I am always amazed at promotions hyping customers to "apply" for some prize. Prizes range from free drinks to free trips. Lottery winners receive between $5.00 to $500 million.
I realize the lottery is a voluntary, pay to play program so that may not work under the same guidelines. What would happen if instead of free promotional gifts, corporate America gave away free education and training?
I can see the advertisement. Enter our Jump on the Train Give Away to receive free training in interior design, or maybe hair styling, or even brick laying. Would you participate as an employer? Would you enter for programs? Would you enter for a friend or relative through a contest when you purchase french fries at your favorite restaurant?
Suppose your favorite furniture or clothing store offered a year of college with tuition, books, and fees paid. Would you enter? If you were a supplier for the store, would you endorse and assist with such a program?
Customers will purchase burgers even without promotions. Furniture stores make sales regardless of promotions. Skirts and blouses continue to sell.
Why not education (GED/diploma/certificate) for every purchase of shoes, hair-cuts, or ice cream sales.
I can hear Gene Wilder singing "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka in the background. We need more imagination.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Those Were The Days
I hear Mary Hopkins in the background singing "Those Were The Days." The song, released in 1968, reflected a mood of youth in the day. The tone of growing away from friends, family, and moving out of the old neighborhood.
Throughout the years I heard this phrase countless times. My family and friends used the phrase to recollect days gone by. Listeners usually follow the line with rolling their eyes in anticipation of hearing about "the good old days."
In 1968, workplace learning usually occurred on the job. Tech schools popped up after World War II, so plenty of vocational training provided more technical related skills. At the workplace, we usually learned safety, workplace civility (more on this later,) teamwork, and engagement came from more senior employees. How we should behave in the workplace, the importance of completing assigned work, and producing quality merchandise or services came by way of experienced employees. We learned neighborly behaviors at a younger age. Senior employees continuously reminded younger workers the importance of these values.
For those so eager to put senior employees to pasture, you miss the very essence of senior values. I am not placing senior employment issues at the feet of employers, but the hiring/releasing trends point to a loss of seniors, the hesitancy to reemploy seniors, and thus the loss of senior values in the workplace.
Our training cannot solve all workplace issues. On-the-job training is not tethered solely to human machine interfaces or pure production. On-the-job training includes social skills, work ethics, workplace civility, and because we now have courts in our workplace, those regulatory issues mandated by lawmakers.
Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end . . ." but unless we embrace change older workers can, and do, instill those days will end sooner for many.
Throughout the years I heard this phrase countless times. My family and friends used the phrase to recollect days gone by. Listeners usually follow the line with rolling their eyes in anticipation of hearing about "the good old days."
In 1968, workplace learning usually occurred on the job. Tech schools popped up after World War II, so plenty of vocational training provided more technical related skills. At the workplace, we usually learned safety, workplace civility (more on this later,) teamwork, and engagement came from more senior employees. How we should behave in the workplace, the importance of completing assigned work, and producing quality merchandise or services came by way of experienced employees. We learned neighborly behaviors at a younger age. Senior employees continuously reminded younger workers the importance of these values.
For those so eager to put senior employees to pasture, you miss the very essence of senior values. I am not placing senior employment issues at the feet of employers, but the hiring/releasing trends point to a loss of seniors, the hesitancy to reemploy seniors, and thus the loss of senior values in the workplace.
Our training cannot solve all workplace issues. On-the-job training is not tethered solely to human machine interfaces or pure production. On-the-job training includes social skills, work ethics, workplace civility, and because we now have courts in our workplace, those regulatory issues mandated by lawmakers.
- Social Skills - this is not about Facebook, Classmates, or Together We Served. We frame social skills as the very heart of appreciating others and what others bring to the table.
- Work Ethic - work is a four-letter word. It is not always fun, delightful, or even sunny. As Larry Winget says, "It's Called Work For A Reason."
- Workplace Civility - perhaps one of the most forgotten or ignored aspect of teams and (to some extent) production. How we treat others, respect, apathy, empathy, and as Rodney King asked, "Can't we all just get along?"
- Mandates - why so many mandates? We failed to recognize the first three. We lost sight of how to treat others. We lost respect for our bosses wanting more than a fair salary. We wanted what the boss had.
Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end . . ." but unless we embrace change older workers can, and do, instill those days will end sooner for many.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Ship Shape
This term I know all too well. Ship shape has nothing to do with a ship’s design or ship construction. Ship shape refers to having things in order, tidy, items on the ship placed in a neat, secure (tied or strapped down), and ready for sea (leaving port.)
Even modern-day ships roll and pitch in stormy seas. When Sailors or ship’s personnel fail to secure or stow items the items tend to move. When ship’s movements become more violent from the storm or seas, items move about more violently when misplaced or unsecure.
I agree regarding the difference between a ship and your business (unless of course your business is happens on the water,) or is there a difference? Where are your employees stashing or storing goods? What other items are stored in those same areas? Perhaps you should walk around with a critical eye toward just how Ship Shape you find your organization.
Three things you need to check during a walk-about through your facilities.
Various organizations remind us to check our home smoke detectors periodically (normally when we change time from Daylight Savings to Standard times.) You really need to check those smoke detectors in your facilities as well, along with fire sprinklers, emergency lighting, and egress pathways.
You really are responsible for your organization Ship Shape.
Even modern-day ships roll and pitch in stormy seas. When Sailors or ship’s personnel fail to secure or stow items the items tend to move. When ship’s movements become more violent from the storm or seas, items move about more violently when misplaced or unsecure.
I agree regarding the difference between a ship and your business (unless of course your business is happens on the water,) or is there a difference? Where are your employees stashing or storing goods? What other items are stored in those same areas? Perhaps you should walk around with a critical eye toward just how Ship Shape you find your organization.
Three things you need to check during a walk-about through your facilities.
- Cleaning/Chemical Storage. You should specifically target combustible materials, but look for material compatibility. You should read labels for possible conflicts and interactions between chemicals.
- Paper/boxes/wood products. Personnel storing boxes, copy paper or archives, and wood products find places that appear out of the way and safe, but check for equipment airflow nearby. Overheating equipment (and yes computers) can fail prematurely or worse create fire hazards.
- Electrical cabling. Your equipment and outlets can create circuit overload from added computers and appliances while your organization grows. A visit from your electrician or power company might safe you downtime from electrical failures and reducing fire hazards from overloading.
Various organizations remind us to check our home smoke detectors periodically (normally when we change time from Daylight Savings to Standard times.) You really need to check those smoke detectors in your facilities as well, along with fire sprinklers, emergency lighting, and egress pathways.
You really are responsible for your organization Ship Shape.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Exorcising the Gerbil in Me
Sometimes I feel like a gerbil running without obstruction and without a wheel. My running is not a physical running, but rather a mental running. I constantly feel as though I must learn something new. I must change my skill level. I must retool my tool kit.
Lately, I feel more like Linda Blair in the movie “The Exorcist.” Mentally, my head spins in circles, again the reference to the gerbil and the wheel.
Reading Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” caused me to think through my life path so far. I am hardly insensitive to those grappling with career change, especially those graying job hunters. What follows is my thinking. You can decide how to handle your mental gerbil.
What should we learn? What should we read? Who has the best advice? All those questions and more trying to survive in the job market today.
Maybe that is the problem with my gerbil mentality. Maybe I should improve what I already know to be more current. In other words, I should get the gerbil back on the wheel. All this mental running around could just be, in the end, nonsense.
Lately, I feel more like Linda Blair in the movie “The Exorcist.” Mentally, my head spins in circles, again the reference to the gerbil and the wheel.
Reading Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” caused me to think through my life path so far. I am hardly insensitive to those grappling with career change, especially those graying job hunters. What follows is my thinking. You can decide how to handle your mental gerbil.
What should we learn? What should we read? Who has the best advice? All those questions and more trying to survive in the job market today.
Maybe that is the problem with my gerbil mentality. Maybe I should improve what I already know to be more current. In other words, I should get the gerbil back on the wheel. All this mental running around could just be, in the end, nonsense.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Learning Etiquette For New Hires
I had the distinct pleasure of lunch with my wife and two granddaughters recently. It was a blustery day so we chose the book store and followed the books with lunch at a national chain.
The hostess seated us in a booth and provided the typical menu, serviceware (knives and forks), and coloring materials for the girls. Another young lady received our drink orders and walked away.
After delivering our drinks, the same young lady serviced a table nearby. When she walked to their table for the bill, the patrons paid in cash and their payment was more than the bill. Nothing wrong so far.
Instead of heading toward the cashier station and making change, she asked the customer if they wanted change. She asked three times in succession. Finally, the customer replied no to which the waitress walked away saying thank you as she turned.
I bit my tongue and pinched myself. I wanted so badly to give a lesson, but that was not my reason for being there, I was not going to make a scene in front of the family, and I certainly know it is none of my business.
My actions were not important after the other patrons departed. What remained was this gnawing in my head and stomach. The idea this young lady did not understand basic etiquette to patrons. It might be a new trend I missed. Not all that up to date on trends in waitstaffing. But I will not return for a while. Give that young lady time to find another position, although I am puzzled as to where. As John Lovette would say, "Is that soooooo wronnnng?"
The hostess seated us in a booth and provided the typical menu, serviceware (knives and forks), and coloring materials for the girls. Another young lady received our drink orders and walked away.
After delivering our drinks, the same young lady serviced a table nearby. When she walked to their table for the bill, the patrons paid in cash and their payment was more than the bill. Nothing wrong so far.
Instead of heading toward the cashier station and making change, she asked the customer if they wanted change. She asked three times in succession. Finally, the customer replied no to which the waitress walked away saying thank you as she turned.
I bit my tongue and pinched myself. I wanted so badly to give a lesson, but that was not my reason for being there, I was not going to make a scene in front of the family, and I certainly know it is none of my business.
My actions were not important after the other patrons departed. What remained was this gnawing in my head and stomach. The idea this young lady did not understand basic etiquette to patrons. It might be a new trend I missed. Not all that up to date on trends in waitstaffing. But I will not return for a while. Give that young lady time to find another position, although I am puzzled as to where. As John Lovette would say, "Is that soooooo wronnnng?"
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