Thanksgiving message from Jennifer C. Zamecki

Today is a holiday to focus on family, friends, community and just being grateful, meaning being thankful. Today try to practice the “attitude of gratitude:” ! In today’s world, we are bombarded by messages that encourages us to not value or be content with what we do have. As a performance and success coach, it is easy to focus on what we want & what we don’t have. But today, I suggest to be content & just be grateful. A good way to start is by counting every single thing , not only the big items but also the smallest things, that makes your life worthwhile. Include your own inborn talents, style and your own unique tremendous potential. List at least ten positive things you like about yourself and each person you love. You can list your material possessions, but more importantly include people, your neighborhood, community, church, and country. When you begin listing these things and focus on your gratefulness for them, gratitude and happiness will begin to flow outward from you.

Here is a beautiful poem to inspire you.
May you enjoy this special day!

Fill Your Heart with Thanksgiving

Take nothing for granted, for whenever you do
The “joy of enjoying” is lessened for you -

For we rob our own lives much more than we know
when we fail to respond or in any way show
Our thanks for the blessings that daily are ours . The warmth of the sun, the fragrance of flowers, The beauty of twilight, the freshness of dawn,
The coolness of dew on a green velvet lawn, The kind little deeds so thoughtfully done,
The favors of friends and the love that someone Unselfishly gives us in a myriad of ways, Expecting no payment and no words of praise -

Oh, great is our loss when we no longer find
A thankful response to things of this kind,
For the joy of enjoying and the fullness of living
Are found in the heart that is filled with Thanksgiving.

- Helen Steiner Rice

Does Your Front Desk Have What it Takes to be a Top Dental Office Today

By:  Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, DNA, TriMetrix

Practicing dentistry is the least of your worries today…  I am sure that is not what keeps you as a DDS up at night.  Instead, how about the revolving front desk personnel?  Or is it the business management side of running your practice?  Or, how about that vacant dental assistant position for the past three months?

Well, one step at a time…  This article will address what is needed for your practice to flourish in today’s business climate.  In future articles, I will address the other above challenges.

So how do you know if your front desk staff has what the job calls for?  The only way to really know is to first understand what this position calls for.

Well-Run Concepts has been conducting research with top dental practices to quantify what is needed for top performance today by defining these key areas:

• Attributes:  personal skills or competencies
• Values:  rewards and culture
• Behaviors:  how they do the job

We used a comprehensive, validated, step-by-step process called the Trimetrix™ system to determine what is needed for top performance.  This article will summarize our findings to date and here is what we found.

Attributes tells us if an individual can do the job by looking at what personal skills or competencies are needed in a Top Dental Practice.

The Top Seven Attributes are:

1.  SELF MANAGEMENT:  The ability to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.

• Independently pursues business objectives in an organized and efficient manner
• Prioritizes activities as necessary to meet job responsibilities
• Maintains required level of activity toward achieving goals without direct supervision
• Minimizes work flow disruptions and time wasters to complete high quality work within a specified time frame.

2.   PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY:  A measure of the capacity to be answerable for personal actions.

• Accepts personal responsibility for the consequences of personal actions
• Avoids placing unnecessary blame on others
• Maintains personal commitment to objectives regardless of the success or failure of personal decisions
• Applies personal lessons learned from past failures to moving forward in achieving future successes

3.   TEAMWORK:  The ability to cooperate with others to meet objectives.

• Discards personal agenda to cooperate with other team members in meeting objectives
• Contributes positively and productively to team projects
• Builds and sustains a trust relationship with each member of the team
• Supports other team members and team decisions

4.   PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION:  The ability to establish a process for activities that lead to the implementation of systems, procedures or outcomes.

• Defines plans and organizes activities necessary to reach targeted goals
• Organizes and utilizes resources in ways that maximize their effectiveness
• Implements appropriate plans and adjusts them as necessary
• Consistently demonstrates organization and detail orientation

5.   RESULTS ORIENTATION:  The ability to identify actions necessary to complete tasks and obtain results.

• Maintains focus on goals
• Identifies and acts on removing potential obstacles to successful goal attainment
• Implements thorough  and effective plans and applies appropriate resources to produce desired results
• Follows through on all commitments to achieve results

6.   GOAL ACHIEVEMENT:  The overall ability to set, pursue and attain achievable goals, regardless of obstacles or circumstances.

• Establishes goals that are relevant, realistic and attainable
• Identifies and implements required plans and milestones to achieve specific business goals
• Initiates activity toward goals without unnecessary delay
• Stays on target to complete goals regardless of obstacles or adverse circumstances

7.   INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:  The ability to interact with others in a positive manner.

• Initiates and develops business relationships in positive ways
• Successfully works with a wide range of people at varying levels of organizations
• Communicates with others in ways that are clear, considerate and understandable
• Demonstrates ease in relating with a diverse range of people of varying backgrounds, ages, experience and education levels

Values make up the next critical success factor needed, which tells us why an individual will do the job or, in other words, what rewards & cultures are they seeking on the job.

The Top Three Values are:

1.    TRADITIONAL/REGULATORY

Rewards those who value traditions inherent in social structure, rules, regulations and principles.

2.   THEORETICAL

Rewards those who value knowledge for knowledge’s sake, continuing education and intellectual growth.

3.   UTILITARIAN/ECONOMIC

Rewards those who value practical accomplishments, results and rewards for their investments of time, resources and energy.

Behaviors tell us how an individual will perform the job.  We analyzed which of the behaviors an individual should possess to perform well in the job at the Front Desk of a Dental practice.  This is very important information to know in understanding communication styles.

The Top Three Behaviors are:

1.   CUSTOMER ORIENTED

The job demands a positive and constructive view of working with others.

There will be a high percentage of time spent in listening to, understanding and successfully working with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds to achieve ”win-win” outcomes.

2.   FREQUENT INTERACTION WITH OTHERS

The job requires a strong “people orientation,” versus a task orientation.  The job will comfortably deal with multiple interruptions on a continual basis, always maintaining a friendly interface with others.

3.   ORGANIZED WORKPLACE

The job’s success depends on systems and procedures.  Its successful performance is tied to careful organization of activities, tasks and projects that require accuracy.   Record keeping and planning are essential components of the job.

Now that we have a clear picture of what the front desk staff Job looks like, I would like to ask you this…

• If you are front desk staff, do you have these critical success factors mastered?  If not, what’s your plan to develop them?
• If you are a Dental Practice, how are you currently measuring the talent in your front office staff today?
• Do they have the above named attributes, values and behaviors?
• If so, great!  You are ahead of the competition!
• If not, how will you develop them or better yet, select talent that already has it?

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

If you want to know for sure, then run a Personal Talent Profile on yourself or your staff.  Then match the results to the benchmark of the Front Desk Staff job in this article.

If you have a unique culture in your practice, you may want to be more specific and run a Trimetrix™ job benchmark with your own stakeholders.  Then you can match your talent to your unique culture.

Also, we highly recommend running the profiles on final candidates before they join the team.  You don’t want to have the experience as some practices have had… “Our new hire had all the right experience, good references, interviewed like a champ!  But here it is 6 weeks later and she is not working out.  We can’t ignore the fact she is just not a good match for this job and our office.  We made a big hiring mistake, and now we have to start all over again!”

Not only is that a very costly mistake, in hard dollars, but will also hit the bottom line in patient relationships suffering, as well as staff morale.

Well-Run Concepts would like to work with you to develop a scientifically validated system for defining, selecting and developing top talent for your company.

If you would like more information on how the Trimetrix™ system works, or more details of our research, please visit us on the web at www.well-run.com, or email us at success@well-run.com.

Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.

For more information on sales skill training and assessments, visit our website at www.well-run.com or call (877) 566-2900.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a minute and check out our latest newsletter. Go to:
http://well-run.com/hottips.html

Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki

WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com

About the Author Jennifer Zamecki

Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job.  Her specialties include:

• Assessments
• Hiring top talent
• Management training
• Employee selection and coaching systems
• Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
• Job benchmarking
• Leadership
• Profiles
• Talent and performance management
• Talent development and coaching
• Talent selection and recruitment
• Teamwork, team building, and communication
• Validated assessment tools

What Attributes Are Needed To Be a Superstar In Healthcare Today

By:  Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, DNA, TriMetrix

It has always been a challenging task to find Top Talent for the Healthcare Industry but by using the information in this article, that task can become less of a challenge.

Well-Run Concepts uses a tool called the “Healthcare Attribute Index ™” to help us match talent to jobs.  Through our research, this is what we have found is needed for superior success in the healthcare industry today.

The Critical Attributes are as follows:

BALANCED DECISION MAKING: The ability to be objective and to evaluate fairly the different aspects of a situation is very important. How well does Jane make ethical decisions that take into account all aspects and components involved?

EMPATHETIC OUTLOOK: What is Jane’s present capacity to perceive and understand the feelings and attitudes of others or to place herself in the shoes of another?

FREEDOM FROM PREJUDICES: How well can Jane readily prevent prejudices from entering into and affecting an interpersonal relationship?

MEETING STANDARDS: How clearly is Jane able to see and understand the basic requirements established for a job and how committed will she then tend to be in meeting them?

RESPECT FOR POLICIES: To what extent does Jane appreciate the value of conducting business affairs according to the intent of company policies and standards?

SENSE OF MISSION: How motivated is Jane by a sense of giving herself to a higher cause or mission?

Next we have identified six key areas:

1. EMOTIONAL CONFLICT AND DISTURBANCES

Will Jane diffuse a conflict, or will she fuel it? This measures Jane’s ability to resolve emotionally charged problems or situations that involve patients.

COMPONENT ANALYSIS FOR: Jane Doe

EMOTIONAL CONTROL: To what extent does Jane tend to maintain a rational and objective demeanor when faced with a stressful or emotional situation? Will she usually act objectively, rather than impulsively and emotionally?

HANDLING STRESS: What is Jane’s ability to balance and defuse inner tensions and stress? Such tensions, if allowed to build up, might interfere with her ability to perform up to her potential.

INTEGRATIVE ABILITY: Currently, what is Jane’s capability for identifying the elements of a problem situation, understanding which components are critical, and then deciding what to do?

SELF ESTEEM: How does Jane value her own self worth?

SENSITIVITY TOWARD OTHERS: Is Jane objective about being sensitive to others’ cares and concerns?

USING COMMON SENSE: What is Jane’s ability to focus on practical thinking, to see the world clearly and to make common sense decisions?

1. HEALTHCARE TEAM ORIENTATION

How well does Jane work in a team environment? This measures Jane’s understanding of others, her desire to be part of a team, and her overall ability to partner closely with others to achieve the best care for patients.

ATTITUDE TOWARD OTHERS: To what extent does Jane tend to maintain a positive, open and objective attitude toward others?

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: How motivated is Jane by a desire to create close personal relationships with others?

INTERNAL SELF CONTROL: What is Jane’s tendency to remain calm and cool under pressure? Whereas “Emotional Control” relates to Jane’s external actions when stressed, this capacity is an assessment of her ability to remain calm inside.

SENSE OF BELONGING: How motivated is Jane by feeling a sense of belonging to a social group?

SENSE OF TIMING: How good is Jane at evaluating a situation in such a way that statements, decisions, and actions are the most effective, accurate, and timely?

1. INDEPENDENT WORK ETHIC

Is Jane an effective manager of herself? This measures how effectively Jane manages her responsibilities without high levels of direct supervision.

BALANCED DECISION MAKING: The ability to be objective and to evaluate fairly the different aspects of a situation is very important. How well does Jane make ethical decisions that take into account all aspects and components involved?

PERSONAL COMMITMENT: To what degree does Jane usually stay focused and committed to a task? Does this motivation come from within or does she require more external motivation or supervision?

ROLE AWARENESS: Is Jane clear as to exactly what her current role is?

SELF DIRECTION: How clearly does Jane see the path she must take to achieve her goals?

SELF DISCIPLINE AND SENSE OF DUTY: How strongly does Jane feel the need to be consistent and true to herself in her actions? Can she rule her own conduct and remain true to her ideals?

SELF ESTEEM: How does Jane value her own self worth?

1. MEETING STANDARDS

What work attitude does Jane bring to the care of her patients? This measures Jane’s drive to meet standards of care set by either herself, the hospital or other regulatory bodies.

ATTITUDE TOWARD HONESTY: Is Jane open to being honest even when it involves reporting her own lack of results or the dishonesty of others?

CONSISTENCY AND RELIABILITY: How strong is Jane’s internal need to be conscientious in her personal or professional efforts, to be both consistent and reliable in her life roles?

JOB ETHIC: How strong is Jane’s personal commitment to the execution of a specific task?

MEETING STANDARDS: How clearly is Jane able to see and understand the basic requirements established for a job and how committed will she then tend to be in meeting them?

PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY: How likely is Jane to be responsible for the consequences of her own decisions and actions and not shift the focus or blame for poor performance to somewhere else or on others?

RESPECT FOR POLICIES: To what extent does Jane appreciate the value of conducting business affairs according to the intent of company policies and standards?

1. PATIENT CARE ORIENTATION

What is Jane’s orientation to her patient’s care? This measures those factors which directly affect Jane’s ability to provide effective, professional-level patient care.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL: At this time how capable is Jane of seeing and paying attention to details? Does she tend to be thorough in assessing the finest components of a task?

PROACTIVE THINKING: At this time what is Jane’s capability for accurately making predictive decisions? Does she factor future indications into her present actions, or does she tend to be more reactive, waiting until such time as all the information is actually at hand?

PROJECT AND GOAL FOCUS: How well does Jane tend to stay on target  regardless of circumstances, or does she easily become distracted, losing focus on the task at hand?

QUALITY ORIENTATION: What is Jane’s affinity for seeing details, grading them against a preset standard (either her own or one externally assigned) and identifying flaws?

RESULTS ORIENTATION: What is Jane’s ability to identify the actions necessary to complete tasks and to obtain results?

1. PATIENT RELATIONS

How well does Jane communicate with patients? This measure Jane’s ability to listen to, and respond to, the patient in an objective, empathetic and professional manner.

EMPATHETIC OUTLOOK: What is Jane’s present capacity to perceive and understand the feelings and attitudes of others or to place herself in the shoes of another?

EVALUATING WHAT IS SAID: How open is Jane toward other people and how willing is she to hear what others are saying, rather than what she thinks they should say or they are going to say?

HUMAN AWARENESS: At this time, is Jane sufficiently capable of being conscious of the feelings and opinions of others? Does she see the unique individual value of other people instead of just seeing their organizational role or value?

RELATING TO OTHERS: How well does Jane gain personal insight into others, and how effectively does she coordinate that information and knowledge of others into productive interactions?

SENSE OF TIMING: How good is Jane at evaluating a situation in such a way that statements, decisions, and actions are the most effective, accurate, and timely?

I hope you use this information in selecting Top Talent in your healthcare facility.  If you are looking to develop your own skills to be more marketable, work on increasing your effectiveness in the key attributes mentioned in this article:  Emotional, conflict and disturbances; healthcare team orientation; independent work ethic; meeting standards; patient care orientation; and patient relations.

If you would like more information on how the Trimetrix™ system works, or more details of our research, please visit us on the web at www.well-run.com, or email us at success@well-run.com.

Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.

For more information on sales skill training and assessments, visit our website at www.well-run.com or call (877) 566-2900.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a minute and check out our latest newsletter. Go to:
http://well-run.com/hottips.html

Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki

WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com

About the Author Jennifer Zamecki

Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job.  Her specialties include:

• Assessments
• Hiring top talent
• Management training
• Employee selection and coaching systems
• Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
• Job benchmarking
• Leadership
• Profiles
• Talent and performance management
• Talent development and coaching
• Talent selection and recruitment
• Teamwork, team building, and communication
• Validated assessment tools

What Does it Take to be a Top Bank Teller Today

By:  Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, DNA, TriMetrix

It always has been a little obscure to figure out what exactly makes a top-notch Bank Teller.  Well-Run Concepts has been conducting research to quantify what is needed in the position of Bank Teller today by defining these key areas:

• Attributes:  personal skills or competencies
• Values:  rewards and culture
• Behaviors:  how they do the job

We used a comprehensive, validated, step-by-step process called the Trimetrix™ system to determine what is needed for top performance.  This article will summarize our findings to date and here is what we found.

Attributes tells us if an individual can do the job by looking at what personal skills or competencies are needed in the job of Bank Teller.

The Top Seven Attributes are:

1.  PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION:  The ability to establish a process for activities that lead to the implementation of systems, procedures or outcomes.

• Defines plans and organizes activities necessary to reach targeted goals
• Organizes and utilizes resources in ways that maximize their effectiveness
• Implements appropriate plans and adjusts them as necessary
• Consistently demonstrates organization and detail orientation

2.  PROBLEM SOLVING:  The ability to identify key components of a problem to formulate a solution or solutions.

• Analyzes all data relative to a problem
• Divides complex issues into simpler components in order to achieve clarity
• Selects the best options available to solve specific problems
• Applies all relevant resources to implement suitable solutions

3.   CONTINUOUS LEARNING:  The ability to take personal responsibility and action toward learning and implementing new ideas, methods and technologies.

• Researches job related topics to improve understanding, expertise and personal performance
• Continually updates business skills
• Actively seeks suitable opportunities to implement newly acquired skills and knowledge
• Provides expertise, knowledge and information to others as required.

4.  FLEXIBILITY:  The ability to readily modify, respond to and integrate change with minimal personal resistance.

• Adapts effectively to changing plans and priorities
• Demonstrates the capacity to handle multiple tasks at one time
• Deals comfortably with ambiguity
• Adjusts preset plans as necessary with minimal resistance

5.  PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY:  A measure of the capacity to be answerable for personal actions.

• Accepts personal responsibility for the consequences of personal actions
• Avoids placing unnecessary blame on others
• Maintains personal commitment to objectives regardless of the success or failure of personal decisions
• Applies personal lessons learned from past failures to moving forward in achieving future successes

6.  CUSTOMER FOCUS:  A commitment to customer satisfaction.

• Consistently places a high value on customers and all issues related to customers
• Objectively listens to, understands and represents customer feedback
• Anticipates customer needs and develops appropriate solutions
• Meets all promises and commitments made to customers

7.  DIPLOMACY AND TACT:  The ability to treat others fairly regardless of personal biases or beliefs.

• Maintains positive relationships with others through treating them fairly
• Demonstrates respect for others
• Understands and values differences between people
• Respects diversity in race, national origin, religion, gender, life style, and disability

Values make up the next critical success factor needed, which tells us why an individual will do the job or, in other words, what rewards & cultures are they seeking on the job.

The Top Three Values are:

1.  TRADITIONAL/REGULATORY

Rewards those who value traditions inherent in social structure, rules, regulations and principles.

2.  THEORETICAL

Rewards those who value knowledge for knowledge’s sake, continuing education and intellectual growth.

3.  UTILITARIAN/ECONOMIC

Rewards those who value practical accomplishments, results and rewards for their investments of time, resources and energy.

Behaviors tell us how an individual will perform the job.  We analyzed which of the behaviors an individual should possess to perform well in the job of Bank Teller.  This is very important information to know in understanding communication styles.

The Top Three Behaviors are:

1.   ORGANIZED WORKPLACE

The job’s success depends on systems and procedures.  Its successful performance is tied to careful organization of activities, tasks and projects that require accuracy.  Record keeping and planning are essential components of the job.

2.  ANALYSIS OF DATA

The job deals with a large number of details.  It requires that details, data and facts are analyzed and challenged prior to making decisions and that important decision-making data is maintained accurately for repeated examination as required.

3.  CUSTOMER ORIENTED

The job demands a positive and constructive view of working with others.

There will be a high percentage of time spent in listening to, understanding and successfully working with a wide range of people from divers backgrounds to achieve “win-win” outcomes.

Now that we have a clear picture of what the Bank Teller Job looks like, I would like to ask you this…

• If you are a Bank Teller, do you have these critical success factors mastered?  If not, what’s your plan to develop them?
• If you are a bank, how are you currently measuring the talent in your bank today?
• Do they have the above named attributes, values and behaviors?
• If so, great!  You are ahead of the competition!
• If not, how will you develop them or better yet, select talent that already has it?

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

If you want to know for sure, then run a Personal Talent Profile on yourself or your staff.  Then match the results to the benchmark of the Bank Teller Job in this article.

If you have a unique culture in your company, you may want to be more specific and run a Trimetrix™ job benchmark with your own stakeholders.  Then you can match your talent to your unique culture.

Either way, if you are not assessing your talent now, how can you meet the challenges of today’s Banking Industry’s customers?

Well-Run Concepts would like to work with you to develop a scientifically validated system for defining, selecting and developing top talent for your company.

If you would like more information on how the Trimetrix™ system works, or more details of our research, please visit us on the web at www.well-run.com, or email us at success@well-run.com.

Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.

For more information on sales skill training and assessments, visit our website at www.well-run.com or call (877) 566-2900.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a minute and check out our latest newsletter. Go to:
http://well-run.com/hottips.html

Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki

WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com

About the Author Jennifer Zamecki

Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job.  Her specialties include:

• Assessments
• Hiring top talent
• Management training
• Employee selection and coaching systems
• Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
• Job benchmarking
• Leadership
• Profiles
• Talent and performance management
• Talent development and coaching
• Talent selection and recruitment
• Teamwork, team building, and communication
• Validated assessment tools

What Does it Take to be a Top CPA Today

By:  Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, CAIA, TriMetrix

It always has been a little fuzzy to figure out what exactly makes some CPA’s top-notch and others mediocre at best. Well-Run Concepts has been conducting research to quantify what is needed in the position of a top CPA today by defining these key areas:

• Attributes:  personal skills or competencies
• Values:  rewards and culture
• Behaviors  how the do the job.

We used a comprehensive, validated, step-by-step process called the Trimetrix™ system to determine what is needed for top performance.  This article will summarize our findings to date and here is what we found.

Attributes tells us if an individual can do the job by looking at what personal skills or competencies are needed in the job of CPA.

The Top Seven Attributes are:

1. SELF MANAGEMENT:  The ability to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.

• Independently pursues business objectives in an organized and efficient manner
• Prioritizes activities as necessary to meet job responsibilities
• Maintains required level of activity toward achieving goals without direct supervision
• Minimizes work flow disruptions and time wasters to complete high quality work within a specified time frame

2.  CONTINUOUS LEARNING:  The ability to take personal responsibility and action toward learning and implementing new ideas, methods and technologies.

• Researches job related topics to improve understanding, expertise and personal performance

• Continually updates business skills
• Actively seeks suitable opportunities to implement newly acquired skills and knowledge
• Provides expertise, knowledge and information to others as required

3. GOAL ACHIEVEMENT:  The overall ability to set, pursue and attain achievable goals regardless of obstacles or circumstances.

• Establishes goals that are relevant, realistic and attainable
• Identifies and implements required plans and milestones to achieve specific business goals
• Initiates activity toward goals without unnecessary delay
• Stays on target to complete goals regardless of obstacles or adverse circumstances

4.  PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY:  A measure of the capacity to be answerable for personal actions.

• Accepts personal responsibility for the consequences of personal actions
• Avoids placing unnecessary blame on others
• Maintains personal commitment to objectives regardless of the success or failure of personal decisions
• Applies personal lessons learned from past failures to moving forward in achieving future successes

5.  PROBLEM SOLVING:  The ability to identify key components of a problem to formulate a solution or solutions.

• Analyzes all data relative to a problem
• Divides complex issues into simpler components in order to achieve clarity
• Selects the best options available to solve specific problems
• Applies all relevant resources to implement suitable solutions

6.  FLEXIBILITY:  The ability to readily modify, respond to and integrate change with minimal personal resistance.

• Adapts effectively to changing plans and priorities
• Demonstrates the capacity to handle multiple tasks at one time
• Deals comfortably with ambiguity
• Adjusts preset plans as necessary with minimal resistance

7.  RESULTS ORIENTATION:  The ability to identify actions necessary to complete tasks and obtain results.

• Maintains focus on goals
• Identifies and acts on removing potential obstacles to successful goal attainment
• Implements thorough and effective plans and applies appropriate resources to produce desired results
• Follows through on all commitments to achieve results

Values make up the next critical success factor needed, which tells us why an individual will do the job or, in other words, what rewards & cultures are they seeking on the job.

The Top Three Values are:

1.  THEORETICAL

Rewards those who value knowledge for knowledge’s sake, continuing education and intellectual growth.

2.  TRADITIONAL/REGULATORY

Rewards those who value traditions inherent in social structure, rules, regulations and principles.

3.  UTILITARIAN/ECONOMIC

Rewards those who value practical accomplishments, results and rewards for their investments of time, resources and energy.

Behaviors tell us how an individual will perform the job.  We analyzed which of the behaviors an individual should possess to perform well in the job CPA.  This is very important information to know in understanding communication styles.

The Top Three Behaviors are:

1.   ORGANIZED WORKPLACE

The job’s success depends on systems and procedures.  Its successful performance is tied to careful organization of activities, tasks and projects that require accuracy.

Record keeping and planning are essential components of the job.

2.  ANALYSIS OF DATA

The job deals with a large number of details.  It requires that details, data and facts are analyzed and challenged prior to making decisions and that important decision-making data is maintained accurately for repeated examination as required.

3.  CUSTOMER ORIENTED

The job demands a positive and constructive view of working with others.  There will be a high percentage of time spent in listening to, understanding and successfully working with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds to achieve “win-win” outcomes.

Now that we have a clear picture of what the CPA Job looks like, I would like to ask you this…

• If you are a CPA, do you have these critical success factors mastered?  If not, what’s your plan to develop them?
• If you are CPA firm, how are you currently measuring the talent in your CPA firm today?
• Do they have the above named attributes, values and behaviors?
• If so, great!  You are ahead of the competition!
• If not, how will you develop them or better yet, select talent that already has it?

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

If you want to know for sure, then run a Personal Talent Profile on yourself or your staff.  Then match the results to the benchmark of the CPA Job in this article.

If you have a unique culture in your firm, you may want to be more specific and run a Trimetrix™ job benchmark with your own stakeholders.  Then you can match your talent to your unique culture.

Either way, if you are not assessing your talent now, how can you meet the challenges of today’s evolving CPA needs?

Well-Run Concepts would like to work with you to develop a scientifically validated system for defining, selecting and developing top talent for your company.

If you would like more information on how the Trimetrix™ system works, or more details of our research, please visit us on the web at www.well-run.com, or email us at

success@well-run.com.

Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.

For more information on sales skill training and assessments, visit our website at www.well-run.com or call (877) 566-2900.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a minute and check out our latest newsletter. Go to:
http://well-run.com/hottips.html

Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki

WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com

About the Author Jennifer Zamecki

Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job.  Her specialties include:

• Assessments
• Hiring top talent
• Management training
• Employee selection and coaching systems
• Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
• Job benchmarking
• Leadership
• Profiles
• Talent and performance management
• Talent development and coaching
• Talent selection and recruitment
• Teamwork, team building, and communication
• Validated assessment tools

What Does it Take to be a Top Front Office Hotel Manager Today?

By:  Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, CAIA, TriMetrix

It always has been a little confusing to figure out what exactly makes a top-notch Front Office Hotel Manager.  Well-Run Concepts has been conducting research to quantify what is needed in the position of Front Office Manager today by defining these key areas:

• Attributes:  personal skills or competencies
• Values:  rewards and culture
• Behaviors:  how they do the job

We used a comprehensive, validated, step-by-step process called the Trimetrix™ system to determine what is needed for top performance.  This article will summarize our findings to date and here is what we found.

Attributes tells us if an individual can do the job by looking at what personal skills or competencies are needed in the job of Front Office Manager

The Top Seven Attributes are:

1.  SELF MANAGEMENT:  The ability to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.

• Independently pursues business objectives in an organized and efficient manner
• Prioritizes activities as necessary to meet job responsibilities
• Maintains required level of activity toward achieving goals without direct supervision
• Minimizes work flow disruptions and time wasters to complete high quality work within a specified time frame

2.  RESULTS ORIENTATION:  The ability to identify actions necessary to complete tasks and obtain results.

• Maintains focus on goals
• Identifies and acts on removing potential obstacles to successful goal attainment
• Implements thorough and effective plans and applies appropriate resources to produce desired results
• Follows through on all commitments to achieve results

3.  CUSTOMER FOCUS:  A commitment to customer satisfaction.

• Consistently places a high value on customers and all issues related to customers
• Objectively listens to, understands and represents customer feedback
• Anticipates customer needs and develops appropriate solutions
• Meets all promises and commitments made to customers

4.  PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY:  A measure of the capacity to be answerable for personal actions.

• Accepts personal responsibility for the consequences of personal actions
• Avoids placing unnecessary blame on others
• Maintains personal commitment to objectives regardless of the success or failure of personal decisions
• Applies personal lessons learned from past failures to moving forward in achieving future successes

5.  RESILIENCY:  The ability to quickly recover from adversity.

• Continues toward goals in the face of difficulty and adversity
• Handles criticism and rejection from others with objectivity
• Recovers quickly from personal setbacks
• Moves past unforeseen obstacles without unnecessary delay

6.  TEAMWORK:  The ability to cooperate with others to meet objectives.

• Discards personal agenda to cooperate with other team members in meeting objectives
• Contributes positively and productively to team projects
• Builds and sustains a trust relationship with each member of a team
• Supports other team members and team decisions

7.  SELF STARTING:  The ability to initiate and sustain momentum without external stimulation.

• Initiates relevant activities toward achieving business goals
• Independently completes projects and produces desired results
• Requires little or no supervision to stay focused on necessary activities

Values make up the next critical success factor needed, which tells us why an individual will do the job or, in other words, what rewards & cultures are they seeking on the job.

The Top Three Values are:

1.  UTILITARIAN/ECONOMIC

Rewards those who value practical accomplishments, results and rewards for their investments of time, resources and energy.

2.  INDIVIDUALISTIC/POLITICAL

Rewards those who value personal recognition, freedom, and control over their own destiny and others.

3.  TRADITIONAL/REGULATORY

Rewards those who value traditions inherent in social structure, rules, regulations and principles.

Behaviors tell us how an individual will perform the job.  We analyzed which of the behaviors an individual should possess to perform well in the job of Front Office Hotel Manager.  This is very important information to know in understanding communication styles.

The Top Three Behaviors are:

1.  FREQUENT INTERACTION WITH OTHERS

The job requires a strong “people orientation”, versus a task orientation.  The job will comfortably deal with multiple interruptions on a continual basis, always maintaining a friendly interface with others.

2.  CUSTOMER ORIENTATION

The job demands a positive and constructive view of working with others. There will be a high percentage of time spent in listening to, understanding and successfully working with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds to achieve “win-win” outcomes.

3.  VERSATILITY

The job calls for a high level of optimism and a “can do” orientation.  It will require multiple talents and a willingness to adapt them to changing assignments as required.

Now that we have a clear picture of what the Front Office Manager Job looks like, I would like to ask you this…

• If you are a Front Office Manager, do you have these critical success factors mastered?  If not, what’s your plan to develop them?
• If you are a Hotel, how are you currently measuring the talent in your Front Office Team today?
• Do they have the above named attributes, values and behaviors?
• If so, great!  You are ahead of the competition!
• If not, how will you develop them or better yet, select talent that already has it?

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

If you want to know for sure, then run a Personal Talent Profile on yourself or your staff.  Then match the results to the benchmark of the Front Office Manager Job in this article.

If you have a unique culture in your company, you may want to be more specific and run a Trimetrix™ job benchmark with your own stakeholders.  Then you can match your talent to your unique culture.

Either way, if you are not assessing your talent now, how can you meet the challenges of your evolving clients needs?

Well-Run Concepts would like to work with you to develop a scientifically validated system for defining, selecting and developing top talent for your company.

If you would like more information on how the Trimetrix™ system works, or more details of our research, please visit us on the web at www.well-run.com, or email us at success@well-run.com.

Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.

For more information on sales skill training and assessments, visit our website at www.well-run.com or call (877) 566-2900.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a minute and check out our latest newsletter. Go to:
http://well-run.com/hottips.html

Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki

WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com

About the Author Jennifer Zamecki

Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job.  Her specialties include:

• Assessments
• Hiring top talent
• Management training
• Employee selection and coaching systems
• Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
• Job benchmarking
• Leadership
• Profiles
• Talent and performance management
• Talent development and coaching
• Talent selection and recruitment
• Teamwork, team building, and communication
• Validated assessment tools

What Does it Take to be a Top Executive Assistant in the Hotel Industry Today?

By:  Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, CAIA, TriMetrix

It always has been a little perplexing to figure out what exactly makes a top-notch Executive Assistant.  Well-Run Concepts has been conducting research to quantify what is needed in the position of Executive Assistant today by defining these key areas:

• Attributes:  personal skills or competencies
• Values:  rewards and culture
• Behaviors:  how they do the job

We used a comprehensive, validated, step-by-step process called the Trimetrix™ system to determine what is needed for top performance.  This article will summarize our findings to date and here is what we found.

Attributes tells us if an individual can do the job by looking at what personal skills or competencies are needed in the job of Executive Assistant.

The Top Seven Attributes are:

1.  SELF MANAGEMENT:  The ability to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.

• Independently pursues business objectives in an organized and efficient manner
• Prioritizes activities as necessary to meet job responsibilities
• Maintains required level of activity toward achieving goals without direct supervision
• Minimizes work flow disruptions and time wasters to complete high quality work within a specified time frame.

2.  CUSTOMER FOCUS:  A commitment to customer satisfaction.

• Consistently places a high value on customers and all issues related to customers
• Objectively listens to, understands and represents customer feedback
• Anticipates customer needs and develops appropriate solutions
• Meets all promises and commitments made to customers

3.  DIPLOMACY AND TACT:  The ability to treat others fairly, regardless of personal biases or beliefs.

• Maintains positive relationships with others through treating them fairly
• Demonstrates respect for others
• Understands and values differences between people
• Respects diversity in race, national origin, religion, gender, lifestyle, age and disability

4.  TEAMWORK:  The ability to cooperate with others to meet objectives.

• Discards personal agenda to cooperate with other team members in meeting objectives
• Contributes positively and productively to team projects
• Builds and sustains a trust relationship with each member of a team
• Supports other team members and team decisions

5.  GOAL ACHIEVEMENT:  The ability to identify and prioritize activities that lead to a goal

• Establishes goals that are relevant, realistic and attainable
• Identifies and implements required plans and milestones to achieve specific business goals
• Initiates activity toward goals without unnecessary delay
• Stays on target to complete goals regardless of obstacles or adverse circumstances

6.  PLANNING AND ORGANIZING:  The ability to establish a process for activities that lead to the implementation of systems, procedures and outcomes.

• Defines plans and organizes activities necessary to reach targeted goals
• Organizes and utilizes resources in ways that maximize their effectiveness
• Implements appropriate plans and adjusts them as necessary
• Consistently demonstrates organization and detail orientation

7.  PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY:  A measure of the capacity to be answerable for personal actions

• Accepts personal responsibility for the consequences of personal actions
• Avoids placing unnecessary blame on others
• Maintains personal commitment to objectives regardless of the success or failure of personal decisions
• Applies personal lessons learned from past failures to moving forward in achieving future successes

Values make up the next critical success factor needed, which tells us why an individual will do the job or, in other words, what rewards & cultures are they seeking on the job.

The Top Three Values are:

1.  THEORETICAL

Rewards those who value knowledge for knowledge’s sake, continuing education and intellectual growth.

2.  UTILITARIAN/ECONOMIC

Rewards those who value practical accomplishments, results and rewards for their investments of time, resources and energy.

3.  TRADITIONAL/REGULATORY

Rewards those who value traditions inherent in social structure, rules regulations and principles

Behaviors tell us how an individual will perform the job.  We analyzed which of the behaviors an individual should possess to perform well in the job of Executive Assistant.  This is very important information to know in understanding communication styles.

The Top Three Behaviors are:

1.  ANALYSIS OF DATA

The job deals with a large number of details.  It requires that details, data and facts are analyzed and challenged prior to making decisions and that important decision-making data is maintained accurately for repeated examination as required.

2.  ORGANIZED WORKPLACE:

The job’s success depends on systems and procedures, its successful performance Is tied to careful organization of activities, tasks and projects that require accuracy.  Record keeping and planning are essential components of the job.

3.  CUSTOMER ORIENTATION:

The job demands a positive and constructive view of working with others. There will be a high percentage of time spent in listening to, understanding and successfully working with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds to achieve “win-win” outcomes.

Now that we have a clear picture of what the Executive Assistant Job looks like, I would like to ask you this…

• If you are an Executive Assistant, do you have these critical success factors mastered?  If not, what’s your plan to develop them?
• If you are a Hotel, how are you currently measuring the talent in your Executive Assistant today?
• Do they have the above named attributes, values and behaviors?
• If so, great!  You are ahead of the competition!
• If not, how will you develop them or better yet, select talent that already has it?

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

If you want to know for sure, then run a Personal Talent Profile on yourself or your staff.  Then match the results to the benchmark of the Executive Assistant Job in this article.

If you have a unique culture in your company, you may want to be more specific and run a Trimetrix™ job benchmark with your own stakeholders.  Then you can match your talent to your unique culture.

Either way, if you are not assessing your talent now, how can you meet the challenges of your evolving clients needs?

Well-Run Concepts would like to work with you to develop a scientifically validated system for defining, selecting and developing top talent for your company.

If you would like more information on how the Trimetrix™ system works, or more details of our research, please visit us on the web at www.well-run.com, or email us at success@well-run.com.

Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.

For more information on sales skill training and assessments, visit our website at www.well-run.com or call (877) 566-2900.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a minute and check out our latest newsletter. Go to:
http://well-run.com/hottips.html

Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki

WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com

About the Author Jennifer Zamecki

Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job.  Her specialties include:

• Assessments
• Hiring top talent
• Management training
• Employee selection and coaching systems
• Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
• Job benchmarking
• Leadership
• Profiles
• Talent and performance management
• Talent development and coaching
• Talent selection and recruitment
• Teamwork, team building, and communication
• Validated assessment tools

Commitment and Accountability

Do you possess these traits?

By:  Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, CAIA, TriMetrix

Jobs are forever changing in Corporate America. They have become intangible versus tangible, therefore, management is required to define expectations, gain commitment and hold employees accountable.

Organizations throughout the world are discovering how commitment and accountability are essential traits every employee must possess. Without these traits organizations fail because of lack of motivation, high turnover and lack of personal ownership of one’s job.

Employees and employers benefit from fostering a “Commitment and Accountability” attitude throughout an organization. Employers benefit from having committed employees and being able to hold them accountable for meeting those commitments. Employees benefit by knowing what he or she is responsible for, committing to it and being rewarded for it.

As the 4th quarter is about to begin, you may want to contemplate your own commitments.

Personal Accountability is a measure of the capacity to be answerable for personal actions. This includes accepting personal responsibility for the consequences of personal actions, avoiding placing unnecessary blame on others, and maintaining personal commitment to objectives regardless of the success or failure of personal decisions.

Another key attribute or personal skill needed today is Self management which is the ability to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.  You must be able to independently pursue business objectives in an organized and efficient manner, prioritize activities as necessary to meet job responsibilities, maintain required level of activity toward achieving goals without direct supervision, and minimize work flow disruptions and time wasters to complete high quality work within a specified time frame.

Someone who is good at self-management feels energized by their job & personal life.  They don’t just react to their environment.  They carefully let in what works for them using skills like diplomacy, goal setting & planning.  They keep out time wasters, such as ineffective meetings and doing unnecessary tasks. They are in control of their lives. When you see someone who is good at self-management, you might think, they are in control, calm, organized, goal oriented, purposeful, and content.  You might admire them on how much they get done, and how they still have time for all the important things to them in life.

Someone who is not as good at self-management is often controlled by their environment.  They may be in a job they don’t like, take on too much responsibility, or lack the discipline of focus.

A few more skills to consider are:

Diplomacy and Tact:  The ability to treat others fairly, regardless of personal biases or beliefs.  This includes maintaining positive relationships with others through treating them fairly, demonstrate respect for others, understand and value differences between people, and respect diversity in race, national origin, religion, gender, lifestyle, age and disability.

Goal Achievement: The ability to identify and prioritize activities that lead to a goal.  This means establishing goals that are relevant, realistic and attainable, identifying and implementing required plans and milestones to achieve specific business goals, initiating activity toward goals without unnecessary delay, and staying on target to complete goals regardless of obstacles or adverse circumstances.

Planning and Organizing:   The ability to establish a process for activities that lead to the implementation of systems, procedures and outcomes.  You should be able to define plans and organize activities necessary to reach targeted goals, organize and utilize resources in ways that maximize their effectiveness, implement appropriate plans and adjusts them as necessary, and consistently demonstrate organization and detail orientation.

Once an organization is filled with employees who are committed to the job and possess personal accountability, success possibilities become endless. Learn how to discover if your employees possess these traits and how to naturally motivate each and every person in your organization with the power of proven processes.  Or if you would like to find out how you scored in terms of personal accountability, self-management, diplomacy & tact, goal achievement, or planning & organizing, visit us at www.well-run.com or please email success@well-run.com or call 877-566-2900.

Wishing you much success!

Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a minute and check out our latest newsletter. Go to:
http://well-run.com/hottips.html

Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki

WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com

About the Author Jennifer Zamecki

Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job.  Her specialties include:

• Assessments
• Hiring top talent
• Management training
• Employee selection and coaching systems
• Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
• Job benchmarking
• Leadership
• Profiles
• Talent and performance management
• Talent development and coaching
• Talent selection and recruitment
• Teamwork, team building, and communication
• Validated assessment tools

Your Business is in the Hands of Your Sales Team

By:  Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, CAIA, TriMetrix

• Can they sell?
• Do they understand the sales process?
• Are they treating each sales situation the way top salespeople do?

We hope you could answer yes to all three questions above.  If not, your sales personnel are leaving your money on the table.

Before your company goes out and spends precious training dollars on the same old sales training, you may want to benchmark their current sales skills and thinking process.  Why train on “closings and overcoming objections” if the real issues are in “prospecting and influencing”?

Today with the web and interactive computerized training, your organization can compare your sales force with the current top performers through a software report that identifies seven key areas where salespersons are strong and/or weak.  These seven areas to measure are:

• Prospecting
• First Impressions
• Qualifying
• Demonstrating
• Influencing
• Close
• General

The Sales Strategy Index assesses how well they understand what to do and what not to do from 54 different “real life” sales situations.  Each situation was developed and validated by sales professionals to reflect real sales strategies used by today’s outside sales forces.  Some of the benefits to your company will be:

• Simplifies sales training
• Allows managing and coaching to be focused on the areas that produce results
• Builds confidence
• Identifies the sales strategy knowledge areas that are needed to sell a specific product/service in a given market
• Identifies new sales applicants’ strengths and weaknesses
• Identifies specific training or management needs of a salesperson or force

In today’s competitive market, make sure your sales team has the skills they need to achieve the results you want.

For more information on sales skill training and assessments, visit our website at www.well-run.com or call (805) 566-2900.

Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a minute and check out our latest newsletter. Go to:
http://well-run.com/hottips.html

Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki

WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com

About the Author Jennifer Zamecki

Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job.  Her specialties include:

• Assessments
• Hiring top talent
• Management training
• Employee selection and coaching systems
• Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
• Job benchmarking
• Leadership
• Profiles
• Talent and performance management
• Talent development and coaching
• Talent selection and recruitment
• Teamwork, team building, and communication
• Validated assessment tools

Higher Education Today

By: Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, CAIA, TriMetrix

Current research shows that great achievers throughout history have mastered the skills of self management and personal accountability.

Self management is the ability to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames. Ask yourself these following questions and if you have really mastered the skill of self management. Have you ever faced a day in which you just couldn’t get everything done that you had planned? How did you handle it? Do you consider yourself to be a good time manager? How much time do you spend getting organized on a daily basis? When do you do it? What impact do you think this habit has on your results? What is the difference between activity and results? How do you personally define this difference?

If you are considering going back to school for additional education, before you commit yourself, take a serious look at your self management skills.

Personal accountability is a measure of the capacity to be answerable for personal actions. Think of an example of a situation where others had made an error or mistake and you had to take the blame for their actions. How did you feel about doing that? What is the worst business decision you have ever made? What made it the worst? Would knowing what you do now have helped you to avoid making that decision? Think of a lesson you have learned from making a mistake. What did you do differently going forward? What person from history do you most admire for taking the blame for a failure? What did taking the blame do for that person?

These are more questions to ponder before deciding on the type of environment and system of learning you would like to pursue.

What is your motivation for higher education at this moment in your life? What’s your passion?

Theoretical rewards those who value knowledge for knowledge’s sake, continuing education and intellectual growth. Which is more important, action or knowledge? Would you consider yourself to be an expert in something? What is it? How did you go about gaining the knowledge? What do you especially like or enjoy about learning things? What topics or subjects do you enjoy? How comfortable are you in taking the time, energy and effort required to master a subject or topic you currently know very little about? How about one in which you have very little interest?

Traditional rewards those who value traditions inherent in social structure, rules, regulations and principles. Before you decide on a more “traditional” education system, ask yourself these questions. Is there an absolute right and absolute wrong? How do you decide what is right and what is wrong? How do you feel about rules? Have there been situations in your work experience when you were absolutely convinced that your rules or standards were superior to others? If so, why were they better? Were you able to convince them yours were better? Do you sometimes feel that things would be easier and better if there were fewer rules and procedures?

If you like a very structured environment, that is a defined system, then you may want to pursue your studies in a traditional educational system. If not, there are other alternatives today that focus more on the aesthetics of learning.

Aesthetic rewards those who value balance in their lives, creative self-expression, beauty and nature. How would you rank the importance of creativity and self-expression in your work? How do you personally express your unique creative side? Within your work environment, what single event, problem and/or unexpected situation has the potential to throw you off balance more than anything else? Describe your strategy for achieving and maintaining a comfortable level of balance and harmony in your life. What would you say you are most sensitive to in your work environment and/or in general?

These questions will help guide you to a more alternative educational program. Before you sign up for your next degree or classes, please spend some time reflecting on the questions I’ve posed.

If you would like to find out currently what your passions, skills and behaviors are, please visit us on the web at: www.Well-Run.com or email us at: success@Well-Run.com. We can help you discover your full potential.

Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a minute and check out our latest newsletter. Go to:
http://well-run.com/hottips.html

Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki

WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com

About the Author Jennifer Zamecki

Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job. Her specialties include:

• Assessments
• Hiring top talent
• Management training
• Employee selection and coaching systems
• Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
• Job benchmarking
• Leadership
• Profiles
• Talent and performance management
• Talent development and coaching
• Talent selection and recruitment
• Teamwork, team building, and communication
• Validated assessment tools