• January 16th (Dinner) – “The Hero’s Journey: Legendary Leadership and Employee Engagement” Presenter: Jeffrey Mangrum, SST Communications, Focus: Leadership and Employee Morale
• February 20th (Dinner) – “Succession Planning: Best Practices and Practices to Avoid” Presenters: Deanna Banks, Banks Consulting and Alice Buchanan, Buchanan Consulting, Focus: Succession Planning
• March 12th (Dinner) – Topic: Creative approaches to benefits and recent developments in health insurance. Presenter: Chris Bartnik, Wachovia, Focus: Benefits
• April 16th (Breakfast) – “Action Learning in Action – A Powerful New Tool for Solving Problems and Building Leaders, Teams and Organizations” Presenter: Mike Marquardt, President, World Institute for Action Learning, Focus: Performance Management
• May 21st (Dinner) – Topic: Hiring and Terminating Presenter: Theresa Burke Wright, Jackson Lewis Law Firm, Focus: Hiring and Terminating
• June 18th (Dinner) – “New Leader Integration” Presenter: Lynn Lorenz, AOL, Focus: Training and Development
• July 16th (Breakfast) – “The Hidden Dimensions of Organizational Change” Presenter: Bob Marshak, Professor, American University, Focus: Organization Culture
• August 20th (Dinner) - TBD
• September 17th (Dinner) – Topic: Employment law issue to be determined after annual member interest survey. Presenter: Misti Mukherjee, Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, Focus: Employment Law
• October 15th (Breakfast) – “Challenges in Integrating Cultures During a Merger or Acquisition” Presenter: Terry Mellendorf, Retired VP, Human Resources, Nextel, Focus: Mergers and Acquisitions
• November 19th  (Dinner) – “Get ‘Em Started Right – Enhancing Performance and Retention Through Effective On-Boarding” Presenter: Ilona Birenbaum, The Wynhurst Group, Focus: Retention
• December 3rd (Dinner) – Holiday Party

Welcome to New Members
Contributed by Lynn Padgett, Vice President, Membership

The Dulles Society of Human Resource Management SHRM welcomes our newest members.  Thank you for choosing our chapter.

Roderick Griggs, Senior HR Manager, Sage Payment Solutions
Samantha Holohan, HR Generalist, Cascades Technologies, Inc.
Tricia Kleber, PHR, CCP, Director, Swart, Lalande & Associates, P.C.
Rhonda Mower, SPHR, PHR, Manager, Human Resources, RavenWing, Inc.
Patricia Schlener, SPHR, Director of Administration, Fairfax County Department of Housing
Karen Upton, SPHR, Director, HR and Corporate Communications, Near Infinity Corporation
John Viarella, SPHR, HR Manager, Professional Solutions
Patricia Ward, Director of Client Services, McLean Asset Management Corporation

For members that join or renew and pay at the door, please remember to log into our system at www.dullesshrm.org and complete a new and/or renewing membership form if you haven’t already done so. Thank you.

Chapter Discussion Group
“Providing Support to Newly Hired/Newly Promoted Managers"
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Contributed by Cindy Loison, Director, Discussion Group

New managers, whether they are new to management or new to your organization, have some hurdles to jump.  Companies that have a thoughtful approach to welcoming these new managers into their new positions experience more motivated and successful employees.  What can we do as HR professionals to create a framework within which these new managers can thrive?  Come participate in a discussion facilitated by Sheila Maher, an executive coach, who will help us identify resources regarding this topic.

In preparation, please reflect on the following questions:

• What are some of the common pitfalls of new managers?
• How can the first-time manager learn to delegate?
• What can HR professionals do to assist the manager in transitioning into her new role?
• How does the new manager manage teams or manage within a matrix organization?
• What are specific challenges for technical employees transitioning to management?
• How many of your companies have a “new manager integration process,” and what does it look like?

You are invited to bring examples from your experience, or, if you have had no previous experience in this area, consider this an opportunity to learn from your colleagues. There is no charge for attending.

Please confirm your participation by registering on-line, at least 24 hours in advance, on the Dulles SHRM web site, Career Growth/Chapter Discussion Groups (www.dulleshrm.org). If you have questions, feel free to call Cindy Loison at 703-265-7520.  Participation is limited to the first 25 people who sign up.

Date:    Thursday, December 13
Time:    7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m
Place:   FGM, Inc.
             12021 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 400
             Reston, VA 20190
Phone: 703.885.1000; Contact: Chas Sumser

Directions:
From Route 495
Take the Dulles Toll Road West (Route 267)
Exit and turn right onto Reston Parkway North.
At first traffic light, turn left onto Sunset Hills Road
Turn left at Second traffic light into Two Reston Overlook parking area
Visitors may park in any available spot
From Dulles Airport
Take the Dulles Access Road East (Route 267)
Exit and turn left onto Fairfax County Parkway North
Exit right onto Sunset Hills Road
Turn right at third traffic light into Two Reston Overlook parking area
Visitors may park in any available spot

Talent Management Perspectives: Diversity Management: Maximizing the Value of Variety
By Tegan Jones, Published August 2007

In today's market, diversity management is no longer about just filling quotas, and it's not about just sex and race. As members of Generation Y flood the job market, and companies scour the globe for top talent, businesses are facing the demands from a more multicultural workforce. For this reason, corporate diversity practices have expanded to include issues related to age, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc., and they have become focused on inclusion and leadership practices that will help diverse teams function as a whole.

According to a recent survey by global consulting company Novations, 72 percent of respondents said their senior managers accept the business case for diversity that diversity efforts contribute to the bottom line by improving performance and developing new leadership. Yet, 24 percent said these managers don't know how to leverage these business benefits. This confusion often comes from the misconception of diversity management as "the right thing to do" rather than a strategic business decision, said Michael Hyter, Novations CEO. "Provided it's managed properly, the benefit is the expanded capacity that different experiences, perspectives and backgrounds offer the creative process, the productivity of teams, etc," Hyter said. "Proper management is key — it doesn't happen on its own."

According to the 2005 Workplace Diversity Practices Survey Report published by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the most important outcomes of diversity practices were reduced costs associated with turnover, absenteeism and low productivity, as well as improved profits and a decrease in complaints and litigation.  The Novations survey found organizational commitment to these types of practices to be up 60 percent over 2005, the last year it was conducted. This jump is primarily driven by workforce demographics and increased competition to recruit and retain top talent, Hyter said. Still, more than a quarter of companies aren't convinced that diversity practices affect the bottom line. Much of this doubt stems from a distrust in the traditional quota system, Hyter explained. "The biggest fear is that it will promote a lowering of standards to make room for quotas and will upset the majority population," he said. "Some leaders have the idea that diversity is only about race — and, in some cases, gender — and as a result, to focus on it threatens the career potential of those who are already in the company. Although lowered standards and quotas are not the case, the fear of them creates some reservations."

In lieu of quotas, many organizations have embraced diversity practices that promote inclusiveness and education. The SHRM survey found the most common diversity initiatives involved allowing employees to take unpaid leave to observe a religious or cultural holiday not already observed by the company, using recruiting strategies designed to increase diversity and reaching out to community institutions.

The SHRM study also found two-thirds of organizations provide a combination of mandatory and voluntary diversity training for their employees. Sixty percent of those companies required diversity training for their top-level executives, and 70 percent required it for all managerial-level employees. Hyter said training leaders on how to understand and implement diversity practices is critical to seeing the best business results.

"Diversity training has to have relevant components that specifically provide leaders and managers with the skill to objectively evaluate and position all talent for learning," he said. "How to incorporate that ability within the company's development process, with managers having the skills for providing honest and direct feedback for performance improvement, is the basis for the diversity training to address what matters most: how to develop all talent, not just have them onboard."

Voters urge teaching of 21st-century skills
Poll suggests 'back-to-basics' approach to education is not enough for nation's citizens
By Meris Stansbury, Assistant Editor, eSchool News, October 15, 2007

In yet another sign that momentum is building for the teaching of so-called "21st-century skills" in the nation's classrooms, results of a new poll indicate that voters overwhelmingly agree: The skills students need to succeed in the workplace of today are notably different from what they needed 20 years ago. Americans are deeply concerned that the United States is not preparing students with the skills they need to compete in the new global economy, according to the poll. Eighty-eight percent of voters say they believe schools can, and should, incorporate 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication and self-direction, and computer and technology skills into the curriculum. What's more, 66 percent of voters say they believe students need more than just the basics of reading, writing, and math; schools also need to incorporate a broader range of skills, Americans say. The findings come as candidates for public office are ratcheting up their campaigns for the 2008 elections. Advocates of educational technology hope the poll results will mobilize candidates to talk more about the need for 21st-century instruction.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), which commissioned the survey, released its findings at a National Press Club event Oct. 10. "Voters generally are not happy with the direction our schools are headed with respect to ensuring we have the skills to compete," said the report's authors, Bill McInturff with Public Opinion Strategies and Geoff Garin with the Peter D. Hart Research Associates. "Ten to 15 years ago, America was in a back-to-basics mode, meaning focusing strictly on math, science, and reading. The pendulum might have swung too far in one direction. This survey represents a change in the country's attitudes," explained Garin. Administered during a three-day period in September, the survey asked 800 registered voters for their opinions about how well their schools are performing. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus three-and-a-half percentage points. According to the report, when asked how they would rate the schools in their district, 53 percent of voters rated their schools an "A" or a "B." However, when asked to rate their schools in comparison to other leading countries' schools, such as China's or India's, grades dropped to "C" and "D," with only 13 percent of voters agreeing that the U.S. is doing a better job than other countries. "That's less than one in seven," said Garin. "That's startling."

Although voters believe their schools are doing a good job of teaching computer literacy and technology skills, 80 percent say students need to learn different things than what they learned 20 years ago, such as focusing more on collaboration, communication, and cultural knowledge. In fact, only 38 percent of voters say schools are doing a good job of keeping pace with changing educational needs. Three out of five believe schools are doing a "fair" or "poor" job. McInturff said the survey reveals that voters believe students are not workforce-ready, don't have the breadth of skills needed to succeed in today's world, and are not well-rounded enough. "They believe students need more knowledge of problem-solving skills, [need] to learn different languages, and [need to] know the cultural history of various countries," he said.

Voters' opinions mirror those of employers, based on a separate poll conducted last year. In that poll, sponsored by P21 along with the Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, and the Society for Human Resource Management, business leaders reported that while the three "Rs" are still fundamental to every employee's ability to do the job, applied skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and communication also are essential for success. (See "Survey reveals the skills employers desire most".) "It's important to note," said McInturff, "that people don't want to replace core skills, they just want to build around them." Two-thirds of the voters polled said schools need to teach more than just reading, math, and writing, and three-quarters of voters want there to be at least equal emphasis on 21st-century skills.  Eighty percent of voters agreed that critical thinking and problem solving are important, yet only 18 percent thought schools were doing a good job of teaching these skills. Seventy-seven percent of voters think oral communication skills are important, while only 16 percent believe they are being well taught. Three-fourths of voters said ethics and social responsibility are important, while only 15 percent think these are being well taught. "We believe that people see these skills not only in terms of what constitutes a good employee, but also what constitutes a good citizen--both roles that will help lead our country into a bright future," said Garin.

Why the shift in attitudes from 20 years ago? McInturff attributes the change in voter perspective to a "huge economic anxiety right below the surface." He believes that, with China and India making great strides in education and workforce development, Americans are worried. "By making education an issue, we can start a discussion about how to solve our anxiety," he said. An astonishing number of poll participants, 99 percent, said they believe students' 21st-century skills will be critical to the future success of the nation's economy. Despite such an apparent consensus, the road toward change in the nation's schools might be a rocky one. A recent report from the nonprofit group Public Agenda, titled "Important, But Not for Me: Parents and Students in Kansas and Missouri Talk About Math, Science, and Technology Education," suggests that although parents and students understand the national importance of math, science, and technology skills, they just don't see these as important for themselves. (See "Parents, kids don't see need for math, science skills".) This could imply that although voters see the need for change on a national scale, they might not know, or even want, to incite change at the local level.

In response to P21's voter survey, Jean Johnson, executive vice president of Public Agenda, said, "Unfortunately, the apparent consensus begins to fall apart when we probe on the specifics. That is, parents and students endorse the general aim, but when you start asking them about the details, they are much less enthusiastic." Johnson continued: "At Public Agenda, we've labeled this phenomenon an 'urgency gap.' People may accept the challenge in a general way, but they don't really see it when we ask them about their own schools and what their children need to study." On the other hand, P21 notes that six states have joined the group's initiative to help incorporate 21st-century skills into the classroom, and officials hope that, by next summer, another six will have joined. The group also hopes to provide policy makers and educators with more tools to help incorporate 21st-century instruction into their schools. "This is a moment in both the economy and the upcoming election where Americans are looking for hope," said Garin. By focusing on education and the teaching of 21st-century skills to the nation's students, citizens and their elected officials can "help lead the country to a promising future."

HR Tips & Tools

Information You Can Find at Dulles SHRM – www.dullesshrm.org

Link to Virginia SHRM State Council - http://www.shrmva.org/ This site has current announcements and events relevant to the Human Resource Profession in Virginia and on a National level.

Link to Write Your Elected Official - http://www.shrm.org/government/hrvoice/ This site enables you, the HR professional, to take proactive steps in shaping public policy affecting the HR profession. SHRM National tracks the number of members who write to their elected officials and reports the information back to the chapters. We are so close to Washington, DC. Let your Senators and Congressmen know that you are paying attention to issues that affect Human Resources. It is a very easy step and only takes a few moments to have your voice heard!

Managing Smart Articles The Fall 2007 articles are now posted online and a short description of each article is listed below. To read the full articles, check out http://www.shrm.org/managingsmart/1007.asp.

Uplifting Employees Building trust is not a one-off exercise; it must be ongoing and consistent but it needn't be extravagant. A little recognition and respect can go a long way toward raising and maintaining employee morale.

Deliberate Acts of Decency A company's culture can be molded by the cumulative power of small decencies. It's about the way leaders choose to behave -- the actions leaders embrace -- every day, especially during the quiet moments when we think no one is watching.

Thinking Outside the Team Internal team dynamics -- while positive -- can create a wall between the team and the outside world. Thinking externally can help the team adapt to change and deliver value to the organization.

Big-Picture Performance Appraisal Managers miss the strategic opportunity of performance appraisals by focusing only qualitatively on individual performance instead of quantitatively on the team and enterprisewide level.

Resources for Managers Books and software to help managers do their jobs better.

Terms of Use: © 2007 Society for Human Resource Management. Members of SHRM are authorized to distribute copies, excerpts or e-mails of this information for educational purposes internally within their organizations. No other republication or external use is allowed without permission of SHRM. The information is not intended to serve as a substitute for legal advice.

That’s all for this month unless you have any ideas or suggestions? This is your chapter - let us know what’s on your mind!

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