Leadership Training

According to a recent article form Live Science, more and more Americans are muttering this famous phrase…

Based on a survey conducted by The Conference Board (a market information company that also puts out the Consumer Confidence Index and the Leading Economic Indicators), less than half of the employees polled said they were satisfied with their current job.

“Although a certain amount of dissatisfaction with one’s job is to be expected, the breadth of dissatisfaction is somewhat unsettling, since it carries over from what attracts employees to a job to what keeps them motivated and productive on the job,” said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board’s Consumer Research Center.

In what areas does the dissatisfaction lie? Primarily with ‘bonus plans, promotion policies, workload and potential for growth.’ While there was a correlation in the study with higher paid workers being more satisfied with their positions than lower salaried workers, it’s interesting to note the areas of personal development and lifestyle that were highlighted by those surveyed.

Furthermore, educational and job training programs as well as non-monetary reward/recognition and performance review processes did not fare well either. Less than 30 percent of respondents claim to be satisfied with these job aspects.

In better news from the Conference Board, they reported on Tuesday that the Consumer Confidence Index hit a five-and-a-half year high.

“Consumer Confidence now stands at a five-and-a-half year high,” said Lynn “as improving present-day business conditions and an easing in the proportion of consumers claiming jobs are hard to get have combined to lift consumers’ spirits.”

Combine these two reports, and this means there are more frustrated workers out there today, with more open jobs available to them. Making it that much more critical for office managers and directors to keep their people happy, wealthy and wise!

Sources:

LiveScience
Yahoo! News
The Conference Board

Americans, unhappy, work, jobs, consumer confidence

Today, we begin with our profiles of corporate executives by interviewing David Lewis, President and CEO of the Pinnacle Performance Company.

Mr. Lewis’s corporate track record includes spending the better part of the last 14 years in both Executive level sales & marketing positions at Fortune 500 companies as well as helping to start up and build the initial sales forces at hi-tech & internet start up companies, SupportSoft, Kovair, & Realm.

In addition, Mr. Lewis is the former President and Owner of one of the most respected acting schools in the country, The Actors’ Center of Chicago. The Actors’ Center has taught its students how to be engaging and believable onstage or in front of a camera for over 25 years.

Along with company Vice President G. Riley Mills, David founded Pinnacle Performance (based in Chicago, Illinois) in May of 2005. Pinnacle is distinguishable from other similar businesses by their distinctive training curriculum, use of profession actors as trainers, and groundbreaking training techniques, exercises and methodology. Their current clientele includes Oracle, Walgreens, Kodak, and USG Corporation, among others.

Brian: “Thanks for your time today, David. Tell us what it was that prompted you to create Pinnacle Performance?”

David: “During my tenure as a Vice President of Sales, I participated in a variety of training classes and public speaking courses that focused on how to be better at making a successful sale. But what was always lacking from any class I took was a methodology to be more engaging and more honest.

Now I spent a great deal of time in high school, college and post-college as an actor, so a few years back I decided to take an acting class over at The Actors’ Center of Chicago. Right after the class began, I realized that it was exactly what I’d been missing from those sales courses! I discovered that the time honored performance techniques in breathing, tension release, body language, vocal quality and movement that professional actors have been using for years, would work just as well in the corporate world. Not only for sales representatives, but for human resources personnel, product managers, executive assistants - anyone who wanted to be more confident, poised and truthful when it came to their communication skills.

So I had some discussions with the school faculty, and they were extremely interested in helping with my idea. I ended up purchasing the school, sat down with Gary [Millis] to put a curriculum together, and that’s how Pinnacle Performance was born.”

Brian: “Was there one success or event that stands out to you as a pivotal moment with Pinnacle? A moment where you realized that you could be onto something very big?”

David: “Absolutely! Just after we got started, were discussing our product with Larry Frazier, the Director of Training Practices at Oracle. He informed us that his biggest challenge was improving the quality delivery scores of their instructors. We knew that our training program would do just that, so we offered for him and a few other senior level instructors to try our one-day session for free. When the training was complete, Larry said to us, ‘all of our instructors need to do this.’ Right then we knew Pinnacle was going to flourish.”

Brian: “Speaking of the effect your training has, what have been the most common reactions of employees that have taken part in the program?”

David: “We get positive feedback all the time. Quotes like the following:

‘The class was excellent! It was great to learn about the material from someone who acts, entertains and presents for a living.’

‘Pinnacle’s training enables you to see your weaknesses so that you can identify and improve on them. I would love a follow-up session.’

People come into our class expecting someone to just drone on for 8 hours about what they should and shouldn’t do when presenting. So we immediately shatter those expectations by getting them involved: getting them up on their feet, presenting material in a realistic work setting, and video taping their progress, so they see exactly how they look when presenting. It gives them a myriad of tools that they can use on a daily basis, and they love it.”

Brian: “Where can someone go to find out more about Pinnacle Performance?”

David: “They can visit our website at www.pinper.com, email us at info@pinper.com, or contact any of our regional offices:

Chicago: 773-572-8616
New York: 646-290-6711
Sarasota: 941-870-2030
Los Angeles: 213-291-0660
Denver: 303-459-4291
Dallas: 214-281-8625

Brian: “David, thanks again for your time today, and good luck with the company!”

David: “It was my pleasure.”

Pinnacle Performance, David Lewis, leadership, training, performance, communication, skills

“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Now I’m in charge, so I’ll be behind you. That way, when we turn around to run, I’ll be in front.”
~ Bill Cosby

Welcome to Leadership Training Skills. Thanks for stopping by!

Today’s corporate landscape is a far cry from the one traversed by our parents and grandparents, isn’t it? Back then you went to college, worked for the same company for 40 years, and retired. Today, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average American worker stays with an employer for 3.5 years. Furthermore, 76% of all employees are looking for new employment opportunities, according to the 2005 U.S. Job Recovery and Retention Survey by the Society for Human Resource Management and CareerJournal.com.

What does this mean? It depends on who you are…

If you’re a company CEO, Chief Learning Officer, or Director of Human Resources, it means that not only is it extremely challenging to hire good people; it’s even more difficult to keep them.

If you’re one of the 76% of current workers looking for a bigger and better opportunity, it means there’s more competition out there for that dream job you desperately want.

How do both groups gain an advantage? That’s what we’re here to find out. Of course, there are plenty of resources available online. So what makes this one different, and worth your time to read?

Because this site will give you an inside look at exactly what’s happening on a day-to-day basis at some of the most respected companies in Corporate America.

Among the resources we’ll be providing:

- Profiles of leaders and managers in a variety of industries to see what methods they have used to succeed, and gain their insights to today’s challenges in the workplace.

- Valuable training and communication resources for both companies and employers looking for that advantage that will separate them from the competition.

…and we’ll have some fun along the way as well!

We have a great deal to get to, and much to discuss. I’m looking forward to it! Of course, if you have any thoughts or input, please feel free to contact me directly. Be back shortly!

Brian McNeany
brian.mcneany@451press.net

leadership, training, performance, communication, skills