DrM-Blog

I want to share your story with the world

2011-08-14T13:57:00.000-05:00

http://www.joelmonty.com/i-want-to-share-your-story-with-the-world/

New animated video on YouTube--Breathless Mom Project Conversation

2011-05-14T16:15:00.001-05:00

Just released on YouTube--a Breathless Mom Project Conversation animated video. Melissa and Susan engage in a conversation about the Breathless Mom Project at the coffee area at work. As they talk about the project, both agree to work with JoelMonty to get more people involved in working on and with the project.
I've learned over the years that cartoons--and now, animated videos, can do more to convey a message than email, face-to-face, or video-conferences. While this may not be true for long-term messages, it is very true for small, tight messages.
Anyway, check-out the video, get involved with the Breathless Mom Project and tell me what you think.

Need Help With "Breathless Mom" Project

2011-05-13T22:54:00.003-05:00

(Reprinted from JoelMontyPresents.com, JoelMonty’s Facebook Fan Page)

Sharlie, Our Breathless Mom

Sharlie is a 32-year-old mom suffering from cystic fibrosis–a lung disease that is genetic and life-threatening–life-ending. I had a close friend in high school who suffered from the disease and who died at an early age. Please watch the YouTube video about Sharlie and her family.

I have been working for several months with a group of caring Internet professionals who have decided to band together to make a difference for Sharlie–and for the people willing to help this Sharlie project.

This is not a non-profit (501C3) charity, there are no tax breaks for donating or participating. We are in a hurry to raise funds for Sharlie and for others. Some of these professionals have donated information products that normally sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars. Others have donated their time and expertise.

Sharlie isn’t looking for handouts–though donations for Sharlie can be made on the Breathless Mom Project website.

The people behind the project want this to be a “win-win” for everyone involved. How that works is that a variety of products are being sold at greatly reduced prices by people affiliated with the project. People purchasing these products get real value from their investment and most of the money goes to help Sharlie.

I’ve purchased product and am looking to replicate what I’m doing. At a minimum, I need three people to commit to purchase a product and to find three others to purchase a product. If we can do that, when it happens 11 times we will have generated Sharlie’s million dollars.

Want Some Breathless Mom Products?

I’m one of the affiliates who is working to generate funds for Sharlie and for other worthwhile projects as well. These links will get you to products I am promoting for Breathless Mom.

Bye, Bye, Butterflies
Brush and Brush Kids
How to Start a Business Without Losing Your Mind in 12-Easy Steps
Ultimate Consulting Challenge

Social Media Hat Trick–Score Profits with Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn
EZ Pillars of Cash
EZ Affiliate Mastery

The Guardian of Heaven

Wow…You Don’t Look That Old!!

Want to join me in promoting the Breathless Mom Project and these valuable products?

Contact me and I will give you the details of how we can work on this together.

Moving Out of Census Daze

2011-05-13T22:40:00.001-05:00

As you will have noticed by now, I have posted infrequently on this blog for almost a year--this after almost a year of daily blogs.

I was involved with Census 2010 as a bilingual (Spanish) enumerator and as an Office Operations Supervisor for a suburb west of Chicago. Census 2010 consisted of a series of operations and each operation could have separate staffing. I was involved with Census 2010 from March, 2010 through the end of March, 2011, and was scheduled to participate in a final operation during May and June, 2011.

The Census geared their temporary employees based on geography--wanting people to work in their local area. Fortunately for the area in which I live, there was little to do in the final operation and no one from this area was hired. For my area, Census 2010 and its follow-up activities are over. (The U.S. Census Bureau has ongoing operations--Census 2010 was the Decennial Census.)

The Census believes strongly in protecting privacy and Census employees agree to terms of employment that include a $250,000 fine and up to five years of imprisonment for disclosing personal proprietary information (PPI). That had a lot to do with not keeping up with posting. I had several months between operations. I took some of that time reviewing my earlier blog posts and am in the process of turning them into a book.

My focus and efforts are now in reaching out through the Internet to share my experience and insights as a global learning and change navigator. Visit my new blog at http://www.JoelMonty.Info/blog/.

You can also see more of what I'm up to these days on my Facebook Fan Page for JoelMontyPresents.

Helpful book to track recovery from brain injury

2011-01-10T23:24:00.000-06:00

Open Letter to Mark E. Kelly

Dear Mark,

My thoughts and prayers are with you and Gabrielle. After learning some of what her surgeon had to say about her condition, I felt drawn to suggest a resource that helped me support my mother through brain surgery in 1995.

In April of 1995, my mother, now 96, underwent brain surgery for two subdural hematomas. These blood clots--caused by am old accident and a recent blow to the head--grew to the point that her brain was being compressed. She was on Coumadin and the surgeons had to wait until her blood could clot.

They shaved her head, pulled her scalp forward, and drilled four holes in her head--trepanning, surgery found in the skulls of cavemen. One hole allowed the air to come in and the other allowed the blood to flow out. They had to have two pairs of holes, one for each clot.

She almost died before they started surgery. Her body functions were starting to fail. The surgery was successful and she was alert and speaking well immediately after the surgery. Then her brain, which had been compressed, had to swell to return to normal size. It took several weeks to recover--which she did successfully. A book written by Glen Doman--in particular the Doman-Delacro Developmental Profile in the book--really helped me as I went through her recovery with her. The book is What to Do About Your Brain-Injured Child and is available from Amazon.com. (I ordered two updated and revised copies tonight so that I can send one to you.)

I will look for an older copy of the book so that I can scan the chart and email it to you immediately. (I found the chart and copyright restrictions keep me from sending you a copy. It will be better seen in the book so that you can have the context of the chart.)

The book more accurately described the stages of brain growth, healing, and repair than the neurosurgeons did who performed the successful surgery.

This information may help both you and Gabrielle to understand her healing process better.

God bless you both and all concerned with her healing process.

I am posting this email to my blog and sending you the link in care of Diane Sawyer at ABC News because I believe she can forward it to you. Let me know where to send your copy of Glen Doman's book.

Sincerely,

Joel Montgomery

Census Daze--Almost Gone

2010-08-24T17:36:00.000-05:00

Census Daze--it's certainly occupied my summer. It's coming to an end and my life (and blog) are beginning to return.

Census 2010 has been a long and involved process. From the inside the beginning and the (near) ending have much in common.

Hopefully the Census will have sufficient data for the next 10 years to do effective planning for Medicare, schools, roads, members of Congress, etc.

The U.S. Constitution requires a Census every ten years. The questions asked on the Census are approved by congress and become the "as approved by law" part of the Constitution.

Census workers agree not to divulge information they gathered while working for the Census. This is why you won't see many blog posts with lots of detail.

I'm already thinking of other areas--Flu Vaccine for 2010 (I had mine on August 10th at a local Walgreens), for example.

More soon.

Census Daze

2010-06-11T11:24:00.000-05:00

It's been many days since my last posting. Blame it on "Census Daze." I'm working with the Census 2010 in a variety of ways and am learning lots and lots about the census.

I've shared some about it on this blog. Details of the census are protected by a lifetime privacy agreement I committed to when becoming a census employee.

Here I can say that the No Response Follow-Up phase of the census (the most traditional phase with people with questionnaires showing up at a home) is a 24/7 operation. "Door-knocking" is usually from 8AM to 8PM and the rest is processing of the information gathered by the enumerators ("door knockers", census takers).

I've met lots of people from all walks of life, ethnic groups, and education levels both in the ranks of census workers and at the homes whose doors I have knocked on.

The process is rooted in the U.S. Constitution--where the job of Enumerator is listed along with President and Vice-President. Congress was involved in accepting the questions being asked by the census.

I'm bringing to bear many of the business skills I use in my consulting and teaching practice in the day-to-day-operations of my work with the Census and, while it is a temporary job with a modest pay scale, the work is helping me pay my bills while the work I do helps the government have the information to make informed decisions about how to distribute tax monies for the next ten years.

All in all it's very good experience. Sometimes my hours are strange and I haven't had the extra energy for this blog for a while. More later.

Back to Census Daze.

Census 2010--Revisited--Negative Impact from Not Completing a Questionnaire

2010-05-03T23:26:00.000-05:00

Households who do not complete a Census 2010 Questionnaire--either on their own or with the aid of an enumerator (census taker) cost their state approximately $19,400 in revenues for roads, education, etc. Hispanic families who do not complete a questionnaire will not be counted in terms of providing adequate education resources for Spanish-speaking students and families. This year's questionnaire focuses especially on the Hispanic heritage of respondents, asking from which areas did the people come in the Spanish-speaking world.

This information, especially tied to individuals, is confidential and will not be shared for 72 years. Some individuals may choose to respond to the questionnaire without providing full names. That's fine for the census.

Identifying personal information will be stripped from the data to be compiled for statistical purposes. Those statistics influence lots of funding decisions regarding the distribution of federal taxes as well as representation in the House of Representatives.

Not completing a questionnaire can have a significant negative impact on all of these areas. Work with enumerators to complete your questionnaire.

How to Help a Census 2010 Enumerator

2010-05-02T23:44:00.000-05:00

Enumerators started knocking on doors on Saturday, May 1, 2010, in the No Response Follow-Up (NRFU) phase of Census 2010. Their job is to help households get their information to the Census Bureau so that their information can be added to the statistics needed to meet the requirements established by the U.S. Constitution.

Personal data collected during the census is stripped from the data added to the statistics and held confidential for 72 years. Information released to the Census Bureau is not shared with any other governmental agencies.

Households who have completed one of the questionnaires mailed to them by the Census Bureau and who have not mailed them yet can hand them to the enumerator when he or she calls. That will speed the process and reduce the time the enumerator needs to take with the family.

The Census Bureau does not have names of people living at residences. Questionnaires were mailed to "residents." People who do not want to share their names can share other information and their names will not be collected. If you are a neighbor and know that a house near you was vacant on April 1, 2010 (Census Day), please tell the enumerator in your neighborhood so that time will not be lost waiting for someone to respond from an empty house.

In some neighborhoods, 80% of the residents have responded by mail. This probably means that the balance of households are either vacant or did not understand English. (The questions are available in 18 languages.)

After an in-person visit to each home that needs a questionnaire follow-up, telephone interviews work to gather the information required. While visits to homes to collect the information are budgeted to cost $57 dollars, that is much more than the enumerators make. Enumerators are required to visit homes in person at least three times. The quicker the enumerator can gather the information or determine that the house is vacant, the lower the cost of the in-person enumeration.

If a home needs a language other than English, they can tell the enumerator who will make a note on the questionnaire and someone will follow-up with the appropriate language. If someone in the household (especially 15 or above) is available to translate, that works, too.

Remember, each completed questionnaire generates about $19,400 in federal funds for highways, schools, etc. within a state as well ad contributing to the number of representatives for each state in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Elder Abuse--Similar to Day Care Abuse of Young Children

2010-05-01T23:12:00.000-05:00

My 95-year-old mother may have been the victim of a type of elder abuse where she lives. She reported that a person came into her room and said, "You're old enough. Why don't you die?" Mom felt threatened and kept replaying the one-sided conversation over and over in her mind.

She called for help and, by the time people arrived to help, there was no evidence that anyone had been involved in abuse. Because Mom does have short-term memory problems, it is easy for someone to record the incident as "senile dementia" or "confusion."

While Mom can get confused and forget things, especially when she's tired, she has reported similar incidents to me at least three or four times over the last few months. She does react by becoming nervous and upset.

When this happens in day care for young children, parents often set-up a hidden camera and microphone to see what's really going on. That will probably be my next step in finding out what's happening to Mom.

Avatar movie, Amazon.com, Audible.com

2010-04-30T22:24:00.000-05:00

Amazon.com and Audible.com offer access to latest books and movies, for example, the Avatar movie. In publishing, I need to include Amazon on my list of locations to distribute my book.

Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

2010-04-30T17:55:00.000-05:00

The explosion of the oil platform leased by British Petroleum in the Gulf of Mexico and the resultant oil spill of 5,000 barrels of oil per day will soon exceed the environmental damage caused by the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound, Alaska, March 24, 1989. The recent oil spill is a significant environmental disaster. With the changes taking place on planet Earth, more man-made environmental disasters are one more element we don't need.

President Barack Obama has cleared the way for more access to oil reserves in the Gulf of Mexico while, at the same time, authorizing more research into alternative sources of energy. We may have the technology to drill for oil, though not sufficient technology to control unexpected consequences of the process.

The economic impact of the newest oil spill on the economy of the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas has not even begun to make itself felt. Worst of all, the oil spill continues to grow and to spread.

We need to keep focused on measures we can take to make a smaller, less negative, environmental "footprint" (impact) on our planet. I love the Gulf beaches in Florida and will hate to see them looking like the tar sand beaches in California and Canada.

Responding to Census 2010

2010-04-29T23:34:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, May 1, 2010 enumerators (census takers) will start visiting households from whom the Census 2010questionnaire has not yet been received by the Census Department.

In the creation of the US Constitution, Congress stated that, beginning in 1790 and every tens years thereafter a Census would be held in the United States. "Enumerators" would count the people living in the USA and representation in the House of Representatives as well as the division of tax monies collected from the states would be based on each 10-year census. The 2010 Census is the 23rd Census conducted in the USA. Each Census will cover items "determined by law." This year part of the focus of the Census is on Hispanic heritage.

In recent ABC 7 Chicago morning news program, an official from the Census Bureau reported that each questionnaire returned to the Census Bureau generates $19,400 in monies for the state--for roads, schools, health facilities, and more.

It cost $.42 to send a questionnaire to a household. For an enumerator to go to the home to conduct or collect the survey, the cost jumps to $57.00 per questionnaire (per visit to the home).

Confidentiality of Census data--United States laws (Title 13) cover information gathered during the Census. The Department of Commerce and the Census Bureau are not allowed to share personal information with any other governmental or nongovernmental department or agency. The Census Bureau summarizes the data into statistical reports after stripping off the personal information originally collected as part of the Census process.

When an enumerator comes to someone's door, it is making an extra effort to be sure that that household's information can be shared for the $19,400 that will be going to the state over the next 10 years. The service is available in 18 languages, though the person coming to the door may be monolingual.

If any questions are asked that a respondent does not want to answer, those can be skipped. It is important to collect as much of the targeted information as accurately as possible.

See previous posts about Census 2010.

Avatar Movie and Star Wars Movie--Following Inspiration

2010-04-28T23:04:00.000-05:00

A few days ago a ninth-grade student in English class was watching the Star Wars movie for the first time. The Avatar movie was just released last Friday. James Cameron, director of the Avatar movie, said that the Star Wars movie, written and directed by George Lucas, movie was an inspiration for the development of Avatar.

Were I a full-time English teacher this year, I would probably assign an extra-credit project to view both Star Wars and Avatar and to track evidence of Star Wars inspiration in the Avatar movie.

Best Practice Exchange Facilitation for Continuous Care Retirement Communities

2010-04-27T17:22:00.002-05:00

In previous posts, I have described Continuous Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs). Recently I began exploring two CCRCs which are owned by the same non-profit organization. My parents began living in one of them in 1992 and the second one is located nearer my home.

I had a tour of the Assisted Living facilities of the second CCRC--my Mom lives in the Assisted Living facilities of the first CCRC. Both CCRCs have some best practices that are worth sharing as well as some areas for improvement.

As an organizational change consultant for more than 30 years, I would like to offer my services to these CCRCs as a facilitator for Best Practice Exchange. Because my mother lives in one of the facilities, I would be happy to provide these services in exchange for credit for Mom's expenses at the facility.

I have not yet made a proposal to the CCRCs or their parent organization and I can see the value such a program could have on the two CCRCs I am familiar with and the potential value the program could have for the other CCRCs owned by the same parent organization.

Perhaps I can get someone to view my digital portfolio and to check-out my profile and services so that they can see that I am serious about these ideas.

Using Visuals to Teach Direct and Indirect Objects in English Classrooms

2010-04-26T22:36:00.000-05:00

I was a substitute today in a ninth-grade English classroom. The students were reviewing direct and indirect objects. While their textbooks had good examples and practice sentences, I found the need to create a visual that could communicate the basic ideas clearly and quickly, with graphic reinforcement of a simple English sentence. I created a graphic and shared it with the afternoon classes.

This helped several of the students master the basic concepts quickly. Those that were still challenged by the concept do not seem to have paid much attention to the graphic example.

Pictures and graphics are frequently great ways to anchor concepts in English and especially for non-native English speakers (English language learners). Students in the classroom where I was a substitute today already speak English and the graphics help them as well.

What to Change? What to Change Into? How Do We Decide?--Proactive vs Reactive Change

2010-04-25T13:54:00.001-05:00

Organizations are faced with important decisions. What needs to be changed? What do we need to change into? How do we decide about the change?

There are many processes involved with change. I have developed some tools that can help organizations explore the answers to these questions. They are available for purchase on eBay. The first is the Business Snapshot and the second is the Business Improvement Survey. (Find them both--including links for eBay searches--on the Services page for DrM-Resources.)

How do we decide about the change? Shared vision is important. If people and organizations do not move through the trust-building steps required to come to a shared vision (slide 11), planned change will be hard (if not impossible) to implement. When more than one person is involved, people need to move through the Organizational Change Curve (slide 9).

While these tools and concepts can help organizations facilitate change, the basic ideas raised initially need to be dealt with and a shared vision formed about the change for planned change to make progress. We can sometimes see change happening around us and react to it--positively, negatively, or neutrally. It is usually more effective to be proactive about change and to develop a plan to make the continuous process improvements needed to make organizations more effective.

Who's Who and the Business of Being Recognized

2010-04-24T17:20:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I received a call from a senior editor of Universal Who's Who, informing me that I had been selected to be featured in its upcoming publication. This is probably the sixth or seventh Who's Who publication that's contacted me and advised me that I have been selected for inclusion in their database and/or print-publication.

While I am honored at the recognition, I have found consistently that, to enjoy more recognition, I need to make some kind of investment in the publication--for materials they offer celebrating this recognition, for print copies of the publication, etc. As I look at my bookshelf, I see my copies of the 2003 edition of the Marquis Who's Who in America.

Over the years I have learned to offer my input as long as there is no dollar investment. I've leaned to do that after investing several hundred dollars in various Who's Who publications. It's nice to be recognized, though, to date, I am not aware of any new business generated by being recognized in these publications.

One of my grandfathers was a minister recognized on a Who's Who publication of his time. I'm glad I'm carrying on the tradition, though I've now forgotten how many Who's Who publications I'm listed in--or, indeed, if they continue to remember me after my money stops going to them.

Being recognized is nice, though, as a business, it leaves something to be desired by the people being recognized.

Night Shift--Revisited--Experience Confirmed

2010-04-24T12:06:00.000-05:00

Post for April 23, 2010

I received a call from the U.S. Census Bureau office in Elgin, IL, late in the afternoon of April 22, 2010, inviting me to help assemble materials for training scheduled next week for enumerators participating in the No Response Follow Up (NRFU) phase of Census 2010.

They needed help from Midnight to 8:30AM (an 8-hour shift with a mandatory 30-minute lunch) on Friday, April 23, 2010. I have had lots of experience with 24-hour shift work and working the night shift. From that experience, I know that it is not my best time to work. At the same time, as a professional trainer, I know how time-consuming it is to prepare training materials and how important it is to have the materials ready in time for the training. I agreed to come in at Midnight and arrived at the office in Elgin at midnight Friday morning (12:00AM).

Several members of the team I worked with during the Group Quarter Enumeration phase of Census 2010 had also volunteered to work the night shift. Some were working on computers, printing the final materials for the training binders. Others of us were working to assemble the map packets which will be provided to enumerators.

These map packets are divided into geographic areas assigned to Crew Leader Districts within a state and county area and are intended to allow enumerators to find the exact location of the places they are scheduled to visit. All of the details are confidential and there are lots and lots of Crew Leader Districts and maps to assemble. (A good GPS system will be lots more helpful than these maps, for enumerators who have the "high tech" capability.)

We worked throughout the night on assembling the map packets needed for the training and for the next phase of Census 2010. We took our mandatory lunch break at 4:00AM and went to a nearby Burger King with 24-hour drive-through Thursday through Saturday.

While the work was productive and I made a contribution to preparing the training materials for next week, I declined the invitation to come back from Midnight to 8:30AM on Saturday, April 24th. I knew that two days in a row of the night shift could have a significant impact on my health and readiness to do productive work during the day.

When I returned home about 9:30AM on April 23rd, I attempted to go to sleep. I used a blind fold (left over from air travel) to make the room dark. While I rested, I did not sleep well. I also didn't have the energy to get up and do my normal routines. I went to bed at my normal time Friday night and woke-up at a normal time on Saturday, April 24th. While I still fill a little "draggy," I am almost back to normal.

My experience of the night shift confirms my feelings posted earlier. While people can be productive on this shift and while certain jobs or situations may require the night shift from time to time, it is very hard to accommodate these hours in a "normal" sleep schedule. It also takes some time to recover from taking the time to work a night shift.

Earth Day 2010--April 22, 2010

2010-04-22T11:40:00.003-05:00

April 22, 2010 is Earth Day 2010. Disney has timed its release of the Oceans movie in theaters for this date and the Avatar movie is released in DVD and Blue Ray as of today.

The earth is experiencing lots of changes at its depths, on its surface, and in its atmosphere. We hear of earthquakes and volcanoes, global climate change, holes in the ozone layer, and much more.

Yesterday someone I know mentioned a belief from a previous generation that traveling outside of the earth's atmosphere--to the moon--would cause problems on the planet.

While I don't see the cause and effect relationship of our moon walk to current earth changes, it is a good time for many of the people on this planet to hold a focus for healing the planet. I don't know what the healing would look like--I leave that to Spirit. I do believe that we can hold a focus (or put out a prayer) for healing of our planet and everything connected with it as a contribution for Earth Day and beyond.

The images of our "blue marble" planet sent from space are beautiful. With all that beauty it is amazing to be aware of the conflict and crime and pollution that are still taking place here. Earth Day is traditionally (since 1970) a time to focus on reducing, reusing, and recycling materials to preserve our planet. We may also want to be doing that within our own thought systems.

Book Blog--Themes, Chapters, and Chronological Entries

2010-04-21T22:49:00.001-05:00

After spending several days converting blog posts to book pages, I am making some decisions that, in my opinion, will improve both the readability and the quality of the book. I've divided the book into related themes and put these into chapters. Now I need to order the posts in each chapter in chronological order, from oldest to most recent.

This is a large difference from the active blog. The active blog contains labels (also transported into the book). Each entry is posted chronologically. This makes it an accurate journal, though keeping the related themes together makes good sense.

Reading and Writing--Another form of Mentorship

2010-04-20T23:22:00.001-05:00

Good readers make good writers--when they practice. Award winning writers can become mentors for people looking to improve their craft in writing. Krashen makes some good points about strategies for reading and writing.

I began working with books for youth when I began teaching K-12 students. I started focusing on authors for middle school students when I began teaching in middle schools in 2006. To date I have probably read between 400 and 600 books, many by Newberry award winners. My goal was to begin to get the feel for how the books "sound" and their "readability."

My goal is to begin to write some youth fiction soon. In the course of reading all of these books, I have found some favorite authors and others whose books I enjoy less. Rarely I have discontinued reading with I found the topic or how the book read incompatible with my personal preferences.

Recently I was working with Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson books. Rick Riordan was picked by Scholastic to be the first author in the Thirty-nine Clues series of books--Maze of Bones. I listened to the six books in his series for adults involving Tres Navarre, private detective. My goal was to explore the differences in the author's style when he changes from books for adults to books for youth. There is a significant different in vocabulary, among other things.

I have some favorite authors and themes. One of my Wikispaces websites focused on much of this youth reading.

I need to begin practicing my writing skills in this genre. Some of my favorite authors are Tamora Pierce (in the youth market) and Anne McCaffrey (her dragon series of books). My mother and I both enjoy the "Cat Who" series by Lillian Jackson Braun. I need to learn from each of these mentor-authors and to use their influence to create my own cast of characters and worlds.

Krashen, S.D. (2003). Free voluntary reading: still a very good idea. In S.D. Krashen Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use (pp. 15-29). Portsmith, NH: Heinemann. Preview retrieved on March 21, 2009, from http://books.heinemann.com/shared/onlineresources/E00554/chapter2.pdf.

Editing Blog and Book--Improving Quality as a Process

2010-04-19T22:28:00.000-05:00

Much of the day was invested in editing the blog book--and finding edits to make to the blog itself. As I organize the posts into chapters of related themes and entries, I also find spelling errors, broken links, or omissions where I forgot to complete a thought.

Quality improvement is a process and this one is coming to the forefront because of the need to edit the book. At the end of the process, both book and blog will be much improved.

As I edit, I revisit the thoughts behind the entries and make new decisions regarding themes and chapters. The three chapters I worked on today each have about thirty-five pages. I'll have to decide on the order for the chapters as I have more ready. At present, it looks as though I'll have about sixteen chapters.

What's amazing is that this book is "already written." Changing the format will be a definite improvement.

Games and Work--A New Look at Professional Development and Learning

2010-04-18T14:52:00.000-05:00

A recent book, Total Engagement, by Byron Reeves and J. Leighton Read, talks about the use of games, especially alternate reality games, to improve workplace performance.

Many of these alternate reality games are team-based, require skill development and critical thinking that transfer easily to the workplace. The feedback and reward mechanisms built into the games help improve self-esteem and sense of both accomplishment and self-worth.

In most learning situations, learning takes place when the learner is actively engaged in positive learning activity. That is what is taking place in most of these alternate reality games--sometimes in a "virtual" environment.

In this more "austere" "new economy" where training dollars are even harder to come by, it is important for businesses to look at play and learning and work with new lenses. The professional development required to help their employees do jobs better and transition to new jobs may be more easily and effectively accomplished by introducing the right game at the right moment.

Social Security--Retirement--Jobs--Entrepreneurship--Unemployment Statistics

2010-04-17T22:52:00.001-05:00

Social Security, established to assure some income during retirement years, is becoming an even more important resource in this new economy. Unemployment statistics are not very accurate. Many people eligible for early retirement have found themselves out of work--many for more than a year. More than that, most have exhausted their state's unemployment benefits and are still not finding jobs that paid the kind of salaries they were earning before they left their previous employment.

Many are becoming "semi-retired"--taking early retirement and continuing to look for work--or, more importantly, finally becoming entrepreneurs. It appears that this may be becoming the norm. The "new economy" and the new jobs do not appear to be helping people born between 1943 and 1960--the group of people eligible for early retirement at 62 and who attain "full retirement age" on their birthday at age 66.

A recent article from Abby M. Locke and TheLadders.com was entitled, "Facing Age Discimination as Young as 40" The article went on to talk about the difficulty in "the new economy" for people 40 and above to find the kinds of jobs they are looking for.

Many in the 40+ age group have advanced degrees and have held high-paying positions in the job market. Unfortunately, many may have expenses that match the income they are used to receiving. It may take some time for adjustments to be made.

Social Security is designed to be flexible for early retirees who plan to continue bringing in income. They have to report their income to Social Security and their benefits may be temporarily reduced when they earn over the limits set by Social Security until they reach "full retirement age." In general, if there have been any benefit reductions due to earned income, those benefits will be restored after the person achieves full retirement age.

The good news for soon-to-be entrepreneurs is that Social Security will help cover expenses as we begin to grow our fledgling businesses. We may need to take one or more contract, temporary, part-time, or lower-paying jobs than we are used to to bring in additional income and, depending on the economy and the areas we are focusing on in our entrepreneurship, we can soon be generating quality and sustaining income for our years of "semi-retirement."

Voices in Reading--Narrators and eAudiobooks

2010-04-16T23:49:00.001-05:00

eAudiobooks are especially tied to the voices of the narrator(s). Some are recorded by a full cast and are almost an audio play. Others are read by one narrator who often modifies his or her voice for the different characters in the book.

Jim Dale is the narrator of the Harry Potter audiobooks. He has a distinctive voice and makes the stories very interesting. Scholastic is the publisher of the Harry Potter books and, in the past year, has been developing another idea for more best selling books for the youth market.

The new idea is the Thirty-Nine Clues series. David Pittu is the narrator for all of the audiobooks in this series. They are written by several award-winning authors. The first book in the series is The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan.

BARD Makes Listening Easier for Hard-of-Hearing Seniors

2010-04-15T22:22:00.000-05:00

BARD provides selector buttons for tone and speed on their digital audio players. My 95-year-old mother needs to have the speed of the voice slowed a bit. The analog audio players allowed this, though it distorts the audio. The digital audio players really allow the speed to match the needs of the listeners. Voices of Vision provides digital eAudiobooks and we download the books we like to USB drives that the digital audio players read.

For more information about BARD, please follow the link.

Preparing DrM-Blog for Publication (Printing)

2010-04-14T23:18:00.002-05:00

Today was largly invested in preparing posts from the DrM-Blog in Centaur MT font for publication (printing). The posts are then put into Adobe Pagemaker 7.0 and then distilled by Adobe Acrobat Pro 9.0 Expanded. The finished book (in Adobe Acrobat [.pdf] format) will then be transmitted electronically to Lightning Source for printing.

As I work I make editorial changes with regard to themes and chapters. I need to finish some administrative details such as purchasing a block of ISBN numbers, completing my Lightning Source registration, and exploring options for sales of the book.

The real challenge will be to see how to motivate readers to purchase the book. I had to decide whether to keep the journal/diary (day-by-day) format or to organize it by related themes and chapters. So far, themes and chapters are winning.

New Font for Blog Book

2010-04-13T22:20:00.001-05:00

I have been working on converting this blog to a book. One of my concerns was the type face (font) I was going to use when the book goes to print. My 95-year-old mother has trouble reading small print and I find more and more people gravitating toward large-print books.

I went to the public library yesterday looking for some audiobooks by Rick Riordan. While looking for the audiobooks, I actually picked-up a print version and the librarian (Thanks, Amy) showed me the front page with the publication data that included the font used for the book. The book was easy to read and I liked the font. The font used for The Last Olympian was Centaur MT, 13 point.

I came home and looked for the font on my computer. Unfortunately I didn't have it and I immediately went to Adobe.com. I have used Adobe Type Manager for years and thought that Adobe would have the font.

While Adobe Type Manager is largely outmoded--built-in to such programs as Windows Vista--the font was available from Adobe. I don't know if anyone remembers the "typeballs" used by the IBM Selectric typewriters. Each ball was for a font and you had to purchase and to change the balls when you wanted to change type face in your typed documents. The fonts for the computer work in a similar way. I had to purchase and download three different fonts--Centaur Std, Centaur Std Italic, and Centaur Std Bold--in order to have the three types of fonts I need for the book. The good news is that they were available and I was able to purchase, download, and install (after using Adobe help menus) the fonts on my computer (in Windows Vista) and in two Adobe programs, PageMaker 7.0 and Adobe Acrobat 9.0 Pro Extended.

You won't see that type face on this blog except in a picture I will include here. It will work for the book and for the onscreen version of the book. I need to contact my print-on-demand printer tomorrow to make sure everything will work when I present the finished book in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format for publishing.

Global Positioning System (GPS) Support

2010-04-12T23:59:00.000-05:00

I purchased a TomTom Global Positioning System (GPS) for my car last year. This product has the ability to have map upgrades via computer four times a year (for an annual fee).

I've run into problems with my TomTom and the support staff at TomTom.com has been very helpful in getting my GPS up and running again.

The Emperor's New Clothes--Insight into the "New Economy"

2010-04-11T14:23:00.000-05:00

The media says that there are many current signs of economic progress, low inflation, more jobs being created, people spending, the DOW Jones moving to over 11,000. At the same time nation-wide unemployment remains at about 9.7%. (This is an artificial figure because it represents people actually claiming unemployment benefits. When people exhaust their benefits or, after a year or more of not finding jobs, apply for Social Security or take a lower-paying job, they drop off the rolls of the unemployed.)

Recently I have encountered many people hired to work on the Census 2010. Almost all of them are looking (and have been looking) for work and have been unable to find it. It is good that the census gives them a temporary ("intermittent") job--similar to a substitute teacher, working when there is work to be done.

Hans Christian Andersen created a story about The Emperor's New Clothes. A child looked at the emperor and said, ". . . but he isn't wearing anything." The "new economy" (and economics in general and the current economic recovery in particular) is a lot like "the emperor's new clothes." There is a lot of trust involved and everyone needs to see and believe in the same way for it to continue to operate.

There are a lot of reality checks that act like the child. The FDIC is anticipating more bank failures this year. Homes are still being foreclosed. Many people are looking for work to replace incomes they used to have when, for whatever reason, they were laid off. States are hurting for income because people haven't made enough money to pay what they used to pay in taxes.

Is this a pessimistic post? I believe in seeing the glass "half full" rather than "half empty." At the same time, if the glass is half full, it's important not to claim that the glass (or gas tank) entirely full and to expect to "go the distance" a full glass (or gas tank) would allow.

Digital Portfolio--Global Footprint--Travel, Adventures, Experiences, and Learning

2010-04-10T23:55:00.002-05:00

Our global footprints show what we have done with our lives. My global footprint includes travel, adventures, experiences, and learning I have had which lead me to the perspectives I have today. I present some of these in my digital portfolio on YouTube.

It is challenging to find times and ways to communicate what we learn in our travel and adventures. I want to think about ways to work with this rich tapestry of travel, experience, and learning to find ways to share that will invite others to share, to become inspired, and to learn from my experiences.

Travel and Adventures--Companions Over Time

2010-04-10T23:16:00.000-05:00

For April 8, 2010
My fourth grade teacher had just returned from Spain and taught us Spanish while we learned the other fourth grade subjects. I learned some French in a language-learning program offered at the university my mother attended for graduate school the next summer. By the time I was ten I spoke a bit of both Spanish and French and began a life-long love of communicating in multiple languages.

In the summer between my sophomore and junior years of high school, because I had just completed two years of high school Spanish, I was invited to visit Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic as part of President John F. Kennedy's "Sister City" program. This was my first opportunity to put into practice what I had learned in Spanish class.

That first taste of travel began another life-long love of travel. Along with the travel came the adventures. I haven't often written about those adventures and it seems to be a good idea to get started.

Support Information for U.S. Census 2010

2010-04-07T23:38:00.001-05:00

The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census in the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the point of reference date used in filling out the form.[1]

The questions asked on each census are based on current conditions and vary. The data collected is protected by law. While summary data is made available for use by a wide variety of agencies, the detailed personal information is held on a strictly confidential basis. No ties to the data and the personal information collected are shared with any other agency.

The U.S. Census Bureau has developed a wide range of support information in various media formats to help people understand the purpose of the census and how it works.

As usual, scams have cropped up. The best source of data about the census is the official 2010 Census Website.

United States Census 2010

2010-04-07T23:34:00.001-05:00

For Monday, April 6, 2010
Article 1 of the United States Constitution (Legislative) states, in part, "Section 2: 2.3 Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers . . . ." "The actual Enumeration (counting) shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct."

Section 2 of the 14th Amendment and the 15th Amendment to the Constitution indicate who shall be counted: "

The 2010 Census is the 23rd census of the United States of America. The first census was conducted in 1780, according to the constitution, and a new census has been conducted every ten years thereafter. The information collected in the census varies and the data collected is confidential (regarding tying information to people who provided it). Summary data is used to determine representation of each state in the House of Representatives and to determine the distribution of Federal taxes to states based on a "per capita" (head count) quota.

WiFi--iPod Touch, iPad, More

2010-04-05T23:03:00.001-05:00

The first release of Apple's iPad is the WiFi version that makes it act much like the iPod Touch--though with a 9.5 inch (25 cm) screen.

I have been using the iPod Touch and its WiFi capabilities since July, 2009. I really appreciate the apps and its functionality. I can use it for eMail, for surfing using Google and Safari, and for a variety of other apps, audiobooks, movies, photos, voice memos, etc.

GPS is one of the weakest applications on the iPod Touch. I understand its functionality is much better on the iPhone. When I provide the addresses, the iPod Touch uses Google Maps and provides me directions to get to a variety of addresses.

My GPS for the car (a TomTom) is not working properly and it's great to have the back-up via the iPod Touch. One of the problems of the WiFi iPod Touch (and, potentially, for the current WiFi iPad) is that many of its apps work only when connected to the Internet via a WiFi network. While there are many WiFi networks available, there is not yet universal access.

Easter--Rebirth and Renewal

2010-04-04T23:23:00.000-05:00

Easter is recognized as a time of rebirth and renewal. The Christian celebration takes place on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. In 2010, the Vernal Equinox took place on March 20th. The full moon took place on March 29th. The first Sunday after the full moon is April 4th.

The original Easter took place at the end of the Hebrew celebration of the Passover. Early Christian churches often took over celebratory dates associated with other, older religions. Spring is a time of renewal in nature and the resurrection of Jesus Christ marks the ultimate renewal and rebirth for the Christian faith.

Editing Posts into Book Format--A Challenge

2010-04-03T17:47:00.000-05:00

Editing posts into book format is a challenge. I've been working with Blurb.com's software and, while cumbersome, I'm about 1/8th of the way through my posts. I have everything copied into Microsoft Word as well, though that appears even harder.

One of the challenges is that the labels (tags, categories) I have included in my blog don't make it into the version used for editing--at least not in the same format. Microsoft Word captures the html code, though not for printing.

I've edited the first fifty plus posts out of 244. The page count is already over three-hundred. I know from reading books that people of my age and beyond need Arial font and 12 point typestyle or higher. That's what I'm using for the body of the book.

I have to see how to get the book ready for publication at a reasonable cost and availability. My 95-year-old mother is interested in reading my drafts. (She read my draft dissertation three times almost 20 years ago.)

Transforming Blog Posts for Easier Reading?--Blurb.com as Publisher?

2010-04-02T23:21:00.000-05:00

I listened to an interview with an author at the end of a series of ten audiobooks. He mentioned that he writes his books in outline form first, then they evolve somewhat in the writing.

This blog was created day-by-day, post-by-post, based on what was going on in my life and awareness. As I prepare the blog for publishing as a book, I need to think about what edits I may need to capture to make a book readable.

Still exploring publishing options, I did a Google search on "publishing blogs." When I first did the search, Blurb.com was the first link.

This looks like a great first step for publishing my blog--and, perhaps, getting feedback for improvement.

Why Would Anyone Want to Read My Blog? (or My Book?)--Trusted Advisor Blog

2010-04-01T15:52:00.000-05:00

As I work on editing this blog for publication I ask myself, "Why would anyone want to read this blog or my book?" What value have I added in the 243 posts that make up this blog to date?

When I first started the blog I wanted the discipline of writing a daily blog to create a book I could publish. I've worked on several books ad went to a Book Expo in Chicago in 2001 with the intention of publishing and marketing a book. To date, the only book I have published (in 1992) was my 502-page dissertation. (Very few people read it, by the way.)

I have several books started and have a goal of writing some fiction targeted for young adults. I've been an avid reader in that literature for the last six years to build-up a better understanding for the authors, the books, and the genre.

What is this blog about? That's a challenge. The blog is about many things. Wikipedia.org has this to say about a blog:

A blog (a contraction of the term "web log")^[1] is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog.

This blog reflects what I was thinking about, "top of mind," on the day I wrote each post. I have gone through the blog in the course of preparing it for editing and publishing and have identified categories that have related posts. These are still "across the board."

My primary role is as a "trusted advisor" and many of my posts contain information to be shared from that point of view about the topic included in the post.

This still a challenge for readership. I'm adding posts each day to the blog and to the book until the day I publish it. Blog posts made after the publication of the first book will be saved for a follow-on book. I have a few friends who read the blog often. (They should, many of their ideas and our discussions find their way in to the daily posts.) I also have two subscribers to the blog--and I am one of them.

I've explored with other friends in the publishing and bookselling business to see how I can edit the content in a way that will make it compelling for others to read. I'm still developing those ideas.

Another editing challenge I have is to make the links show-up in the published document. On the website and the blog, the links work. In print, they need to be spelled out. Many of my posts include related links for more information and for examples.

What are your thoughts?

Book Publishing Insights from a Barnes & Noble Bookseller

2010-03-31T23:03:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine who is a Barnes and Noble bookseller gave me some insights about book publishing which can be of help in preparing my blog-book for publication and sale. I am a book publisher working with Lightning Source to make my books available.

If I want to work with booksellers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon, I will probably need to allow returns. That can be expensive and I need to be aware up-front who pays for shipping, etc.

My friend suggested that I purchase some on my own for sale when I do a talk or webinar. She also gave me some references to self-published authors who may have more insights into the business.

Marketing books to publishers can take five months or more. Unsolicited manuscripts may receive nothing more than form letters.

Some authors have done their homework, having created supportive marketing websites, made the books highly marketable, have their own lists--via websites, webinars, podcasts, or speaking engagements, and are equipped to sell the book with or without the help of a bookstore.

Bookstores usually stay away from self-published, print-on-demand books and books that have a no-return policy.

New authors are advised to join writing groups--frequently found through local public libraries--for networking resources to improve their writing and for insights into how to create and market their written work.

While these insights are not intended to discourage authors, they do form a sort of reality check.

Social Security, FDIC, The New Economy, Baby Boomers, It's A Wonderful Life Movie

2010-03-30T23:27:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite movies, especially at Christmas, is Frank Capra's It's A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. In 2003 I taught economics to English language learners (ELLs) at a high school in Elgin, Illinois, and we watched It's A Wonderful Life for almost two weeks. The movie shows various times in American history--the end of World War I, the Great Depression, runs on banks, World War II, and life in small town America. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), an independent organization, was created by the U.S. Congress in 1933 "in response to the thousands of bank failures that occurred in the 1920s and early 1930s." (Source: http://www.FDIC.gov) The movie also featured the role of the Savings and Loan institutions and their relationships with banks. This relationship played out in 2009 when Washington Mutual was purchased by J.P. Morgan Chase.

The Social Security Administration was also started after World War II. Baby Boomers (babies born between 1944 and 1960) are a large demographic unit and have contributed money all of their working lives to the Social Security trust fund. Fewer workers will be paying into the fund when the baby boomers retire--as many are starting to do now. Congress has tapped into this fund and has drawn down its reserves. There is concern that Social Security funding will be tapped-out by 1937--according to a media report I heard last month on ABC.

In the new economy ("after the great recession" [AGR]), baby boomers turning 62 are finding it difficult to keep or to find jobs that pay the salaries they need to pay mortgages, car payments, insurance, etc. Many companies, while not claiming to discriminate against baby boomers, are offering salaries that are half or less of what baby boomers were getting for the same or similar jobs a few years ago. Others are requiring specialty skills or training or experience that came after baby boomers earned their degrees.

Taking Social Security early results in a lower monthly payment--with everything adjusted based on individual contributions to social security. People under full retirement age (66 for many baby boomers) may earn $14,140 per year before having their social security income adjusted. If they earn more, any adjustments may come back to them when their social security benefits are reconfigured at full retirement age.

The point is this, by taking early retirement (social security) and working, baby boomers may be able to take jobs that pay half as much as they were used to because, with the social security income, they can still pay their bills. When they reach full retirement age, they can earn as much as they want without a negative impact on social security benefits.

Double check everything in this post with Social Security. It is as accurate as I can make it as of the date of posting.

Why Would Someone Want to Read This Blog as a Book?

2010-03-29T13:01:00.001-05:00

Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously was a successful blog published as a book and then as a movie. Julie Powell focused on working with Julia Child's recipes.

Readers of this blog know that the posts may vary from day to day, based on what is "top of mind" for that day. With this post I have 240 separate entries ready to edit and am now visiting public libraries and book stores to see how I can organize these entries in a way that will be both interesting and marketable. (If anyone reading this has suggestions, they will be welcome.)

I have created categories (for chapters), though I am not fully happy with those categories yet. I will probably edit the posts a little for publication.

I am also checking out a book on the stories of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) for inspiration. My goal is to have this ready for the publisher this week.

I reviewed my earlier draft books (from 2001) and don't feel compelled to rework them at this point. Publishing this blog as a book is something new.

Editing Lots of Posts--Inspiration--Creativity-Perspiration--Perspective

2010-03-28T17:56:00.002-05:00

Editing the posts in this blog to date--this is post #239--is lots of work. I now have all of the posts in a format that allows editing. To turn it into a book--or multiple books--requires lots more work and thinking about the details of the posts.

Lynn Pierce advised me that I could have the book ready to edit by the end of the weekend and she was right--it's ready for editing, though not yet edited.

I'll be working on the edits during the week and we'll see what I have to share as the work progresses. I'm looking for inspiration and perspective as I work with creativity and perspiration.

Wish me luck!! :-)

Preparing the DrM-Blog to be Published--categories, titles, and more

2010-03-27T23:14:00.000-05:00

I have been organizing this blog for publishing today and have been working with categories for related posts. While the labels help, I am already finding that I will be adjusting the categories a bit before the blog is ready to be published as a book.

An old friend, Jack Canfield, is the co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. I like the title of his books and the way he formats them. This blog has covered lots of territory (categories) since it began last August. I'll have to see what kind of titles evolve as I edit the material.

More work tomorrow. I look forward to seeing what develops.

Editing this Blog into a Book

2010-03-26T22:56:00.000-05:00

I've begun to organize the blog posts into categories for publishing in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format for eventual publishing in book form. My goal is to have a pre-publishing draft ready by Monday, March 29th.

Categories are based on the tags I have added to each entry. I have begun the process and have much more to do.

Books, Mentors, and Infopreneurship

2010-03-25T22:48:00.001-05:00

In 2001 I became a protege of Robert G. Allen on the advice of a friend of many years, Jack Canfield (co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series). In March of 2001, along with many fellow proteges, I attended the Book Expo in Chicago where I met Lynn Pierce, a fellow protege who had just completed her first book and was promoting it at the expo.

I had started a book and did not have it ready for the expo. In the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon. That afternoon I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I had the cancer removed and devoted the next six years to teaching K-12 students. My book remained unfinished and my development as an infopreneur didn't move very far. I completed an additional masters degree and published several research articles concerning education.

I had maintained contact with Lynn Pierce over the years and have been aware of her progress in her infopreneurship business. I started listening to Lynn's SuccessBlueprintRadio programs and signed-up for her SuccessBuildingSecrets program.

Nine years after the Book Expo in Chicago I am ready to edit my first book for publication. This blog will be the content and I will begin organizing the posts into chapters based on the tags I have embedded in each post. I hope to complete the editing soon and will probably publish using my connection with Lightening Source Press.

Amazon Associates--Affiliate Marketing

2010-03-24T22:10:00.000-05:00

In an earlier post addressing Lynn Pierce's Success Blueprint Radio, I mentioned that I was renewing my association with Amazon Affiliates. They have developed a relationship with Google's BlogSpot.com, host for this blog.

I have now gone back and edited the links to Amazon books and movies in my earlier posts. The purpose of affiliate marketing is to generate an income stream by sharing about quality products and services I use. Affiliate marketing makes it easier for readers of the blog to access the recommended products and does not add to the price they pay for these products and services.

Part of my work at reinventing my services and websites is to add affiliate marketing whenever it appears to be a value add for all concerned. I've started with Amazon. I've been using Amazon products and services since it began and was an affiliate for many years in a former business, MetaLearning.com. It is good to renew affiliation with my up-to-date business of DrM-Resources.

"We, the People" . . . and Health Care Reform

2010-03-23T23:01:00.002-05:00

The preamble to the United States Constitution contains these words, "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America."

When Congress, elected by "the People" to represent them and their interests, is faced with legislation that should be "for the good of the People as a whole" (such as health care reform), it is surprising that members vote along party lines. Regardless of political affiliation, we, "the People" are an amazing cluster of people who all need good health care.

How do members of Congress accurately reflect the needs and interests of "the People?" How do they make their decisions in ways that are for the highest good of as many "of the People" as possible?

Health Care Reform

2010-03-22T22:54:00.000-05:00

The Health Care Reform Bill passed by a vote of 219 to 212 on Sunday afternoon. The bill is expected to be signed into law by President Obama on Tuesday, March 23, 2010.

We have needed health care reform for many years. Is this bill what we need? Who knows? In the past, insurance companies and employers have regulated what insurance was available and how much it would cost. When we left a job we lost the insurance--except for 18 months of COBRA when it was offered.

Many individuals could not afford health insurance. With the new law requiring insurance for everyone, more affordable insurance can be expected.

Diagnostic Tools for Organizations Available on eBay

2010-03-21T23:25:00.000-05:00

In order to make diagnostic tools more readily available to organizations, DrM-Resources has put three survey instruments on auction at eBay. Multiple copies of the surveys are available. See the photo below for the names of the surveys.

(Double-click on the image to see it completely and separately.)

These surveys are sold under the category Specialty Services, Other Services on eBay.

While designed as self-help instruments, each can be supported by optional services from DrM-Resources.

Why would organizations want to make use of such tools? These tools can inform an organization regarding important business indicators and can help decision-makers in the organizations make more informed decisions. They are relatively inexpensive and, if someone who purchases an instrument on eBay chooses to receive additional services from DrM-Resources, that person is qualified for preferred pricing.

Social Networking--Connection and Communication?

2010-03-20T22:14:00.000-05:00

Social Networking offers new opportunities in this age of global technology. One of the challenges is that people who are connecting with each other using social networking sites may or may not be communicating. Both are essential, as are the development of relationship and trust.

At least at present, social networking sites offer potential resources to help others with challenges. This is a global connection and people can be helping each other from various points on the planet.

LinkedIn has helped me connect with resources in India and China, with French-speakers in Chicago, and with close friends and colleagues I had lost touch with many years ago.

The good news is that I am connecting and communicating with my network and am renewing relationships so that we can all benefit from what we do together.

Expertise in the New Economy

2010-03-19T23:05:00.000-05:00

The New Economy I refer to is the economy of the USA experienced in 2010. We still have double-digit unemployment and are experiencing a "jobless economic recovery" (whatever that means). Aging baby-boomers have reached the age of 62 or more. With few jobs and thousands of job applicants for each available job, many older workers find themselves on the sidelines. Their education, expertise, and experience makes them too highly qualified and too expensive for the businesses to hire them to fill open positions.

Younger workers have more recent college degrees and have worked with new technology. Recruiters rely more on computer programs to sort through the thousands of job applicants. The technology programs are not geared to work with the experience of older workers and frequently eliminate these workers from further processing.

Social networking and other technology is beginning to make a bridge which will allow older workers to leverage their education, expertise, and experience while remaining independent of other companies.

These areas require more research and development to see how aging baby boomers can continue to remain productive while earning sufficient income to enjoy a quality lifestyle.

Qualifications for Global Learning and Organizational Development Leadership

2010-03-18T23:17:00.000-05:00

Today I needed to review my qualifications for a leadership position in global learning and organizational development. In working on those qualifications it was easy to reflect on my experience. I have lots of stories backing up my comments on my website, http://www.joelmonty.net.

The challenge is that, while I have all the qualifications for a leadership position, I have even more qualifications to be a trusted advisor for others in leadership positions in multiple companies.

I have been a consultant for many major companies. Now I would like to help smaller companies who have similar needs.

Multiple Streams of Income--Sources of Independence and Interdependence

2010-03-17T18:11:00.006-05:00

In earlier posts I wrote about Robert Allen and Multiple Streams of Income. Today I participated in Lynn Pierce's Success Blueprint Radio. Lynn "interviewed herself" today. Lynn spoke about multiple streams of income in a way I totally identified with.

Lynn spoke about the need to create income "while we are sleeping" "24/7" (24-hours per day, 7 days per week). A great way to do this, for me, is to create information products and to offer them for sale over the Internet. She also spoke of the need to create a stream of residual income--best coming from a successful Network Marketing business. I've been involved in network marketing for many years and am now more selective about the businesses I involve myself with. I am currently a representative for one network marketing business and look forward to building a steady stream of residual income.

Lynn also mentioned being involved in affiliate marketing programs. I just renewed my affiliate status with Amazon Associates and can see the need to get involved in more programs whose products I already use and endorse.

Lynn had some very useful suggestions and I look forward to working with her to develop my own products in the near future. I did sign-up for her Success Building Secrets program and look forward to learning more about her process.

Building productive streams of income by working with ideas I am passionate about makes perfect sense to me. Once that is established I will have a good source of "independent" income though it will be based on interdependence--the sharing of information with people who find value in it and share the value in the form of referrals, repeated purchasing, memberships, and income.

It seems to me that I have many of the pieces in place and, by working with Lynn, I can bring the pieces together into an integrated whole. That sounds like fun!!

Budget Cuts and Education--Layoffs for Teachers in Illinois

2010-03-17T00:41:00.000-05:00

For March 16, 2010

In the local news on the morning of Tuesday, March 16, 2010, there was a report from School District U-46, the second largest school district in Illinois (after the Chicago School District). The School Board, in a unanimous vote, laid off 1,079 employees of which 732 were full-time teachers. These layoffs are effective at the end of this school year in June.

Many of these cuts were caused by the withdrawl of $44 million in funding from the state of Illinois. The same news report says that class sizes are expected to grow to 37 next year. I taught in School District U-46 for four years and was a middle school teacher working with English language learners (ELLs) for three years. 37 students in a classroom with mixed learning levels (33 students in ELL classrooms because of a 10% dispensation in class size) does not allow students to learn what they need to learn. The district serves an approximate 40,000 students from kindergarten through high school.

The budget cuts also apply to programs and support staff. The end result is that students whom President Obama expects to be ready for work or college upon high school graduation will have even more challenges and less opportunities to learn what they need to learn.

Businesses lay off employees when facing budget crunches. The concern for school districts--with this type of experience taking place throughout Illinois and the rest of the USA--is that not only is the education of students put at risk, qualified teachers are out of work. The more highly qualified a teacher may be due to advanced degrees (with accompanying student loans), the higher their salaries (per union contracts) and the less likely they are to be hired by another school district facing budget shortfalls themselves.

This is certainly a "Catch 22" situation (a reinforcing problem without ready solution). Again, due to the economy and high unemployment, residents cannot come up with more property taxes or higher income tax to fund local school boards. Teachers (already dealing with low pay scales) cannot afford to take wage cuts and still pay their bills.

What does this mean for the future of education in Illinois? While I cannot speak to the situation in the schools, I can say that both universities and businesses are going to have to gear up to help entering employees build learning skills they will not have picked-up by the time they graduate from high school.

(That type of learning happens to be one of my specialties.) As a professional educator for businesses, I can see that, again, with this economy, businesses are not gearing up to meet what will be a greatly increased demand.

Ides of March--Risks of Being a Prophet of Change

2010-03-15T23:33:00.002-05:00

March 15th--the Ides of March--the day Julius Caesar was murdered. A prophetess predicted his death at the "Ides of March." "Beware the ides of March" has become a commonly recognized phrase associated with this event which took place in 44 BC.

Prophecy is a risky profession. Stemming from the murder of a prophetess to the Greeks who advised one city state that another was going to attack them, the phrase "Don't kill the messenger" is another phrase that has come into common use.

Telling people bad news in advance is risky. It can be even more so when someone makes changes and the bad news doesn't happen.

More than merely avoiding "bringing bad news," some of my family members point out that, "if you can't fix it or do anything about it, what is your purpose in telling someone about a problem?"

What that kind of question makes me do is to reflect about what I was going to say and to rethink a bit--often leading to improving whatever remarks I was going to give and sometimes improving my input by keeping silent and observing.

When I lived in California I became an earthquake preparedness consultant, learning about earthquakes and how to prepare (physically) to survive them (assuming that you are not killed in the moment they happen). While this was important for people to know in Los Angeles, in some businesses I was not even allowed to bring the subject up because it would bother people. I helped develop one of the first Earthquake Preparedness courses and manuals offered by the American Red Cross in Los Angeles. It has since been revised and is available in 11 languages to help residents know what to do to prepare for and to survive earthquakes.

In some of my work as an organizational change consultant, I advise clients about how to prepare for major change in their business. Some of my clients don't want to think about the changes because it will disturb the comfort zones of many of their investors or employees. At the same time, organizations can be more successful in dealing with change if they are prepared for the change and can take positive actions to allow the change to help them rather than to overwhelm them.

Daylight Savings Time

2010-03-14T23:27:00.001-05:00

March 14, 2010 at 02:00AM the USA switched to Daylight Savings Time--spring forward one hour. It is a good time to change batteries in clocks and smoke and carbon dioxide detectors in the home.

While intended to make better use of daylight hours available, there is still controversy and not everyone supports the practice.

Global and local implementation of daylight savings time. Many countries around the world work with daylight savings time while, at the same time, it has local implementation. Not all states accept the practice and some states have two time zones during the time it is implemented. (The USA will revert to "standard time" [fall back one hour] at 02:00AM on November 7, 2010.)

Blogging--Purpose of this Blog

2010-03-13T17:23:00.001-06:00

Someone spoke about my blog this morning and I wanted to think again about its purpose. One of my goals is to begin publishing books and the discipline of writing a daily blog was intended to be a "baby step" toward publishing--the blog and beyond.

I mention the purpose of this blog in both my first post and in the header that appears with every post (see below).
(Click on the image to see it completely and bigger. It is the same as the comment appearing at the top of this page.)

The content of my blog posts is eclectic, reflecting my thoughts, observations, or reflections of the moment. Overall the focus is on helping readers navigate the world with a few more insights and resources. I maintain current links in the posts so that people can get back to source information.

It is a business and a personal post in that many of the topics are business related and all are influenced by my personal reflection, experience, and sense of values. This is post number 224 and I expect to turn the posts into a book soon. The question is, should I wait for a year of posts or do it earlier? I also need a way to organize the posts by themes and to make sure that the links remain alive in the electronic version of the book I expect to publish.

"She's Out of My League"--the Movie

2010-03-12T18:33:00.000-06:00

The movie, "She's Out of My League" was released this week. While some of its language is raw, the basic concept is worth observing. Kirk (Jay Baruchel) has several male friends who he works with at an airport. They provide him with advice that "keeps him in his place" (even though he really doesn't fit with the picture they paint of him). He does a favor for Molly (Alice Eve) and, contrary to everyone's expectations--including his own--she likes him and they start dating.

The male friends talk about a rating system with "10" as the top number. (See the movie 10 directed by Blake Edwards.). Molly is a "solid 10" and Kirk is rated by his friends as a "5." There is also talk about a lower number not being able to date a number much higher than his or her own.

In the film, that rating system is shown to be totally false and people who find something to love in another person can do so. Everyone is a "10" and the rating system seems to keep people doubting their own self-esteem rather than recognizing their own values, especially as seen through the eyes of someone who cares about them.

The movie has lots of comic scenes and the ending is very positive. It's good to remember as we age that we are still "10's" for ourselves and others.

Networking--Finding People for Jobs and Jobs for People

2010-03-11T18:23:00.000-06:00

I received two contacts today from headhunters (recruiters). One was an e-mail with a position the recruiter thought might be right for me. The second was a telephone call asking my help in finding someone bilingual in English and French who might be interested in telemarketing for a Canadian technology company.

I network with companies who provide services I endorse (see http://www.joelmonty.net/information_links/information_links.htm). I decided to add a job board to my joelmonty.wikispaces.com website.

I also went to LinkedIn and joined two groups who may have contacts which could help someone find that job. For one of the groups I actually posted a link to my job board page.

Why help someone who is looking to find someone a job? These days, so many people need jobs it only makes sense to help people who are looking to fill jobs. In fact, people who have a job still may need contacts for a supplementary (or next) job.

I'm still looking for clients and, in the mean time, I'm happy to help others be more successful in their own jobs and in finding jobs for others.

Learning Goals and Appropriate Learning Approaches

2010-03-10T23:23:00.000-06:00

Learning goals influence which approach to learning is most appropriate. For years learning has had two main approaches, topic-based (lecture, student mode) and experiential (practical, hands-on approaches including apprenticeships). See the Learning Outcome Grid (Slide 7).

(Click on the image to see it alone and in full detail.)

See the Learning Target Matrix (Slide 17).

Click on the image to see it alone and completely.

While lecture mode appears to be a relatively quick and relatively inexpensive way to deliver training, how much "sticks?" The goals for the learning need to be considered when planning learning design and delivery.

Investing in Learning and Education

2010-03-10T10:31:00.000-06:00

Post for March 9, 2010
Recent news reporting in Illinois shows that Governor Pat Quinn is planning to make cuts in education spending to cover some of the budget imbalance for the state. This response is an echo of other cuts in investment in learning and education on the part of individuals, corporations, and state and federal government--in the USA and beyond.

At the same time, politicians talk about the future in glowing terms--"Green energy jobs," much faster telecommunications capabilities, etc.

We need to remember that each of us needs to be a lifelong learner and to find ways to invest in our education--even if it is with time more than money at any particular moment. Public libraries (also suffering from cuts in funding) offer great resources for learning.

Basic skills of reading and understanding are important to be able to use the resources available to us for learning. We need to keep an energy level up for exploring and learning more about our world and how we can make positive contributions to our world and our universe.

Learning--Classroom, Online, Blended--Synchronous, Asynchronous

2010-03-08T23:36:00.000-06:00

Learning design involves different venues for learning. Classrooms, computers (at home or at work), the Internet (online), and a combination of venues are all optional venues for learning. Learning can be synchronous ("live"--with everyone participating at the same time as in a classroom) and asynchronous (delayed--with students participating at the time best for them--posting or e-mails as an example of asynchronous communication).

"Red Carpet Club" for DrM-Virtual3D-Learning Workshop

2010-03-07T17:19:00.000-06:00

As one of the first steps in creating the DrM Virtual 3D Learning Workshop, I created a "Red Carpet Club" for the workshop on LinkedIn. (Think of the Academy Awards when thinking of a "Red Carpet Club>")

Members in this club will help design the learning workshop and will be participants in the workshop. Because of their involvement in the club they will access "behind the scenes" experiences and events during the workshop and their feedback and insights can help improve the workshop and, possibly, the virtual 3D learning environment, created and maintained by Digitell's VirtualU.

One of the suggestions that came out of the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit was the use of "Red Carpet Clubs" to improve content and experience of virtual events.

This club is a truly unique opportunity because it is open to LinkedIn professionals from many organizations who choose to be involved in creating and experiencing an online, virtual3D, learning workshop. The workshop will be more than an event because its goals will be more expanded and it may take place over a broader span of time than a typical event.

It will probably combine both synchronous ("live") and "asynchronous" (done alone over a period of time) activities to take full advantage of the learning capabilities offered by the virtual platform.

If you're interested in participating, please sign-up for the group. At this point in the planning, the learning workshop will be free. Members of the group will have unique opportunities to develop and expand skills in online learning design and will get to experience their own design and give feedback.

Strategy Map for an Online, Virtual 3D Learning Workshop

2010-03-06T23:12:00.002-06:00

What is "A strategy map for an online, virtual 3D learning workshop?" This is the initial planning document for the creation of this learning workshop to be conducted online in a Virtual 3D environment.

If the learning workshop is being prepared for a single organization it can be preceded by a learning needs survey. If the learning workshop is for multiple organizations, one of the initial steps is to invite ideas for learning needs for the workshop from these organizations. For this workshop, LinkedIn will be used to contact many of the professionals who may be interested in participating in the free workshop.

Another part of the initial strategy is to explore with Digitell and VirtualU to learn the capabilities available for learning activities on the VirtualU platform.

Learning Needs Analysis--Prerequisite for Learning Design

2010-03-05T23:46:00.001-06:00

A Learning Needs Analysis (see Workforce Training Needs Survey) needs to be run formally or informally as a first step or prerequisite for Learning Design.

In order to create a series of learning activities that invite positive engagement using and building skills and perspectives which are needed on the job, clear needs and related goals are needed to start the process.

Learning Design--Strategy, Goals, Outcomes, Assessments

2010-03-04T23:35:00.002-06:00

In designing learning programs, it is important to follow a strategy that includes goals, outcomes, and assessments.

Today learning programs can take place in multiple venues. Traditional classroom instruction, experiential classroom instruction, "asynchronous" ("stand-alone") computer-based or web-based training, "synchronous" ("real-time, interactive) web-based training, blended (a combination of classroom and web-based training, perhaps blending both asynchronous posting and synchronous dialog), Web2 design (including Wiki-based collaborative writing and dialogue). Other tools include virtual environments and virtual 3D environments (web-based where learners have avatars (iconic representations of themselves) with or without skills and knowledge specific to the context of the learning environment. Some learning can take place in Alternate Reality Game environments with activities focused on building the skills required to meet the learning goals of the program.

Regardless of the media platforms used to support the learning, learning design needs to follow the concept of strategy, goals, outcomes and assessments. Ideally the strategy will be based on an understanding of how we learn and of how important positive engagement in learning activity and reflection are to the learning process.

Alternate Reality Games, Learning, and Youth Fiction and Fantasy

2010-03-03T23:45:00.001-06:00

Alternate Reality Games (ARG) are amazingly popular around the world. Total Engagement by Byron Reeves and J. Leighton Read, provides insights into these games and the way they relate to business. (See my post regarding learning from the recent Virtual Edge 2010 Summit.)

Newberry Award Winning books for the youth market share alternate realities in their youth fiction and fantasy genre. Readers identify with the heros and heroines in much the same way people identify with characters in the ARGs. Harry Potter is one of many series of books that have become wildly popular. Many new series are emerging and are very engaging for readers (and listeners when eAudiobooks are used).

This literature can be used as a model for new learning ARGs that allow students to build both academic and game-related skill sets for points and recognition within the ARG. Priced correctly (and fairly), students could engage with these games and build skills on a daily basis.

Completing USA Tax Returns Refines Business Focus

2010-03-02T22:32:00.001-06:00

While completing "Schedule C" on the USA Income Tax Return I needed to rethink and to redefine the business focus of DrM-Resources and Joelmonty.net. While both are "sister companies," DrM-Resources focuses especially on Education Support Services and Joelmonty.net focuses on Internet Publishing, Virtual Coaching, and a host of additional, related services.

Having this refined focus will let me position both companies better in the market place, an unforeseen benefit from completing tax returns this year.

Early Retirement Plus Working?

2010-03-01T17:47:00.000-06:00

In this economy I need to make a decision in the next few days whether or not to apply early for Social Security benefits in the USA. I do not reach full retirement age for 2.5 years, so I would have a smaller benefit amount each month. The benefits would be recalculated when I reach retirement age and, if I keep working on jobs that pay into social security (as opposed to teaching jobs in IL and to other jobs that do not pay social security) I could end up with a bigger benefit than if I just wait until later. The difference between what I would earn at full retirement age and what I would earn now is about $300 per month--significant for a long-term view.

At the same time, while I am actively working three businesses and pursuing clients and customers, having a steady flow of income while I build more business--or take-on some contract or other part-time work--would do wonders for my "security" and sense of well being.

It takes a month for the process to start, so, if I plan to do something soon, I will need to act in the next day or so. I will then have to make estimated tax payments for social security income, so I'll be back to Quicken before I know it.

Taxing and Trying--eFiles and Oops!!

2010-03-01T17:40:00.000-06:00

I missed the post to this blog for yesterday--this one will do for February 28, 2010. I was working on my USA taxes--both federal and state taxes using TurboTax software. (I've been using TurboTax for about 17 years and use both their Business edition and their Home and Business editions. With these services I can file returns for a corporation (form 1120), and individual returns (1040) with Schedule C (business) and (for Mom) investments.

It takes quite a while to gather the information together. It would be quicker if I kept up-to-date using two other Intuit products--Quicken and Quick Books. All of the Intuit products are great. I just don't keep up with yearly upgrades--except in the case of TurboTax.

I also feel much better about these returns (already triple-checked by TurboTax) when I sign-up for Audit Defense (also through TurboTax).

As of now, all of the required returns have been eFiled at the federal and state levels and I have secured Audit Defense for all three returns--Moms, mine, and the corporation.

Now I am thinking about what I need to do for next year.

This year, with the economic downturn, I had some questions and used the "Live Community" (free responses to tax questions) and the "Ask a Tax Expert" services offered by TurboTax.

When I first filed my corporate taxes, I used the wrong form and the IRS rejected my return. I used the 1120S when I have an 1120 corporation. TurboTax for Business has both packages and I just created a new 1120 return and filed it today.

I had three additional businesses this year to be reported on my individual tax return (1040). TurboTax Home and Business helped me with all of that and I received some excellent advice from "Ask a Tax Expert." TurboTax also guided me through working through the sale of stock on Mom's account and finding the "cash basis" for the stock to determine capital gains.

Income Taxes--New Economy--American Middle Class?

2010-02-27T16:58:00.000-06:00

The "American Middle Class" usually pay their taxes. Their donations are not high compared to income and much of the tax base used by the Federal government comes from funds paid by members of the American Middle Class.

Who has been laid off in the new economy? President Barack Obama has spoken about generating new jobs, though those jobs seem focused at what is called the "lower middle class" (skilled craftsmen and craftswomen). If income has fallen, there will not be as much income to pay taxes on and the income expected will not be showing up.

Turbo Tax Makes Filing Taxes in the USA Less Taxing

2010-02-26T17:36:00.000-06:00

This is tax season in the USA--nearing the time to file Income Tax returns at the Federal and State levels. I've been using Intuit's TurboTax for years and have found it to be an invaluable aid--assuring accuracy, offering Audit Defense, and asking me relevant tax questions, then providing expert help as needed.

I file taxes for Meta Corp (of NV) as well as personal income tax returns for myself and my mother. I purchase the Business and Home and Business versions of TurboTax and it covers all of my needs, including the state taxes for filing personal income tax in Illinois.

In 2009 I started a new business, DrM-Resources. In preparing my tax returns I had to look at the two businesses I am running and to identify the relevant business codes for each--making sure that both were not sharing the same code. Joelmonty.net, my consulting business, uses business code 541600 (Management and Technical Consulting Services). DrM-Resources, largely an Internet publishing and Educational Support Services business, uses business code 611000 (Education Services--Education Support Services).

Both services are interrelated, though the codes distinguish particulars. The good news is that Turbo Tax helps me keep everything straight--along with the other components of my taxes. My mother, at age 95, has tax issues related to retirement income and medical expenses. TurboTax comes through for us there as well.

Lessons Learned about Live and Virtual Events

2010-02-25T09:31:00.002-06:00

Earlier this week, courtesy of VirtualU and Virtual Edge, I was a virtual participant in the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit. One of the presentations on the final day of the summit was Secrets Revealed from "Cisco Systems' Virtual Global Sales Meeting - GSX." The presenter was Angie Smith, from Cisco Systems, had a very engaging presentation including an "after-action" video describing the event and its success. In 2008 the Global Sales Meeting was live and the cost per person attending was about $4,500. In 2009 the Global Sales Experience (GSX) was virtual and the cost per person attending was about $385--a 90% savings.

Ratings for the 2008 event regarding the venue (on a scale of 5.0 being the highest rating) were 4.5. For 2009, the ratings dropped to 2.9 though people reported taking away the information they needed from the event.

The 2009 GSX event required participants to be at their computers for hours at a time and there was significant feedback to compress the time and to have more live interaction. (Blended events with some interactive virtual components happening asynchronously--before the actual event--can really enhance the potential for learning and applying new skills. If the event can be designed over a longer time, with both face time and virtual time planned for in "digestible chunks," the events may be more productive.)

One of the most exciting things about GSX 2009 was the "Threshold" alternate reality game based on a summer blockbuster video in 2009. The game was developed for Cisco and was wildly popular with leader boards, etc. (After 9/11/2001 I took time off from consulting to be a classroom teacher and worked with KidsCollege--a series of games that allowed students to earn points and be on leader boards by answering questions and playing virtual sports games. Students were wildly engaged in that work as well.)

For 2010, the event is being planned as a hybrid event (a combination of Virtual with live interaction at regional locations). In 2009 most of the presentations from key Cisco speakers were recorded--to insure against problems with live streaming. Feedback from participants has Cisco planning to do presentations in streaming mode in 2010.

Cisco has learned to emphasize what virtual can do and plans to merge both live and virtual to get the best of both. Sales meetings are traditionally for recognizing high performers and motivating sales for the next year--as well as introducing changes and innovations in the organization. Learning and training have not been a primary focus.

Planners for the 2010 GSX expect to have a "play book" for regional managers to use when convening the groups of people in their conference rooms to view the virtual events and a budget people can use locally to go to local restaurants, etc. for "motivating recognition dinners."

How this information helped me:

In earlier posts, I reported on ELACOMM98--a live, "hands-on learning" event I designed, developed, and delivered for 200 communications executives affiliated with a global consulting firm. I had the role of learning architect/project manager for the event. This was the second year I had replaced a Sales Meeting with a Learning Event for communications executives. (The first year was in 1997 at an event also held in Cannes, France.)

Cisco's event was larger and was a "Sales Meeting" rather than a learning event. At the same time, many of the challenges and goals and strategies were similar for the two events--with added insight from the virtual components.

As I begin planning Virtual Learning Events, I can take much of what I learned from designing, developing, and delivering the live events and add what has been learned from running Cisco's virtual experience.

Gaming is important and I need to learn much more about setting up an authentic, multilevel, alternative reality game that allows participants (learners) to apply what they are learning at the event to be more successful in the game--thereby making engagement with learning a key to successful performance in the game.

In designing learning events (live, virtual, hybrid, and blended), I have developed a strategy to follow that works well.

Information Retrieval in a "Green Economy"--Paper or Digital Data or Both?

2010-02-24T18:14:00.000-06:00

I'm still working on taxes and, as usual, am finding more success looking for information I have stored on my computer than paper files that I have stored in containers. Some paper is missing and I went online to the providers of the paper, only to find that the Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) versions of the missing files are not available online. Instead they are mailing me paper copies. Because their computer gave me some initial information, I was able to go to my own data files (a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet) and confirm the data I needed.

For many years I have found it easier to find and retrieve essential information stored digitally on the computer--with supporting external hard drives--than dealing with paper. Google Desktop, a free program from Google, has made my life much easier by indexing all of my drives and external hard drives. I can institute a Google Search of that Desktop Index and it displays the location of the files and, sometimes, a temporary copy of the file. If I have rearranged or deleted the file in the mean time, it cannot help me.

While I realize that it is sometimes important to retain paper copies of things (tax returns for example), I also know that I can retrieve and share information much more effectively and quickly working with digital data files.

TurboTax, by Intuit, prints a .pdf version of my tax return that I keep on my computer. It also keeps a version in TurboTax and allows me to submit my tax returns by e-filing directly to the state and federal government.

Reading Books on-screen)-Kindle for PC and Kindle for iPhone and iPod Touch

2010-02-23T10:44:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I was attending the Virtual Edge Summit 2010 as a virtual participant using the Virtual Beginnings VirtualU 3D software. Byron Reeves, one of the keynote speakers, mentioned a book he had co-authored--Total Engagement.

In the summer of 2008, I took five graduate courses from the University of Phoenix Online to qualify for some Illinois state approvals for my teaching certificate. While working on those graduate courses, I became comfortable reading books on-screen. All of the articles and textbooks used in these courses were available from the University of Phoenix library or other sources as downloads. I worked with Adobe Acrobat Pro to highlight and to make annotations to all of the on-screen reading material.

Of course I went to Amazon.com to look for the book and found that it was available in a Kindle edition--for a better price than the hard cover edition. I remembered my experiences with the reading for the University of Phoenix and looked to see if Kindle was available for the PC. Amazon has a Kindle App for the PC and, via Apple's iTunes App Store, a Kindle App for the iPhone and iPod Touch. (Amazon is building a Kindle App for the Mac.) These Apps are free. Once the Apps and the machines are registered with Amazon.com, customers can purchase the Kindle editions. Even better, once the Kindle edition has been purchased, it can be read on both the iPhone/iPod Touch and the PC. Amazon has built-in some annotation software so that I can make the same kinds of annotations I did using Adobe Acrobat Pro.

I downloaded and registered the Apps and purchased and downloaded the Kindle version of Total Engagement. I started reading it on my iPod Touch last night.

The Apple iPad is coming and I did some research last year on eBook readers--Kindle, Sony, and BeBook, a European competitor. I was horrified to hear about the price of a data package for the iPad being marketed by AT&T. I enjoy my iPod Touch and could see the iPad as an easier-to-read extension of the iPod Touch. I don't pay AT&T anything directly for the iPod Touch--it's covered in my AT&T bundle of services for my home computer and mobile devices.

I am delighted to be able to read Kindle books on both my iPod Touch and PC. I am already working with eAudiobooks from Audible.com (an Amazon company) and from the public library (using NetLibrary). It's nice to add a new resource for the information I am looking for.

Designing a VirtualU Learning Event

2010-02-22T18:03:00.001-06:00

For much of the day I was a virtual participant using VirtualU's 3D software and attending the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit. My purpose in attending was to pull together my ideas for designing a VirtualU learning event. VirtualU is sponsored by VirtualBeginnings and .

Many of my learning design ideas I have already published in this blog. (See post 1, post 2, and post 3.) In preparing for a Virtual University Learning Event, I want to incorporate the lessons learned from designing and delivering ELACOMM98--a 2.5-day learning event for 200 communications executives that was held in Cannes, France, in May, 1998. That event was designed over 12 weeks with a team of subject matter experts and a few learning designers. Strategy was developed to included learning goals, an integrated, hands-on-learning design, and a series of learning events in teams and in large created around workplace simulations that allowed participant to build and practice relevant skills in a very supportive context including practice and learning coaches. Watch the video for a brief summary.

What I am learning from my virtual attendance at the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit and at three other VirtualU 3D conferences, is the importance of using what I learned from ELACOMM98 and integrating that with understanding of the 3D virtual world and its offerings. I am an active social networker on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. One concept from today will be to work with my contacts and on LinkedIn to ask what people want and to be sure to design that into the event I will be designing. Based on the feedback from the panelists at the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit, I will be creating a community (group) on LinkedIn about the learning event and will be hosting some "Velvet Rope" communities (people who are willing to engage in helping develop some of the events before hand and who will have a closer interaction with key people connected with the event). I have hosted Yahoo for years and expect to do some of the work of developing this new learning event using Skype, Yahoo , and possibly , as well as the group and event resources on LinkedIn.

There's another day (tomorrow) to the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit and I expect to be adding more ideas to my plans for the development of the VirtualU Learning Event. If you want to participate, leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

Learning and Change--Individual Considerations

2010-02-21T15:03:00.000-06:00

This post is a continuation of the post from February 20, 2010 and from an earlier post on February 21, 2010.

Learning and change need to take place on an individual level--even when teams, groups, and organizations want change as well. Two additional meta-models have been created to explain how individuals respond to the need for change (see slide 2) and what happens to individuals as they build the skills they need to change successfully (see slide 10).

(Click on the picture to see it separately and completely.)

(Click on the picture to see it separately and completely.)

As stated in an earlier post, learning and change are not easy and are often resisted. The Shame Affect Decision Model (slide 2) shows how most of us discover the need for change--when something we relied on ceases to produce the positive results we expected. If we retreat into our pre-existing comfort zone, we have four possible responses: attack others, attack self, avoid, and withdraw. If we choose to move to positive change, this is our opportunity to learn.

As we begin to learn, we move through the Personal Performance Change Curve (slide 8). Comfort Zones Mapped to the Performance Change Curve (slide 10) show how our performance level and comfort drop before we begin to integrate the new knowledge and skill we are learning.

The Learning Outcome Grid (slide 7) shows some of the results of learning activity.

(Click on the picture to see it separately and completely.)

Learning and Change--Action Steps for Teams and Organizations

2010-02-21T13:29:00.001-06:00

Teams and organizations are created for different purposes. In general, they have goals and intend to work together somehow to achieve these goals. This post is a continuation of yesterday's post on Learning and Change. There is a follow-up post focusing on individual learning and change.

Sometimes teams are more successful than at other times in achieving their goals. Over time meta-models have been created that help explain what is going on in the groups and teams that make some more successful that others.

The Team Tracking Tool (see slide 12) is reproduced below. Notice the "Do Not Enter" sign at the top. Many teams and organizations think they can go immediately from inputs to outputs without moving through the process steps required. Almost 100% of the time this spells disaster and the team or organization has to undo or redo everything--as well as recover the lost trust that failure promotes. Note the trust building elements of the tool. Blake and Mouton developed a Managerial Grid explaining the different focuses of people and production in teams. (A variation of that grid is reproduced below the Team Tracking Tool and a link to Blake and Mouton's model is also provided here.)

(Click on the picture to see it separately and completely.)

Blake and Mouton created a management grid to explain the relationship of people (maintenance) focus and production (task) focus. The grid is reproduced on Wikipedia.

(Click on the picture to view it separately and completely.)

Both task and maintenance functions are critical to the successful progress of teams and organizations. Over emphasis on one or the other delays the development of trust and the effectiveness of teams. In my early career in Change Management, I learned to make people my task--thus ensuring that both task and maintenance functions were completed. Trust is the bonding that allows teams to function well and is a critical maintenance function.

(Click on the picture to see it separately and completely.) (See slide 11.)

If trust is not allowed to develop, synergy--the energy that allows the output to be greater than what could be produced by the sum of its parts (people) will be missing. As new people are added to a team, group, or organization and as the vision changes, building blocks of trust need to be revisited to allow for the group energy to move freely to the next area.

Challenge of Learning and Change--Shifting Comfort Zones

2010-02-20T17:12:00.006-06:00

Learning and change are challenging. Comfort zones need to shift and most of us are highly resistant to changing our comfort zones, especially with regard to things we think of as security. See the post from February 16, 2010, on Change--Learning--Training--Innovation and the New Economy.

Several years ago I developed two meta-models to explain learning and change on the individual and organizational levels. The Personal Performance Change Curve and the Organizational Performance Change Curve--See slides 8 and 9. (I have reproduced them below to be part of this post.)

For years I have worked with people at levels in their organizations where they do not feel they can influence change. We can change ourselves and our response to our surroundings. Once we do that and adjust our own comfort zones accordingly, we may have more influence on those around us--even to the organizational level.

Awareness--Acceptance--Action are key requirements for change and are part of these two meta-models. We need to go through those steps--frequently with someone who can assist us in the process--in order for learning and change to take place and anchor for something new to happen.

(Click on the pictures to see them separately and completely.)

(Click on the pictures to see them separately and completely.)

While these two meta-models go a long way to explain and guide change for individuals and organizations, they can usually be understood better if someone can walk people through the models with experiences from their own lives.

To help businesses focus on areas for improvement and change, I have made available a series of business survey tools on eBay.

On the DrM-Resources Services web page, check out these surveys: Business Snapshot-DrM, the Business Improvement Survey-DrM, and the Workforce Training Needs Survey-DrM.

This post is continued in the post on Learning and Change for February 21, 2010.

Making a Positive Difference--Leaving a Mark

2010-02-19T23:09:00.000-06:00

Why are we here (on the planet)? To learn from our experiences, to make a positive difference, to leave a mark that we made a contribution.

We revisit why we are here many times during our lives. Sometimes our sense of purpose changes and sometimes it becomes better clarified.

Skype, Go to Meeting, Google--Video Conference Options

2010-02-18T23:08:00.000-06:00

Video conferences--one-on-one, multiple users, with and without presentation graphics--there are many options available today, some free, some at a cost.

Skype is very interesting. With today's built-in webcams, it is almost automatic once a user has downloaded and installed the free Skype software. It is a little tricky to share presentations using Skype and it is certainly possible. A chat (message) window can be open during video or audio chat on Skype. Go to Meeting is another software which has a cost after a 30-day free trial period. It supports video, graphics, and audio exchange. Google has a new offering of video conferencing.

Internal and External Reference Points for Learning and Change

2010-02-17T23:40:00.001-06:00

Each of us works with our own experience and thought in unique ways, though like noses, while each is different, there are many similarities. Inductive and deductive reasoning serve to illustrate the point. Deductive reasoning starts with something that exists and uses logic to break it down to its components. Many mystery stories rely on deductive reasoning to solve the crimes. Inductive reasoning starts with intuition and builds rather than breaking things down. The connections need to be validated and inferences need to be checked out.

Some of us rely on external reference points to guide us. We make the opinions of others a key factor in our own decisions and responses. Others rely on internal reference points, "marching to the tune of our own drummer."

In the end, each of us is responsible for ourselves. While we can make use of mirrors and feedback, we still need to make our own choices and deal with the consequences of these choices.

Change--Learning--Training--Innovation and the "New Economy"

2010-02-16T23:52:00.004-06:00

Change requires learning and learning requires change. It's one of the cycles that are intimately intertwined. In "the new economy" many organizations (large and small) are not funding professional support for the changes and the learning they need to make to survive.

One of the approaches I have taken to support organizations with this problem is to create a series of business tools supporting change and making them available on eBay. These tools can be self-help tools or can be the focus for a DrM-Resources Service.

Contract recruiters have been approaching me for support in utilizing social networking services as a support for both collaboration and knowledge management. There are many ways to use these services to support sharing and knowledge management for organizations with all levels of numbers of employees and large and small budgets.

What characteristics of the "new economy" signal that most organizations need to learn and to change? For starters, we have close to 10% unemployment across the USA. Millions of jobs have been lost and President Obama, in speaking about job creation, has not focused on high end jobs which have been sacrificed when organizations have had to cut back on their employees.

As in previous times, companies need to do more with less. What is not like previous times is that the customers and providers that companies have relied on are no longer there--or are no longer there with the same resources they once were. How many companies do you know who are living on their reserves and waiting for the economy to "recover." We have heard that we are experiencing a "jobless recovery" in our economy. To be honest, I'm not really sure what that is supposed to mean.

Organizations and individuals and families need income to cover their expenses--now and for the future and the past (debt). Jobs were the way most families generated the income. Unemployment insurance and lower-paying jobs don't generate the income needed for expenses. While social security payments did not go up this year, expenses have continued to climb.

Organizations, families, and individuals now need to "reinvent" themselves to succeed in the "new economy." Reinvention requires learning and change. We are back to the beginning of this post. It is a cycle and organizations, families, and individuals can benefit from support while going through this cycle of learning and change.

(See the follow-up posts about Learning and Change from February 20, 2010, and February 21, 2010.)

President's Day

2010-02-15T22:26:00.000-06:00

While President's Day (Washington's Birthday) is celebrated on the third Monday of February, his real birthday was on February 22. The celebrations date back to 1885, though celebration on Mondays was tied to legislation passed in 1971.

All Federal offices are closed and the day is celebrated in many states. The U.S. Post Office was closed as were banks. UPS delivered today.

It is good to think of the contributions made by all U.S. Presidents on this day--starting with George Washington and moving through the line of Presidents to the present. We have an amazing history and Presidents have had--and continue to have--real impact on our history and our lives.

Valentine's Day--More than a "Hallmark Moment"

2010-02-14T22:40:00.002-06:00

Saint Valentine's Day--the day for intimate companions to acclaim their love for each other in the form of greeting cards and other gifts. Hallmark loves the date. There are cards for Mom's, sons, sisters, lovers, and more.

Saying "I love you" and bringing love present in relationships are both essential to bringing and maintaining love and joy in the relationship.

Families develop very different ways of saying "I love you." In fact, sometimes the words don't come out very often and they need to. A friend of mine says "I love you" by being a provider in many senses of the word--not just food and shelter (though that way too), also weather, guiding someone to get where they need to be, making sure that their day goes well.

One of my uncles was not used to getting hugs and hearing "I love you." Because that was natural to me, I shared it with my uncle to his great surprise. Shortly after that he began reintroducing that habit into his family as well.

"I love you" doesn't go without saying. We need to feel it and to say it often--in words as well as in actions. As we do, our own loving is more present and more accessible to us--and to the people we connect with in our daily lives.

Avatar Movie--Ideas for Innovation in Learning Event Design for Adults

2010-02-13T17:34:00.000-06:00

In the world of technology visualized in the recent blockbuster, Avatar, it is amazing to see how much emphasis is still being placed on "talking heads" in learning and training environments. People are excited to have a visual image of a person side-by-side with a PowerPoint Presentation, then add the possibility of text chat and/or voice-over conversation and people think they are experiencing a rich presentation.

The key to learning is engaging in positive learning activities, then in reflecting on these activities. The avatar (cartoon images displayed in 3D in many 2D and 3D "virtual worlds") does not hold a candle to the avatar bodies shown in Avatar--and those were computer-generated graphics with lots of visual reference points gleaned from the real actors the graphic avatars were portraying. A true avatar the incarnation of a deity changes in the consciousness of a culture. Quetzalcoatl is an example of an avatar in the ancient legends of Mexico.

The point is this, technology needs to engage the learners, getting them involved in positive learning activities. The 3D technology that was part of Avatar (the 2009 film) was intended to draw the viewer into the movie. It does a good job of this.

We need to do the same kind of thing when designing learning events, especially for adults. They need to be drawn into the action and to apply the skills and knowledge they are developing in the learning event to real challenges, then to reflect on how they're doing and be given time to improve.

In the Avatar film, the characters make recordings into a video log (like a blog). This is a reflective component that people need to do in an actual learning event.

Designing Virtual Learning Events

2010-02-12T23:48:00.000-06:00

I participated in a 3D Virtual University Webinar today on "Running a Hybrid Event" with live participants and virtual participants participating in the same conference. Due to the snow storm in Washington, DC, this week, the live session was cancelled and all participants were virtual--including one person aboard a plane bound for New York.

While the technology exists and is being refined, the actual learning design is largely missing. People are still used to "talking heads" and think it's great to have a PowerPoint presentation showing simultaneously with a speaker.

Between 1993 and 1998 I was involved in creating a variety of learning events around the world for different groups of adults. The overall focus was learning to change performance. Some of the events were goal-based learning, others were performance-focused learning. In the Spring of 1998 I designed and delivered a 2.5-day "hands-on-learning" event held in Cannes, France. The event was for 200 communication executives affiliated with Europe and Latin America and working for Accenture (Andersen Consulting). The event was called ELACOMM98 (go to the ELA-Comm Workshop to read about this event). You can watch an extract of the video made for this event.

This event was designed by a virtual team in approximately 12 weeks and was intended to accomplish a set of strategic goals for the Communications Market Unit of the global consulting firm. The actual event was designed to simulate actual consulting engagements with participants working together in teams to accomplish a series of tasks, then going into large groups to hear from subject matter experts about topics which they would immediately use when they went back to their small teams. The interaction was very real and dynamic in the 2.5 days in Cannes. It was, in part, a hybrid event including participation by a guest speaker using a webcam and laptop computer from his home office in Los Angeles to address a group of 200 participants in Cannes.

What was learned in the design and delivery of ELACOMM98 can certainly be used to guide the creation of virtual learning events. One of the first keys is to have the set of strategic performance goals for the organizers of the event. Once the goals are set, a particular design process is followed to create the learning design, taking full advantage of the 3D-capabilities afforded by Digitell's VirtualU.

Innovation and Comfort Zones--Insight, Common Sense, Common Practice

2010-02-11T23:33:00.000-06:00

Innovation is challenging for many reasons. Amazingly enough, even though many people claim to want innovation, habits, comfort zones, and common practice all form an effective barrier to innovation.

Common practice is different from common sense (which may not be as common as the words indicate). Common practice has people use elevators to get to the upper floors in high-rise buildings and to come back down. In the event of an emergency (fire, explosion, etc.), the instructions are to use the stairs. Common practice and habits often have the people waiting for the elevators as usual, even in emergencies.

Common sense may tell us not to use cell phones or text messaging while driving, especially in school zones and construction zones. Common practice has us communicating all the time, often opposing common sense.

Innovation, at least in my experience, is frequently connected with insight. As I approach a challenge--learning design, for example, insight lets me see into the process and to identify a different way of working that generates better results. (See the Integrative Learning Design Jump-Start Workbook for an example.) The Meta-Models I have created and posted on one of my websites all represent insight and innovation.

Getting others to accept these innovations and to work with them is a separate challenge. When I began this blog, my intention was to begin to publish my work. I felt that having the discipline to do a daily blog might give me a head start toward publishing.

I hope to publish this blog in book form soon. If I wait for a year of entries, that might be too many pages in the book. I'll have to think about that more to see what I have and what I need.

Illinois Earthquake--M3.8 --12 Miles Away from Me

2010-02-10T12:36:00.002-06:00

At 3:59PM--my clock read 4:00AM (CST), I was awakened by a loud bang and what felt like a car or a snow plow slamming into my house. I got up, went to the bathroom, then looked for damage. When I realized that nothing had hit the house, I also realized that it had been an earthquake. I turned on my iPod Touch and the IFeltThat application that tracks earthquakes. It didn't show the earthquake for 35 minutes. I couldn't go back to sleep and turned on the local ABC morning news at 4:30AM and heard about the earthquake.

The epicenter of the earthquake was at 42.053°N, 88.412°W, 2 km (1 miles) SSE (168°) from Pingree Grove, IL--roughly 11.9 miles from my house.

It was first thought to be a Magnitude 4.3 earthquake and was later downgraded to a M 3.8 earthquake, striking about 3.11 miles deep. I lived in Los Angeles (LA) for a number of years and, while there was an earthquake preparedness consultant. I had experienced lots of earthquakes while in LA, though this one was louder than the ones I remembered.

The scale for earthquakes moves exponentially, so the higher numbers represent significantly greater earthquakes in terms of shaking and effect. An M 3.8 earthquake was big enough. It does give a reference point for the M 6.0 earthquake that first hit Haiti. That area has since had more than 50 aftershocks, usually about 6.21 miles deep and measuring M 4.3 or higher on the Richter scale. We had a M 3.8 with little or no damage.

The USGS was actively soliciting first-hand reports from people experiencing the earthquake. You can report your experience by following this link.

While I know what to do to prepare for earthquakes, I can assure you that my home in Illinois is not so prepared. We're lucky to have had so few of them lately.

Job-Hunting Strategies and Tips

2010-02-09T22:14:00.002-06:00

A friend entering the job market asked me for some job-hunting strategies and tips.
Networking is sometimes the most effective way to hunt for jobs.

Here's a link about conducting an effective job search from Career Builder.

Resume and Digital Portfolio

Having a good resume is important. It's a building block. Many recruiters want a Microsoft Word version--probably as a .doc rather than as a .docx. I recommend getting help with the resume, through affordable help. I worked with WordSharp.net to revise mine. I started with a Microsoft Word template, then had the professionals at WordSharp fine-tune it to its present form.

A digital portfolio (a YouTube/TeacherTube video) promoting yourself is the latest step in "resumes." It will be helpful to have one--find someone with the software to help. You can see mine at this link.

Job Hunting Websites

There are several websites to subscribe to. All are free to job seekers, then most have fees for extra services. Some of those extras are worthwhile and you'll have to check.

http://www.monster.com

http://www.jobfox.com

http://www.careerbuilder.com

http://www.myjobhunter.com

http://www.theladders.com

Search Engines

You need to set-up search engines to look for likely jobs for you to apply to. Each of these websites has its own search engine for you to use. You can have these engines feed you the jobs they find on a daily or weekly basis.

Cover Letters

In many cases, you will need to create a cover letter for each application. Remember to respond to the requirements of the job description in the cover letter to show how you are a match for what they are looking for.

Tracking Applications

It's a good idea to set-up a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (or a spreadsheet by another vendor) to track the detail of your applications. I'm putting the headder data from my spreadsheet here. I have a list of the different referral sources that I use and I make that a part of my spreadsheet.

Hints and Tips

Most of these websites offer hints and tips for your job search. Be sure to read many and save the ones you like.

Some locations want lots of money to rewrite resumes or to publish them to lots of people. Be selective. More money invested doesn't necessarily lead to good results, especially in a down economy.

Be willing to volunteer for the experience, if you need it.

Social Networking Sites

While there are many social networking sites, LinkedIn seems to be especially focused for professionals. Facebook and Twitter are also good sites, though some of the most practical business connections seem to come more consistently from LinkedIn.

Workforce Training Needs Survey

2010-02-08T18:16:00.000-06:00

In his State of the Union address on January 27, 2010, President Barack Obama mentioned that he wants to revitalize the nation's Community College system. Job creation and getting the unemployed back to work is a priority for President Obama's administration. Community Colleges have long been working partners in community education, workforce development, and job training.

In July, 2009, I began a pilot project to administer a Workforce Training Needs Survey at the Kiswaukee Community College District in Northern Illinois. I was not affiliated with any other organization in starting this project. I earned my doctorate in adult education and human resource development from Florida International University in 1992 and have been involved in designing this type of needs survey and collecting and processing survey results for years.

I offered my services, free of charge, to several Chambers of Commerce and to city governments in the community college district and two people joined me in working on the first half of the survey. After July, 2009, I no longer had the free time to support the project. I continued to develop the survey and have now made it available for purchase on eBay.

Organizations which purchase and use the survey are entitled to preferred pricing on many of the DrM-Resources services I provide in support of this survey.

Lessons Learned from Watching the First Episode of Undercover Boss on CBS

2010-02-07T23:01:00.003-06:00

The first episode of Undercover Boss aired tonight on CBS immediately after the Super Bowl.
One of the filters to use in looking for lessons learned is the "triple bottom line" (People, Planet, Profit). In the 21st Century, all three are important.

Larry Odonnell, President and Chief Operating Officer of Waste Management, had a plan when he went undercover, posing as Randy, a construction worker exploring entry-level jobs at Waste Management and working with a camera crew for a documentary. He had some corporate goals and wanted to see how they were being carried out on the ground--and if they were even reasonable throughout the organization. In his approach it appears he is looking for impact only on profit. In reality his company and his approach reflect the triple bottom line.

He decided to explore entry-level positions in several areas of his company, beginning with the recycling center. then at a land fill in Pompano Beach, Florida, then at High Acres Landfill in upstate New York. His fourth "job" is cleaning "port-a-potties" at a Fair in Texas. His fifth job is at a Trash Hauling Company in Rochester, New York. Trash hauling is, according to Larry, "the face of the company."

Lesson One:

Larry is a compassionate man. His personal family has been touched by tragedy and, as he moves through one day at each location, he sees how tragedy and the economy impacts his employees. In one instance he takes immediate action to try to help an employee. His follow-through on his experiences changed the lives of each of the employees he worked with while undercover. He listened and applied what he was learning to his role as President and COO, changing policies and procedures in light of what he learned about and from the employees of his company.

Lesson Two:

The triple bottom line is important. In team building, there is a distinction made between task and maintenance (people) focus. A balance between the two is needed. Too much focus on task (profit) and not enough on maintenance (people) leads to dysfunction. Larry focused on making changes in the maintenance (people) function of Waste Management and has greatly increased trust and productivity.

Marketing Consulting Services and Tools--the eBay Connection

2010-02-06T18:12:00.001-06:00

In today's economy, many organizations are looking for ways to reduce their expenses and to do more with less. Embracing that idea, I'm creating a series of self-help tools for organizations to use to diagnose challenges and opportunities and to begin to plan how to overcome the challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities.

This isn't a "quick fix" situation--I need to work with the tools and to make sure that people can understand them. As a working prototype is developed, I am marketing it on eBay. I'm sure the marketplace will give me feedback on how to improve the tools--and the services that complement the tools for those who want more than self-help.

Selling the tools on an eBay auction seems to be a first step. I shared the DrM-Business Improvement Survey yesterday and today have released the DrM-Business Snapshot tool. The DrM-Workforce Training Needs Survey is now available.

I've had feedback from some professional friends that I need to change the vocabulary in my questions. At the same time, I have been developing the tools based on 40 years of experience in working with organizations in the area of development and change. Sometimes the tools are "just right" for certain circumstances.

CBS is starting a new "reality TV" series called Undercover Boss (on Sunday nights). I would be interested to see how these bosses could use the tools I am creating to help their organizations after their "undercover" experiences.

Business Improvement Survey--a New Product

2010-02-05T14:40:00.001-06:00

I just created a Business Improvement Survey using Adobe Acrobat. It was a challenge to create, though it seems to have good functionality. Working from a variety of client experiences dealing with organizational development and change, I developed a six-part survey to focus on core questions that need to be resolved for change to be successful and supported.

I decided to market this survey via an eBay auction to get people to try the survey. The cost will be small and it can be used as a self-help survey by most organizations needing to deal with change.

Of course DrM-Resources will provide support for those people trying out the survey if they should wish extra support. The survey will get clients preferred pricing on any of the other services offered by DrM-Resources.

This blog entry is more than a promotion for the survey (though that would be a good use of the entry, anyway). This marks one of the first times DrM-Resources has partnered with eBay to help consumers get access to affordable tools they can use to help their businesses improve. Not only can they get the tools on eBay, they will soon get preferred pricing on the other DrM-Resources services soon to be made available on eBay.

DrM-Resources and Joelmonty.net already use PayPal for invoicing and payments, and Skype for webinars and other interactive events. It is only natural to add eBay to the mix.

Is 3D to Home TVs What Color was to Black and White?

2010-02-04T22:51:00.000-06:00

3D TV was introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 7-10, 2010. Panasonic and Samsung both had TV's available. Some 3D TV's are being produced which do not require special glasses to see the effects.

I saw a good movie today with lots of special effects. The last few movies I have seen were in 3D and I really noticed the difference today. I am waiting to see Avatar in 2D--I've seen it three times in 3D.

We will have to see how the technology develops and evolves. Is the 3D TV good for all programming--even 2D programming? Will we need multiple TV's and special glasses for some movies or events?

Job Search Filtering and Requirements--A Fish Story

2010-02-03T23:01:00.000-06:00

Competing recruiters try to fill job requirements from Fortune 500 firms. These firms send job requirements electronically to the recruiting firms. Electronic databases then convert the requirements into postings which are fed to other databases such as Monster.com. Search parameters set by job hunters then find these postings and e-mail them to the job hunters who respond to the "blind" ("company confidential" or recruiting firm) ads.

Because the recruiters are often not clear on the full detail of the job requirements and because the actual firms looking for contractors or employees make their requirements extremely detailed, excellent candidates are frequently missed due to "glitches" in the overall process.

To make matters worse, if one of the Fortune 500 firms receives two resumes for the same candidate, many automatically eliminate that candidate from consideration. This is a "lose-lose" situation.

What are the remedies? Let me get to the fish story first. Different kinds of tropical fish get their food in different ways. Some look for the food on the bottom of their tank . Their food is usually distributed in the form of pellets which the fish find in the sand. Others need food floating in the water. Their food is usually distributed in the form of flakes which float around the fish. These fish will starve if they are provided fish food in a form they are not looking for.

The Fortune 500 companies, the recruiting firms, and the job seekers are often starving as well, because the packaging is not effective in matching the best candidates with available jobs.

Groundhog Day

2010-02-02T23:37:00.000-06:00

Groundhog Day--Phil, the "nation's groundhog" saw his shadow today--six more weeks of winter. The groundhog at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago didn't see his shadow--too much snow today. That may mean an early Spring for Chicago.

I celebrate the day by watching the Groundhog Day movie.

Marketing on eBay--Products, Services, Combination

2010-02-01T22:59:00.000-06:00

Exploring how to market my consulting services on eBay has led me to believe that it will be easier to divide the marketing into three components--products, services, and a combination of the two.

Much of eBay is devoted to buying and selling products. For this I need a quality product like an eBook or a questionnaire--something I would market and deliver electronically. While consulting services are marketed on eBay, that is so far a very specialized market. What may work best is a combination of an information product and an introductory service associated with the product.

I already have a PayPal account and am registered as a seller on eBay. There is very little I need to change to get ready. I am exploring a seven step process--answering questions for each of the seven steps--to get organizations ready to work with trusted advisors. Now I have to determine how to convert the process into an information product which I can market on eBay and allow people to find out more about the consulting services I offer.