The Retirement Wave

5 000 000, is the number of Baby Boomers currently working across Canada who will begin to retire in 2011.

Canada's population is aging, raising a range of individual, organizational and societal challenges. One of the key challenges for employers will be the availability of qualified workers as the baby boom generation, about half of Canada's labour force, enters retirement. The baby boom began just after World War II and lasted until the mid 1960s. Today, the oldest of the boomers are 55 and eligible for retirement benefits in many private pension plans. They are the beginning of a rising wave of retirements that should reach its peak in the early 2020s. This retirement wave will wash a substantial amount of talent and experience out of the workforce.

Many of these baby boomers are in currently in positions that require experience and relate to supervisory and management roles.  Although the height of retirement of baby boomers is still a few years away many organizations are succession planning.  Are you prepared?

We are currently working with companies that understand these changes will greatly impact their organizations.  As these baby boomers leave they take with them their experience, expertise and skills.  The talent pool in each organization must be able to replace upper management, middle management and supervisory roles, in the upcoming years.

A link to this white paper explains how succession planning is different than replacement planning, talent management and succession management and also gives you some tools to facilitate replacement and succession planning.

http://www.dalecarnegie.com/imap/white_papers/download/succession_planning/

Dale Carnegie Training is available to assist your organization in developing the skills that younger generations will need as they move into more management and supervisory roles within their companies.

Listening Skills - Where are you on the scale?

Exceptional listening skills and the ability to persuade others to your way of thinking make the difference between good and great teams. Pure listening builds trust, credibility, and respect. One reason is that when you fully listen instead of trying to compose your response, the result is a relevant and on-target response. What you say when you do respond is proof of how well you listen.

1) The "Preoccupieds"
These people come across as rushed and are constantly looking around or doing something else. Also known as multitaskers, these people cannot sit still and listen.

Tips
If you are a "Preoccupied" listener, make a point to set aside what you are doing when someone is speaking to you.

If you are speaking to a "Preoccupied" listener, you might ask, "Is this a good time?" or say, "I need your undivided attention for just a moment." Begin with a statement that will get their attention, be brief, and get to the bottom line quickly because their attention span is short.

2) The "Out-to-Lunchers"
These people are physically there for you, but mentally, they are not. You can tell this by the blank look on their faces. They are either daydreaming or thinking about something else entirely.

Tips
If you are an "Out-to-Luncher," act like a good listener. Be alert, maintain eye contact, lean forward, and show interest by asking questions.

If you are speaking to an "Out-to-Luncher," check in with them every now and again and ask if they understood what you were saying. As with the "Preoccupieds," begin with a statement that will catch their attention and be concise and to the point, because their attention span is also short.

3) The "Interrupters"
These people are ready to chime in at any given time. They are perched and ready for a break to complete your sentence for you. They are not listening to you. They are focused on trying to guess what you will say and what they want to say.

Tips
If you are an "Interrupter," make a point to apologize every time you catch yourself interrupting. This will make you more conscious of it.

If you are speaking to an "Interrupter," when they chime in, stop immediately and let them talk, or they will never listen to you. When they are done, you might say, "As I was saying before..." to bring their interruption to their attention.

4) The "Whatevers"
These people remain aloof and show little emotion when listening. They do not seem to care about anything you have to say.

Tips
If you are a "Whatever," concentrate on the full message, not just the verbal message. Make a point to listen with your eyes, ears, and heart. Pay attention to body language and try to understand why this person wants to talk to you about this issue.

If you are speaking to a "Whatever," dramatize your ideas and ask your listener questions to maintain their involvement.

5) The "Combatives"
These people are armed and ready for war. They enjoy disagreeing and blaming others.

Tips
If you are a "Combative," make an effort to put yourself in the speaker's shoes and understand, accept, and find merit in another's point of view.

If you are speaking to a "Combative," when he or she disagrees or points the blame, look forward instead of back. Talk about how you might agree to disagree or about what can be done differently next time.

6) The "Analysts"
These people are constantly in the role of counselor or therapist, and they are ready to provide you with unsolicited answers. They think they are great listeners and love to help. They are constantly in an analyze-what-you-are-saying-and-fix-it mode.

Tips
If you are an "Analyst," relax and understand that not everyone is looking for an answer, solution, or advice. Some people just like bouncing ideas off other people because it helps them see the answers more clearly themselves.

If you are speaking to an "Analyst," you might begin by saying, "I just need to run something by you. I'm not looking for any advice."

7) The "Engagers"
These are the consciously aware listeners. They listen with their eyes, ears, and hearts and try to put themselves in the speaker's shoes. This is listening at the highest level. Their listening skills encourage you to continue talking and give you the opportunity to discover your own solutions and let your ideas unfold.

What Makes the Difference in People?

What Makes the Difference in People?

A 5 year study by the behavioral research press found that "those who were promoted most often and given the biggest salary increases did not necessarily turn out to be the most technically competent. It was those who were most willing to make whatever level of competence they had visible".

The skills and attitudes that separate these people from the rest are developed in the Dale Carnegie Course®.

Why not start by using these tips below:

5 Tips to Gain Willing Cooperation

#1: Show respect for the other person's opinion. Never say, "you're wrong".

 #2: If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.

  #3: Begin in a friendly way.

 #4: Get the other person saying, "yes,yes" immediately.

 #5: Let the other person do a great deal of the talking. 

Click here to download Dale Carnegie's Secrets to Success.