Worth a Read – September (Part 3)

A Wealth of Resources

Ahem. Yes, this is supposed to be the September-October issue of (new name) Worth a Read. But it’s still October! At any rate, the content that is worth your attention for entertainment, education, and current trends is here. A feeble attempt will be made this time around to create content in categories (no promises because I might stray). Rather than overwhelm you with a new form of a Mitchner novel, this will be a three-volume issue. Find Part 1 and Part 2 in these locations.

Something to Recommend?

You can be part of the creation of this list. All that’s needed is you post your suggestion to In a Word – CCJP for literature or post business-related recommendations to Entrances – Recruit and Retain with the title of the article, author, a brief summary of why it’s noteworthy, a link to the item, and the hashtag “WorthaRead”.

Literature

• Jessica Miller-Merrell is the CIO at Workology, an HR network. She recently offered a copy of Barney Feinberg’s book, The Chemistry Factor: Create Powerful Business Relationships for Greater Success, to a limited number of HR pros, writers, and bloggers. I just read the summary of the book and Feinberg’s background. For those who are in the OD space (or simply in business development in some way), this is definitely something you need to read and have on your bookshelf. Perhaps you can compare Feinberg’s recommendations to your current practices to determine where you want (or need) to make adjustments.
• Something tells me Laura Morelli is just the slightest bit elated about the acclaim her 4.5-star historical novel, The Painter’s Apprentice: A Novel of 16th-Century Venice, earned from Writer’s Digest.
• Geoff Boxell gives the latest novel in the Master of War series, Scourge of Wolves (Master of War Book 5), by David Gilman, 4 stars and says:
  

  . . . I re-enact a 14thC English archer, though one of a different temperament to Sir Thomas Blackstone. Because of this I have read all of the previous books in the Master of War series and even corresponded with the author, David Gilman.

  Talk to those who have been to war and they will tell you that it is 90% boredom, 9% excitement and 1% sheer terror, or something like that. Thus book reverses the ratio and it is 90% excitement and sheer terror, mostly for those who oppose Sir Thomas.

• Sandra Gulland rates The Lost History of Dreams
  by Kris Waldherr a 5 star historical read. See the summary on GoodReads.

Business

• Fahad Aslam Khokhar and Audrey Eisner-Hoeller have more than praise for for Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point. In fact, one of them refers to him as a thought leader while the other recommends you put his book on your library shelf (after you’ve read it). Says Fahad:
  

  For all those who feel that success is a stroke of luck for many, this book is worth a read. There are always some convincing reasons to explain why some business spread like a social epidemic called the Tipping Point.

Professional Development

• “Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed To Repeat It.” Really?, NICHOLAS CLAIRMONT, Big Think (July 31, 2013)
  The quote is ‘Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.’ Who is attributed with it; is it a valid notion?

• The Charge of the Heavy Brigade; or, Totalitarianism Is Thriving and It Is Our Fault, Nicholas Clairmont, Big Think (March 3, 2014
  Charge of the Light Brigade is the lead nut graph for this article. Consider whether you are merely carrying out the requirements of your job or are you acquiescing to something that is not acceptable. There are lessons in history that point to making a choice at the right time.

White Papers

• When it comes to careful selection of Board members, there are certain characteristics that are red flags. (National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) offers a complimentary copy of an article that provides guidance on screening and selecting directors. A Field Guide to Bad Directors, NACD Directorship (July/August 2018)
  Something of a primer for screening and selection of Board members. From “How to identify them. How not to become one” by Michael Pocalyko

Articles

• California Just Became the First State to Require Women on Corporate Boards. Here’s What You Need to Know, Sophia Bollag/Associated Press, Money (October 1, 2018)
  What does your board of directors look like? Brown has taken steps to address the long-held knowledge that boards that include women are more profitable and future focused.

• How to Prevent Discrimination in the Workplace, Michael Arnold, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, PC, XPert HR (a LexisNexis partner)
  Most employers are well aware that they must and should prevent discrimination in the workplace. Indeed, failing to curb discrimination can be costly and result in increased employee turnover and absenteeism, lower employee morale and productivity, and higher insurance premiums and defense costs, among other things. Therefore, it is important for employers to be proactive and prevent discrimination from occurring in the first place. To accomplish this goal, employers should consider the following steps. . .

• GM’s Commitment to People With Disabilities, Diversity, Inc.
  Providing solid reasoning for the inclusion factor when it comes to workers (and their families) with disabilities.

• Lawsuit-proof your company: 20 tips from HR peers, The HR Specialist, Business Management Daily (May 25, 2016)
  Best practices advice

• Words of HR Wisdom: 33 Great Hiring Tips From Your Peers, Patrick DiDomenico, Business Management Daily (October 15, 2013)
  Screening and interviewing: Two of the most important factors in creating a thriving and productive workplace. Advice relevant to not only managers and employers but also to job seekers.

Videos and Movies

• Carrie Goldberg’s statements regarding sexual harassment and victim shaming. On the whole, a great example of opposing lawyers fulfilling their duties and roles in regard to representing and defending their client’s interests.
  ABC World News (October 11, 2018).

• How Guam Became a Modern-Day Colony, Jun Stinson, Untold America (July 2, 2018)
  It’s important to learn more about how things have evolved in the U.S. that have cultural dynamics.

• Why “I’m not racist” is only half the story, Big Think Science (October 1, 2018)
  “If you’re not racist, why is racism still America’s biggest problem?”

• CROSSFIRE: THE TRIALS OF THE HOLLYWOOD TEN (THE BLACKLIST EPISODE #2), You Must Remember This (FEBRUARY 8, 2016)
  How many today either know about or recall the McCarthy Era? Is it possible this style of hysteria can happen again?

Resources:

• National Geographic History
• eBooks
• Decoded
• Staffing.org
• AARP Public Policy Institute
• AARP Politics & Society
• Job Accommodation Network
• Untold America

You May Also Like:

• Talent Genius
• Kindle eReader

Worth a Read – September (Part 2)

A Wealth of Resources

Ahem. Yes, this is supposed to be the September-October issue of (new name) Worth a Read. But it’s still October! At any rate, the content that is worth your attention for entertainment, education, and current trends is here. A feeble attempt will be made this time around to create content in categories (no promises because I might stray). Rather than overwhelm you with a new form of a Mitchner novel, this will be a three-volume issue. Find Part 1 and Part 3 in these locations.

Something to Recommend?

You can be part of the creation of this list. All that’s needed is you post your suggestion to In a Word – CCJP for literature or post business-related recommendations to Entrances – Recruit and Retain with the title of the article, author, a brief summary of why it’s noteworthy, a link to the item, and the hashtag “WorthaRead”.

Literature

• In August, Carolyn Hughes was staying in and doing a book tour chat with Linda Hill about A Woman’s Lot. If you’d like to know more about what to expect from a book tour, it’s well worth a visit to Linda’s visit with Carolyn.

  Says Linda in her review of the book:

  But what I truly hadn’t expected was that Linda would have time to read the book and leave a review! She’s a very busy lady and we only set up this “chat” a little while ago. But she did read A Woman’s Lot and she loved it! Stop by the blog and get in on the conversation. It’s worth a read.

  DO read her review at the end of the chat – it really is terrific, and I couldn’t be more delighted.

• Those interested in even more about Egypt may want to explore co-author and editor Renée Friedman’s collection, Egypt and Nubia: Gifts of the Desert.
• Beth Wilson shares a very moving review of Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain. She calls it one of the best books she’s read all year. With the mounting social tensions in the U.S., this real story of the dilemmas faced by a 1950s North Carolina social worker is bound to make you gnash your teeth.
• So Middle Ages history is your cup of tea. Well, Alex Marchant has this recommendation about a Richard III novel that’s also great for a family style worth a read:
  “In the week in which the sad events of the Battle of Bosworth are remembered, I’m pleased to say the second book in my series telling the last years in the life of King Richard III has been reviewed in the Richard III Society Bulletin.” The same reviewer who called ‘The Order of the White Boar’ ‘a wonderful work of historical fiction for both children and adults’, says that ‘The King’s Man’ is:

  “full of action, adventure and determination to succeed … well researched, with lots of historical fact … beautifully suited to ‘children’ between 8 and 108 … The narrative unfolds swiftly and Marchant keeps the pace moving along, just as events at that time developed quickly … I look forward to the third book in the series…”
  Both books are available in ebook and paperback.

• On my mind for quite some time are the McCarthy era, blacklisting, reputation management, and credibility. A recent Sunday news talk show featured Marvin Kalb during which he discussed his new book, Enemy of the People: Trump’s War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy and I was inspired by his examination of the comparisons. Now a 5So Middle Ages history is your cup of tea. Well, Alex Marchant has this recommendation about a Richard III novel that’s also great for a family style worth a read:

  In the week in which the sad events of the Battle of Bosworth are remembered, I’m pleased to say the second book in my series telling the last years in the life of King Richard III has been reviewed in the Richard III Society Bulletin.

  The same reviewer who called The Order of the White Boar “a wonderful work of historical fiction for both children and adults,” says that The King’s Man is:

  full of action, adventure and determination to succeed … well researched, with lots of historical fact … beautifully suited to ‘children’ between 8 and 108 … The narrative unfolds swiftly and Marchant keeps the pace moving along, just as events at that time developed quickly … I look forward to the third book in the series…

  Both books are available in ebook and paperback-star rated title on GoodReads.

Business

• Arshya Vahabzadeh M.D.
  Chief Medical Officer, Brain Power. Clinical Psychiatrist, AI & AR Technology for Behavioral and Mental Health shares his enthusiasm about a new book on technology.

  Excited to see Reuters cover the deployment of our Brain Power AI technology to Schools in Massachusetts. Direct educator and student feedback has been very positive, and our research & development program is growing at an incredible pace. We are hiring for over a dozen positions, check our website for more details.

Professional Development

• Learn more about the nuts and bolts, as well as the elements of finesse and effectiveness via Peter Clayton’s interview on Total Picture Radio with the HR Bartender, Sharlyn Lauby. Be certain to get the book THE RECRUITER’S HANDBOOK A Complete Guide for Sourcing, Selecting, and Engaging the Best Talentso you have a ready reference tool by your side.
• A Lion in Court, Vincent Hallinan
  When the initial objection to Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court was raised, along with the timing of the incident, I wondered why the “[Terrence] Hallinan defense” (youthful indiscretion compared with indiscretion) wasn’t raised [See, TERENCE HALLINAN, Petitioner, v. COMMITTEE OF BAR EXAMINERS, THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA, Respondent, S. F. No. 22295, Supreme Court of California, 65 Cal. 2d 447; 421 P.2d 76; 55 Cal. Rptr. 228; 1966 Cal. LEXIS 214 (December 15, 1966)]. However in Hallinan’s situation, he was brought to trial because of a fist fight in his youth. He won his case and was exonerated. He also went on to become one of the most respected San Francisco lawyers.

• What’s the proper standard for a professional, especially one who is qualified to be certified to practice before the Supreme Court? Let us look to the history of Vincent Hallinan. What is considered enthusiastic defense of one’s client compared with unacceptable conduct?

White Papers

• When it comes to careful selection of Board members, there are certain characteristics that are red flags. (National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) offers a complimentary copy of an article that provides guidance on screening and selecting directors. A Field Guide to Bad Directors, NACD Directorship (July/August 2018)
  Something of a primer for screening and selection of Board members. From “How to identify them. How not to become one” by Michael Pocalyko

Articles

• Also with regard to crypto-currency, consider the knowledge provided in the i-Sight October 31 webinar, Cryptocurrency Transactions, Risks and Solutions (registration link).
• Kayla Sloan points out four risks of using crypto currency in 4 Risks of Using Cryptocurrency, Kayla Sloan, Due.com (July 11, 2018).
• “Ouvrir la Voix”: A Radically Frank Documentary About the Experience of Black Women in France, Richard Brody, The New Yorker (July 16, 2018)
  Raising the bar on cultural and diversity sensitivity and awareness.

• Nikki Haley to Resign as Trump’s Ambassador to the U.N., Maggie Haberman, Mark Landler and Edward Wong, New York Times (Oct. 9, 2018)
  What’s the real story behind the resignation? A new look at factors related to leadership.

• US unemployment falls to 3.7 percent _ lowest since 1969, Washington AP (October 06, 2018)
  Astounding employment news. We should question how the data was developed and what types of work and workers are included – or excluded.

Videos and Movies

• Diana Y. Paul grabs historical fiction authors’ and readers’ attention with her recommendation of a Spike Lee movie and read. The conversation comes from many parts of our U.S. population who have awareness of the KKK’s beginnings and purpose as well as how it has evolved into what it now represents. Get your teeth into BlacKkKlansman.

  As a supplement, Diana also recommend this item about the KKK from History.com, Ku Klux Klan.

• These Famous American Companies Were All Founded By Immigrants, IJR Blue Presents
  What I’m getting from this is that immigrants are good for business (opening jobs and keeping people employed, nurturing creativity) and the economy. They do not pose a threat to the public welfare but instead pose a benefit to it in many ways.

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Bold Ideas to Fix Our Health Care System, IJR Blue Presents
  Some things you need to know for the upcoming mid-term election.hat

Resources:

• AARP Books
• BookBub
• Diversity, Inc.
• Staffing Industry Analysts
• National Association of Corporate Directors
• i-Sight Software
• Disability Scoop
• Office of Employment Policy Accommodations

You May Also Like:

• Talent Genius
• Kindle eReader

Worth a Read – September (Part 1)

A Wealth of Resources

Ahem. Yes, this is supposed to be the September-October issue of (new name) Worth a Read. But it’s still October! At any rate, the content that is worth your attention for entertainment, education, and current trends is here. A feeble attempt will be made this time around to create content in categories (no promises because I might stray). Rather than overwhelm you with a new form of a Mitchner novel, this will be a three-volume issue. Find Part 2 and Part 3 in these locations.

Something to Recommend?

You can be part of the creation of this list. All that’s needed is you post your suggestion to In a Word – CCJP for literature or post business-related recommendations to Entrances – Recruit and Retain with the title of the article, author, a brief summary of why it’s noteworthy, a link to the item, and the hashtag “WorthaRead”.

Literature

• In August, Michael Smith had a special free download for any of his mystery thrillers. Available in a large number of formats, your in for a treat if you’re a fan of this genre. All Michael asks is, “If you download one of them for free during the free book promotion and enjoy reading it, then I’d like to ask you for a favor. Would you be kind enough to leave a review for the book on Amazon? It’d be greatly appreciated!”
  Find three of Michael Ace Smith titles, out of the seven, on Goodreads. Or go to Amazon for the full array.

• What an opening Mary Deal has in her new ebook release, River Bones. If you’re into mysteries and suspense, it looks like this is a must have. It made Amazon’s Top 100.
• There are those times when we have questions, hard questions. That’s when it’s time to have a conversation with an authority. A neighbor recommends a great starting point. I’m not certain of which of the three is on her shelf, but she highly recommends Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch.

  In case you want to dive into the full conversation author Walsch has compiled, there is also the The Complete Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue (Conversations with God #1-3)
  Or you can just start with one and savor the epiphanies derived from each new reading. Either way, it’s “Worth a Read.”

• So you’d expect that kings, ancient kings, kings and dignitaries of Egypt, would be given the utmost in treatment and respect, especially for their remains. However, Nupur Tustin tells us that isn’t necessarily the case when it comes to U.S. history. The story of Egypt Uncovered as told by Vivian Davies and Renée Friedman and via Amazon Prime is filled with shocking revelations.
• AARP offered their “Fall Books Preview” on August 29. You just may find something that tickles your fancy among the titles.

Business

• The Chemistry Factor: Create Powerful Business Relationships for Greater Success, Barney Feinberg
  A new release that covers a topic critical for success in business as well as personal relationships (think effective networking). I’m looking forward to diving into my copy.

• Business Etiquette and the Chain of Command, Russell Huebsch, Chron
  It’s important to the overall functioning of an organization to follow the traditional chain of command. Any thoughts about why?

Professional Development

• EasyTechGuides on YouTube
• Soul on Ice
  In light of the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings and the revelations about his past,plus the sentencing of Bill Cosby, many recollections surface. In particular is Eldridge Cleaver’s _Soul on Ice_. It’s the only book I’ve ever attempted to read and by the end of Chapter 2 put it back on the shelf with a vow to never read anything from him. Get a copy of the book and learn why.

• Marcia Bridges Merrill, Life Coach, Psychologist, author, and consultant has some titles that are helpful on many fronts. Explore the concepts and recommendations she makes in her any one, or all, of her books – The Perfect Network-Out, Balancing, Creating & Living Wealth + Wellness and Manifesting a New Life: Money, Love, Health and Everything in Between for starters. I recommend these titles not only for those involved in professions that involve understanding and appreciating the conditions of people who are being served but also for those who need to be served.

White Papers

• When it comes to careful selection of Board members, there are certain characteristics that are red flags. (National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) offers a complimentary copy of an article that provides guidance on screening and selecting directors. A Field Guide to Bad Directors, NACD Directorship (July/August 2018)
  Something of a primer for screening and selection of Board members. From “How to identify them. How not to become one” by Michael Pocalyko

Articles

• Although tantamount to an op/ed piece, Former Trump official: No one ‘minding the store’ at White House on cyberthreats (Michael Isikoff, Chief Investigative Correspondent, Yahoo News (July 25, 2018)), still says a lot about the quality of leadership and governance on behalf of our nation. Who can provide an unbiased, factual account of what’s happening in the White House?
• AARP reports on the July employment data. Given that the workforce is now comprised of *four* age demographics, we need to ask ourselves why there is such a large discrepancy between the under 50 demographic and the 55+ demographic.

  One other thing the blog points out is that wages have remained flat over a long period of time, thereby necessitating multiple sources of gig economy work that either substitutes for normal regular employment or (more likely) supplements normal regular employment. All of that to merely earn a livable wage.

• BLS provides data, via TED: The Economics Daily, “Labor force participation rate, at 62.8 percent, changed little in August 2014” (September 09, 2014) to measure current activity.
• 5 Pieces of Career-Changing Advice From Navy Fighter Pilots, John Boitnott, VIP CONTRIBUTOR, Journalist, Digital Media Consultant and Investor, Entrepreneur September 5, 2018)
  A prescription for every person, not just Navy fighter pilots.

• Listening to the financial news from September 7, especially with regard to the aspects of BitCoin and BlockChain, brought forth some speculation about using that currency as the medium for wages. It appears Korean firms have a position on the question and it doesn’t look good from the worker’s standpoint. See, Korean Cryptocurrency Firms Unwilling to Pay Talent High Salaries, Shaurya Malwa, BTC Manager (July 10, 2018)

Videos and Movies

• There’s a debate about the statement Kapernick is making. The statement is called free speech. To punish him for his speech and essentially tell him he has no right to peacefully object is to plunge him into a modern version of slavery. The ills of this country do not begin and stop with the impact on the Negro ethnicity. It also historically impacts those who are of Chinese, Japanese, and Native American descent. And these days, it’s beginning to include those who are part of the Muslim community.
  What does our flag represent? What is patriotism?

• It’s important when seeking a barometer for leadership role models and good ethical practices. Consider the Cuomo video that challenges the information we have about White House leadership and ethics. I believe the expert’s assessment that Cohen is looking for a “get out of jail free” card is very accurate. However, what I also am seeing is a replay of All the President’s Men.
• When it comes to sexual harassment, it appears status also brings privilege along with the ability to intimidate. All we need do is look to our national leader (our poster child) for an example. But here we have the leader of one of the leading news stations facing the disclosure.
• A new series is coming to us via Netflix called Rise of the Phoenixes (find video). Rather unique as far as Western entertainment is concerned, this series, as Erica McDonald tells us, is set in ancient China. Time for discovery and enlightenment.

  Perhaps this is the story in book form The legend of Fuyao by Tian Xia Gui Yuan. Not only worth viewing for those who want to know and understand Chinese history and culture, also “Worth a Read.”

Resources:

• Goodreads
• eBooks
• Wolters Kluwers
• Risk & Insurance
• Directors and Boards
• Corporate Board
• Mathematica Policy Research

You May Also Like:

• Talent Genius
• Kindle eReader

Recommended Reading Name Change

A Wealth of Resources

When do we become bored with uninspired titles? It seems the author, who is supposed to be creative and engaging, lost the Creativity Muse and strove to muddle through without her. (So sad. Clio is a wonderful muse.)

How many of you yawn when you see the heading for each new installment of the reading list? I’ll admit it; I do. That’s why I embarked on a campaign to collect suggestions for a more catchy, engaging name for the publication. None were received.

Not to be daunted, there was fallback to the title used several years ago. Hearing no objections, nor alternative suggestions, the next installment of “Recommended Reading” intended for September-October will become

Worth a Read

The list is being aggregated on my Facebook editing services page In a Word – CCJP where recommendations for the next publication can be posted (without the need to register to do so).

Inclusion of a brief reason why the items is exceptional is requested. The name of the author or publisher (or both) can be extremely helpful.

The September-October issue of “Worth a Read” is in process and will be published within a few days. That doesn’t preclude recommending future items, whether fiction, poetry, essay, business, print, audio, visual, or just some good food for the brain.

Resources:

• GoodReads
• BookBub
• eBooks
• Risk & Insurance
• Claims and the Law and
• The Profession section
• AARP‘s Fall Reading List
• Wolters Kluwers Labor and Employment Law

Useful Links:

• Talent Genius
• Read The Deskk on Kindle

Recommended Reading – July

A Wealth of Resources

It’s July. It’s Summer. Life is supposed to be lived at a slower pace so that we don’t get overheated and burned to a spent match. Hey. There’s too much to be aware of and consumed. But let’s find some of the really good nuggets to keep our minds fresh and focused on the better side of the issues – and help us be wary of omens and trends.

With all that being said, Here’s the list of reading morsels recommended and found in various environs.

The Los Angeles Public Library offers a place where job seekers can access tools to aid in their career transitions. These tools are essentially universal (not limited to Los Angeles nor to California) so feel free to learn about and start using them (ahem, in addition to staying up to date with the knowledge available on Career Coach Corner

• AARP offers their recommendations for Summer movies.
• They also entice Summer reading choices from their June newsletter
• as well as their Summer fiction preview announced in May
• On the subject of Personal Finance, AARP offers two titles by one of their writers, Kimberly Palmer, which are “Smart Mom, Rich Mom: How to Build Wealth While Raising a Family and The Economy of You: Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur and Recession-Proof Your Life.

Offered by Ron from Starbucks Reserve (July 3) are

• The Funding of Scientific Racism: Wickliffe Draper and the Pioneer Fund by William H. Tucker
• The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors by Francis Cress Welsing

NACD Directorship Magazine offers Tools for Being an Effective Director download

HR pros Franny Oxford and Jessica DeFeo have formed a White women’s discussion group that has a recommended reading list you’ll want to have under your belt (no matter what your ethnicity). Too extensive to enumerate each title, here’s the post that provides the list.

In conjunction with the leaning toward affirmative action items, be certain you get your hands on Flora Davis’ Moving the Mountain either to read it or re-read it.

Pinterest offers some especially interesting and useful items related to the subject of Strategic Planning.

Many of us are aware that 82-year-old Associate Justice Kennedy retired two weeks ago. He is far from over the hill and he is definitely not useless. But for those who are threatened with being put into a persistent vegetative state, consider reading the study Can Volunteering Fight Dementia?

The Christian Science Monitor provided an interesting investigation of the issues confronting the Supreme Court on the matters of travel and Executive privilege in their article “As Supreme Court hears travel ban, questions of presidential authority also on docket.”

Resources:

• eBooks
• GoodReads
• Wolters Kluwer
• Read The Desk on Kindle
• Or get your fill of useful training at Talent Genius

Recommended Reading – May

A Wealth of Resources

Yes, this is supposed to be the May-June Recommended Reading. Would you believe I was held hostage by a savage group of recruiters? How about a mob of HR pros? Oh well, can’t say I didn’t try to come up with an excuse.

Nevertheless, the contributions were sparse but very good. This revival is so new that not many are aware of where or how to submit recommendations nor what the criteria for submissions is.

What to Submit

Submissions can be anything you believe is worthwhile reading, print, digital, or audio. It can be a white paper, journal article, a blog post or article. It can be fiction or non-fiction, and any genre in that space. Humor is good to balance out enlightenment. Even sports and recreation is worth inclusion.

When to Submit

The cutoff date for the bi-monthly post is the 25th of the month. (Shame faced: This post was supposed to be published at the end of May.)

Where to Submit

The best place to lodge a submission is to post the title, a brief summary, and link in the “Books & Publications” folder at Entrances Bulletins. In order to post in the Bulletins, it’s necessary to register with the site. There’s no fee unless you want more advanced features and search capabilities. The registration will also allow you to respond, comment, or share information of your own that’s either a bulletin board item or a conversation starter. Please post your recommendations to the thread for the next issue.

If that’s a pain in the neck, you can also email your recommendation to me. Please include the information requested – title, summary, link. Include in the Subject Line: “Recommended Reading – [Month]”.

May – June Reading Suggestions

Now that the preamble is done, let’s get into what showed up on the reading radar. In no particular order nor grouping, here’s what came across The Desk:

• Doug Shaw recommended The Descent of Man by Grayson Perry as well as The Will to Change by bell hooks.
• Nikki Dee wondered where to find some titles and resources re 1820s – 1850s regarding the English working poor. She received over 30 recommendations.
• Annie Petersen shared an inspiring quote from Wouldn’t Take Nothing For My Journey Now by Maya Angelou. The excerpt says,
  

  Each one of us has the right and the responsibility to assess the roads which lie ahead, and those over which we have traveled, and if the future road looms ominous or unpromising, and the roads back uninviting, then we need to gather our resolve and, carrying only the necessary baggage, step off that road into another direction. If the new choice is also unpalatable, without embarrassment, we must be ready to change that as well.

  Is there a portion of this title that inspires you?

• Susanne Dunlap questioned her writing styles for young adult audiences. Sample one of her 4+ star titles, In the Shadow of the Lamp or try Emilie’s Voice.
• Easily with which many can relate in light of our current domestic affairs, Marcia Fine tells the story of life during turmoil via Hidden Ones: A Life of Memories. It won its seventh award from Jewish Arts & Culture.
• Just where do you think the story of life is evolving in Maria Gibb’s shares a snippet from Sins of the Father: Children from the Streets Book 2 . The interesting thing about this stolen glance into the story is that the reader is made acutely aware of the peril about our protagonist yet the excerpt is poignant. Is this in Allepo, somewhere in Nicaragua, or one of our domestic neighborhoods?
• Aside from the fact that she is the author, it was obvious what motivated Suzi Stembridge to share her enthusiasm for The Scorpion’s Last Tale. The thoughts that went through my mind after considering her words related to the work that went into creating those captivating and complicated stories. How much attention to detail and research went into the work so that the reader didn’t feel bogged down by the details but driven to continue reading in order to learn more and discover what was coming to the end while yearning for more of the tale.

  Likewise, it would be interesting to learn how others feel about writing for business and how a report can be turned into a captivating story for the sake of the stakeholders. The two forms of communication are very parallel.

• Being a researcher for an author resulted in a fan who wrote a wonderful review. That’s the difficulty with learning new things and getting into the undercover story. You get hooked! Just look what happened to poor Jacqueline Reiter who said, “I finished Lynn Bryant’s An Unwilling Alliance this morning, and can’t really do full justice to it in a review, but it’s a book I wholeheartedly recommend (and not just because helping with some of the author’s research questions brought me a valuable new friendship).”
• And just for the sake of fun, consider an award-winning time travel, Summer of Love by Lisa Mason seems to be one candidate.

Business and Nonfiction

It seems a good time to compare and contrast conditions prior to the current administration to now. Especially significant are the changes in attitudes toward opioids and the impact previously illicit drugs have on the workplace. To the headache of managers and HR professionals is means of reducing workers comp claims as well as better methods of screening for responsible hiring.

• Trump’s Tax Plan and How It Affects You
• Comparing the wage gap via a calculator provides some interesting insights at #shiftTheBalance
• Opioids and the Injured Worker. Is there an opioid epidemic? The answer seems to be a resounding yes. Across the country, addiction and excessive use of prescription opioids are wreaking havoc.
• Repackaging & Physician Dispensed Drugs in Workers’ Compensation: Proven Strategies. A growing number of states have seen a rise in physician-dispensed drugs, a challenge that has been rapidly increasing in frequency over the last decade.
• Workplace Gun Deaths Becoming More Commonplace. Homicides and suicides in U.S. workplaces are increasing year over year.
• Workers’ Comp Docket. The latest workers’ comp court decisions on cannabis reimbursement, safety criteria in hiring practices, attorney fees, interstate claims and more.
• Legal Spotlight. A look at the latest court decisions impacting the insurance industry.
• Some want inspiration in order to realize their dreams and goals. Get your hands on Edgy Conversations: How Ordinary People Can Achieve Outrageous Success by Dan Waldschmidt
• Hillary Clinton on Economy and Jobs Would Hillary Have Created More Jobs Than Bill?
• What Is Global Investment Risk? Important Global Risk Factors to Consider

To see the other items curated in the folder, go to Reading Recommendations-May ’18.

Remember to submit your own recommendations for the next publication by simply clicking “Reply”, inserting the item along with a URL, and then click “Post”.

Resources:

• eBooks
• Good Reads
• Risk & Insurance Risk Central White Papers
• engagedly Performance Management issues
• Employee Benefit News

Additional Resources:

• Talent Genius
• Read The Desk on Kindle
• Kindle Short Reads

Recommended Reading – March 2018

A Wealth of Resources

There’s no two ways about it. I love books. They hold information. They tell stories. They provide Life lessons in various ways. They entertain. They bring comfort. They provide distraction from the tedious two-hour (or more) commute.

These days, they can be consumed in a whole array of media. There’s the traditional hard back, succeeded and supplemented with the paperback. Then came audio books for those who are visually impaired or like to read on the go. And now we have digital books that can be read on any type of mobile device. In fact, because of mobile devices, we can now have a vast library contained in the compact dimensions of a cell phone or tablet.

During my law school days, I commuted for an hour to get to school on the BART. During those rides, I challenged myself to read The New Yorker from cover to cover. Trying to get in last minute studying on the BART just wasn’t realistic, although I encountered a classmate who appeared to be successful at doing so.

When the hours away from BART were part of my life, there was the need to read and understand the text and case books. That led to an intensified addiction to reading. It didn’t matter what the content was, just so there was content to read. When classes weren’t in session, I busied myself with visiting the local library to borrow hard bound or paperback books along with several audiotapes to keep me satisfied while commuting on the bus or just walking from one destination to another. And then there was the filler reading done while doing housework or gardening.

Yes, I was addicted to books. I literally read about ten books per week. In fact, it got to the point that I began to fret that I would borrow nearly all of the adult reading content from the library and would be left with nothing more than the children’s section.

Those were wonderful days. I miss them – a lot. So AARP’s newsletter arrived a few days ago. The header was like pheromones to my eyes. “12 of the Best New Books for Spring” was what it promised to discuss and list. Although not on my business reading list, all of the titles are tempting in some way. With that statement, the practice of sharing book recommendations is being revived.

Reading Recommendations:

• 12 of the Best New Books for Spring
• Best books for Spring reading from Goodreads
• New Releases from BookBub

Recommended from Amazon.com:

• The New Yorker
• Moving the Mountain: Women Working for Social Change (Women’s Lives, Women’s Work)
• The Mis-education of the Negro , Stolen Legacy and The Willie Lynch Letter: the Making of A Slave
• Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Law & Practice 4e (2 Volumes)

• Read The Desk via Kindle
• PHR/SPHR Certification Exam

Screening: How Much Experience

It’s an awakening time – again. But this time in another area.

Mistake One: Need-based Promotion

The first awakening was in the mid 1980s when I was a supervisor saddled with several rather mindless tasks that were also time consuming. One of them could be easily delegated. The receptionist wanted to grow out of her position and into something more responsible. She politicked. She told me about her endeavors in paralegal self study and how much she was reading. It seemed putting her into that administrative role could be helpful to both her and me as well as do the firm a service. I petitioned my supervising attorney who asked me to create a job description. He cautioned that her training and supervision was my responsibility. Accepted.

Her job description was written. It was given to her and she liked it. She accepted it. I thought she was doing well because her questions became scarce and she seemed busy. I was mistaken.

I was also responsible for training the securities paralegal and our new lawyers on handling corporate matters, especially forming a corporation. In the long run, I learned the receptionist who became the keeper of the library of corporate kits, was going to the securities paralegal (a 25-year-old, chauvinistic Bostonian man) for guidance and knowledge and then began considering him as her supervisor. She forgot that she reported to me. He felt he was superior to me and he had the support of a very popular securities lawyer.

Knowledge based on training

There were many issues that brewed in the office. So many that I forgot to monitor the growth of the corporate kit keeper’s knowledge and the depth of it. I should have kept better track of her work – even though there were many times when I found myself needing to work deal miracles. Perhaps I should have done a better job of teaching her new aspects of the work. But I definitely needed to help her realize that merely reading the book was not the same as being qualified to do the work. Perhaps more of an open-door policy with regard to learning opportunities would have resulted in a better outcome.

Doomed Destiny

There were other ethical issues that plagued all of the offices of that firm. The writing was on the walls and there were no erasers. The practices fed on themselves. One example was the lateral hire who was being interviewed from one office to another while carrying his plate lunch with him. Interviews continued as the firm’s convulsed its way toward its demise. Prudence dictated that interviewing stop, but it didn’t.

I was able to get out several months ahead of the collapse. Like a scorpion, the firm killed itself. But the collapse was because of the practices of many of the lawyers. There was also too much competitiveness and too many hidden agendas. There was also an enormous number of those who (like me with the corporate kit keeper) shirked their responsibilities in deference to billable hours and trying to hold down the fort.

We all should have been paying attention to the most important things. We should have been screening for experience and had a willingness to train if there was budget to do so.

Translatable Lessons

Screening for experience is something we do in many professions. The plumber brings their apprentice with them in order to train the learner about the proper way to use their tools and to identify what the issue is. The apprentice is not set loose on a project with no supervision until the trainer is certain of the skill that is going to be applied to the job.

The learner has seen the right way to do things. The conditions are explained to them. Also explained are the consequences and outcomes of taking a wrong step or making a bad turn. Terminology is explained so that both the learner and the teacher are conversing about the same thing. In that way, they can adequately talk to the client about the job, provide an estimate, form a contract for services, and then complete the job so that the bill is paid. Communication is a very critical element in screening.

Examples

How much experience does this potential worker have? Where are their references or testimonials? How many similar projects of this type have they done? Is this the first one? (Maybe they’re a volunteer who’s in transition and building a new portfolio.) Perhaps they have lateral experience that translates to what is needed for the job that’s open. Find out. Evaluate. Have them explain why this is a valid example of the type of work that can be expected from them. At the same time, you’ll be able to evaluate their ability to communicate, comprehend instructions, convey their appreciation and assessment of a situation, and depth of knowledge.

If they’ve merely been reading a book or simply talking (networking) with others in their target career option, that doesn’t necessarily mean they have the qualifications to be considered anything more than a newcomer.

Careful Evaluation

It’s one thing to read the book. That exercise provides the foundation for the knowledge. There’s more to learning than the mere visual intake of words. Learning comes in three ways: visual, auditory, and manual. Some people learn by using only one of those modalities. Others use two, and still other learners require all three.

Cementing the knowledge means actually using it. It’s best to practice the discipline before attempting to execute in the real environment. That’s why athletes and musicians practice and do drills. That why actors rehearse and block scenes. It’s why doctors and lawyers go through various stages of preparing for their discipline and developing their body of knowledge.

The motivation for getting into that career path and opportunity is evidenced by not just the portfolio of past accomplishments. That shows a history of experience. And that experience could have met with unexpected detours and interruptions. But the focused endeavors to practice the craft, science, art will have examples and work product. Where can those be found? If they’ve been deleted by some unethical hand, it’s a loss for everyone except those who actually saw or experienced it and can attest to its value. Another witness to experience is how well the candidate can discuss the project in detail. Perhaps there were no external evaluations that contained constructive critiques. Then evaluate how well the candidate did a self assessment and grew from that self counseling.

The amount of experience a person has is also evidenced in whether they’re capable of coming up with adaptations. Whether they’re successful or not is not the initial consideration as much as they have sufficient appreciation of the circumstances to enable them to come up with alternative methods of attack in order to reach the desired goal – ethically. It’s because they have a deep appreciation of the foundation principles that they will be able to identify a reasonable facsimile or substitute if the proper tool simply isn’t in the toolbox. They’re almost like MacGyver. Even if there are no longer work samples available, the knowledge (even long unused) is still there to benefit those who need and want it.

Enhancements, such as continuing education or next grade level training, will make the candidate even more valuable. Age is not so much a factor as is adaptability and depth of knowledge, as ability to move with change – or cause it because of that underlying experience.

Also keep in mind that now that we are a global society, we still use different terms (or labels) for things depending on where we are. What is call “The Plough” in the United Kingdom is known as Ursa Major elsewhere. So it’s important that the terminology or jargon is matching up between the parties.

How Much Experience Do You Have?

It would be nice to find credibility and proof of ability on the store shelf. Unfortunately, it takes time and practice to properly evaluate a candidate. Application of knowledge in projects directly related to the present goal or indirectly via a similar or lateral endeavor can prove to have enduring benefits. Repeated practice, with successes, build on the portfolio. Sending your employees off to a training and then never having them put into practice what they learned at the training is money thrown out the window three times over. There was the cost of the training, the cost of the personnel who covered the absence, and the wages paid while the employee was attending the training but left with no way to use it. Make that thrown out the window four times.

I’m not certain how a candidate can adequately convey knowledge and experience gained from being in the trenches. That type of insight provides a very deep awareness and appreciation of what the customer/audience wants and needs. It also gives a deeper appreciation of why one tactic will work compared with what the textbook said. Being in the trenches gives the practitioner more genuineness. When you pull out of the trenches, the landscape may still look the way it did when you entered it. But there have been changes on both sides of the picture.

Epiphanies

Incidentally, I’m finally about to embark on a long delayed step in my professional endeavors (which has spawned some of this writing). The handouts for a talk I’m doing later this month will be created as digital content. I’m learning about creating and publishing an ebook. The simple act of talking about “front matter” became a six-hour exercise of following instructions based on old technology and obsolete protocols. The updated information is now available. Meanwhile, there’s been searching for what was discussed under the old protocols. There’s been applying the principles to test runs. And there’s been time to recognize distractions and time management issues – in addition to the need for trial runs.

The term “front matter” is not the same in every genre. Which brings me back to terminology and jargon. Make certain you’re talking about the same thing as the experience is being discussed or described. Also be certain of what is considered proficient and standard in that part of the world compared with where the work is to be performed. Avoid throwing out the proverbial baby.

Resources:

• Training and Experience (T & E) Evaluations
• Evaluating Experience: The Key to Successful Selection of Outside Counsel
• Evaluating Personal Experience
• Ability and Tenacity
• Who’s Responsible for Getting Bob Hired?
• Ia This What You Want?

Sponsored Links:

• Evaluating, Awarding and Transferring Prior Learning Credits in Higher Education: The New Paradigm in Awarding College Credits for Work, Life and Learning Experiences in the 21st Century and Beyond
• PHR/SPHR Certification Exam preparation

Colorado School of Public Health Dean Description

An announcement from American Public Health Association on December 13 announced an opening for the position of Dean at the Colorado School of Public Health.

The position descriptions were two .PDF attachments. As a one-time courtesy, those descriptions are being included in this post.

The announcement said

“Greetings ICEHS!

Please see attached job Description and advertisement for Colorado SPH Dean. The deadline ‘to receive full consideration’ is January 9, 2017.”

The description: coloradosph-dean-job-description-final

The advertisement: coloradosph-dean-ad-final-003-1

Best wishes to all who apply.

Exposure and Expertise

Businessman giving a used book to another businessman, learning to survive

There’s a constant search for the best qualified candidate to be added to your workforce. They come to the table with all the education that’s required by the job description. They have the right amount of experience performing the tasks that need to be done. They are aware of the terminology and use it in appropriate context. They are wonderful when it comes to timely execution and speed. Why do they have all of these gifts? Where can you find more of them?

No doubt some of these skills were gained in the classes they took. Still others were developed with exposure to various technologies. Still other things were learned through conversations and reading all manner of trade and recreational content.

How useful all of this knowledge proves to be depends on its source and the amount and type of education that accompanied it. If it was merely parroting something without any appreciation of what the expression means or its history, not to mention the why of its use, then it’s simply doing because you were told to do so when x, y, or z occurred.

You can break a contract but taken literally, it’s difficult to see how a piece of paper can be broken. How many who don’t have exposure to that term understand that violating the terms of the agreement can result in losing the benefits of the association? We can talk about algorithms. That’s a fine and fancy name for having different bases of measuring things that are already in daily use. We count denominations of money using a base of 10. However, we measure distances, space, and time with a base of 12. All of those are algorithms. Does the neophyte realize this? Perhaps not. They’re simply intimidated by this new word and concept that’s been put before them with no explanation.

Taking a skills test can be similar to taking a classroom evaluation of the last section that was taught. However, screening and selection tests such as the LSAT or the SAT are an entirely different thing. If the applicant has never experienced an evaluation process of that type, it shouldn’t be expected that they will perform well on literally their first exposure – unless, of course, there’s some form of genius lurking in those brain cells.

Scalia recently opined that Blacks should not be put into the better educational institutions because they have poor learning skills. That might be true were it not for the fact that educating Blacks has historically been an after thought (if that much). Like women, they were to be kept uneducated in order to have better control over the population and keep them in a state of being disenfranchised. And even in that ethnicity, plus the combinations that created racial and ethnic Creoles, there have been those who found patrons who saw the benefits of providing quality education to them. In the alternative, the population found ways to gain even the rudimentary gems of education in order to propel them into something more.

Education is a prized aspired to by all races and ethnicities. Each family sees it as the tool that will bring fulfillment of the promise of a better life and empowerment. But that promise cannot be realized if the mentoring and educating to create the employable candidate is not provided.

So develop your employee education programs to your advantage. Also develop mentoring programs with an eye toward reducing apathy while increasing engagement and productivity. The exposure to the concepts and terminology will provide you with more than just the ideal candidate for the next step on the ladder.

Resources:

• Supreme Court releases audio of Justice Antonin Scalia saying maybe black students don’t belong at elite universities
• What is an Algorithm?
• Overview of Learning Styles
• The Importance of KSA’s (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)
  in the Federal Application Process

Sponsored Links:

• The Evaluation Interview : How to Probe Deeply, Get Candid Answers, and Predict the Performance of Job Candidates
• Executive Career Advancement: How to Understand the Politics of Promotion The X Factor
• The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work