Neal Leininger Senior Consultant Veris Associates, Inc. As we begin looking ahead to Springtime and the changes ahead, it's important that we plan for the future. In previous posts I've mentioned that I enjoy Gardening, and it is the planning phase that will largely account for whether my garden is a success or a failure. Although it's nice to sit outside and watch the butterflies, due diligence and proper planning are a neccessity. Below is a clip from AIG that I feel points out the irony quite well. Copyright (c) Veris Associates, Inc. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. Comments contents are the opinions of the person posting the comment (commenter) and not necessarily those or endorsed by Veris Associates, Inc. Veris Associates, Inc. reserves the right to remove any and all comments it wishes without any recourse of the commenter. Decision of Veris Associates, Inc. is final.

David A. Zimmer Practice Manager Corporate Learning & Training Veris Associates, Inc. Mention the word “Negotiation” and watch the reactions. Some shrink in fear, others start to salivate, some run for cover, and others sport a worn, plaid sports jacket. It is a word that means many things to many people. For the majority, it is a negative term. For those who “got one over,” images of fond memories come to mind. Why is that? Why can a word have so many meanings and evoke such variety of emotions? Know The Basics It boils down to the fact that most people are not taught the basics of negotiation, and yet each day, they negotiate some agreement. Granted, many agreements don’t have dire circumstances like a hostage crisis or millions of dollars saved by getting a lower price by just one penny. Most negotiations happen without people knowing they are negotiating. For example, ask someone for a pen to sign your name and you’ve just “negotiated.” Disagree about a particular method of work and come to a consensus of a better way is negotiation. Speaking with your manager about the priority of work creates a negotiation session. And so forth. As a project management specialist and managing many projects, I’ve had the opportunity to negotiate – some pleasant situations and some not so sweet. As project managers, typically we have responsibility for certain work being accomplished but no authority to make it happen. As a result, everything we do could be considered negotiation. Those who learn tips and techniques to gain the desired outcome do much better than those who bulldog their way through life. Ignorance in this case is costly. Negotiation: Art not War Let’s understand negotiation is not the art of war. Depending on the situation, we might need to strategize and map a course for our negotiation. Regardless of the circumstances, we must realize the art of negotiation is really the art of cooperation. While in the middle of it, it may not appear or feel like cooperation, but if neither side cooperates, no agreement will be struck. Cooperation from both sides is critical to successful negotiation. Negotiation Definition Negotiation is defined as: to deal or bargain with others to manage, transact, or conduct to move through, around, or over in a satisfactory manner. All the definitions bear on negotiations between people. Therefore, three tactics help you become a better negotiator and arrive at better agreements. Tactic 1: Know Your Opponent Many people approach negotiation in a defensive manner. They clinch their teeth, steel their gut, and prepare for war. They know what they want from the deal and never stop to consider the other side’s viewpoint. Good negotiators understand their opponent. Here are the areas to know: Background. What is their background – culture, economics, social status, educational level, company position, etc. Are they putting on a front or air that facts don’t support? What are their goals? How will they benefit from the deal? Needs. What does the opponent need from this agreement? What are the minimal requirements for them to feel satisfied? What desires would create a very satisfied opponent? Are they important to you? What is their motivation for the agreement? Win. What would they consider a “win?” Can you give it to them without compromising or jeopardizing your position? Why are they negotiating? Why now? Can they wait for a decision or do they have to gain consensus immediately? If immediately, what is pushing them to that point? Style. What is their style during negotiating? Are they laid back and unassuming or are they harsh, blusterous and forceful. Do they demand or are they willing to converse? Interesting fact here: Most people don’t prepare themselves for the negotiation. They think they know what a win looks like for them, but they don’t understand their opponent. What if you don’t have time to prepare or you can’t seem to answer some of the questions listed above? Simple. Ask! That’s ri

David A. Zimmer Practice Manager Corporate Learning & Training Veris Associates, Inc. What is the value of employee training? For most companies, training is seen as an expense and one of the first items to be chopped during the budgeting process. Yet, training, whether in technical skills or critical business people skills, has one of the highest paybacks of any investment. Pat Muccigrosso, Project Management Officer at NetPlus Marketing, Inc. put it this way, “Training isn’t bodies in chairs being lectured; it is an investment in each person’s life and in the livelihood of the business that pays the bill.” Sharpen The Saw Stephen Covey, well-known author of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, uses a phrase “sharpening the saw.” We need to take time to sharpen our saws – our skills – to meet the demands of today’s competition. We would never dream of sending our teenagers out to drive a car without training. We wouldn’t dare go to a doctor to treat our critical ailment unless the doctor was trained in the latest information for that condition. The cost of going to a doctor not trained certainly costs us more in the long run and could cost us our life. So intrinsically, we know the value of training. Yet we continually require our employees to work with outdated skills because of cost-cutting measures. Let’s run some simple numbers to see training as an investment. We know the costs of training. There are the direct expenses of the seminar and the travel costs. Of course, we fold in the cost of the employee while being trained. The hourly rate of an employee making $50,000 per year is $25 per hour. For the purpose of this exercise, we won’t consider the overhead (benefits, etc.). The cost of a two day, $995 seminar plus $200 traveling expenses (hotel, food, mileage) and the employee’s wages equals $1595. From that training, the employee learns a better method of working saving five hours per week in labor equaling $125 per week or $6250 for a 50-week calendar year. If we compare the cost of training ($1595) versus the return ($6250), we increased our investment value by almost 400%. If this efficiency saves as little as 1.3 hours per week, we recoup our total investment. Key Factors Toward Gaining the Most Value From Training What key determining factors exist in getting the most value from employee training? After years of training thousands of people and seeing the effect it has in their daily work lives, I’ve come to the same two conclusions that others have found and documented: management support for training and empowerment to use the newly-learned knowledge. The number one key factor is management commitment to training. Without active management support, the value of training diminishes. Those who attend a session are constantly interrupted, distracted by emails, phone calls and other “emergencies.” Rather than focusing on sharpening their saw, they continue cutting down trees with dull blades. When asked to prove the value of training, it amounts to a few wasted days. Employees empowered to use the newly-found knowledge is the second key factor to valuable training. The purpose of training is to improve work methods, not continuing with the old. If we persist with the outdated methods, learning a better way only frustrates people. Sergio Radossi, an Engineering Manager stated it this way, “In our case, training was a key component of a strategy to integrate project management into the department's culture and to implement project management tools across the facility.” Note: Training was a strategy for improvement. Conclusion Training is an investment in the future of your company. No company stands still in today’s market. Employees’ skills cannot remain static. The fastest and cheapest method to sharpen skills with the greatest return is management-supported, implementable training.

Cheryl Croce Sr. Consultant Veris Associates, Inc. “…my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open…”[1] With all of the recent news around the Millennials – Generation Y -- and their impact on the workplace, you would think they were creatures from another universe. Who are these kids, with their iPods and their Social Networks and their – gasp! – flip-flops? Why do they think everything can be solved with the click of a mouse? They think they’re heroes because they showed up and mentioned something about working ‘green?’ When I think of how seasoned professionals will ‘deal’ with Generation Y’s own theories of how work will be done and their contributions, I think of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The story is about the construction of a creature from borrowed parts, and the subsequent events when it becomes part of the Doctor’s world -- whether he wants it to or not. Ultimately, the novel resonates with philosophical and moral ramifications: themes of nurture versus nature…and ambition versus social responsibility dominate readers' attention and provoke thoughtful consideration of the most sensitive issues of our time.[2] Imagine that – all that influence from a book authored by a nineteen year old. Generation Y, similar to Frankenstein’s monster, is our generation’s creation; and the generation before us; and the generation before them. They are the product of years of revolution and evolution. We have a choice – and a responsibility – on how we integrate our creation into the workforce. We can either fear and loathe them as they enter the workforce, or we can harness their strengths and help them through their weaknesses. In the end, the Millennials will add value to our workplace, and teach us things we didn’t know we needed to learn. Borrowed Parts: The Genesis of Generation Y “Every thing must have a beginning ... and that beginning must be linked to something that went before.”[3] From Baby Boomers to Generation Y, while our music, dress and political tastes may be different, we share a lot in common. Like each passing generation, Generation Y’s genesis is embedded in the social, political and environmental elements of previous generations. For people of the Depression Era, it was very simple: If you didn’t work, you didn’t eat. Many turned to manufacturing and government relief work programs, as jobs in farming and mining were devastated by the collapse of the economy. People, young and old, had to make due with what they had, and children grew up quickly in order to survive. There were no computers to automate any of the work done at jobs or in homes. While the Stock Market crash of 1929 defined the Depression-era workforce, World War II defined the Baby Boomer generation. A sense of patriotism and necessity drove ingenuity, resourcefulness and mass production…in many respects. The Baby Boomers are roughly 80 million strong; with a work ethic set firmly in the belief that if you work hard now, you can do the things you really want to do when you retire. While the Baby Boomers did just fine without the use of computers, one technological advancement shaped their world: Television. Just in time for this wealthy generation came a magic box that showed them exactly what they could buy, where they could travel, and what dreams they could accomplish, all in a wholesome package that cheerfully emitted the benefits of the good life. Life wasn’t perceived to be as ‘perfect’ for Generation Jones, otherwise known as the Shadow Boomers, who were influenced by the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. Rock music did for the Generation Jones era what television did for the Baby Boomers: it defined and shaped their way of thinking. For them, distrust and anti-establishment eclipsed patriotism and loyalty. Entrepreneurs were borne from the skills, independence and latitude that came from higher education as it became more commonplace. Instead of

Ron Przywara ITIL Certified Consultant IT Service Management Veris Associates, Inc. Classroom training vs. e-learning training: In the never-ending drive to get ahead of the curve, which road gets you to where you want to be? If the decision is made using numbers on a balance sheet the obvious choice would seem to be “e-learning”. The direct cost of distance learning is generally lower than a classroom instructor-led course (average 40%-60% less) and there’s no travel expenses (mileage, hotel, etc.). The choice though is not as simple as the expense. Like any business decision, the cost is an influence, but there are other components in the equation that require consideration. In this article we’ll take a look at some of the components, both positives and challenges, of e-learning and classroom instructor-led training and present you with the information to help you make an informed business decision. Why training in the first place? Define your goal. What do you want to accomplish with your newly acquired education? Is success measured by a certification, the physical proof of your knowledge? Or is achievement demonstrated by your application of a newly acquired perspective or capability? Perhaps it is a blend of both. The answer to the first question will in part drive the training method you choose. Objections to Classroom: Aren’t there books I can read? There is a great deal of published information available on almost every topic. What is appropriate for your current stage of understanding? What is appropriate for your end-goal? Individuals retain material at different rates, but in general adults follow these retention guidelines: o Adults retain approximately 20% of what they read o They retain approximately 50% of what they read and hear o The retention moves to almost 90% when adults read, hear and actively participate in the material I’ve had prior experiences with a lousy instructor. A past experience can have an influence in your decision, but don’t let a single poor instructor be your last memory of the classroom training experience. There are a great deal more instructors who show true passion for their students, the classroom experience and the material. I can’t be away three (four, five) days away from work. This is a challenge. The best way to overcome this barrier harkens back to the first question again “What do you expect to get out of training?” If your answer involves any of the following: o Career advancement o Improved job performance o Development of new opportunities The time away from work is required and involves commitment on your part and probably your company’s commitment. Instructor- led classroom education is a business decision and not a vacation planning event. You and your company have made a commitment to improvement, increased efficiency, greater effectiveness, insert training goal here________. Objections to e-learning: I can’t find the time to complete the course. Sitting in front of a PC regardless of location and reading material can be mentally taxing. The time away from the day-to-day focus of work is real when attempting distance learning. Distance learning requires a level of dedication to complete the material. The course window available to satisfy the time course can usually be stretched over multiple weeks. It’s boring sitting in front of a PC for hours. Again, we’re back at the commitment factor. Usually a distance learning course is designed to be completed in a number of shorter, palatable pieces just for this reason. There is generally an approach to the course materials that provides greater activity, visual stimulation or action designed to keep the attention of the student. Aren’t there books I can read? There is a great deal of published information available on almost every topic. What is appropriate for your current stage of understanding? What is appropriate for your end-goal? Individuals retain material at different rates, but in general adults follow these retentio

Cheryl Croce Sr. Consultant Veris Associates, Inc. I read two interesting articles over the weekend. They could not have been from more different sources, nor could they have been more interconnected. One was from the May-June 2008 edition of Psychology Today called Dare To Be Yourself. The other was the August 2008 Wired Magazine cover story, Internet Famous: Julia Allison and the Secrets of Self-Promotion. In Dare To Be Yourself, it is noted the basic psychological needs are competence, a sense of relatedness, and acting in accordance with one’s core self or, being authentic. In the Wired Magazine article, the Machiavellian subject pictures herself as the main character of a magazine profile, establishes her story through random blog/Twitter postings and in-person appearances at various ‘important people’ functions, then builds her internet street cred with every response from fans and haters. There’s a part of me that appreciates Ms. Allison’s moxie. She understands the game of being famous and plays it like an expert. She certainly tapped into at least two of her psychological needs – relating and competence – to be successful in accomplishing her goal of being a cult figure. I leave the authentic part up for debate; while I think she’s mastered the art of promotion, I’m not quite sure if she’s promoting herself or the persona she wants her public to know. The two articles made me think about my career in IT. I work as an IT infrastructure consultant. The majority of my counterparts and customer sponsors are men. Don’t get me wrong: I dig working with the men folk. I’ve not only learned a great deal about the process, politics, bits and bytes of information technology, but I am now relatively up-to-speed on all things sports. (Although, Ultimate Fighting still eludes me.) I’m happy to say I’ve had good female IT role models, too. I’ve learned a lot from them and it’s wonderful to have colleagues who understand the ups and downs of the IT sisterhood. Geekdom Stigma However, while overall employment rates in IT rose in 2006 from 2000, the number of women employed in IT has dropped almost eight percent. It’s a little disheartening to think the sisterhood is declining. Anecdotally speaking, there are a few reasons women are leaving or choosing other paths. Some say it’s a cultural issue. Historically, IT has not been generally known for its flexibility, which is important for working mothers. Some say it’s the image IT promotes. I know this is shocking, but there are many women who do not want to emulate the persona of guys with pocket protectors who can quote episodes of Monty Python and Dr. Who verbatim. (Although, I am a staunch Lost fan and feed the frenzy among my co-workers and customers who also watch.) In other words, these items in the IT world conflict with women’s needs to be true to themselves. How Do You Relate To IT As A Woman? So, what if you are a woman who enjoys the challenge of what IT has to offer? How do you relate to the “it’s cool to be a nerd” environment? How do you remain true to yourself in a culture that doesn’t necessarily scream female-friendly? It’s not a question of competence – because you know you can do the job. It’s a matter of having that sense of community and of being happy as a woman in a male environment without giving up what it is to be you. Wondering how to do that? Here are a few guidelines: • Learn the game. Know the rules of engagement before you act – or react. IT shops can be frustrating if you don’t understand the players, the work practices or the politics. Reduce that frustration with observation, understanding the way you learn and work, asking questions and your role as it relates to the company’s objectives and the department’s needs. • Embrace the IT Sisterhood – and Brotherhood. If you are feeling like you are stuck or in a rut, remember there are other women – and men - who have been there, done that and still wear the battle scars. Consequently, become part of the expe