Date: February 23rd 2010
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Hi and welcome back. I have a confession to make. Two weeks ago I found myself extremely disinterested in the Olympic Games. I convinced myself that I might watch the men's hockey, but that was it. Nothing else! Even then, I wasn't sure that I could handle another men's hockey disaster like Turin in 2006. What a difference a couple of weeks can make! I started watching the games last Saturday and have to admit that I'm hooked! Working from home has its advantages. One of them is that you can slip away from the office to catch updates on the TV. The disadvantage is that updates turn into a couple of hours, sometimes whole afternoons. It's become a chore trying to get some work done. I'm in absolute awe of the athletes. They are in such great physical shape and so tough mentally. I can only imagine how much work and practice it takes to become that good at a sport. They are truly dedicated to achieving their best. I'm also deeply impressed by the camaraderie, team work and sportsmanship. This led me to ponder what work might look like if everyone had the mentality of an Olympic athlete. Imagine what could be accomplished. The possibilities are endless. If only we could harness some of that energy, drive and dedication and let in loose in the work world. The Games have also served as a source of inspiration and motivation to me. I hope they have for you too. Take care and talk to you soon. Go Canada Go!
Here's something to think about: A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worst when they despise him. But of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, 'We did this ourselves.'
One of the biggest challenges facing an interviewer is getting the candidate to provide a solid response to a behavioural based question. Behavioural questions elicit information from a job candidate about his or her relevant past behaviour and performance. Structured behavioural interviews are based on the premise that past behaviour is the best indicator of future behaviour. During the interview, a candidate is asked a series of standardized questions. Each one is designed to elicit examples of behaviours that are used to assess the candidate's proficiency in one or more job-related competencies. For example, if you want to hire someone with customer service skills, you might ask this question: "Tell me about the most difficult customer you ever had to handle. How did you go about it?" This question asks for a specific example of how the candidate performed in the past that relates directly to how a candidate must perform on the job in the future. However, most candidates find it difficult to answer these types of questions. They often respond with vague generalizations: "I always....", "I usually....", "Sometimes....", "Generally....", "People tell me that....", "I've always tried to ....", "I would....", or "If ....". So, how do we get around this? How can we help the candidate provide us with a good example of how he or she used the skill? Here are a couple of tips:
I'm pleased to announce that I have partnered with another company to offer on-line health and safety training. On-line training has a number of advantages. It works particularly well in situations where employees are located in multiple locations. Employees don't have to be at work to complete the training. They can do it in the comfort of their home free of the many interruptions faced at work. As well, it can as a nice supplement to class room training. Here's a sampling of the courses that I can offer:
Some courses are also available in French. Please give me a call if you're interested in learning more about how on-line learning can benefit your organization. A recent survey by Aon Consulting shows that 56 per cent of employers do not have a policy regarding the use of mobile devices while driving. What was even more surprising is that, during the course of the study, there were some participants who were not even aware that legislation restricting the use of wireless devices while driving had been enacted! Do you have a policy in place? If not, give us a call and we'll work with you to develop one that meets your needs.
A Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP), Dave draws on his 29 years of experience in union and union-free private sector businesses across Canada to conceive and deliver value-added outcomes that elevate human resource capital and maximize operational results. Dave has combined his passion for training and development with public speaking to design and deliver thousands of hours of training. He currently teaches the National Knowledge Exam (NKE) preparation workshop for the CHRP designation exams and is tracking toward become a Certified Accelerated Learning Trainer. Dave is also a certified trainer with Development Dimensions International and Achieve Global. He has also achieved the designations of Competent Toastmaster and Competent Leader. Dave has completed the Co-Active Coaching program offered by the Coaches Training Institute and the certificate program in Conflict Management Studies Program through Conrad Grebel College at the University of Waterloo. He also has a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours. Dave's media credits include co-hosting Main Street, a cable television news program focused on current and community events, and Business Network News. He has published numerous articles in Enterprise Magazine, Biz Magazine, Canada's SOHO Magazine, Canadian Manager and The Bottom Line and has been quoted in the Globe & Mail. High Performance Human Resources Phone: (905) 637-5673 |