Segment 2 (18) Workforce Readiness

[Paul Terlemezian]

Panelists

• Troy Buckholdt https://www.linkedin.com/in/troybuckholdt/
• Angel Chandler https://www.linkedin.com/in/angel-chandler-94b5711/
• Wayne Hauenstein https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-hauenstein/
• Varda Lobanov https://www.linkedin.com/in/lobanov/
• Michael Robertson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrobertsonatl/
• Lacey Russell https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceyr/
• Craig Wilson https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigjwilson/

Moderator: Josh Gertz https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshgertz/

"Remarkable Speaker:" Walt Carter https://www.linkedin.com/in/waltergcarter/

This topic emerged from the Crowd Design segments of Georgia LEARNS 2016. It was refined by applying the ALO. The solution involves a cross-company career path and is inspired by our understanding of the business model that supports Habitat for Humanity.

Workforce Readiness (“Barista to Barrister”)

Business Outcome: Assuring every hire will be a great employee

1. Self-Awareness (Personal Growth)
2. Application of Self-Awareness (Experiential Learning)
3. Inspiring Greatness in self and others (Formal Learning)
4. Reinforcement (Intentional Use of Humor)
5. Lifelong Learning (Personal Proof of Commitment)
6. Job A (Proof of Greatness)
7. Job B (Career of Choice)
8. Payment and Reward (The business model that assures success)

• What would prevent this from working every time?
• What mindset would allow it to work? By whom?
• What tool set would be needed? By whom?
• What would make it worth one's time to gain the skill set with the tool set to sustain the mindset?

[Paul Terlemezian]

This segment is intended to delve deeply into a broad range of questions related to workforce readiness including the readiness for the workplace of the future as we view:

1. Customers
2. Executives
3. Investors
4. Legislators
5. Communities
6. Sources of Employees
7. Employees

[Paul Terlemezian]

On November 7th we will formally announce the Georgia LEARNS On-boarding Program Design.

Twenty-Five (25) copies of the design document will be made available and may include optional consulting services from Georgia LEARNS (with no associated charge for the Design or the consulting.)

Corporate entities and independent providers are encouraged to build an on-boarding program based on the Georgia LEARNS design and are encouraged to adapt the design to meet their requirements.

Please let me know if you would like to be one of the 25 recipients of the design document.

Paul Terlemezian

404-252-8330

[e-mail]

[Bill Crose]

Conference Reflection:

Gamification was discussed in Angel's group.

In project-focused work cultures, think about gamifying project management; not just projects. Get a good project management application (Clarizen is fantastic; Excel & Word won't cut it). Establish a point structure for project activities that can be automatically assigned by the PM system. Make a game with 7 levels: 1) Observer -This is the "Unconsiously Incompetent" level, 2) Resource -This is a competition level leading to Unconscious Competence at being a project resource. Activity points are collected, 3) Small PM -This is a competition level leading to Unconscious Competence at managing small projects. Activity points are collected, 4) Large PM - This is a competition level leading to Unconscious Competence at managing large projects. Activity points are collected, 5) Program Manager -This is a competition level leading to Unconscious Competence at managing multiple projects at a time. Activity points are collected,, 6) Project Master - This is a COLLABORATIVE level NOT competitive and is reserved for the "Unconsiously Competent" program managers whose time is best spent managing & leading other project workers. As project leaders & managers, their value is in helping/collaborating rather than competing. Therefore, they must GIVE AWAY more activity points than they collect. 7) Parked Leader - This is for Project Masters who failed to collaborate enough as measured by the points they've accumulated & not given away fast enough. (Points are shed by reviewing projects, advising project teams, mentoring individuals, and other collaborative activities.)

If using Clarizen or another PM application with a social function, BAN EMAIL! Require all project communications to be posted to projects. Reasons: 1) Nobody can say they didn't get the email. 2) Nobody can hoard project information. 3) Everyone learns the same things at the same time. 4) You'll never leave someone off an email. 5) You eliminate hidden agendas that can torpedo projects. 6) You heighten trust with transparency.

The 4 Levels of Consciousness:

1) Unconsciously Incompetent: Every learning process begins by not knowing what we don't know; we need someone to tell us. When star producers/non-training professionals are anointed into training roles, they're expected to immediately operate as if they know everything. Depending on their position, either nobody dares indicate their incompetence or the team must spend their time doing it -very, very gently. Some muddle through while others barrel through to get to their next position.
2) Consciously Incompetent: We're incompetent and we know it. We can now focus on what we need to become competent. We're ready to be trained.
3) Consciously Competent: We can do the job well, we know why we do what we do, but we might need occasional support/coaching.
4) Unconsciously Competent: We can do the job without even thinking about it. We can show others how we do the job, but training others requires ADDIE. ADDIE requires going back to Level 1 and learning new skills. 

[Paul Terlemezian]

Bill - you suggest an abrupt transition via "BAN EMAIL." How would you assure that this works better than a planned transition from where people are currently to where you believe they need to be?

[Bill Crose]

Hi Paul!

A Saba VP told me they banned email throughout the company to drive up usage of their (new at the time) social media function. I thought it sounded crazy, but it seemed to work for them. I always knew I wanted to try it. So, when I needed a way to bump up communications, trust/transparency, & learning for the Clarizen implementation project, I banned it from the project. It worked so well that I banned it from all other projects I managed. I'm sure other managers didn't ban email. So, it wasn't too abrupt from a corporate perspective. 

In the provided (UnitedHealthcare) project management example, I was expected to lead a project to select & implement a project management system for 2,000 people at first, then keep expanding it. The organization had few project successes and very little real project management experience or expertise even though they had roles called "project manager". Project management training was out of scope. Knowing whatever tool we selected would fail without skilled users/training and most projects fail due to poor communications, I had to find a way to bump up communications and training within scope. Clarizen's social media function and banning email was the best solution. It was also a good way to get the organization to stick a toe into social learning. 

The email ban was announced during the project kickoff meetings along with the project rules. The first rule of project management: NO SURPRISES! And the other first rule of project management (yes, that's how I always present the 2 rules): ALWAYS include the project manager in project-related communications. Banning email and the 2 rules provided enough communications control to keep the project on track.