Join Us On November 19 for "Background and Drug Screening"
Embry Rucker Shelter Donations Update
Chapter Discussion Group
Kudos To Our Chapter Volunteers At The Virginia State Conference
"A Day Inside The Beltway"
Board Meeting Minutes
Book Report #6
Mark Your Calendar
Learn About Basic Diversity Etiquette
Check Out Previous Newsletters

Join Us On November 19 for "Background and Drug Screening
With Pete Peterson of Edge Information Management
Wednesday, November 19

For Details on the Program: Click Here

This program has been approved for 1.0 recertification credit hour toward PHR and SPHR recertification through HRCI. For more information, visit www.hrci.org.

Embry Rucker Shelter Donations Update

During our September dinner meeting, Dulles SHRM members contributed $40.00 in cash to the Embry Rucker Shelter. Contributions were used to purchase two Target gift certificates. Director Anita Bonic extends her sincere appreciation for your generosity.

Chapter Discussion Group:
“Succession Planning”
Thursday, November 6

Join us on Thursday, November 6, for a roundtable discussion on succession planning facilitated by Maria Smith, Vice President, Organization Consulting with Right Management Consulting. Maria will focus her discussion on executive coaching, succession planning, and leadership team alignment, all of which are critical success factors in the organizational change initiatives she helps her clients address.

In preparation, please reflect on the following questions:

• What current business situations are driving your company interest/non-interest in succession planning?
• How do people think succession decisions are made at your company?
• When was the last executive or senior management change in your company and why?
• Do people identified as stars/rainmakers believe they are on the “moving up” list and how would they define “moving up”?

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. Contact Cindy Loison (cloisonhr@aol.com) to reserve your space.

Date: Thursday, November 6
Time: 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Place: American Press Institute, 11690 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20191 Phone: (703) 620-3911 (Mary Lynn Billitteri direct line)

Directions:
From the Capital Beltway: Take VA-267 Dulles Toll Road West (Exit 12B toward Dulles Airport). From the Toll Road, take Exit 13 (Wiehle Avenue) and turn left onto Wiehle Avenue. Turn right onto Sunrise Valley Drive. Go approximately 7/10 of a mile and turn right at the concrete sign for the American Press Institute. (If you pass a Sheraton Hotel, you have gone too far.) Park in front of the building or on the street in front of API. Sign in with the receptionist and receive a visitor tag. The meeting will be held in the Conference Room. For more information on directions, visit www.americanpressinstitute.org.

Kudos To Our Chapter Volunteers At The Virginia State Conference

We extend our appreciation to the following Chapter members who volunteered their time and talents during the recent sold-out 2003 Virginia State Conference held at the Fairview Park Marriott from October 15-17. During the Conference, officials announced that the 2004 Virginia State Conference will be held in Richmond and the 2005 Conference will be held in Virginia Beach. We will keep you informed as planning unfolds.

Judy Perrault
Maggie Chan
Cornelia Gamlem
Laura Chillura
Nancy Streeter
Teresa Reese
Don Nagley
Deidre Iannelli
Joy Hall
Eric Poskanzer
Karen Lehr
Christine Tillman
Grant Lehman
Mary Lynn Billitteri
Kurt Cowles

"A Day Inside The Beltway"
Learn More About Federal Legislation and the Workings of Capitol Hill

We would like to determine if there is an interest in the Chapter for a one-day road trip to D.C. for a visit to SHRM Headquarters, briefings on legislative issues, and the opportunity to visit our Virginia legislators’ offices on Capitol Hill.

• Learn more about critical HR issues being considered in Congress
• Tell your stories
• Share how legislation affects you and your workplace
• Exercise your right to lobby your member of Congress
• Enjoy a tour of Capitol Hill arranged by SHRM
• Earn recertification credit (one hour for lobbying members of Congress)

This is a great opportunity to learn more about what’s going on “inside the Beltway,” how Federal legislation directly impacts your day-to-day work, and how to use HR Voice to influence positive change. We will select a weekday when Congress is in session. We are considering a trip during late March or early April 2004. There is no charge except for transportation and lunch expenses.

If you are interested in participating, please respond by November 5 to:
Mary Lynn Billitteri
Legislative Liaison
(703) 715-3336, or
marylynn@americanpressinstitute.org

Board Meeting Minutes

The minutes from the Board meetings are available on our web site - please take a few minutes to review them in full. Click Here to View.

Book report #6

LOVE IT, DON’T LEAVE IT:
26 WAYS TO GET WHAT YOU WANT AT WORK
By Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans

Human resource leaders may already be familiar with an earlier work by Kate and Jordan-Evans, Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay (Berrett-Koehler, 2002). The duo specializes in talent management and retention, and these books are practical, easy-to-follow guides for attracting and keeping your best people.

Kate is the founder of Career Systems International, a consulting and training company specializing in career development, mentoring, engagement, and retention. She is a frequent speaker at ASTD and SHRM conferences. Jordan-Evans is the president of the Jordan Evans Group, a leadership consulting firm. She is a prominent keynote presenter.

Love It, Don’t Leave It is a career development guide written for the employee. The authors offer creative strategies for employees to enrich their work situation and stay satisfied and energized on the job. There are reminders for employees that job satisfaction is a two-way street and that there are many kinds of career moves besides “up” to help a person stay motivated.

The book has an easy-to-use format, with tips arranged literally from A to Z (A is “ask” and Z is “zenith”). The reader can easily scan the table of contents to use as “a roadmap for reading.” The authors recommend reading the first two chapters: Ask, and You May Receive; and Buck: Don’t Pass It, then read all the chapters that may apply to you.

If you’re working on programs to retain your top talent, or feel a little bit of dissatisfaction yourself, this is a great book to help explore options for retention. Skillful leaders can use the strategies in this book to help facilitate the career development process for their employees.

Love It, Don’t Leave It: 26 Ways to Get What You Want at Work is available from the SHRM Store at www.SHRM.org ($15.95 member price, $17.95 regular price).

(Submitted by Mary Lynn Billitteri, October 2003)

Note: We invite book reports from members on specialty or general interest publications related to the Human Resources field. Submissions are published in the monthly newsletter and posted on the Chapter website. Email your book review to Dulles SHRM Communications Director Nancy Streeter (nabss@aol.com).

Mark Your Calendars

Upcoming SHRM Conferences and Seminars

2003 Chapter Dinner Meetings

• November 19, 2003 - “Background and Drug Screening” with Pete Peterson, Edge Information Management
• December 3, 2003 - Annual Holiday Party
• December 10, 2003 - Transition Board Meeting

2004 Chapter Dinner Meetings
(*Please note that both dinner and breakfast meetings are scheduled during 2004.)

• January 21 Dinner Meeting - “Legislative Update” with Jason Branciforte, Littler Mendelson.
• February 18 Dinner Meeting - “Navigating Through Difficult Conversations” with Jennell Evans, Strategic Interactions
• March 17 Breakfast Meeting - “Managing the Workplace in Response to the New Threats of the 21st Century” with Ari Karen, Krupin O’Brien
• April 21 Dinner Meeting - “Strategic Manpower Planning - Build or Buy?” with Michael Hager, Hager Strategic
• May 19 Dinner Meeting - “Latitude in Attitude” with Allie Bowling
• June 16 Dinner Meeting - “Changing Trends in Health Care Benefits” with George Lane, Marsh

Learn About Basic Diversity Etiquette
“Providing Quality Services to Employees, Applicants, and Individual With Disabilities”
Submitted by Evelyn Kaiser, Diversity Director

The business community constantly tries to provide better services to employees, applicants, and customers and to expand its recruitment pool and customer base by developing new markets and additional recruitment sources. A large untapped market is the disability market, which can be an economically advantageous niche for business. More than 20.3 million families in the U.S. have at least one member with a disability. Persons with disabilities themselves have a combined income of nearly $700 billion. The key to reaching out to new markets and providing quality services to individual with disabilities is to remember that all employees, applicants, and customers are individuals.

Below are some basic tips for interacting with individuals who have disabilities. However, in most cases, the best way to learn how to accommodate persons with disabilities is to ask them directly.

Interacting With Persons Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired

• Speak to the individual when you approach her or him. Speak in a normal tone of voice.
• Never touch or distract a service dog without first asking the owner.
• Tell the person when you are leaving; never leave a person who is blind talking to an empty space.
• If you are offering a seat, gently place the individual’s hand on the back or arm of the chair and let her or him sit down by her or himself.
• When dealing with money transactions, tell the person the denominations when you count the money he or she is receiving from you.
• Make sure the individual has picked up all of her or his possessions before leaving.

Interacting With Persons Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing

• Gain the person’s attention before starting a conversation (i.e., tap the person gently on the shoulder or arm).
• Identify who you are (i.e., show them your name badge).
• Look directly at the individual, face the light, speak clearly, in a normal tone of voice, and keep your hands away from your face; use short, simple sentences.
• Ask the person if it would be helpful to communicate by writing or by using a computer terminal.
• If the individual uses a sign-language interpreter, speak directly to the individual, not the interpreter.
• If you telephone someone who is hard of hearing, let the phone ring longer than usual; speak clearly and be prepared to repeat the reason for the call and who you are.
• If you telephone someone who is deaf, use your state telecommunications relay service. The number is listed in the front of the telephone directory. Consideration should also be given to purchasing a TTY.
• Discuss matters that are personal (e.g., financial matters) in a private room to avoid staring or eavesdropping by others.

Interacting With Persons With Mobility Impairments

• Put yourself at the wheelchair user's eye level.
• Do not lean on a wheelchair or any other assistive device.
• Do not assume the individual wants to be pushed --- ask first.
• Provide a clipboard as a writing surface if counters or reception desks are too high; come around to the individual’s side of the desk/counter during your interaction.
• Make sure there is a clear path of travel.
• If a person uses crutches, a walker, or some other assistive equipment, offer assistance with coats, bags, or other belongings.
• Offer a chair if the person will be standing for a long period of time.

Interacting With Individuals With Speech Impairments

• Concentrate on what the person is saying; concentrate on listening and communicating.
• Avoid barriers like glass partitions and distractions, such as noisy, public places.
• Do not speak for the person or attempt to finish her or his sentences.
• If you are having difficulty understanding, consider writing as an alternative means of communicating, but first ask if this is acceptable.
• If no solution to the communication problem can be worked out, ask if there is someone who could interpret on the individual’s behalf.

Interacting With Persons With Learning or Cognitive Disabilities

• Be prepared to provide an explanation more than once.
• Offer assistance with and/or extra time for completion of forms, understanding written instructions, writing checks, and/or decision-making; wait for the person to accept the offer of assistance
• If an individual has difficulty reading or writing, she or he may prefer to take forms home to complete.
• Be patient, flexible, and supportive; take time to understand the person and make sure the individual understands you.
• Consider moving to a quiet or private location, if in a public area with many distractions.

Key Things to Remember:

• Provide access to facilities and services.
• Relax.
• Listen.
• Maintain eye contact without staring.
• Make the person feel comfortable.
• Treat the individual with dignity, respect, and courtesy.
• Offer assistance but do not insist.
• Ask the individual to tell you the best way to help.
• Deal with unfamiliar situations in a calm, professional manner.

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!

Judy Perrault
President
Dulles SHRM
vprez@mindbank.com