September 2009 Newsletter

Job Dissatisfaction Part 1

Recently while pulling together some information, Craig found a really interesting article. The Article was entitled While Unemployment Continues to Rise, so Does Job Dissatisfaction. Intrigued by the title, I began to read and became more interested and a bit validated by the information gathered by Adecco Group North America. The information in the article confirms what we've heard since we started our business back in 1996.

The work we do provides a natural opportunity for us to listen to people and their concerns. Many times people come to us because they have concerns about their career path, workplace satisfaction and engagement on top of lots and lots of life and workplace stress. This economy is stressful in itself, but the stress we see comes from more than just the economy.

Click here to read the rest of this article about job dissatisfaction.

Retail SDM Program Update

Based on the feedback and conversations of the Retail Pilot Participants, we will facilitate the program on a Tuesday, which is a slower day for most retail organizations. The cost for the entire six-part process will be $1,500. This will include coaching, workbooks and all materials needed, as well as continental breakfasts and lunches at our comfortable training and development office.

Here are some updates about the process:

• The retail program will be held once a month on a Tuesday
• Day one will include goal setting (so that when the process is introduced, participants will understand what is expected throughout the process)
• Interviewing techniques and skills will be a big part of the process in day two
• Teams will be incorporated so individuals can collaborate with each other when they come up with projects to work on after each workshop
• Emphasis will be placed on the process and not as an event
• Materials will be hands on and used back on the job
• A communication section will be included to create a dialog between peers and managers
• We will encourage by-weekly follow through with managers to create stick (coaching is available - no expiration date)

Cookie Quiz

As a web developer I hear a lot of misconceptions about cookies. Now don't get hungry, I'm not taking about the cookies you eat. I'm taking about the kind you get from the web! I thought it might be fun to create this quiz so you can test your knowledge on the subject. Write down whether you think the following statements are true or false and then click the link below to check your answers. They might just surprise you.

1. Cookies can contain spyware or viruses that can ruin my computer!
2. A cookie could be used as an invasion on my privacy.
3. If I disable my cookies, I may not be able to use my favorite websites.
4. Cookies will fill up my hard drive and cause my computer to run slowly.
5. I can get a cookie from a website I've never been to.

Click here to see how you did.

The Cost of Bad Behavior

Our featured book is called "The Cost of Bad Behavior - How Incivility Is Damaging Your Business and What to Do About It" by Christine Pearson and Christine Porath. These two professional women really did the research and I'm impressed with their findings. We knew incivility to be expensive, but $300 billion is off the chart and seems unreal, but true!! There are great examples of both sides of civility and most important action steps for improvement. This book needs to be read by every leader...we rate this book an A+++!!!