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15 Personal Skills You Need on the Job

December 30, 2006

Employers are looking for workers who have that special something: the skills, tendencies and
attributes that help to keep productivity—and
profits—up.

What are they? Businesses are looking for employees with strong "personal" skills, according to
ACT research. Keep these in mind, because employers
certainly are.

Carefulness: Do you have a tendency to think and plan carefully before acting? This helps with
reducing the chance for costly errors, as well as keeping a steady workflow going.

Cooperation: Willingness to engage in interpersonal work situations is very important in the

workplace.

Creativity: You've heard of "thinking outside the box"? Employers want innovative people who
bring a fresh perspective.

Discipline: This includes the ability to keep on task and complete projects without
becoming distracted or bored.

Drive: Businesses want employees who have high aspiration levels and work hard
to achieve goals.

Good attitude: This has been shown to predict counterproductive work behaviors,
job performance and theft.

Goodwill: This is a tendency to believe others are well-intentioned.

Influence: Groups need strong leaders to guide the way. Influence includes a
tendency to positively impact social situations by speaking your mind and becoming
a group leader.

Optimism: A positive attitude goes a long way toward productivity.

Order: "Where did I put that?" A tendency to be well organized helps employees to
work without major distractions or "roadblocks."

Safe work behaviors: Employers want people who avoid work-related accidents
and unnecessary risk-taking in a work environment.

Savvy: This isn't just about job knowledge, but knowledge of coworkers and the
working environment. It includes a tendency to read other people's motives from
observed behavior and use this information to guide one's thinking and action.

Sociability: How much you enjoy interacting with coworkers affects how well you
work with them.

Stability: This means a tendency to maintain composure and rationality in stressful

work situations.

Vigor: This is a tendency to keep a rapid tempo and keep busy.

Article provided courtesy of ACT, an independent, nonprofit organization that

provides assessment, research, information and program management services in
education and workforce development. For more information on how to assess and
build upon these and other "personal" skill areas—as well as "foundational" skills
such as math,
reading and writing—go to www.act.org/workkeys.

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Measuring Training Effectiveness

July 30, 2007

By Dorn Williams

Training is a critical component in any organization's strategy, but organizations don't always
evaluate the business impact of a training program. Given the large expenditures for training in
many organizations, it is important to develop business intelligence tools that will help
companies improve the measurement of training effectiveness. These tools need to provide a
methodology to measure, evaluate, and continuously improve training, as well as the
organizational and technical infrastructure (systems) to implement the methodology. Cross-
functional and reporting and learning analytics provide important connections between the
measures of learning effectiveness offered by a learning management system (LMS) and the
larger enterprise metrics that indicate whether learning is transferred and positively affects
business results.
Business Performance Impact

Unless a training program exists simply for the sake of training, results should be measured and
measurements should include business performance data, not just training data. Including
selected metrics—such as sales, customer satisfaction, workplace safety, productivity and others
—into a reporting strategy can help demonstrate where training has increased revenue or
decreased costs. Measurements that consider performance improvements can provide a
benchmark for training effectiveness. After implementing a training initiative or changing an
existing program, an organization can observe and record a change in performance. To evaluate
retention rates, there should be a lag between the training and these behavior measurements.

Many organizations are unable to evaluate their programs beyond the first two Kirkpatrick levels
because they lack the tools to collect the data to make higher level evaluations. In part, LMSs,
the most common repository for training data and mechanism to deliver training, make lower
level evaluations easy but don't provide any tool for higher level evaluation. Most LMSs
automatically will track and report information required for Level One and Level Two analyses.

Likewise, training programs can inexpensively and easily administer pre- and post-tests that
evaluate learning results (Level Two). When evaluating changes in student behavior and training
influence on business results, however, data collection requirements extend beyond course
delivery.

Much of the data needed to bridge the gap between training and performance
exists in many organizations. Individual performance data exists in performance
management systems. Organizational data exists in marketing, sales, and financial
systems. Bridging this gap requires a technical infrastructure and reporting strategy
that minimizes the administrative effort needed to collect and analyze the training
and performance data together.

But why are organizations still unlikely to evaluate training at Kirkpatrick's Level
Three? System integration, one common point of failure, is critical. Many LMS
vendors with a history as product companies have limited expertise in system
integration that extends beyond learning systems and databases. Successfully
managing performance-based training evaluation, however, requires expertise in
data management and warehousing, a variety of corporate systems and databases,
analytics, and Web-based application development.

Cross-Functional Reporting

A reporting and data management strategy that focuses on the LMS as the
foundation only compounds the system integration challenges that make
performance-based training evaluation unmanageable. Instead, the organization
should adopt a cross-functional corporate reporting and data management strategy.
The features of a cross-functional reporting system that also can provide learning
and training analytics include:

•Independence from LMS

• Integration with business systems across the enterprise
• Alignment with individual and organizational performance

LMS Independence

A cross-functional reporting system for training should not be locked into a single
LMS platform. By utilizing a generic framework, common LMS data should map to
variables in the learning intelligence system. Typically, an organization will feed
performance, job code, certification, and other corporate data into the LMS
reporting system. By adding a cross-functional system between the LMS and other
corporate systems, the organization only needs to update one data connection if
the LMS changes.

Business System Integration

As a broker for business intelligence throughout the organization, the reporting

system needs to aggregate the data from multiple corporate systems. If assembling
information is too cumbersome and time consuming and the data is outdated or not
even correct, the system cannot enhance evaluations by combining training with
other business data.

If the organization has a corporate data warehouse, the LMS can push the learning
management data into this consolidated data source. Any corporate reporting
system then can access this learning data, combine it with other business data, and
make advanced ROI calculations. Although integrating multiple data sources can
require significant system integration effort, the organization gains greater control
over its learning and business data. Different data owners maintain data integrity in
the consolidated data source, which provides a unified data access point.

Business system integration allows the organization to leverage training and

business data together in a context-sensitive manner. The cross-functional system
can push data to an enterprise or departmental portal or a reporting tool used by a
particular decision maker. Portal applications and other reporting tools allow training
professionals to make more informed decisions when designing and implementing a
training program. Some examples of how data can be combined for different
decision-makers and purposes include:

• A training scorecard that evaluates training programs on ROI and other

performance metrics. The training scorecard becomes a much more powerful tool to
manage interdependent activities and performance if it provides an easy-to-use
"drill-down" capability that provides supporting data, so training professionals can
identify how cost and performance results contribute to a training program's score.

• Sales, manufacturing, distribution, customer service, and other scorecards that

provide metrics specific to that domain, including training and other relevant
operational and performance metrics.
• Predictive analytical tools that allow organizations to perform what-if scenarios to
make resource allocation decisions that maximize desirable organizational
performance.

Performance Alignment

What differentiates a cross-functional reporting strategy from most LMS-based

reporting approaches is the ability to align training with performance objectives for
the entire extended enterprise, including individuals, the organization, and its
business partners. The cross-functional approach can combine the course
completion, certification, and assessment scores of the LMS with the evaluation and
competency data in a performance management system. Achieving this alignment
depends on statistically validated learning analytics that help an organization
understand how training, individual behavior, and organizational performance are
linked.

A Training Model from Learning Analytics

When an organization measures without an understanding of interdependent cause

and effect relationships, it does not accurately evaluate training effectiveness. A
company may achieve better sales numbers following a sales training initiative,
even if the training itself was deficient. Tracking results does not necessarily
evaluate how training modified sales staff behavior or ability.

Learning analytics based on a statistical analysis provides the necessary—and often

missing—basis to quantify how different training and non-training activities affect
performance. For example, the National Association of Secondary School Principals
used statistical methods to investigate the correlation between school cultures and
student achievement as measured by SAT scores. A task force collected data from
81 schools during the 2002-'03 school year using survey methodology. As a result of
the statistical analysis, the task force could not only identify how a factor affected
SAT scores but to what degree the factor affected performance. It also captured the
interdependencies among factors. (An increase in administrative performance of x
increases teacher climate by y, which increases scores by z, at the same time that a
dress code reduces teacher climate by a, which reduces scores by b—see figure at
end of article.
For an organization that wants to apply these techniques, historical data provides a
good starting point to identify what aspects of different training programs had the
greatest impact on individual and organizational performance. After developing this
initial model, the organization can invest in training to achieve desired performance
results.

Conclusion

A robust cross-functional reporting strategy and statistical methodologies can

support continuous improvement of learning, just as they do in other activities, such
as manufacturing. By selecting those measurements that can support valid
inferences about the effectiveness of programs, learning and training professionals
can know where to improve and how to allocate resources and effort—essentially
improving every training program’s influence on business results.

A statistical analysis developed from structured equation models and secondary

school data. Note how the map reveals relationships, where a factor such as dress
code negatively impacts student achievement that may seem counterintuitive or
contrary.

Dorn Williams is a senior project manager and architect at Latitude Consulting

Group, an e-business and technology consulting firm based in Saline, MI. Latitude’s
expertise is rooted in a 25-year operating history of designing and building large-
scale business partner portals for Fortune 100 companies.

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A Marketing Miracle Cure: Gamma Women

October 03, 2008
With the economy turned on its head, marketers just don't know what to do anymore. But
researchers may have discovered the cure to this ailing market—interconnected women. And
marketing to a web of women might just stick.

By Karen Yi

With the impending financial crisis and the instability of the economy, marketers are starting to
panic. Marketing researchers—such as Lisa Johnson, CEO of Reach Group and co-author of The
Gamma Factor, and Aliza Freud, CEO of SheSpeaks—have diagnosed the ailing sales market
and seem to have found the miracle cure—women.

Whether it's limited funding that is forcing companies to find alternative marketing strategies or
the technological shift in the way consumers exchange information, marketers are slowly waking
up to this trend. Statistics show that women make over 80% of today's consumer decisions. And
with the loom of the Internet and technology, they are becoming much more connected and are
communicating with each other at all levels—via blogging, texting and networking—in regards
to their buying decisions.

Gamma "Buy"

This web of interconnected purchasing females is what Johnson calls "Gamma women." In fact,
over 51% of women aged 18-65 are Gamma women, classified as those individuals who are
highly involved in their communities and are constantly creating and sharing information. Freud
describes Gamma's as "everyday women who understand the importance of [their] consumer
role." They are everyday experts that collaborate and share with other women.

"Because of uncertainty in the economy, women are being more selective than ever as to where
they spend their money," says Kelly McCormick, expert on selling to women and an online
columnist for Sales & Marketing Management. "Today marketers and sellers have one chance to
get it right with her or she’s gone." (McCormick recently covered a similar topic in her
September column Gender Bender: The Power of a Woman's Testimonial.)
And companies seem to be missing that chance lately. According to research,
women report that they are no longer seeing much brand differentiation, and that
companies need to reach out to them in a more meaningful and powerful way. "The
Holy Grail of Gamma women," says Johnson, "is when you're able to connect and
inspire a woman to say, 'that's me.'"

Gamma women are about being authentic and making real connections. "She wants
to see herself in an ad," says McCormick, "she wants to see her real situation in an
ad."

The Pursuit of Loyalty

Creating an open dialogue and establishing a customer-to-brand relationship with

Gamma women increases loyalty and company returns. From woman to woman,
information spreads like wildfire, according to Nancy Weber, chief marketing officer
of Meredith Publishing Group. "Gamma women are passionate, and passionate
women are loyal," she says, "and they'll be bringing their friends."

But, for marketers, this could either be the incendiary spark or the disaster that
scorches their reputations. "Women will tell you the good, the bad and the ugly,"
says Freud, "and they'll tell you more than you ever wanted to know." Freud says
that with technology, there are "so many more ways for consumers to block out
messages," and with both companies and consumers having limited budgets, "it is
critical to really understand how to engage and build advocacy amongst
consumers."

Four Points of Engagement

As the CEO of SheSpeaks, an online word-of-mouth network where women test

products for direct feedback to companies, Aliza Freud says there are four strategies
marketers can employ to engage Gamma women:

• Purpose. Marketers need to bring women together through a common purpose or

a shared passion. Women look for value and want products that will make her life
better.

•Connection. Connecting women, both socially and with the brand, will bring
goodwill to the brand. It's all about direct dialogue. Women tell each other where to
shop; they are common day experts that reference each other for quick information.

•Recognition. Women need to feel special about their participation and

engagement with a brand. The relationship between sharing content and being
recognized becomes their form of social currency. One way companies can make
women feel special is by exclusive access to certain products or services.

•Impact. Companies have to let women know that they've been heard and that
they have impact and influence. Companies need to tell women, "We want to know
what you think."
"If the old paradigm of advertising is that the brand talks to the consumer, what's
shifted is that these women understand they have more control in this new
environment," says Freud. Gamma women are raising the stakes for marketers out
there, demanding value and authenticity with their brands and products. "The
Gammas are definitely rising in power and influence, they are raising the bar and
holding companies to the fire," says Weber.

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Low-Cost Ways to Motivate Employees

March 16, 2009

Aside from cutting expenses, delaying payment of bills, ramping up collections and altering their
business models, employers can try low-cost ways to motivate their employees to increase
revenue and profitability, according to Suzanne Bates, author of Motivate Like a CEO:
Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act!

"Money is only one of many factors that motivate employees. When people enjoy their jobs, like
their co-workers, and believe their pay is basically fair, they don't focus so much on their
compensation," says Bates, president and CEO of Bates Communications.

Among the low-cost and no-cost ways to keep people motivated in challenging times, according
to "Motivate Like a CEO," are:

• Send out e-mails thanking employees each week. "Take a few minutes each Friday to e-mail
your team, highlighting something each person has achieved that week. If you have a small
company, you can actually mention everybody. This is an empowering exercise, not only because
you make other people feel good, but it also forces you to look at what's going right," says Bates.

• Have a "connection day" where you connect with customers. "Set aside one day per quarter
to get in touch with your clients and prospects, and find out how they are doing. Ask them
questions about their projects, thank them for the opportunity to work with them. When
appropriate, offer in some small way to provide assistance or advice at no charge. Write
handwritten notes, and send e-mails with attachments to articles they may want to read," says
Bates.

• Use down time to send employees to seminars where they can learn
something new. "There are many low-cost or no-cost professional development
opportunities. Many area business meetings are low-cost and provide high value, as
do some marketing events for companies. By giving employees an afternoon off
each month, they'll get a break while improving their skills and knowledge," Bates
says.

• Hold morning "standup meetings." "Each morning, before heading into offices
or cubicles, stand in a circle and share what's happening in a 15-minute session.
Even when facing challenges or disappointments, people are there to boost each
other and offer help. It's an empowering way to start the day," says Bates.

• Bring people together to share business success stories. "Storytelling is

very important in boosting employee morale," notes Bates. "The pre-meeting
assignment is to come in with a story about a successful project or customer
interaction, and explore what you learned, and how it can be applied to your
present situation. Write down these stories and use them again in the company
newsletter, employee presentations and weekly e-mails."

• Use the company newsletter to highlight successes. "Make the newsletter

something people enjoy reading. Ask employees to contribute stories. Be creative in
looking for fun ways to reward and recognize good work," says Bates.

• Create small employee awards and hand them out often. "Buy a few
trophies and give them out monthly. These are always best when they encourage
employees to do the things that are going to make a difference in your business,"
Bates says.

• Walk around often, and tell people they're doing a great job. "In times like
these, we tend to hunker down in our offices and stare at balance sheets. Our
energy is low and our anxiety is high," adds Bates. "Make it a point to stop people in
the halls, go into their offices, and thank them or congratulate them every day. Tell
them how much their work means to you, and how vital they are to the future of the
company."

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Eight Key Ways to Say "Thank You" to Customers

February 06, 2009

By Andrea Nierenberg

Good salespeople strive to be in front of customers as often as possible. But, when we think
about it, our clients and prospects give us many opportunities to stay in their minds in positive
and non-threatening ways. Yet, these opportunities are often overlooked, simply because we
neglect to send a note of thanks.

Now's the time to start giving back. Here are eight opportunities to send a "thank you," plus
when and how to do it effectively.

1. When customers do business with you, every time. Write a short, personalized "thank you"
on an interesting card, letterhead, or even a postcard that reads, "I appreciate your business,
thank you." You can never say thank you to someone too many times. We all appreciate the fact
that people go out of their way to make us feel important and recognized.

2. When they compliment you. When a client compliments you about something, it's an
opportunity to jot off a little note of thanks, saying, "Thank you for taking the time for making
my day. I appreciate it." Compliments are given so rarely, so take the lead to say thank you when
you get one.

3. When clients offer comments or suggestions. It's a wonderful gift when your clients give
you a suggestion or comment on how you might do something better or different. They're also
giving you an incredible buying signal. They might really be saying, "If you make that change,
your product or service will be more attractive to me." Here's how to start this type of note:
"Thank you for your suggestion on how I can better serve you. I'm in business to do exactly that.
And you make my job easier, and so much more enjoyable, when you provide input."

4. When customers try something you recommended. When clients buy into
something new, solely based on your suggestion, they're going out of their "comfort
zone". They're putting trust in you and your product. This calls for a special note
that could read, "Thank you for your trust in me. I value your business."

5. When customers recommend you. This is the best form of advertising you
can ever get. It's so easy to take the time and go back to our advocate, and say,
"Thank you for referring me to -----. I will keep you posted and informed on what
develops. It means a great deal to me to know that you're willing to recommend me.
I appreciate it." This type of thank-you might include a small gift as well.

6. When customers are patient, or not so patient. Our clients help us when
they give us time to learn how to best serve them. Often this requires their
patience. On the other hand, they give us a wake-up call when they ask us to hurry
up. When this happens they might really be saying, "Hey, remember me? Keep me
in mind, or I just might get swept away by the competition." In either case, pull out
a notecard again and let them know how important they are to you. Perhaps say,
"Thanks for keeping me on my toes. I appreciate how you help me keep your
business."

7. When clients say "no" to you. You've just pitched an account and you didn't
get their business, this time. It's still the an opportunity to write a short note. Thank
them for their time, their consideration and their honesty. Keep the door opened by
being friendly and courteous. People will remember the notes you send and it can
make a difference. Even contacts who are not able to use your services will feel
enticed to recommend you to others who can.

8. When customers make you smile. Everyone likes good news. Whatever it is
that makes you smile, clients want to know that they've made you feel good. Send
them a note with one of those little smiley face stickers. This technique always gets
noticed and remembered.

Power of Three

Finally, here's my bonus note to you:

Dear reader,

Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I know that you're busy. As a thank-
you gift, I want to share what I call my "Power of Three."

Every day take 15 minutes at the beginning or end of the day and write three short
goodwill notes: one to a prospect, one to a client and one to a friend. Just say "Hi,"
send an article, or say thanks—just make it specific. When you do this, at the end of
the week you'll have made 15 goodwill contacts, and at the end of the year, 750.
Think of the "business seeds" you'll have planted. Some of this could germinate into
additional business. And if you like this article, drop me a note.

Andrea R. Nierenberg is a best-selling author, world-renowned business authority

and president of The Nierenberg Group, a business communications firm.
www.nierenberggroup.com

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Quick Meeting Openers: Icebreakers for Introductions

November 11, 2008
"Quick Meeting Openers for Busy Managers, Chapter 3" by Brian Cole Miller

By Brian Cole Miller

Although most meeting starters can be used to help people introduce themselves, the activities in
this section are particularly aimed at doing just this. And yes, although any of them could be used
with people who already know each other, you'll find them more effective with people who don't.
They also work well with two separate groups that are coming together for the first time, when
the members of each group know their own group but not the other one—like during a merger of
two departments.

All the icebreakers in this section can work for any size group. Some are better suited for larger
groups, some for smaller. Regardless of what ideal group size is listed for the activity, I've
included tips for adjusting for larger or smaller groups when applicable.

The key to successful introductions in larger groups is to not plan for everyone to meet everyone
else. It's usually not practical, and sometimes it’s not even possible. Besides, the human brain can
learn only so many new names at once! So set your sights on helping everyone meet a few new
people, people with whom they can network for the day. If there are future meetings, the realm of
people they know will grow each time and at a pace that they can handle.

BLANKET NAMES

This is . . . An icebreaker activity in which participants learn each other's names and then try to
be the first to say each other's name when a blanket between them is dropped.
Use it to . . .Help participants remember each other's names.

Best group size. . .Unlimited but best with fewer than 30 participants.

Materials you'll need. . .One large sheet or blanket.

Here's how. . .

1. Divide the group in half.

2. One participant from each team holds the blanket up between the teams and is
out of play for that round.

3. Each team then selects one player to stand behind the blanket opposite each
other.

4. The blanket is dropped.

5. The first person on either side of the blanket to call out the other person’s name
wins that round.

6. The person whose name was called is recruited to the winning team.
7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 for several rounds or until one team is eliminated.

Tips for the team success. . .

• Use a large enough blanket that most of the team members can be hidden behind
it.

• Sheets can work better because they are not as heavy, but be careful that
participants cannot easily see through them.

• Have teams rotate the role of "blanket holder" so that no one's arms get too tired
and so that everyone gets a chance behind the blanket.

Try these variations. . .

• Rather than call out the person’s name, have participants call out the person's
location, job title, or other piece of information that would be important for
everyone to remember.

• This icebreaker can work for much larger groups by first dividing them into smaller
teams. There must be one blanket for each two teams. Alternatively, line up two to
three people at the blanket each time and have them call out the name of the
person opposite them.

BOUNCING BALLS

This is. . . An icebreaker activity in which participants say each other's names as
they bounce a ball to each other.

Use it to. . .Help participants learn each other’s names.

Best group size. . .Up to about 40.

Materials you'll need. . .One large ball that bounces well on the floor of the meeting
room.

Here's how. . .

1. Participants stand in a circle.

2. Everyone announces his or her name.

3. The first person takes the ball and bounces it once to another participant while
saying that person’s name. After bouncing the ball, participants fold their arms to
indicate they have already had the ball (and not to throw it to them again).

4. The next participant catches the ball and immediately bounces it to someone
else, saying that person's name (and then folding his or her arms).

5. If someone misses a name or the ball, start over, but the ball is bounced to
someone different this time.

6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 above until the ball has made it to everyone in the
group. Then play another round, but instruct participants not to bounce it to the
same person they did before.

Tips for success. . .

• The kind of ball used for Four Square is good for this game too.

Try these variations. . .

• Add a second ball simultaneously to the game (this will make it very confusing!).

• Make the game faster by using a soft handball and tossing it rather than bouncing
it.

• After everyone has learned everyone’s name, play the game again, this time
announcing their job, location, or other relevant information that’s important for
everyone to know.

• Speed things up and by playing the game more like Four Square. Rather than
catching the ball, merely tap it to bounce to the next person. This will make the
game quicker and much more challenging.

• This activity can work for much larger groups by first dividing them into smaller
teams. Be sure to have a ball for each group.

Editor's Note: For more quick meeting openers, such as Mind Reader and Survivor,
read "More Quick Meeting Openers for Busy Managers" at
www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com.

Adapted from QUICK MEETING OPENERS FOR BUSY MANAGERS by Brian Cole Miller
© 2008 Brian Cole Miller. All rights reserved. Published by AMACOM Books.
www.amacombooks.org. Division of American Management Association, 1601
Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
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Keep a Personal Touch in the Digital World

June 26, 2009

By L. Drew Gerber

Have you ever had someone in a business relationship tell you they were slammed
with work, only to find their Facebook page full of frequent frivolous activity? Or
maybe you have been on Twitter and been surprised by a rude, off-the-cuff remark?
Those are a couple of problems to watch out for in the world of social networking
etiquette.

Sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook offer boundless potential for companies to
promote and build their businesses online. But savvy business people should
remember "social" is just as important as the "networking" on these sites and avoid
some common pitfalls.

While the new social networking tools are a powerful way to reach a lot of people,
what really makes a difference is the keeping a personalized touch. That means you
need to let the Golden Rule govern your behavior online and treat people and
situations as you would if you were interacting face to face.

It's a little like that bestselling book by Robert Fulghum, "All I Really Need to Know I
Learned in Kindergarten." To be successful with social networking, you have to play
well with others. Here are some tips on how to do it:

Share your goodies.—Provide valuable information people can use. When I am

networking online, I offer great content for free, whether it is seminars, newsletters,
or even articles I find that would be interesting for the community.

Take interest in others.—Engage with people online just as you would if you were
building a business relationship in person. If someone comes in and all they want to
do is promote, promote, promote, that approach is likely to go nowhere.

Be polite.—People have a tendency to say things online they would not say face to
face. I have seen instances where people on Twitter have a personal beef or a
problem with a person and tweet it out publicly. Avoid that pitfall and don't say
anything you would be embarrassed for your loved ones to read.

Don't lower yourself.—With electronic communication, whether e-mail or social

networking, there is no way to read facial expressions or body language. Often if
there is a question about a person's intentions, it is best to give them the benefit of
the doubt or just let it go rather than calling them out as being rude.

Take responsibility.—Be responsible not only for what you say but for your time
and your image. It will hurt your credibility if you tell people how busy you are and
they see you taking those "Who am I?" and "5 Favorite" quizzes on Facebook
everyday. When you are online you should assume everyone is watching you and
behave accordingly.

Make sure everyone is included.—If you are participating in an online

discussion, let other people have a chance to share their ideas and perspectives.
Sometimes that means waiting your turn. No need to butt in. You will get your
chance.

Have fun and be creative.—Think of ways you can share information about your
product, your business, or yourself that are fun and make people want to follow you.

L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and creator of www.PitchRate.com, a

no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for
journalists and producers. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his
staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit
24/7, a technology he developed.

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12 Workplace Phrases You Probably Don’t Know…But Should

April 24, 2009

By Christine Lambden and Casey Conner

Getting along with people sometimes requires speaking their language, especially in the
workplace. One of the ways employees try to emphasize their smartness is with specialized
vocabulary. Due to the nature of a lot of people’s work, technical language and terminology often
is necessary, but buzzwords tend to make you sound pretentious. On the other hand, if you are
working on a team full of buzzword-addicted co-workers, you’ll need to fit in.

Here are some explanations for not-so-common workplace lingo, so next time you are at the
water cooler or in a meeting, you’ll understand what’s going on:

Boil the Ocean: This scope is too big to do in one project. Break it up into more than one. We
often hear, "We’re not trying to boil the ocean here. We just need to…" when the client is trying
to keep costs down and avoid an overly ambitious project scope.

Drink the Kool-Aid: To enthusiastically perform a task or follow a leader without knowing how
this may affect you, or to buy the "company line" without question. In business, you may hear
someone say, "He drank the Kool-Aid," when they mean, "He has been thoroughly trained in the
program and we have his unconditional support," or "He is on board with our strategy." In
political commentary, it is used to imply that people who disagree with you have been
brainwashed or are under the influence of drugs.

Going Native: This is what happens when a consultant stops acting like a consultant and starts
thinking they are part of the client organization. If you aren’t willing to go somewhere else, go
ahead and apply for a permanent job. You aren’t providing the same value you were in the
beginning.
Greenfield Instance: Clean, new installation of an application without
customizations, configuration, or data.

Holistic: A big picture view or a solution that includes upstream and downstream
impacts. Whatever it means, it’s a great consulting word and we use it a lot.

Paradigm: The perspective or view you have of a situation. For example, "When
ownership of our order fulfillment project moved from Operations to Sales, it caused
a paradigm shift that resulted in a whole new project strategy and approach."

Running in parallel: Processing normal operating data through two systems

simultaneously to compare performance and output. When a client is feeling
particularly paranoid about a new system his consultants have developed or
implemented, even after exhaustive testing and training, we sometimes
recommend running the new system in parallel with the old for a short period.

Strawman: First draft of a solution or proposal intended to provoke discussion. It is

an object, document, person, or argument that temporarily stands in for, and is
intended to get "knocked down," by something more substantial.

Talking to the Dog: Thinking it through by talking it through out loud. You’ll often
hear engineers and programmers say they finally solved a problem by "talking to
the dog."

Use Case: A particular circumstance or situation in which the solution would be

used. For example, when designing a system, the engineer will refer to all the "Use
Cases" that have been documented to determine if his solution will be effective in
each situation.

White paper: An authoritative report or guide published to share technical or

business information, particularly related to solving common problems. Writing
white papers is a great way for consultants to get exposure in their industry and
develop a reputation for expertise.
Wireframe: Simple pictures that show a proposed user interface, often used by
business analysts to communicate expectations to users and developers.

Christine Lambden and Casey Conner of Consulting Stance teach consulting and
interviewing skills workshops and seminars.

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The 13 Most Annoying People to Work With

March 13, 2009

By Margery Weinstein

Most of us have had colleagues over the years who turned annoying into an art form. Well, now
it's a classifiable art form. Career experts Christine Lambden and Casey Connor, authors of the
new book, "Everyday Practices of Extraordinary Consultants," have compiled a list of "The 13
Most Annoying People to Work With." How many of these does your company still have on its
payroll?

• Pontification Person. This person goes on and on, telling you what he or she is going to say,
saying it, and then telling you what he or she said.

• Um Person.To avoid losing control of the conversation, this co-worker fills every pause with
"Um," not realizing he or she might be able to think better when not talking.

• Too Much Detail Person. The authors could elaborate on this one, but then, of course, that
would be contributing to the problem.

• 50,000-Foot-Only Person. He or she is eloquent when you talk about the big picture, but
refuses to allow anyone to get into the details, which we all know is where the real work gets
done. "Unless you’re the CEO of a multinational corporation," say Lambden and Connor, "you
have to be willing to work at any altitude."
• Hypnotized-by-E-mail Person. Wireless technology can be a lifesaver, but
there’s something defeating about presenting to the tops of people's heads because
everyone at the conference table is hunched over his or her laptop.

• Buzzword Person. "This employee is annoying in meetings, team rooms, and in

cubicles," say Lambden and Connor. "In fact, this person is just plain annoying all
the time."

• Foul Language Person. Much like Buzzword Person, this co-worker is too lazy to
think of the right words to express what he or she is thinking, if, indeed, he or she is
thinking at all. This person isn’t trying to impress you with his or her knowledge.
"They aren't trying to impress you at all," Lambden and Connor note. "They don't
care what you think of them." Refreshing on some level, but probably not a person
you’d want on your team.

• Reiteration Person. The only contribution this person makes is to restate what
already was said. So, basically, he or she actually has no contribution to make.

• Too Busy to Be Prompt Person. He or she always is late to work and every
meeting, clearly lacking time management skills. Nobody can be working on
something important all the time, after all.

• Can't Control the Meeting Person and arch-nemesis Wants to Take Over
the Meeting Person. There has to be some balance between the out-of-control
ditherer and the maniacal meetings dictator, doesn't there?

• Secondary Conversation People. Your best material often isn't riveting, but
staffers at least could pretend to care. But Lambert and Connor point out these
workers "only are annoying if their conversation is less interesting than the
meeting."

• Disagrees With Everything Person. "This co-worker honestly believes he is

just being practical, or serving as the voice of reason, or playing devil's advocate,"
the authors point out. "This may be true sometimes, and even helpful occasionally,
but when it becomes a habit, everyone else just tunes them out."

• Obscure Metaphor Person. This employee is as annoying as "the fool in a

troupe of Morris dancers," say Lambden and Connor. "See? Wasn’t that annoying?"

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The "New" Kirkpatrick Model Manage Smarter - Performance Gateway

April 21, 2009

This white paper discusses the Kirkpatrick Four Levels and their evolution in the last
50 years
By Jim Kirkpatrick, PhD and Wendy Kayser Kirkpatrick

The Kirkpatrick Four Levels are turning 50 this year! November 1959 marked the
first time Don Kirkpatrick published his thoughts on training evaluation. Don will tell
you he did not call them levels, nor did he coin the phrase "Kirkpatrick Four Level
Evaluation Model." He did, however, identify and describe the legendary four words
that comprise the foremost training evaluation model today: Reaction, Learning,
Behavior, and Results.
On the anniversary of the four levels we first honor Don and his work, and second
share with you how the four levels have both evolved and remained relevant over
the last half century. This evolution includes an all-new Kirkpatrick Model diagram,
being unveiled for the first time in this white paper.

The "new" Kirkpatrick Model contains the complete illustration of the ideas Don
developed 50 years ago. It shows that the four levels are an integral part of every
step in the training process, not just evaluation. The new visual will aid both
learning professionals and their business partners in creating training value
together to yield maximum bottom-line results.

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Everything DiSC Pulse: Relevance of Training—A Result That Might Surprise You

Everything DiSC Pulse: Relevance of Training—A Result That Might Surprise You
July 02, 2009

By Mark Scullard and Jeffrey Sugerman

Here's a test. Below is a list of training course offerings. Select the courses that would greatly
increase your effectiveness at work. (Courses are listed alphabetically)

• Building emotional intelligence

• Communication skills
• Computer skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Dealing with conflict or difficult people
• Financial skills
• Innovative thinking skills
• Leadership skills
• Management skills
• Negotiation skills
• Project management
• Sales skills
• Stress management
• Technical knowledge related to my job
• Time management
• Working more effectively on a team

What did you pick as your top three? We asked 5,945 recent training participants about the types
of courses that would greatly increase their effectiveness at work. We expected technical
knowledge related to the job would be high on the list. And it was. It was ranked No. 3 overall,
with 47 percent of people selecting it. This suggests that nearly half of survey participants saw
some gap in their technical know-how. Additionally, 86 percent of those surveyed said they'd
attend a class on this topic if it were available.

We also thought leadership skills would be in the top three. It came in at No. 1, with 56 percent
of people selecting it. In fact, leadership skills ranked higher than management skills. Our
anecdotal experience suggests that even among people who have a hard time distinguishing
between management and leadership, leadership is a more enticing offering. In the organizational
psyche, leadership often is linked with promotion, compensation, and influence—that's an
intriguing path for almost all of us. It's no wonder that 81 percent of people said they'd attend a
class on leadership if it were available.
So, what was No. 2? It wasn't one of our predictions. Dealing with conflict or difficult people
came in second overall, with 53 percent. That's right, getting along with people at work is seen
by learners as a significant opportunity for improving effectiveness—even more than technical
skills and ahead of buzz topics such as critical thinking (No. 7) and innovative thinking (No. 8).
So, how can we explain the lack of alignment between executives, who did rank critical thinking
and innovative thinking skills as important, and managers and non-managers, who did not?
Perhaps executives view interpersonal skills as too "old school" and less relevant in the age of
social networks and constant interconnectedness. Or, perhaps executives assess their own skill
level and believe their employees are at that same level.
In any case, our survey paints a different picture. The need for interpersonal skill
development in the workplace hasn't been fully met, and learners see this as a
pressing need. In addition to conflict, communication skills also were seen as
important, rounding out the top five with 42 percent of people selecting it. Nearly
two-thirds of those surveyed said they would attend a class on communication or
conflict if it were available.

So what does this mean for trainers and organizations? Creating training offerings
requires balancing the needs of the learner and the needs of the organization. And
from the learner's perspective, balancing cognitive-based skills with interpersonal
capability remains an important requirement for success.

Mark Scullard is the director of research at Inscape Publishing, a provider of training

materials for the corporate market. He has more than a decade of research and
data analysis experience in the development of psychological evaluation tools and
methods. Scullard received his doctorate in psychology from the University of
Minnesota, with a supporting program in statistics.

Jeffrey Sugerman is the president and CEO of Inscape Publishing. He has more than
20 years of experience in senior management, marketing, and business
development in the technology, training, and publishing industries. Sugerman holds
doctorate and master's degrees in psychology from Washington University in St.
Louis, and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Northwestern University.

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Clues and Blueprints—Cool Tools for Training Pros

July 02, 2009

By Roger Addison, Carol Haig, and Lynn Kearny

What is the difference between a server waiting on customers in a café and a corporate training
staffer? If you are just looking up from wading through requests for classes or completing the
design for an online training program you were asked for, you may answer there is little
difference. Your role may be one of fulfilling requests from managers you support as they look
for ways to train and develop their people. Perhaps you are pressured to deliver in a hurry and to
cut corners where possible to save time and money. And, sometimes the training you develop or
deliver may not be successful, hurting your credibility and that of your department. So, how can
you reframe your role from order taker to trusted advisor while meeting, and perhaps exceeding,
your clients' expectations?

For Instance
A manager calls and says, "I have a training problem. I need a course in customer relations skills
for my telephone service representatives." As order takers, many of us might respond by having a
meeting to find out what the manager has in mind, followed by a quick analysis to identify what
the course content should be. The resulting program may be a fine product that pleases the
manager, but what if the phone reps resent having to take the course, the quality of their
performance is unchanged, or the manager ultimately complains the training didn't work?

The client who says she has a training problem or needs a training course misspeaks. Training is
not a problem; it is a solution. The trusted advisor's response to such a statement is to ask, "What
makes you think that?" causing the client to say something about the needs or problems he
perceives and leading to a productive understanding of the particular performance issues. The
ultimate solution may still include training, but this question opens the door for some detective
work to ensure the training professional has access to information about the employees, their
work, their performance, and their environment.

The Training Sleuth in Action

When trainers investigate needs, their goal is to understand and define the problem or
opportunity in terms of the needs of the business. In their detective role they learn what results
employees are expected to produce and discover how current results compare. They search
reports and other documentation for clues to drops in productivity, increases in error rates, and
other work factors. They seek out managers, supervisors, and employees and interview them for
their perspectives. They observe employees doing their work and look for clues to performance
obstacles.

Clues For the Savvy Detective

While it is common to encounter performance issues among individuals or within work groups,
challenges are also found within the processes used to complete tasks. Some clues to a process-
related performance issue include:
•Slow response time to the customer.
•Frequent complaints from customers and employees.
•Extensive overtime.
•Production bottlenecks.
•Duplicate activities.
•Lack of back-up systems or their failure.
•Manual checking of automated processes.
•High turnover.
•Procedures not followed.
•Rework.
Armed with the data and information they have gathered during their investigation,
detectives then analyze the information to describe the performance improvement
need in terms of what is and what should be. This is the gap statement and it
articulates the answer to the "What makes you say that," question asked earlier.

From Detective to Architect

With the performance gap articulated, the training specialist has the information to
move from the role of detective to architect. The architect develops the
specifications for the solution, establishing objectives and desired results as well as
parameters for scope, costs, time, and methodology based on client preferences
and organizational norms.

The specifications become part of the business case presented to the client to
address the issues identified. From here the architect generates possible solutions
that meet the specifications and presents them to the client for discussion and
selection.

Effective Solutions
If the client's original need is identified as process-related, an effective solution may
consist of several components in addition to some form of training. These might
include:
•Job aids or electronic support

•Coaching and mentoring

•Information and on-going communication programs

•Specific on-the-job experiences

Drawing the Blueprints

With a solution selected and the specifications verified, the architect creates a
project plan and schedule that includes assumptions, deliverables, dates, costs,
approvals/sign-offs, tasks, possible development team members, and all the related
components needed to bring the chosen solution to life. With the client's approval
and support, it is time to launch the designs for the various solution components
and move ahead with the project plan.
Training Trends
Today, we find that training professionals and the organizations that support them
are evolving from order takers to trusted advisors. In their expanded roles, they are
moving beyond performance issues that affect individual employees or work groups
and looking, as we did here, at the work itself and the processes and practices
employees use to accomplish tasks and produce results. Further, trusted advisors
are earning the right to look at the broader organization and its accompanying
culture for the origins of performance issues.

Author's of "Performance Architecture—The Art and Science of Improving

Organizations,” the book explore, in-depth, the identification of performance issues
at the three organizational levels:
•The Worker: Individual/Team Level

•The Work: Process/Practice Level

•The Workplace: Organization Level

Roger Addison, CPT, EdD, leads Addison Consulting. Roger blogs at

http://rachekup.blogspot.com.
Carol Haig, CPT, leads Carol Haig & Associates. Read book excerpts on Carol's
Website:
http://home.mindspring.com/~carolhaig.
Lynn Kearny, CPT, leads a performance consulting firm.
Purchase the book from www.ispi.org, www.wiley.com, or www.amazon.com, as well
as at major booksellers.

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