Cheers for Chao!

On October 4, 2007, U.S. Secretary of Labor, Elaine L. Chao will be speaking at the Power in Partnership Breakfast sponsored by the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce.

My company is dedicated to helping organizations achieve higher levels of personal and professional satisfaction through training and development. Thanks in part to the great leadership of Secretary Chao, the American economy is strong and unemployment is low. Let’s all support Secretary Chao as she continues to carry out the mission of the Department of Labor to promote and protect the health, safety, retirement security, and competitiveness of our nation’s workforce.

Did You Know That Secretary Chao:
 Is the recipient of 28 honorary doctoral degrees
 Is the Nation’s first Asian-American woman to be appointed to a U.S. President’s cabinet
 Is the first Kentuckian to be named to the President’s cabinet since 1945
 Has provided leadership to achieve the first major update of union financial disclosure regulations, which provided ‘rank and file’ union members with the information they deserve regarding how their hard-earned dues are spent
 Has served as CEO of the United Way of America, Director of the Peace Corps, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission, and Deputy Maritime Administrator in the U.S. Dept. of Transportation.

For more information on training and development, visit my website at www.donnamariawalker.com

For more information on labor, visit the Department of Labor at www.dol.gov and the Bureau of Labor Statistics at www.bls.gov

To make a reservation for the Power in Partnership Breakfast, contact the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce at 443.1746.

Don't Be That Boss

Congrats! You've been promoted to a leadership position in your organization. Now, you've been asked to inspire and ignite enthusiasm in people while maintaining total coordination and control among everyone throughout the organization. In the back of your mind you're thinking, "I CAN do this and I WANT to do this...but HOW do I do this?"

Research states that everyone at some point in his or her life achieves the Peter Principle. This is a concept originated by Laurence Peter which states, "In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence." Moreover, Peter contests, "in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties."

The key is, to learn as much as you can, do the best job that you can, help people everyday to feel good about work they are doing, hopefully continue to make good money as you learn, and when you finally have this job figured out and are at the top of your game, you'll be promoted to an even higher position with additional responsibilities you have never performed before, and the process will begin anew!

Sound stressful? Well, don't fear(and certainly don't quit)! You can do this. You can learn how to facilitate effective communication within your organization, perform effective employee appraisals, and be a stellar manager!

Contact me at dmw@donnamariawalker.com...and remember, "Don't be that boss!"

Know better. Do better.

www.donnamariawalker.com

Suggested Readings for the Fall

Autumn is sweeping into the region, and in case you're looking for some great reads with regard to business leadership, you may want to check out the following:

"Crazy Bosses" by Stanley Bing
Bing has written many great books, and his latest entitled "Crazy Bosses" is no exception! Stanley Bing gives a witty account of the relationship between insanity and the power of authority.

"Sun Tzu was a Sissy: Conquer Your Enemies, Promote Your Friends, and Wage the Real Art of War" by Stanley Bing

"Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work," by Paul Babiak and Robert D. Hare.

Contact me today at dmw@donnamariawalker.com for all of your training and development needs! And remember, don't be that boss.

Donna-Maria Walker, MS

Benefits of Corporate Hunting Trips

In most cases, guns in the workplace are bad! No doubt about that. But what about arming your coworkers with the tools they will need to be more productive and profitable in the workplace by arranging a corporate hunting trip? Such trips are gaining in popularity. So, what's all the buzz about?

For years, the corporate golf scramble has been a fashionable way for employees to get together in the off hours. Living in Kentucky, we have access to world-class hunting, and this is luring many offices off of the greens and into the woods!

In my research, I have stumbled across many anthropological studies which attempt to explain the phenomenon, including a study linking hunters to higher reproductive success! However, for the purpose of this blog, I am interested in linking employers to higher productive success!

Corporate hunting trips promote teambuilding, problem solving skills, trust, and socialization with coworkers in an unplugged environment.

Turnover is costly. It's no secret that turnover costs an employer 1.5 times an employees salary to replace him/her. And, in most cases, people leave bosses, not jobs. Interpersonal interaction affects the office climate and vice versa. So, employers are wise to invest in teambuilding exercises...and a hunting trip might be a good option! And, several upscale lodges exist to cater to the corporate client. A hot shower, a hot toddy, and a hot breakfast...sounds great to me!

For more information regarding licenses, seasons, regulations and more, visit the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources website at http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/

For more information on teambuilding, leadership, or other training, visit my website at www.donnamariawalker.com or email me at dmw@donnamariawalker.com!