Downsizing- The Crystal Ball of Global Competition

Downsizing-The Crystal Ball of Global Competition

Daniel J. Stone

Ohio Dominican University

Abstract.

     It is debated that downsizing is good or bad for today’s workforce.  Positive aspects of downsizing are a valuable managerial weapon since it reduces organizational costs fast and effectively, businesses are allowed to reallocate resources, and streamline productivity.  On the other hand, negative aspects of downsizing are psychological toll on those that were eliminated and by those that survived, increase in stress, and a sullied reputation in the eyes of those in labor and stock market.

      A mere four years ago, people throughout the world experienced a financial meltdown of epidemic proportions which triggered the “Great Recession.”  The events that took place in 2008 did not discriminate as Baby Boomers on the verge of retirement had their 401K savings evaporate overnight; Gen-Xers on the verge of starting families had to put their dreams on hold.  It was as if someone either lost a job or knew of someone firsthand who lost their job around that time. 

     Downsizing was the answer to the financial meltdown of 2008 and can be traced as far back as the 1950s.  In the 1980s, American businesses were forced into the practice of downsizing due to accelerated growing from international competitors and the growing complexity of the global economy.  Those in favor of downsizing view it as a valuable managerial weapon since it reduces organizational costs fast and effectively.  Also, downsizing allowed businesses to reallocate resources and streamlines productivity which otherwise was impeded due to a lack of competition and complacency.  On the other hand, those against downsizing view the practice as a violation of the psychological contract and break the trust between the employer and employee.  Survivors of a downsizing have increased stress and anxiety levels.  Also, a corporation that has masses of employees laid off end up with a sullied reputation in the eyes of those in labor and stock market (Street and Street, 2010).

     In the early 1980s, the American market became more competitive due to an increase of goods and services being readily available from international competitors.  Japanese auto manufacturers such as Toyota and Honda, for example, began producing products for the American market within the US around that time.  In doing so, Americans were exposed to products that were fashionable, could be relied upon, and were durable.  In comparing the “Big Three” American automakers, to Japanese automakers, the American automakers have been slow to bring new vehicles to the market, while the Japanese are also considered the leader at producing smaller, fuel-efficient cars.  All of this is being done with a non-unionized workforce largely found in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas.  As a result, the Japanese automakers continue to enjoy a cost advantage over the Big Three (CBC News, 2009).

     Downsizing has been the legitimate and strategic solution to the increase in competition and complexity of the global economy.  When an organization is in decline, costs need to be cut, performance needs to be improved, and downsizing has been the legitimate and strategic solution to this problem.  Payroll is by far the biggest cost to an employer and by reducing this cost with downsizing, a declining organization and correct and align itself with the situation and those that survive the layoff are put in a situation to produce and the highest level (Mellahi, K. and Wilkinson, A. 2004).
     An organization that has been downsized takes on a persona of a new organization.  Positions are merged, resources are more regarded and buy in to the organization’s plan is evaluated and reemerged with renowned spirit.  Downsizing with a well conceived strategy ensures that resources are reallocated and productivity is streamlined.  This could be done by the head of an organization also doubling as in another administrative position, multiple levels usually taught individually being taught together to keep hours to a minimum.  Another example of this is to centralize equipment and machinery so that only supplies are being used when it is absolutely necessary (Street and Street, 2010).
     On the other hand, downsizing takes a psychological toll on those that were eliminated and by those that survived.  To have an employer break that trust can be psychologically overwhelming.  After all, an employee spends more time at the workplace with co-workers than they do in their homes with their family.  Staying committed to make their employer the best that it can be takes total buy-in and dedication (Street and Street, 2010).
     Survivors of a reduced workforce experience an increase in stress.  Positions were initially created with job descriptions to occupy a regular work week yet positions are merged with the expectation that goods and services will be produced and provided in the same way.  Leaders of downsized organizations fail to realize that just because the workforce is reduced doesn’t mean that the work left with the eliminated workforce.  Those that stay behind end up doing the work of two people and are expected to continue to put their best foot forward with one of their legs tied behind their back (Street and Street, 2010).
     The traditional manufacturing state such as South Carolina has had an unemployment rate that has exceeded the national average since 2001.  It was around that time that manufacturing plants operating in the state began to downsize operations by shipping jobs overseas, mainly to China (Wenger, 2008).  The backlash throughout the US towards Chinese products sold in the US was intense and as a result, American manufacturers began labeling their products with “China-free” labels.  Resentment from unemployed workers towards competitive products from China to be sullied as a result of downsizing (Douaud, 2007).
     In conclusion, downsizing is a trend that is here to stay due to global competition, cost reduction and performance improvements, and providing a new start to an organization due to the conceived strategy ensures that resources are reallocated and productivity is streamlined.  The downfall of downsizing is psychological repercussions, increased stress from those that survived a downsizing, and negative publicity from the labor and stock markets towards the corporation that has jettisoned a large number of employees.  Downsizing is good in maximizing profits but bad in various humanitarian aspects such as psychological tolls, extra stress and anxiety. 
     In reflecting the consideration the ethical implications of downsizing I have been a casualty and a survivor of downsizing.  As a casualty, my initial feeling was one of anger and betrayal.  Furthermore, I was embarrassed because I then had my close group of family and friends worried how I was going to make ends meet.  As a person who possesses intropunitive characteristics which is to blame myself too harshly when I fail, I found the decision to being downsized personal rather than strategic.  For example, I questioned what I did to deserve a lay off, how I could have better protected myself, in comparison to one of my colleagues who survived.  As time went on, I later found the layoff as a blessing as it gave me the chance to pursue what my calling and passion really is.  Two years later, I was living in a different state leading an organization in a start up branch office.  In this situation, I experienced the survivor side of downsizing since I was expected to do so much with so little manpower.  Not being one to complain, I bought into the company’s philosophy and gave it my all.  In doing so, my shortcomings which everybody has were exposed.  On the other hand, other than the psychological issues that came with being baptized by fire by being thrown into the deep end and have found a way to carry on, my spirit was renewed as one of being totally committed to the cause.  The issue is dealing with those that do not share the same commitment as I do and how I can process their lack of dedication in a way that doesn’t cause friction. 
     My personal belief of downsizing is that the trend of letting good people go is inevitable.  I do not agree that downsizing is the way forward since more careful considerations need to be made when a job is created, a company expands their services, and adds extra branches.  When given a person the work of two people, that person will manage to carry on for the short term but in the end, the person will feel cheated, and no longer put up with the situation and move on.  Therefore, downsizing needs to be done away with and solid business practices that minimize the hard feelings, in particular the feeling of being cheated, where humanitarian aspects are the focal point are the norm.  People are the most important part of an organization and when they are not treated well, companies that downsize may have to downsize all the way to the point of going out of business.
     To substantiate my perspective with facts and research, Southwest Airlines has a positive reputation in the eyes of its employees.  This is because Southwest Airlines hires someone based on their attitude and then trains them for the skills needed to do their job.  Not only are they trained, they are also empowered.  This combination of attitude, training, and empowerment is Southwest Airline’s blueprint to building a confident worker who makes the right decisions (Campbell, 2010). 
     This approach illustrates the unwritten psychological contract between employer and employee.  In the aftermath of 9/11 Southwest Airlines emerged as the only American airline company that remained in the black every quarter and didn’t furlough a single employee.  Because of Southwest Airline’s solid business practices there was no need to downsize when nearly all of the other American airline companies were laying off people in droves, filing for bankruptcy, or going out of business.  Southwest Airlines has continued to carry on as a leader in domestic air travel in the markets that it serves (Serwer, 2004). 

References.

Campbell, S. (2010).  How Southwest Airlines Became a Model for Customer Loyalty. 

Retrieved from:  http://www.tmcnet.com/channels/customer-support-software/articles/87080-how-southwest-airlines-became-model-customer-loyalty.htm

Dattner, B. & Hogan, R. (2011).  Harvard Business Review, April 2011, Vol. 89 Issue 4, p117-

121.

Douaud, C. (2007).  ‘China Free’ Labels Stokes Import Debate.  Retrieved from:

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Industry/China-free-label-stokes-import-debate

Mellahi, K. and Wilkinson, A. (2004) Downsizing and Innovation Output: A Review of

Literature and Research Propositions, BAM Paper 2004, British Academy of Management.

Richards, T. (2009).  The used-to-be Big Three:  U.S. automakers struggling with sliding sales,

labor woes.  Retrieved from: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2009/02/17/f-bigthreeupdate.html

Serwer, A. (2004).  Southwest Airlines: The Hottest Thing in the Sky Through change at the top,   through 9/11, in a lousy industry, it keeps winning Most Admired kudos. How?  Retrieved from CNN.  http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2004/03/08/363700/index.htm

 Street, M and Street, V. (2010).  Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Management, Third Edition.

 Wenger, Y. (2008).  Why is S.C. unemployment rate so high?  Retrieved from: The Post

and Courier:  http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20081230/PC1602/312309927

http://daniel-j-stone.blogspot.com (C) 2009-12

CEO’s Compensation- Too much with little to show for it

CEO’s Compensation- Too much with little to show for it

Daniel J. Stone

Ohio Dominican University

Abstract.

It is debated that the compensation that a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) makes is excessive.  Those in favor of the excessive salaries justify this due to a weak pool of qualified CEOs to choose from.  The knowledge and leadership talent that a CEO possesses is retained due to the hefty salaries.  Also, the high salaries are driven by competition between private equity firms and publicly traded companies.  With this being said, there are several indicators that would suggest that CEOs in corporate America are overcompensated and while they are making in a day what the average American worker makes in a year, corporations are cutting staff and those corporations are underperforming. 

Keywords:  Chief Executive Officers, average American worker, excessive salaries, weak pool of CEOs, knowledge and leadership talent, driven by competition, staff reduction, underperformance. 

            A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) bears great responsibility, risk, and blame for a company’s successes and failures.  By law, the President of the US earns the highest salary in the federal government.  CEOs in corporate America are the highest paid individuals in the world.  Advocates for the CEOs high salaries justify this due to a weak pool of qualified CEOs to choose from.  On the other hand, CEOs in corporate America are overcompensated since they can make as much in one day than the average worker at the firm makes the entire year (Street and Street, 2010). 

Statistics show that CEOs are overcompensated in the US.  In comparing the 20 highest paid European managers to the 20-highest paid American managers; the European managers only make 33% of what the American manager makes.  In Japan, a CEO makes approximately 15 times what the lowest worker makes.  The same can be said about CEOs in corporate America versus the CEOs of non-business sectors.  In taking the top earners of the federal government’s executive and legislative branches, military leaders, and non-profit CEOs earn only 3.4% of what the top earners in corporate America.  (Street and Street, 2010). 

            On the other hand, the excessive salaries for CEOs are justified.  Currently, the market for solid CEOs is competitive and wage-increasing bidding wars are the norm.  Therefore, in making a case for the current CEO pay scales is two-fold.  First, CEOs are paid the salaries that they are paid so that the knowledge and leadership talent that a CEO possesses is retained.  Second, there is strong competition between private equity firms and publicly traded companies.  Attracting and retaining the employees who generate value for the shareholders is worth the return on investment for the pay that the CEO earns (Street and Street, 2010). 

            Having said this, the current compensation for CEOs is very excessive.  CEOs of major US companies earned as much money from one day’s worth of work as the average worker made over the course of an entire year.  If the average American worker earns approximately $30,000 per year and the average ratio of a CEO’s salary when compared to the average worker is 364:1, the CEO is making $10.8 million per year (Street and Street, 2010). 

            Furthermore, there is a lot of skepticism of CEO pay after the corporate scandals such as the HealthSouth corporate accounting scandal.  Also, the CEOs salary is not linked to performance.  In the middle of the sub-prime mortgage crisis, failing CEOs walked away with hundreds of millions of dollars (Weiss, 2009). 

            Excessive salaries for CEOs can be said about local government CEOs.  Ed Driggers is the City Administrator of a municipal government in the rural state of South Carolina.  It was reported in 2011 that Mr. Driggers was making $153,724 annually.  (Staff Reports 2011).  Three years prior, at the start of the Great Recession, Driggers collected a salary $127,548.  During the same year, Driggers laid off three employees that were each earning approximately $30,000 per year (McGranahan 2008).  Two of the three positions could have been kept if funds were shifted from Driggers’ salary.  The period when families have earners either unemployed or underemployed and not meeting their full earning potential, Mr. Driggers saw a pay increase of $26,000 which is nearly the equivalent of one average American’s salary.  Having grown up in South Carolina, an annual salary of $67,000 is more than enough to live off as the breadwinner of a family of four.  Regardless of the economies of scale, the current compensation of a CEO in the private or public sectors is excessive when compared to the workers of his or her organization.  (Street and Street, 2010). 

            In conclusion, CEOs are overcompensated in corporate America.  For example, a top earning CEO in Germany only earns a third of what a top earning CEO in the US makes.  However, CEOs are short in supply and their hefty salaries are justified to retain the leadership talent.  Having said this, the current compensation for a CEO is very excessive.  However, it is debated that failing CEOs are allowed to walk away with hundreds of millions of dollars in the middle of the sub-prime mortgage crisis.

In reflecting on the reading, in 1982, Mr. S. Truett Cathy, CEO of the fast food chicken restaurant chain, Chick-Fil-A did not take a salary when his company fell on hard times.  Mr. Cathy looked at raising prices as the last resort during that year.  Chick-fil-A has restaurants in 38 of the 50 states and is not publicly traded.  With most restaurants making 20% of their revenue on Sundays, Chick-fil-A has remained closed on that day (Cathy, 2002). 

CEOs are getting paid millions of dollars while the firm is reducing its workforce via layoffs, downsizing, and outsourcing at the same time.  (Street and Street, 2010).  Back around the time that Mr. Cathy was not taking a salary, big-time corporate CEOs took over 40 times the pay of the average worker.  Now, a CEO makes 365 times the pay of the average worker.  Therefore, it is in my opinion that not only are CEOs in corporate America overcompensated, they are disconnected from the realities that many Americans face. 

 References

Cathy, S.T. (2002).  Eat Mor Chikin:  Inspire More People.  Crisis and Purpose.  118-126.

McGranahan, H. (2008).  City cuts staff, facing shortfall.  Retrieved from the Greer Citizen:

http://greercitizen.com/print.asp?ArticleID=18&SectionID=3&SubSectionID=3

 Staff Reports (2011).  Upstate government salaries online.  Retrieved from the Spartanburg Herald: 

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20111023/ARTICLES/110231018?p=2&tc=pg

 Street, M and Street, V. (2010).  Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Management, Third Edition.

Shackleford, L. (2009).  Several area leaders are not under contract.  Retrieved from the   

           Spartanburg Herald: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20090222/ARTICLES/902221097? 

           p=3&tc=pg

Weiss, J. (2009).  Business Ethics:  A Stakeholder & Issues Management Approach.  Fifth Edition. 

http://daniel-j-stone.blogspot.com (C) 2009-12

Attention to Details

Van Halen, 2007 Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame inductees, are notorious for their bombatious performances on and off the stage and leading the way for arena rock of the late 1970s and 1980s.  In 1980, the band embarked on their "The World Invasion Tour".  This saw the birth of the legendary brown M&M contract rider. The band demanded M&M candies backstage with all of the brown ones removed. Only one documented case exists where the rider wasn't adhered to, a show at the University of Colorado in Pueblo, CO. The university paid dearly for their error. The band demolished their backstage dressing room causing thousands of dollars of damage. 


The rider itself was genius. Its sole purpose was to ensure that venue and promoter personnel read the entire contract before each performance, and brown M&Ms backstage was an instant indicator they hadn't. If the venue couldn't perform a task as simple as removing a specified color of M&Ms, how could they be trusted to fulfill lighting, sound, and other technical requirements?

Are you committed to doing everything that you are responsible for?  What indicators are you sending to indicate that you are adhering to the plan?  As a service provider, the last thing that your customers can experience is a lack of commitment.  Don't make the organization pay dearly due to your lack of commitment.  Pay attention to the details so that you are "Committed to Excellence".

http://daniel-j-stone.blogspot.com (C) 2009-12

Globalization- Creating Freedom and Exhausting Democracy

Globalization- Creating Freedom and Exhausting Democracy

Daniel J. Stone

Ohio Dominican University

 Abstract

 It is debated that globalization is good or bad for mankind.  Positive aspects of globalization are the culture exchange between nations, equal opportunities for minorities, less restrictive giving and sending of information.  On the other hand, negative aspects of globalization are losses of cultural identities, more established nations having their resources drained and exhausted, diseases and terrorism.  I personally believe that the good outweighs the bad in terms of globalization.  The cultural enrichment that I have experienced from living in two states outside of my home state and the five years that I have spent living and working in Asia have shaped my views and was the cornerstone that has allowed me to meet my full potential. 

Keywords:  culture exchange, opportunities for minorities, less restrictive exchange of information, loss of identity, drain and exhaust of resources, epidemics and terrorism. 

     The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 has made the move to globalization a reality for nearly all nations except for those found on the continent of Africa.  Countries are experiencing commercial and trade exchanges which have opened their borders up to the outside.     There is a direct correlation between civil and political freedom and higher levels of per capita income.  This is no more apparent than in China and India who since the early 1980s had an infrastructure that was in dire straits.  Due to China’s and India’s convergence over the past 30 years, there is more hope and less strife with those two nations (Street and Street, 2010).    

     On the other hand, when globalization is not contained, nations lose their identities, cultural and language identities are threatened, and there is a drain and exhaustion of resources from those countries that are more established.  Globalization in the 21^st Century is the new norm and like the world that we find ourselves in, globalization is a complex issue which has both good and bad aspects (Street and Street, 2010). 
      Globalization is good for mankind.  This is due to globalization equating to the endless exchange of ideas.  Popular culture has proven to be the best vehicle of idea exchange with such events as the Moscow Music Peace Festival which took place around the fall of the Berlin Wall.  This was a two-day event that took place at the Lenin Olympic Stadium and had the goal to raise awareness about drug and alcohol abuse.  Not only were there about 20 music groups from the West who participated in this event, there were also doctors from the West who provided treatment to those who were suffering from substance abuse (Lawrence 2002).
      The rights of minorities have increased due to globalization.  For example, in the 1990s, there was resistance to educating females from the very conservative country, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  Not only are females from the Kingdom being educated, they are also allowed to travel abroad with a male chaperone and study with the intention of completing a degree at an institute of higher education (Schryer, 2012). 
     Information due to globalization has provided knowledge to those within and outside a nation.  Inventions such as the Internet and cellular phones put the power of sending and receiving information in the hands of the citizens which was previously controlled by governments.  The “Arab Spring” of 2011 had thousands of people of various Middle Eastern nations use social media such at Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to organize, communicate, and create awareness of issues that were found to be unfair due to their government’s attempts of repression (Howard, 2011). 
     On the other hand, globalization is not good for mankind.  By being economically open, one looses their identities such as the currencies of the members of the European Union (EU).  For example, prior to becoming a member of the EU, Germany had to dissolve its currency, the Deutschemark, and accept the Euro Dollar.  The Deutschemark was a symbol of a unified Germany when both East and West Germany were joined in 1990.  Now the Euro Dollar identifies Germany with fellow EU member, Greece.  With the Greek economy on the verge of bankruptcy, Germany and the other members of the EU are being brought down as well.  This is because of Greece’s extensive welfare state which is more embedded into the citizens of the average Greek’s ordinary life more than the members of the EU realized before accepting Greece as a member.  As a result, the value of the Euro Dollar has been weakened with the Greeks looking to the Germans for a bailout (Inman, 2012).    
     In terms of globalization from more developed countries to lesser developing countries, more and more countries who are novices to democracy drain and exhaust the resources of those countries that are more established.  In the late 1990s, The Bill Clinton led US economy had a balanced budget.  After the events of 9/11, the US found itself in the business of “Nation Building” in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.  While this is a noble and noteworthy cause, foreign aid that is misspent equates corruption.  The US has found itself obligated to $320 million a month.  Currently, the US deficit is over $15 Trillion (Debusmann, 2011).
     In conclusion, the positive aspects of globalization are that global citizens are experiencing higher levels of per capita income due to having their borders opened because of intensified commercial and trade exchanges.  Nations such as Japan and the US who at one time were enemies now participate in the exchange of ideas.  The rights of minorities have increased which have allowed all people the basic right of education coupled by easily giving and taking information.  On the other hand, one could argue that the US wants democracy in the Middle East more than the actual recipients of American aid.  This notion coupled by the fact that casualties of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan overseas have created sympathizers who are driven by ideological passions are tempted to follow terrorist methods to see their ideology come to fruition (Street and Street, 2010).
     In reflecting on the reading of the question, the good outweighs the bad in terms of globalization.  The never-ending exchange of ideas is by far the biggest contributor of this claim.  Being a native from the Upstate of South Carolina, the cultural enrichment that I gained from four years in the US Navy in Japan and California alone was the catalyst that shaped my views and was the cornerstone that has allowed me to become a Center Director at a branch of a company that is growing by leaps and bounds during a recession.  Since my Navy enlistment, I have been in an intercultural relationship and marriage since 1998 which led to life in Asia for three years.  I can honestly say that my life became better because of my relationship to my wife.  I see things from a different perspective, think about things more deeply and appreciate a global point of view (Stone, 2011).
     To substantiate my perspective with facts and research, the auto giant, Toyota has a number of manufacturing plants that are in parts of the US not known for automotive innovation.  The Japanese managers of Toyota chose these places for auto production so that their idea of operating known as Kaizen (a Japanese work meaning continuous improvement one small step at a time) would be a good fit on the other side of the world in such places like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas.  With many American manufacturing companies electing to have their products made in China and India, Toyota has elected to fill the void by providing employment opportunities for Americans while remaining true to their core Japanese values.  For example, every leader and team member at every level is taught the Japanese philosophy of Plan, Do, Check, and Adjust for process improvement.  (Franz and Liker, 2011). 

References

Debusmann, B. (2011). U.S. nation-building in the wrong place?  Retrieved from Reuters:

http://blogs.reuters.com/bernddebusmann/2011/06/10/u-s-nation-building-in-the-wrong-place/

Franz, J. and Liker, J. (2011).  The Toyota Way to Continuous Improvement:  Linking Strategy

and Operational Excellence to Achieve Superior Performance. 

Howard, P. (2011).  The Arab Spring’s Cascading Effects.  Retrieved from Miller-McCune

http://www.miller-mccune.com/politics/the-cascading-effects-of-the-arab-spring-28575/

Inman, P. (2012).  Germany has run out of patience.  Retrieved from The Guardian.  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/economics-blog/2012/mar/04/debt-crisis-eu. 

Lawrence, D. (2002) Bon Jovi: Past, Present & Future.  Retreived from New Music Countdown:

http://www.netmusiccountdown.com/inc/artist.php?artist=Bon+Jovi

Lyman, I. (2010). The Cost of Educating the Children of Illegal Aliens: Exorbitant.  Retrieved

from The New American:  (http://thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/3527-the-cost-of-educating-the-children-of-illegal-aliens-exorbitant). 

Schryer, S. (2012).  Family and Community Dynamics- Education.  Retrieved from Saudi

Arabian Americans  (http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Pa-Sp/Saudi-Arabian-Americans.html).

Street, M and Street, V. (2010).  Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Management, Third Edition.

Stone, D. (2011). Meet the Staff.  Retrieved from ELS Language Centers and Locations:

            http://www.els.edu/en/ELSCenters/Detail?locid=COL

http://daniel-j-stone.blogspot.com (C) 2009-12

No place like home- Host families provide international students a taste of America

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2012/01/07/no-place-like-home.html

http://www.homestayhostscolumbus.blogspot.com

Several weeks into her stay with the Rehl family of Whitehall, Ma Li, a 17-year-old Chinese student, gave her hosts a gift.

“They were packaged snacks; they looked like a bag of nuts,” Autumn Rehl said.
Actually, they were dried duck brains.

“It was awkward,” Rehl said of the 2010 incident. “I did not want to eat this in front of her, because I didn’t want to have to spit it out. And I realized then that this is probably similar to what she had gone through at every meal with us.”

Such a cultural “aha” moment is common for Columbus-area families who host international students enrolled in ELS, an intensive English-language program situated on the Ohio Dominican University campus on the Northeast Side.

Founded in 1961, ELS is a national program with 63 centers in 33 states and the District of Columbia, Canada and Australia. The Columbus center, which opened in August 2010, is a for-profit company paid for primarily by tuition ($1,730 for a four-week session).

Participants are high-school graduates. Most are seeking admission to an American university but require improvement in their English proficiency. About 500 students have attended the Columbus center since its founding.

Although ELS students can find their own housing, many choose to participate in the school’s home-stay program, in which they live with a central Ohio family. Interest has been so great that the program is struggling to find enough families — at present, a pool of 18 — who are willing to serve as hosts, said Daniel Stone, director of the Columbus center.

“The benefit is that the students get firsthand experience with American culture,” Stone said. “But it also accelerates the learning process. This way, they’re not just speaking English from 8:30 to 4 at the center, but they go home and they’re still in an English-speaking environment.”

That’s precisely why Filipe Albuquerque, 22, of Recife, Brazil, is participating in a home stay. Albuquerque, who has a degree in business administration, wants to learn English so he can get a better job in his country’s export industry.

He is staying with Barb Lubberger, 58, of the Clintonville neighborhood and her son, Tom Tekieli, 23.
“I’m talking with Barbara all the time — when I wake up (and) at dinner,” said Albuquerque, who arrived in July and will return home on Jan. 17. “So I think it’s a very good idea to stay in a home stay.”

Although students typically enroll in ELS for several months, home stays don’t necessarily last that long. Some families sign up for a four-week commitment, and students then either move to other home-stay homes or find their own housing.

Host families are required to provide students with a private room and suitable study space as well as transportation to and from school. Having a communal evening meal is strongly encouraged so the students can practice their English.

Many hosts go beyond the basics and expose their visitors to as much American culture as they can.
Susann Moeller of Clintonville took 22-year-old Japanese student Shunturou Kodama to the movies, to Thanksgiving dinner at a friend’s house (“first time I ate turkey,” Kodama said) and to a concert at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion.

A native of Germany, Moeller came to the United States in the late 1970s. She said she has hosted international students for years.

“I’ve always been a super-curious cat,” Moeller said. “I like the cross-pollination of cultures, and having international guests makes my life more interesting.”

The Hammock family of Whitehall are also veteran hosts of both high-school exchange students and now ELS. Darryl Hammock said he and wife, Wendy, value what their children — Jontey, 17, and 14-year-old twins Juan and Ana — have gained.

“It’s pretty rewarding for our kids to experience different cultures,” he said.

The Hammocks have hosted students from five countries — South Korea, Norway, Hong Kong, Germany and, now, Mohammed Alredshoodi, 20, from Saudi Arabia.

Several visiting students have prepared meals for the family.

“I like their food,” Ana Hammock said, singling out kabsa — a traditional Saudi dish of meat, rice and spices — as one of her favorites .

ELS provides families a stipend of a few hundred dollars to cover expenses, but Rehl — who serves as the company’s home-stay coordinator — said she screens prospective families.

“We want people who are in it for the cultural experience, not someone looking for a roommate or people renting out a room,” Rehl said.

Both the families and students must adjust to differences.

Rehl said her most recent student, Ahmed Alqahtani, 24, at first was hesitant to get in the car with her. In Saudi Arabia, women aren’t allowed to drive.

“He asked me, ‘Where’s Jake (her husband)?’  ’’ Rehl said.

Donna Villareal, 49, of the Northeast Side wondered why Saudi student Jassar Alotaibi, 19, wouldn’t drink a cup of tea she made. Finally, she realized that she had heated it in the microwave, and Alotaibi didn’t consider the water properly purified unless it had been boiled.

About 70 percent of current ELS students are Saudis — mainly because the Saudi Arabian government is encouraging its students to learn English and will subsidize their overseas stays.

Students such as Albuquerque and Alredshoodi have had to adjust to Ohio’s weather and American food.

Students are responsible for their own lunches, and Albuquerque hasn’t found a suitable replacement for his native lunch staple of rice, beans and beef. He’s not a fan of sandwiches.

“I lose 9 kilos (about 20 pounds). That’s very unusual,” he said. “When people come to America, (they) usually . . . gain kilos, but I lose.

“Every day I eat bread. I must eat bread in the hamburger and bread with chicken. It’s not so good; it’s not so healthy.”

kgordon@dispatch.com

Families interested in hosting an ELS student should call the center at 614-251-7360 or visit www.els.edu/en.

http://daniel-j-stone.blogspot.com (C) 2009-12

Time Management Notes

Move a mountain- Identify your mountain by identifying what needs to be done.  Prioritize and delegate.  When delegating, set a deadline and update your log so that when subordinates report back for clarification or when task is completed you will know what has been done.

Move a minute- Focus on the top 2-3 priorities on your list and remove all clutter, chaos and distractions from your life until those priorities are completed.  This means telling people that want to meet with you that you will meet with them later.  "Do you have a minute usually means the next 10 minutes are shot.  A well organized desk and office ensure that when the time comes to attack the top 2-3 priorities, it will get done.  There is no control for the unknown variable which set things haywire.  Furthermore, when you set an appointment, it makes the person feel important and gives the issue the time that it deserves.   

Move on- Leave work on time and at the office even though you feel that you can’t since getting caught up and ahead of the curve is rarely possible in today’s business world.  If necessary, remind staff of their job descriptions and hold them accountable.  If they can't complete their tasks, find out their mountain, how to help them move a minute.  When they move on and you don't, you have inherited their problem.  Let staff find a solution to their problem first.  Don't wear somebody else's monkey on your back.

http://daniel-j-stone.blogspot.com (C) 2009-12

9 Things That Motivate Employees More Than Money

http://www.inc.com/ilya-pozin/9-things-that-motivate-employees-more-than-money.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

1.  Be generous with praise. Everyone wants it and it’s one of the easiest things to give. Plus, praise from the CEO goes a lot farther than you might think. Praise every improvement that you see your team members make. Once you’re comfortable delivering praise one-on-one to an employee, try praising them in front of others. 

2.  Get rid of the managers. Projects without project managers? That doesn’t seem right! Try it. Removing the project lead or supervisor and empowering your staff to work together as a team rather then everyone reporting to one individual can do wonders. Think about it. What’s worse than letting your supervisor down? Letting your team down! Allowing people to work together as a team, on an equal level with their co-workers, will often produce better projects faster. People will come in early, stay late, and devote more of their energy to solving problems.

3.  Make your ideas theirs. People hate being told what to do. Instead of telling people what you want done; ask them in a way that will make them feel like they came up with the idea. “I’d like you to do it this way” turns into “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this way?”

4.  Never criticize or correct. No one, and I mean no one, wants to hear that they did something wrong. If you’re looking for a de-motivator, this is it. Try an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you could have done differently?” Then you’re having a conversation and talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.

5.  Make everyone a leader. Highlight your top performers’ strengths and let them know that because of their excellence, you want them to be the example for others. You’ll set the bar high and they’ll be motivated to live up to their reputation as a leader.

6.  Take an employee to lunch once a week. Surprise them. Don’t make an announcement that you’re establishing a new policy. Literally walk up to one of your employees, and invite them to lunch with you. It’s an easy way to remind them that you notice and appreciate their work.

7.  Give recognition and small rewards. These two things come in many forms: Give a shout out to someone in a company meeting for what she has accomplished. Run contests or internal games and keep track of the results on a whiteboard that everyone can see. Tangible awards that don’t break the bank can work too. Try things like dinner, trophies, spa services, and plaques.

8.  Throw company parties. Doing things as a group can go a long way. Have a company picnic. Organize birthday parties. Hold a happy hour. Don’t just wait until the holidays to do a company activity; organize events throughout the year to remind your staff that you’re all in it together.

9.  Share the rewards—and the pain. When your company does well, celebrate. This is the best time to let everyone know that you’re thankful for their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you will go when people help your company succeed. If there are disappointments, share those too. If you expect high performance, your team deserves to know where the company stands. Be honest and transparent.

http://daniel-j-stone.blogspot.com (C) 2009-11