Results of the August Conference Question Challenge

Thank you to everyone who took the question challenge, and thank you to Pete Van Epps and Rob Davis for helping me moderate while out on vacation.

As a group, the questions were impressive.  We sincerely believe this is a result of diligent preparation for the upcoming Conference.  The payoff will be results in the career search.  Because the questions were so good, we had a hard time selecting the top postings, a very hard time in fact.  We selected one overall top posting and instead of one runner up we selected 3.

Again we found it hard to select the top postings when we know it is so hard to come up with good questions and you are working hard to be ready for the Conference.   We selected the top posts using the following criteria: focused on the position, open ended, the candidate put himself or herself in the position while asking the question and gave some background before asking the question.  All of the questions would have expressed interest and started a good dialogue with the Recruiter(s).

A Cameron-Brooks Recruiting Team Leader will be in touch with each person who posted the top questions.

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Top Posting:

1) While learning about Project Management doctrine and receivng a PMP certification, I recently learned about how schedule analysis techniques such as leads and lags can affect downtime. What are some examples of activities other manufacturing supervisors in your organization had to manage in order to manage leads and lags?

2) A company with a phenomenal reputation for its products such as your own is obviously devotes high level of focus to quality. How are the competing needs of other management baselines i.e. schedule and cost, balanced with the achievement of high quality?

3) The job description your company provided mentioned the term “scrap” several times. What kind of efforts has your company undertaken to minimize “scrap” in the past and what are some examples of some efforts that I can potentially undertake to minimize “scrap” for you in the future

Posted by David

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The Runner Up Postings, in no particular order.

1) I seen in your job description you mention “achieve metrics of objectives” with regards to quality, productivity, lead time, and so forth. I assume, due to your company’s reputation within the industry, these objectives are fairly high. Could you elaborate on any of these objectives and if so, is there one you believe requires more attention or priority than others?

2) You talk about using lean and six sigma tool sets to identify and lead projects. I’m curious to know how these projects are usually approached within your company. Are black belts highly involved with all projects or are they more likely used to consult with and provide direction to green belt project leads? What percent of your company would you say has a basic understanding of lean principles?

3) In the military, I’ve always had available resources and senior leadership approval to ensure my employees not only receive the necessary training to meet duty expectations, but the available training to enhance their personal and professional growth. They also receive promotional incentives for obtaining certificates or advanced schooling that motivate them to seek this development, ultimately leading to a well diverse and motivating work force. Does your company provide these types of opportunities or incentives for your employees?

Posted by Josh

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After reading the responsibilities of this position, I am excited about the opportunity to lead a production team within you company, could you please explain some of the key differences between the first and second shifts as well as some of the products that are currently being produced by the team?

In reference to using lean and Six Sigma to improve key metrics, what are some of the recent process improvement initiatives that the second shift production team has undergone?

One of my responsibilities will be to provide training on business systems; could you please elaborate on what business systems the production team currently uses and how those systems impact the daily success of the team?

Posted by Lance

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1. What are the current trends in regards to production output? More specifically, what, if any, metrics are not currently being met by the production team? To caveat, and to understand the expectations for the team’s leadership, where do you see the team’s production in 6 months, one year, and 5 years, given the current market?

2. I would be very eager to offer training to my fellow employees on Lean Six Sigma. If I was to move into this position, what type of budget would my team and I have at our disposal to bring in outside experts in the areas of Lean and Six Sigma to continuously improve my team’s method of thinking and day to day operations?

3. The job description for this position weighs heavily on following safety, regulatory, and quality standards. That includes standards of the FDA and international laws. That jumps out at me as extremely serious and an area that I would want to pay very specific attention to. Safety and FDA standards not being met can stain a company for years. So that I could target my leadership on day one in this area, are there currently any trends that you see migrating the team towards a failure in this area? More so, has the team failed in any regulatory regards to date?

Posted by Scott

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Thank you to everyone who participated/posted!

Joel Junker and the Cameron-Brooks Team

JMO Interview Mistakes

I was just conducting a mock interview and a candidate asked me, “What are typical mistakes that every candidate makes during the interview process at the Career Conference?”  The more I thought about this question, I began to realize how good it really was.  Of course, there are mistakes and there can be those that arise where no matter how well you prepare, focus and study, you may make them, too.

1. If the question is not going to get you the job, don’t take 30 minutes to answer it … or 10 minutes … or even 7.  You want to remain in that 2- to 3-minute length for almost all questions.  Candidates in DPP know this, but when you get into an interview, you get nervous and the recruiter says, “Tell me about yourself…,” and 17 minutes later, you’re finished – with both your answer and the opportunity in front of you.  This happens!  Watch yourself once you step in that door.  Be self-aware.
2. Companies want to see you smile and get to know you for you.  However, do not laugh too much, nervously smile too often and lose touch of your professionalism.  You must remain strong, confident and purposeful with your answers and approach. 
3. Ask questions to demonstrate interest.  Companies want to see that you really like what they do and how they operate.  Make connections with the literature given to you, company briefs and the recruiters interviewing.  Product, process and background information are all good focus areas, but try to build bridges with your questions so you can demonstrate not only that you have the factual information down, but you have envisioned yourself in the position and can foresee the work-life.
4. Body Language.  I meet with companies after they interview candidates and, sure enough, there are always examples of an interviewee playing with their hands too much, having nervous compulsive movements or not looking the recruiter in the eye.  Relax.  Watch your movements and the inflection of your voice. 
5. Don’t get too comfortable.  Stay on top of your game.  As you start your interviews, you will actually enjoy the process of meeting the recruiters and learning about the companies from their perspective, as well as talking about yourself for 2 straight days.  It can be very exciting and actually fun!  Maintain your focus.  Do not loosen up too much; remember the position for which you are interviewing and your professionalism.  Connect and build rapport with the recruiter, and just remain poised.

Practice, practice and practice even more.  Then, once you walk into the room for your interview, stay in tune with yourself.  It reminds me of golf – you have so much to remember and a checklist when you step up to that tee box.  Interviewing is the same way…be self-aware and use your checklist.  These are basic pointers that when not executed correctly, will easily rule you out.  Make the most of your 45-minute opportunity!

Features and Benefits of Cameron-Brooks’ Development and Preparation Program

One of the features of the Cameron-Brooks program is our Development and Preparation Program© (DPP©).  A mis-perception of our program is that it is only designed to learn how to successfully interview.  This is only one of the benefits, and there are 3 equally important purposes of DPP©.

First, DPP© provides an education to Junior Military Officers (JMOs) on business career opportunities.  Most often JMOs come to us unsure if they want to leave the military and if they do separate, they wonder if  business is right for them.  We partner with these JMOs to help them identify their career goals, the options in business and  then provide them with objective insight so they can make good decisions based on their talents, values and goals.

Second, DPP© provides an education on key business topics encouraging our candidates to utilize these tools in their current military environment.  The intent is that they  improve their performance and increase their marketability.  Topics we cover in our program include Lean, Six Sigma, High Performance Work Teams, Continuous Process Improvement, sales/negotiation subjects to name a few.  I recently received the following e-mail from a Marine Corps Logistics JMO with an engineering degree from Georgia Tech about how he is using DPP© while deployed:

“I wanted to let you know that I am learning a great deal from the development program.  As I sit here aboard the ship on overnight watch in the command center, I realize that many of the books from the reading list (5 Dysfunctions of a Team, What is Six Sigma) discuss experiences that are parallel to my own from the Marine Corps and previous positions.  It is great to read about the significant leadership principles in the books, especially in regard to team leadership.   Team leadership is a competency I developed as a junior Lieutenant . However at the time I did not have the knowledge, which I have since learned through the readings, to properly identify my style.  After transferring units, in order to pursue the current deployment, I implemented the same team oriented environment with my new staff.  I was immediately met with resistance from my Supply Chief who had insisted on keeping the traditional and rigid styled environment in the supply warehouse.  I sat down with him and explained many of the principles from the books as well as my past experiences at my previous unit.   After explaining the importance of lateral communication with him -especially with the nature of supply chains- he became willing to adopt the team oriented leadership concept, while still maintaining the proper military chain of command.  We are half way through the deployment and the Commanding Officer has already told me personally that my Marines and I have “way surpassed any expectations he ever had” and that the deployment “would not have been successful without my arrival”.   I was recently granted career designation, which only some 30% of Marine Corps Supply Officers were offered due to the downsizing of the Marine Corps.”

This Marine JMO’s experience is not unique for those who fully utilize our DPP©.

A third purpose of our DPP© is that it prepares JMO candidates to hit the ground and make contributions quickly in their new career.  This ties into the second purpose where JMOs are utilizing these business concepts in their work environments prior to their new career.  They are not only aware of these business concepts but will also bring experience utilizing them to their new career.  Many years ago, a Fortune 500 consumer package goods company evaluated their marketing professionals on where they were in their career after 3 years.  Cameron-Brooks came out in the rankings as their top 10 MBA school hires.  As they learned more about DPP©, they labeled it a “mini-MBA”.  It is certainly not an MBA, hence the “mini” qualifier, however, it is full of self-development exercises and education preparing a JMO to step into high potential and challenging work in business.

And, yes, one of the immediate benefits for JMOs is still learning how to interview at a high level to be competitive for development opportunities with leading companies.

We just finished our April 2011 Conference.  Rob Davis will be writing a blog post with the results, sample companies and positions and videos.  It should be out early next week.  Stay tuned.  In the meantime, below is a video testimonial from a Navy Nuclear Sub officer from the April 2011 Career Conference discussing the value of the interview preparation portion of the DPP.

Joel Junker

Meeting Leadership – Respect and Listening

In the past month I have attended numerous meetings – school board, work and family.  Many of these meetings have gone really well where there was a high degree of respect for each participant, a focus on listening and understanding, and an effort by all to achieve synergistic solutions.  Some have not gone so well, when we stepped on each other’s sentences, interrupted the other person before he finished his thought, monopolized the conversation and raised our voices to talk over one of the participants.  I thought a lot about why certain meetings went so well and why others did not.  It really came down to listening and respect, and reminded me of the Indian Talking Stick concept author and leadership authority Stephen R. Covey describes in his book The 8^th Habit.

In The 8^th Habit Covey describes an experience he had training Indian chiefs and they gave him a Talking Stick as a gift.  He describes the concept, “Whenever people meet together, the Talking Stick is present.  Only the person holding the Talking Stick is permitted to speak.  As long as you have the Talking Stick, you alone may speak, until you are satisfied that you are understood.  Others are not permitted to make their own points, argue, agree or disagree.  All they may do is attempt to understand you and then articulate that understanding…As soon as you feel understood, it is your obligation to pass the Talking Stick to the next person and then to work to make him feel understood.”  I have never had a Talking Stick present at one of my meetings, but in some it was clear that the concept of listening with the intent to understand, and respect and value for the other person’s opinion was present.  In others, we desperately needed an actual stick.  I am as guilty as the next person in not taking time to listen with the intent to understand, and to be quick to interrupt and interject my points. 

As a leader at Cameron-Brooks, on the school board and in my family, I owe it to the others to demonstrate genuine respect and value their input.  I have been reading and also reflecting on what I can do to better facilitate more effective meetings so all feel valued, and ultimately everyone gets their ideas out and the best solutions are agreed upon. 

The following are my action steps and these steps can be used by junior military officers and Cameron-Brooks alumni alike.

1.  Prepare for every meeting.  I ensure I clearly understand the goal of the meeting and who will attend.  I study the agenda ahead of time and write down notes of ideas I may already have.

2.  I approach the meeting with belief that the best solutions are not necessarily mine, and may not even be the other people’s either.  In fact, the best solutions may be those that combine ideas or emerge from dialogue about other ideas.  I learned this from The 8^th Habit as well.

 3.  I take notes during the meeting and make eye contact with those who are speaking.  I am not perfect at this but I know it is important because this demonstrates respect.

 4.  When I notice others are not speaking up or involved, I ask them questions to draw them into the meeting.  In the past, I have been afraid to share my ideas because I did not feel as smart as the others or I was afraid someone would criticize me.  I always appreciated when someone asked me for my thoughts.

5.  When frustrations and voices rise, I remember that if my frustration and the volume of my voice increase it only adds fuel to the fire.  I am better off bringing some “cool water” to calm things.  First, I try to keep a calm voice and facial expression and slow my speech.  Second, I will seek to understand why the other person is agitated.  Simply acknowledging the other person brings calm back to the meeting.  I have learned the hard way that pushing back and going toe to toe is rarely productive.

6.  I volunteer for assignments.  Most meetings end with required actions to implement meeting points.  I set the example by assuming responsibility for some of them.  I cannot expect my teammates to volunteer if I do not.

7.  When others become negative during the meeting or bring down others with comments, I am going to address this.  Notice, I said I am going to address this.  I have failed my other team members in the past by not addressing these behaviors.  It has brought them down to the point where they no longer want to be in meetings or contribute. 

I am sure there are numerous books available on how to conduct meetings.  My two favorite for demonstrating respect and listening to others are The 8^th Habit by Stephen R. Covey and Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.

Joel Junker

Millennials – The Search for Worthwhile Work

One of my favorite Buddhist quotes is, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”  I have found that the more willing I am to be a student the more teachers I will find. I wrote an earlier blog titled, “The Alchemist and the JMO” where I told the story of traveling to Germany on a recruiting trip last December and having two Cameron-Brooks candidates (two of my “teachers”) recommend I read The Alchemist, by Paul Coelho. One also recommended I read, Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. These recommendations came from JMOs who are members of the Millennial Generation – born after 1980. During recent trips, when I interview junior military officers who are considering transitioning to corporate America through the Cameron-Brooks Development & Preparation Program©, I have heard an increasing desire to find worthwhile and meaningful work in their next career. Sometimes this desire leads JMOs to only consider other government service sector careers. Some assume that selfless service is common only to those who wear a uniform. Certainly we are indebted to all who serve the public in uniform. I believe selfless service and meaningful work is also found in hundreds of private companies in a wide variety of industries.

The issue is complex and requires research and a broad career search. I also think it requires self-insight. Meaningful work to some may focus on the quality of products or services a company provides. To others it may be working with people of their ilk. In his book, Good to Great, Jim Collins writes that one characteristic of great companies is the belief that getting the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus is more important than where the bus is going. The deeper question for an individual is, “How can I find meaning in my work?” Viktor Frankl developed his philosophy of logotherapy during his years as a prisoner in the Nazi concentration camps. He observed that a common characteristic of those who survived the camps was awareness that their life had meaning to someone else. In one case he gives the example of reminding a man contemplating suicide that he had a daughter waiting safely for him in another country who was counting on him to live. Having this meaning to his life allowed the man to dig deeper within himself and survive his suffering. We can all look within ourselves and our current work to find meaning in what we do. Who is counting on us? Who benefits from the product of our labor? One easy to read book on the subject is, Gung Ho, by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. The book tells the story of a manufacturing manager and former active duty U.S. Marine who instills the notion of worthwhile work in his team. The lesson is broadly applicable in many companies and gives those searching for worthwhile and meaningful work a way to evaluate possible career opportunities.

Steve Sosland

The Emerging Millennial Generation

Joel Junker has written about the generational shift as our country transitions from the leadership of the Baby Boomer generation to the next generation. His writing is well-researched and based on dozens of conversations he has had with leaders of Fortune 500 companies. Scott LePage and I are seeing a major shift of focus among junior military officers (JMOs) who come to Cameron-Brooks to interview for our Development & Preparation Program© as they prepare to transition from active duty service to careers in corporate America. There is an emerging focus common among JMOs who express to us their desire to find meaningful and worthwhile work. This is a welcome shift from the Gen-X focus on rapid promotions, high starting pay and restriction to starting in their first choice of location.

To explain this shift, it is important to first understand the factors that contribute to generational stereotypes. “Baby Boomers” is the term used to describe those born in the years 1946-1964, during the baby boom following WWII. “Generation X” is used for those born from 1965-1980. Those born after 1980 are part of the “Millennial Generation” (aka Baby Boomlets or Echo Boomers). Each generation develops characteristics from key events called generational markers. The generational markers for the Baby Boomers include the space race, the Vietnam War, Beatles and Rock & Roll, the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK, and the Cold War. We remember the asinine schoolhouse drill to duck under our desks or in the hall in case of a nuclear attack. We received our news from three networks that went off the air each night at midnight playing the Star Spangled Banner. Gen-Xers were the first generation to be termed “latch-key kids” because both parents typically worked, and kids came home to empty houses and grew up responsible for fixing their own meals and doing their homework alone. The emerging technology was typically used for toys and games where getting the next new version was important. This independence was coupled with a lack of trust of authority that came from generational markers like the Watergate break-in and subsequent resignation of President Nixon.

Their news came 24/7 with the emergence of CNN. So what are the generational markers of the Millennial Generation? Less has been written about them, but certainly recent history can allow us to assume they will include 9-11, the war on terrorism, environmental disasters, and the impact of green technology. They don’t wait to receive news. They make it by using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They have elected presidents and created social awareness. I remember where I was when President Kennedy was shot and when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the moon. Millennials know where they were on September 11, 2001.  They also remember that our country came together, albeit briefly for a common goal. The dream to come together to make a difference has been deeply implanted in them. The average age of JMOs who transition to corporate America through Cameron-Brooks is 28. That means there is an increasing number of officers from the Millennial Generation who have a different focus than officers we have seen in previous years. I often hear comments about frustration with senior officers who appear to care more about their own careers than taking care of their subordinates. The overwhelming desire among this group is to find worthwhile and meaningful work that will change the world. I, for one, believe they will.

In my next blog I will discuss the definition and source of meaningful work as well as several books on the subject that may allow all of us to find it. Until then, I recommend you review my earlier blog on this site titled, “The Alchemist and the JMO.” http://blog.cameron-brooks.com/2009/12/29/the-alchemist-and-the-jmo/.

 Steve Sosland

Winners and Losers

I was a teenager in 1973, when a friend gave me a copy of a recently published book, Winners and Losers. Over the years the book has served as mentor and friend during times when I needed to apply a lesson learned from the author, Sydney Harris. Sometimes, reading a book allows the reader to avoid having to “touch the stove” to learn a lesson. Several years ago I purchased two used copies of Harris’ book (it has long been out of print) on amazon.com. I gave one to each of my daughters with a note telling them I hoped the book would be as valuable to them as it is to me. Over the years, each of them has mentioned a particular page that helped them through an issue. Last week, my oldest daughter handed me her book loaded with notes attached to the pages telling me specific lessons she has learned.
As a recruiter for Cameron-Brooks, I am often asked by junior military officers (JMOs) what they can do to be well prepared to make a successful transition from active military service to corporate America. One of the most beneficial tools I mention is to establish a professional reading program. Our team reads hundreds of business books and often discusses professional reading with business leaders. As a result of these discussions and our experience, we developed a professional reading list that is part of our Development & Preparation Program©. Many of the books in our reading program have been written by leading authors. Few people have heard of Sydney Harris, and his book may never make our list, but it has a value for those like me who pick up the book and find one page that speaks about a timely issue that will help approve the ability to lead more effectively. Here are a few excerpts:
1. A winner makes commitments; a loser makes promises. Roger Cameron says, “Leaders get promoted based on their big accomplishments and build reputations based on the little things” – making commitments and keeping them – phone calls, appointments, returning e-mails, etc.
2. A winner listens; a loser just waits until it is his turn to talk.  In describing how they lead a team, JMOs often tell me they talk to their team. It is rare to hear someone tell me they listen. I recommend, reading  The Lost Art of Listening, by Michael Nichols.
3.  A winner says, “There ought to be a better way to do it”; a loser says, “That’s the way it’s always been done here.” Companies hire leaders to make improvements. What got us where we are today will not get us where we want to be tomorrow.
4.  A winner respects those who are superior to him, and tries to learn something from them; a loser resents those who are superior to him and tries to find chinks in their armor. Occasionally, I interview someone who wants to leave the military because they don’t respect their senior leadership. The military doesn’t have a lock on bad bosses. We have our fair share in business. It takes effort and skill to learn that everyone has strengths to admire and emulate; and weaknesses to avoid and take lessons from.
5.  A winner has a healthy appreciation for his abilities, and a keen awareness of his limitations; a loser is oblivious both of his true abilities and his true limitations.  We encourage our Cameron-Brooks candidates to develop answers to commonly asked interview questions. “Tell me about a weakness” is a common question. Include what you are doing to improve or mitigate the limitation.
6.  A loser is envious of winners and contemptuous of other losers; a winner judges others only by how well they live up to their own capacities, not by some external scale of worldly success, and can have more respect for a capable shoeshine boy than for a crass opportunist. I keep an article on my desk that I read in USA Today several years ago about Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson who wrote a booklet titled, “Swanson’s Unwritten Rules of Management.” He says, “Watch out for people who have a situational value system; who can turn the charm on or off depending on the status of the person they are interacting with.” Steve Odland, CEO of Office Depot said, “People with situational values have situational ethics, and those are people to be avoided.”

Lessons come from many sources. Perhaps some of you will find and read your own copy of Winners and Losers, learn a lesson, and like me avoid touching the stove quite so often.

Steve Sosland