CDHRA April 2005 Newsletter
	Happy Spring!

Earth Day 2005
CDHRA News
SHRM Online Highlights
SHRM Interactive - Webcast Series
On the Web - HR News
Team Challenge
Balance Work and Home
Superior Service
Stress On The Job
Workplace Ethics
Don't Be An Easy Target
Laughter Is Good Medicine
Quality Is
Hooked On E-mail?
Just Do It
Teamwork - Top 10

Earth day 2005. April 22, 2005 is the 35th Anniversary of Earth Day.

Earth Day, which began in 1970, is now celebrated by millions of people worldwide. This year is its 35th anniversary, and around the world, hundreds of thousands of nongovernmental organizations, governments, teachers, and faith-based groups, among others, are making plans to declare that they are part of something extraordinary: a worldwide movement to protect our planet, our children, and our future.

This year, Earth Day Network' s theme is "Protect Our Children and Our Future." Despite the extraordinary and often false obstacles that we face in our efforts to protect our natural resources and our biodiversity, few will dare argue with the moral imperative to protect our children from harm. As a consequence of that imperative, we call on governments, corporations, faith-based organizations, and all people in our troubled world to work with us to ensure that children everywhere are healthy, educated, and free from oppression.

This Earth Day, hundreds of major events will take place around the world, in communities large and small, in classrooms, in parks and on beaches, in places of worship. From Kiev to Beijing, from India to Romania, from Africa to the Americas, we will demonstrate our diversity and our resilience. We look forward to your participation and working with you to make this Earth Day the beginning of a global effort to protect our children' s future. [ More ]

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CDHRA News.

CDHRA Receives Distinguished Award.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in Alexandria, Va., has awarded the Superior Merit Chapter designation to the Central Dakota Human Resource Association (CDHRA) of Bismarck-Mandan for its scope of work in perpetuating and supporting the mission of the organization in 2004. "By achieving Superior Merit designation, the CDHRA has distinguished itself as an outstanding organization dedicated to serving the networking and professional development needs of its members and to the advancement of the human resources profession," noted Keith J. Greene, a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), and vice president for Member Relations for the SHRM. The CDHRA will receive a certificate of recognition, a specialized banner to display at its meetings and events, and is being recognized in the SHRM's publications and at its conferences.

Heitkamp Presented with Distinguished Alumni Award.

Ken Heitkamp was named the 2005 Leadership Bismarck-Mandan Alumni Association's (LBMAA) Distinguished Alumni. Sheila Vetter, President of the LBMAA Board, presented the award at the Chamber's Leadership Bismarck-Mandan (LBM) Class of 2005 graduation ceremony on March 9 at the Seven Seas Inn and Conference Center.

Ken works in the Executive Office for the Department of Transportation, as a Business Planner. He is a 1999 graduate of the LBM program and has been an active member of the association since then, serving as its president in 2001. He has been instrumental in organizing the LBMAA annual silent auction fund raiser, held during the Chamber Holiday Mixer, for the past several years. He created and maintains the LBMAA web site at www.lbmaa.org. He serves on several LBM and LBMAA program subcommittees, including class selection, field project solicitation and review, as well as those organizing educational and social events for the alumni. Ken volunteers for several other professional and community organizations as well. He serves on the CDHRA board, the ND Society for Human Resource Council, the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Mission Team, and is the National Guard Association of North Dakota's webmaster. He enjoys spending his free time with his wife Claudia, their families and their friends. Ken represented North Dakota as a torchbearer in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games Torch Run.

Ken is a role model and mentor for many. He is a community servant and leader. Our congratulations to Ken!

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SHRM Online Highlights.

For the latest HR information, resources and reference material, visit www.shrm.org.
NOTE: SHRM membership may be a requirement for access to these articles.

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SHRM Interactive - Webcast Series.

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On the Web - HR News.

For more news and updates on these and other stories, visit SHRM HR News online.

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Team Challenge. You decide what these teams should do.

Successful teams know how to face challenges and solve problems together. Here are three situations in which teams faced challenges. Your challenge is to decide in each case what the team should do to solve its problem.

Situation 1. Five people in a shipping department are teamed up and assigned the task of developing a new procedure for handling rush shipments. At their first meeting they decide they need more information, so members are assigned responsibility for gathering data from various departments and customers. When they meet again, all but Hal Erwin have done their assignment. He says he didn' t do it for the next meeting. At that meeting, Erwin' s report is sloppy and incomplete. It' s clear he isn' t pulling his weight. What should the team do? [ Click Here for Solution ]

Situation 2. A service team is formed to coordinate how to handle customer complaints. The team meets on a monthly basis to review complaints and to decide how to avoid future complaints. The problem is that in between meetings team members are making independent decisions and acting on them without informing teammates. In fact, on a few occasions, one member' s action conflicts with another member's solution. This team is tripping all over itself. What should they do? [ Click Here for Solution ]

Situation 3. An interdepartmental team is formed to improve communications between departments. The team gets off to a good start when the company adopts several of its suggestions and communications immediately improve. The problem is that Steve Korf is dominating the team. He does more than his share of talking at team meetings, puts down suggestions made by teammates, and takes sole credit for team achievements. Team morale is sinking fast. What should this team do? [ Click Here for Solution ]

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Balance Work and Home. Stop worrying and start living in the moment.

Does it sometimes seem that no matter how hard you try to focus on your work, part of your mind always worries about home—despite the fact that this lack of focus interferes with your work and cuts into your productivity? What about when you get home? Do you worry about work—which spoils the quality time you have to spend with your family and friends?

The solution to this common dilemma requires the self-discipline to train your mind to focus all your attention on this moment. Whenever your mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to the present. For example:

• If there' s a personal problem that keeps coming into your mind while you' re working, tell yourself that you can begin to think about it only on the commute home.
• If a work problem follows you home, tell yourself you' ll figure it out on your way into work tomorrow, but right now, you' re going to enjoy being home with your family.

This approach makes you more responsible at work and at home because it frees up your mind to concentrate on what' s happening now. It also gives you a good balance that allows you to be more productive at work and more accessible at home.

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Team Challenge - Solution to Situation 1.

It's time for the team to sit Hal down and explain the first rule of successful teamwork—no slacking! If they don't do something to correct his behavior, other team members will end up doing Hal's work as well as their own, and things will
only get worse. If Hal can't cut it, the team should talk to their supervisor and ask for someone else who can.

[ Back to Situation 2 ]

Superior Service. Here's how to provide the best service.

To be the best with customers, follow these essentials of truly superior service:

1. Professionalism. Represent our company when you deal with customers by projecting a professional image—from the tone of your voice to the shine on your shoes.

2. Consideration. Treat customers courteously at all times - even when they're upset. Focus all your attention on what they have to say, whether you are meeting face-to-face or talking on the phone. Always thank customers for their time and their business.

3. Respect. All customers deserve your respect because all customers are important, whether they place large or small orders. Recognize that their time is valuable and don't waste it.

4. Awareness. Provide excellent service by understanding customers' needs and problems. Listen carefully and communicate clearly.

5. Competence. Above all, providing truly superior service depends on your knowledge and skill. Customers expect you to be an expert on our products and services, so make sure you're always prepared.

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Team Challenge - Solution to Situation 2.

The members of this team want their team to succeed. But if they don't coordinate their efforts better, they're going to create more complaints than they resolve. One solution is to take a few minutes at the end of each meeting to review decisions, assignments, etc., and make sure everybody knows their role. If questions arise between meetings, they should be handled with group e-mails or a quick meeting. [ Back to Situation 3 ]

Stress On The Job: Sources and Symptoms:

Stress results from lack of control. When you feel in control - even of a challenging situation - you don't feel stressed. Stress on the job comes from tasks over which you have little or no control. For example:

• Workload
• Deadlines
• Other people who make demands or with whom you have conflicts (including co-workers, supervisors, and customers)
• Work-related problems
• Pressure to perform and meet goals

People with a strong need to feel in control suffer more from stress than those who can go with the flow and let things go. If you're the former type of person, you need to be extra careful about stress on the job.

Pay attention to stress warning signs, such as:

• Headaches
• Sleep disturbances
• Upset stomach
• Difficulty concentrating
• Short temper
• Job dissatisfaction
• Low morale

April is Stress Awareness Month. Use it as a reminder to be aware of what stresses you and what your symptoms are. Also remember that stress is nothing to take lightly. If it goes on long enough, it can make you sick.

Take steps to manage your stress so that you'll be focused and functioning, which is what you need to be to work safely and effectively.

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Workplace Ethics. How to tell if you have a problem.

How do you know if you're facing an ethical problem on the job? Here are some common signs:

• Discomfort. If a situation makes you uncomfortable, there may be an ethical issue involved.
• Guilt. If you're feeling guilty, you probably did something wrong—or are thinking about doing something you know is wrong. Don't deny this feeling. Explore it and act accordingly.
• Stress. Feeling a lot of pressure or losing sleep over something can both signal that you're putting off making a difficult, but necessary, ethical choice. Take a closer look.
• Anger. If you're feeling pressured to make a decision with which you don't feel comfortable, you may be angry at whoever is pressuring you.
• Embarrassment. Would you be embarrassed to tell your supervisor, co-workers, friends, or family about what you're doing or thinking of doing? If so, there's a good chance that it is unethical. Don't do it. Why risk the respect of these important people in your life?
• Fear. If you're afraid of getting caught for what you're doing or thinking about doing, then it's pretty clear that you're doing something you should not be doing. Heed this warning sign and stop before it's too late.

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Team Challenge - Solution to Situation 3.

Team members need to discuss Steve's dominance calmly, objectively, and professionally in a group meeting. The team leader also needs to talk with Steve. The leader could say something similar to what Michael Jordan's coach told him in his freshman year at UNC, “Michael, if you can't pass, you can't play.” In short, the team needs to show Steve how to be a team player. [ Back to Next Article ]

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Don't Be an Easy Target. Stay safe at the ATM.

• Day or night, use ATMs in locations with which you are familiar and in which you feel safe. Avoid poorly lit or isolated locations.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Look around before conducting a transaction. If you see anyone or anything suspicious, cancel your transaction and go to another ATM.
• Take your card out before you get to the ATM so that you don't have to go through your wallet or purse to find it while you're standing at the ATM.
• After dark, use an ATM inside your supermarket or gas station rather than an ATM at a deserted bank.
• If you use a bank ATM that requires a card to get in to the lobby, don't let anyone come in with you or after you. Tell them to use their own card.
• If the ATM is in an open area and other people are nearby, stand in front of the machine so that no one can see your PIN number as you enter it.
• Count your money only when you're safely back in your locked vehicle. Don't count it at the ATM and never walk away from an ATM with cash still in hand.
• Take your receipt—or don't ask for one.

When making an ATM transaction from your car, be aware of your surroundings. Keep your eyes and ears open, and keep car doors locked.

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Laughter Is Good Medicine.

When the first day of the month is called April Fools Day, it follows that someone would designate the rest of the month as National Humor Month. Humorist and motivational speaker Larry Wilde was that someone. To read Larry's Rx for Alleviating Stress in the 21st Century [ Click Here ].

“Since April is often bleak and grim and taxes are due on the 15th, it can be one of the most stressful times of the year,” says Wilde. So 29 years ago he launched National Humor Month with the belief that laughter is important to your health.

Read these quotes to get you in a funny mood:

“My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.” — Erma Bombeck

“If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?” — Abraham Lincoln

“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.” — Mark Twain

“You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there.” — Yogi Berra

“When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before.” — Mae West

“I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” — Winston Churchill

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Quality Is . . . . .

Some people say quality is continuous improvement. Others say it's thinking the impossible and doing the possible. What's your definition of quality? More important, what are you doing to make it happen in your job? Are you:

• Finding solutions to quality problems?
• Checking, rechecking, and checking again?
• Correcting mistakes immediately?
• Sharing information and ideas?
• Refusing to accept excuses for less than the best?

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Hooked On E-mail?

E-mail is great, isn't it? You can communicate instantly with co-workers, customers, and others. You don't have to chase them down, leave voice mail messages, or any of that. So why do some organizations put restrictions on e-mail use?

USA Today reports that these companies are trying to encourage employees to engage in more face-to-face communication. For example, Veritas Software spokesperson Andrew McCarthy says, "It's valuable from a team building perspective. You can be furiously e-mailing someone even as you're looking at the back of their head. This is really about trying to get people to collaborate."

The newspaper notes that some employees welcome the restrictions because they have become frustrated with e-mail, whether it's a deluge of unsolicited mail or a co-worker who is slow to respond.

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Just Do It. Are you a "pro" at procrastination?

The temptation to avoid doing what needs doing until it absolutely has to be done is known as procrastination. On the job, procrastination is often responsible for low productivity and poor quality.

The funny thing about procrastination is that it's a seductive lure with a hidden hook. It's supposed to make you feel better. You face a task you don't want to do. You avoid doing it. You should feel great, right? Wrong!

Although you may feel relieved for a while, pretty soon, you start to sweat be- cause you know that sooner or later you're going to have to do that job, and by the time you get around to it, it's going to be twice as hard. Not only that, but when you're under the gun you're probably not going to do the best job you're capable of doing.

Listen to this advice from highly productive writer Mark Twain:

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”

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Teamwork Top 10. Rate yourself on these winning qualities.

To be part of a winning team, you have to be a good team player. In fact, you have to be better than good. You have to be a superior participant every day. Take a minute now to rate your team skills by circling the appropriate number: (5 = Excellent; 4 = Good; 3 = Average; 2 = Fair; 1 = Poor).

How do you rate as a team player? 50 points means you're a most valuable player. 40-50 points makes you an All Star. 30-40 points only makes you an average player. You can do better. Less than 30 points and you're headed for the minor leagues. Time to come up with a new game plan.

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