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The limits of ambition

Seth Ford — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 22:03:40 +0000

The other day I was driving my girlfriend home from work after her third day as a 3rd grade teacher. She didn’t call me for a ride until almost 6:00 P.M. When I asked her what had kept her in the classroom so long, she told me she was planning a math unit on the “everyday uses of numbers.” When I asked her if that included the use of numbers at work and gave her waiting tables as an example, she looked at me like I was crazy and said, “My kids wouldn’t know what that means. We’re going over the places kids might see numbers like their address.”

Really? I had my address memorized when I was 3! I knew my phone number when I was 4! By the time I was in the 3rd Grade, I was doing large number addition and subtraction. Pardon my indignation, but WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED to our education system that kids not only have no conception of simple addition and subtraction, but are offered no practical application for those skills?

I certainly don’t blame teachers like my girlfriend. They’re largely teaching required curriculum designed to prepare students to pass mandated exams. However, I see stories almost everyday now about the “skills gap” that industry faces when attempting to hire new employees.

While industrial and manufacturing employers see the need for teaching better math skills at “all levels of education” even they don’t understand that kids aren’t getting the introduction to the practical application of those skills, often times, until after they exit high school.

As parents, employers, policymakers, administrators and advocates it is HIGH TIME that we started asking ourselves some very simple and very relevant questions:

1. Is our education system geared toward teaching or proving that students have been taught? Can we do both on limited budgets?

2. What good does an education do if all it prepares students for is more education?

3. If a nine or ten-year old child can’t even tell you how addition might be used in a work environment, how can they or their parents, be expected to prepare for a career or–even just a job–of their choice?

When I was a child, I wanted to be an astronaut. I was inspired by the idea that someday I might travel long distances through space and maybe even time. While I lost sight of that dream as I became an adult, I was absolutely aware that to achieve it I had to focus all of my energy on math and science. By the time I was seven, I was discussing theoretical physics and astronomy with my father (who, as a government contract specialist, was rather ill prepared). By the time I reached the 4th grade, I was being actively engaged by The Young Astronauts in practical science experiments around aerodynamics and watching space shuttles land.

My point is this: If there is no confluence between practical work ethic or “soft skills” education and hard theoretical sciences then, either way, our education system and our economy is set up to fail. While it might be hard to see the applicability of the work ethic values my parents instilled in me, those values are absolutely necessary for establishing a workforce that knows even one tenth of what it needs to in order to meet the technical needs of 21st century employers.

The limits of our children’s ambitions and success are a function of the horizon they see in front of them. If their horizon is a chalk board with an endless series of meaningless numbers whose only relevance is the series of numbers on the front of their house then that’s about as far as they will go in life.

If, on the other hand, they see a series of numbers connected directly to a cultural value proposition like appreciation they might use those numbers to provide better customer service. If they see numbers that are connected to ambition, they might realize that, like numbers, our ambitions are only limited by our ability to organize them. If they see numbers that are connected to attitude they might come to understand that a simple smile becomes a cascading network of happy contagion. If they see numbers that are connected to appearance, they might grasp the concept that perception, like rationality, is reality.

The list goes on and on. There is enormous emphasis on teaching math and science. But without placing math and science inside a cultural context supported by strong work ethic values, that emphasis is and will continue to be babble.

Philly Mayor to teens: Pull your pants up and get to work

Seth Ford — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:11:28 +0000

A recent article in The Washington Times detailed Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter’s lecture to teens who participated in violent flash mobs on July 29. While flash mobs are nothing new, Mr. Nutter’s response was.

Lecturing teens on local television, Mr. Nutter was unsparing in his critique.

“Pull your pants up and buy a belt ‘cause no one wants to see your underwear or the crack of your butt. If you walk into somebody’s office with your hair uncombed and a pick in the back, and your shoes untied, and your pants half down, tattoos up and down your arms and on your neck, and you wonder why somebody won’t hire you? They don’t hire you ‘cause you look like you’re crazy,” the mayor said.

The recent flash mob violence in cities across the United States signals a disturbing shift in the overall attitudes of teens. Children in the United States simply have no discipline anymore. Most of all, they lack work ethic. As Mr. Nutter points out, appearance is an important part of both discipline and work ethic. But teaching work ethic, unlike policy driven disciplinary measures such as curfews, goes far beyond admonishing teens for their appearance.

Work ethic education is about teaching values over skills. Had teens in Philadelphia been taught work ethic values they would not have committed these acts in the first place. While enforcing a curfew law is an important emergency measure needed to stem rising youth unrest, The A Game encourages policy-makers like Mr. Nutter to take the long view.

It is time to institute values based programming that teachers, parents and kids across the country can use to win, not just at work, but at life.

Mismatched education means missing values

Seth Ford — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:42:36 +0000

An editorial that appeared today in the Dallas Morning News outlines a report of the Human Resources Policy Association and concludes that there is a mismatch between public education and employer demand for a technically skilled workforce.

The article cites several disturbing statistics that leads The A Game to believe that the HRPA has missed the point:

Of 100 students in ninth grade, only 75 will graduate from high school and, of those, only 51 will enter college. Within six years, only 22 will have a degree and many of those will enter the workplace lacking the skills needed to be hired or he a successful career.

While public education doesn’t provide for the technical needs of employers it also doesn’t prepare students for the rigors of technical education. These statistics show that through and through the emerging workforce lacks the steadfast determination required to see themselves through their own educations. While The A Game agrees that technical skills are important, they must be paired with a values-based skill set that will help this notoriously fickle generation obtain the required technical proficiency.

Work ethic education is the key. T

At what age should we teach people how to work?

Seth Ford — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:49:15 +0000

By Eric Chester

A lot parents of parents have asked me if there is any specific age at which they should begin to teach their children how to work and to begin to instill core work ethic values within them.

The short answer is, it’s never too early.

To prove it, here’s a video of me teaching my own 12-day-old granddaughters, Leni and Lou, how to stand apart from all other babies who will be entering the workforce sooner or later.

Bring Your A Game to Independence Day

Seth Ford — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:59:29 +0000

This 4th of July we celebrate 235 years of national independence. But there’s some irony in the name “Independence Day,” because the 4th is really about coming together to celebrate everything that we as individuals hold in common.

American work ethic is legendary and its the basis of our national character. What I love about our national identity is that it is rooted in something we all do: Work. It doesn’t matter where your ancestors came from, the likelihood is that work is probably what they came to North America to do.

Every culture; every nation; and every community holds common values that bind them together. We can glory in the diversity of those values every day of the year. But on Independence Day, let’s celebrate the work ethic values that bind us all together:

Attitude: Ours is the can do one.
Attendance: What if no one had shown up for the Revolution?
Appreciation: You get what you give in life.
Appearance: Hey, I’m not wearing a toga because I don’t live in Ancient Greece.
Acceptance: This nation’s laws are my laws.
Accountability: George Washington’s cherry tree story is just the tip of the ice berg.
Ambition: What would our nation be if we all just did the minimum?

In short, let’s give glory to our A Game.

Happy Fourth of July!

Gen Y Admits Lack of Work Ethic Led to Early Failure

Eric Chester — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 02:42:25 +0000

by Eric Chester

I love it when a young adult comes clean.

All too often, young workers who fail early refuse to accept responsibility for their struggles and instead blame the economy, or their company, or their boss, or…

This, of course, leads to more failure, which leads to increased bitterness that in passed on to next employer, which leads to more failure, etc. The root of the problem is never addressed, and thus, the cycle continues.

However, in this article, a successful millennial reflects on her early job failures and owns up to having a poor work ethic. Interestingly, she cites almost very one of the 7 core work ethic values (attitude, reliability, professionalism, initiative, integrity, respect, and gratitude) when reflecting upon her former self.

I’ve never met Kate Pesich, but she has a new fan, and a new subscriber to her blog.

Reviving Work Ethic by Recognizing and Rewarding it in Elementary School

Eric Chester — Wed, 11 May 2011 13:40:21 +0000

Guest post by business leader, Theo Androus

Coach Shea is a great leader, and not just because she named my ten-year-old daughter, Audrey, captain of the lacrosse team – though that admittedly got my attention. It got my attention because Audrey is not the best player on her team. (Well, not the best by obvious definitions.) She’s not the best scorer. She’s not the best defender. She doesn’t have the best stick skills. She doesn’t have the most experience. In fact, she may rank last in all of those categories. What she does have is attitude and work ethic. And to Coach Shea, that is what matters most.

I confess that I was shocked when Coach Shea announced that Audrey would be the captain. This is her first year playing lacrosse, she rarely scores, and she’s playing with girls who have a lot more experience. Audrey is somewhat reserved and soft-spoken; and she’s easy to miss in a group of boisterous and confident kids. But here’s what coach Shea said, “Audrey works harder than anyone on the team. She has a great attitude. She arrives at every practice ready to learn and ready to listen, and she takes coaching and direction.”

Wow. Coach Shea says that she wishes she could clone Audrey, that she’d love to have ten more just like her. Simply stated, Audrey does her best every day. That’s more than can be said of her father, maybe more than can be said of you.

I asked Audrey about her work ethic and she told me that her body often wants to slow down but her mind won’t let it. That sometimes her body tells her to stop, but she just ignores it. She confessed that sometimes when she runs her side hurts, but when that happens she just thinks about something else and the pain goes away. Amazing.

And lest you think I’m the next Earl Woods or Mike Agassi or Richard Williams, I’m not. I believe in my kids and I’ve tried to teach them to believe in themselves. I’m also of the opinion that their lives are their lives and they must choose what to do with the gifts they have been given, and live (and learn) with the consequences of their choices. Yes, I encourage them. Yes, I support them. Yes, I challenge them. I place them in situations that test them and teach them. But I try to do so with love and kindness and respect. And sometimes we get lucky and they have a coach like Coach Shea who recognizes and rewards them for the key foundational elements to greatness at anything in life – attitude and work ethic.

Most teams are captained by the best player — best being defined by number of goals scored or defensive prowess or some other more tangible measure. In the case of my daughter’s lacrosse team, Coach Shea acknowledged and rewarded behavior she wants repeated – attitude and work ethic. And in that category, Audrey is the best. She gives everything she’s got to everything she does. And kudos to Coach Shea for recognizing and rewarding that behavior.

As a leader, your job is to be clear about your expectations and create an environment that enables your people to execute on those expectations. Coach Shea is clear – she wants players who work hard, have a willingness to learn, and are committed to doing their best. Everything you do as a leader sends a message to your people. And the message from Coach Shea to her people is simple – work hard consistently and you will be rewarded.

The cool thing for Audrey is that when Coach Shea explained why she chose Audrey to be the Team Captain, the other players nodded in agreement. It made sense to them. If that’s how they will be judged, then the choice is obvious.

How will you judge your team? What do you want from your people? Are you clear about your expectations? Are you acknowledging and rewarding behavior you want repeated? As a leader, you establish what matters most within your organization. Just make sure the actions you take are congruent with your desired outcomes.

If you do those all of those things, I might just write about you next.

Theo Androus is a speaker who delivers customized and personalized seminars on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development. To book Theo for your next event, visit http://www.GitomerCertified.com

Clearview has cake and develops work ethic too!

Seth Ford — Wed, 04 May 2011 19:07:30 +0000

Clearview Cinemas is dedicated to integrating good old fashioned work ethic values into their culture. For those who are unfamiliar with the traditional approach to work ethic things like showing up on time, accepting the rules, demonstrating ambition and complying with uniform standards can seem like a bitter pill.

Bring Your A Game to Work is designed around a simple learning model that begins by clarifying the value that employers expect their employees to adopt and ends by challenging employees to live up to that value. Employers can enhance training results by incorporating A Game values into every aspect of their culture. The key is positive reinforcement.

According to Lori Rolek at Clearview, it’s all about how you associate training with personal benefits.

“There is tremendous value in having credentials. When crafting our vision statement, we talked at length about becoming an employer of choice. When our employees look back on their tenure with us they’ll say ‘I got my start at Clearview and that’s were I got work ethic certified.’ That’s going to matter to them. And it’s what they remember about working for us that matters most to me.”

A cake printed with The A Game Pledge is the perfect way to demonstrate the sweetness of success.

The limitations of recruiting for attitude

Seth Ford — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:41:22 +0000

By Seth Ford

Betsy's smile wins at work

For employers struggling to find employees with good work ethic, Eric Chester’s Bring Your A Game to Work offers an easy-to-use training solution. For those who aren’t ready to institute work readiness curriculum, recruiting for attitude is a great place to start.

Last week I had opportunity to interview some of Carl’s Jr.’s brightest. A 17-year old cashier named Betsy epitomized the difficulty in finding youth who demonstrate the 7 fundamental work ethic values.

Betsy’s weakness is attendance. She was even late to work the day I spoke with her and during our interview she said that being five minutes late was okay “as long as you have a good excuse.” Betsy is far from the perfect employee and she knows it.

Her selling point is her attitude.

“I’m a very happy person. I’m always nice to customers and I always get complimented on my smile,” Betsy explained. “Sometimes I take orders wrong, but I’m always happy so they really don’t get frustrated with me.”

Every person and every business culture has its strengths and weaknesses. Virtually every employee I interviewed at CKE noted their attitude as “the one thing their boss should know about them.”

Attitude is fully integrated into CKE’s culture and it is clearly an organizational strength. That said, it would be pure folly to rely on the collective attitude of your workforce to get you through every customer interaction.

Attitude is a great value to recruit for, but only if you’re prepared to train out those weaknesses.

Gen Y Making Warhol Look Like Nostradamus

Eric Chester — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:04:41 +0000

By Eric Chester
Reposted from SuccessInsurance.com

In 1968, Andy Warhol predicted that “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes.” Armed with only a webcam or a smart phone with video YouTube-like social media sites, Gens Y&Z are proving that the future Warhol predicted is now upon us.

The teen dream of becoming a star—a rock star, a movie star, a football star, an Internet star, a reality show star—is now more of an entitlement than an aspiration. The question for many people today isn’t so much if they’ll get their fifteen minutes of fame but how they’ll get it and what they’ll do with it.

In the past, fame and fortune came mainly through high achievement. To attain it, you had to become the best of the best—the best actor, the best baseball player, the best scientist, the best writer, the best artist, the best politician, the best business person, or even the best outlaw. And even if you were the best, in many scenarios you still had to be ‘discovered’ by someone who was in a power position to catapult you into the very narrow spotlight where the attention of the entire nation was centered.

Today there are hundreds of television and Internet channels begging for content and the spotlight is very large. Now anyone can get ‘discovered’ regardless is they have a high-powered agent or even any measurable talent. If you’re willing to do something incredibly bizarre, dangerous, weird, or self-deprecating, you too can have millions of adoring fans.

I could provide hundreds of examples, but I’ll let Keenan Cahill (35 million views) and Sexy Sax Man (2.5 million views) make the case for me.

The bar to fame rests very low. No wonder so many teens and young adults question the need for developing a solid work ethic. Why put forth the effort and personal sacrifice to find success on Work Ethic Lane when Just Get Noticed Drive leads to bright lights and big bucks and appears so much easier, sexier, and a whole lot more fun?