The Learning and Development Center
The Center for Excellence
Access New Professional Skills at the Learning and Development Center
In this Issue
Grant Writing Workshop with Dr. Beverly Browning
Due to this month's inclement weather, the Grant Writing Workshop has been rescheduled to Tuesday, July 14.
New Employee Spotlight
KRONOS – Timekeepers and Managers
Featuring Harry J. Hayes, Chief Operations Officer and Director of the Solid Waste Management Department
This interview with Harry J. Hayes, Chief Operations Officer and Director of the Solid Waste Management Department, was conducted and condensed by Mahogany Johnson.
MMJ: How would you say your extensive experience as the director of the Solid Waste Management Department has impacted your approach as the chief operating officer (COO) and influenced your decisions?
HH: I’ve been the director of the Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) for eight years now and I would have to say that since being named the chief operating officer (COO) my approach has not changed at all. As I make decisions in either capacity, in any decision that I make I always ask the question, “How does it impact the entire City of Houston?” Not just from the perspective of how the operational decisions affect the Solid Waste Department, but how the operational decisions affect the City of Houston.
As you make operational decisions, they have an impact on citizens and that affects every single member of council, and the district as well as Mayor Parker, on several fronts. They affect them on delivery of a city service. They affect them based on the financial obligations of the City of Houston, and then there’s an effect on the future of the city, which is, “How do these decisions radiate out into the future?” All of those things have to be considered. Within the past year as the city’s COO, it involves many other departments, using the same decision lens. So as I work on projects, whether it’s with Police, Fire, or Public Works and Engineering, it’s through the same filter, and that filter is operational, financial, constituents from the perspective that we are considering whether or not our city’s citizens feel as though we are working with them as opposed to enforcing things on them. I look at different situations around the country from my perspective that affect how people think they are respected as a citizen and a member of the community, and how they believe they are treated by the local government.
MMJ: What is your vision for the future of your department?
HH: My vision is beyond FY (fiscal year) 16; my vision is ten years out. There are short-range implications, and then there are long-range implications, which primarily deal with the continuity of proper decision making within all of the departments. Succession planning is a key element and we must ensure that the departments are healthy, and that we have the right people with the right focus. We should also denounce the idea that government entities should be run differently from private businesses that are for profit. I think a public service manager has to be a better manager than one in a private company, and the reason for that is because we are all about 90 percent customer service. So, you have to ask yourself, “How do people feel about what they’re receiving?” “How do they feel about their community?” And once folks have a good sense of what they feel they’re getting for their community, you erase certain arguments about the cost of service.
In the private sector, we create a desire. This is an area where we have to perform well in our public service business. The vision for that is always service related and purely focused on people. Our people are the way by which we deliver services to the City of Houston. Whether they are the citizens outside of what we do or they are a citizen within another department. As we conduct interviews and training and development and as we prepare our departments for the future of the City of Houston, we must ask ourselves whether or not we’re making the right investments for the City of Houston.
Our people are critically important when we talk about the future. As I said, it’s not just FY 16, its FY 18, 19, 20 and beyond. For example, we’re currently filling a position within our Solid Waste Management Department, and the decision is based on how the candidate will impact the department over the next five to ten years. I have to ensure that I’m hiring someone who’s going to be committed to providing the best level of service. I have to choose someone who is able to grow within the department and has the desire to be here. I also need to know if they can build upon the things that have already occurred and take it to the next level. At the base of that is the question, “Am I hiring someone who will be here longer than me?” Am I hiring someone that a future mayor should be able to say, “I don’t have to do a national search? The right people to manage and run the Solid Waste Department are already in the Solid Waste Department or the Police Department, etc.” It is important that we have strong succession plans and high-quality people that can step in and improve service at a moment’s notice.
During the economic downturn, we spent more money on training and development. Unfortunately, I’ve always said that most companies get it wrong. When the economy gets tight or funding is limited the first thing they do is cut training and education. It’s far more important that you fertilize the soil and keep it ready for other unforeseen opportunities or for when a growth spurt occurs; it’s like a continuous sprint. I won’t always be prepared to take office as fast as I can from the starting post, so it is imperative that I continuously train and develop my people. During times when we are faced with service cuts we conduct a top-to-bottom analysis, which is continuous in this department. It shows me where we need to improve and whether or not we have the expertise internally. In the event that we don’t, we partner with an outside source such as a local university or private consultant. It is critical that we are always training and developing our people to be ready for those opportunities that we can’t see today.
MMJ: Regarding public access, what promotional and outreach strategies are you deploying to successfully keep local residents abreast of and engaged in the resources available at SWMD?
HH: We have public engagement and community relations teams and those teams within the operating departments like in the Public Works and Engineering department are reinventing how they engage their customers, which was certainly visible during the recent CIP meetings. Dale Ruddick, director of Public Works and Engineering, did an outstanding job in utilizing technology to engage the public, allowing them to review his department’s initiatives as they related to their particular areas. The feedback that we received from the constituency as well as the council members was of gratitude and appreciation for the process. The same goes for the Police Department. Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland and the command staff went through this process of conducting these town hall meetings, along with District Attorney Devin Anderson. The audience was comprised of the general public and a few protest groups who were all permitted to meet the entire command staff and ask questions.
In the finance department, Director Kelly Dowe has created and made available the performance insight reports. Now, you can log onto your department site to see how we’re managing money and generating savings for the city. I believe the public is very appreciative of this level of transparency. We function differently from a private organization that may not disclose that information. What most people want from their government is to not have to think about it. With the Police, Fire, Public Works and Engineering, or the Solid Waste Management departments, a positive response to situations is critical to the citizens. For example, you put your trash out, you leave for the day, and you return home from work only to see that your trash has not been disposed. Guess what? You’re angry at what the government is doing. That is how most people engage with us and what we do here. So it’s important that we get it right as often as we possibly can.
MMJ: For quite some time one of the biggest eco buzz phrases has been “going green.” A lot of people are trying to “go green” and become more energy efficient. From recycling cans, paper and plastics around the house, to bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. Being more environmentally conscious has become a big deal. How is the City of Houston showing concern for the environment?
HH: We are a national leader when it comes to a number of initiatives that we have undertaken. This is a different challenge for us because unlike most cities, our SWMD operates without a service fee. We do not operate a public utility, as we should. All yard waste that we collect is recycled, and we’ve implemented biodegradable bags that have been in use since 2010. At each of our neighborhood recycling centers we have amended our junk ways collection schedule to take more green waste out of our bulky collection system, which is tree branches and clean wood products. That used to be our neighborhood repositories, but we’ve rebranded them and trained the staff to direct people that are self-dumping to recycle that content. Now that we have completed our residential recycling program, all customers get to recycle at the location most convenient for them, their home.
MMJ: There’s far more data available now than ever before and a new generation of tools able to organize and view the data. Organizations are now shaping their businesses around that data. How are you incorporating mobile and data science into your department’s strategy to make for more agile processes?
HH: A good example of that would be our continuous management improvement process that we’ve been conducting with the Houston Community College system for seven years. We complete self-assessments of every leader within the Solid Waste Department. Then, we determine the different personality types within the department according to Myers Briggs, the number of each personality type, and review how each person processes information. As a result, we’ve been able to do group dynamics to determine functions and dysfunctions. We’ve created courses and training together to mitigate such issues. This is a great tool that allows you to find out how your organization is weighted so that you can respond accordingly.
For instance, you don’t want too many rabbits on your team; you need some turtles, owls and eagles. You certainly don’t want any ostriches. Far too often the public perceives us with the belief that if you want to mess up something good, then you give it to the government. I disagree with that. It is a negative perception that must and should be combated at every turn. I think what the administration and Mayor Parker have done with the open data and access has shown the public that we disagree with that school of thought. We’re a five billion dollar corporation. This is one of the largest organizations in the City of Houston. We have 22,000 employees. We have paramilitary operations. This is a very diverse organization that provides a lot of service, then the high test of the delivery of that service is the way we get our money, which is the worst possible way; we take it from people. Therefore, the public perception is that we take money from them, so their expectation of us is very high.
During meetings, I always say to the public that they hold the cost of government service to a higher standard than they do other products, like the purchase of a bottle of water. They freely pay because they believe they’re receiving a better product, but that’s not always the case. For many people there’s a disconnect, but I think public expectation, transparency and engagement lead to a better understanding of what we do. For example, I spoke to a Tea Party group and they were very boisterous about what they thought they were receiving and what it cost them. We had a session where I informed them of what it was that they were paying for. Once they understood, there was a moment of clarity, and some of them expressed that they were willing to pay more.
MMJ: When it comes to ideation and innovative thought, you are light years ahead of your competitors. Having been described as, “a fiscal hawk with taxpayers' money, who has reinvented Houston's solid waste services, all while cutting the department's budget by millions of dollars through performance, operational efficiencies and contract renegotiations.” How do you maintain that competitive edge?
HH: We’re never going to be perfect. There is always room for improvement, and we look for those improvements. We have to ensure that we’re aware of market conditions, such as new technologies, commodities and pricing, as well as the health of the private sector companies we partner with. That’s something that we do here in SWMD and it’s also something that the City of Houston does through our contracting process. By law, the city cannot do business with companies that are going under, and that’s a good thing because we are protecting public dollars. Within the SWMD, we make sure that we understand the full financial health of an organization, their profit margins, and overall performance, so that we’re not overly profiting a company. One of the things that we discovered in one of our solid waste contracts was that we’d kind of given away the farm. We were paying more than any other municipality in the state and we fixed that through about a year’s worth of negotiations. Those changes in the contract structure and in the financial conditions under which the department could operate over the renegotiated term of that contract have resulted in over 300 million dollars in savings to the City of Houston.
Operationally, it’s also benefited the health of our fleet in that we make decisions just as a private company would. We don’t go anywhere that doesn’t benefit our full operation. We went from 60 percent of our waste going to a landfill, and 40 percent going to our transfer stations. Now, we have nearly 75 percent of our waste that goes into city owned transfer stations. The understanding of that is that we get to go into our facilities and dump on concrete and we do not have to traverse a landfill with dirt roads that can cause tip overs, and the other piece is that my expectation within the department is that any of our business managers could go and run a private company just as well as anyone else and be just as profitable.
Those of us who are in the city don’t always consider the size of the City of Houston and what a logistical nightmare it is for our various lines of business. Our city is comprised of 640 square miles and you could fit several surrounding cities simultaneously within the City of Houston. Then consider our operations and compare it against what they would have to cover in all of those major cities. So, our managers have to be very good logisticians to be able to get services where they are needed in a timely manner. They have to have great customer service skills because we have one of the most diverse populations in the world. We have growing languages, historical and diverse populations. In Houston, you can drive 30 minutes and be in a different part of Houston with different expectations, needs and possibly a different language, and we still have to provide that same level of high quality service. That takes some very good people to do that, and I think throughout the City of Houston we have some unbelievably qualified and conscientious managers that are able to do that 24 hours a day.
MMJ: With the advent of a wider usage of new market technologies available, such as anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis and gasification. What considerations are being given to the growing popularity of waste to energy?
HH: No, not currently. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is taking food waste and green waste, putting it into a large tank and introducing biological material that can eat those waste streams. A byproduct of that would be methane gas. This is something that landfills generate through natural degradation and decomposition of the material. That’s what makes bananas turn brown or any food spoil. During this process there is off gassing that occurs, so anaerobic digestion really harvests that gas, which can be used in the natural gas market or even to power vehicles. Pyrolysis is a high temperature burn, and again it’s used to harvest off gases through that burn, leaving you with ash and even with AD, the residue of the AD process is a great byproduct that can be used to generate compost and mulch. The best way to describe AD is that it is the digestion of foods.
MMJ: What have your experiences in municipal government and the military taught you about leadership?
HH: Within the military, you have a very well-defined rank order system. The military is an organization that probably has a policy and/or technical manual for any and everything. I also think about one of the quotes from when I originally went into the military during the early 1980’s, which was from the Chairman of the Russian equivalent of our Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) who said that the American Military is one of the most organized, disciplined and documented forces in the nation. The difficulty in dealing with them, however, is they don’t seem to follow the policy and procedure, meaning the military is fleet footed. So, if that policy and procedure doesn’t fit because the situation on the frontline has changed, then there is so much innovative thought that it’s able to adapt to. That has been a key lesson to my thinking forever and I believe that’s still true today. You have to make the best decision for the information that you have at hand. I think a lot of times where we fail in government are that we have the wrong individual on the frontline facing the customer, whether the customer is internal or external, and they’re a bureaucrat, quoting policy. The policy may have existed for the world 20 years ago, but no longer makes sense.
For me, as a director, and advisor to Mayor Parker, I try to make certain that I am aware of what the conditions on the ground are. If you’re not plugged into the conditions on the ground, you could make the right decision based on policy, but it could be absolutely wrong for the situation. To me, good leadership is being plugged in and knowing not only what’s happening for the people that we’re providing the service to, but also for the people that have to deliver that service. Benny Hill, the comedian, said on one of his shows that even a broken clock is right twice a day. To me that means listening at all times because if you say, “That clock’s broken,” then what about the couple of times that the clock is right? The same is true of information; you shouldn’t discount any information because it’s all valuable even if it’s wrong.
MMJ: How do you get people on your team to live your leadership philosophy?
HH: I don’t believe it’s mine. I think my outlook is common. I have never met anyone who wanted to do a bad job, and I’ve never met anyone who thought that failure was okay or wanted to function in a disruptive or unsafe workplace. Nor have I met anyone who wanted uncertainty in the operating conditions of their workplace. I think that all of our desires are the same; the only difference is the question of how much of that burden one is willing to bear. For me, that’s the piece you have to work on with people in order to determine. I truly believe that everyone wants a happy workplace and stress-free workplace of certainty, and that’s something I strive to provide my employees.
Discover the ins and outs of applying for grants and federal funding from Author and Consultant, Dr. Beverly “Dr. Dev.” Browning
Join us at the Learning & Development Center!
Taking Your Grant Research and Writing Skills to the Next Level (24441)
This exclusive offer is valued at $299, but we have secured a discounted price of $199 per registrant!
- Limited slots are available
- Purchase orders may be used to reserve your slot
Please contact Nickea Bradley at nickea.bradley@houstontx.gov to register for this event.
Co-sponsored by the City of Houston and eCivis, our grant research database offering grant opportunities from Federal, State, local, and private organizations.
*This event will take place in room 121
Tuesday, Jul 14, 2015, 09:00 AM
Learning & Development Center | 4501 Leeland Street Houston, TX 77023
Check Out Our Latest Course Offering(s):
KRONOS – Timekeepers and Managers (25161)
*This event will take place in room 215
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2015, 08:30 AM
Learning & Development Center | 4501 Leeland Street Houston, TX 77023
KRONOS – Timekeepers and Managers (25162)
*This event will take place in room 215
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2015, 01:00 PM
Learning & Development Center | 4501 Leeland Street Houston, TX 77023
Excel 2010 - Level 1 (00025173)
Become comfortable using Excel by:
• Opening, modifying, and saving files
• Creating a new workbook
• Entering basic formulas
• Entering common functions
• Adjusting font and number formatting
• Preparing the file for printing
This course focuses on:
• Creating and formatting workbooks
• Entering basic formulas and functions
• Working with page layout for printing
Instructor Led: Dawn Janis
Price: $35.00
Manager Approval Required: Yes
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2015, 08:30 AM
Learning & Development Center | 4501 Leeland Street Houston, TX 77023
KRONOS – Timekeepers and Managers (25163)
*This event will take place in room 215
Tuesday, Jun 30, 2015, 08:30 AM
Learning & Development Center | 4501 Leeland Street Houston, TX 77023
KRONOS – Timekeepers and Managers (25164)
*This event will take place in room 215
Tuesday, Jun 30, 2015, 01:00 PM
Learning & Development Center | 4501 Leeland Street Houston, TX 77023
Excel 2010 - Level 2 (00025175)
Learn to be more efficient with Excel by:
• Entering more complex formulas
• Using Conditional Formatting
• Sorting and filtering data
• Creating and modifying charts
• Creating a custom number format
This course focuses on:
• Working with more complex formulas and functions
• Using Conditional Formatting
• Sorting and filtering data
• Creating and modifying charts
Instructor Led: Dawn Janis
Price: $35.00
Manager Approval Required: Yes
Tuesday, Jul 7, 2015, 08:30 AM
Learning & Development Center | 4501 Leeland Street Houston, TX 77023
Word 2010 - Level 1 (00023676)
Are you getting frustrated with learning Word? Do you use Word regularly but wish you knew more shortcuts and other features? This course is for you.
Upon completion of this class, participants should be able to identify the parts of the Word window, create, save, and reopen Word documents, modify documents by editing text, apply different formatting techniques, create labels and envelopes.
This class focuses on:
- Creating a document
- Navigating within a document
- Using the cut, copy, and paste features
- Working with paragraph formatting
- Applying bullets and numbering
- Changing the page orientation, the margins, and the vertical alignment• Using the Find and Replace features
Instructor Led: Bonnie Sandberg
Price: $35.00
Manager Approval Required: Yes
Thursday, Jul 9, 2015, 08:30 AM
Learning & Development Center | 4501 Leeland Street Houston, TX 77023
Word 2010 - Level 2 (23677)
If you need to learn about headers and footers in a Word document, then come join us in our Word Level 2 class. If tables give you a chill, then come learn how to create and format tables easily. If you struggle with Word’s mail merge feature, then this is the class for you. You will learn all of these and much more.
Upon completion of this class, participants should be able to use section breaks in a document, work with headers and footers, and create and format tables. Participants should also be able to use Word’s mail merge feature to create letters and labels as well as work with styles and the outline view.
This class focuses on:
- Creating and using multiple sections
- Creating and formatting headers and footers
- Creating and formatting tables
- Working with multiple columns
- Using Word’s mail merge feature
- Inserting a preformatted cover page
- Working in Word’s outline view
Instructor Led: Bonnie Sandberg
Price: $35.00
Manager Approval Required: Yes
Thursday, Jul 16, 2015, 08:30 AM
Learning & Development Center | 4501 Leeland Street Houston, TX 77023
Featuring Dawn Janis, Trainer for the Learning and Development Center
MMJ: What is your role at the Learning and Development (LDC)?
DJ: I am a trainer for the LDC's Learning Development and Delivery Services Section. I will be teaching Microsoft classes as well as other specialized courses. I’ll also be facilitating New Employee Orientation, which will be delivered twice a month.
MMJ: In your opinion, what is the LDC's approach to learning and development, and how does this add to the ongoing discussion about the role of education in the development of city employees?
DJ: I think the LDC’s approach to learning and development is one that encourages employees to further their professional development. There is a wide array of topics in the catalog and city employees are able to pick topics that will help them in work situations, their own personal lives, and even in pursuing different career opportunities.
MMJ: What best advice would you give to recent new hires?
DJ: Go to New Employee Orientation. Seriously, find a mentor in your area and ask questions. Do all that you can to further your own learning and learn every aspect of your job.
MMJ: Prior to working at the LDC, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
DJ: I was a paid note-taker in college. Meaning, I got paid to go to classes for students with disabilities and take their notes for them. Of course, the students still had to show up for class.
MMJ: If you could pick one theme for the LDC to turn into a book about the organization, what would it be and why?
DJ: Learning, because we never stop learning. And the tools that the LDC offers to enhance learning encourage people to enjoy the learning process.
Featuring Erika Johnson, Organizational Development Specialist for the Learning and Development Center
MMJ: What is your role at the Learning and Development Center (LDC)?
EJ: I am the Organizational Development Specialist for the Organizational Development & Auxiliary Services Section.
MMJ: What has been your favorite project at the LDC?
EJ: We are working on so many great projects in the Organizational Development & Auxiliary Services section it’s tough to pick just one. However, a project that currently stands out is the “Ask the Expert” panel series. The “Ask the Expert” panel series is an organizational development intervention that was created based on the feedback from managers from the 2014-2015 Leadership Institute Program. This series allows managers and supervisors to explore workplace challenges through a Q&A dialogue with panelist that consist of department directors, deputy directors, assistant directors and other subject matter experts. Never before has the city had such an interactive platform to discuss the opportunities for challenges in the workplace.
MMJ: How do you balance your career and family?
EJ: It’s often hard to create balance especially when you enjoy your work so much but I always remember that family is first!
VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS NEEDED!
Become a Learning and Development Center (LDC) Adjunct Instructor
The LDC is seeking third-party support on matters related to the Center for Excellence's quality of professional education programs offered as part of our newly developed course curriculum. This information is also designed to help your Learning and Development Center more effectively serve you to ensure that all requirements for course instruction have been met prior to the start of class.
Our Awesome Courses:
PowerPoint 2010
PowerPoint 2010 – Level 1
PowerPoint 2010 – Level 2
PowerPoint 2010 – Level 3
Excel 2010
Excel 2010 – Level 1
Excel 2010 – Level 2
Excel 2010 – Level 3
Excel 2010 Tips and Tricks
Excel 2010 Macros
Excel 2010 Formulas
Microsoft Office 2010 Basics
Word 2010 – Level 1
Word 2010 – Level 2
Word 2010 – Level 3
Outlook 2010 – Level 1
Outlook 2010 – Level 2
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Upcoming Industry Webinars & Local Events
Your Workplace Culture: Life-Giving or Draining the Life Out of You?
In this webcast, Michael Lee Stallard will describe the three predominant relational cultures in the workplace and how each affects your productivity, health, and happiness. The webcast is based on the book Connection Culture: The Competitive Advantage of Shared Identity, Empathy, and Understanding at Work, which is the Amazon number 1 new release in leadership training and was praised in the Financial Times for providing “practical suggestions for employers who want to change their organizational culture."
During this webcast, you will learn:
- six universal human needs to thrive at work
- three types of relational cultures in today's workplace
- how workplace cultures affect productivity, health, and happiness
- three elements of a connection culture
- practices that will help you and your team, department, or organization connect and thrive.
Topic: Your Workplace Culture: Life-Giving or Draining the Life Out of You?
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Host: https://www.td.org/
Register: http://webcasts.td.org/webinar/1639
About the Speaker(s)
Michael Stallard, President of E Pluribus Partners
Michael has a BS in marketing from Illinois State University, an MBA from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, and a JD from DePaul University College of Law.
Website: http://webcasts.td.org/webinar/1639
Next-Generation Learning Strategies for Government
Managing and developing talent in the government has never been more important, or more challenging. In the wake of constant change and unexpected budget cuts, local, state, and federal agencies are under a tremendous amount of pressure to do more with less. With a high number of employees who need training in a wide variety of topics, agencies are looking for new ways to deliver training in a cost-effective, timely manner that meets their individual, institutional, and compliance needs.
Join Jason Marceau, vice president of strategic accounts at Meridian Knowledge Solutions, and learning industry thought leader Ed Cohen as they discuss and debate the challenges of meeting the extensive technology requirements of key government agencies.
During this webcast, you will learn:
- how to navigate the learning technology selection process and maintain vendor relationships
- smart strategies for successful change management and ongoing system management
- tips and tricks to prepare your organization for a secure and rapid learning technology integration.
Topic: Next-Generation Learning Strategies for Government
Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Host: https://www.td.org/
Sponsored By: Meridian Knowledge Solutions, LLC
Register: http://webcasts.td.org/webinar/1509
About the Speaker(s)
Jason Marceau, Vice President of Strategic Accounts, Meridian Knowledge Solutions
As vice president of strategic accounts, Jason brings more than 15 years of project management leadership to work, achieving optimal client results. Through the development, growth, and nurturing of Meridian’s large, strategic accounts, he has helped the company increase and maintain its customer retention rate, win back-to-back industry awards, and increase revenue and profitability annually.
Ed Cohen, Chief Technology Officer, 9Lenses
Ed Cohen has more than 30 years of experience in e-learning and more than 15 years of experience in the learning and performance field. In 1993, he founded Sensory Computing, which merged with Plateau Systems in 1998. From 1998 until 2011, Ed was the chief technology officer and helped manage and grow the company until it was purchased in 2011. During his time at Plateau, Ed published dozens of articles and routinely spoke at learning conferences on trends within the industry. He is currently the chief technology officer of 9Lenses, based in Sterling, Virginia.
Website: http://webcasts.td.org/webinar/1509
Mobility in the Enterprise: Proactive or Reactive?
In many businesses, a great deal of time and attention has been focused on integrating mobile devices like smartphones and tablets into the business. Yet in many cases, integrating these mobile technologies into the business has not gone smoothly.
The challenges are numerous. A few include enormous security concerns, lack of custom business applications, and issues with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) programs. As a result, many businesses are struggling with how best to integrate mobility into their day-to-day operations.
On June 25, in a live, interactive Harvard Business Review webinar, TECHnalysis Research founder and chief analyst Bob O'Donnell will share some of his firm's research on mobility in the enterprise. O'Donnell will explore some of the most significant challenges that companies are facing and offer potential solutions.
If your company is excited about mobile technologies and sees great potential, but is concerned about the challenges and is struggling in any way with implementation, join O'Donnell and HBR on June 25 to hear O'Donnell's research and insights.
Topic: Mobility in the Enterprise: Proactive or Reactive?
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2015
Time:
12:00 PM -1:00 PMUS Eastern
11:00 AM -12:00 PMUS Central
10:00 AM -11:00 AMUS Mountain
9:00 AM -10:00 AMUS Pacific
4:00 PM -5:00 PMGMT
Host: https://hbr.org/
Register: http://online.krm.com/iebms/reg/reg_p1_form.aspx?oc=10&eventid=22688&ct=0011408
About the Speaker(s)
Bob O'Donnell, President, Founder, Chief Analyst of TECHnalysis Research
Bob O'Donnell is the president, founder and chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research, a technology market research and consulting company whose clients include major technology firms all over the world. O'Donnell writes a weekly column/blog for Tech.pinions.com that's also published on re/code, TechSpot, SeekingAlpha and LinkedIn, and writes a biweekly column for the Tech section of USAToday.
Prior to founding TECHnalysis Research, O'Donnell served as Program Vice President, Clients and Displays for industry research firm IDC. In addition, O'Donnell is the author of Personal Computer Secrets, and for 10 ½ years he also hosted "O'Donnell on Technology," which was selected as the Best Computer Audio program in the country. O'Donnell is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. You can follow him on Twitter @bobodtech.
Website: http://online.krm.com/iebms/reg/reg_p1_form.aspx?oc=10&eventid=22688&ct=0011408
Reinventing HR without Chasing Bright, Shiny Objects
HR leaders and other senior executives face a dilemma: buy into innovative, new, and potentially game-changing ideas about people management and leadership, with the risk of chasing the latest bright, shiny objects and negatively disrupting the organization. Or, have the opposite reaction of adhering to the status quo, impervious to any provocative new ideas—a common perception about HR held by many.
But there's another path. In an upcoming Harvard Business Review article, Steven Rice, formerly the EVP of HR at Juniper Networks (and now the Chief Human Resources Officer of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) describes how that company successfully addressed this dilemma. He describes how Juniper Networks became an HR innovator, and the mindset and framework the company developed for testing and integrating valuable new approaches.
On Monday, June 29, in an interactive HBR webinar, Rice will share the key insights and lessons learned from his experience rethinking human resources at Juniper Networks. He will describe how and why Juniper Networks abolished forced rankings, completely rethought the company's annual review process, and along the way has dramatically improved the organization's talent.
If you need innovation in HR to create a more talented, competitive organization but aren't sure exactly how to get there, join Steven Rice and HBR on June 29.
Topic: Reinventing HR without Chasing Bright, Shiny Objects
Date: Monday, June 29, 2015
Time:
12:00 PM -1:00 PMUS Eastern
11:00 AM -12:00 PMUS Central
10:00 AM -11:00 AMUS Mountain
9:00 AM -10:00 AMUS Pacific
4:00 PM -5:00 PMGMT
Host: https://hbr.org/
Register: http://online.krm.com/iebms/reg/reg_p1_form.aspx?oc=10&eventid=22783&ct=0011408
About the Speaker(s)
Steven Rice, Chief Human Resources Officer of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Steven Rice is Chief Human Resources Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He leads the human resources team and aligns services and processes to advance the work of the foundation locally and around the world. He is responsible for developing and retaining an engaged, diverse and inclusive workforce.
Steven's 35-year career spans a range of HR leadership positions along with a demonstrated commitment to protecting the rights of people everywhere and furthering educational opportunities for the under served. Prior to joining the foundation, Steven served as Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Juniper Networks. While at Juniper, Steven led the human resources organization that supported the company's operations worldwide. His focus on People Strategy helped create a community of inspired people, able, committed and empowered to achieve amazing results together.
Steven also chaired the Juniper Networks Foundation Fund, which has invested in STEM education, scholarships for emerging engineering leaders, technology in rural communities and anti-human trafficking issues. Under his leadership, Juniper entered a strategic partnership with Not For Sale, a nonprofit working to end modern-day slavery and human trafficking. Juniper's support, which included innovative approaches that leveraged technology to empower survivors and at-risk communities, helped make a significant impact in the movement, and led to Juniper receiving the 2013 Abolitionist of the Year Award.
Website: http://online.krm.com/iebms/reg/reg_p1_form.aspx?oc=10&eventid=22783&ct=0011408
Are You Ready for the Future of Learning?
From this session you will be able to:
- Identify the most important emerging trends that will have a significant effect on the future of learning.
- Be better prepared to address the rapidly changing needs of your employees.
- Get ahead of the curve and begin to reshape and redefine your future learning initiatives, programs and technologies.
- Understand why CrossKnowledge was a recipient of multiple awards from Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Technology 2014 Awards Program.
Topic: Are You Ready for the Future of Learning?
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Host: http://brandonhall.com/
Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1325356081424982274
About the Speaker(s)
Join Rachel Cooke, COO with Brandon Hall Group, and Steve Fiehl, CrossKnowledge’s Chief Innovation Officer as they share relevant insights on where learning is going and what to do to be successful.
Website: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1325356081424982274
About the Learning and Development Center-The Center for Excellence
At a glance...
The Learning and Development Center (LDC) develops and provides programs designed to empower and enhance employee skills and competencies for improved performance and job satisfaction. Our services also extend to external businesses, organizations, and communities.
Our mission is to build a world-class, responsive and results-oriented workforce by providing the following:
- Learning that meets critical business goals and needs
- Lifelong learning opportunities that will prepare employees for life and work in an increasingly technological society
Facility Features
The LDC is a two-story, 54,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility featuring:
- An auditorium capable of seating 150 with fold-down desktops
- Instructor computers connected to HD projectors and the Internet
- 170 available campus parking spaces
- Break-room area with microwaves and refrigerators
- Welcoming lobby area
- Open atrium for al fresco activities
Email: ldcrooms@houstontx.gov
Website: http://www.houstontx.gov/ldc/
Location: 4501 Leeland Street, Houston, TX, United States
Phone: (832) 395-4900
Facebook: facebook.com/COHLDC
Twitter: @cohldc
A fully equipped conference room that seats up to 24
Twelve classrooms with seating capacities of 10-40 students
Three computer lab classrooms with a combined seating capacity of 33 students
Internal & External Room Rental Request Forms
University of Houston
Texas Southern University
Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs For more information: http://tsu.edu/academics/colleges__schools/publicaffairs/ | Jesse H. Jones School of Business (pending)
Springfield College
For more information: springfieldcollege.edu/shshouston
Houston Community College
Lone Star College System
Sam Houston State University
University of Phoenix
Academic Partnerships
For more information: http://www.apdegree.com/houstontx
Louisiana State University (Academic Partnerships)
Master of Science in Construction Management
For more information: http://bit.ly/1x3NCN5 | Master of Science in Human Resource Education
For more information: http://bit.ly/Up4WQb
The Leadership Institute Program (LIP)
Cross-department Collaboration
A Growing Cadre of Leaders
Houston Employee Assessment and Review (HEAR)
HEAR is a system that provides a clear, two-way channel of communication between employees and supervisors. Work plans are aligned with department goals and the Mayor's five pillars. And employees are able to track and monitor job performance, giving them a clear road map for success. For more information: http://houstontx.gov/hr/hear.html
City Accreditation Program for Supervisors (CAPS)
Administrative Development Program (ADP)
How Will You Measure Your Life?
From the world’s leading thinker on innovation and New York Times bestselling author of The Innovator’s Dilemma, Clayton M. Christensen, comes an unconventional book of inspiration and wisdom for achieving a fulfilling life. Christensen’s The Innovator’s Dilemma, notably the only business book that Apple’s Steve Jobs said “deeply influenced” him, is widely recognized as one of the most significant business books ever published. Now, in the tradition of Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture and Anna Quindlen’s A Short Guide to a Happy Life, Christensen’sHow Will You Measure Your Life is with a book of lucid observations and penetrating insights designed to help any reader—student or teacher, mid-career professional or retiree, parent or child—forge their own paths to fulfillment.
In 2010 world-renowned innovation expert Clayton M. Christensen gave a powerful speech to the Harvard Business School's graduating class. Drawing upon his business research, he offered a series of guidelines for finding meaning and happiness in life. He used examples from his own experiences to explain how high achievers can all too often fall into traps that lead to unhappiness.
The speech was memorable not only because it was deeply revealing but also because it came at a time of intense personal reflection: Christensen had just overcome the same type of cancer that had taken his father's life. As Christensen struggled with the disease, the question "How do you measure your life?" became more urgent and poignant, and he began to share his insights more widely with family, friends, and students.
In this groundbreaking book, Christensen puts forth a series of questions: How can I be sure that I'll find satisfaction in my career? How can I be sure that my personal relationships become enduring sources of happiness? How can I avoid compromising my integrity—and stay out of jail? Using lessons from some of the world's greatest businesses, he provides incredible insights into these challenging questions.
How Will You Measure Your Life? is full of inspiration and wisdom, and will help students, mid-career professionals, and parents alike forge their own paths to fulfillment.
About the Author(s)
CLAYTON M. CHRISTENSEN is the Kim B. Clark Professor at Harvard Business School, the author of seven books, a five-time recipient of the McKinsey Award for Harvard Business Review's best article, and the cofounder of four companies, including the innovation consulting firm Innosight. In 2011 he was named the world's most influential business thinker in a biennial ranking conducted by Thinkers50.
A native of Australia, JAMES ALLWORTH is a graduate of the Harvard Business School, where he was named a Baker Scholar, and the Australian National University. He previously worked at Booz & Company and Apple.
KAREN DILLON was editor of the Harvard Business Review until 2011. She is a graduate of Cornell University and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. In 2011 she was named by Ashoka as one of the world’s most influential and inspiring women.
LDC Tip: Create a Life with Purpose
When the members of the class of 2010 entered business school, the economy was strong and their post-graduation ambitions could be limitless. Just a few weeks later, the economy went into a tailspin. They’ve spent the past two years recalibrating their worldview and their definition of success.
The students seem highly aware of how the world has changed (as the sampling of views in this article shows). In the spring, Harvard Business School’s graduating class asked HBS professor Clay Christensen to address them—but not on how to apply his principles and thinking to their post-HBS careers. The students wanted to know how to apply them to their personal lives. He shared with them a set of guidelines that have helped him find meaning in his own life. Though Christensen’s thinking comes from his deep religious faith, we believe that these are strategies anyone can use. And so we asked him to share them with the readers of HBR. To learn more about Christensen’s work, visit his HBR Author Page.
"Doing deals doesn’t yield the deep rewards that come from building up people." -Clayton M. Christensen (pictured on the left)
Website: https://hbr.org/2010/07/how-will-you-measure-your-life
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*Opinions expressed in interview statements and messages from featured articles are not necessarily the views of the staff of the LDC or employees of the City of Houston.