Welcome to the June 30, 2004 issue of The Total View

Your resource for cutting-edge news, tips, and tools to help you hire, manage, and motivate top-performing employees.

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In This Issue
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1. Employees Who Can't Make Decisions and What You Can Do To Help.
2. Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #171 to #175.
3. YUCK!
4. Want to Stop Hiring Headaches? It's Easier Than You Think.
5. DISC Assessments Help You Neutralize Conflict and Build Effective Teams.
6. Fundraising Opportunity for Non-Profit Organizations.
7. The Whole Person Approach To Competency ID and Employee Evaluation.
8. Complimentary Online Mini DISC Behavioral Profile.

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The Total View is written and published each Wednesday by Ira S. Wolfe, founder of Success Performance Solutions. (Yes, Ira writes every article, every week!) and is distributed with permission by The Chrysalis Corporation.

Ira S. Wolfe 2004 - All Rights Reserved. Reprints and other distribution by permission only.

To learn more about The Chrysalis Corporation or to read back issues of The Total View, visit our web site at http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/remote.html?ltk=1034282_31118432

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1. Employees Who Can't Make Decisions and What You Can Do To Help =============================

It's not likely that many of us will ever be faced with making critical decisions of the magnitude that many men and women had to do on the morning of September 11, 2004. Then again, some of the people in position that day didn't make them either.

Ninety percent of the things we do are routine. We can do them with our eyes closed. We operate on remote. Just think about it for a minute. Many of us will slide in behind the driver's seat sometime today and head off for an appointment or meeting or to pick up our kids. We won't think much about the mechanics of driving because it's been programmed in our brains. We may even get in the car and drive off while speaking on the phone, eating a snack, reading directions while miraculously arriving in one piece, unharmed.

At work we do the same thing. We learn how to handle the status quo with exceptional skill and consider ourselves talented and even indispensable for doing so. We run ourselves on auto-pilot until the unexpected happens.

In the case of those men and women on 9-11, what happened was not only unexpected but unthinkable. As they say, this is why talented people get paid the big bucks. Managing through a crisis, even in an unthinkable complex situation, is a talent that separates the great people from the mediocre.

In sports, these great players are called clutch players -- Michael Jordan, Joe Montana, John Elway. Whenever they were on the brink of a loss, they rallied their teams and many times pulled off the impossible ... and made it look easy. In the operating room, an anesthesiologist enjoys the routine 98 percent of the time. It's those 2 percent that often times determines the difference between life and death. What makes these people great isn't that they make just one heroic play but they do it over and over with poise and skill. People who can manage others through a crisis are a special breed.

That wasn't the case for all the people in charge on the morning of 9-11. Hearing the tapes from the 9-11 Commission epitomized the elephant in the room that everyone wants to talk about but few people want to address -- the shortage of skilled workers and the quality of the skills these workers actually have.

As an example, just "listen" to these excerpts from an exchange between FAA headquarters and the agency's command center at 9:49 on that fateful morning.

To set up the situation, the military received no notice that American Flight 77 was hijacked until 9:34; that's just minutes before it hits the Pentagon. At the same time, the fighters from Langley Air Force Base are heading towards Baltimore, towards American Flight 11, a plane that doesn't exist anymore. In that context, let's listen in:

Man #1: All right, they're pulling Jeff away to talk about United 93.
Man #2: Do we want to think about scrambling aircraft?
Man #1: Oh, God, I don't know. (Then a few seconds delay and silence) Man #2: That's a decision somebody's going to have to make probably in the next 10 minutes.
Man #1: You know, (then a pause) everybody just left the room.

Not "let me get you an answer" but "Everybody left the room". Please, give us a break. Three airplanes had already crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon with a fourth in the air and supposedly headed for the White House and here we have one of our officials at the controls of the command center who choked under the pressure.

Hopefully none of us will ever have face the pressure and life-or-death decisions that faced many men and women on the morning of 9-11. But every one of us is forced to make hundreds of decisions each day of lives. The fact is that some of us do it better than others and it is quite easy to predict who will and who won't.

What follows are a few examples of personality traits or values that we help companies look for when selecting, promoting or coaching employees whoo make effective and timely decisions.

Assertiveness. Is the person willing to speak up even when his or her viewpoint might be unpopular? An individual with low assertiveness might fear voicing his or her opinion especially in the face of adversity or a dominant supervisor.

Reactiveness. Does this individual want to think things through or do they tend to "wing it"? An individual who is more reactive than organized might put things off until the last minute and then make quick decisions. They can be energized by last minute heroics and thrive during crisis situations but procrastinate during calmer times.

Self-sufficiency. Does this individual engage other people to talk or think through a problem or do they prefer to act alone? The self-sufficient individual might choose to work through his/her options independently and then show up at a meeting with what he/she feels is the right (and only) solution (especially if they are assertive as well).

Excitable and Restless. How well does this individual cope with stress? How do they respond to criticism or rejection? Individuals who are excitable and restless tend to lose their cool and/or composure much quicker than individuals who are poised and relaxed. But that is not to say that poised and relaxed individuals are better decision makers. Too much poise and relaxed behavior may get in the way of these people recognizing a crisis when one exists.

Cognitive Abilities. Cognitive abilities determine how quickly and accurately an individual can process new information -- an obvious benefit for anyone with these capabilities on the morning of 9-11. Individuals with lower abilities may have all the smarts and experience but when confronted with a new experience and no protocols, crash under the flood of the data. Lower abilities combined with excitable and restless traits puts these individuals at high risk for effective decision making under duress.

Power and Authority. Individuals motivated by the Power and Authority value may relish the challenge and seize control. If the individual has the skills and abilities, this might work out. But not all people willing to take charge of a crisis have the right skills.

Social. Individuals motivated by the Social value dislike conflict and make decisions based on what is best for the community at large. In crisis mode, this could be a good thing -- or a detriment in situations when tough choices have to be made. In war sometimes good people are sacrificed for the greater good and individuals who value Social may find it difficult to make these calls.

For instance, the choice to shoot down a passenger plane to protect the Capital and sacrifice a few lives for the sake of thousands would be most challenging for the Social person. The individual motivated by Power and Authority, although finding the idea repulsive, might find it easier to pull the trigger and live with the outcome. (In the business world, this translates into which managers can make the tough calls when downsizing, laying off workers, or terminating an employee.)

How well prepared and capable are your managers and leaders of making the tough choices? How effective are they at making decisions in a timely manner?

Learn more about the skills, personality and motivations of your managers by following this link:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/remote.html?ltk=1034283_31118432

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2. Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #171 to #175.
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Fact #171
In 2000, 4 million Americans were age 85 and older, the part of the population most in need of long-term care. By 2040, that number is projected to more than triple, to 14 million. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. (2000)

Fact #172
More than 13 million Americans need some level of long-term care, but only a fraction of those, about 1.6 million, receive that care in nursing homes. Source: Facts on Long-term Care, 1997.

Fact #173
While most individuals who need long-term care are over 65, 40 percent are adults younger than 65, and 3 percent are children. Source: Facts on Long-term Care, 1997.

Fact #174
By the year 2020, the number of Americans 85 and older will more than double to 6.4 million. The number of people 65 to 84 will almost double to 47.1 million. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. (2000)

Fact #175
If obesity trends continue through 2020, without other changes in health behaviors or medical technology, the proportion of people 50-69 with disabilities (those who are limited in their ability to care for themselves or perform other routine tasks) will increase by 18 percent for men and by 22 percent for women between 2000 and 2020.
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"The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book: Why Worker Shortages Won't Go Away" Has arrived Get your copy today - $7.95 includes no shipping costs for limited time only.

http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/remote.html?ltk=1034284_31118432

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3. YUCK!
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The desk you sit at, eat at and work at is....Yuckie. Here are sample numbers of bacteria per square inch found around the office:

Phone receiver: 25,127
Desktop: 20,961
Computer Keyboard: 3,295
Computer Mouse: 1,676
Fax Machine: 301
Photocopier: 69
Toilet seat: 49

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4. Want to Stop Hiring Headaches? It's Easier Than You Think.
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A pre-employment screening tool to identify work-related behaviors such as Positive Service Attitude, Accountability, Frustration Tolerance, Acceptance of Diversity, Multi-tasking and more... plus a Validity Check and Integrity Index.

Each customized report includes a step by step interview guide including recommended interview questions.

SELECT is scored on-line but can be administered on paper or computer.

The following report versions are available:

--Customer Service
--Administrative Support
--Retail Sales Associates
--Entry Level Retail Management
--Call Centers
--Production & Distribution
--Healthcare
--Personal Service
--Convenience Store Associates
--Hospitality
--Office Staffing
--Plus Several Other Industry Specific Versions

To learn more about SELECT and other pre-employment tests and to view sample reports online, visit:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/remote.html?ltk=1034285_31118432

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5. DISC Assessments Help You Neutralize Conflict and Build Effective Teams.
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The Managing For Success(r) family of DISC assessments provide you with information about how an employee will deal with problems, interact with people, comply with rules and procedures, and the pace at which he or she will work. To view a sample report, follow this link:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/remote.html?ltk=1034286_31118432

How do your employees fit on your team? Map your entire team using the Success Insights Wheel(r). Identify strengths and minimize conflicts easily. The wheel is included with each The Managing For Success(r) DISC assessment.

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6. Fundraising Opportunity for Non-Profit Organizations.
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There a quite a few non-profit organizations who subscribe to this newsletter, so we wanted to extend an offer specifically to you.

One of the biggest challenges facing non-profit organizations in the new economy is finding creative ways to generate revenue while using a limited amount of resources.

Imagine this scenario. Instead of seeking contributions in the traditional way, you are able to organize an event which takes a minimal amount of prep work, people clamor to attend - and best of all - it generates THOUSANDS of dollars for your organization.

Sound Interesting? If so, follow the link below and fill out our online contact form to receive additional information about a unique, profit-producing event that we make available exclusively to qualifying non-profits. Best of all -- there is no up-front, out-of-pocket costs to the organization. Please note that this offer valid ONLY for bona fide non-profit organizations.

Follow this link, fill out the form, and learn how The Chrysalis Corporation can help your organization generate revenue. Be sure to type "Fundraising" in the comment box.
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/remote.html?ltk=1034287_31118432

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7. The Whole Person Approach To Competency ID and Employee Evaluation.
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Become a certified CriteriaOne consultant. Learn to identify competencies, complete a job analysis and interpret behavioral, values, and personality assessments. The next Train-the-Trainer will be held from August 18-20, 2004 in Lancaster PA.

To learn more about the CriteriaOne Model and to review an outline of the training session, follow this link:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/remote.html?ltk=1034288_31118432

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8. Complimentary Online Mini DISC Behavioral Profile.
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We often get requests from our readers asking if we have a "quick and dirty" complimentary behavioral profile that they and their co-workers can experience -- WE DO! Follow the following link to respond to a our mini DISC based profile. It will take you less than 30 seconds to respond, and the accuracy will amaze you. Feel free to forward this link to your coworkers and boss.

Here's the link:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/remote.html?ltk=1034289_31118432

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Contact Information:

The Chrysalis Corporation
2001 Hammock Drive
Valdosta, GA 31602
229-257-0665

e-mail: mike@chrysaliscorporation.com

To learn more about The Chrysalis Corporation, visit:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/remote.html?ltk=1034282_31118432

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