This "ad" showed up on my Facebook page today:
Every year, I look forward to the New Year. It just seems like such a natural time to pause and think about the year behind us and the year that we look forward to. 2010 won't go down in my book as my most favorite year but it was one of remarkable accomplishment. I was able to put 140 managers through a core skills program that consisted of four fundamental management classes. I got a new software system installed that will change the way work is done at my hospital. I gave some tough feedback to a manager who was failing--and her performance improved dramatically. I got to promote an employee out of the administrative ranks and into the professional ones. We got a new A/C system in our condo. My brother turned 40 and I was able to go to the surprise party. My partner had a great year at work. We went to Paris, Provincetown, and Phoenix (hmmm, only towns that start with "P").
So, 2011. Every year I spend some time just thinking about what the next year holds. I'm always optimistic so I just assume that the year will bring good things. If you haven't already, get out a piece of paper or open up a Word document. Now, just write down what your intentions are for the new year. Where would you like to be in December 2011 looking back over the year and looking forward to 2012. Did you actually move the ball forward?
My 2011 intentions are simple and they are safely written down and in a spot where I can access them and read them regularly. I encourage you to do the same.
Welcome 2011. May your intentions come true.
Let's chat about Elizabeth Edwards. My memories of her seem to be attached to the news media. She really came into the political spectrum when her husband John ran with Senator Kerry for the Presidency. She was a class act then and continued to be a class act.
So, what does being a "class act" really mean? I think quite a lot. I think being a class act includes being honest with yourself and with your family, it is living every single day to its fullest. It also includes helping others and speaking your voice when others cannot. Elizabeth Edwards was truly a Class Act.
Her brave fight with Cancer, her support of her husband under circumstances that most people wouldn't have tolerated, to the point where she had had enough. All depict a class act
So, when you are complaining about work, "The Holiday's", the dirty dishes or the laundry that you need to do, think about "A Class Act" and proceed appropriatly.
Elizabeth, thank you for your service, wisdom, and bravery.
Today is December 7th (well, now 8th by a few minutes)...Today my thoughts turn to my Step Dad, Archie Kelley.
My Step Dad, Archie P. Kelley served his country well in the US Navy. Since today is December 7th, the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, I thought I'd write about him. Archie was stationed on a submarine at Pearl Harbor on that faithful day. He was in the engine room, the officer in charge, and responsible for keeping things running.
When the bombing commenced, his submarine ended up at the bottom of the harbor. Archie was faced with figuring out what compartments to flood to keep the sub from tipping over. That meant closing doors with people on the other side. When Archie describes it, tears still come to his eyes--and he is 92 years old.
Luckily, there was an uncharted exhaust pipe that lead from from the engine room to the surface. Archie and his men climbed up that pipe to the surface. And, I'm sure, what awaited them on the surface wasn't much better.
So this evening, I called my Step Dad--As I was listening to the phone ring I thought "Do I say happy Pearl Harbor Day?"...but, the minute he picked up I realized all I had to say was "Thinking about you on this terrible day...Thank You."
Today's Guest Post comes from Stanley Janas at Halogen Software. He makes a compelling argument about linking training and development to performance metrics. It is a great read. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am now Director of Learning + Development at Tufts Medical Center here in Boston, Massachusetts. Halogen has been solicited for a quote for their performance and learning management software solutions.
This analysis allows Learning and Development teams to clearly identify performance gaps and assess learning needs for the entire organization. If your organization conducts assessments for succession planning purposes, you should look at the employee performance data from this process. Access Development Plans for the Entire Organization In addition to providing employee performance ratings, your organization's performance appraisals likely invite managers to assign development plans to their employees.
Collecting and analyzing this data from your performance appraisals is another way to get real data on individual employee training needs, whether their development plans are associated with competencies that need development, with stretch objectives that require an employee to acquire new skills or with career or professional development plans. Again, you may also be able to get similar information from any assessments conducted as part of your succession planning process. Provide Training That Supports High-Level Organizational Goals
You
should also look to your organization's high level goals, mission, vision and
values. While managers and employees use this information to align their
personal goals, Learning and Development teams can use it to create curricula
and learning paths that support the achievement of these goals.
This is the most accurate way to truly measure the value of training in terms of sustained performance improvements.
Stanley Janas is Director of HR at Halogen Software. He can be reached at sjanas@halogensoftware.com
Today I had the opportunity to see The Lion King. The show was o.k., it was clearly Disney. However I quickly became distracted by watching all of the parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, who took their nieces, nephews, sons, daughters, little brothers and little sisters, etc., etc., etc... to see the show. You know it is going to be a problem when the audience becomes more fascinating than the puppets on stage.
I've decided that I'm going to write the folks who write and distribute Playbill, you know, the handout that they give you when you sit down, and suggest that they add a section in all Playbills that have shows that may have more than 10 children in the audience, called "Taking Your Child to see a Broadway Type Show" or "How to Behave when Tickets are Over $50.00"
A Guide From Someone Without Children to Someone With Children
Today, the Appliance Repair Guy came to my home to fix our ice maker that, wonder of wonders, stopped producing ice a few weeks ago. Nice guy. Normal service call. Ended up turning the water on that had been mysteriously turned off...and I don't have children...so immediately blamed the housekeeper.
The repair job, however has nothing to do with this post. This post is about the fact that in my conversation with the Appliance Repair Guy, I learned about what it is like to work in what is considered a "High Risk" territory. Because my home lies in the same zip code as several housing projects we get a "High Risk:" designation. My guy started to share some stories with me. And, I shall share them with you.
It is not uncommon for at-home moms to offer sex in exchange for a refrigerator repair--with their children present.
Always take the stairs in a housing project...it is much safer than an elevator.
Be careful not to get caught in any type of gun crossfire (it has happened to him twice).
Carry a wrench at the top of your bag. It may save your life.
Pay attention to where the knives are in the kitchen. If he get's a bad "vibe" he won't turn his back to you.
When you work in "High Risk" neighborhoods, you get to know the "ladies of the evening" and most of them are pretty nice. He buys them a juice if they are in front of Dunkin' Donuts and it looks like they had a bad night--they occasionally buy him a juice, too.
Finally, The Appliance Company equips him a Bullet Proof Vest. He knocked on it. It was there.
It got me thinking about how dangerous some jobs really are when they involve going into people's homes. You see the "hoarders" on Bravo, the junkies in all the movies, and the crazies on the bus. We observe but we rarely participate. These people enter their homes. They fix their appliances/cable TV/toilet, etc., and then ask for money. You can see how it can get dangerous quickly.
So, take my advice, be nice. Get out of their way. Let them do their job. Make the visit to your home normal, non-threatening, even pleasant. Don't complain about the charge.
THEY EARN EVERY PENNY OF IT.
I had the pleasure of meeting Dennis Williams when I attended "bootcamp" at Profiles International almost three years ago. We were both "newbies" just getting the hang of what it means to consult um, I mean, sell assessment tests. We both knew the value. We both understood how the implementation of these tools could actually drive organizational change.
What we didn't know was how damn darn hard it was going to be.
Oh, and we had no idea the economy would come crashing down like a firestorm all around us.
And perhaps that is what has made it fun (aside from the amazing Mexican Food restaurant that we found near the hotel right along I-35 in Waco, Texas). In any event, Dennis and I have remained friends ever since we met at bootcamp and I think we've had a similar ride...driven by excitement, fear, and a need to support the people we love. Here we both are, three years later, happy to in the place where we are.
Read Dennis' blog today and see if it doesn't shed a new perspective for you. And who says that Networking doesn't pay off...especially when your new Networking friend becomes your friend.
http://denniskwilliams.wordpress.com/
That is the question here in Boston. So, let me tell you a story. The Hyatt Hotel in its attempt to, I'm sure, save money recently outsourced all of its housekeeping staff. But that isn't really the story here. I am all for outsourcing when it makes sense but I'm more familiar with white collar outsourcing than I am with blue collar outsourcing. This was downright mean outsourcing.
Click here if you want more details
In any event, the management of the hotels told the housekeepers that they were training new workers to fill in for vacations and to reduce overtime. The staff, of course, was more than happy to train the relief workers and they understood that there would be less overtime.
Then, the hotel fired all of the housekeepers. Some with over 22 years of tenure. They had dutifully trained their replacements. The Hyatt leadership team thought this was a great idea. Well, it didn't please the Governor of Massachusetts, the Mayor of Boston, or the Cab Drivers. Yep, all three threatened a boycott of the hotels.
Yes!
They Hyatt responded. They offered the housekeepers their jobs back with the new outsourcing company at their current wage and benefit level for one year. Then, of course, their jobs would be eliminated and the new lower paid, crappy benefits team would rule the school.
And the Hyatt was surprised when many of the housekeepers didn't take the deal. Why? Hmmm, it is like a slow death--just waiting for the clock to count down the days until they are finished. Many other hotels in town were more than happy to pick up the talent. In fact, the Hyatt housekeepers, fully trained in working in a full service business class hotel were happy to put themselves to work at the Marriott, Hilton, Westin, and the new uber hip W.
I reflect on Ted Kennedy Jr.'s speech at his father's funeral mass. When young Ted queried his father about why he left money for the maid when she already gets paid his father reflected back to him "Teddy, making beds all day long is back breaking work. This woman has a family to feed and life isn't easy" (I'm sure I've butchered the quote but you get the idea). If you want to hear the eulogy.
I think Ted Kennedy said all that needed to be said.
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal ran an article about the fact that Circuit City was going to begin the liquidation process for its remaining 550 stores--and, it will be putting 30,000 people out of work. About a year ago, Circuit City actually fired its experienced associates with the goal of replacing them with less expensive less experienced workers--they figured that the consumer just doesn't care who sells them a $2,500.00 television set. I wrote about it back in December, 2007.
I hate to say "I told you so" but...
From Friday's WSJ On-Line..."At one point, the company sacked thousands of veteran salespeople and replaced them with lower-paid and less-experienced workers, believing that sales wouldn't suffer as a result. They did, and the damage to revenue – and Circuit City's reputation -- was never undone."
In these lean economic times, letting go of your most important asset...your skilled, seasoned employees, could be a deadly mistake. The analysis of the benefits that seasoned workers bring to the organization must be a part of of your overall staffing strategy. See, people chose Circuit City because of the knowledgeable workforce and because many of us don't want to buy from teenagers. HR, this is where your partnership and knowledge of the line business is so critical--helping organizations understand the dire ramifications of their people decisions is our responsibility.
The cost--30,000 jobs and a great retailer.
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