Skills Needed For The Next Circus

If you have been associated with us for very long, you know that one of the key points we focus on is continuous improvement. One of the reasons we have so many elephants to juggle now is that we did not adequately prepare physically, emotionally, mentally or financially for them before they became so heavy in our life.

That's why the NY Times article, Factories ready to hire, but employers find skills shortage, caught our attention. The writer highlights that manufacturers are beginning to look for new workers, but that that these workers need a higher level of skill than the typical assembly line worker of the past. Some of the key skills needed as highlighted in the article included:

• Operate sophisticated computerized machinery
• Follow complex blueprints
• Demonstrate higher math proficiency than workers in the past

The writer gives the example of a manufacturing facility that interviewed over 3,600 applicants and only found 47 capable of taking the $13-$15 per hour jobs they had available.

Regardless of whether you are employed or unemployed, the article asks all of us to ponder if we have (or need to develop) the skill sets to be successful in tomorrow's workforce. As we say in Juggling Elephants, your circus is only as good as your NEXT performance.

Good Book To Help With Intermissions

It’s rare to recommend a book before reading it, but the tip was given to us just a couple days ago. The book is Stopping-How to be still when you have to keep going, by Dr. David Kundtz.

We think you’ll understand our interest in the book when you see the three types of “stopping” Dr. Kundtz suggests:
-Stillpoints
-Stopovers
-Grinding Halts

Once we have a chance to actually read it (perhaps during an upcoming intermission), we’ll let you know more about what we found to help with our circus.

The Choice-When You Are Not The Ringmaster

While standing in line to speak with a gate agent about a delayed flight, I overheard the person in front of me. It was a mother inquiring about her son, who was going on the flight alone. Due to the delay in the flight, she was concerned that her son would miss his connection and have to stay in Atlanta overnight-supervised by an airline agent. Any parent can understand her fears.

What was unusual was that the mother wanted the agent to guarantee her that her son would make his connecting flight. When the agent could obviously not assure her that would happen, the mother became very upset. The agent tried to improve the situation by offering the opportunity for the boy to take a flight the next day to minimize the chance of being stranded on his itinerary. Then the mother made lots of excuses about how much trouble it would be to have to come back the next day. Exasperated, the agent said, “It’s your choice-I have done all I can. It’s out of my control.” And to tell the truth, the same could be said for the mother.

It made me think of how often I want a guaranteed outcome-when its not within my ability to control. In those times I really need to make the choice of whether failure to achieve the outcome is worth the risk instead of paralyzing myself fretting over things I can not control. In the mother’s case, she had two choices-send the son on the trip and risk him being stranded for the night-or go home and try again the next day. Unless it was a medical or family emergency, I know which option I would choose.

The next time you’re not the ringmaster, remember your limits-and make the choices that ARE within your control.

Execution

You can do all the planning, preparation, goal setting, strategic meetings and mission statement writing you want but at the end of the day it comes down to execution and getting something done. The Random House Dictionary defines the word "execute" as: "to carry out" or "to perform or do."

It seems a lot of the time that it isn’t the planning and preparation that gets in the way but all the distractions that keep us from being able to "do" our plan. Amelia Earhart said, The most effective way to do it, is to do it. Wow, that seems pretty simple. "Just do it." What a great slogan Nike!

SHRM 2010 Conference and Exposition in San Diego California

Juggling Elephants LLC (with Jones and Todd) will be attending the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) 62nd Annual Conference and Exposition that takes place June 27-29, 2010 in San Diego, California.

Because we will be having a booth at the show, we can offer you a Free Expo Pass. To visit the EXPO for FREE, please go to https://www.one-stop-registration.com/shrm2010/OSR.1?access=FEP10130. Or register onsite using the following code: FEP10130.

Please make sure to stop by and see us at booth #1119. We would love to see you and say hello!