WILLIAM TINCUP: 7 STEPS TO DEFINE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

HR leaders spend a lot of time thinking about how to support and enrich other people\’s careers. But it\’s also important to turn the lens on ourselves, making sure we\’re fully present and fulfilled at work. To wit, we asked William Tincup, principal analyst at Key Interval Research, for his advice on polishing up your personal brand:
Would you hire yourself? Don\’t answer just yet.
Just for a moment, think of yourself as a product. What are your features, benefits and attributes? What is your brand strategy? In order to create your true and unique brand, you need to ask yourself some hard questions. This won\’t be easy, but I promise it will be worth your time.
To get started, here are 7 suggested exercises to follow as you define your personal brand.

1. What is your vision?

What is the vision behind what you do, who you are, how you behave?
Try to visualize what your life and career looks like now, 6 months from now, 3 years from now. What are some of the paths that enable these visions? Even if your vision of your future self is blurry, it\’s okay. You just need to have an idea—an inkling—of said vision. No one else is going to manage your career, it\’s up to you.

2. What are your values?

What do you really stand for? What line cannot be crossed?
Your brain should hurt when you conduct this exercise. At the edges of these thoughts are: What would you be willing to die for? There are no easy answers, but you must be in touch with your values. Period. Those that don\’t understand their own values, generally speaking, end up having their values trampled.

3. Where do you flourish? Where do you fail?

You need to have an understanding of where you shine, what support structures you need and what types of people inspire you. These qualities will define the \”Feng Shui\” of your employment and help you predict success.
Being able to predict your own failure and—hopefully—avoiding it is another story. You must be able to explain that to your bosses and potential employers, and step away from opportunities that you know will be toxic. Read: \”The only times I\’ve ever failed in life is where I tried to be someone else. If you want me to be someone else, let\’s part ways now.\”

4. Admit that when you\’ve sucked, you\’ve sucked in a big way.

Most candidates try to present themselves as perfect. All recruiters know know they\’re lying. Get comfortable with your warts—all of them. If you cuss, own it. If you\’re a social drinker, own it. When you\’ve let others down, own it. Tell the truth. And, more to the point, if your potential employer wants someone that\’s perfect, you were just going to get fired anyway. Save everyone the time and sorrow. Own up to your flaws.

5. Why are you so awesome?

Own up to your strengths, too. Inventory all of the amazing things you\’ve accomplished. Turns out, you\’re probably pretty awesome—don\’t be afraid to share it. Modesty is attractive, but too much humility will make you appear either weak, not compelling or both. It\’s hard to know when to beat your chest, but take your inventory of success and be brave enough to spread the word about your awesomeness.

6. When are you rational? When you are emotional?

Personality experts would have you believe that personality is everything—who you marry, who you befriend, how you act at the Christmas party, etc.
I\’m not sure I buy the depth of that, but I do believe personality is critical to matching employers happily with employees. So, as an employee, how well do you really know your own personality? No perfect answer. Just inventory yourself and ask some really difficult questions: When am I at my rational best? When do I become emotional, and why?
In this exercise, you\’re just trying to become aware, that\’s it. So you can tell a compelling story about your personality. Like fingerprints, it will be only yours.

7. How do you make other people better?

I\’d use a sports reference here, but that\’s really boring and lazy. Truth is, we\’ve all been in situations (groups, classes, parties, etc.) where we\’ve seen it with our own eyes: a person making everyone around them better. We\’ve also seen the opposite—a person who destroys the things and people around them. People be damned. Success be dammed. Scorched Earth.
You should be able to articulate, specifically, how you can and will make everyone you interact with better. This is where you align your brand with your company\’s brand.
So, there are seven (simple?) exercises. You\’ll think of more “brand called me\” exercises as you think about yourself as a can of soup or box of cereal. You\’ll come up with more inventories. The game is simple and yet oddly complex: know thy self.
And by “thyself\” I mean your \”true and unique\” brand. If the exercises above were easy for you, then start to inventory your passions and your competencies, and look for the sweet spot where you align those with your brand. Oh, and by the way, 99 percent of Americans haven\’t created this said alignment.
That stat was completely made up, but you get the idea.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

New Orleans Jazz: Culture & History Come Alive Through Music

Ever since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, Brennan Bugbee (Class of ’16) has been curious about visiting the city. Bugbee is a UVM environmental chemistry student with a history minor, and a loyal fan of the New Orleans Saints. When Bugbee learned that he could earn UVM credit to travel to New Orleans to study history and culture, while fulfilling his diversity graduation requirement, he jumped at the opportunity.
Bugbee is no stranger to travel in the United States. “I’ve been lucky to travel with my family,” he says. “Most of my travel experiences have been on the East Coast, but I have gained a little piece of first-hand exposure to regional and cultural diversity every time.” Over the years, he’s explored nearly 25 different states across the country.
Never having traveled to the Deep South, Bugbee wanted to better understand the cultural and ideological differences that sometimes come into play in national politics. “I wanted to know more about what shapes national conversations and policy decisions,” he says.

Gaining Exposure to New Orleans Jazz Culture and History

Bugbee registered for the New Orleans: Music and Culture travel study course last spring with Professor Clyde Stats, a musician. The course met a few times before traveling to New Orleans over spring break to prepare students for the trip.
“The class leading up to our trip really helped me to prepare for the experience,” he says. “I’m a history minor, so I was really interested in learning about the significance of the landmarks we visited.”
The course also explored the transformation of jazz as a musical genre. “We got to experience live performances at music halls all over the city, where we could hear the generational evolution of the music being performed,” he says.
With a historical understanding, the students could situate the different sounds and styles into cultural and historical context. History came to life through music. “I came to understand the concept that music is an expression of cultural identity, which is the product of ethnic tradition,” Bugbee says.
Students develop their cultural competency and understanding through experience. “In studying the history of a melting pot of races, New Orleans’ sociology explains the evolution of the musical genre. We saw how the history, culture, and musical expression are very much intertwined,” he says.
Indeed, cultural studies were infused throughout the experience. With its proximity to the Gulf of New Mexico, New Orleans has a booming fishing industry. Bugbee enjoyed exploring culture through the traditional cuisine of the region; especially the seafood.
“It’s very hard to find fresh seafood in Vermont and it’s probably impossible to find alligator gumbo anywhere around here,” he says, adding that he tried many of the local favorites and enjoyed exploring his palate in a new place. “In my opinion, eating local cuisine is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture because everyone loves food and there are so many different variations to explore. It’s easy to find something new that you’ll enjoy.”
Life in the city was a bit of a change for Bugbee, who grew up in a small Vermont town. It did not feel like an uncomfortable stretch for him to explore the city. “I love people-watching in Burlington, so I felt a similar connection to New Orleans, except that New Orleans is on a different scale. There is just more to see and experience.”
The course mixes traditional classroom learning with field visits, enabling students to learn through experience.
“Everyone I met was very hospitable. Tourism is a main industry for the city of New Orleans, and people don’t seem to mind if you are curious and ask them questions.”
Bugbee suggests that students who are considering a travel program consider their readiness before they go. “To enjoy your trip, you need to be able to handle a new environment far away from home, which is easy if you have the right mind set,” he says. “It’s important to be open-minded to accepting a culture other than your own and interested in learning as much as possible about it.”
Reiterating the value of his experience, Bugbee said, “Travel helped me to discover things I never knew I liked and gain a more global perspective.

HOW I MOVED FROM HOSTESS TO HIRING LEADER

I took my first job out of high school because of tiramisu. Yes—the dessert.
It all started with those decadent layers of vanilla cream, espresso soaked cake and rich chocolate shavings. Let me explain. When I was in school and determining where to apply for a job while in college, I knew I wanted to work for a company that I truly believed in. One whose products I actually enjoyed for myself, and whose people I felt would support me. And the product I loved more than almost anything else? California Pizza Kitchen’s tiramisu. If you’ve tried it, you understand.
I started as a hostess, learning the ropes of how a restaurant works, testing products (lucky me) and working with a team of motivated individuals. Fast forward 13 years, and I was a recruiting leader for CPK restaurants and headquarters, responsible for building the same teams that I joined when I started. When did I take the 90-degree turn toward hiring? And how did I move from hostess to leading this important team, all at the same company? It was all thanks to a wealth of growth opportunities, the desire to keep learning and a whole lot of passion for the company purpose.

My Journey, Fueled by Tiramisu

When I entered CPK as a 17 year old, I wanted a job I liked. Plain and simple. As a college student in Southern California, I was looking for energy, friends and a steady income to support my life outside of class. Starting as a hostess, I figured the job would be pretty simple: greeting and seating guests; managing reservations; collecting menus. But right off the bat, I learned everything one could ever need to know about being a hostess. I tested menu items to make sure I could describe our cuisine; I learned the order of service so I could project wait times, help fill in when I needed. and juggle many people and many tasks all at once.
Eventually, I saw an opening for a serving position, and I took it. I began training new servers and hosts that came in, moved locations (more than once) and was encouraged to apply for a restaurant management position by leadership. With training in place to bridge the gap between running a section of tables to running a shift and overseeing a restaurant, I was able to make the transition to restaurant management. It was a major responsibility that I enjoyed and was grateful for—but ultimately, I had to choose whether I was going to continue in restaurant management or try my hand at something new.
A favorite manager of mine told me about a position in recruiting that had opened up at the company—and all of a sudden, it just clicked. The importance of creating a company environment that people wanted to be a part of was not lost on me—in fact, I lived it. And building the kinds of opportunities that I had at CPK for others would be perhaps the most meaningful way I could spend my days. So I interviewed, got the job, and worked my way up from there.

The Value of Potential

I could sit here and chalk up my ladder-climbing to personal tenacity, hard work or a headstrong desire to always keep moving. And sure, maybe some of it was that.
But really, it was the internal mobility that CPK offered me and the rest of its employees—the fact that they not only trusted, but invested, in my potential. According to a Gallup study from 2016, 87 percent of the working millennial population says that professional development is crucial in a job. As the number of workers who stay at a job for more than four years decreases, companies have to work with employees to build careers on their terms—or else they’ll just leave. And contrary to popular belief, most employees don’t want to jump ship: In fact, a Cornerstone report found that 66 percent of people look internally for a new position first. The problem? Only 32 percent of employers encourage people to work in other departments.
I was lucky to work at a company among that 32 percent for my first job, and it’s something I’ve continued to value in an employer at every step in my career. Companies like CPK—then Oakley, and now Cornerstone OnDemand—trained me for what I could be in the future and gave me the skills I needed to take the next steps, whether that was a server, a manager or even a recruiter. For CPK, they held onto an employee that was passionate, engaged and skilled—and in today’s constant hunt for quality candidates, those employees can be hard to find.
As a Director of Talent Acquisition now, I understand why this approach worked so well. My employer showed me my value, when they could’ve just shown me the door. In a market that feels scary, huge and impersonal, a company that treats employees as individuals and invests resources in helping them find their place (continuously) is one that breeds happy workers—and always has a full pipeline.

Vermont Eighth Graders Rank High Globally in Math, Science

A recent U.S. study shows that eighth graders in three states, including Vermont, outperformed most students across the world in math and science.
Vermont eighth graders placed fourth globally in science when ranked against the 49 states and 47 countries and jurisdictions. Only Singapore, Massachusetts and Taiwan ranked ahead of Vermont. In math, Vermont eighth graders came in at seventh, behind No. 1 South Korea and then, in order, Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Hong Kong, Japan and Massachusetts.
The study was conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Education, and compared the 2011 test scores of eighth graders worldwide. American eighth graders take the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Outside the U.S., students take the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In 2011, students in only nine states took the TIMSS. In order to compare the scores of states and countries, the study used the NAEP scores to predict how well the American students would do on the TIMSS.
“This is an important study because it is one of the first studies that links federal NAEP test data by state to the TIMSS results,” said Dr. Cynthia Gerstl-Pepin, associate dean of the University of Vermont’s College of Education and Social Services. “It shows that national policy arguments suggesting that the U.S. education system is failing are unfounded. Instead it shows that some individual state education systems are incredibly successful while others are struggling.”
Gerstl-Pepin was “not surprised at all” by Vermont’s high ranking.
“Vermont consistently has set high standards for teacher preparation, what students should learn and how they show what they learn (in terms of assessment/testing),” she said.
It makes sense to use NAEP and TIMSS tests for comparison because both require high-level thinking, Gerstl-Pepin said, similar to Vermont’s New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) tests. Other states’ tests, however, are arguably much easier, she said.
“The fallacy of No Child Let Behind is that it allows states to have lower standards and to use state assessments/tests that cater to those low standards,” Gerstl-Pepin explained. “Vermont education leaders have consistently had high standards for teachers and students, and the NECAP tests used to assess students in Vermont consistently reflect those high standards.”
Going forward, comparisons among states should become even easier.
“The new Common Core Standards mean that state education systems are expected to use one of two national assessments: the Smarter Balanced Assessments or the Partnership of Readiness for College and Careers,” Gerstl-Pepin said. “Vermont has chosen the Smarter Balanced Assessments because the tests are more sophisticated. They do not just tell you whether a student is meeting standards but can also be used by educators to inform how they can help a student improve.”

Jobs and Career Outlooks with a Healthcare Administration Degree

There has never been a better time to pursue a healthcare administration degree. As the “Baby Boomer” generation retires, they create a two-fold need for qualified candidates entering the field of healthcare. Retirees leave their positions wide open for the next generation of healthcare administrators and – as they age – they create a larger demand for employees in all aspects of healthcare. Whether you plan to begin your career in the field of medicine and work up to an administration position, or plan to enter the field of healthcare administration directly after obtaining a degree, your job and career outlooks are resoundingly positive.
What can you Do with a Healthcare Administration Degree?
The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Handbook projects employment rates for healthcare administrators will grow by 17% over the next eight years. This is significantly faster than the average job growth statistics for other careers. In addition to the rising Baby Boomer population, rapid technological changes put additional pressure on hospitals, doctors’ offices, and medical clinics to hire healthcare professionals with the most current and in-depth understanding of medical coding and classification software as well as electronic health record (EHR) systems technologies.
In order to have the best prospects of securing a job in the field of healthcare administration, candidates need to be educated at accredited universities offering a variety of classes designed to support well-rounded graduates. Healthcare Administrators do more than just “manage.” They are responsible for:
  • All aspects of day-to-day healthcare facility management
  • Keeping up (and adhering to) the latest healthcare legislation and policies
  • Employee hiring/firing, creating and sticking to budgets
  • Acting as public relations representatives for their healthcare facility.
That’s a tall order for any employee which is why finding the right candidates can be incredibly challenging.
Landing a Job as a Healthcare Administrator
There are several things you can do to increase your chances of landing a job directly after graduation.
  • Attend an accredited college with a reputation for graduating competent and prepared graduates with a healthcare administration degree.
  • Take classes with a wide subject base to show future employers you are not only a successful healthcare manager, you are astute in the areas of accounting/finance, technology, and customer relations. They need to know you can jump in and perform competently on multiple levels.
  • Take advantage of any career experience opportunities your campus offers so that you can become educated in a variety of healthcare arenas. You never know whether your degree will take you to a large urban hospital or a small rural non-profit clinic. The more experience you have the better.
While nobody would say healthcare administrators have it easy, the position can provide a lifetime of both personal and professional satisfaction.

Start off the Semester Right with our Online College Supply List

It’s that time of the year again where the nights are getting shorter and colder. Parents and college kids alike are running to the store to get their last minute school supply shopping done, since fall has finally arrived.  A new semester offers a chance for some to start over and for some a chance to get their life back in order. To start the semester off the right way, I wanted to come up with a list of supplies and tips for online students. This way when you are running around grabbing all of the crayons, highlighters, pencils, paper, and folders for your kids, you will have a list for yourself to make sure you are prepared for the long semester haul.
Green pen making a checkmarkIf you are thinking of attending college in person, this list works for you too but if you\’ve thought about college online, check out all the degrees we offer here.
Supply your Study Space
The first thing you need to take care of is your study space. Make sure you have a quiet work space that you enjoy being in. If you surround yourself with a positive environment, you are more likely to be able to accomplish your work. One idea that I have always liked is having pictures of your supporting cast, maybe you are going back to school to help out your family, friends, or even yourself. Having pictures of your family and friends will allow you to always remember what you are working for. It could also help you get through those late night assignments. It isn’t a bad idea to have a picture of your favorite vacation spot or a dream vacation spot, just something that can maybe take your mind off of your homework and allow you to reset your brain. If you have kids, it isn’t a bad idea to try and do your homework while they are at school themselves or once they are asleep.
Stock up on Snacks
Now it’s time to go back to basics. While taking online classes it is always a good idea to have the same supplies a traditional college student has. Whether you like to drink coffee, soda, or of course energy drinks, caffeine becomes one of the most important food groups for many college students! Many college students, including myself, owe thanks to the great people at Starbucks and AMP Energy drinks for helping us get through those late night assignments.
Technology Supplies
Of course you need the good old basics like paper and pencils, but with online classes the list varies at this point. We all know it is mandatory to have a computer and internet and this is especially important for online classes. You can also find a list of other mandatory computer components on our technology requirements page. The most important on that list is a printer. Printing copies of homework assignments, papers you have written and lectures is a great way to stay organized and on top of your school work. Make sure you have a binder or folder to keep all of your paper work in order. It‘s not a bad idea to have a filing cabinet or a filing box in your workspace either. Other computer essentials are speakers, a webcam, a microphone, a flash drive, ink, and printer paper. These are all required or highly recommended to stay on top of your assignments.
When I sat down to write this I said that I wanted to make sure I made your life a little easier by giving you a last minute school supply shopping list. Hopefully with these supplies, you are now in the position to succeed and turn over a new leaf.  Here is your shopping list; now it is just up to you to find the time to do some shopping.
  • Pens
  • Paper
  • Binder
  • Folders
  • Books
  • Book bag
  • Filling Cabinet or Box
  • Laptop Tray
  • Ink
  • Copy Paper
  • Flash Drive
  • Printer
  • Webcam
  • Speakers
Feel free to add additional items in the comment section of items you think are important for college students especially if you\’re studying online.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Vermont Eighth Graders Rank High Globally in Math, Science

A recent U.S. study shows that eighth graders in three states, including Vermont, outperformed most students across the world in math and science.
Vermont eighth graders placed fourth globally in science when ranked against the 49 states and 47 countries and jurisdictions. Only Singapore, Massachusetts and Taiwan ranked ahead of Vermont. In math, Vermont eighth graders came in at seventh, behind No. 1 South Korea and then, in order, Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Hong Kong, Japan and Massachusetts.
The study was conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Education, and compared the 2011 test scores of eighth graders worldwide. American eighth graders take the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Outside the U.S., students take the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In 2011, students in only nine states took the TIMSS. In order to compare the scores of states and countries, the study used the NAEP scores to predict how well the American students would do on the TIMSS.
“This is an important study because it is one of the first studies that links federal NAEP test data by state to the TIMSS results,” said Dr. Cynthia Gerstl-Pepin, associate dean of the University of Vermont’s College of Education and Social Services. “It shows that national policy arguments suggesting that the U.S. education system is failing are unfounded. Instead it shows that some individual state education systems are incredibly successful while others are struggling.”
Gerstl-Pepin was “not surprised at all” by Vermont’s high ranking.
“Vermont consistently has set high standards for teacher preparation, what students should learn and how they show what they learn (in terms of assessment/testing),” she said.
It makes sense to use NAEP and TIMSS tests for comparison because both require high-level thinking, Gerstl-Pepin said, similar to Vermont’s New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) tests. Other states’ tests, however, are arguably much easier, she said.
“The fallacy of No Child Let Behind is that it allows states to have lower standards and to use state assessments/tests that cater to those low standards,” Gerstl-Pepin explained. “Vermont education leaders have consistently had high standards for teachers and students, and the NECAP tests used to assess students in Vermont consistently reflect those high standards.”
Going forward, comparisons among states should become even easier.
“The new Common Core Standards mean that state education systems are expected to use one of two national assessments: the Smarter Balanced Assessments or the Partnership of Readiness for College and Careers,” Gerstl-Pepin said. “Vermont has chosen the Smarter Balanced Assessments because the tests are more sophisticated. They do not just tell you whether a student is meeting standards but can also be used by educators to inform how they can help a student improve.”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

DON’T BE AFRAID TO HIRE SOMEONE WHO’S CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED

It’s easier to get a new job when you already have a job. We all intuitively know this to be true, but why is that the case?
If you ask recruiters and hiring managers why they don’t hire individuals who are unemployed when they apply for a role, it’s usually because they’re basing their decision on some preconceived notions and biases:
  • If you’ve been fired from one job, there must be something wrong with you.
  • If you quit without a new job lined up, you must not be a dedicated employee.
  • If you stayed at home with your kids, you’ll always be running out the door early.
  • If you were out for health reasons, you’ll get sick again.
In reality, most of these reasons are excuses for hiring managers to avoid critically evaluating all applicants and opting instead for the easy route. Ultimately, hiring managers prefer to recruit and hire employed versus unemployed candidates simply because they assume someone else already evaluated them, hired them and values their work enough to keep them.
But this is not a good reason to overlook the currently unemployed. This mentality can cause you to miss out on a great employee who could be unemployed for a number of completely valid and understandable reasons. Sure, some people lose their jobs because they’re bad workers, but more often than not it’s layoffs, medical problems or the need for child care that can cause someone to lose or leave their job.

Three Ways to Get More Open-Minded About How You Hire

What can you do to make sure your unconscious biases don’t keep you from hiring the best person for the job, even if he or she is currently unemployed?
1) Seek—Don’t Avoid—the Unemployed   
It’s a tight labor market right now with a relatively low unemployment rate. This is great for the economy, but tough for recruiters. Try adding a note to your job description that says, “People who are currently unemployed are encouraged to apply,” so you can reach people who were nervous about filling out the application. Then, if an unemployed individual applies, interview them! Don’t focus on why they are unemployed — but do ask. Chances are you’ll learn that their current situation is a result of an unfortunate circumstance or a personal choice, rather than previously poor job performance.
2) Consider the Value of Personal Experience
You may be tempted to exclude a stay-at-home-mom or dad for a job because they’ve been out of the workforce for ten years, but this is a missed opportunity. Rather than dwelling on skills they’ll need to catch up on or learn, ask instead about their strengths and what they’ve learned about themselves over the years. Someone with the right attitude and history of success will get up to speed quickly and could bring a passion or desire to learn that you might not find in a worker who hasn’t had any time away from a nine to five.
3) Have Some Compassion
You could be the next person to get laid off. Your mother could break her hip and not recover well, and you’ll need to take two years off to take care of her. You could have a baby and want to stay home. And someday, in each of these scenarios, you may want to return to work. Look at the candidate as a whole— not just the past few years.
Hiring is hard, but excluding a large group of qualified people because they are currently unemployed makes it even harder. Beat out your competitors by looking for the best candidate— not only the most obvious one.

Instructor Blog: Practicing Professional Communication

As instructors, we are here to help, and are happy to answer your questions and address your concerns. Many of my best students are the ones who email the most. They are quick to ask for clarification before an assignment is submitted, or for clarification on a graded assignment. Reaching out to instructors shows that you are taking responsibility for your learning. These kinds of professional communication skills and techniques can be acquired during a business communication class or any class. You just need practice.
While it can seem intimidating, think of your relationship with your instructor as practice for a relationship with a supervisor in your field. If you had a question about how to complete a project, would you email for clarification, or take a guess, submit the project and hope it is correct?
A professional tone is critical when contacting a supervisor. Maintaining a professional tone when emailing instructors will give you valuable practice. Here are some guidelines:
  • Avoid focusing on emotions. While phrases such as “I am frustrated” may be appropriate, stating much beyond that will detract from the issue.
  • Clearly state your question on concern. For example, saying “I am unclear about my grade on the week 3 activity” allows the instructor to address your concern more quickly.
  • Avoid making assumptions and focus on your question or concern.
  • Can the answer be found elsewhere? At Bryant & Stratton, you don’t need to contact your instructor to find out your grade. Similarly, there may be information in a work environment that could be found in a policy handbook.  Being proactive and finding what you can on your own will better prepare you in your course as well as your career.
  • When emailing, take advantage of the option to review your email. Ask yourself: Was I courteous and clear? Did I present myself in the most professional way possible?  Would I be embarrassed if anyone other than the instructor saw this?
Each of these guidelines will help you in a professional environment. In a work environment, an email may be forwarded without your knowledge. If you are professional and courteous, you will have nothing to worry about!
Another great option is to hop on Skype. Many instructors, myself included, have office hours on Skype, or similar platforms. This is a great way to create a more personal connection. Also, it is great practice in getting used to technology you might need for a job interview.
At Bryant & Stratton College, we pride ourselves on preparing students for their work environment. Learning how to reach out to an instructor, even if it feels uncomfortable, provides you valuable experience in professional communication whether your focus is on professional communication techniques or not. A proactive, professional attitude will help you stand out against the rest!
For more information on business communication classes and other programs designed to improve professional communication skills, contact the Admissions office at Bryant & Stratton college.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

THE 4 MOST IMPORTANT MINDSET SHIFTS TO MAKE IN 2020

My head is spinning. As someone consumed with workforce trends, January is my jackpot. Each day I probably receive 100 or more emails, newsletters and Google alerts about what thought leaders and experts suggest will be dominant 2020 workplace trends. Fortunately, there are some themes running through all the prognostications:
  1. Competition for skilled workers will intensify.
  2. Labor shortages for most workers will continue.
  3. Artificial intelligence will not displace masses of workers (this year) but will amplify disruption.
None of these forecasts are “breaking news.” But it’s not that past year forecasts were wrong— these trends simply continue unabated, and our challenges grow exponentially. To see how right or wrong these predictions are, we’ll need to wait another 12 months. But suffice it say, you shouldn’t—no, you can’t—wait one minute longer to start implementing solutions. The luxury of waiting and reacting to past events is long gone.
Solutions don’t lie in simply purchasing more technology, training based on corporate buzzwords or using more hashtags like #employeeexperience, #culturaltransformation, #wellbeing, or #diversityandinclusion, either.  Rather, change that works requires a series of mindset shifts. Here are what I feel are the four most important shifts needed to succeed and grow in 2020 and beyond. I came up with an acronym DICE to remember them: Disruptive, Infinite, Curious, and Empathetic. 
You might wonder which one is most important or which should come first. It doesn’t matter. You can’t disrupt and transform the status quo effectively without shifting all four. So let’s roll the DICE!

Disruptive Mindset

Many companies make the mistake of making disruption their goal. But that’s not what a disruptive mindset is all about. According to Charlene Li, author of The Disruption Mindset, “disruption doesn’t create growth, but growth creates disruption.” 
The disruptive mindset is more than a certain self-perception or an inclination. It’s consistent and persistent behavior that challenges the status quo. In her book, Li details four disruptive leadership mindsets: the Agent Provocateur, Realist Optimist, Worried Skeptic and Steadfast Manager. Which one best describes you—and is it allowing you to grow your organization or sustain the status quo?

Infinite Mindset

While we’re on the subject of disruption and challenging the status quo, the infinite mindset is a natural fit. Simon Sinek, the author of The Infinite Game, believes that the pursuit of being number one may be a losing strategy. Instead of taking on an attitude of winning, a person with an infinite mindset takes on an attitude of improvement. 
Sinek writes, “It takes unbelievable courage to completely change the way we see the world… If we can learn to embrace infinite mindsets, not only have we increased and enhanced innovation, seen trust and cooperation thrive, but we’ll actually love our jobs…” 

Curious Mindset

If there is one mindset that underpins the others, it’s curiosity. Disruption requires openness. The infinite mindset seeks continuous improvement. Empathy, which we’ll get into in a moment, requires stepping into the shoes of others. You can’t do any of these without a curious mind. 
Dr. Todd Kashdan suggests that unleashing curiosity requires being comfortable enough to make mistakes, share your anxiety and embrace your vulnerability. It’s time to restore the “mad-scientist” mindset of a 5-year-old. Is your company providing a safe haven for curiosity, an environment where people feel comfortable deviating from the norm and evolving? 

Empathetic Mindset

The importance of empathy continues to grow: It now rests high atop the list of desirable characteristics of exceptional leaders and skills for top talent even in highly technical fields like the UX industry. According to the Wall Street Journal, about 20% of U.S. employers now offer empathy training, up significantly from just a few years ago. (Whether you can actually train someone to be empathetic versus act like they are is a story for another day!) 
Empathy has been used to describe a variety of experiences, so a definition may be particularly helpful: Empathy is the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. In other words, seeing the world through their eyes and experiencing their feelings. 
In building up this necessary soft skill, individuals will be better positioned to inspire other employees, build more communicative teams, and earn loyalty. Not to mention, since empathy is an exclusively human skill, anyone worried about saving their jobs from an automated future would be wise to develop it. 

THE CASE FOR ETHICAL HACKING

When it comes to addressing the threat of cyber attack, companies are starting to borrow from the playbook of their would-be enemies by hacking their own systems before others get the chance.
The practice is called “ethical hacking” and it’s an approach that recently gained worldwide attention when it was revealed that Edward Snowden, the American exile who is now hiding out in Russia after disclosing details about U.S. spy operations, received an official certification in ethical hacking while working as a contractor for the National Security Agency.
The reason for the interest in ethical hacking is clear: security concerns are on the rise — both in the public and private sector. To lessen the risk, companies are investing heavily in security services. A 2010 Gartner survey predicted that spending on worldwide security services would reach $49.1 billion by 2015, a 40 percent increase from 2011. 

The Case for Self-Inflicting Wounds 

While many companies wait until there is a security breach to fix the system, one way to proactively manage a cyber hack is to simply hack your own system before others do. Ethical hackers — the undercover cops of the IT world — are important investments for companies, especially government agencies, financial institutions or others that deal with highly sensitive information. Third-party companies employ these certified hackers to identify holes in a company’s IT infrastructure. 
Here is how Cornerstone uses ethical hackers to stay on top of digital security threats and assure our customers that our system is impenetrable.
  • We pay third-party professional hacking services to hack our system continuously for two weeks. This is called a penetration test and implements a combination of manual and automatic maneuvers.
  • We have conducted these tests four times a year — timed with new product releases — since 2010.
  • We publish results upon client request. This how we can prove the security of our system.
  • We make sure all red flags that are identified are addressed immediately.
As the spread of cloud-based and other technologies opens up more opportunities for cyber criminals to strike, it is crucial that IT departments be proactive about plugging any holes before they spring a leak.

WHY THE 40-HOUR WORKWEEK IS BROKEN: Q&A WITH JODY THOMPSON

Unlimited vacation days, flextime and telecommuting are all policies aimed at making employees happier and more productive at work. Jody Thompson, co-founder of consulting group CultureRX, says these measures are short-sighted. What inspires employees to produce more, higher quality work, she says, is complete autonomy over their schedules and 100 percent accountability for the work they do — not formal policies that require management approval and oversight. Here, Thompson discusses a workplace management model she helped create, called Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE), that aims to turn the 40-hour workweek on its head.

How does ROWE change how managers and employees think about work?

It’s a big shift. Managers are used to managing schedules and the 40-hour workweek. They’re used to employees asking questions like “Can I work from home?” and “Can I leave early?” Work becomes secondary and less relevant in the conversation. It’s a big switch for managers to not have to manage that piece. Using ROWE, people shift to managing 100 percent of their own time and can no longer default to “I’ve put in my time, so I’m done regardless of deadlines.” It flips everybody’s mindset. We’re accountable for what we’ve been hired to do — the work.

And how does it change the way individuals and companies get work done?

It’s good for people because they know what they’re supposed to do, and they have control over their time. They know that if they do the right thing every day and produce what they’re accountable for, they’ll have a job. For the company what’s really great is that everybody has clarity about what they’re supposed to be doing. People aren’t just filling time, so there’s more planning, more direct communication, more productive meetings, and less wasted time.

What’s the learning curve like for employees working according to your ROWE model? 

Some employees have to experiment with different ways of working to find what works. In one example, an employee always wanted to work from home, and her work didn’t require her to be in the office. When she started working in another location, she didn’t do as well. Because her manager was now managing the work and not the person, she was having a different conversation with her. Instead of saying, “Well, you’re not getting your work done. You better get back in the office,” she said, “We have had a conversation about what you need to produce and you’re not producing that. Let’s talk about what you need to do because you need to produce what we agreed upon. You were producing at that level before. Is there anything you need from me?” This person said, “I’ve been trying to work some different ways, and it’s not working for me. I’m going to make some changes because I know what I need to produce.” This person decided she needed to come into the office, but the manager didn’t tell the person to do that because she was accountable and autonomous.

Can you describe how companies manage people instead of their work?

Often when business isn’t doing well, companies say, “Let’s get everyone on deck,” when what they should be doing is having conversations about getting everyone on point. How can we get everyone on the same page about what they need to produce and the results we need to see? Getting everyone on deck, or back in the office, doesn’t mean people are going to understand what they need to be doing. They, in effect, started managing the people instead of the work, and that’s the wrong way to go about it. 

What’s the difference between how accountability and autonomy are defined under ROWE as opposed to core values?

A lot of organizations say that accountability and autonomy are part of their core values. But here’s where it doesn’t play out. They’ll say, “Yes, we want our people to be accountable and autonomous, but not our receptionist and not our call center,” so they start to pick and choose because they’re still thinking in a flexibility mindset. They might say, “Well everybody can be autonomous, but if you’re going to work offsite you need to ask your manager’s permission.” That’s not autonomous.

What will it take for companies to embrace ROWE?

It will take decades. ROWE is a social change that is disrupting what we believe about work. The concept is simple, but beliefs can be hard to change. One belief is “I believe people at work are working,” and that belief in and of itself makes you think that people can’t be working anywhere but at work. Another deeply held belief: “I believe the best relationships are built face-to-face.” If you believe that, you’re going to want everyone in the office and collaborating around a conference table. That’s ridiculous — the next generation is collaborating using FaceTime and Skype. But if you believe the best way to do it is in a conference room, you’re going to force people to come to the office.
These beliefs are holding us hostage, and it’s going to take a long time to break them down. We’ll do it, one company at a time.

Overcoming Even the Most Difficult “Ands” In Life

Rosie Gourdine was building her home healthcare business. The mother of five, who children ranged in age from 23 to five, had just finished medical assisting school and was deciding her next step. Bryant & Stratton College recruiters called. And called. And called. and after six months, rosie decided this was the right move for her and her business. she enrolled in the associate degree in medical reimbursement and coding and set her sights on graduation. then, her mother died. and, her house burned down. and, she moved across country. but Rosie, was back in class the next day – after every single incident.
“I alerted my instructors and everyone was helpful, but that didn’t stop me,” Rosie said. “they told me i could push my work back but i made sure my homework was done on time. “life comes with all kinds of challenges. people kept telling me, ‘i can’t believe you are back in school, i would fall apart’. i said, ‘really? when you go to pieces and you are the leader in your household, what does that show your kids?’.”
Rosie was no stranger to managing difficult waters. Soon after her youngest son was born, her mother fell ill with cancer. then, her mother-in-law fell into a coma and lost the use of both of her arms and legs when she awoke. for two years Rosie shuffled between Massachusetts and new jersey, with a newborn in tow, to take care of the two ailing women. When her mother finally succumbed to the disease, she dismissed the sentiments of others that she needed to stop her own life too.
“She suffered for five years. She went through chemo but I’m going to cry now? That’s selfish,” she said.
When their home burned down, due to faulty wiring in the attic, rosie and her family spent time in hotels and at various relatives’ homes. she was constantly bouncing between internet connections and computers to complete her schoolwork. “It didn’t stop me, i kept going,” she said. Now, she has moved her family across country to Minnesota, where she grew up and where her parents operated their own construction and real estate firms. being a small business owner is the life Rosie knows.
She hopes to have her home healthcare business up and prospering there by the end of the year. “If you are determined you can make it happen,” she said. And after six months, Rosie decided this was the right move for her and her business. She enrolled in the associate degree in Medical Reimbursement and Coding and set her sights on graduation.
Then, her mother died.
And, her house burned down.
And, she moved across country.
But Rosie, was back in class the next day – after every single incident.

LEARNING CORNER WITH JEFFREY PFEFFER: AS AI ENTERS THE WORKPLACE, ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO GET ACTIVE

The general consensus is clear: automation is poised to transform (or disrupt, if you prefer) present work arrangements in profound ways. Where the jury\’s still out is just how many jobs will be lost to automation.
One artificial intelligence expert forecasted that 40 percent of the world\’s jobs could be replaced by robots in 15 years. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum predicted that robots will displace 75 million jobs globally by 2022, simultaneously creating 133 million new ones. What seems clear is that all of the numbers, even the most optimistic, suggest that unemployment risks exist and extensive retraining, re-skilling and job movement will be required in a world of work where automation plays a key role.
I believe that current trends in training by both governments and employers are inadequate to cope with the coming labor market dislocations. Employers should focus on training, investing in human capital and taking responsibility for the changes coming our way in order to remain relevant and reap the benefits that both people and technology have to offer—together.

1) Increase Your Training Efforts—And Implore Buy-In From the Public Sector

A February 2019 Brookings report shows that while in 1996 employers paid for 19.4 percent of workers\’ formal training, a comparable figure in 2008 was 11.2 percent—a decline of 42 percent in just 12 years. If training is going to help with the transition to a more automated workplace, long-standing trends toward less training will need to change.
That same Brookings report also compared what the United States government spends on “active labor market policies\” that train people and match them to jobs to what other industrialized countries spend. The U.S. ranked 31 out of 32 total countries evaluated for public expenditure on labor market policies as a proportion of GDP. And between 1985 and 2015, U.S. government cut labor market spending in half. The implication? Our government needs to invest more in training, job matching and other efforts that help labor markets work more effectively.
An administration that relies on employees to acquire training and transition to new occupations on their own almost certainly will leave too many people in dire straits. Just as government has tried to mitigate the effects of jobs lost to foreign trade, public policy should seek to mute the economic effects of automation through training and other policies.

2) Focus on Human Sustainability

Employers should embrace the issue of human sustainability and stewardship of the work environment with the same vigor they\’ve brought to environmental sustainability—and for many of the same reasons. Just as companies today tout their physical environmental bona fides, in the future they may want (or need) to tout their human sustainability accomplishments. Things like high retention rates and internal growth are all things for companies to highlight. We see this already in competition for good ratings on sites like Glassdoor and in rankings like those put out by Great Place to Work.
Despite this, over the past decade I\’ve seen the relationship between companies and their employees become much more transactional. And that will need to change if companies are to embrace the task of getting their people ready for coming workplace transitions and dislocations.
Multi-year careers at one company have transitioned to jobs of shorter duration—“gigs.\” With limited attachment between employers and employees, neither party has an interest in investing in the relationship, which provides one explanation for why training has declined in the U.S. and is lower here than in countries with less “flexible\” labor markets. This is a good time for companies to recognize the trend and reinvest in their people through training.

3) Take Responsibility for AI and Employees

If employers don\’t accept some responsibility for helping their workforce adjust to a world with more automation and artificial intelligence, employees will likely falter, but many companies have no intention of providing them a lifeline. Technology columnist Kevin Roose\’s observations of discussions at the recent World Economic Forum meetings are instructive of the attitude of the moment: “In public, many executives wring their hands over the negative consequences that artificial intelligence and automation could have for workers. But in private meetings, these executives tell a different story: They are racing to automate their own work forces with little regard for the impact on workers.\”
Companies face the problem of collective action—few firms want to be the only ones to provide training while other firms free-ride on those efforts. Therefore, it may fall to industry associations, local associations of businesses and national organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers to promulgate and possibly enforce guidelines for retraining and upskilling employees.
It\’s almost impossible to predict what will happen as automation and artificial intelligence increasingly penetrate workplaces. But it seems fair to forecast that it will not be possible for companies—or governments—to simply continue on the same path. The labor market transformations and their economic consequences are simply too large to believe that continuing a relatively hands-off, laissez-faire approach will be politically or economically viable.
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3 WAYS L&D CAN HELP HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS ATTRACT AND RETAIN NURSES

If you are in charge of HR for a healthcare organization than you\’ve likely felt the pain of talent shortages.
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) , there will be more registered nurse jobs available through 2022 than any other profession in the United States. And there doesn\’t seem to be an end in sight for the nursing talent shortage as universities struggle to increase their class sizes to meet the needs of the industry.
Because of the high demand, nurses have a lot of employment options. So if your organization is going to remain competitive, you need to do more than offer a good salary. In a recent Glassdoor article, HR professor Dr. John Sullivan explains, “It\’s not \’Will you pay me?\’ It\’s, \’Do you have the best equipment? Do you have the best doctors? Do the nurses get the opportunity to make decisions and try new things?\’\”
When it comes to recruiting and retaining talent, you can set your organization apart through learning and development opportunities that enable your nurses to feel challenged, provide the best possible patient care and spend less time on administrative tasks.

1) Provide Opportunities for Growth

There are more than 25 different types of nursing positions out there, with titles ranging from registered nurse (RN) to nurse assistant to specialist positions like neonatal intensive care unit nurse.
All of this variety means that even within the nursing profession there are lots of opportunities for nurses to grow and hone different skill sets. In fact, a survey at The Nursing Times Career Live! event hosted by the National Health Service (NHS) found that the top attribute nurses look for in a new employer is learning and development opportunities. Which makes sense considering that the skills needed to switch between these positions are different. For example, in order to become a charge nurse and manage the hospital floor you need leadership skills where as a floor nurse who primarily deals with patients might want more clinical skills training. Work with nurses to help them define their own career path. Then help them build the skills they need to make their career aspirations a reality. This can mean offering opportunities to learn leadership or technical skills through online learning courses, industry conferences or mentorship programs. The key is to provide them with a clear view and plan to determine their own career trajectory.

2) Put Learning Opportunities At Their Fingertips

At the end of the day, most nurses got into the profession because they like helping people. So anything that detracts from that experience—such as spending time at a computer clicking through tutorials—can seem like a bit of a nuisance. Not to mention, since nurses are already short staffed, the chances that they actually find time to sit down for a couple of hours to digest learning material on the job is unrealistic. By providing mobile learning, you bring learning to a nurses fingertips. This enables them to learn anywhere and anytime—whether they have a few minutes before entering a patient\’s room or are waiting for some test results back. Short 3-5 minutes videos and tutorials can give nurses the skills they need, in digestible chunks that make sense for their already hectic schedules.

3) Make Time for Learning

Burnout is a huge problem facing the nursing industry: A survey by RNnetwork found the number one reason nurses consider leaving the field is due to feeling overworked, followed by \”not enjoying the job\” and \”too much paperwork.\” It\’s hard to imagine a nurse focusing on learning and development on top of a 16-hour shift. Look into tools that can automate and standardize some administrative tasks that nurses have to complete—such as hand-offs between shifts—to help save time. Then work to build designated time into their schedule to focus on learning and development. This could mean allowing them to shadow healthcare workers in different departments to learn new skills, schedule coffee meetings with a mentor or take a more in-depth online courses that aligns with their career aspirations.
At the end of the day, nurses have an abundance of choice when selecting their employer. By offering them the learning and development opportunities they need to advance their careers and improve the care they can provide to patients, you make your organization a place that not only attracts, but also retains qualified candidates.
Want to discover more best practices and solutions to attract and retain your healthcare staff? Visit Cornerstone for Healthcare!
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