Social Responsibility

The September 11 observances were so moving. Some of the people who posted to my Comments on another site shared remarkable things. Some who wrote to me privately told of things that can be proven. Their statements show the bad faith and puppeteering of the day’s events. Just as with learning that the re-election of Bush the Younger was an inevitability, I was disappointed but no longer shocked at the news.

Explanations for the Inaction

Perhaps that loss of shock and social indignation is the reason so many of us allowed the snowballing effect of allowing our rights to be usurped. That was probably accompanied by (as in the Nixon regime) being overwhelmed with so many social, economic, and career upheavals that the only thing we could do was simply try to make the band-aid work to patch the gaping hole in our social fabric and livelihood.

I received many posts from a fellow in Morocco. The posts show the effects of the bombings and uranium that contaminates the environment. The quotes he provided and the anecdotes of life in the war zone(s) make me hate the fact that we, like sheep, accepted the increasingly fascist rule under the Reagan/Bush/Bush regimes and that we never had the motivation to exercise our rights as citizens to remove the ones (especially the last one) from office for failure to do the will of the people. Indeed, the majority of the people were willing to swallow the swill passed off as patriotism and a worthy national cause as truth. We blindly marched to the edge of the cliff and our own destruction in lemming style.

Racial Damnation

The fact that minorities, especially Blacks who are doomed to live out their lives in the ghetto, existing with poor education, lackluster values, their only hope contained in the deals they’re able to do to earn more than minimum wage and overcome the restrictions of welfare is consciously devastating to me. The fact that there are those who would, by example and deportment, damn others who are not of that ilk (and never were) is also disappointing to me.

The fact that Blacks carry such a burden from one generation to the next for eternity is not a curse but a test of how resilient the race can be. It is a test of each person with any part of an identity with that race to show the best of who they are. We are leaders, all of us, and we must lead by example.

When can we stop and relax? Only when behind our own doors and still being the best we can be for our own selves and for the sake of proving to our God that He has made a good steward in us to carry out His works in marvelous ways. Each time we go slack, we invite those who would keep us under their foot and in social bondage, we confirm their low opinion of us. We sin against ourselves. More importantly, we confirm that we are an example of what can be expected of the race — the poorest in personal habits, language, work product, knowledge, and everything else.

I still remember the words of my Second Grade teacher. I can’t remember what caused her to make the pronouncement. And in the mid 1950s, elementary school classes were a mix of colors and races, all children simply there to learn and be part of the mix without regard to the differences. But she told her charges, “. . . because you are Negro, you will have to be twice as good [as the Whites] in order to be considered half as good.” Her words were to encourage us to learn as much as we could and to put that knowledge to use in all aspects of our lives.

Where are those values today? Do we teach those values to the youth of today? I think not. I believe we teach them to expect to be subjugated and cut out of the race to be best. They then opt for their own entrepreneurial path, not realizing they do not have the training and knowledge to embark on such an endeavor. Thus, they stumble and do business in a poor and slipshod way, thereby setting an example that minority, and especially Black, business people are not a good choice for goods, services, advice and so on.

How should we survive? Will we overcome?

ROI

It was 40 years ago this morning that I began investing and the significance of making good choices became acutely underscored in regard to education, training, good listening skills, and communication. The awareness of where to network, as well as how, became another important factor at that time.

Being a member of a minority group meant, as my Second Grade teacher advised her students, being twice as good as our white counterparts so that we could be considered half as good. That meant being prepared for the rejections that would occur throughout our lives that were based on the mere color of our skin and texture of our hair no matter what the venue. But that lesson had to be taught in an indirect manner so that it felt as though it was intuited knowledge. Thus, acceptance and the true meaning of diversity, recognizing all of the races and cultures and ethnicities and blendings that caused our existence could be embraced and celebrated. That also spelled understanding discrimination without needing to endorse it nor waging a war about it. Sometimes the best way to defeat the hate is to simply wall it up in a container and then stow it.

These are all fine things to consider. It’s admirable to aim for accomplishing them as far as developing a person with a meaningful existence who will increase the value of their workplace. They will improve the community for the fact that they passed through that space and did positive things as they impacted it. They strove to do the best possible in the workplace and everywhere else. These are the factors in our investments. But its the return on investment, the ROI, that gives us the bottom line on whether the training and development was properly handled.

Do they fight resistance with all of the tools at their disposal, being selective about which to use at the proper time and in the right measure? Or do they become complacent and accept the dregs that smack of insult instead of the measure to which they have worked to earn and merit?

What type of ethics do they ultimately practice, whether in spite of or because of our training? The question also needs to be raised as to whether our input and training would have made a difference. We question whether we should have been more adamant about certain matters as our capital was being developed. There are some who would tamper with our product and interject negative influences that should not have been part of the training. Still others will attempt to approximate what they see us using but they have no sense of how to replicate the lessons. Therefore, their theft mangles the training and undermines the development regimen so that remediation is not just necessary, it is mandatory.

The issue of knowing when to let go in order to test both our own selves as to our abilities at development as well as the product to see how well it performs becomes critical as time passes. It’s important to do periodic quizes. Taking the small steps to curb disaster are easier in those small increments rather than wait until one payload is ready to be delivered and fails.

After going through all of the development and training of our investment in our future, we want to see our dividend and returns at least doubled. If they aren’t, there’s disappointment in the effort. What still needs to be considered in this regard is whether we’re using the proper measuring stick. It could be that we’re using the one for the architect when the activist logorithm is the correct rule. No matter. It’s important to have a sense of how much return we’re getting on that investment.

Back in the Trenches

Yes, it’s been a while since there were regular posts regarding any subject on this blog. The absence has been even more protracted on each of my other blogs. You’d think that I’d be much more conscientious about keeping up my writing schedule in light of the fact that I’ve been invited to blog on at least two other sites. But there are only two posts on Talent Management Tech and nothing published as of yet on Toolbox for HR.

Just to let you know, the blog on Talent Management Tech is called “From My View” and allows me to do my forecasting on various topics as they relate to talent management issues from many perspectives. Toolbox wants my words on the “how-to”s and best practices of HR. What I’ll be providing are some past words of advice and observation as reminders for all of us and then some new recommendations.

To that end, it’s time to tell you that one of the reasons for the silence is that I’m back in the trenches. This time I’m looking at the pool of talent that is available, observing practices in various types of companies, taking note of communication systems, and noting what works and what is misleading.

There’s so much grist for comment that it’s overwhelming. Broad brush strokes simply cannot be used at this time. Compounding the observations is the fact that they’re made about systems that exist on Los Angeles’ Skid Row. It isn’t the easiest of places to be in any sense. Nor is it the healthiest place to be. But Skid Row teaches one profound lesson: You have to take everything on a cases-by-case basis. There is no single statement that can be made about the collective whole of the denizen. Likewise, it would be imprudent to take the public relations statement about the organizations here and use that as gospel pertaining to what can be expected. In that regard, diversity is definitely a key word.

In this environment, it is possible to see how parents are using their skills and where skills are needed. From that emanates an appreciation of why so many of our youth are focused on the superficial aspects of tasks and seem to feel a certain entitlement that has not been earned through endeavors to merit privilege, advancement, or acknowledgment.

There are deep pockets of lack when it comes to good leadership skills. Because of the deficiencies, there are people holding responsible positions over people who are in need of many forms of services and support who simply do not have those skills but use their positions in improper ways in order to flaunt their power.

My different blogs touch on different perspectives of the management and hiring processes. The posts that deal with those topics will be placed on the appropriate blog. However, that is another explanation for why there has been such a period of silence. With so many issues wanting their time of discussion, it becomes not only confusing but overwhelming as to where to start first.

Compounding the where and what issues are also the dynamics of being in the environment. As I said, abuse of power is nearly everywhere. It attempts to compensate for the lack of skill in that area. That abuse slides into situations that then become questionable ethics, things such as intentional interference with business opportunity, harassment, and discrimination. Another thing that begins to emerge into the light of day is the fact that in many instances the untrained leaders and ones in positions of responsibility are found to word documents and reports in ways that cast a pall upon the subject of the report. In turn, the person is refused services or opportunities to which they actually have. Some call these statements “misstatements.” I have called them lies; but then, I tend to get excited when it comes to abuse for the sake of abuse and without appreciation of the short- and long-term consequences.

Out of all of these negatives, is it possible to find value-adding human capital? There are training programs here that purport to train and ready people for various types of jobs. Again, it is impossible to make a blanket statement about the population because it is so profoundly diverse. It is nearly mandatory that you take the time to become acquainted with nearly every person who completes an application in order to evaluate them on a case-by-case basis. There are some pearls, there are some who are the underpinnings of any organization, and there are some who will prove to be excellent for seasonal or contract work. The ages for the talent run the spectrum. Many of those over 50 are quite desirable but pushed into the background for various reasons. You have to hunt for what you want.

Nevertheless, there has been a long lapse of time since I last talked with you about anything relating to the employment industry. The silence is being broken.

Testing cf. Knowledge

One of the good things about laundry day is that I’m given the opportunity to get out and be social for at least three hours that day. It gives me the chance to meet other people, share in conversation with them, learn something from them, gain new knowledge. And this past Monday was no different.

This time, my laundry buddy (I’ll call her Shelly) and I struck up a conversation because she was wearing a dress that looked like one I recently bought but haven’t had the courage to wear yet. She confirmed that we’d bought from the same store and that it was probably the same style. And then we started getting acquainted.

She has a young child and is concerned about the quality of education that she’ll receive when she needs to go from the nursery school she’s presently attending and into First Grade. The child is already writing in cursive as well as reading and writing sentences. We talked about the private school options available in the neighborhood and in the community. One thing we both observed is that the Los Angeles Unified School District in our community is not serving its constituents well. Sending the child to a public school is causing Shelly great concern.

She shared her experience with East Coast universities compared with what she experienced here in California. She admitted that the East gave her much more of a challenge. I didn’t ask if the challenge could have been attributed to her freshness to Life and inexperience but took her words at face value. She also shared that CSUN offered very little challenge. Her academic exposure has been in one of the more difficult sciences, pharmacology, and urban planning. She’s also worked at City Hall and gained insight into how things operate there. Now she works part time as a tutor.

I told her it’s as though the teachers either don’t care about their charges or else are so overwhelmed that they cannot do what they were hired to accomplish. The other explanation is that the teachers aren’t qualified to handle the work. Shelly felt the observations were entirely correct but was slightly reticent to admit as much. She just kept praising the excellence of the preschool she’s found and looks forward to finding the next school that will present as much challenge and learning as it does.

At the risk of sounding pompous in that previous paragraph, I’ll supply a little background to my words. I was a candidate for the School Board in South Pasadena in 1989. During the campaign, I interviewed several of the teachers in the district to get a feel for their needs. Likewise, I paid close attention at the School Board meeting when the exchange students from Germany provided their feedback on their experience with American schools (especially upper middle class schools such as South Pasadena, a close rival of San Marino and La Canada). Additionally, I listened carefully as I talked to students about their impression of their learning experience. I was interested in the types of young people I was meeting and what the schools were producing.

The teachers complained that they’re given so much administrative work that they can’t do what they were hired to do — teach. There’s not enough time to do it. The next complaint was insufficient supplies and equipment in order to deliver state of the art instruction on equipment that is currently part of the work world. Even with a classroom aide, the teachers were being stretched to the point of snapping. Still, the South Pasadena schools were measuring up on the Stanford 9 exams and going toe to toe with San Marino year after year.

Parents in the community complained about the fact that they were reaching into their own pockets to keep the schools on par. They spoke of the dollars spent on public education for their children and wondered whether it would be more cost effective to simply give up on South Pasadena schools and send the youth to private schools instead. Financially speaking, it was becoming the same as doing so without the assurance that the charges would succeed as well as in the other environment. But then by choosing a private school, the youth no longer had that distinction of saying they were South Pas grads.

The exchange students were quite direct in their assessment and very unreserved in expressing it. They were bewildered at the amount of homework required every night. Several said it was as though the amount of learning was measured by the volume of homework assigned. But the homework was poor in quality and taught very little. At home, they would have about 20 minutes of homework that was rich in challenge compared with one hour or more of American homework that was very easy and quite repetitious.

How interesting it was to finally have power in the house again this morning and the ability to hear the news. The story that caught my attention most was the one regarding schools and how much training the students actually receive compared with the volume of homework that is meaningless in content. Students withstood volumes of testing that didn’t seem to justify the basis for the testing. It was merely to test in order to say that the students were tested. Did Shelly share our conversation with someone in the media? That wasn’t possible. Why would a reporter want that story? What newsworthiness could there be in a laundromat conversation about education? But there was the story, complete with an expert who has conducted a study of the topic and who had come to the same conclusion.

What does this say about the education we’re providing our youth? What does this say about the workforce readiness of those who seek careers and high positions? It says we’re not properly training them. It says we’re not providing the types of meaningful challenges that will benefit them in the real world. Thus, when it comes time for them to perform at peak levels, they will crumple as they reach. They will crumple for many reason.

• They were not prepared
• They didn’t understand the fundamentals of the task, therefore, they overlooked many small details
• They weren’t sure of when to ask questions
• They weren’t sure of what questions to ask
• They relied on the advice of friends and comrades
• They overlooked the advice and counsel of veterans
• They took the easiest way
• They did not plan
• They waited for someone else to do for them
• They had the impression that “professional” meant stylish
• They had the impression that “leadership” mean bullying and forcefulness

Even if they do not gain these skills and knowledge sets in school, the reinforcement (or procurement) needs to happen in the workplace. To the extent there are supervisors who also do not know (or remember) the whys of the practices nor take the time to explain the bases for doing things in a particular order, we will continue with the losses and setbacks that are part of the talent loss and corporate guerrilla warfare for qualified workers.

Whether in school or in the workplace, the lack of proper training, homework anemic in content, challenges bereft of meaningful achievement and comprehension will take a toll on the social fabric. No miracle savior of any magnitude will be able to turn the tides nor save us from our destruction.

It all starts with proper training, sound education, testing that searches for meaningful measures of learning — not testing for the sake of testing.

Best of eLearning Awards and Online Universities Announced

We’re here to help you get ahead. Part of the formula is making informed choices. So here’s some information you climbers should know. It’s also useful information for those who screen the ones being considered for that notch position.

Elearning Readers’ Choice Awards Nominees

Finalists in the Elearning [Readers' Choice] Awards were announced in December 2007 by B2BMediaCo.com. The nominees range from four to six participants in 12 categories, which are:

• Best LMS
• Best On-demand LMS
• Best IT Content
• Best Leadership
• Best Soft Skills
• Compliance Training
• Best Virtual Classroom
• Best Web Seminar
• Presentation Tool
• Best Web Authoring Tool
• Best Simulation Tool
• Best Assessment Tool

Winners were announced in the Winter 2008 issue of Elearning!

This is the first time that a call has been issued for feedback on which products and vendors are of choice for end users. This is usually word-of-mouth intelligence, making it very difficult at times to get complete and reliable information.

Best Online Degree Programs

Elearning! also provides us with their list of the top 20 online degree programs offered and the reasoning for the program’s position on the list among the 200 evaluated. The top 20 are:

• Western Governors University
• Capella University
• Concordia University
• Walden University
• California Coast University
• Ellis College
• Touro University International
• Classes USA Consortium
• University Alliance
• Thomas Edison State College
• Norwich University Online Graduate Programs
• New England College, School of Graduate and Professional Studies Online
• University of Phoenix
• Nova Southeastern University
• Keller Graduate School of Management
• eLearners EXpress (nomination #5)
• American InterContinental University Online
• Baker College Online
• Marist College
• eLearners EXpress (nomination #6)

One additional feature in this article is a section that discusses how to select an online program and 10 mistakes to avoid in making that selection.

Pushing for Excellence

It was during a period between the end of April to early May 2007 when the incident occurred. Enroute to a destination that was not performing the duties for which it was established, I stopped at a Burger King for breakfast fare and rest. This particular Burger King is located at Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Western Avenue and it has a mural of Civil Rights Era notables and events. Among the personages represented are images of Cesar Chavez, John and Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Dolores Huerta, and Whitney Young. Some of the events it memorializes are the March on Washington, King’s being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and many other significant points in time during that era.

It was interesting to reflect on the images of the people, the acts for which they are remembered, their places in history and that time period in addition to what that time meant to people of color and our United States as a whole. For one who watched as the cavalcade passed before my eyes, as one who walked and survived those tumultuous times, who stood for the life that they strove to achieve for all, it was uplifting to see the mural. But I wondered how many youth of today understand what it means and those it represents.

By then, a young boy of about ten years came into the restaurant. He began to notice the mural and it seemed safe to venture the question, “Do you know who any of those people are or what they did?” He understood that there was a Civil Rights era wherein people such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, John and Robert Kennedy had roles. He only knew the history of two — King and Chavez. The reason for that was he had just learned about them in school the week before we met. And it was okay that he at least knew those two. It was a start.

Together we looked at the representation of King’s being awarded the Nobel prize. I explained the significance of the prize to him and the various categories for which people can win. But I omitted little pieces of information — some intentionally and some because I simply did not know it. I asked the boy to look up for me what must be done to become eligible for the Nobel prize, the amount of the purse, and the categories. I then gave him my business card and asked him to email me with the information.

What I wanted him to discover was that the Nobel Prize is not some remote holy grail reserved for the elite and wealthy. What I wanted him to grasp was that with the proper knowledge and focus, it is possible that one day he could vie for that award that attests to being the best in that year for that particular discipline. I wanted him to become familiar with the award in order to gain an appreciation of why it was established and where. And I wanted him to at some point in future time realize that he too can be a catalyst of change and positive energy in his community. Yet another intangible lesson would have been the importance of accuracy and precision of presentation in order to consistently be eligible for that type, that caliber of work.

It’s now eight months later and there’s been no email that delivers the information I requested. The more important thing about the request was to get the youth thinking about what that mural represents. It is supposed to inspire pride in overcoming so many bars to progress and fulfillment. It is supposed to be a reminder of an era and impetus to not allow the movement to die away. Yet, like the unsent email, the promise of that time and the march toward equality has slowed; it seems the promised day will never arrive.

How many of us remember those times and the things for which we fought in multiple ways through numerous venues? At least that boy’s teacher took the time to educate the children about some aspect of the Civil Rights Era, even if it was a mere sampling of two or three names. After all, that was their first introduction to the matter. However, that there is no education about the Civil Rights Era is a troubling matter. I have doubts about whether any of the workers at that fast food site or any adults in the community could remember as many names as the boy and I discussed, much less the events, what they were about, the progress that’s been made since.

Socially, we’ve lost sight of many things that were part of the affirmative action movement. Unfortunately, too many view it as a tool for the unqualified to gain access where they have not earned it rather than allowing them to at least stand in line for their fair shot at the target and then having their shot measured in equal balance to all others.

Once I reached my destination, I discussed the experience and the mural with one of the employees, an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. My thoughts were multiple and ardent. They infected the listener.

That mural represents periods and dates in our history that need to be remembered. The essence of the representations and the strife that accompanied those histories need to be explained to each generation so that they have a sense of why it is so vitally important that they reach for the best that is within them and demonstrate that talent, that ability to those who have the power to say, “Yes.” The lessons of those days and the growth that they held needs to be continued and replicated.

The youth need to be given the sight of the upper branches where the prize resides. That view will facilitate their aspiring to climb the tree to its uppermost parts. We need to dare and risk. That mural represents so many things that are now falling into colloquialisms and quips instead of meaningful statements. The education about what is depicted and those things that could not be captured in that image need to be discussed on an ongoing basis so that there is knowledge of the circumstances. The discussions need to also cater to strategies to gain inroads in the places where it seems the doors are closed and locked. There needs to be education about how to negotiate in order to gain the keys to enter the doors. And there needs to be education about what to do once inside in order to claim and grow the prize.

That mural represents a struggle that was not about blame for exclusion but about self-driven desire and determination to achieve in spite of the obstacles. That mural represents those who did.

Raw Talent, Raw Material

Back to our troubling topic — qualified talent and the lack of its abundance.

There are reasons for this abyssmal lack of people who can do even a marginally adequate job of performing their work. The reason is lack of training. And the lack of training comes from not just a remiss school system. It’s more than lack of parental supervision. And more comes into play than employers who take it for granted that certain ones are simply not qualified because of the color of their skin or their residency zip code.

Far too many are having it ingrained in them that they are not required to do anything that bespeaks responsibility. With comes the attitude that they deserve the privilege, whether it was earned or not. With the attitude comes the flair of expecting even a stranger to give things to them, that they may thoughtlessly drop trash when the contents of the wrapper are gone and someone else will come along and clean their litter.

This raw material that could be shaped in so many productive ways lingers and wastes away because of lack of training and lack of enforcement of standards. They walk about as though royalty who expect all to bow to their beck and call. But they simultaneously act out in boisterous ways, using profane language, not using critical thinking skills to do even the simpliest of problem solving. Instead, they wait for someone to do the thinking for them.

These individuals have not been taught to think, much less do critical thinking. It is not a wonder that the reasonings that come from these people is so flawed. And it is even less a wonder that the flawed conclusions lead them to consequences they just didn’t see that are not acceptable to anyone.

Black Tuesday’s crash of the stock market in the 1920s was one example of this total disregard for limits and boundaries. People spent money as if there were no piper at the end of the path. But the piper did exist and he did blow his pipe. As we keep moving down our path of economic woes in the mortgage industry, there is no doubt that the piper will lift his instrument to his lips once more.

The the days of The Depression of the 1930s was a time when people were ashamed of living on the doles of welfare and government stipends. They knew that these stipends were temporary assistance and not a way of life. The realized the sooner they were able to get their selves off of these rolls, the sooner they could resume their lives of esteem and respect. And what it took to get their selves off of the rolls was hard work. But not just hard work for the sake of doing something.

They took care to ascertain what it was they were supposed to be doing and how it was supposed to be done. They pulled out of someone the “why” of the job and its relation to the other factors surrounding it. They held their selves to a standard of production and perfection because those were representations of who they were and what they did.

Times change and so do attitudes. Today’s workforce is full of those who are upper class or lower class. Unfortunately, the middle class has been weeded out and essentially no longer exists. The two classes have something very much in common — lack of critical and creative thinking. They have another thing in common — expecting someone else to do their thinking for them.

Government support has given the lower class a perspective that they should wait for someone to do something for them. They do not have to lift a finger to get whatever they want. Therefore, you should not be surprised when someone from that class walks up to you, a complete stranger, and asks for $5. It’s what they expect from being able to receive charity from social welfare programs. It’s become a way of life, all that they’ve known, and therefore there is no shame in being on these roles and unlearning the thinking process.

Genteel practices of courtesy are forgotten. Swearing, profanity, and cursing are normal forms of speech. Whether there is a valid thought or not, there is an attitude that they are entitled to interrupt anyone’s speech at any time in order to interject some thought. Worse is the need to be seen at any cost. Thus, if they are allowed to become part of a discussion group, the contributions are pitiful. The volume of contributions is overwhelming.

But this is raw talent, raw material that, with proper training, could be developed into the super achiever, networker, worker, leader. It’s all a matter of training — getting their attention, expecting and demanding the best, and training to be the best.

Do these lost individuals have role models on which they can imprint themselves? Do they have leaders they can look to with reliance that they will see examples of how they should strive to manage their selves and mold their characters? To either question, the answer is “only a scant few.” Unfortunately, many of the role models are part of the big screen, small screen, and YouTube screen. What fuels those is what the money-sucking consumerism tides have determined is popular and will sell product. There is still little connection between value and earning position through education, commendable work, and devising successful strategies.

talent, employability, training, standards, expectations,

The Talent Crisis and the State of Education

What is it about Los Angeles schools and the caliber of education in this city? It’s difficult to tell whether the phenomenon of producing poorly educated individuals is unique to the Los Angeles schools, to particular zip codes within the sprawling city, or whether it should be attributed to the caliber of teachers who are employed here. With a small turn, it seems the problem isn’t isolated to just Los Angeles. It’s a state problem. It’s a national problem. It’s epidemic. Approximately half of those who enter high school will graduate four and a half years later. Of that number, there will be the usual spread of achievement and proof of quality education.

Some give up in deference to the many external pressures impacting them. Some are the usual profile of get by with the minimum amount of effort. Some of those numbers will blossom at a later time, when they realize the importance and value of knowledge and the path to achieving their goals in an acceptable way.

Our Mayor proposed a solution to the issue of education. After all, it impacts the quality of product one can expect from the City, it’s a form of interstate commerce, this “Made in Los Angeles” stamp that graduates of our schools carries. And the lackadaisical attitude impacts other products that are actually manufactured and marketed in other states and cities, in other parts of the world. So much so that employers are still reluctant to hire individuals from a particular zip code.

Quite a flurry was started when last year the question was put to the recruiting industry as to where the responsibility for education our youth should reside. The question arose out of the controversy started as the Mayor sought to have control over the School Board, to supplant the Superintendent of Schools with himself. Villaraigosa has succeeded in his striving to take over the running the school district and he did so by making an ally of his potential rival, Superintendent Brewer.

It was announced on October 1 that Villaraigosa will have oversight of two “families” of schools, which turn out to be the lowest performing of all the schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, 44 schools in total (27 high schools, 17 middle schools that feed into those high schools).

I’ve delayed addressing the October 10 announcement of the school district’s spin-off district because there was a need to research which are the affected schools. That information is not easy to ascertain using the resources I was initially able to access. It seems another report from the District’s site should have been used.

But one thing seems to be consistent: There is no one, single solution to the education (therefore talent) crisis. Impacts are multiple and that means solutions also need to be wrought from many areas that work toward the core. However, one study conducted by a California State University at Los Angeles Assistant Professor, a Ph.D. candidate, and a representative from LAUSD found that teacher confidence in their self and the abilities of their students had a direct correlation to the success those students achieved. This “get what you expect” syndrome has been researched at other times in management and human resource areas. The results are consistent.

It looks like the reminder needs to be given on a repeated basis. You get what you expect. Expect the best and treat the candidates as you would want to be treated. Those are just two steps in overcoming the talent crisis as it is affected by the education issue.

education, “workforce preparation”, “school district”, management,

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Building Blocks

It seemed like an innocuous thing, just putting together a batch of cookies for noshing as the week passed. Who’s aware of body language or facial expressions when they’re involved in innocuous activities? Apparently the body language, the dexterity, the confidence, and the facial expressions were sufficient to catch the attention of the teen. Sufficient enough to distract them from the rock music, the TV, the phone calls, and all the other distractions that go with being a teen.

First Step, A Toe in the Water

“What’s that you’re doing?” the teen probed. Interest had been sparked.

This was not the moment to shoo the youth away. This was a coachable moment that was being requested. This was a door opened and reception to being involved in those faltering steps toward taking on responsibility. This was definitely not the time to become smug. Instead, it was the time to take things in stride, as though this happened everyday, and just get more than a toe in the water. This was the time to get them ready to go swimming.

So, it was a matter of explaining what was being done. “Oh, just mixing a batch of cookies. What do you think? Should they have more cinnamon or vanilla?” What harm could there be in drawing the student into the activity? With the potential creativity, the usual batch of oatmeal cookies might turn into an entirely new recipe of delight.

Passing Control

A recommendation was offered. It was followed. Then the stirring began. “Do you want to try it?” The whirring beaters were turned off and passed to the new cook. Explanation of proper use of the equipment was offered. Put the mixer in the middle of the bowl. Turn the bowl slowly as the butter and sugar and spices turned into a creamy mixture with no lump, just waves of gold.

Value in Explanations

Each phase of the mixing and stirring was a success. Eventually, the entire process was overtaken by the student while the adult merely read the recipe and watched, guided, explained.

Therein lay part of the success of the endeavor. What was being done was also being explained as it unfolded before the eyes of the participants. A foundation for why things were done, a connection from one step to another was formed so that the student had a sense of the big picture. There was no sense of being dictated to or controlled. Instead, it was a pleasant project being shared.

More than just explanations about how to do each step, the conversation flowed into why things were done in the order they were. There was discussion about the tools, which were more efficient and why, what could be used instead. Efficiency was added to the endeavor as the student was shown how to have several parts of the project evolving in different parts of the kitchen: readying the oven, preparing the cookie sheet, rinsing and washing the preparation instruments so that the kitchen stayed as clean as possible and tools were still easily accessible.

A Spoon at a Time

The flour and other powders were put into the batter. Now that mixing was extremely rigorous, the beaters were put aside in deference to the wooden spoon. The rationale was not only explained, mixing the powders was turned over to the initiate. That didn’t take long to catch!

Chopping nuts and measuring raisins were the piece de resistance. How fine do the nuts need to be chopped? How many cups of raisins should be added? And of course the new cook spooned the batter onto the cookie sheet. Carefully, the tray was inserted into the oven and the timer set.

Then the process turned into how to do production. While one or two trays cooked, the next two were prepared so that the cooking could be completed in optimal time.

Cure for the Talent Shortage

The endeavor was a success. It was the young cook who became the baker of the oatmeal cookies. It was the youth who earned the bragging rights of who made the cookies. And the youth modestly wore the mantle while enjoying the rewards of the endeavor.

It doesn’t have to be a kitchen where a batch of cookies are being baked. The time and place to train, to teach our youth how to do things properly and as responsible individuals can happen anywhere.

The foundations of good training, however, are the essentials. They get the ball rolling for the day that they actually step into the workplace with real-world tasks waiting to be completed. Facing those tasks with the right attitude and discipline is essential for having positive results. We complain mightily today about the lack of training and reliability of our youth and bemoan the impending talent shortage. However, it is the preparation of those same youth that will take us out of the talent shortage mindset. explanation of what is being done, why it’s done that way. Give them the big picture so that they know where they’re going.

Once they have a sense of what’s being done and why, it’s time to start putting the tools in their hands. It’s one thing to arm someone with a bunch of equipment. It’s another to explain what each tool does, its special function in the range of tools available.

Finally, it’s important to imbue the youth with sequencing knowledge so that they, armed with all of the other aspects of their duties, have a sense of how to do multiple things simultaneously. They not only have a sense of what they’re doing but why; they have control over the project at all times.

There are three types of learning: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. The kitchen example used all three. The narrative explanation provided auditory training as well as reinforcement when guidance in one direction or another was required. The youth had control of the equipment so that they literally had a “feel” of how things were done. And their coach was right there so that f something went wrong, there was another responsible adult available to set things right if they got too far out of control. Nevertheless, the supervision came through auditory reinforcement.

Is it possible to overcome the forecasted talent shortage? Yes, it is. But we need to take stock of who the cook is and use the proper building blocks — enticement, explanation regarding the why and how, teaching utility of the tools and proper use, show and develop scheduling and organization skills — in order to reach the level of entry expertise that we desire.

How can we expect good results when we are putting forth little to no effort to teach, to train, to develop the talent that we want and need? They cannot simply walk into the building and have these skills leap from their desirous hearts. It takes preparation.

Have an oatmeal cookie. Happy birthday, Vick.

job preparation. training, learning styles, talent shortage, explanation,