"The very thing that makes the best female leaders very successful can also make them less visible." http://t.co/1Iy38oBdEq— Harvard Biz Review (@HarvardBiz) August 16, 2013

Ready for Good Works

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works,

to be generous, and to be ready to communicate

(1 Timothy 6:18)

I find it both disturbing and unacceptable that this country has 600k (yes, 600 thousand) manufacturing jobs that are not filled in this current economic season. I spend a lot of time in small-to-mid-sized shops and often hear business owners and operations managers say that they cannot find good talent to fill open positions. At the same time, I spend a lot of time in low-to-moderate income communities and often hear people complain that they cannot find good paying jobs. If the jobs are available and the people who desire to work exist, where is the disconnect? My theory is that there is a lack of awareness about manufacturing and career opportunities for non-traditional employees.

When I first started Latrobe, one of my goals was to increase consciousness among women and girls about the potential careers in manufacturing. As I have spent time in the field, my vision has broadened as I realized that parents, as well as young people in general, could benefit from knowing more about 21st century manufacturing, the cultural expectations of working in an industrial environment, and the work ethic required to be successful. As a result, our team developed a training and education program on workforce readiness in manufacturing.

What is workforce readiness? Our working hypothesis is to address how we can help to equip and prepare potential employees to be productive in a manufacturing environment. Employers are looking for more than just skilled workers with technical competencies. Most companies have on-the-job-training programs and procedures specific to their operations. Our workforce readiness training focuses on the critical skills required to be successful in industrial manufacturing environments, which differs from working in a service or retail organization. Interactive training and assessment includes the following:
 

1.      The four career pathways of manufacturing
2.      Manufacturing 101
(safety, basic shop math, gauging and measuring, and problem solving)
3.      Industrial Environment
(employer expectations, personal attitude and behavior, work ethic)
4.      Communication
(verbal, written, listening, social media, and networking)
5.      Life Management Skills
(time balancing, conflict resolution, and decision making)
6.      Financial Literacy
(job vs. career and the difference in lifetime earning potential)
7.      Prepare for Success
(resume writing, interviewing etiquette, proper dress/attire/hygiene)
8.      Onboarding
(matching prospective industrial employers with qualified entry-level employees)

I have to admit, that none of this training is rocket science. In fact, much of it feels like topics that should have been taught in high school. Employers expect young people to arrive with a core set of basic knowledge and the ability to apply those critical thinking skills in the workforce – but the reality is not matching the expectation. I know that not every young person will develop an interest and passion for manufacturing, so this training also serves to give those participants who successfully complete the program a confidence booster that they can succeed in this sometimes challenging environment. As parents, we have a requirement to make sure that our kids are ready for the good works available for them today and to prepare them for the future. My purposed work is to educate and inform about potential careers in manufacturing. What’s yours? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Repeatable Good Works

…the same yesterday and today and forever.

(Hebrews 13:8)

My favorite Maya Angelou quote is “when you know better, you do better.” I am learning some things about myself in this process of walking in my purposed work. One thing that I have realized is that I have to have order and structure. I get up at the same time every morning, I start my day enjoying two cups of coffee while I record my daily reflections, and I follow what’s on the calendar. The other day, I had a 6:30 am teleconference scheduled. One of the participants called me at 6:15 to ask about the dial-in number…before I finished e-journaling and drinking my second cup of coffee. After the call, I was driving to my next appointment and wondered why I prefer to do things the same way.

In a manufacturing environment, we say that a process is in control if you can predict the outcome. How do you increase the probability of success? The best method is to develop a repeatable process, where the functions are performed the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This allows you to monitor the progress, measure the performance, and make adjustments for further improvements. This same repeatable process methodology can be applied to address everyday life problems.

When I first made the commitment to blog, I was concerned about the time requirements to post consistently. We happened to have a visiting preacher at our church, and ironically, I had a hard time following his sermon. He delivered on style and pageantry…it’s just that my preferred learning method is for the preacher to present a three point message (introduce the subject, give three to four supporting facts from the bible, and close). This is the same process that I learned for writing good essays in elementary school. As I started to write more blog posts, I realized that I was following a similar pattern that allows me to have the order and structure I need for consistency. Since I practice writing daily, I noticed that I have reduced my process time for blogging from over three hours to less than an hour to come up with a topic, write the blog, edit (although I tend to update grammar mistakes throughout the week) and hit PUBLISH. The next frontier for me to conquer (besides grammar edits) is identifying a consistent day of the week to post, in lieu of this busy family and business season!

When you know better, you do better…the same principle applies in business and customer satisfaction. Customers prefer to transact with people and organizations that are consistent in the delivery of goods and services. Why? Because it allows them to predict the outcome and the probability of getting what they expected. Repeat customers tend to share their positive experience with others who could benefit from what you offer. Over time, the predictable outcome is an increase in activity, and prayerfully, revenue for the business.

How do you use order and structure in order to have consistency in your relationships with your family, co-workers, and customers? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

The Gift of Good Works

A person's gift opens doors for him,

bringing him access to important people.

(Proverbs 18:16)

Do you know the origins of the modern day handshake? I cannot say for certain, but all indications are that the gesture dates back to ancient times. One explanation is that in historic times, an outstretched handshake signaled that neither participant was carrying a weapon. In other words, I come in peace, to do you no harm. I started thinking about handshakes yesterday as I participated in a business development meeting and wondered how I gained access to the audience and the people in the room.

In my head, I hear the words: You were born with grace. That grace is your gift, a divine enablement that gives you confidence to do the work you are purposed to do. So, I sit in these meetings with companies that are much larger than Latrobe, who have more resources, yet I have no trouble communicating what we bring to the table. One of the exercises in the business development accelerator is to be able to visualize, write, and articulate the future state of your business three years from now. In other words, I have access to this audience, not because of who I am today, but because of what we are being prepared for…GREATER WORKS!!!

 

I used to be afraid to share my vision with others, thinking that someone might steal my idea and implement it before I could. As I learn more about grace, I realize that because my talents are enabled from On High, I do not have to worry because what God has for me is for me. My gift works only for me. Sharing the vision demonstrates confidence that I trust and believe what God He is doing through me. And when people see my confidence, they want to help. My divine gift, what I was purposed to accomplish, opens doors for me and allows me to meet the people who are pre-destined to enable these good works.

I have been graced to have audiences with influential people to discuss our vision for educating and training through workforce readiness initiatives. These are the decision makers who have expressed a need to fill manufacturing or industrial jobs, either today or in the near future, and have the ability to hire. We agree on the next set of shared deliverables and expectations and we shake hands, signaling that we are not carrying weapons (or competing). In this instance, concerns of harm are replaced with a shared desire to help both companies succeed and to improve employment conditions in our community.

Each of us has a gift or a talent that was divinely designed for His purpose. I challenge you to work your gift, operate in your grace, and watch it manifest into good works. What is your gift? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Preparing Kids for Good Works

Every writing which is written by The Spirit is profitable for teaching,

correcting, and training in righteousness;

that children may be perfect, thoroughly furnished for all good works.

(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

This weekend, we dropped our son off for his first sleep-away-camp. It sounded like a good idea, when he first got the invitation for the leadership academy. During the week of preparation, I realized that this was the first time that he would be away from us and not in the presence of our family, friends, or church members. I was a little apprehensive, until I thought about my first camping experience…

I was not a member of 4-H or FFA (Future Farmers of America) but somehow, during the summer between my sophomore and junior year of high school, I was selected to attend a summer leadership program at Camp Couchdale, near Hot Springs, AR. No one else from Stuttgart participated during the same week as me, so it sounded like a good idea to ride the camp-sponsored bus. My parents were told to have me at a designated gas-station at the Hazen exit on I-40 for pick up. During the wait, I realized that I would not know anyone once they drove away. I was nervous when I first stepped on the bus, but a group of kids from Cotton Plant immediately invited me to sit with them, and they became my friends for the week (and for a lifetime).

I researched Camp Couchdale to see if it was still in operation and I was happy to learn that the mission continues--to educate and inspire lifelong leadership through horticultural service learning. I do not remember much about the horticultural activities, but I do remember the impact of knowing that my parents trusted me enough to allow me to go to this camp and not wanting to disappoint them. Now that I am on the other side of this experience, I realize that as parents, we try our best to teach our kids to do the right things and hope that they follow suit when not in our presence. I pray that our son has watched our example of when we do not know what to do, we know who to call upon for correction and guidance. I look forward to hearing his stories about his camping experiences and leadership application.

My grandmother told me that parents know their children, who is a leader and who needs to be lead. I feel confident that we are doing good job of preparing our child and appreciate the confirmation from his teacher, who nominated him to participate in this leadership academy. I am no longer apprehensive. Instead, I am excited as my son takes an initial step toward his journey of leadership and training for his good works. What childhood experience do you remember having an impact on your desire to do good works? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Employee-Owned Good Works

Well done, my good and faithful servant.

You have been faithful in handling this small amount,

so now I will give you many more responsibilities

(Matthew 25:23)

I get to tour some fascinating manufacturing operations in my travel. Last week, the intended purpose was to conduct voice of the customer and market research for a specific industrial sector. When the visits were over, I realized that I was blessed to experience a rare phenomenon in my career: I interviewed employees from two companies that were both American-Owned and 100% Employee-Owned.

 

The premise behind employee-owned businesses is that these companies tend to perform well financially as well as stand out as an employer-of-choice in their respective communities. According to The ESOP Association, ESOPs (employee stock option programs) exists primarily exist in small businesses. Because I come from a large, corporate background, I was surprised to learn that manufacturing firms represented 22%, construction 13%, and engineering 9% of the industry participants (http://www.esopassociation.org/explore/employee-ownership-news/resources-for-reporters).

I walked away for the interviews feeling the employees’ pride in their work, not simply because of their jobs, but because of ownership awareness of processes, costs, customers, and market conditions. There was a sense of commitment to the entrepreneur who originally had the vision for the business (ironically, both companies were started about forty years ago) that has transcended over time to employee-driven innovation of premium, high value products and services for their customers and markets. Another big takeaway for me was a genuine concern for safety (for employees and consumers/users of their products) and on the impact to the environment. This did not feel like a company sustainability message, but a true desire to do no harm. This pride manifested, as indicated above, in that both of these companies are predicting profitability and continued growth in spite of the uncertainty of the current economy. To learn more about the benefits of employee-owned business for growth and job creation, read http://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/?p=6816).

 As a newly formed small business, I had not considered employee-ownership as a segment of the business model. However, this is a noble way to reward the people for their efforts in these good works. We used to sing the more you give, the more He gives to you, just keep on giving, because it’s really true! What a wonderful example of sowing into the lives and families of those who support the vision…who by becoming stakeholders may take on more responsibilities for accomplishing these greater works.

 
Are you a small business owner who participates some form of employee-ownership or profit-sharing? If so, will you share your experiences of the impact to your business, the community, or your customers? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Stress-Free Good Works

In all things, show yourself to be an example of good works.

In your teaching, show integrity, dignity, and sincerity.

(Titus 2:7)

Every weekend in July has been committed to reunions of sorts. We have invitations to gather with family, classmates, community, and friends to celebrate. There was a time in our lives when we would limit such interactions, claiming that we were too busy or coming up with some excuse. However, now we are at a point in our lives where we recognize the importance of celebrating and making sure our son knows his village.

One of the things that I hear most from family and friends is how relaxed I appear. I will be the first to admit that since I left corporate America, I have a sense of peace and purpose that I did not experience in my former work. The pressure to live up to a standard model of success that was never meant for me took a toll on me physically. I laughed when I did a search for studies and articles to support this post and found titles such as “how women experience stress: what the research tells us about feeling anxious or sad,” “chronic stress linked to health problems for middle-aged women,” “stressful jobs could leave women unlucky in love,” and my favorite: “stress decreases attractiveness in women’s faces!" Really? So I am happy to tell my story of being graced to focus on my purposed work, which has allowed me to release stress and to start living my life like it’s golden! Ain’t it funny that the way you feel shows on your face…no reunion is complete without timeless EWF music. I dare you to listen to this song and hold on to stress or sadness (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiMH6MegYEY)

There are a lot of triggers of stress in the workplace. I started to exhibit signs of stress when I knew it was time to step into the work that I was purposed to do, although I was not committed to do the work. I was doing a job that had a lot of man-made and self-inflicted deadlines, except it had nothing to do with my destiny. When I accepted that all things work for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose, I realized that all of my experiences had prepared me to walk by faith and focus on my good works. Since then, I have a different kind of worry, save I have peace that the work is from the heart, sincere. More importantly, I found balance to relax and celebrate the good times.

Stress is a natural part of life. Sometimes, its purpose is to trigger a need for a change. Can you identify the stressors that you need to release in order to focus on your purposed work and your personal race? Remember, stress bears no remedy for the problems in your life, so while you’re running your race, keep a smiling face! If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.