Workplace Preparation

IMPORTANT: Before you begin your course sessions below, you will need to download and save the attached Focus Life Institute interactive document that you will be using to answer the questions within this course located in the materials tab above. This document will provide you with a complete portfolio of this course that can be used as a personal reference, a discussion with others or can be handed in as an assignment based on your specific circumstances. Please make sure you remember where you saved your document and keep it open as you will be filling the document out after each individual session in this course.

The Workplace Preparation Program was created to help PREPARE students for the workplace by providing training that employers are desiring. Ed Turose, a Manager and Trainer for over 27 years with The Coca-Cola Company offers his expertise in providing what employers are seeking in developing and improving the skills needed to compete and advance in the workplace.

According to PayScale’s survey, 60% of managers claim the new graduates they see taking jobs within their organizations do not have the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they feel are necessary for the job. Additionally, 56% of managers said recent grads do not pay attention to detail (lack of focus) and 46% said the young workers would do well to hone their communication skills.

According to LinkedIn’s “Workplace Learning Report,” soft skills are the No. 1 priority for talent development. Further, a LinkedIn study found that hiring managers indicated their company’s productivity was limited due to a lack of candidates’ soft skills. “The No. 1 problem with today’s young workforce is the soft skills gap,” “It runs across the entire workforce – among workers with technical skills that are in great demand, every bit as much as workers without technical skills.” Soft skills are key to individuals’ success in the workplace and are a competitive differentiator in the marketplace. “They’re the source of a huge amount of power that is always right there hiding in plain sight – a tremendous reservoir of often untapped value – a secret weapon for any smart organization, team, leader or individual performer,” Bruce Tulgan.

The Workplace Preparation programs includes the following:

• People Skills: You will gain an understanding of self and how to identify the behavioral style of others. This course will provide you with the cognitive flexibility to adapt your personal behavior in response to changes in the workplace environment. You will learn how to “blend” your style and “get in sync” with others by providing the behavioral tactics and methods to be incorporated into their professional and personal life.
• Soft Skills: In this lesson, we will utilize your personal behavioral style and provide you with solutions in the following 6 core competencies: communication, collaboration, conflict resolution, confidence, creativity, character and Time Management.
• Behavioral Interview and DISC: In this session we will review the behavioral interview and how to use your personality style to get in sync with the interviewer.  This information will help you in the interviewing process and provide you the tools to secure your desired job.
• Critical Thinking Skills: are defined as making reasoned judgments that are logical and well-thought out. In this lesson, we will review how to stay focused in your life by teaching you how to create a focused environment, where to focus your energy and efforts to achieve your goals. In addition, you will gain insight in how to make better quality decisions and solve problems in the workplace.
• Values and Character Development: Values are defined as person’s principles or standards of behavior. We have lost many values in our society however, employers are looking to hire and promote those individuals that have a high value system. In this lesson, we will review and define The H.E.R.O.E.S. Effect which provides instructions of how to apply the values of H – Honor, E – Excellence, R – Responsibility, O – Order, E – Expectation and S – Servanthood. These are lacking in the workplace to motivate employees to go beyond what they are asked to do and increasing productivity, efficiency and profitability. Included is the e-book the HEROES EFFECT.