CBIL Podcasts | Today's Business Environment | St. Louis Community College

Podcasts are audio or video seminars, interviews, lectures, presentations, "learning snacks" or events that you can take with you.

	2010 State of the St. Louis Workforce KMOX Interview with Rod Nunn Rod Nunn, the Vice-Chancellor of Workforce & Community Development at St. Louis Community College, was interviewed concerning the 2010 State of the St. Louis Workforce Report (available at http://stlworkforce.org) and the valuable research and critical assessment of the current state of the metropolitan area's economic status provided by the report, including the local business climate, labor market conditions, trends and occupation and skill demand. The interview was on Aug. 16, 2010 with John Hancock & Michael Kelley on KMOX Radio, 1120 AM. State of the St. Louis Workforce KMOX Interview Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 9:54 Audio MP3
	Are You Paying Attention? As a service provider, your main task is to pay attention to the customer and their needs. The goal of businesses every day is to create more value for the customer in hopes of getting and holding on to their business. Doing this is simply stated: create more value, get more money. The job of every employee, directly or indirectly, is about serving customers. Are You Paying Attention Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 6:53 Audio MP3
	The Value of Your Employees The way to develop a powerful workforce that is passionate about their work is to create an environment where people feel cared about, where people feel valued, where their personal growth is encouraged and nourished, and where every effort is made to build self-esteem and self-worth. Cultivate the inner relationship with your employees. The Value of Your Employees Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 6:16 Audio MP3
	Love Your Customers In today's environment, it's critical to create and maintain a quality customer experience. Attitude and actions demonstrate to the customer their value to your organization. Here's how to make the customer feel you have all the time for them. Love Your Customers Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 6:20 Audio MP3
	Go Ahead, Make My Day! It's nice to have "satisfied" customers, but it's the "enthusiastic" customer that really counts. Go beyond the Golden Rule of Customer Service to develop customers who stick with you. Go Ahead, Make My Day Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 6:03 Audio MP3
	A Workforce Development Perspective on the Recession Rod Nunn, Vice-Chancellor for Workforce and Community Development, shares his view on what to expect about the post-recession economy, workforce trends that will significantly impact the St. Louis area, and the need to use retraining investments to address skills gaps. A Workforce Development Perspective on the Recession Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 7:34 Audio MP3 \| View Presentation
	Lean Work Processes and the Health Care Crisis Health care is in a state of crisis in the United States. Costs are skyrocketing, quality needs to be improved, and access needs to be extended to more of our fellow citizens. The beliefs and practices of Lean manufacturing are being used to meet these challenges. For example, one major university affiliated hospital reported a 37% reduction in the mortality rate in its emergency room following the application of 5S, one of the tools of Lean manufacturing. This podcast describes the ways in which Lean thinking and Lean work processes are being used to transform the quality and efficiency of service delivery in medical facilities around the world. Lean Work Processes and the Health Care Crisis Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 13:00 Audio MP3
	The Future Ain't What It Used to Be Today's worker encounters a longer workday and more on-the-job stress than ever before. In this podcast learn to identify and cope with common workplace stressors. The Future Aint What It Used to Be Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 10:21 Audio MP3
	Red Flags in Your Job Search Helps listeners recognize (and deal with) the symptoms of depression and lowered self esteem that can result from a prolonged job search. Red Flags in Your Job Search Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 6:27 Audio MP3
	Seven Tips for Successful Job Interviews This insightful discussion helps job hunters prepare for the all-important interview. In addition to general tips and trends, listeners will learn about the increasingly common behavioral interview techniques and how to best respond to behavioral interview questions. Seven Tips for Successful Job Interviews Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 13:37 Audio MP3
	Looking for a Job While Still Working Is it really easier to find a job when you already have one? Discover the pros and cons of searching while you're still on the job. Looking for a Job While Still Working Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 6:03 Audio MP3
	Preparing Your Family for Hard Times Both sole breadwinner and dual career families are encouraged to be prepared for the possibility of job loss by developing a family plan for dealing with tough economic times. Preparing Your Family for Hard Times Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 6:59 Audio MP3
	Out of Work - Out of Control Those faced with a job loss often feel as if they have also lost the ability to control their own destiny. While those feelings are understandable, this discussion presents a common-sense approach to understanding (and coming to terms with) those things that can - and cannot - be controlled. Out of Work - Out of Control Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 6:53 Audio MP3
	Easing Family Stress During a Job Search When you're out of a job, you're not the only one who's under stress. Your family is also stressed, and you need to be sensitive to that. Stress has many symptoms in adults and children, and you need to be aware of them. Good communication is one of the keys to controlling family stress. This podcast provides some tips on how to ease family stress during a job search. Easing Family Stress During a Job Search Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 11:13 Audio MP3
	How to Implement Lean Work Processes The successful implementation of Lean work processes depends upon the vigorous and visible support of top management, coupled with the knowledgeable and capable support of managers and supervisors. This podcast describes a seven-stage, systematic process for the successful implementation of Lean. The process is based upon the belief that the implementation of Lean depends as much upon Lean thinking as it does upon Lean work processes. How to Implement Lean Work Processes Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 13:00 Audio MP3
	How Will Lean Make My Company More Competitive? Reviews the primary benefits of adapting lean, especially its impact on employee engagement and the resulting advantages. It is through an unrelenting focus on driving higher levels of employee engagement (the heart of Lean) that Lean work processes (aka The Toyota Production System) become strongly embedded in the culture of the company and, as a result, drive very significant and sustained increases in both productivity and profitability. How Will Lean Make My Company More Competitive Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 14:05 Audio MP3
	Why Should an Organization Not Implement Lean? Discusses the importance of management commitment to the process and the major ways in which lean effects the jobs of all members of the management team. Many Lean implementation efforts fail and their failure can be traced to three primary factors: First, the leadership team starts the implementation of Lean without an inspirational purpose. Second, the leadership team doesn't really understand what Lean is. Third, the leadership team isn't prepared for some of the significant ways in which their jobs must change as they implement Lean. It is better not to start the implementation of Lean processes if the organization's management team doesn't go in with a total commitment to all that Lean encompasses. Why Should an Organization Not Implement Lean Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 14:27 Audio MP3
	Two Basic Beliefs that Make Lean Succeed Over 65% of attempts to implement Lean manufacturing fail and they typically fail because the organizations leaders fail to recognize that Lean manufacturing is about beliefs much more than it is about tools. The two key beliefs upon which Lean depends are that: 1) all work processes are imperfect, and 2) the best way to improve work processes is to tap the knowledge and creativity of line workers. This podcast examines the operational implications of these beliefs. Two Basic Beliefs that Make Lean Succeed Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 11:09 Audio MP3
	Henry Ford: The Father of Lean In 1950, Eiji Toyoda took a team of managers on a 12-week tour of US automotive plants to learn how to improve Toyota's production processes. What he saw didn't impress him. However, he read two books written by Henry Ford in the 1920s, "My Life and Work," published in 1923, and "Today and Tomorrow," in 1926. In these books, Toyoda found ideas about the nature of work and workers which his company would expertly and diligently apply and, in the process, trigger an industrial revolution. This podcast reviews these revolutionary ideas, developed by an individual who can rightly be called the Father of Lean Manufacturing, Henry Ford. Henry Ford - The Father of Lean Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 11:59 Audio MP3
	What is Lean Manufacturing? This podcast is the first in a series of six, all focused on ways to ensure that Lean work processes stick. All too often, the impact of Lean work processes is very transient, with the process improvements they brought quickly fading, as old work habits reassert themselves. In fact, studies show that Lean work processes fail at least 65% of the time. But this doesn't have to happen, and this series of Podcasts will provide information that can be used to drive the successful, long term implementation of Lean transformations ... transformations that stick. What is Lean Manufacturing Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 6:31 Audio MP3
	Ten Tips For Business Networking In today's business environment, networking is more important than ever. Ten tips on how to be an effective networker are presented in this podcast, chief among them being that networking is about relationships - not using people. Here's how to make sure the right people get to know you. Learn how to set up a network meeting, agenda setting, location, follow up, and more. Ten Tips For Business Networking Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 16:12 Audio MP3
	Preventing Employee Burnout Employee stress and burnout imperil individual employees and the health of a business. It's often the best employees that experience burnout first or most severely. Burnout can be prevented by some structural and cultural changes in the workplace. Employees can take responsibility for dealing with their own stress. Several approaches are presented on how to deal with stress and avoid burnout. Preventing Employee Burnout Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 12:47 Audio MP3
	Avoiding the Perils of Groupthink Working in teams has become the norm in global business. Teamwork often leads to better solutions and decisions, but not always. Groupthink is a danger when dissent is discouraged in groups. Certain group characteristics may lead to groupthink. There are simple ways of dealing with the risks of groupthink. Here's how to ensure that your team's decisions are well crafted and thoroughly vetted. Avoiding the Perils of Groupthink Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 9:40 Audio MP3
	Making Meetings More Productive How can we make meetings more productive, and how can we decide whether a meeting is even necessary? When meetings really are necessary, consider the use of new technologies to save time and money. When you hold a meeting it should be as productive as possible. One of the simplest (and still the most effective) ways of ensuring meeting productivity is presented. Learn how to keep meetings moving and make something good happen. Making Meetings More Productive Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 7:50 Audio MP3
	Making Teamwork Happen Teamwork doesn't happen automatically when you put a bunch of people in the same room. Teams go through four stages of development, each stage having its own characteristics and outcomes. We can learn how to accelerate team development to get to the highest performing stage quicker. A useful tool for accelerating team development is provided along with other characteristics that help a team be productive. Making Teamwork Happen Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 9:40 Audio MP3
	Business is Personal Everyone brings personal needs to the workplace, and business leaders ignore these needs at the peril of the business' well-being. These needs are outlined in this podcast. Meeting people's personal needs often helps the practical business needs to be met. You can meet people's personal needs by changing the way you communicate with them - and in some cases, not much of a change is needed. Business is Personal Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 11:58 Audio MP3
	Generational Diversity in the Workplace Today's workplace has as many as four generations working together. Each generation is defined not so much by age as by common experiences and key events. Generational diversity will affect not only recruitment, management, and retention of employees, but strategic planning as well. Generational Diversity in the Workplace Subscribe \| Notify Me \| Download \| Text Version \| 15:39 Audio MP3

	Center for Business, Industry & Labor
www.cbil.org