2005 June Edition

Wendell M. Pichon, CM
2005 Chairman of the Board
Lockheed Martin Leadership Association
Fort Worth, Texas

At a strategic planning meeting on March 9, 2005, in Dayton, OH, the national officers and staff determined that we are on a mission to describe, define, and deliver “NMA… THE Leadership Development Organization”. That leads to countless opportunities and most definitely points to an exciting new direction.

Leadership is about movement – taking people, places, and processes from where they are to where they need to be. That definition represents the challenge for our affiliated chapters and councils and it represents the opportunity for us as an organization… going someplace new and different. We want to position ourselves to attract the best and brightest young people to NMA, provide quick and responsive turnaround to the marketplace, utilize the latest state-of-the-art training materials and delivery vehicles for our products and services, and become the torch-bearer, as well as set the standard, for ethical business conduct through a new professional image.

The NMA Leadership team has identified four key initiatives for immediate development:

Web-delivered services and programs
A certificate program(s) in Leadership Development
Partnerships with leading training and development providers
A volunteer structure and a headquarters operation that reflect new effectiveness and efficiencies

These initiatives are going to require the very best thinking from our very best colleagues. Each of these initiatives is being led by a member of our 2005 Leadership Team.

Committing ourselves as leaders is often a struggle not because of the task at hand, but more because we are dealing with a group of volunteers who all have full time jobs. So it is important to remain focused. That struggle is a little bit easier when we can claim a few tiny victories every day. We need those tiny victories. Without them, the quest for the summit can seem difficult. Making a dent, let alone a difference in the issues we face, seems to require overwhelming force and many people are too easily discouraged to set out on the journey. An ancient Chinese philosopher remarked that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” The Leadership Initiative is that first step. Achieving small wins is the leadership strategy of choice. Small wins breed success and propel us down the path. Achieving small wins is all about creating momentum and getting people to remain on the path. Interestingly enough, the process of building and sustaining commitment is similar to the process of strengthening others.

Our leadership initiative was designed to carry us into the future. To help ensure that the future matches the vision of this association we want to give people choices. Our teams are working hard and putting in many hours toward the success of this initiative. It was not our intent to push people into change…quite frankly, we wanted to invite people to join in the adventure. If you are called on to participate I hope that you will accept the challenge.

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Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something
you want done because he wants to do it.
~ Dwight Eisenhower ~

New Professional Development Opportunity for NMA Chapters!
Resolving Differences With Others
Getting Others to Work With You, Not Against You
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A workshop for resolving workplace conflict and a program to help your chapter earn money, while serving your community and member needs.

This exciting new one-day workshop is designed by one of our NMA partners (Peak Performance Systems, Inc.) to:

Resolve workplace conflicts

Prevent a hostile work environment

Reduce legal costs

Provide a risk-management approach to conflict resolution

Benefits to the NMA Chapter

Increases the value of being an NMA member

Helps recruit new members

Attracts NMA members who normally would not attend the regular functions

Allows the chapter sponsoring the seminar to receive all the net revenue

Resolving Differences With Others” is the most popular seminar we’ve ever offered. We advertised it once and filled four classes!

Cynthia Williams
Professional Development Chair
Hanford Chapter

I’ve taken seminars from Rick & Larry for many years. Their programs are always fun, effective, and practical. Among the best I’ve ever seen!

Ed Schwier
2004 NMA Member of the Year

1. The Workshop

The Resolving Differences With Others workshop has been very successful for the NMA Hanford Chapter in Richland, Washington. In fact, this proposal was conceived because the workshop was so popular. Conflict resolution seminars are always in demand.

2. The Approach

You pick the date and location; Registration Fee is $149/person
The NMA chapter advertises the workshop to its members and/or the community
The NMA chapter barters with local businesses for services
You register the people and Peak Performance Systems delivers the workshop

For complete information go to:
http://www.ppstraining.com/conflictresolution/with.html

The Key To This Approach
To keep expenses down, this approach makes use of the bartering system. Bartering with local businesses is successfully used to provide key seminar services.

The value of the service is exchanged for the face value of each ticket. For example, if the seminar location costs $300 then its value is exchanged and two people from the hotel are added to the workshop. The services which cannot be bartered are purchased.

The bartering system is used for:

Workshop location
Refreshments (if applicable)
Print the workshop tickets
Equipment for seminar
Hotel and air fare for the workshop leader

3. Financials

Here are some projected numbers:
$149 registration fee (members) Non-member price is $300.
$5960 revenue ($149 X 40 people)
$3500 expenses
$2460 margin

Expenses after bartering include:
$3000 instructor fee (includes travel time to and from venue)
$ 500 travel and lodging*
$3500 TOTAL
* This expense is eliminated if it is bartered.

4. Workshop Overview

This workshop is the most cost-effective way to meet the challenges of today’s intensely interdependent workplaces. You will learn how to use a simple yet powerful tool (Self Mediation) to manage the differences that impair teamwork, quality, decision-making, and cooperation. The seminar will give you the tools used by professional mediators to resolve workplace conflicts before they become unmanageable.

Seminar Outline

A vivid demonstration of how hidden conflict measurably erodes job performance.
Measuring the dollar cost of conflict in your organization.
The two communication “bad habits” of all people in all cultures—and how to avoid them.
Self Mediation—and how to apply it.

STEP 1 - Find a time to talk: Why 95% of communication problems stay unsolved, and how to reverse this ratio.

STEP 2 - Plan the context: The nuts and bolts about where-and-when to talk.

STEP 3 - Talk it out: Two simple verbal techniques for getting from “me-against-you” to “us-against-the-problem.”

STEP 4 - Make a deal: The three obvious (but usually ignored) criteria for making agreements that work.

Who Should Learn Self Mediation?
Any person who works interdependently with others—both managers and non-managers will benefit. The skills you will learn are becoming core workplace competencies in many U.S. companies. These are “life skills” that you can use at work (and home!) to enhance your relationships. Send the entire work team!

Materials You Will Receive
Workbook — A step-by-step guide for applying your newly learned skills back on the job.

Workshop Leaders
Larry Birckhead and Rick Martinez are principals of Peak Performance Systems, Inc, Richland, Washington. They are master trainers with 40 years of combined experience.

Larry Birckhead
Phone: 509-430-8942
E-mail: LBTWO@att.net

Rick Martinez
Phone: 509-627-3273
E-mail: rickmart@charter.net

Web www.ppstraining. com

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Learn the skills of working with the people side of process improvement.
Companies know that they must always be improving and that the participation of every employee counts. After all, it’s people who see opportunities, discover solutions, and implement improvements. Human assets are pivotal, whatever the initiative (CMMI, Lean, Six Sigma, Employee Involvement, Kaizen, 5S, etc.). Manufacturing, healthcare, government agencies, white-collar firms...regardless of industry, organizations are facing similar pressures.	Competition in the marketplace, ever-increasing demands for quality, customer mandates for price reductions and increased efficiencies – all with employees having more responsibilities and fewer resources than ever before. The People Side of Process Improvement focuses on the most consistent challenge of process improvement programs – involving, engaging, and maintaining enthusiastic employee participation across all levels of the organization.
Visit our website at www.dalecarnegie.com
NMA Customer Feedback Steve Bailey, NMA National President, “The program mirrors the NMA philosophy that the contemporary teaming environment necessitates finding people solutions to business problems. PSPI is a critical step in that endeavor.” Pete Kurzhals, NMA National Director and President, NMA Southern California Area Council, “exceptionally insightful and provides valuable tools for the resolution of conflicts and challenges encountered in process improvements.” Jim Nickel, Antelope Valley Chapter President, “enjoyable and provided a number of tools to communicate persuasively and combat workplace stress.” Sylvia Adams, Anaheim NMA Past President, “fun and valuable because they provided immediately applicable tools.”	Participants learn how to: Understand the continuum of process improvement Appreciate the resulting impact on human behavior Uncover key drivers supporting process improvement Initiate a process to gain feedback Recognize process improvement cultural challenges Discover strategies to decrease resistance and stress Develop a process and approach for coaching Increase understanding of team dynamics and roles Discover the impact of expectations and motivation Gain increased alignment of colleagues and customers Develop a standard communication process Use the briefing system to spur process improvement

Manager vs. Manager
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Randy Kennedy
VP of Membership - NMA of Knox County
Mt. Vernon, Ohio

A while back, a comment was made at one of our board meetings that related to the makeup of our organization. The comment had to do with our name, National Management Association, and the fact that many of our members may not be “Managers”. This comment has spurred a number of thoughts that I would like to share.

In the old economy, large hierarchal organizations ruled. Due to sheer size and belief in the vertical integration of all processes, these organizations were well populated with tiers of management. In the early 1900’s, Henry Ford successfully utilized vertical integration in his company by not only owning and controlling his automotive assembly operations, but also iron ore mines, coal mines, timber lands, sawmills, foundries, and anything else that was refined or processed into a component of his vehicles. Of course, success has many imitators so his ideas were duplicated many times over during the Industrial Age. When I began working for Westinghouse Electric in the early 1970’s, a number of their operations were still vertically integrated. Some examples included entire departments that were relied upon for printed materials, wire harness fabrication, data processing, and plated metals. Of course, departments need Managers and there was a healthy population of them.

A new economy has emerged in the past two decades. We are in the early stages of the Information Age and the old organizational models are just not very relevant these days. Old hierarchal organizations that have been able to survive, have done so only after undertaking significant “restructuring and re-engineering”. What can be outsourced probably has been, or is under consideration. This has produced an effect, in which the “management” of a number of critical operations has been undertaken by entrepreneurs, who have started small businesses to fill needs that outsourcing has created. We all know that one of the shining lights of our current economy is the number of small business startups.

This all highlights the importance of whether we are an organization of “Managers”, an organization of “managers”, or an organization that embraces both. We should remember that “Manager” is not a position, but a set of responsibilities. Leadership, planning, coordination, and communication no longer reside only within the boundaries of larger organizations. This also re-emphasizes the need to reconsider the name of our organization on a national level. I believe this to be of critical importance to clarify our vision of what we are and where we should be headed.

Chapter and Council Happenings (back to top of NMA Breaktime)
    Hernandez Engineering Inc. Houston Chapter #401 Holds Successful Brown Bag Lunch Program
    Leadership Development Conference (LDC) Update
    NMA Receives Recognition from California Governor - City of San Luis Obispo Employees Chapter #765
    Sunbelt Council Helps Waterfront Rescue Mission

Hernandez Engineering Inc. Houston Chapter #401 Holds Successful Brown Bag Lunch Program

by Susan Blair
HEI-NMA President
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Our chapter's first brown bag luncheon was held in United Space Alliance's large conference room at corporate headquarters. Joy Mullett was the featured speaker with her topic of My Two Lives: Art and Technology.

It was very interesting seeing how she has incorporated her artwork with her technical knowledge. As we expected, the turn out was good and it was a nice convenience for those in the building.

Joyce (Joy) Mullett

Our Bring Your Own Lunch Program worked as well as our programs held in restaurants, but with a more relaxed atmosphere. We continue to be successful in striving towards our goal for continued excellence and success in our programs, speakers, and classes.

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Recently the LDC was held in Phoenix for new officers joining their respective NMA Boards. Coming from the Pacific North, Pacific South, and the Southwest, we had 130 bright and shinny faces attending this 3 day learning experience.

Our keynote speaker Larry Colbert, shed light on how to adapt to change. Larry's an expert on the subject, he lost his eyesight at the age of 28. Larry was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a hereditary degenerative disease of the retina, and with eventual loss of vision. Larry was reaching for the stars way back in the in the early 70's working for NASA. His passion of vintage cars and motorcycles, his family, his livelihood, were all about to be impacted. Larry had to make some changes in his life and much like the rest of us, resented the changes he had to make.

But that's what the LDC's are about, CHANGE. Change in leadership, change in capacities, change in how you do things.

From left to right: Roger Alexander, NMA's 2005 Member of the Year, and Ronnie Long

During the fourth quarter Sunbelt Council meeting, council members took half a day to volunteer and make an important difference at the Waterfront Rescue Mission in Fort Walton Beach, FL. At the rescue mission, the group was busy sweeping & mopping floors, managing & organizing donated items, and repairing & testing electronic equipment. The community project allowed the Council to work together as a cohesive group to outreach to its local chapter community.

After the shift was over, all members felt a sense of accomplishment as much progress had been made to help the mission run its operation. Each person agreed that this was very worthwhile and something that does not need to be a one-time event, but one that should continue.

From left to right: Reseda White and Renita Reese

From left to right: Brent Hart and Dave Hambrick

From left to right: Guy Stockton, Joy Dembo, Roger Alexander, Dave Hambrick, Reseda White, Ronnie Long, and Renita Reese

The City of San Luis Obispo Employees Chapter (#765) of San Luis Obispo, California, has received congratulatory recognition from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, on the occasion of the Chapter’s “Management Week in America” celebration. The Governor, a successful businessman and esteemed leader, recognized Chapter 765, located on the Central Coast of California, for its dedication to improving management and business productivity in the workplace, increasing the knowledge and expertise of its members, and inspiring outstanding leadership while cultivating a highly productive workplace. For more information about the San Luis Obispo Chapter, check out their website at www.slonma.org.

If it's time for your chapter to conduct officer elections, please remember to submit the results to NMA. The election result form may be completed online by going to the NMA Website at http://nma1.org, then to "Member Services" tab, to "Downloads", then to "Download Index," or, you may contact Robin (937-294-0421 or robin@nma1.org) at NMA to request an Election Results Form. Once we receive the election results, a Chapter Leader Kit will be shipped to the new President. The kit contains leader guides for the chapter officers.

The NMA National Recognition Committee had a very busy day on June 11! They selected the 2005 Member of the Year, 2005 Hall of Fame Inductee, the top 3 candidates for Executive of the Year (to send to the Executive Board), AND all the Publications Contest winners for 2005!!

We are very proud to announce that this year's Member of the Year is Mr. Roger Alexander, Aircraft Maintenance Support Engineer Staff, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Marietta, Georgia. Roger is the chapter's Professional Development Chairman. Click here to read what Roger's chapter has to say about him: Roger's Accomplishments.

Florine Mark, our 2005 Hall of Fame Inductee, is president and chief executive officer of The W.W. Group, Inc., the largest franchise of Weight Watchers International, the leading authority on weight loss. Click here to read about Florine.

In addition to the 2005 awards, the Recognition Committee made a few changes to the R1, effective July 1, 2005. You may now receive points on the R1 for submitting articles to NMA Breaktime and Individual Member News... 2 points for each edition for which you submit an article!!! You may also receive points for taking NMA's Live Online courses. You may claim 1 point for every 5 participants who take a course (must be in the same class)!

If you have any questions, please contact Sue Kappeler, CM, Staff Advisor to Recognition, or Mr. John Hojnacki, CM, Chairman of Recognition.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! We have an action-packed conference planned for you at the beautiful John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel and Resort in Sparks (Reno), Nevada. The conference will be held October 1-3, Saturday through Monday! It will kick off with our finals of the American Enterprise Speech Contest on Saturday afternoon followed by the Opening Banquet. The conference will conclude on Monday evening with the Executive of the Year Presentation and the 2006 Chairman of the Board taking the oath of office!

Make your plans to be there today! Check our website (2005 NMA National Conference) for additional information and register online TODAY! You may also order your 2005 NMA National Conference polo shirt online!! Go to our home page (http://nma1.org) and click "Order 2005 NMA National Conference Polo Shirts" under Quick Links!

NMA Live Online has broken cyber ground with its new series of interactive leadership classes. The energy and power from sharing perspective and experience across industries provides a new reality-based learning experience that is as up-to-date as you can get.

Each class takes a topic and explores how the leader’s role changes how they approach tasks. With a few new tools and some insights/reinforcements from others, you can perform your job with more confidence, greater speed, and achieve better results.

In every class, participants say, “I learned so much from the other participants.”

Such as,

“Using MS Outlook better to manage getting people together,”
“Reaching out to the right people, in the right way, with the right information to get their participation,”
“Following-up is a home-remedy that solves all kinds of problems,”
“Developing a network of experts who can help me save time will help my stress level,”
“Filling the gaps in documentation and project management while I’m out of the office,”
Plus many others.

As Charles Kettering, NMA’s founder said many years ago, “One only has to participate.”

Follow this link to the NMA web site http://nma1.us/lrc/online.htm and sign up today for one of NMA’s New Online classes.

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Use this link regularly to access useful information for your personal and professional endeavors. The current May 2005 issue is online... CHECK IT OUT!

Sylvia Adams, Anaheim NMA Past President, “fun and valuable because they provided immediately applicable tools.”