http://smartworkethics.com/index.php Creating a point of reference for today’s Work Ethic en joanie@smartworkethics.com Copyright 2010 2010-09-08T20:22:11+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/how_can_smart_work_ethics_benefit_you/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/how_can_smart_work_ethics_benefit_you/#When:20:22:11Z If you have been reading our newsletter for any time you will know that we are interested in helping youth get jobs and maintain employment.  We are going to be taking a look at how a Smart Work Ethics program can help YOU. In today’s job market all of us need to focus on how we can do our jobs better and get the results that we want and need.  Here are a few ideas to help you decide if Smart Work Ethics can work for you and help you do your job better. 1. You are measured by graduation rates. We hear that many youth programs struggle to recruit and maintain students.  These youth training programs include summer jobs programs, GED programs, skills training and other work preparation programs.  In many of these programs you are measured by the number of students who successfully complete your program.  Are your drop out rates too high?  Our trainers tell us that when they add Smart Work Ethics to their existing programs, the number of students who are late or absent decreases in ALL of the classes – not just the ethics training classes.  The students have better attitudes and seem better able to focus on their work.  All of these positive changes translate into a higher graduation rate.  How would it affect YOU if you could increase your graduation rate by 10% or 20% or more? 2. You are measured by how many students you can place in jobs. In an effort to attract students many programs tell their new students that they will train them and then they will help them find jobs when they graduate.  Sometimes this is also a requirement of a particular grant you have been awarded.  Do your students have all the skills they need to be successful in the workplace?  We know you have taught them the skills, but what about the soft skills or work ethics that account for 80% of success at work?  Are businesses still eager to hire your graduates or are you having trouble getting businesses to call you back?  What if you could demonstrate that your students have ALL the skills businesses want?  Businesses are asking for students who know how to show up on time everyday, dress appropriately and have a great attitude.  A Smart Work Ethics program includes all of this and much more.  Would you be able to place more people if you could demonstrate that your graduates are better prepared for success on the job? 3. You are measured by the number of clients who successfully move on from the system—prison re entry, youth detention, etc. Your clients have had some trouble in the past and your goal is to help your clients move beyond the past.  One of the best ways to help your clients create a better future is to help them find and keep a job.  Instead of returning to the actions that caused them problems in the past they can look forward to raises and promotions.  How would you benefit if more of your clients were able to maintain employment and become productive citizens? 4. You have a passion to help the youth.   We have talked to a number of people in schools, Chambers of Commerce, local government, mentoring programs and non profits.  These folks have great goals.  Smart Work Ethics can provide a basic foundation for any youth program.  We have designed a program that can be blended with, and adapted to, the needs of your program and your community. Our training certification program gives your trainers everything they need to help your students/clients move beyond the revolving door of entry level jobs and become productive members of he community.  You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.  Your community can start benefiting right away. These are just a few ideas to get you started thinking.  We want to help you whether you need to improve your numbers, keep your funding or fulfill your passion to help. Sign up today for a trainer certification program.  You will be ready to start making a difference right away. 2010-09-08T20:22:11+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/do_your_employees_need_smart_work_ethics/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/do_your_employees_need_smart_work_ethics/#When:15:28:39Z Here is a check list for you to determine if the behaviors you see in your employees are a symptom of poor work ethics.  If you find more than a few checks for your employees just remember that we can help! Click to download your checklist.  You have our permission to run copies. DO_YOUR_EMPLOYEES_NEED_SWE.doc 2010-08-23T15:28:39+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/the_power_of_choice/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/the_power_of_choice/#When:14:05:14Z The Power of Choice We are all choice makes.  Every day we make many choices, yet we may not realize the importance and power of being able to make these choices.  We are driven to choose.  This drive may have been developed as an aid to survival.  Being unable to choose is unpleasant and creates stress. Even animals in zoos are frustrated and stressed by their lack of control. Americans are the ultimate choice makers.  We like to be able to make choices in almost every area of our lives.  We live in an “I” based culture.  We choose based on what is best for the individual. Other cultures are “we” based, such as Japan and other Asian cultures.  These cultures make choices based on what is best for the group or the family. Choice gives life meaning.  Choice is the only way we have of getting us from where we are not to the places we want to be in the future. Why are we writing about choices in a Smart Work Ethics blog?  Smart Work Ethics is built on the philosophy that helping our students learn to make better choices creates better people and better employees.  Choice is the foundation of personal responsibility.  One of the key points of Smart Work Ethics is that making choices is a skill and this is a skill that can be learned.  Making good choices is an example of behavioral learning. We recently read The Art of Choosing by Sheena Iyengar.  In her book Iyengar described a number of studies and one really spoke to us.  Third graders were divided into three groups.  The researchers gave them a test to measure math knowledge.  Then the three groups used a game, Space Quest, designed to enhance their math skills.  In one group each student got to choose the name of his or her space ship.  In one group they were assigned a name based on the most popular name in their class.  In the third group they were assigned a name based on what third graders in another school picked.  The name of the space ship was the only difference in the three groups.  After playing the game the three groups were tested again to determine if there was any change in their math skills. The results may surprise you.  Remember the game was exactly the same for all three groups.  The students who were able to choose the name of their space ship showed improvement.  Their scores jumped 18%, almost two letter grades.  The students who were assigned a space ship name showed no improvement. We were excited to read about this study.  We always knew that our Button Exercise, which allows the class members to create a class slogan, was a powerful motivator and a bonding experience for the class.  The Button Exercise may even improve learning and retention.  We know that our participants are excited about receiving their button.  One of our trainers recently shared a story with us.  One of her students was so excited about his button that he got a special hat just for his button. In Smart Wok Ethics classes our students learn the power of choice.  They learn that work ethics is a choice and that the choices they make can lead to the futures they want:  paychecks, raises and promotions.  Everyday work ethics is a choice.  Making good choices leads to personal responsibility. The power choice goes right along with our philosophy that “telling is not training.”  By engaging the power of choice we help our students learn life long skills.  We don’t cover every single work ethics issue and we don’t need to when we teach our students 1) that they have the power to make good choices and 2) they learn the skills to make those choices.  In each class we emphasize the power of choice and how to use it. If you have enjoyed learning more about choices, we recommend that you check out Sheena Iyengar’s book The Art of Choosing.  If you are pressed for time Sheena has some short videos on YouTube.   2010-07-06T14:05:14+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/knowing_yourself--the_first_key_to_success/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/knowing_yourself--the_first_key_to_success/#When:16:58:40Z Knowing Yourself: The First Key to Success In one of our Constant Contact issues we spotlighted Dearborn YMCA and their GED program. We had so many success stories from the Dearborn students that we wanted to continue writing about Dearborn and one of their students: Travis Jones. Candace Barnes shared the following story about Travis: “We were asked to accept a participant from another program.  When asked why the participant was being exited from their program, the response was, “ Let’s just say, he’s not a good fit.”  This indicated to me that he didn’t get along with his peers, and or teachers.  As I observed the participant during his first week, I concluded that his personality type was probably green because he always wanted to know the purpose of assignments, and asked many “why” questions.  This could easily be perceived as rude behavior and testing your knowledge. It was no surprise to me that the participant’s “Smart Colors” were green, orange, blue, and gold.  The participant’s eyes lit up with joy and smiled when he discovered this because it explained why some people always misinterpreted his intentions.  I recognized that he gained a new sense of self respect and acceptance of himself.  He once said to me, “ Ms. Barnes, Smart Work Ethics is a gift of a life time,” and I responded with “I know sweetie”.” This story highlights one of the basic foundations of Smart Work Ethics - we believe that the first key to a successful future is knowing yourself. In the first Smart Work Ethics class we help students discover their personality type. We use a process called Smart Colors which is based on the Myers Briggs Interest Inventory. Smart Colors uses a four color system and each student goes through a self assessment process to identify a unique personality or temperament profile. This profile is used constantly throughout the Smart Work Ethics classes. We have found that many of our youth do not know who they are and this translates into an inability to set goals and work toward positive futures. The Smart Color profiles help students identify their skills and lists many possible job or career opportunities. For the first time our students discover that they are good at something - in fact many things. By knowing what skills they naturally possess students can begin to select career goals that will fit with their talents and skills. Students learn how to handle on-the-job stressors based on personality type. By understanding the Smart Colors philosophy students will be more successful on the job. Students learn that not everyone is like them. What was a frustration in the past becomes an acceptance of the different personality types. Travis Jones’ experience demonstrates the power of knowing yourself. He said that Smart Colors taught him about himself and other people. Smart Colors gave him permission to be himself. Sometimes people would get upset when he asked “why?” He explained it was because he did not understand and he wanted to get it right. Travis now realizes that he needs to be more careful about other people’s feelings and he can be more careful about how he says things. Travis told us that he wants to be an accountant and plans to join the National Guard to pay for college. His motto: “Don’t accept anything less than success.” Travis has had a such positive experience with Dearborn YMCA, he told us, “I really can’t have a bad day here because everyone is trying to help us all.” He likes to come on days when they do math. Even though he has passed the math portion he likes to help other students. He wanted us to mention Ms. Mann one of the teachers at Dearborn who helped him with reading and writing. We want to congratulate Ms. Barnes who was able to recognize that Travis is a smart talented and caring young man who has a great future ahead of him. 2010-03-15T16:58:40+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/how_to_help_the_reluctant_learner/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/how_to_help_the_reluctant_learner/#When:19:39:00Z How to Help the Reluctant Learner You’ve had reluctant learners in your classes. You know these students. They sit in the back and try to ignore everything. Or they want to be the center of attention. They are often off topic and can create chaos in your classroom. We specialize in reluctant learners. We want to appeal to the person who didn’t like school, may have felt like a failure in school and who never ever wants to be in a classroom again. We want all of our students to be successful in the workplace and in life. We use a variety of methods to help these students. Here are 5 great tips. 1. Environment Our classrooms are visually stimulating. When you walk into our classroom you know you’re not in high school anymore. We like to make a great first impression on our students. This is not the same old classroom. We use specific decorations as focal points for exercises and as continual reminders of the 4 personality types - a foundation of our program. (When you purchase a Smart Work Ethics Facilitator Kit you will receive everything you need to create this different kind of learning environment.  It is also included in our Train the Trainer series.) 2. Learning Styles We appeal to all learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Kinesthetic students often have problems in traditional classrooms. These students prefer experiential learning and can be very successful in the right careers, such as manufacturing, construction, welding or plumbing. We use exercises, activities and we move our students around to keep them involved. 3. Relevancy We make the material relevant to each student. We don’t expect our students to “figure out” how to apply the information. We use classroom discussion and exercises to help our students internalize the knowledge and to make it useful on the job. 4. Reinforcements We use immediate reinforcements: both verbal and concrete. We want our students to know what they are doing right. Reinforcements help us draw out those students in the back of the room and help us redirect those students who are acting out. The reinforcements help students realize that appropriate behaviors on the job lead to paychecks, raises and promotions. 5. Respect We treat our students with respect and expect them to demonstrate respectful behavior in the classroom. We invite lots of class discussion. We know that by listening we are demonstrating a respectful attitude. You might be thinking that we are going to a lot of trouble to reach these kids and you are right. Our students are usually less advantaged youth and we believe that the extra effort we are making is more than worth it if we can help these youth have better lives. Although our classes are motivational, our main goal is to help our students understand what businesses expect. We give our students practical information and specific strategies so that they can implement successful behaviors on the job. A small training effort can have a huge life impact for your students.  And we can help.  Check out SmartWorkEthics.com or reach us at Joanie@smartworkethics.com        2010-03-01T19:39:00+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/breaking_the_cycle/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/breaking_the_cycle/#When:16:47:58Z Most of you who work with the less advantaged know that your clients usually did not become less advantaged overnight. Most of your clients come from families who have been less advantaged for generations. Your clients probably live in communities of less advantaged families. Many of you have stories of a less advantaged youth who has been able to break the cycle and create a different kind of life. We have amazing stories of young people who have moved beyond their roots to get great jobs or go to college and become contributing citizens. One young woman we worked with a number of years ago observed how the middle class lived and asked many questions about ethics, values and character. She began to emulate middle class behavior and dress. She was able to break the cycle. In our experience these folks are the exception not the norm. How did our young woman break the cycle? We believe that there are a couple of ingredients. First she believed that she could have a different life - that she could break the cycle. She had people who believed in her and her ability to have a better life. Then she worked to learn the life skills needed to enter a better life. These life skills were her passport to the middle class. What are these life skills? These skills include work ethics, social skills, values and character.  In addition to these skills our youth need to embrace the shared belief systems of the middle class. Some of these include a belief that hard work will pay off, education is important for having a better future, and that each of us is responsible for taking care of ourselves and our families. The first step in breaking the cycle is getting the foundation information that enables them to keep a job or to complete job skills training or to finish college. The basic foundation is work ethics and appropriate social skills for the workplace. Work ethics provides the basic foundation for all other life skills. When you break the cycle for one youth you are changing future generations. We believe that many of our youth can break this cycle if they are given the chance.  And that chance is learning a work ethic from someone who believes in them and their ability to have a better life. Each person who moves from less advantaged to contributing citizen today has the opportunity to become a role model and mentor for his or her children, other relatives and the broader community. We at Smart Work Ethics can help break the cycle. Our programs include work ethics, social skills, values and character. We offer a Train the Trainer series to enable your trainer to deliver soft skills/work ethics to your target audience. 2010-02-22T16:47:58+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/what_is_behaviorism_and_why_is_it_so_important_to_smart_work_ethics/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/what_is_behaviorism_and_why_is_it_so_important_to_smart_work_ethics/#When:15:46:12Z What is Behaviorism and Why is it so Important to Smart Work Ethics? Since we have had so many questions about the use of reinforcements in Smart Work Ethics we decided to devote two newsletters to this topic. In today’s newsletter we will focus on giving you a general overview of behaviorism. In the——- newsletter we will cover some specific applications of behaviorism used in the Smart Work Ethics program. We decided to use a behavioral model in Smart Work Ethics because we believe that learning to have work ethic is more than just learning information. We want our students to change their problem workplace behaviors (ie. tardiness, absenteeism, etc.) to more successful behaviors. The use of behavioral techniques to change behavior is as old as humanity. In fact, you have probably used behaviorism and did not know it. If you ever said to your child, “If you turn in all your homework on time we will have pizza on Friday” you were using behaviorism. If you ever trained a dog using treats you were using behaviorism. You may have even used behaviorism on yourself when you set up a rewards system to help you loose weight or finish a tough project. Behaviorism is, in simple terms, the branch of psychology dedicated to the study of behaviors and methods to change them. Behaviorism uses a scientific approach, is present oriented, uses active methods, and advocates the use of multiple approaches. Contemporary behaviorism had its formal beginnings in the 1950s when psychologists began researching and applying a variety of behavioral principles. By the 1970s behaviorism had emerged as a major force in psychology and made a significant impact on psychiatry, social work and education. The association for Advancement of Behavioral Therapy was started in 1966 and is still in existence today under the name Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (http://www.ABCT.org). Today behaviorism is used to enhance the functioning and performance of individuals in such diverse areas as: therapy, business and industry, child rearing, ecology and the arts. Specific examples include: improving athletic performance, increasing people’s willingness to take prescribed medication, teaching young children musical instruments, promoting energy conservation, preventing crimes and influencing entire communities to engage in behaviors that lower their risk of heart disease. Behaviorism is a hopeful model. It holds that behaviors learned in the past can be changed so that those past behaviors have little or no impact on current behaviors. It also holds that our behaviors are developed, maintained and changed through appropriate learning. What this mean in terms of Smart Work Ethics is that even though our students enter the program with a history of problem behaviors they can learn new more appropriate workplace behaviors. To be effective behavioral methods need to generalize beyond the classroom. It is not enough to learn information. That information must be meaningful or relevant to the student or the student will not use the information. Information is made relevant by involving the student in the change process. Smart Work Ethics students evaluate their own behavior and become responsible for making the changes. Since we are using a powerful model for change we want to be sure that Smart Work Ethics maintains an ethical approach to our students. We use no punishment or aversion techniques. All participation in the exercises is voluntary. We do not tell our students to stop doing a specific behavior. We give them new options and help them understand the benefits of the new behaviors. When students have more options and understand how these options can benefit them, we believe that they will choose a strong work ethic. 2009-11-01T15:46:12+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/so_what_are_work_ethics_anyway/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/so_what_are_work_ethics_anyway/#When:16:25:22Z We hear a lot of complaints about the lack of work ethics in America today. Often people site a customer service problem or a pet peeve that bugs them. We hear a lot of stories about rude or inept sales clerks. The lack of work ethics is a much more pervasive problem. There are employees who lack a work ethic in every business and every job. In a way you can think of work ethics as living up to employer expectations. Work ethics can seem like the invisible employee behavior.  We only notice it when it is not there. We think of work ethics as having these components 1.  PUNCTUALITY and ATTENDANCE The employee arrives at work on time, returns from lunch and breaks on time. Employee works every day with rare absences and only for acceptable reasons. 2. PRODUCTIVITY The employee uses work time as work time, not personal time. The employee is able to follow directions and complete tasks on time. The employee makes good decisions. 3. ATTITUDE The employee comes to work prepared to do a good job. The employee is polite and pleasant. The employee is able to take on difficult tasks with a smile. 4. PROFESSIONAL IMAGE The employee wears appropriate, neat, well cared for clothes. The employee practices good hygiene. If there is a company uniform or a dress code the employee respects it. 5. PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS The employee is able to work well with others, even difficult people. The employee is able to listen to boss, co-workers and customers. The employee is a team player. 6. SELF MANAGEMENT The employee is able to leave personal problems at home. The employee is able to manage his emotions. The employee does not engage in unproductive activities such as gossiping, spreading rumors, negative talk about the company or bullying others. For those of you who have a strong work ethic these components seem obvious and need no explanation. You probably learned your work ethic from your parents and can’t imagine being any other way. Unfortunately the work ethic problem is growing. Each new generation seems to be learning less and less about a work ethic. So, how do you get your employees to have a work ethic? We know that you have been telling them what you expect,and from what we hear you are still struggling with problem employees.  There are ways you can help solve this problem. You can begin encouraging your high schools, community colleges, GED programs, and other community resources to add work ethic training to their programs. The youth (and possibly their parents) have had no opportunities to model a strong work ethic. We can keep complaining or we can train the next generation to have the work ethic we need. 2009-09-23T16:25:22+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/perception_of_time_blog_1_how_it_affects_you_on_the_job/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/perception_of_time_blog_1_how_it_affects_you_on_the_job/#When:17:01:36Z One of us recently read “The Time Paradox” by Philip Zimbardo and John Boyd. We wanted to know if your perception of time affects your ability to get to work every day and to be on time. And the answer is YES. We feel that the topic of time is so important we are writing a series of three blogs on the subject. In this first blog we will be giving a simple description of three time perspectives. Zimbardo and Boyd describe six time perspectives, but for our purposes we are going to use a simpler view and focus on three perspectives: past, present and future. What do we mean by time perspective? Your time perspective is the time frame you “live in.”  Some people can change their time perspective while others are stuck in one time frame. For example: People who live in the past focus on tradition and do not like change. People who live in the present are less likely to make plans or consider the risks involved in an activity.  People who have a future time perspective are more likely to meet deadlines, weigh benefits and be on time. You could benefit from a past orientation when talking about the contributions of a colleague who is retiring. You can use a present view of time when playing with a small child. A future orientation is most useful when planning a new project or being a dependable employee. Our modern world is a future oriented world. Businesses expect workers to have at least some future orientation. People who live in the past and want to maintain the status quo are not able to compete with all of the innovations in technology. Workers who live in the present moment have the most challenges in our culture. People who are present oriented are more likely to belong to the lower class. • Present oriented people who do not consider risks may find themselves in prison. • Present oriented people who do not plan for the future may need welfare. • Present oriented people who are not on time             -  GET FIRED. Zimbardo and Boyd tell us that having some future orientation is a requirement for entering the middle class. Future oriented students earn the highest grades. Future oriented workers earn more money. Before you decide to become completely future oriented we want you to know that this time perspective has some problems. Futures often feel crunched for time. They may sacrifice family or fun time to work longer hours. They can be angry and impatient when they have to wait on others. We, at Smart Work Ethics, are striving for balance in our lives. One of our main focuses in our training classes is helping present oriented people become more future oriented so that they can enjoy success in the work place and raise their standard of living. In the next blog we tell some success stories. In the third blog we talk about the how you can change a person’s time perspective. And yes, we believe it is possible. If these ideas about time intrigue you, we highly recommend that you get a copy of “The Time Paradox.”  The authors have a short survey so that you can discover your own perception of time.   2009-08-19T17:01:36+00:00 http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/perception_of_time_blog_2_success_stories/ http://www.smartworkethics.com/blog/perception_of_time_blog_2_success_stories/#When:16:57:56Z Again we are writing about time. In our last blog we told you about a fascinating book: “The Time Paradox” by Zimbardo and Boyd. We described three ways people experience time: past, present and future. We are going to tell you some of our success stories and one from “The Time Paradox.” Zimbardo and Boyd tell a story about a soccer team in the Republic of Ghana. Soccer or football as they call it is a national passion. The team was full of raw talent but they were undisciplined. They were late for practice and sometimes they did not show up at all. Ghana tends to be a very present oriented culture as are many cultures in tropical countries. The team’s lack of future orientation limited their ability to be a winning team. Creativity, raw talent and passion were not enough. In 2004 Ghana hired a Serbian coach who happened to be future oriented. Temperate countries tend to be more future oriented. This new coach changed things dramatically for the team. He instilled an expectation for future success. The team could no longer continue to be present oriented. Everyone needed to show up on time for practice- no exceptions. The new coach added discipline and structure to their practice. The outcome: for the first time in history Ghana qualified for the World Cup tournament. This is the power of future thinking. In our Smart Work Ethics classes we have seen students move from less realistic goals (becoming a pro wrestler) to learning a practical skill. High school drop outs decided to get their GED or enrolled in community college programs. We have had parents who took home their notebooks and began educating their children in work ethics and eventually their husband. We have seen kids move from no hope to hope for a better life. All children start out as present oriented. So, how do we help present oriented children become somewhat future oriented adults? Zimbardo and Boyd give us some other tips for becoming future oriented. Here are a few: 1. Living in a stable family 2. Becoming educated 3. Having a job 4. Using technology 5. Being successful 6. Having future oriented role models These stories tell us that it is possible to help our present oriented youth become successful adults. In our next blog we will be discussing some ways to help our youth make these changes. We will be telling you why programs designed by futures often do not have the desired success rates with present oriented students.  2009-08-19T16:57:56+00:00