The Similarities Between Golf and Management

I love golf. I really love to play golf. I have been playing a lot of golf lately. Something that I am coming to realize, however, is that golf is a lot like management. There are days when I leave the golf course and I feel on top of the world. Every shot was on target and every putt sunk in. But there are also those other days when the drive I shot decides to go far off track or that ball will just not find its way into the hole. Its a lot like management. Some days everything is clicking...the time is managed perfectly to get everything on the to do list checked off and there are no employee issues to contend with. BUT there are those other days when every task I set out to accomplish is thwarted by the latest crisis and every employee is taking a number at the door to file a complaint. So I am learning to take the good with the bad and keep returning to the golf course and the office. Who knows? Perhaps I will hit a "hole in one" in both places!

Invest in Worker Training That Creates Lasting Gains

Yahoo! News (04/17/09) Settner, Morey
When business slows, training becomes more popular. Providing employees with tools to increase performance will allow the organization to better compete in good times and poor times. However, training programs should be customized, and not simply purchased. Customization can be done by first asking employees for their input. Managers should have workers break their jobs into parts and consider their skills and knowledge about each task. Any areas that need improvement should be noted, so that they can be fixed. Make sure to take their feedback and the manager's own observations to executives and top customers. It is important to create training programs that solve real problems as opposed to what are assumed to be the issues. Employees should also understand why the training is important, and the group should display their understanding of the learning points. Employees will not retain as much information if they are sitting and listening to a lecture. "Effective training involves a transference of skills," says Ron Karr, head of Karr Associates, a business development firm. "There needs to be lots of interaction so that people practice turning what they learn into action." Finally, benchmarks should be created so that results can be measured.

Lilly Endowment Awards $20 Million

FORT WAYNE, INDIANA – March 25, 2009: Lilly Endowment Inc. will provide $20 million to an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne to accelerate the development of northeast Indiana’s workforce and talent resources, officials announced today. The program, entitled Talent Opportunity Success (TOpS) 2015, will develop education, training and talent initiatives in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. TOpS 2015 -- an unprecedented collaboration in northeast Indiana -- will better prepare the region’s workforce to capture the high- quality job opportunities available in the near term and those of the future.

“We wish to extend our sincere appreciation to Lilly Endowment for this very generous financial support,” said Kathy Friend, chair of the board of the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne. “This announcement shows strong support for our community and our efforts to transform the economy of northeast Indiana.”

“Lilly Endowment invited the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne to work together with other community stakeholders to propose a plan to engage the educational and charitable sectors in maximizing the economic development potential of the area,” said Lilly Endowment President N. Clay Robbins. “We are impressed with the TOpS 2015 initiative, which will equip workers to take advantage of the compelling opportunities in northeast Indiana in the defense, aerospace and other advanced manufacturing industries. For Indiana communities to thrive in the future, they must have well educated and competitive workforces.”

Components of TOpS 2015 include support for the following critical initiatives:

Retraining at least 1,200 adult workers in northeast Indiana over the next three years;
Enhancement of the Advanced Manufacturing program at Ivy Tech – Northeast;
Expansion of the systems engineering and wireless technology programs at Indiana University-Purdue University- Fort Wayne (IPFW);
Creation of New Tech High Schools within school corporations in northeast Indiana, with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses

TOpS 2015 includes significant and targeted educational and workforce programs for the aerospace and defense industries. One immediate goal of TOpS 2015 is to prepare workers to assume more than 4,000 projected new and replacement jobs in these industries. The programs also will be relevant to the workforce development needs of other advanced manufacturing sectors in northeast Indiana. Northeast Indiana is home to over 160 defense/aerospace prime contractors and suppliers. During 2005 and 2006 the six largest firms in this sector received a total of $2 billion in prime contracts from the Department of Defense.

The grant will be made to an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne, Community Partnerships, Inc. (CPI), which will govern and provide oversight for the program. CPI is a supporting organization of the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne. The grant is believed to be the largest single private foundation grant ever awarded in northeast Indiana. Management of the program will be conducted by the Northeast Indiana Foundation, which is a supporting organization of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership.

Quoting Reed Silliman, chair of the board of CPI, “This award is a key element in launching TOpS 2015, which is designed to promote regional economic development. If we can build and offer a highly skilled workforce, we can attract and sustain globally competitive firms. This is our strategy for improving the quality of life for our citizens and we are eager to get started.”

During the past two years in response to the Endowment’s invitation, a broad coalition of regional partners, comprising business, economic development and government leaders, community foundations and representatives from K-12 and higher educational systems, came together to determine ways to align more strategically northeast Indiana’s workforce, education and worker training programs. Diverse interests collaborated to produce TOpS 2015, which will be a cornerstone of transforming the regional economy, providing economic growth opportunities and promoting high quality jobs in northeast Indiana.

“The collaboration that northeast Indiana has experienced in this endeavor is unsurpassed and will propel the entire region,” said John Sampson, president/CEO of Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. “Education, community and business partners from the region have made tough decisions to focus limited resources on critical needs in the region. It has been very gratifying for the Regional Partnership to be a part of this process”

Key players who contributed valuable perspectives in developing the TOpS 2015 strategy included: WorkOne Northeast, Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne, Northeast Indiana Corporate Council, the City of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, IPFW, Ivy Tech-Northeast, University of Indianapolis’ Center for Excellence in the Leadership of Learning, CONEXUS, I-STEM Resource Network, Indiana Economic Development Corp., regional K-12 superintendents and a number of business leaders in the advanced manufacturing, defense and aerospace industries.

“Strengthening existing business is as important to our regional economy as attracting new business,” said IPFW chancellor, Michael Wartell. “This grant is critical in supporting the defense industry, an integral component of northeast Indiana’s financial health and a longtime partner of IPFW. Expanding education in systems engineering and wireless communication, core competencies of the local defense industry, will help ensure the financial well-being of that sector.”

“Ivy Tech is a leader in application based programming to support technical training. The college now has the opportunity to purchase additional state of the art, high-tech equipment for use in advanced manufacturing skills training. As a result of Lilly Endowment’s support and confidence in our region, Ivy Tech’s Advanced Manufacturing Center will be taken to a whole new level.” said Mark Keen, chancellor of Ivy Tech-Northeast.

“Northeast Indiana solidly supports our industry. This level of collaboration and support is truly unique,” said Bruce Menshy, director of operations at Raytheon’s Fort Wayne location. “TOpS 2015 will produce talent resources that will further champion the area’s high-tech operations and entice more of the industry’s growing contracts.”

Though the defense and aerospace industries will be directly impacted in the short-term, many project initiatives will have positive impacts across other regional target industries. Adapting to the world economy’s shift from industrial-based to knowledge-based markets, the effects of this broad-spectrum, skill enhancement effort will highlight the value northeast Indiana places on economic growth, innovation, lifelong learning and global competitiveness.

“We’re thrilled for the commitment that Lilly Endowment has made to our region’s workforce,” said Kathleen Randolph, president/CEO of WorkOne Northeast. “This initiative will expand our immediate capabilities to retrain adult workers under today’s critical economic conditions. Increased availability to these resources for the region will benefit this generation and continue to better prepare tomorrow’s workers for an enduring and competitive regional workforce.”
∫∫∫

Established in 1956, the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne is a public, charitable foundation serving Allen County for more than fifty years. The Community Foundation had assets of $74 million at December 31, 2008, and awarded more than $5.6 million in charitable grants and scholarships in that year.

About the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and the Northeast Indiana Foundation: Created in 2006, the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership's mission is to market the eleven-county region and team with local economic development organizations (LEDOs) to bring new jobs and commercial investment to the area. The Northeast Indiana Foundation's mission is to support the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and its member counties through the funding and coordination of charitable activities which directly contribute to its mission of facilitating the creation of new business investment and high quality jobs for the region.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Gifts of stock in that company remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment. It is, however, a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the wishes of the three founders, Lilly Endowment exists to support the causes of community development, education and religion. The Lilly family’s foremost priority was to help the people of their city and state build a better life. Although the Endowment also supports efforts of national significance and an occasional international project, it remains primarily committed to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

How to Motivate Employees to Do More With Less

Boston — Feb. 11With leaner workforces, slower sales and tighter budgets, managers and executives need to motivate their employees to do more with less, according to Suzanne Bates, author of the newly published book, Motivate Like a CEO: Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act!
“Monetary incentives such as raises and bonuses are in short supply,” Bates said. “Managers and executives must find non-monetary ways to keep their teams motivated, and to inspire them to achieve goals and objectives with fewer people and less funding. This makes it even more important for leaders to be out in front of employees as much as possible, continually communicating and making personal connections with them,”Bates is president and CEO of Bates Communications.
Among the ways managers and executives can lead their teams to do more with less are:
Praise, reward and recognize. “People really don’t mind working hard; they just want to know that their efforts are appreciated,” Bates said. “Recognition doesn’t have to be through raises and bonuses.”
Communicate constantly. “In times like these, many managers tend to withdraw because they aren’t getting clear direction from their own bosses,” Bates said. “Fear grows in a vacuum, and employees will fill that vacuum of information with their own worries about their future.”
Be open and honest with employees.
Adopt a variety of ways to find out what is on employees’ minds. “It will require using several different approaches to dig deep and discover how employees are feeling,” Bates said.
Give employees an opportunity to vent about such issues as layoffs, increased workloads, salary freezes and other cutbacks.
Don’t be afraid to push your employees to take more initiative and become more involved.
Get clear about your own priorities. “Managers often hear that they need to communicate their priorities,” Bates said. “But they can’t communicate these if they haven’t decided what they are. Leaders need to make the tough decisions about what really needs to be done now, and what isn’t as urgent and can wait longer.”
Reassess day-to-day, even hour-to-hour. “What seemed important yesterday may not be so important today,” Bates said. “Although your priorities must be based on a sound business strategy, you need to continually reassess them, and help your team make good decisions about where to spend their time and resources.”
Get in closer touch with customers, prospects and vendors.

For more info: http://www.bates-communications.com

Some Good Thoughts from Randy Boek of www.route2results.com

Human Equation
Philosophically this isn't quantum physics. Practically it is tough to do. You may be a leader with the resources of a multi-billion dollar global corporation or the owner of a start-up - it doesn't matter, even in the current economic upheaval it remains tough to get and keep talented people. There are five methodologies for balancing a quadratic equation. Here are five suggestions for balancing the human equation.

Money Matters.
Money isn't the only medium of exchange in the employment equation but don't believe for a minute that it isn't important. Reality may cause adjustments. Appreciate the sacrifice, commit to the longer term.

Communicate - Communicate - Communicate.
You've said it once. You're the boss. People should get it and act on it - now. Well, it doesn't quite work that way. In times of great change and ambiguity direction and messages change- sometimes on a dime. When people are overloaded and distracted more and better communication is essential to keeping people engaged and focused on results.

WIIFM.
From the CEO to the clerk, everyone answers this question persistently and individually. Do you know how each individual you lead defines WIIFM (What's in it for me)? Does each person you lead clearly understand what the business and you expect of them? One size doesn't fit all and you don't have to control the corporate checkbook to make a positive impact here. Understanding and acting here can have a big impact when other aspects of the equation have to be out of balance due to business reality.

Commitment is a two way street.
Know each team member and do your best to get them what they need in order to do their best for the business. As a leader you can create something bigger than self, something people are excited to be a part of, camaraderie, appreciation, recognition, opportunity, and professional growth. People hear what you say - maybe. People see your actions that impact them - always. Whether your actions demonstrate caring and commitment or not, people know you by what you do. Employee or employer, this is the truth.

Soft stuff is the hard stuff.
We expect business results of all from CEO to the shop floor employee. Without growth, revenue and ultimate profitability all bets are off. Clearly understood expectations, competitive compensation, and a valid system of measuring performance are basic price of admission factors. High performing leaders also apply the perspective and soft skills necessary. They keep talented people engaged, focused, and working effectively with others, to serve customers with excellence. They expand the capability of people and insure that employees are doing their best for the business.

Leaders are accountable. Good economy or bad we still have to deliver results. We must do what we believe is best for the business and it may not always be what is best for individuals. In some cases it may simply not be possible to keep the employment equation in balance to the extent that the employment agreement must end. That is reality and I do not know any leaders who enjoy the painful process. Short of that we can be conscious of the equation and take steps to rebalance when one aspect of it must go out of balance.

Here are a few questions to ponder in the mirror:

In what ways is the quality of leadership in my business worthy of the talented high quality people that are essential to the success of the business?

What do my leadership team and I do consistently that builds a level of trust and loyalty so that employees will stay engaged and committed during challenging times?

Where is the business at risk due to the human equation being out of balance and what must be done to fix it?

Retaining Mature Workers Key to Holding off Job Shortages
Business Ledger (12/29/08) Stoltz, Jeremy

Recent studies point out that 76 million Baby Boomers are nearing retirement, and there are fewer workers in subsequent generations to replace them. With U.S. job growth estimated at 40 percent over the next two decades, the nation will be short by up to 8 million workers in 2010 and 26 million short in 2035, which is why human resource experts say companies need to retain and retrain their maturing workforce. Additionally, the Employment Policy Foundation reports that 80 percent of the future workforce will express a skills shortage, which is an already emerging trend among today's workers as technology skills become more desirable among firms. Managers will cope with long vacancies and difficulties retaining skilled workers, which is why retaining older workers through flexible schedules and phased retirement plans is important. Through five easy steps, organizations can retain workers. The first is to create flexible schedules, part-time work, and similar programs for mature workers, and the second is to offer continuous skills training. Thirdly, firms need to garner feedback from workers about what they need. Finally, organizations must create solutions to collect, store, and transfer institutional knowledge and strive to reduce cultural biases against older workers (i.e. their inability to learn new things).