Performance Matters on The Changing Workforce by RWD Technologies, LLC

Performance

MATTERS VOL2|ISSUETWO|SPRING2008

Solutions That Perform

The Changing Workforce G E T R E A DY TO PA S S T H E TO R C H O F K N O W L E D G E , EXPERIENCE AND T EC H N O LO GY !

FROM DR. DEUTSCH

The Boomer’s Farewell: Coming Soon to a Workplace Near You PREPARING FOR BOOMER RETIREMENT

It’s All About Human Performance ATTENTION, PLEASE

Healthcare System Not Ready for Aging Baby Boomers

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR During my daughter’s recent high school graduation ceremony, the messages from faculty/administration and the students were very different. The faculty and administration focused on the current state of the economy, advances in technology, and the fact that you have to not only work smart but work hard. The students’ speeches addressed how each graduate must approach the next phase of their lives. Whether entering the workforce or continuing their education, “do what makes you happy” was the focal point. This class started out with 400 students as freshman and ended up with a fairly unruly group of 250 earning their diploma. The fact that we lost 150 students in four years can, for the most part, be contributed to the economy of the area we live but I found it interesting that this generation, the Gen-Yers, really do have a “whatever” attitude and I started to wonder what this means for the workforce they will soon be entering, now or in four years. It is this kind of change in behavior and the fact that a large number of “boomers” will be retiring that we are focused on in this issue. Innovative solutions to reduce the generation gap and transfer knowledge will be necessary for most organizations for the next 10–20 years. BTW, :-) reading! LOL! Sue Varner | Editor Kayla Hartford | Associate Editor Corporate Marketing & Communications For questions and additional information on the content of this newsletter contact Sue Varner at 1.800.677.3688 or svarner@rwd.com.

he main theme of this Performance Matters newsletter is “The Changing Workforce: Getting Ready to Pass the Torch of Knowledge, Experience and Technology.” And one of the biggest parts of that change is the Baby Boom generation’s retirement. That’s 76 million Boomers who will be eligible for retirement and may be walking away from careers and jobs over the next couple of decades. The potential

MATTERS 2 1 Message from

Dr. Robert W. Deutsch Amidst all the changes, opportunity abounds.

2 Preparing for Boomer

Retirement: It’s All About Human Performance Help employees share experience and knowledge. Taking a look at the generation

7 gap—who are we and why do we do what we do?

5 The 3 Intrapersonal Pirates of Performance Preconceived notions, preoccupation and poor perception: make sure you’re not getting robbed.

7 Oil Companies Face

9 9 Healthcare System Not

Ready for Aging Baby Boomers There is a growing need for immediate action to improve the quality of care.

9 What’s on your mind?

Human Resources execs reveal their thoughts on impending challenges.

Manpower Risk Just how severe is this talent shortage?

Dr. Robert W. Deutsch

The Boomers’ Farewell: Coming Soon to a Workplace Near You

Performance

4 Talkin’ ’bout my generation!

A Message From

VOL2|ISSUETWO|SPRING2008

loss of talent and knowledge is immense. In “Preparing for Boomer Retirement—It’s All About Human Performance,” RWD’s Kathy Kleponis writes about how giving an organization’s training program a strategic, performance-based approach will be vital—not only to prepare for the Boomers’ exit, but to give younger leaders and workers the skills they’ll need. In fact, it will “ultimately drive business results and accomplish organizational goals…” Kathy notes three key areas that will have to be addressed to create this outcome—processes, change management and communities of practice. Both the oil and gas industries

are having trouble retaining workers, due partly to retiring Boomers. Michael Bradford, of Business Insurance, tells why making up that deficit may depend on improving managers’ people skills. Another article looks at the impending healthcare crisis, as all those Boomers move into the Medicare system. The problems are daunting. Medicare is cutting physician payments. There’s a short supply of geriatric specialists and they’re underpaid. And there’s relative lack of training for geriatric specialties. As difficult as these challenges may be, they represent incredible opportunities for RWD to make a difference. It’s

up to us to help our clients find and implement solutions that will make an impact on this unprecedented transformation of America’s workforce.

Dr. Robert W. Deutsch | Chairman

Preparing for Boomer Retirement

It’s All About Human Performance By Kathy Kleponis, RWD Technologies

Originally published online in Training Magazine

As millions of baby boomers were coming of age in 1973, Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “New knowledge is the most valuable commodity on earth.” Almost 35 years later, it seems ironic that American businesses are seeking ways to retain the “old” knowledge of the boomer generation.

ith 76 million baby boomers facing retirement, capturing their experience and translating it for a new generation is a daunting task. Such a massive knowledge transfer is about more than passing down the insights and processes that worked for one generation. It is also about ensuring younger workers – who have vastly different expectations – receive the information in such a way that they retain it, adapt it and make it their own. Indeed, how to retain knowledge while maintaining a high performing workforce is critical to sustaining tomorrow’s business economy. There is no one “killer ap” or magic solution that will fix this looming crisis. However, transforming an organization’s learning function into a strategic performance-based approach can create real business value for companies facing this challenge. The end-result is different for every enterprise, but by integrating the best practices of effective training methods and proven continuous improvement techniques with new collaboration tools and technologies, every company can ensure that its learning effectively enhances the performance of its people for generations to come.

Using a performance-based approach to help employees share experience and knowledge will not only help facilitate knowledge transfer but will ultimately drive business results and accomplish organizational goals, objectives and missions. An adaptable human performance program responds to change by preparing for it and integrating several critical elements in real time, including: • Processes • Change Management • Communities of Practice Processes Training younger generations how to use new solutions and technology may not sound challenging to many organizations. After all, this is a generation that has grown up online and on the cell phone. What many companies fail to recognize, however, is these workers do not understand the linkage that exists between technology and the business. While technology design, development, delivery and program evaluation processes are important, just as important are project management, vendor management, performance assessment and continuous improvement processes. In short, younger generations are equipped to understand

technology tactics but often do not have the big picture – the strategy and process behind the technology that creates value – only experience can provide. On the other side of the coin, a real opportunity exists to leverage the technology habits of younger generations to help them make these business / process connections. Recently, authors Dan Tapscott and Anthony Williams discussed the life styles of the “Net Gens” (born between 1977 and 1996) in their book Wikinomics, “This is the collaboration generation… Unlike their parents in the United States, who watched twenty-four hours of television per week, these youngsters are growing up interacting. Rather than being passive recipients of mass consumer culture, the Net Gen spend time searching, reading, scrutinizing, authenticating, collaborating and organizing.” Instant message, SMS, social networking, Youtube, blogging – all are relatively new phenomena heavily used by

younger generations and less understood by the boomers. But if companies can find a way to bridge that gap, they can create a collaborative culture that links experience with new technology trends. Knowledge transfer will not only happen more quickly but also more effectively, as the information will be passed through a medium already accepted by younger workers. An added bonus – companies already have the technology tools and intellectual capital to build this bridge. What’s missing is the culture and incentive to make these linkages happen. Change Management In 2004, the Society for Human Resource Management recognized the potential challenges of four generations working side by side and surveyed its membership regarding the multigenerational workforce. SHRM found that, “The most commonly cited areas of conflict among those who have witnessed it involved… dealing with continued on page 3

Every

minutes, a Baby Boomer turns 60 years old.

©IDC. IT Training Update: Forecast and Training Predictions, Doc# 206286, April 2007.

change and technology issues.” (Generational Differences Survey Report, August 2004, Mary Elizabeth Burke)

By identifying generational strengths, organizations can ensure

Indeed, new initiatives and new ways of doing business always impose learning challenges, but the bigger issue is whether the company’s culture supports change. Typically, most companies do not face a technical or strategic complication but rather a problem of the organization’s execution of the change through its people. Put another way – does the organization foster a culture that encourages information exchange, knowledge sharing and team collaboration? Frequently, companies place too much emphasis on optimizing an initiative and not enough emphasis on understanding how change will impact its people.

By targeting the individual, organizations can increase employee acceptance and minimize resistance to change.

By proactively addressing key needs of the people in the organization and creating a culture that supports multigenerational dialogue, information sharing and collaboration, change management can protect investments and hoped-for return on investment (ROI) on relevant technology solutions. An effective change management program considers the individual – whether they are 22 or 62 – and their needs.

Examples of individual needs might include identifying a credible leader or sponsor with whom they can associate with the change, a reason for changing, appropriate structure to guide their activities in the new way of working, and their need to feel involved and accountable. Most companies will approach these changes from the top down – identifying boomers or members of Generation X who will be tasked with mentoring, training

workers at all levels assume some degree of ownership for their role in the successful execution of knowledge transfer.

There will be a shortfall of

3,000,000 workers between the projected workforce and the number of jobs required by 2016.

©IDC. IT Training Update: Forecast and Training Predictions, Doc# 206286, April 2007.

or coaching younger workers. Yet companies can also turn this approach on its head by tapping the technology savvy and interactive tendencies of the “Net Gen” workers to find new ways to work together and integrate collaborative technology. By identifying generational strengths, organizations can ensure workers at all levels assume some degree of ownership for their role in the successful execution of knowledge transfer. When properly implemented, change management accelerates the transition to the new ways of business and enables a culture that lets organizations more quickly and fully adapt to new ways of working. Communities of Practice SHRM also reported that 31 percent of human resource professionals said that they frequently saw workers from different generations learning from one another. When workers are further enabled with collaboration technology, the speed and ease with which they can learn from each other is accelerated.

While there is no “must-have” technology, instant messaging, synchronous live-meeting technology and screen-sharing capability are especially useful. However, once again, merely enabling workers with technology isn’t enough. When left to their own devices, knowledge workers spend 40 percent of their time looking for information. There is an old story that describes the inherent inefficiencies this fosters: A fellow is on his hands and knees searching the sidewalk in the glow of a street light in front of his house. A passerby asks what he is looking for. “My keys, I can’t find my keys.” The newcomer offers to help and asks the fellow where he thinks he lost them. “Around the corner,” comes the reply. The passerby asks, “Why are you looking here?” “Because the light is better here.” Unfortunately, most knowledge workers are inclined to do the same thing. When we have a question, we ask the person closest to us whether or not they have the expertise we are seeking, which is why communities of practice are so

important. If individuals are naturally going to go to others for help, why not make it easy for them to find the people who can truly help them? This is fundamentally what building communities of practice is about. The importance of taking a disciplined approach to building communities results in community membership that is focused and supported at all levels. When properly

established, these communities impact not only business objectives but the health and success of individual parts of the organization and communities, as well as the career growth and job satisfaction of the individuals in the community. As younger generations further integrate into the workforce, their use of social networking will play an interesting role in creating virtual communities

Talkin’ ’bout my generation!

of practice. Just as younger workers offer a unique collaboration perspective in fostering change management, that same point-of-view can also help cultivate virtual communities of practice. Looking to the Future Communities of practice, change management and process assessment are three critical components to the development of a crossgenerational, high performance

workforce. However, they must also be frequently evaluated against business metrics and viewed as part of a businessaligned learning program. A performance-based approach to learning is about more than preparing for a potential baby boomer exodus. It’s about equipping leaders and workers with the technology, tools and skills they need to continually learn and adapt to change, turnover, evolution and revolution.

As we age, our priorities in life change—those things so important to us at 20 may not mean as much at 60. What’s shaped our view of the world, what motivates us? Take a look below at some very interesting observations! ©IDC. IT Training Update: Forecast and Training Predictions, Doc# 206286, April 2007.

Who are we—and why do we do what we do?

Veterans (1922-1945)

Formative

WW I and II Cold war Fall of Berlin Wall

Boomers (1946-1964)

Xers (1965-1980)

Gen-Y (1981-2000) September 11

Attitude toward authority

Honor & respect Challenge leadership

Ignore Choose own boss

View of technology

Hope to outlive it Master it Enjoy it Employ it

Philosophy No sweat No problem No fear Work & family Feedback & rewards

The two kept separate

Work to live

Balance

Whatever Balance

Satisfaction in job Money & title Freedom is Feedback at the well done best reward push of a button

Work Obligation Adventure Challenge Means to an end Messages that motivate

Your experience is respected

You are valued Do it your way & needed

You will work with other bright people

The Three Intrapersonal Pirates of Performance

THE THREE IIPs

by SAIDAS M. RANADE

With the make up of the workforce in a constant state of flux, this article focuses on intrapersonal factors that are critical not only to the performance of individuals but also to the success of the team—crossing the boundries of not only age but of experience level, work style and personal perceptions. Background Evolution of species seems to work in three steps: replication, variation and selection. Variation leads to diversity and that seems to be the basis for the selection step. So, in principle, incorporating diversity of viewpoints, opinions and perspectives should ensure the long-term survival of any team. In practice, however, some teams are better at dealing with diversity than others. In America, when people talk of diversity, unfortunately the debate quickly centers only on race, ethnicity and religion. However, I have experienced the “us versus them” mentality between engineers and operators, between scientists and engineers, between people from one state versus another, between IT folks and non-IT folks, between plant groups and corporate groups, etc. When our experiences and world views are different, it is indeed challenging to work as a team. There are several means to ensure the success of such diverse teams. Some of these means are external, such as the reason for the existence of a team. Objectives that are larger and go way beyond the individual aspirations, such as landing on the moon or eradicating world hunger, have an organic ability to inspire people to work together. Other ways of supporting team excellence include providing appropriate resources, tools and

addressing the interpersonal workings of the team.

c. Line “B” is longer than line “A.”

I have discovered three intrapersonal pirates of performance (IPPs). They are the enemies that lurk within all of us. They directly affect individual performance but impact team performance exponentially. Although described individually and separately in the next few sections, in life the Three IPPs work synergistically. The Three IPPs are preconceived notions, preoccupation and poor perception.

Answers are presented on page 10 of this newsletter. You may want to read the entire article before taking a peek at the answers.

Preconceived Notions Our mind is designed to detect patterns. This ability was essential for survival under hostile conditions. It allows us to sense danger such as recognizing the roar of a lion or noticing a snake in the path. However, when working with people and business situations the same strength can become a weakness. To experience the power of this factor, examine the two lines shown in Figure 1 (right). Now, answer the following questions about the picture you just saw: 1. Have you seen this puzzle before? (Circle one) Yes. No. 2. Mark the correct answer from the following options (Pick one): a. The two lines are of equal length. b. Line “A” is longer than line “B.”

Next, inspect the situation described in the paragraph below and mark your answer. An international student came to the United States from another country. He was new to the nuances of the English language. Please help him by letting him know which one of the following two statements are correct:

1. The yolk of an egg IS white. 2. The yolk of an egg ARE white. Preconceived notions often manifest outwardly as conclusions. One telltale sign of preconceptions at work is the over-reliance on “absolutes” in our assertions about other people and situations. For example: • Mary is not open to ideas. • Higher profits are always better than faster growth. • Engineers always make everything more complex. Preoccupation This is the second of the three IPPs. Preoccupation happens when our thought process is dominated by events of the morning or the previous day or it could be a long-term obsession that prevents us from facing the present moment with our full attention and full capabilities. This obsessive thinking prevents us from expanding our horizons. As

Think you know the answers? FIGURE 1. Two lines derived from the famous

Müller-Lyer Oplical Illusion.1

A B FIGURE 2. What is this a picture of?2

the saying goes, “If you are a pickpocket, all you see are pockets.” It narrows our focus too quickly. It makes our decisions “imbalanced.”

• A team member who loves Excel and ignores all other formats of communication.

Here is a simple exercise to illustrate the role of preoccupation. Examine the picture shown in Figure 2 (below left) and list three quick guesses on what it represents. Just for fun, show it to a teenager and ask him or her to also provide three guesses. Some examples of preoccupation at work are: • A boss whose only concern is expenses. If you showed him an idea that could make millions of dollars his first question and the only question is “How much is it going to cost?” • A PM who wants you to finish the task as fast as you can, even if it does not meet the quality specifications. • An interruption. You got a nasty call from a client so you drop everything and just focus on that client’s project.

• A colleague who is obsessed with “simple and quick” answers. Poor Perception Studies have shown that our perception of even simple, well-defined objects is skewed by the asymmetric nature of our senses. If we add to that the dimensions of human emotion and human nature, it is very easy to misread complex signals comprising visual and verbal cues. In his seminal book, “The Fifth Discipline3,” author Peter Senge includes this factor in what he calls the ladder of inference. To experience the role of poor perception examine the photograph of the famous St. Louis Gateway arch shown in Figure 3 (below). Answer this simple question: Is the height of the arch the same as the distance between the two bases of the arch? (Circle one) Yes. No.

FIGURE 3. The St. Louis Gateway Arch, St. Louis, Missouri.

FIGURE 4. Premature articulation.4 Imagine the earth has been smoothed over and it forms a perfect sphere and a piece of non-elastic string has been tied snugly round the equator. Now imagine that the string is untied and another two meters is added to the total length, which is then spaced out so that the gap is the same all way around. How big is this gap? Could you slide a hair? A coin? Could you crawl under it?

Here is another exercise to check the reliability of our “simple and quick” responses to a situation. Figure 4 (below) shows a picture of our planet. Review the situation and answer the questions posed. Sometimes in real life things happen so fast that our senses are unable to keep up with the signals. We then resort to selective or partial perception. But even in situations that are not overwhelming, preconceived notions and preoccupation cloud our ability to perceive signals clearly. Here are some examples of poor (partial, selective or incorrect) perception: • The project manager asks: “When will the report be ready?” You hear “Why is the report not ready yet?” • The V.P. of your division congratulated your colleague for her hard work. Your perception: “He (the V.P.) thinks we are not working hard and is sending a message.” • You joke about the MIS group’s ability to act fast. The MIS representative perceives that you are telling her that she is not doing her job. Summary and Recommendations The main focus of this article is the often ignored intrapersonal factors that can have a direct impact on quality of interpersonal relationships and decision-making in a team environment. Preconceived notions, preoccupation and poor perception were introduced as the three pirates of performance or the “Three IPPs.” Next time you are in a team meeting or examining a challenging situation, start by noticing your inner dialogue about an individual or the situation. This presentmoment awareness will act as a deterrent to preconceived notions and preoccupation.

Other ways of supporting team excellence include providing appropriate resources and tools and addressing the interpersonal workings of the team. Next time, before you get into that heated argument, remind yourself of the fickle nature of perception, ask clarifying questions to understand the big picture and cross-check your gut reaction with a brain check and a heart check. Combating these blind spots will allow us to respond creatively as individuals and as teams to the complex challenges facing us today. WHO IS SAIDAS RANADE, RWD LLC, HOUSTON TEXAS? Dr. Saidas

“Sai” Ranade is a Ph.D. Chemical Engineer and is the Manager of Process and Product Innovation in RWD’s energy practice. He has published over 20 articles on topics ranging from mathematical modeling to organizational excellence. This article is based on a motivational seminar that he has presented, prior to joining RWD, to Memorial Hermann IT Department, Louisiana Office of Student Financial Aid, UH Women’s Network, Aga Khan Foundation Walk, etc. In his spare time, as an awardwinning standup comedian, he explores the shadow side of the Three IPPs.

References 1

This puzzle is based on my recollection of a class exercise I did in the early 90s while attending an excellent course called, “Target Account Selling” originally developed by the Atlanta-based Target Marketing Group.

Adams, J.L., “Conceptual Blockbusting,” 2nd Ed. W.W. Norton and Co., N.Y., 1974, p.22.

Senge, P., “The Fifth Discipline,” Currency Doubleday, N.Y., 1990.

Claxton, G., “Hare Brain Tortoise Mind,” The Ecco Press, New Jersey, 1997.

Addressing Talent Management in the Energy Industry

and to implement or outsource key aspects of this process. As a leader in operational readiness and change management, we can also address the issues associated with change which is critical in such a mature and stable industry.

In May 2008, RWD’s Energy Performance Division had its first business strategy session to discuss the power industry business, how it serves its customers, the key business drivers, how power companies compete and how RWD could serve this mature and growing industry.

Apprentice Programs

by BILL ROBERTS

hile many industry challenges were discussed, I would like to touch on one critical issue: talent management and take this opportunity to discuss three solutions RWD brings to the industry to address it.

Before jumping to a solutions discussion, something Business Development Managers are apt to rush into, please permit me to describe the state of the industry so we understand why addressing this need is so critical at this time.

Over the last five years, what industry has not discussed the reality of the baby boom retirement challenge? What is different today? The Boom is retiring now and the rise in energy costs is driving talent into the oil and gas sector. The power companies that have not invested in new and innovative ways to attract, hire, train and retain the next workforce are scrambling. The primary stakeholders affected by this challenge include state and local governments, trade schools and academic institutions, power and distribution companies and consulting and performance improvement

companies like RWD. State and local governments have the opportunity to provide grants and funding to grow industry human capital and benefit from local economic growth. Trade schools and colleges can access grant monies and deliver fundamental knowledge curriculum that attracts students who need education to enter the industry. Power companies need a pool of talent to draw educated, experienced new hires into their workforce. Companies like RWD who offer innovative solutions to design, deliver and manage performance-based training and qualification systems will ensure the right skills and abilities are achieved to support the job and its duties. Now this is my favorite part, the talent management solutions. While the list is broad and comprehensive, I will narrow my solution areas to three: RWD’s Talent Management Model, Apprenticeship Programs and Technical Operator Performance Support (TOPS). Talent Management RWD brings a business strategy model to help guide power industry companies and other key stakeholders mentioned, to determine the best way to approach talent management

With a shortage of craft skill workers, the power industry does not have the luxury to hire skilled workers from other companies or industries. Working with state governments, trade schools and local colleges, craft skills will have to be developed through apprenticeship programs that educate students from novice to journeyman levels. These programs need to be supported by government and union certification to ensure they meet standards and sufficient experience requirements. RWD is working with several state governments and colleges across the country to design programs to meet our clients’ needs. Today, many of the colleges lack the appropriate tools and expertise to deliver these programs. A number of private companies have solutions but they fall short of the certification requirements needed to make them viable for the industry as a whole. TOPS The best practice in the power and process industry for operator training and advanced qualification is TOPS, RWD’s training solution developed specifically for advanced training in response to OSHA’s Process Safety Management compliance requirements. Coupled with our standard training design, TOPS provides unit-

specific training interventions that teach conceptual knowledge about equipment, systems and process unit parameters so console and field operators have the task and conceptual knowledge to adequately supervise unit operations and respond to emergencies. TOPS uses a system of what-if and troubleshooting exercises and assessments to help an operator predict future changes to plant operations and challenges their ability to identify the root cause of process upsets and abnormal situations. This can be challenging when operators rely on instrumentation, automation and empirical knowledge which often is insufficient when instrumentation fails and operators lack conceptual process understanding. Conclusion RWD’s senior management has looked for ways to bundle solutions that require expertise from enterprise learning, performance solutions, managed services and organization change management. To address the talent management gap in the power industry, it will require many of RWD’s core competencies and expertise, business and minority partners, new business and governance models and some future partnerships and companies.

With our client focus and ability to address this daunting challenge, the Energy Performance Division is

prepared.

19% entire

The estimated percentage

of the

U.S. workforce

holding executive, administrative and

managerial positions that will

retire in

the next

5 years.

ÂŠIDC. IT Training Update: Forecast and Training Predictions, Doc# 206286, April 2007.

Healthcare System Not Ready for Aging Boomers

cut will force them to limit the number of new Medicare patients they can treat,” the AMA said in a statement

Report says U.S. faces ‘impending crisis’ in healthcare for seniors

Millions of baby boomers are about to enter a healthcare system for seniors that not only isn’t ready for them but may even discourage them from getting quality care.

“W

e face an impending crisis as the growing number of older patients, who are living longer with more complex health needs, increasingly outpaces the number of healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills to care for them capably,” said John W. Rowe, professor of health policy and management at Columbia University. Rowe headed an Institute of Medicine committee that released a report Monday on the healthcare outlook for the

78 million baby boomers about to begin turning 65. The report from the institute, an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, said: • There aren’t enough specialists in geriatric medicine. • Insufficient training is available. • The specialists that do exist are underpaid. • Medicare fails to provide for team care that many elderly patients need.

20%

The American Medical Association responded that seniors’ access to Medicare in coming years “is threatened by looming Medicare physician payment cuts.” “This July, the government will begin steep cuts in Medicare physician payments, and 60 percent of physicians say this

“We know the problem, and we know how to begin to fix it,” said AARP President-Elect Jennie Chin Hansen. The group said it is endorsing a bill by Senators Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. and Susan Collins, R-Maine, intended to steer caregivers towards geriatric and long-term care roles and create an advisory panel to analyze this critical sector and make recommendations to tackle its changing needs. The report found there are about 7,100 doctors certified in geriatrics in the United States, one per every 2,500 older Americans. Turnover among nurse aides

Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

80%

40%

The study said Medicare may even hinder seniors from getting the best care because of its low reimbursement rates, a focus on treating short-term health problems rather than managing chronic conditions and lack of coverage for preventive services or for healthcare providers’ time spent collaborating with a patient’s other providers.

AARP, the organization for older Americans, said the report highlights the growing need for immediate action to improve and strengthen the healthcare and long-term care workforce.

Contingent labor management

Talent retention and impending shortages are top of mind with human resource executives at Fortune 500 companies.

Offshoring & outsourcing

80% Retaining top talent

60% Impending labor shortage

40% Managing a global workforce

Leadership succession

20%

averages 71 percent annually and up to 90 percent of home health aides leave their jobs within the first two years, the report said. Geriatric care training But while today’s elderly tend to be healthier and live longer than previous generations, people over 65 have more complex conditions and healthcare needs than younger folks. The report urged that all healthcare workers be trained in basic geriatric care and that schools increase training in the treatment of older patients. The federally required minimum number of hours of training for direct-care workers should be raised from 75 to at least 120, the report said, noting that more training is required for dog groomers and manicurists than directcare workers in many parts of the country. And it said pay for geriatric specialists, doctors, nurses

and care workers needs to be increased. A doctor specializing in elderly care earned $163,000 on average in 2005 compared with $175,000 for a general internist even though the geriatric specialist required more training. The report also urged training for family members and other informal caregivers who assist the elderly. The study was sponsored by the John A. Hartford Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Retirement Research Foundation, California Endowment, Archstone Foundation, AARP, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation and Commonwealth Fund. The National Academy of Sciences is an independent organization chartered by Congress to advise the government on scientific matters. © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24107916/ MSN Privacy . Legal © 2008 MSNBC.com

The Three Intrapersonal Pirates of Performance ANSWER KEY

HE CLASSICAL Müller-lyer optical

illusion shows two lines that are of equal length. However, in Figure 1, Line “B” is in fact longer than line “A.” Those who answer “YES” to the first question typically get the second answer wrong.

EGARDING THE QUESTION about the

international student, there is some debate about the use of the word “correct.” Some have argued that from the standpoint of English language,

answer 1 is CORRECT but not TRUE. They may have a valid point but for our purposes, the correct answer to the question about the international student is “None of the above.” The yolk of an egg is yellow.

he MOST COMMON ANSWER to the question

“What does this picture show?”(Figure 2) is a map. Being conditioned by tests taken in school, most people make a false assumption that there must to be one right

On the other side of the healthcare coin, advances in the treatment of conditions such as heart disease and arthritis are keeping many of the 76 million-strong Boomer generation living full, active lives long after leaving the workforce. Other statistics suggest that this population segment is retiring with more discretionary income than previous generations—leaving them with the opportunity to enjoy many leisure-time pursuits, such as traveling, gardening, golfing and biking.

answer. Many people are not even able to come up with three guesses. Kids seem to be better at coming up with imaginative guesses. You will notice that many of the guesses can be linked directly to things on an individual guesser’s mind such as recent events and recent experiences. If you are wondering about the right answer, the correct answer is: “It is whatever you want it to be” or “All your answers are correct.” The above two answers will probably make some readers restless. Our mind seeks resolution and completion. Then again, the definition of completion is in the (mind’s) eye of the beholder.

he way we perceive vertical and horizontal distances is

asymmetric. In the photograph of the St. Louis Arch (Figure 3), the height appears to be more than the distance between the bases. In reality the Gateway Arch is a perfect semi-circle.

n the exercise described in Figure 4, the string around the equator is a good example of the dangers of premature articulation. The width of the gap does not depend on the diameter of the object but only on the added length. In fact the gap will be large enough that someone like Kate Moss might be able to slide through it.

Performance

MATTERS Solutions That Perform

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