully in a global economy in which many nations have copied our model. Policymakers must recognize that the margin of advantage will flow from the fusion of cutting-edge capabilities with entrepreneurial, creative and interdisciplinary talent. Four potential areas to start with to create competitive advantage:

• More integrative scientists and engineers

• More entrepreneurial scientists and engineers

• More business-savvy service scientists and engineers

• More computational scientists and engineers to leverage America’s IT advantage

4) Create Skills for Sustainability

Sustainability will become a more important determinant of global hiring and investment patterns. Where new and growing companies locate and where jobs are created will depend in large measure on which countries successfully anticipate these opportunities and take steps to educate and train workers in these fields. America must get out front and move fast to develop the talent and skills workforce to capture these opportunities.

We are ALL impacted by our willingness and ability to move this initiative ahead.  If we ALL take ownership at a personal level of just ONE of these areas and work with our companies, schools and colleagues, we CAN make a measurable difference in our country. 

If of course, you feel that leaving it to others will "git er done", then prepare yourself for the inevitable consequences.

Despite the slowdown in Construction, the skill shortage problem persists - Here's why...

Do you ever wonder what's ever become of all of those skilled workers being cut in the Construction industry as a sector (such as residential), or a geographic area slows down due to the cooling economy?

I was reading an interesting article "Tale of two construction sectors — one still booms, the other doesn't" in the Seattle Times that was discussing the shifts that have, and still are occurring in Construction - and why, despite the seeming abundance of construction talent - that the shortage is still bad, and worsening in many areas.

It's an insightful article and will help clarify the true level of work skills transferability in the Construction industry. 

Watch this space, as I'll be publishing a article (still under development) about specific things that Construction Employers can do to close the skills gap.

How important are Technical Competence in Overseas Assignments?

There are many variables affecting the nature and the degree of challenge of an overseas assignment. The fundamental question is: what factors, beyond technical competence, predict success in the global business environment?

In general, the global workplace requires the ability to operate comfortably and effectively within a broad spectrum of difference--human, cultural and environmental, all of which overlap naturally. While research has identified numerous attitudes, traits and skills that make up this broad ability or competence, here is a short and reasonably comprehensive list:

1. Action orientation (conscientiousness).
2. Flexibility.
3. Emotional stability.
4. Openness (open-mindedness).
5. Sociability (extraversion, agreeableness).
6. Cultural empathy (cultural sensitivity, cultural intelligence).

The successful global manager, whether expatriating, simply working in a multicultural environment or supporting a multicultural workforce, exhibits a complex global competence that comprises the following:

1. Knowledge of one’s own and other pertinent cultures
2. Recognition of specific differences between cultures
3. Understanding of how culture influences behavior in the workplace
4. Ability to empathize with, adapt to and/or manage differences, as expressed in business structures, systems and priorities, within multicultural work environments.

Over my years in the business, I have found that the basic "technical skills" are far and away less important than the ability to coexist and operate in an overseas post.

Why the 90/90 Rule of Project Management Still Exists

Project managers are often their own worst enemies and say things to avoid conflict and make people happy that to lead disaster. Here are few of the classics, according to a colleague, Dick Billows, PMP.

1. I understand this is priority #1.Sure we can start immediately,plan as we go and finish it by October 1st.
2. Gee, everybody was happy with the project plan, they approved it in 3 minutes.
3. I've scheduled every detail. The plan weighs a ton!
4. No, you are wrong, that was never part of the scope! It's clearly a scope expansion.

We've all heard renditions of the above.  In fact that's why the "ancient 90-90 rule of project schedules" still applies today: The first 90 percent of the project takes 90 percent of the allotted time. The last 10 percent takes the other 90 percent of the time.

Of course, it doesn't need to be that way.  And from a business sense, shouldn't be that way.

Untrained project managers lack the necessary skills required to lead cross-departmental work efforts. They often don't know which of the project management techniques or tools to use or how to motivate people who are not directly accountable to the project manager.  Remember, one of the top skillsets of an effective project manager is "influence management"

Have you ever asked yourself the question: What problems do I  encounter which affected the success of my projects, (and how should project grading be adjusted to account for these mitigating factors)?

Project management is hard. It isn’t rocket science, although the formal discipline of project management as we know it today began as a tool necessary to make rocket science effective in the space program.

If you view project management from a purely technical perspective, it looks easy. There are only a few core ideas, each of which is conceptually quite simple and can be learned in a matter of hours. They include:

The idea of “project” as an activity with a beginning, a middle and an end. The idea of breaking up a large project into a set of smaller and independent tasks. The idea of defining the relationships among the tasks in terms of precedence, which tasks must be completed before others can be started and the description of theses relationships by means of critical path diagrams. The twin concepts of milestones and deliverables, allowing project managers to track and assess the progress of a project.

Still, a majority of all projects fail. Why? There are two basic reasons: untrained project managers and lack of historical data about costs and levels of effort.

As to what can be done, there is a lot.  And it extends beyond just knowing how to prepare a project schedule and budget.

Good PMs must like working with people, have good communication skills (70-90% of your time will be spent communicating), able to develop strong working relationships, able to influence others, sell the benefits of your project, motivate and lead others, enthusiastic & energetic, trustworthy, respectful, organized, must be able to deal with ambiguity, have the confidence to ask questions, and listen to what others are saying.

So "soft skills" are of critical importance.  You must also like organizational planning, vision, getting people focused in the same direction, and have excellent business skills.

It is extremely easy today to find quality accredited Project management training today, utilizing learner paced e-Learning methods.  I did a scan on the RedVector site and found 48 accredited courses on Project Management, averaging $25-30 per course credit hour.  Seems an affordable way to acquire or update the PM skills that are needed.

                                                                                               

CPM   Scheduling for Florida Contractors

CPM   Scheduling Part I

CPM   Scheduling Part II

Developing   & Managing a Project Budget

Financial   Management 1: Negotiating Contracts

Financial   Management 2 & 3: Pricing for Profits, Generating Cash and Getting Paid

Financial   Management 4: Accounting & Cash

Financial   Management 5: Strategic Planning & Budgeting

Financial   Management 6 & 7: Financial Controls, Monitoring & Project Budgeting

Financial   Management 8: Controlling Labor Costs

Financial   Management 9: Purchasing

From   Project Manager to Principal 1: Foundations of Management

From   Project Manager to Principal 2: Marketing Your Services

From   Project Manager to Principal 3: Negotiation Outcomes & Strategies

From   Project Manager to Principal 4 & 5: Manpower & Quality

From   Project Manager to Principal 6: Financial Management

Productive   Project Meeting Methodology for Architects and Engineers

Project   Decision Making with Case Studies

Project   Management Basics

Project   Management for Florida Contractors

Project   Management Trends

Project   Management: Professional Techniques

Project   Risk Management

Project   Team Management

CPM Scheduling

The   Art & Science of Delegation

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 01: The Changing PM Role

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 02: Managing the Proposal

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 03: The Agreement

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 04: The Project Management Plan

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 05: The Project Schedule

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 06: The Project Budget

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 07: Managing The Project Team

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 08: Managing The Client

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 09: The Project Start-Up

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 10: Managing Your Time

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 11: Managing Project Studies & Reports

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 12: Managing Design & Construction   Phases

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 13: Managing Quality

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 14: Managing Risk

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 15: Financial Management

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 16: Project Management Technology

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 17: Controlling Project Budgets &   Schedules

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 18: Project Close-Out

Winning   Proposals 1: Preliminary Steps & Planning Strategies

Winning   Proposals 2: Effective Design & Development

Winning   Proposals 3: Components of a Successful Proposal

Winning   Proposals 4 & 5: Final Considerations & Evaluations

If you are a Project Management Professional (PMP) or are seeking to get your PMP certification, or just increase your project management skills, you may want to look into these offerings.

So is there a alternative to the 90/90 legacy?  You bet?

Why Women in Leadership Means Good Business

Thanks to Kellye Whitney managing editor for Talent Management magazine, wrote an excellent piece "Women in Leadership Means Good Business" in early April.

She cites "One of the most compelling reasons for an organization to pay attention to the demographic makeup of its workforce is that a diverse employee base can have significant bottom-line impact.  Yet, when the issue is workplace gender balance and actualizing women's economic and leadership potential, the United States trails behind less developed countries.

This well written article also identifies what companies that want to succeed in the 21st century will have to do to realize the full potential of women and make the necessary investments to nurture their talent.

Additionally, this piece also poses the question "Why are we spending a bunch trying to understand overseas markets while ignoring the basic dynamics of the  men and women in our own workforces?" 

The argument made in Kellye's portrayal, backed up by sound research, is both troubling and compelling when you realize that companies which claim to be recruiting, attracting, retaining and promoting the best possible talent, in reality are recruiting and promoting 80 percent men. 

Fuzzy Math, perhaps? It doesn't seem to add up to me.

Food for Thought

On the glide path to Easter, some random musings about the state of todays job market.  (We'll discuss some of these in more detail after the holiday)

• Ask any recruiter and they'll confirm that while technical skills may get you the interview, soft skills will be needed to get you the job
• Technical skills are increasingly a commodity - which means that they often can be done anywhere they can be done cheaply, even in another part of the world.
• If your background is Technical, your future (eg ability to advance) will be to advance into jobs that require more "soft skills" and recruiters are looking for these during the interview - they’re absolutely essential to long-term success
• The real world is of today is increasingly unpredictable - soft skills are how you learn to cope with change
• Most organizations assume you have some technical skills - thats why most recruiters interview time is on how you ‘fit’ into the organization. A person who doesn’t fit can ruin the inertia and spirit of the team
• More of jobs today are customer facing.  Do you have a good undertstanding of what this means, and are you realistic of your ability to interact well with customers?

Not sure where to pickup softskills?  Online provider, like RedVector offer dozens of relevant courses that will help you get the basics that you need.

What Should We Expect as Basic Administrative Skills?

When I interact with small business owners, I am appalled to hear the difficulty that they are having finding workers with the most basic administrative skills.  I recently spoke to a client who advertised a entry level sales position, got over 2,000 responses, and after sorting out the candidates, was left with only one (1) that demonstrated the attitude,, work ethic and technical skills that he required.

When I asked what he was looking for, he gave me his list. 
It looked like this:

• Familiarity with desktop operating systems (Apple OS, Windows)
• Ability to access files - understand the concept of connectivity - storage
• Perform basic word processing
• Operate E-mail, calendar, address book
• Able to perform data entry and chart preparation
• Create a brief informational presentation
• Ability to safeguard confidential information
• High-school graduate (not GED)
• Able to pass a drug test
• Valid active in-state drivers license

Note that sales experience was NOT one of his requirements.  He was prepared to train the new hire in his products / services and how to sell.

Is this indicative of what the "available" workforce looks like?

The marketplace is becoming global - Are you ready for it?

Are you ready to play in the global marketplace?

Do you understand what this implies?

If you have been paying attention over the past few years, you understand that there are massive changed happening in world output and the world trade picture.

• The U.S. no longer dominates the world economy
• Large U.S. multinationals no longer dominate international business
• The centrally planned communist economies that made up roughly half the world suddenly become accessible to Western businesses
• The global economy has become more knowledge-intensive

I'd like to address the last point - becoming more knowledge-intensive.

It is no longer enough to have the latest or best knowledge.  Further, the idea that "knowledge is power" has become somewhat of a attitude that is off-putting to others.

Let me provide context for this statement.

I recently completed arranging a foreign trade deal for a US firm that knew that they needed to be sourcing from China, but didn't have a clue as to how to begin.  This is not an uncommon situation, as increasingly, international business is a critical necessity of business.

It's not simple, nor straightforward, but is doable for those that want to spend the time to become smarter about the situation, and required processes regarding foreign trade.

One area that I have noticed that is often unfamiliar to those westerners seeking to establish trade/business relations with people/organizations in other cultures is the western tendency to "pigeonhole" people by our existing cultural beliefs.

Not only does this get you into trouble (quickly), such incorrect generalizations can damage potential for future relationship development.

Here's come suggestions to help you when dealing with people of different cultures:

• Do not try to identify the counterpart’s home culture too quickly. Things that you believe represent "cues" to the other's cultural orientation (e.g., name, physical appearance, language, accent, location) may be (and increasingly are) unreliable.
• Be particularly aware of the Western bias toward “doing.” Ways of being (e.g., comportment, smell), feeling, thinking, and talking can shape relationships with people of other cultures more powerfully than doing.
• Resist the western tendency to formulate simple, consistent, stable images.  These may not translate the same in other cultures.
• Do not make the assumption that all aspects of the culture you are dealing with are equally significant.
• Strive to recognize that the norms for interactions involving outsiders (e.g. YOU) may differ from those for interactions between compatriots.
• Never overestimate your familiarity with your counterpart’s culture. More often than not, you will be wrong.

Please trust me on these points.  I have learned the hard way that global trade is based on relationships, and is not entirely price driven.  In the fastest growing economies of the world, the relationship takes precedence in negotiations.  And relationship development doesn't happen quickly (by design)

There are many places where westerners (across many industries) have screwed up by trying to apply western values and practices to other cultures. Here are a few examples:

• An American oil rig supervisor in Indonesia shouted at an employee to take a boat to shore. Since it is no-one berates an Indonesian in public, a mob of outraged workers chased the supervisor with axes.
• Pepsodent tried to sell its toothpaste in Southeast Asia by emphasizing that it "whitens your teeth." They found out that the local natives chew betel nuts to blacken their teeth which they find attractive.
• A company advertised eyeglasses in Thailand by featuring a variety of cute animals wearing glasses. The ad was a poor choice since animals are considered to be a form of low life and no self respecting Thai would wear anything worn by animals.
• The soft drink Fresca was being promoted by a saleswoman in Mexico. She was surprised that her sales pitch was greeted with laughter, and later embarrassed when she learned that Fresca is Mexican slang for "lesbian."
• When President George H W Bush went to Japan with Lee Iacocca and other American business magnates, and directly made explicit and direct demands on Japanese leaders, the American representatives violated basic Japanese etiquette. To the Japanese (who use high context language) it is considered rude and a sign of ignorance or desperation to lower oneself to make direct demands. Some analysts believe it severely damaged the negotiations and confirmed to the Japanese that Americans are barbarians.
• U.S. and British negotiators who you might think are the most able to communicate well, found themselves at a standstill when the American company proposed that they "table" particular key points. In the U.S. "Tabling a motion" means to not discuss it, while the same phrase in Great Britain means to "bring it to the table for discussion."
• When Pepsico advertised Pepsi in Taiwan with the ad "Come Alive With Pepsi" they had no idea that it would be translated into Chinese as "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead."
• In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into "Schweppes Toilet Water."

So it's important that your actions and words are carefully considered, when dealing with anyone of another culture.  Remember, this is not just about dealing with people in foreign lands; increasingly, individuals from other cultures are all about us, and the sooner we learn how to deal with our "cultural colleagues", the better we will be at expanding into the global business community.

Think about it.

Is there really a shortage of skilled labor in the workforce?

A while back, through my colleague and friend Dave Boggs, of Syberworks, I was asked to participate in a couple of podcast sessions on issues in today's workforce

I agreed and the podcast, which was published on Syberworks' website as "Episode 17: Is There Really a Workforce Shortage?" is provided here for your listening pleasure.

As always, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

It would appear that they AREN'T ready to work

Mark Schoeff Jr. over at Workforce Management published a brief entitled Skills Of Recent U.S. High School Graduates Leave Employers Cold that references previous posts in this blog about the report, “Are They Really Ready to Work?”

What's interesting about Mark's update is what has happened since this report was published. Workforce advocates came to  in late March to get the attention of Congress on what they call an urgent problem with the labor market: High school graduates are deficient and those with a college education only adequate in key skills employers are demanding to cope with global economic competition.

In a March 28 Capitol Hill briefing, the groups presented findings from their poll of about 400 companies showing that new entrants to the U.S. workforce generally disappoint those who would like to give them their first job. High school-educated workers lack the level of ability employers seek in everything from writing and work ethic to oral communication. Twenty-three percent to 27 percent of respondents said college graduates were weak in writing and leadership.

These are critical deficiencies that need to be addressed, and need to receive the funding priority to make the needed changes in our education and training infrastructure.  Left in it's current state, we'll be in a heck of a mess, increasingly unable to meet the most basic needs of our society.

How to Establish a Competency Framework - the Right Way

Many organizations develop a competency/behavior framework with a view to managing performance and progression more effectively. However, many managers and individuals find it hard to use the frameworks to achieve their goals and, therefore, the goals of the organization.

The most common reasons for this are that people don't see the benefit of the framework and aren't trained adequately; there aren't clear links to what the business is aiming to achieve and many frameworks are a mix of different concepts that makes them unwieldy.

A competency framework should be a useful tool to help manage performance. If you already have one, or something similar in your organization, here are some simple steps you can follow to see if it's fit for purpose.

1. Communicate the purpose

The first thing is to find out if employees understand what the purpose is. If they don't understand how behaviors contribute to personal and organizational success, there is little point in updating or developing the framework. Remind people about why it was introduced, for example, to help with culture change, performance management, recruitment or development. Make sure they understand how the framework contributes to these. If people aren't clear about this then you need to find out what their challenges are and explain how the framework can help. If the framework doesn't help meet their challenges, it is not fit for purpose however 'perfectly' constructed it is.

2. Identify Key Themes

Even if staff is clear about the purpose of the framework, it still needs to support the organization’s aspirations (goals, values, business plans and so on). If people aren't all working towards these aspirations, then some individual efforts are likely to be diversions from organizational success. Meet with key stakeholders (the people who have an influence on production or implementation); gather together all the documents that capture the organization’s aspirations and ask them to consider questions such as: 'What would people say about our organization?' 'What needs to change?' and 'What are the challenges that lie ahead?' Key themes are likely to be things such as 'listen to customers' and 'look after staff'. Once you have the themes, check that the behaviors in the framework support them. All themes should be supported by some behaviors, and all behaviors should support some of the themes.

3. Get Conditions Right

The organization’s procedures need to support the framework, and the culture, resourcing and management structures must be supportive too. For example, if you have a silo-type organization or a performance management system that focuses solely on the individual, then people are unlikely to display collaborative teamworking behaviors. Be realistic; if conditions inhibit behaviors then change the conditions or change the behaviors.

4. Tackle the Root Cause

Goals and conditions, behavior are influenced by underpinning characteristics (knowledge, skills and attitude). One underdeveloped characteristic, such as communication skills, can affect many different behaviors. If managers don't understand this distinction they may focus on trying to improve the behavior without tackling the root cause. For example, someone who is not 'planning the whole task to ensure effective implementation' (an example of a behavior) may simply lack knowledge of the task. If managers focus only on the behavior, there may be a frustrated delegate on a planning skills course and a wasted chunk of the training budget.

5. Keep it Simple

There are two key elements to ease of use - language and structure. However 'perfect' the framework, if it's too complicated, long or detailed it won't be used. The language has to be meaningful to the people who use it. This is partly why frameworks bought off the shelf don't work - because the language doesn't fit the culture or the organization. If the framework is too complex to be used effectively, it is possible you have tasks (for example, 'completes work records on time'), aspirations ('valuing diversity') and personal characteristics ('communication skills') mixed in with behaviors. These are valuable influences on performance but if they are mixed in with behavior statements it makes the framework not only unwieldy but also confusing. It is necessary to strip out tasks (they belong in job descriptions), characteristics (these underpin behaviors) and aspirations (at organizational level these are value statements or organizational goals and at an individual level they are personal goals). If you want to highlight the importance of characteristics then keep them in a separate part of the framework from the behaviors.

6. Train, don't Blame

Once you have tidied up the structure make sure that everyone who uses the framework is trained in how to use it. A framework is a tool, and as with any tool, if users don't know how to use it, it will fall into disuse or fail to meet its full potential.

As stated at the outset, the purpose of a competency framework is to be a useful tool to help manage performance. If you discover that your framework is not fit for purpose this is probably not the fault of the tool, but the way it was constructed, the conditions in which it is used or the abilities of those who use it. Improve these factors and you will have a powerful tool to improve the performance of your organization.

Do We Understand How to Get to the Truth?

So many significant decisions are made in the workplace based on majority opinion or by the highest ranking person in the room.  Does this mean that the decisions are correct, or that the arguments presented are based on fact, or truth?

For that matter, where does one turn for education or guidance on how ethical decisions can be arrived at?

I recently reviewed, "The Fallibility Principle" author by T. Edward Damer, (the author of an earlier work entitled "Attacking Faulty Reasoning: A Practical Guide to Fallacy-free Arguments").

It is a relatively new  publication that seems to provide this type of guidance.   This book is written in such a way to give the reader the knowledge and insight to put forth good arguments as well as point out how to identify flaws in others.

Of particular interest is the author's focus on the quest for the truth, or as he puts it the most defensible position. While the techniques laid out in this book can be used to 'win' arguments, the focus in primarily on helping stakeholders find the truth.

Some leading education firms, like RedVector, specializing in the education needs of the Design and Construction industry, obviously think this is important.  They have several courses in their online catalog that stresses the importance of finding the truth and arriving at ethical business decisions:

• Ethics for Professional Architects Part I and II
• Ethical Decision Making for Engineers (3 part program)
• Ethics for Surveyors and Mappers
• 15 Hour Petroleum Engineer Package #1
• 15 Hour Mechanical Engineer Package #1
• 15 Hour Highway Engineering Package with Ethics
• 30 hour Business and Professional Development Package
• 8 hour Bridge Design Package with Ethics
• 15 Hour Civil Engineering Package with Ethics
• 15 Hour Structural Engineering Package with Ethics

I feel that in today's world, the truth of the matter is too often overshadowed by necessity or convenience.  Readers, what do you think?  Is additional education in ethical decision making a priority for you?

To Have A Good Workforce, You Need To Have Good Leadership Skills

You'd be surprised at how much good talent flees from bad bosses each year.  Did you ever wonder if there is a "scale" (other than gut feel) to determine just how good - or bad, a boss is? 

in order, if you are looking at retaining top talent, and seeking to retain the talent you have, in addition to running the business or department responsibly, you need to be a boss that employees are thankful for

John McKee (Founder and President of BusinessSuccessCoach.net, is the author of "Career Wisdom: 101 Proven Strategies to Ensure Workplace Success") offers this quick quiz to help you find out if your management style is helping or hurting employee perceptions:

Simply answer yes or no to each item below. (scoring provided at end)

QUESTIONS
1. All employees generally dislike work.
2. The best motivator for your team is money; it's what brings them back every day.
3. Keeping emotions out of the management process has served the operation well.
4. Your staff prefers to work as a team so that individual accountability is lessened.
5. As much as I would like to, I just don’t have the time to spend talking in-person to my subordinates.
6. I encourage feedback from a suggestion box or other anonymous method.
7. I live for the weekends (this job is a paycheck to support my "real" life).
8. I don't believe outsourcing can happen to my company.
9. Regular team meetings are not justifiable as they take too much time, which lessens productivity.
10. My current management position isn't very influential, but when I move up the ladder a bit I can make a "real" contribution to the company.

SCORE CARD:
Give yourself 1 point for every time you said "No:"

10 = Excellent!! You'll be running the show in no time!
9 = Brilliant. You obviously see your employees as an asset.
8 = Solid. You have the right attitude, and the team will see that.
7 = Well done. You know people and their needs.
6 = Good. You recognize the power of your role.
5 = Fair. May be time to rethink your management strategy.
4 = It's definitely time for an attitude adjustment.
3 = Change or die (metaphorically). Things aren't good, but it's not too late to make impactful changes.
2 = Do something significant that will be viewed in a positive light or your employees will leave.
1 = It's time to consider a new job where you do not manage people.
0 = Ever consider a job as a bounty hunter?

Does Gen-Y Expect Different Customer Service Levels?

72% of retail employees enjoy customer interactions. But that satisfaction level drops to just 55% among employees between the ages of 16 and 24.  It gets even more interesting.  You'll want to read this article to get the "inside scoop" on how Customer Service expectations are changing.

read more | digg story

Why People Don't COmmunicate Well

You'd be amazed at the number of people that I encounter that admit to employing the wrong medium for communicating business information.

Choosing an appropriate communications medium is a basic "building block" of how we convey information. 

There is a "more correct" communications medium that time and research has proven enhances the likelihood that what you are conveying will be received and acted upon in a timely manner.

The diagram below attempts to illustrate this point:

Think about the following situations and consider the form of communication that would be most appropriate:

• networking with peer
• communicating with your mentor
• communicating with your boss
• delivering a proposal
• asking for clarification on a time-sensitive manner
• run a meeting
• schedule a meeting
• contribute to a discussion
• a job interview (as a candidate)

You'll note in the illustration above that the mediums that have a low level of richness tend to be impersonal, one-way and fast, whereas those with a high level of richness are personal, two-way, interactive and slower.

Hope this gets you thinking about the medium you are employing to ensure you get your point across.

Are We Creating Hardworking Idiots?

Thanks to Adrian Savage, a writer, Englishman, and a retired business executive, in that order. He authored the following piece "Creating Hardworking Idiots"
You can read his posts most days at Slow Leadership, a popular site for everyone who wants to build a civilized place to work and bring back the taste, zest and satisfaction to leadership.

The German World War II general Erich von Manstein is said to have categorized his officers into four types. The first type, he said, is lazy and stupid. His advice was to leave them alone because they don’t do any harm. The second type is hard-working and clever. He said that they make great officers because they ensure everything runs smoothly. The third group is composed of hardworking idiots. Von Manstein claims that you must immediately get rid of these, as they force everyone around them to perform pointless tasks. The fourth category are officers who are lazy and clever. These, he says, should be your generals. Discovering this information set me to wondering how General von Manstein’s categories might apply to business organizations today.

Lazy and Stupid

Most organizations have some managers within them who are lazy and stupid—at least, that has been my experience. Would you agree with the general that you can leave them alone, because they do no harm? I doubt it. Most organizations claim they try to get rid of any employee who is found to be lazy, let alone stupid as well. Maybe they try, but they don’t seem to be so successful, judging by the number who are left, some even in fairly exalted positions. Maybe one reason for this is that lazy and stupid people rarely do much active harm. The harm they do is more often based on missing opportunities and stifling the creativity of those who report to them. Bad enough, but not always easy to turn into clear grounds for dismissal—especially if the person in question is protected by someone powerful. Still, my guess is that even lazy and stupid people today realize that the best route to self-preservation is at least to appear busy and active.

Hardworking and Clever

Von Manstein’s next group is made up of hardworking, clever people. Organizations mostly want as many of these as they can get, for obvious reasons. But you’ll notice that the general seems to confine them to the military equivalent of middle management: jobs that are aimed at making everything run smoothly. I suspect one reason is that such people do make excellent administrators. They can take orders from above and turn them into practical ways of achieving the desired results. Some are so useful in these roles that they are never allowed to rise higher. Others maybe want to progress, but lack something that—at least in von Manstein’s view—is essential to become a good general. That something, it seems, is laziness. He wants the choice of generals to be made from people who are clever, naturally, but also lazy. Why should that make them better top executives?

Lazy and Clever

One reason might be that laziness is the principal spur to creativity. Lazy people are always looking for easier, simpler, and less arduous ways to do things. If they are also clever, the chances are that they will find them, and make them available to everyone else. Lazy people are also natural delegators, and find it very attractive to let their subordinates get on with their work without interference from above. Lazy, but bright, generals would be likely to make sure they focused on the essentials and ignored anything that might make for unnecessary work, whether for themselves or other people. In fact, it’s hard to see why you would not want your top managers to be as lazy as they are clever. It would indeed make them great strategists and leaders of people.

Hardworking Idiots

Now to the last group: the ones von Manstein said that you should get rid of immediately.
That group is made up of people who are hardworking idiots, in his words. He says such people force those around them into pointless activities. I don’t know about you, but I suffered from several bosses I would unhesitatingly put into precisely that category. They were extremely hardworking—and demanded the same from their subordinates—but what they set others to work on (and what they spent their own time in doing) was mostly worthless. Maybe they were actually lazy and stupid people trying hard to seem busy, but too stupid to choose the right things to be busy about. It certainly felt like busyness for its own sake, and it was hateful. Or were they naturally hardworking idiots? Some probably were, but it’s my opinion that most such people are clever enough. It is the organization that makes them function like morons.

Today’s fast-paced, macho style of organizational culture creates, and then fosters, the hardworking idiot. Indeed, I think it takes a great many sound, useful, hardworking, and clever people and turns them into idiots by denying them the time or the opportunity to think or use their brains. If you don’t look busy all the time, you’re virtually asking for a pink slip, never mind what it is that you are doing—or whether it is actually of any use to the organization or its customers. It’s all so rushed and frenetic. If all that matters is “meeting the numbers” and getting things done (whatever those things are), managers will be forced into working hard at projects that they know make no sense.

The dumbing down of organizations isn’t caused by poor educational standards or faulty recruitment. It’s due mostly to the crazy pace that is set, and the obsessive focus on the most obvious, rigidly short-term objectives. The result is a sharp increase in hardworking idiots: people who are coerced into long hours and constant busyness, while being systematically forced to act like idiots by the culture around them. Don’t ask questions. Don’t cause problems by thinking, or waste time on coming up with new ideas. Don’t think about the future, or try to anticipate problems before they arise. Just keep at it, do exactly what is expected of you, and always get the most done in the least amount of time and at the lowest cost. If von Manstein is correct, the result will be that more and more employees will be used to perform essentially pointless tasks. Isn’t that exactly what we see?

I think that even a fairly cursory look around most organizations today would confirm the accuracy of this observation. Consider all the time wasted in unnecessary meetings. The obsessive emphasis on staying in touch, regardless of need. The torrents of e-mails, most of which are simply copies of documents of no direct relevance to the people to whom they are sent. The constant collecting of data for no clear reason. Management by numbers and motivation by numerically-based performance measures. Trust replaced by obsessive control and leadership by forced ranking of subordinates against vague criteria determined by committees with no idea of the specific circumstances.

You do not need ethical insight or human understanding to operate a machine, and machines are how many of today’s leaders see their organization: machines for making quick profits, not civilized communities of people working together to a common end. We can only hope some organizations at least see the error of their ways before the hardworking idiot becomes the commonest creature in the hierarchy. We are well on the way to that point, which is probably why so many people cherish dreams of getting out of the corporate rat race. It’s no fun to be forced to deny your own intelligence on a daily basis. We can still reverse the trend, but only by dropping the current out-dated dogmas, dangerous half truths, and total nonsense that disfigure management thinking. Let’s do it before it is too late.

The Music Of Language

I have a colleague who in a recent email sent this along.  It speaks well to the importance, proper our use of, and love of language.  Enjoy!

The Music Of Language
Words Are Energy

When we speak or write, we use the vehicles of words to carry meaning, as well as energy, from ourselves to another person or group of people. We may be speaking to our baby, our boss, or to an audience of 500 people. We may be writing a love letter, a work-related memo, or an entry in our own diary. Whatever the case, each word we speak or write has a life of its own, a vibratory signature that creates waves in the same way that a note of music creates waves. And like musical notes, our words live in communities of other words and change in relation to the words that surround them. When we are conscious of the energy behind our words, we become capable of making beautiful music in the world. If we are unconscious of the power of words, we run the risk of creating a noisy disturbance.

Some of us know this instinctively, while others come to this understanding slowly. Most of us, though, speak without thinking at least some of the time, blurting out our feelings and thoughts without much regard for the words we choose to express them. When we remind ourselves that our words have an impact on the world at the level of energy, we may find within ourselves the desire to be more aware of our use of language.

A fun way to increase our sensitivity to the power of words is to simply make a list of our favorite words and notice the energy they contain. We can write them down and post them where we can see them, or we can speak them aloud, feeling them reverberate in our bodies and in the air around us. This is like learning to consciously play an instrument that we have been playing unconsciously for most of our lives, and the effect can be startling and delightful. As we grow more comfortable and confident playing the instrument of language, we will begin to compose beautiful messages, creating positive energy every time we write or speak.

Where to Find Women Building Bridges

Responding to the London 2012 Olympics and the push to get women into Construction, members of the WorcNet Women’s network, based in Skipton, hosted a “Women Into Construction” seminar at the Craven College Construction Launch event on Monday 5 June.

The seminar included presentations from two women ambassadors from the Construction Industry Training Board. Vicky Belton works as a Civil Engineer and Helen Dickinson as a Quantity Surveyor, they each presented on their journey and experiences as women in the construction industry. Attique Barlas told the audience of a scheme to introduce minority groups and women into construction, offering a four week placement and a guaranteed interview which could lead to a job and further training. Mary Kelly gave a very inspiring talk on the work of the Walter Segal Trust which supports people who are interested in self build opportunities, and Keith and Jane Barber from SHE Build UK told of their business which employs and trains women construction workers for their property management and development company in Bradford.

Members of the North Northumberland and Cumbrian Women’s Networks who travelled down to the Launch event are taking back information to their own networks and local colleges in a bid to establish a similar project in their own areas.

Following the formal launch event, some of the WorcNet members who are currently undertaking a 10 week starter course in construction, hosted an evening dinner at the Rendezvous Hotel for the speakers and the guests from other networks, where they talked about their experiences on the course and their hopes for the future.

WorcNet Co-ordinator Debi Hawkins said “We are really pleased that 11 of our members have taken part in this first Women In Construction course and we are working with the College to progress women into more specialized courses later on in the year. We hope to be running another Women In Construction course from September. We will be having a Women In Construction taster day in September which will include presentations, workshops and hands on activities.”

For more information on WorcNet, the courses or the taster day please contact Debi, Kath or Karen on 01756 692788 or worcnet@craven-college.ac.uk

Here where the new jobs (and job growth) will be

There's a lot projected to happen as relates to skilled jobs, according to a recent report published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among the interesting data of this report:

WHERE THE SKILLED JOBS WILL BE
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projections of employment in 2014 suggest that apart from IT-related occupations, most other scientific, technological, engineering and mathematical (STEM) professions are expected to grow moderately, at rates similar to those for the entire U.S. labor force. Only three specific STEM occupations are expected to actually decline in employment, and all of those projected declines are quite small.
High projected growth rates (20 percent or better):

• Forensic science technicians +36%
• Medical scientists & epidemiologists (summary) +34
• Hydrologists +32
• Biomedical engineers +31
• Computer specialists (summary) +31
• Network systems & data communications analysts +55
• Computer software engineers +46
• Network & computer systems administrators +38
• Database administrators +38
• Computer systems analysts +31
• Computer & information scientists, research +26
• Computer support specialists +23
• Computer specialists, all other +19
• Environmental engineers +30
• Computer & information systems managers +26
• Environmental engineering technicians +24
• Actuaries +23
• Life scientists (summary) +21
• Market and survey researchers (summary) +20
• Other life, physical, & social science technicians +20

Low projected growth rates (five percent or less):

• Sociologists +5
• Statisticians +5
• Architectural and civil drafters +5
• Chemical technicians +4
• Historians +4
• Mathematical technicians +3
• Computer programmers +2
• Electrical and electronics drafters +1
• Petroleum engineers -0
• Mathematicians -1
• Mining & geological engineers, incl. mining safety -2

 

• WOMEN INCREASE IN THE WORKFORCE - Also of note is the projection that over the 2004-14 projection period, the number of women in the labor force is projected to grow by 10.9 percent, faster than the 9.1 percent growth projected for men. As a result, women's share of the labor force is expected to increase from 46.4 percent in 2004 to 46.8 percent by 2014.

• GROWTH OF THE HISPANIC WORK GROUP -“By 2014, the Hispanic labor force is expected to reach 25.8 million, due to faster population growth resulting from a younger population, higher fertility rates, and increased immigration levels.
  
  Despite relatively slow growth, whites will remain the largest group, composing 80.2 percent of the labor force. Blacks will constitute 12.0 percent of the labor force. Asians will continue to be the fastest growing race group, climbing to 5.1 percent of the labor force in 2014.

and finally, a topic we've covered extensively both on this blogspace as well as my speaking engagements around the country:

• CHANGES IN THE MAKEUP OF THE LABOR FORCE -The labor force will change in composition, as a result of changes in both the composition of the population and in the rates of labor force participation across demographic groups. The projected labor force growth will be affected by the aging of the baby-boom generation — persons born between 1946 and 1964.
  
  In 2014, baby-boomers will be ages 50 to 68 years, and this age group will grow significantly over the 2004-2014 period. The labor force will continue to age, with the number of workers in the 55-and-older group projected to grow by 49.1 percent, nearly five times the 10 percent growth projected for the overall labor force. Youths between the ages of 16 and 24.will decline in numbers and lose share of the labor force, from 15.1 percent in 2004 to 13.7 percent in 2014.
  
  Prime-age workers. those between the ages of 25 and 54 also will lose share of the labor force, from 69.3 percent in 2004 to 65.2 percent in 2014. The 55-and-older age group, on the other hand, is projected to gain share of the labor force, from 15.6 percent to 21.2 percent.

Launch of www.Skills2Compete.org with resources for advancing a 21st-century skill guarantee

 

Reminder!  Register by Thursday, Nov. 8th A 21st-Century Vision for Opportunity and Innovation Launch of the Skills2Compete Campaign A National Webinar Monday, November 12, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. EST To register, email carlam@workforcealliance.or Learn About the Research Harry J. Holzer Professor of Public Policy, Georgetown University Visiting Fellow, Urban Institute will talk about the campaign report, America's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs by Holzer and Robert Lerman.. Hear from Representatives of Endorsing Organizations National Association of Manufacturers Phyllis Eisen, Vice President, The Manufacturing Institute & Executive Director, Center for Workforce Success International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers R. Thomas Buffenbarger, International President Kentucky Community and Technical College System Dr. Keith Bird, Chancellor Training, Inc. National Elsa Bengel, Vice President, Boston YMCA Education & Training The Workforce Alliance Andy Van Kleunen, Executive Director See the Resources Launch of www.Skills2Compete.org with resources for advancing a 21st-century skill guarantee. Register now for the national launch of the Skills2Compete campaign by emailing carlam@workforcealliance.org. Those who register will receive dial-in information one prior to the event.  Learn more about the campaign and endorse at our temporary campaign website at www.workforcealliance.org/endorseS2C.           The Skills2Compete Vision: Every U.S. worker should have access to the equivalent of at least two years of education or training past high school—leading to a vocational credential, industry certification, or one's first two years of college—to be pursued at whatever point and pace makes sense for individual workers and industries. Every person must also have the opportunity to obtain the basic skills needed to pursue such education.

Visit our temporary campaign website at www.WorkforceAlliance.org/S2C

Laborers Are Unskilled, Right?

A common misconception is that the "common laborer" you encounter falls into the "unskilled labor" category.  In discussions I have with others, I sometimes hear things like "well they're just laborers, anybody could do their job.  Wow!  DO these people need to get up-to-date!

Sure, there are plenty of "general labor" jobs where anyone who can fog a mirror could be pressed into service, but there are in every industry "laborers" that don't fit into the category of "tradesmen", but who have a vital role, and need to have a set of skills to do their job.

For example, in the Construction Industry, here are some of the categories of "LABORER" that the U.S. Department of Labor includes as skilled labor (and have specific "prevailing wages" defined under the Davis-Bacon Act)

• potmen
• power tool operator
• small machine operator
• concrete labor including concrete preparation
• signalmen
• laser beam operator
• waterproofer
• open caisson
• test pit
• underpinning
• pier hole and ditches
• laggers and all work associated with lagging
• strippers
• operator of hand derricks
• vibrator operators
• pipe layers
• tile layers (tile laid on road construction projects ONLY)
• operators of jackhammer
• paving breakers
• spaders or any machine that does the same general type of work
• scaffold builders
• operators of towmasters
• scootcretes
• buggymobiles and other machines of similar character
• operators of tampers and rammers and other machines that do the same general type of work, whether powered by air, electric or gasoline
• builders of trestle scaffolds over one tier high
• sand blaster
• power and chain saw operators used in clearing
• installers of well points
• wagon drill operators
• acetylene burners and
• licensed powdermen.

After looking at this list, it should be clear that these laborers need to have specific skills, right?  Ask yourself, in the "War for Talent", what are you doing to recruit people with these skills, test for these skills, or development of these skills?

Is Fraud or Incompetence Now a Skillset?

I am an avid reader of CFO magazine, an award-winning Economist Group publication, dedicated to providing relevant insights to senior financial executives around the world. Reaching an international audience of over one million corporate decision makers each month through specialized events, conferences and research, it is a highly credible "microscope" into the complex world of corporate finance.

Just for grins, I went back into the first three (3) weeks of headlines for September 2007 and discovered the following:

• Apple's Jobs Was Subpoenaed, Report Says
• Ex-CFO Says He Won't Be the "Fall Guy"
• Del. Court Slaps Staples on Backdating
• Retiree Miscount Leads to Restatement
• Quest's Quest for More Backdating Errors
• German conglomerate, embroiled in scandal
• Wachovia Sued over Drink Company's Spill
• Dynegy Settles Charges with Pensioners
• UTStarcom to Redo China Revenue Report
• Mentor to Fraud? Two Former Execs Settle
• SEC Charges Hedge Fund Head over PIPEs
• SEC Aims to Clean Up Grocery Spill
• Dried Dough: Krispy Kreme's Woes
• Fairchild Dumps KPMG
• CTRL-ALT-DELETE: Dell Frozen, Restarting
• Former HealthSouth CFO Back in Court
• Grand Theft Auto, for Real
• The Morality Play
• Shareholders Cry Foul in Calpine Plan
• Former CFO of a high-end car dealer is accused of embezzlement
• Ex-Controller Settles Fraud Case
• Unregistered Auditors Busted by SEC
• SEC Takes Aim at Ex-Nortel Finance Execs
• CFOs' Optimism Plummets