21st Century Professional Development

2010 State of the St. Louis Workforce KMOX Interview with Rod Nunn

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Rod Nunn, the Vice-Chancellor of Workforce & Community Development at St. Louis Community College, was interviewed concerning the 2010 State of the St. Louis Workforce Report (available at http://stlworkforce.org) and the valuable research and critical assessment of the current state of the metropolitan area's economic status provided by the report, including the local business climate, labor market conditions, trends and occupation and skill demand. The interview was on Aug. 16, 2010 with John Hancock & Michael Kelley on KMOX Radio, 1120 AM.

Are You Paying Attention?

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 2 Jul 2010 10:00:00 -0600

As a service provider, your main task is to pay attention to the customer and their needs. The goal of businesses every day is to create more value for the customer in hopes of getting and holding on to their business. Doing this is simply stated: create more value, get more money. The job of every employee, directly or indirectly, is about serving customers.

The Value of Your Employees

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0600

The way to develop a powerful workforce that is passionate about their work is to create an environment where people feel cared about, where people feel valued, where their personal growth is encouraged and nourished, and where every effort is made to build self-esteem and self-worth. Cultivate the inner relationship with your employees.

Love Your Customers

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0600

In today's environment, it's critical to create and maintain a quality customer experience. Attitude and actions demonstrate to the customer their value to your organization. Here's how to make the customer feel you have all the time for them.

Go Ahead, Make My Day!

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Mon, 24 May 2010 10:00:00 -0600

It's nice to have "satisfied" customers, but it's the "enthusiastic" customer that really counts. Go beyond the Golden Rule of Customer Service to develop customers who stick with you.

A Workforce Development Perspective on the Recession

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Rod Nunn, Vice-Chancellor for Workforce and Community Development, shares his view on what to expect about the post-recession economy, workforce trends that will significantly impact the St. Louis area, and the need to use retraining investments to address skills gaps.

Lean Work Processes and the Health Care Crisis

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Health care is in a state of crisis in the United States. Costs are skyrocketing, quality needs to be improved, and access needs to be extended to more of our fellow citizens. The beliefs and practices of Lean manufacturing are being used to meet these challenges. For example, one major university affiliated hospital reported a 37% reduction in the mortality rate in its emergency room following the application of 5S, one of the tools of Lean manufacturing. This podcast describes the ways in which Lean thinking and Lean work processes are being used to transform the quality and efficiency of service delivery in medical facilities around the world.

The Future Ain't What It Used to Be

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Today's worker encounters a longer workday and more on-the-job stress than ever before. In this podcast learn to identify and cope with common workplace stressors.

Red Flags in Your Job Search

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Helps listeners recognize (and deal with) the symptoms of depression and lowered self esteem that can result from a prolonged job search.

Seven Tips for Successful Job Interviews

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:00:00 -0600

This insightful discussion helps job hunters prepare for the all-important interview. In addition to general tips and trends, listeners will learn about the increasingly common behavioral interview techniques and how to best respond to behavioral interview questions.

Looking for a Job While Still Working

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Is it really easier to find a job when you already have one? Discover the pros and cons of searching while you're still on the job.

Preparing Your Family for Hard Times

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 5 Mar 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Both sole breadwinner and dual career families are encouraged to be prepared for the possibility of job loss by developing a family plan for dealing with tough economic times.

Out of Work - Out of Control

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Those faced with a job loss often feel as if they have also lost the ability to control their own destiny. While those feelings are understandable, this discussion presents a common-sense approach to understanding (and coming to terms with) those things that can - and cannot - be controlled.

Easing Family Stress During a Job Search

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:00:00 -0600

When you're out of a job, you're not the only one who's under stress. Your family is also stressed, and you need to be sensitive to that. Stress has many symptoms in adults and children, and you need to be aware of them. Good communication is one of the keys to controlling family stress. This podcast provides some tips on how to ease family stress during a job search.

How to Implement Lean Work Processes

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:00:00 -0600

The successful implementation of Lean work processes depends upon the vigorous and visible support of top management, coupled with the knowledgeable and capable support of managers and supervisors. This podcast describes a seven-stage, systematic process for the successful implementation of Lean. The process is based upon the belief that the implementation of Lean depends as much upon Lean thinking as it does upon Lean work processes.

How Will Lean Make My Company More Competitive?

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Reviews the primary benefits of adapting lean, especially its impact on employee engagement and the resulting advantages. It is through an unrelenting focus on driving higher levels of employee engagement (the heart of Lean) that Lean work processes (aka The Toyota Production System) become strongly embedded in the culture of the company and, as a result, drive very significant and sustained increases in both productivity and profitability.

Why Should an Organization Not Implement Lean?

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Many Lean implementation efforts fail and their failure can be traced to three primary factors: First, the leadership team starts the implementation of Lean without an inspirational purpose. Second, the leadership team doesn't really understand what Lean is. Third, the leadership team isn't prepared for some of the significant ways in which their jobs must change as they implement Lean. It is better not to start the implementation of Lean processes if the organization's management team doesn't go in with a total commitment to all that Lean encompasses.

Two Basic Beliefs that Make Lean Succeed

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Over 65% of attempts to implement Lean manufacturing fail and they typically fail because the organizations leaders fail to recognize that Lean manufacturing is about beliefs much more than it is about tools. The two key beliefs upon which Lean depends are that: 1) all work processes are imperfect, and 2) the best way to improve work processes is to tap the knowledge and creativity of line workers. This podcast examines the operational implications of these beliefs.

Henry Ford: The Father of Lean

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:00:00 -0600

In 1950, Eiji Toyoda took a team of managers on a 12-week tour of US automotive plants to learn how to improve Toyota's production processes. What he saw didn't impress him. However, he read two books written by Henry Ford in the 1920s, "My Life and Work," published in 1923, and "Today and Tomorrow," in 1926. In these books, Toyoda found ideas about the nature of work and workers which his company would expertly and diligently apply and, in the process, trigger an industrial revolution. This podcast reviews these revolutionary ideas, developed by an individual who can rightly be called the Father of Lean Manufacturing, Henry Ford.

What is Lean Manufacturing?

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:00:00 -0600

This podcast is the first in a series of six, all focused on ways to ensure that Lean work processes stick. All too often, the impact of Lean work processes is very transient, with the process improvements they brought quickly fading, as old work habits reassert themselves. In fact, studies show that Lean work processes fail at least 65% of the time. But this doesn't have to happen, and this series of Podcasts will provide information that can be used to drive the successful, long term implementation of Lean transformations ... transformations that stick.

Ten Tips For Business Networking

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0600

In today's business environment, networking is more important than ever. Ten tips on how to be an effective networker are presented in this podcast, chief among them being that networking is about relationships - not using people. Here's how to make sure the right people get to know you. Learn how to set up a network meeting, agenda setting, location, follow up, and more.

Preventing Employee Burnout

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Employee stress and burnout imperil individual employees and the health of a business. It's often the best employees that experience burnout first or most severely. Burnout can be prevented by some structural and cultural changes in the workplace. Employees can take responsibility for dealing with their own stress. Several approaches are presented on how to deal with stress and avoid burnout.

Avoiding the Perils of Groupthink

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Working in teams has become the norm in global business. Teamwork often leads to better solutions and decisions, but not always. Groupthink is a danger when dissent is discouraged in groups. Certain group characteristics may lead to groupthink. There are simple ways of dealing with the risks of groupthink. Here's how to ensure that your team's decisions are well crafted and thoroughly vetted.

Making Meetings More Productive

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0600

How can we make meetings more productive, and how can we decide whether a meeting is even necessary? When meetings really are necessary, consider the use of new technologies to save time and money. When you hold a meeting it should be as productive as possible. One of the simplest (and still the most effective) ways of ensuring meeting productivity is presented. Learn how to keep meetings moving and make something good happen.

Making Teamwork Happen

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Teamwork doesn't happen automatically when you put a bunch of people in the same room. Teams go through four stages of development, each stage having its own characteristics and outcomes. We can learn how to accelerate team development to get to the highest performing stage quicker. A useful tool for accelerating team development is provided along with other characteristics that help a team be productive.

Business is Personal

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0600

Everyone brings personal needs to the workplace, and business leaders ignore these needs at the peril of the business' well-being. These needs are outlined in this podcast. Meeting people's personal needs often helps the practical business needs to be met. You can meet people's personal needs by changing the way you communicate with them - and in some cases, not much of a change is needed.

Generational Diversity in the Workplace

wcd-podcasts@stlcc.edu (Workforce & Community Development) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0600

Today's workplace has as many as four generations working together. The four generations in the workplace are defined. Each generation is defined not so much by age as by common experiences and key events. Workplaces are experiencing tension among the generations and people have to learn how to work and play well with each other. Generational diversity will affect not only recruitment, management, and retention of employees, but strategic planning as well.