Plant Skills, Harvest Knowledge

TechFuse 2010 - The experts are coming! Registration is open!

kmaenke — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:11:10 GMT

Join us for TechFuse 2010 on May 6!

With 28 educational sessions to choose from, plus a keynote presentation, TechFuse 2010 is an event you won't want to miss. TechFuse 2010 is an event you won't want to miss. It is the most cost-effective way for IT and Developer pros to get up-to-date, 200-300 level education on the topics that matter to your role. TechFuse will provide you resources on the latest developments in IT and Developer trends, technologies, application implementation issues, products and services from tons of local professionals.

Register Early for a Chance to Win!

Everyone who registers for TehFuse 2010 by April 9 will be automatically entered to win a Netbook from Microsoft. You must be present at TechFuse to win!

Event Details:
Date: May 6, 2010
Location: The Ramada, Bloomington
Time: 8am-5pm
Cost: $349 ($399 after April 9)

Twin Cities Cloud Computing User Group

kmaenke — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:50:00 GMT

Abstract
As cloud computing continues to enter the main stream development approaches for organizations, we want to take a focused look at the business, cultural, organizational, and long term IT implications of adoption of cloud computing.

We'll cover 9 different cloud models to learn the diversity of impacts they have on the organization. Consider the diversity of existing solutions that exist in a large organization today, each are different in design, flexibility, criticality, and data sensitivity. How will an enterprise application portfolio evolve in the face of 9 and growing number of approaches? Lastly, this presentation will use visualization tools to help technical architects conduct managed conversations with business sponsors over the decisions that will have to be made in the coming years. The visualizations provide a way to objectify the conversation and can also create a historical perspective of investments and score carding.

Bio
David Williams: Microsoft Strategy Advisor
Innovation, strategy, and partnership are what David brings to the business conversations with his clients. As a Platform Strategy Advisor for Microsoft Corporation David collaborates with his clients to see how emerging technologies create new opportunities to evolve business models and customer experiences. He can bring insights to how trends and innovations are being realized across vertical industries and how they affect both enterprises and customers. With a special focus on the emerging trends of software + services, he is on the cutting edge of global cloud based solutions. With a 20 year background in the industry, David brings perspectives that span business architecture, enterprise architecture, portfolio management, and technical development.

The meeting will be help on Thursday March 11th from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Microsoft office in Bloomington, MN. You can find more information and register for the meeting here: http://www.tccloud.com/events/march-meeting

Developers Guild Meeting for March

kmaenke — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:48:10 GMT

When: March 9, 6:00 PM
Where: Benchmark Learning - 4510 West 77th Street - Edina, MN 55435
Directions

Sound Synthesis with Silverlight 3: In this session we'll discuss how to produce raw sound waves from code in Silverlight 3. We're not talking about simple WAV file playback - we're talking actual sound synthesis. We'll cover the fundamental math involved to produce sine waves and other topics such as controlling volume, panning, frequency modulation, amplitude modulation, mixing, sequencing, and more.

Bio: Mike Hodnick is a Lead Consultant at Inetium in Bloomington, MN and has worked professionally as a developer in the Twin Cities area for over ten years. When not working on real-world business apps, Mike enjoys digging in to WPF 3D, physics-based Silverlight game development, Silverlight audio synthesis, camping, hiking, traveling, and writing/recording music.

Learn more and register

Are you ready for SharePoint 2010?

kmaenke — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:18:33 GMT

Benchmark Learning can help you get prepared! We have a number of FREE events coming up, including some new SharePoint 2010 events.

View all FREE events

Upcoming SharePoint 2010 events:
New Features of SharePoint 2010 & Windows Server 2008 R2 - A Technical Overview
In this session, you will get a broad overview of the new capabilities including changes to the User Interface, the MySite and Social Computing components, the SharePoint Workspace (the new name for Groove), and enhancements to Collaboration features that are increasing necessary. This session will also include demonstrations of the new SharePoint 2010 components highlighting the critical role this release will hold in your IT Infrastructure.
Date: March 11, 2010
Time: 2:00 pm

SharePoint 2010 Deepdive: Working with Business Process, Workflows, Forms and Composites in SharePoint 2010
This session will focus on how SharePoint 2010 can be used to automate your business processes using SharePoint workflow functionality, as well as creating custom forms. Certain SharePoint add-on software will be covered in this session for those users that need additional functionality beyond what SharePoint offers out of the box (i.e., Nintex). The session will be filled with real-life examples of customers that are using this functionality. This class is geared towards both business and technical users.
Date: April 20, 2010
Time: 1:00 pm

SharePoint 2010 101 - A Walk Around the New SharePoint 2010 "Wheel" Seminar
SharePoint 2010 is coming! In this free seminar, we will be providing an overview of the new capabilities of SharePoint 2010 by demonstrating new features in each of the following areas of the new "wheel":

Content - Content management
Insights - Business intelligence
Search - Searching people, data, and documents
Communities - Collaboration
Sites - Using SharePoint as an internet platform
Composites - Building integrated solutions on SharePoint

Date: April 22, 2010
Time: 9:00 am

SharePoint 2010 Deepdive: Search Functionality
This session will focus on how to exploit the search capability within SharePoint 2010. With the recent integration of FAST technology within SharePoint, search has never been more powerful within the SharePoint platform. Topics covered will include understanding the right level of search for your organization and implementing the search functionality. This session will be filled with real-life examples of customers that are using this functionality. This seminar is geared towards a more technical user.
Date: May 27, 2010
Time: 9:00 am

SharePoint 2010 Deepdive: Communities and Social Networking
This session will focus on SharePoint 2010 and Social Networking. If your organization is interested in implementing a social networking plan, and want to use tools you already own, this session will provide fundamentals to get you started. This session will focus My Sites, Activity Feeds, Tagging, Blogs and Wikis. Content will also touch on some additional SharePoint add-on software that can enhance your social networking experience. This session is geared towards both business and technical users.
Date: June 22, 2010
Time: 1:00 pm

Use your head to open doors

kmaenke — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:54:00 GMT

In the State of the Union address, President Obama declared our national economic agenda "begins with jobs." So does mine. I'm dedicating myself to a 30-day, nationwide tour to launch my newest book Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You.

Use Your Head is loaded with silver bullets. I even enlisted the help of readers of this column. They delivered great tips ranging from networking-your-way-to-work to tapping multi-skills for a totally new career.

People have asked me, "Harvey, what is the most bankable advice Use Your Head has to offer?" A tough call, but here are the 10 tips with the greatest traction after road-testing the advice in this book with hundreds of job seekers:

View more

Great courses coming up

kmaenke — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:12:03 GMT

Benchmark Learning has some great offerings coming up! Don't forget that you can view our entire upcoming schedule at http://www.benchmarklearning.com/schedule.pdf.

Here is a list of just a few of our upcoming courses:
IT:
6232 Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database
March 8th

6235 Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Integration Services
March 15th

6231 Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database
March 22nd

6426 Configuring Identity and Access Solutions with Windows Server 2008 Active Directory
March 31st

6427 Configuring and Troubleshooting Internet Information Services in Windows Server 2008
March 31st

Business Applications:
Outlook/PowerPoint/Word/Excel Workshops
March 11th & March 23rd

Outlook 2007 Level 2
March 17th

Excel 2003 Level 2
March 22nd

Word 2007 Level 1
March 29th

Outlook 2007 Level 1
March 30th

Access 2007 Level 1
March 31st

Crystal Reports Level 2
March 31st

Graphic Design and Media:
Flash Level 1
March 18th

Dreamweaver Level 1
March 22

Dreamweaver Level 2
March 23

You can also visit our course search page to find all our courses.

Maintaining a Personal and Corporate Identity Online

kmaenke — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:12:00 GMT

Managing the boundaries, practices, policies and technology associated with a shift to Internet applications raises questions around the growing overlap between personal and corporate identity.

I create, store and transmit a lot of corporate data over Internet services that are outside the control of my company. A large part of this data activity happens as a result of social networking applications that are tied specifically to me as a private Internet citizen. Managing the boundaries, practices, policies and technology associated with my shift to Internet applications raises questions around the growing overlap between my personal and corporate identity.

When I first entered the work force in the 1980s the most common policy on personal use of company property consisted of a 10-minute daily limit for private phone calls and instant dismissal for using company postage to pay for personal mail. While some (usually hourly or service) employees still have personal cell phone time limits, e-mail and online bill payment have virtually eliminated personal postage use and the old policies seem anachronistic. Today, my bigger concern is company use of personal property.

I'm (one of a very small number of) Cameron Sturdevant on Facebook. I'm csturdevant on Twitter. When I first signed up for these accounts it was for business reasons. Although it wasn't mandated, but to be a technology analyst today means also using social sites including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. One big problem is that I have an entirely separate personal life where I would also like to be Cameron Sturdevant, and Facebook and Twitter don't have very good methods for helping me be both a professional and a civilian with the same identity. Early choices I made in associating my personal data with accounts that are primarily used for business have effectively cut me off from the full enjoyment of my private personality online.

My Lab colleague, Jason Brooks, refers to my work persona as "Fake Cameron" and my personal social networking accounts as "Real Cameron." While humorous, I consider both my professional and personal appearances on social networking sites as "real." I separate them to protect myself from potential negative impacts that could come from mixing my work and home life in the same online vat. For example, I'm careful to leave out age/weight/marital status/sexual orientation and other protected information on my professional profiles.

As careful as I am, I've been thwarted in my attempts to be a responsible employee and an available personal friend. For example, maintaining multiple Facebook accounts is a violation of the service terms. Since I signed up for Facebook for work-related reasons, I'm technically prohibited from the full enjoyment of a personal presence.

And there are still reasons for employers to be concerned about what employees control.

For example, this column was written in Google docs. I rarely use the company-provided Microsoft Office productivity suite except for the increasingly rare times when I need more sophisticated editing capabilities. For me, the anywhere, anytime access to my written work is the first, second and third most important reasons for using an online service as my typewriter. Fortunately, my work isn't regulated like health care or financial data, so I have the relative freedom to use an extremely convenient application to perform my work.

I know of employees who use online services to process their work-related e-mail, contacts and calendar information. In my own work environment I use shared Google docs to collaborate on everything from IP address assignments to editorial assignments. My access to these shared documents is tied to an e-mail account that I created for personal use. Besides the fact that I'm associating my personal account with business information, there's the question of who's making sure that my access to potentially sensitive information is controlled after I eventually leave my current position. How does an employer easily regain control of company data once it starts to live in online services?

Here's my current thinking for keeping "Fake Cameron" and "Real Cameron" in harmony. First, I created a generic e-mail account using a popular e-mail provider. I use this account to sign up and centralize my work-related social networking activities. I created a handle that is clearly work-related, avoids any silly or pejorative slang and is generic enough for me to use at any employer. Second, I recognize the need to create a firewall between my personal and private life by creating separate social networking accounts when permitted to do so. Third, I'm investigating password management tools to keep track of the increasingly large number of personal online services that I need to access throughout the day to do my job. Sxipper and a note in my iPhone are the two methods I'm currently using.

Online services are a reality. It's time for an evolution in social networking site and employment policies that support the idea that a person could legitimately lead a professional and a private life.

Source: eweek blog

Managing Talent in a Turbulent Economy

kmaenke — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:07:57 GMT

Managing Talent in a Turbulent Economy: Keeping your team intact A Special Report on Talent Retention

Deloitte's "Managing Talent in a Turbulent Economy: Keeping your team intact for the recovery" report confirms the possibility of a "resume tsunami" as the economy begins to show signs of recovery. This Special Report on Talent Retention-part of an ongoing longitudinal survey by Deloitte-compares the results of an August 2009 survey of employees at large enterprises worldwide with a May 2009 survey of international corporate leaders.

This Special Report reveals a number of critical differences between what employees reported they want and what surveyed executives think their employees want. These disparities display a "tale of two mindsets" between employee desires and employer priorities. In order to prepare for the recovery, many companies will need to assess the turnover intentions of their key employees and revise the retention tactics they employ to keep top talent on the job.

Corporate leaders looking to head off a potential "resume tsunami" have a number of tools at their disposal, not all of which are financial. Executives and talent managers must honestly answer a number of important questions: Can strong leadership be used more effectively as a retention tool? Can improved communication over necessary cost-cutting measures alleviate anxiety and reduce turnover intentions? Can career advancement paths be cleared to keep top talent satisfied? Are managers giving employees the support and recognition necessary to keep them committed to their current jobs?

Read the Special Report on Talent Retention to learn more about ways effective companies can manage the "tale of two mindsets" by first understanding what their employees really want and then realigning their retention strategies, tactics and priorities to match those goals. We believe those that succeed will be better positioned to retain their high performing and high potential employees and be able to hit the ground running as the economy recovers.

This Special Report is part of Deloitte's year-long longitudinal study of talent trends and retention strategies. The fourth edition of Deloitte's longitudinal survey will be published in November 2009. Deloitte also plans to publish a fifth edition in January 2010 in order to complete a year-long study designed to track talent trends and attitudes through the depth of the recession and into the first hints of economic recovery.

Read this study done by Deloitte:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

So you want to be a .NET Developer?

kmaenke — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:46:00 GMT

Are you currently a Java developer? C or C++ Developer? Changing careers? Just graduated college? A designer looking for programming experience? This seminar will provide an overview and direction of how to pursue your endeavors into .NET Development with C#, VB.NET, and the Framework as well as a high level overview of technologies such as:

Windows Communication Foundation (SOA)
Windows Presentation Foundation
Silverlight
ASP.NET
ASP.NET MVC
LINQ
Certification options and paths

More importantly it will give you the guidance you need to have a successful career in .NET development. In addition, you'll be invited to use our assessment tool in helping guide your career path for free.

TechFuse 2010 Speaker Applications are now available!

kmaenke — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:59:00 GMT

Benchmark Learning is currently accepting applications from local experts for TechFuse 2010 speaking positions. The one-day educational conference will be held on May 6 at the Ramada Mall of America. All applications will be considered and our conference committee will make final decisions in March. Participation in this event is a great way to gain exposure in the local business community.

Attendees of TechFuse are excited to learn the latest and greatest about the technologies they use every day and consist of new to advanced users. Each session will have approximately 20-80 people.

Please complete the application linked below and submit to Benchmark Learning Conference Committee via email (techfuse@benchmarklearning.com) or fax (952.896.9728) no later than February 24, 2010.

Download the Speaker Application>>

Interested in Sponsoring TechFuse?

Gain exposure with local IT and developer pros. There are three sponsorship levels to choose from, each packed with valuable benefits.

Download the Sponsor Application>>

About TechFuse

With 28 sessions and a keynote presentation to choose from, TechFuse 2010 is an event you won't want to miss. It is the most cost-effective way for IT and Developer pros to get up-to-date, 200-300 level education on the topics that matter to your role. TechFuse will provide you resources on the latest developments in IT and Developer trends, technologies, application implementation issues, products and services from tons of local professionals.

Educational tracks for TechFuse 2010 include*:

System Center / Productivity
Infrastructure Core
Networking and Security
Developer
SharePoint / Collaboration
Professional Development
Virtualization

*Educational track topics are subject to change until final schedule is posted.

To see the most up-to-date information on TechFuse, go to techfusemn.com

Good Job References: You Need Them Now More than Ever

kmaenke — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:22:00 GMT

Plain and simple: Good job references are like precious gold jewelry. Treat them with great care, career experts advise.

One of the last duties a human resources professional or recruiter will carry out is reference checking, and the impression your references give about you can be more significant than you might have thought--especially in a tight economy...

Read this article

Overcoming Cynicism, Misconceptions, and Apathy about Employee Engagement

kmaenke — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:22:43 GMT

Written by: Leigh Branham and published with permission by Canadian Management Centre

Will the new decade bring new hope or just more cynicism to the business world? You may have seen this recent Dilbert cartoon, printed last month in the winter of our recessionary discontent:

Dilbert's Boss: "We need more of what the management experts call employee engagement. I don't know the details, but it has something to do with you idiots working harder for the same pay."
Dilbert: "Is anything different on your end?"
Dilbert's Boss: "I think I'm supposed to be happier."
The cartoon was an instant classic. Unfortunately, it captured the deep employee cynicism about the most highly misunderstood business buzzword of the decade just ended. As the cartoon suggests, many employers have earned the cynicism by invoking the term "employee engagement" to mean "doing more with less"-aburden to be borne by employees. Consider the following recent survey reports:

Seventy-two percent of companies have reduced their workforces in response to the recession, according to Towers Perrin
The number of actively disengaged workers increased from 3 percent to 24 percent in organizations that have laid off employees, Gallup researchers found Watson Wyatt's Employee Engagement Index declined 9 percent for all employees from 2008 to 2009. More importantly, among top-performing employees, engagement dropped a much steeper 23 percent.
Employee stress and workload have increased substantially in 2008-2009, according to a survey by WFD Consulting. Eight out of 10 respondents reported that managers' and employees' workloads have increased, along with employee stress.
Forty percent of 4,285 full-time private-sector employees surveyed by CareerBuilder.com said they had difficulty staying motivated in their current jobs, and 24 percent said they didn't feel loyal to their current employers.
According to a survey conducted by Monster and Human Capital Institute, 84 percent of employers indicated they thought their workers were content because they still had jobs. However, only 58 percent of workers agreed. The same survey found that 57 percent of workers believe employers are exploiting the recession to drive longer hours and lower pay from their workforces; only 26 percent excuse their employers for requiring layoffs and longer hours because they believe their employer's hands were forced by the recession; 58 percent believe employers are less concerned about employee retention; and 53 percent have decreased company loyalty (www.ere.net/2009/10/14/survey-shows-disconnect-between-workers-and-bosses/ ).
Right Management surveyed 900 workers and found that 60 percent intend to leave their jobs in 2010.
The 2009 Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations Report said 55 percent of employees plan to change jobs, careers or industries

Sobering as these findings may be, the promise of employee engagement for reviving our businesses and our economy remains compelling.

A Gallup study published last August involving 32,400 business units found that those with employee engagement scores in the top quartile had 18 percent higher productivity, 16 percent higher profitability, and 49 percent fewer safety incidents compared with those in the bottom quartile. Considering all these findings and the current business climate, is there any doubt among CEOs and HR leaders that employee engagement is critical to our economic prospects? We should expect the coming year to bring major new employee engagement initiatives. Yet, I remain skeptical that many of them will succeed. Some company leaders will jump on the engagement bandwagon by conducting their first employee engagement survey, but will fail to take action on the difficult issues it brings to their attention. Others will fail simply because they misunderstand the nature of employee engagement-what it is, what drives it, what puts the brakes on it, what part of it must originate with the employee, and what portion employers must inspire. Those who succeed will be free of these misunderstandings and will be committed to take action. Having studied the nature and dynamics of employee engagement, disengagement, turnover, and retention over the past 14 years, I've come across a few misconceptions that many leaders and managers have. I believe these misconceptions undermine successful employee engagement initiatives before they can even begin, so I offer them in the hope of enhancing our collective realism, optimism, and effectiveness:

Misconception No. 1: It's the same as satisfaction. Having experienced two recessions in the past decade, most managers have had to let go of this one, but it still persists, even in HR circles.
The reality: Employee engagement is more about the productivity that comes from enthusiasm, energy, and commitment. The business world is filled with contented employees who are less than productive.

Misconception No. 2: Employees don't want to be engaged. This cuts to the core of a basic belief that many managers and executives hold about employees/humans-that they are lazy, untrustworthy, uninterested in excellence, and must be micromanaged.
The reality: Even when they take jobs just to survive and have low expectations, most employees secretly harbor the hope of enjoying the work and performing it well. The vast majority of employees begin their jobs with enthusiasm, but in all too many cases, they quickly realize they are not trusted, and respond in kind--by withholding effort they would otherwise have willingly expended.

Misconception No. 3: It's all about hiring engaged employees. If we just focus on recruiting and selecting only employees who are already motivated, we won't have to spend all our time keeping them motivated and engaged.
The reality: There's truth in this one: as football coach, Lou Holtz, famously said, "I don't motivate my players...I just recruit players who are already motivated." The problem here is that, after making the hire, many managers abdicate their responsibility to coach and manage well...or at all. Keeping employees engaged is the job of leaders and managers, a job that is equally shared by employees themselves.

Misconception No. 4: Once engaged, always engaged. This is a corollary to the one above-that engagement is an innate, unchanging state. Again, there is some truth in this-some employees have better work ethics, more enthusiasm, and more natural energy levels. The misconception is that employees can be counted on to sustain high levels of engagement despite poor leadership, undependable coworkers, disruptive change, broken promises, unclear expectations, and a host of other such triggering events.
The reality: Engagement is fluid, elastic, and changeable, not static. It must be monitored, maintained, and renegotiated.

Misconception No. 5: It's all about the immediate manager. For years, the conventional and prevailing belief has been that employee engagement is the exclusive province of direct managers.
The reality: Our recent analysis of 2.1 million engagement surveys (reported in our new book-Re-Engage!) revealed that senior leadership practices are even more critical since they create the culture from which middlemanagers take their cues (not to downplay the huge role that immediate managers play in keeping employees engaged). It is also essential to acknowledge the responsibility that employees have for keeping themselves engaged, and the role of leaders and managers in challenging them to do so.

Misconception No. 6: Engagement is enough. Many leaders understand the importance of their role in keeping employees engaged by assigning them engaging work, soliciting their ideas, giving them autonomy, and recognizing their contributions, but fail to keep employees' efforts aligned with organizational goals.
The reality: Engagement is necessary, but not sufficient. Managers must also make sure they clearly understand organizational and team objectives so they can tie them to the individual talents, expectations, and objectives of the individuals they supervise.

Misconception No. 7: Fear promotes engagement. Recently one manager responded this way to an online article encouraging managers to make employee engagement more of a priority in 2010: "There's one sure way to engage employees-simply tell them if they don't get engaged, we'll replace them with someone who is!"
The reality: Most employees these days don't need reminding that they could lose their jobs. Some do need to be challenged in a positive way and confronted when their effort is lacking. But to adopt an "engage, or else" stance ignores and denies the manager's own role as an inspiring agent of engagement (see Misconceptions 3 and 4 above).

Misconception No. 8: Paying more increases engagement. This is a popular belief because, if it were entirely true, it would largely absolve managers from having to attend to the difficult "soft stuff" of people management.
The reality: Pay, like praise and other forms of recognition, is a motivator when it is linked to measured performance or a specific contribution. More often, employees experience pay as a de-motivator when there is no link, or pay inequity, or there's excessive secrecy about pay decisions. The most effective drivers of employee engagement have to do with the trust, challenge, respect, recognition, understanding, and honest communication we nurture daily...or not.

Misconception No. 9: All employees are engaged equally by the same drivers. Believing that all employees have the same hot buttons is a simple and comforting notion. It's also not uncommon for managers to assume that what motivates their direct reports are the same ones that motivate them.
The reality: The research findings we report in our new book, Re-Engage (McGraw-Hill, February, 2010), identifies six universal drivers of employee engagement that all employees need and seek. However, different employees need some of the six drivers more than others and it's up to the manager to find out who needs what and to make sure they get what they need.

Misconception No. 10: All organizations need to focus equal efforts on the same drivers. Many studies, including our own, have identified a specific set of universal engagement drivers. It is understandable that a reader might assume they all apply equally in driving engagement at his or her business.
The reality: Though highly engaged workplaces focus on providing plenty of all six drivers, they tend to emphasize those that fit their cultures and will help achieve their business objectives. For example, one of the winning workplaces we interviewed, Joie De Vivre Hospitality, runs a chain of boutique hotels that depends on exceptional service to hotel guests. To differentiate themselves in the market, they have chosen recognition and valuing of hotel staff as their "signature" driver. This means company leaders go out of their way to notice and express appreciation for "above-and-beyond" service, and have remained committed to hosting the end-of-the-year annual employee appreciation banquet, even as other employers were cancelling such parties in December of last year.

Misconception No. 11: Those who stay are more engaged. If employees stay, that must mean they are happier and more engaged.
The reality: Those who stay may be the least engaged. As we know, the best performers have the most options and are more likely to move on, especially as the economy improves. Smart managers focus on making sure their top performers stay engaged. They also confront, re-engage, coach, or, when all else fails, dismiss, their poorest performers.

Misconception No. 12: Benchmarking engagement scores with other companies is the most meaningful and actionable way to assess and track your progress. Business leaders who authorize engagement surveys understandably want to know how engaged their workforces are compared to other companies.
The reality: Some 93 percent of high-performing companies utilize employee engagement surveys compared with 78 percent of lower performers according to a survey conducted by the Institute for Corporate Productivity. Comparing your scores to other companies in your industry is worth doing, but what really matters is comparing this year's scores to next year's and noting the impact on business results-the only true way to see if your employee engagement initiatives are making a difference.

Finally, there is a self-imposed obstacle for many leaders-it's not really a misconception-more a failure of low expectations. It is simply that managers and leaders have come to accept low levels of engagement in their workforces. The winning workplaces that my co-author, Mark Hirschfeld, and I profile in our new book are those ho refuse to accept average engagement-reported by Gallup as roughly 25% engaged, 60% not engaged, and 15% actively disengaged among U.S. employers. The companies we interviewed, such as Gaylord Hotels and Resorts, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Winchester Hospital, Rackspace Hosting, Nalley Automotive, JDV Hospitality, and Quality Living, Inc. aspire to and achieve much higher levels of employee engagement. In the final analysis, it may be that apathy and resignation to the current sad state of employee engagement is far more serious threat than employee cynicism and the misconceptions listed above.

Source: http://www.trainingindustry.com/training-outsourcing/articles/overcoming-cynicism.aspx

What Will Pex Do?

kmaenke — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:32:00 GMT

Date: Feb 9, 2010
Time: 6:00pm
Location: Benchmark Learning

Pex is a tool that, at first glance, looks like it's all about testing your code in ways you never dreamed of. However, there's a lot more to Pex than that. In this session, we'll cover the testing capabilities of Pex along with exploring the advanced technologies that come with Pex, such as Stubs/Moles and Z3.

About Twin Cities Developers Guild
We aren't a typical .NET user group, even though we certainly focus on Microsoft Technologies. We use the term Developers Guild to imply more than just a roomful of folks sitting around listening to someone talk. Our first objective is to provide a deep dive in the technologies YOU are asking for. We make a point of soliciting input and content from our members and focusing on the things YOU need to know to get your job done. Think of this as a monthly Master Class in current technologies.

About the Presenter
Jason Bock is a Principal Consultant for Magenic (http://www.magenic.com), a Microsoft MVP (C#), and an INETA (http://www.ineta.org) speaker. He has worked on a number of business applications using a diverse set of substrates and languages such as C#, .NET, and Java. He is the author of "Applied .NET Attributes", "CIL Programming: Under the Hood of .NET", ".NET Security", and "Visual Basic 6 Win32 API Tutorial". He has written numerous articles on software development issues and has presented at a number of conferences and user groups. He also runs the Twin Cities Code Camp (http://www.twincitiescodecamp.com) and the Twin Cities Languages User Group (http://www.twincitieslanguagesusergroup.com). Jason holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Marquette University. Visit his website at http://www.jasonbock.net.

Get a Second Shot to pass your Microsoft Certification exam!

kmaenke — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:17:00 GMT

Take advantage of this great limited-time offer to help you save money while advancing your career.

Microsoft Certification will help you set yourself apart with proof of your skills in Microsoft programs. Whether you are currently unemployed, looking for a promotion, or trying to become indispensible in your existing role, Microsoft Certifications can validate your training and knowledge for skills applicable for some of the top IT and Developer jobs in the industry.

This Second Shot offer doubles your advantage by giving you a free retake of a certification exam. Buy a Second Shot voucher for $125 (available through your Education Advisor) between January 12, 2009 and June 30, 2010, and receive a free Second Shot at passing the exam if you do not pass on your first try.

There is no limit per person - you will receive one free retake for each paid exam that you take and fail. You must take both the first and (if necessary) second retake exam before June 30, 2010. Exams are available in the following citites in Minnesota: Bloomington, Edina, Eveleth, Maplewood and Rochester.

Need help to pass?

We can help with MeasureUp practice exams and our free CareerBooster assessments. Contact your Education Advisor for more information today!

Which exams qualify for this offer?

Any Microsoft Learning IT professional, developer, or Microsoft Dynamics exam.

Benchmark Learning's Skill Assessment Tool Made Live on iSeek.org

kmaenke — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:51:00 GMT

Minnesota's official resource for career exploration and employment information, iSeek Solutions/CareerOneStop, made live on iseek.org Benchmark Learning's CareerBooster skill assessment tool. iSeek's Education Data Manager believes having a tool that quickly and subjectively assesses people's skills and then guides them to education right down to the specific skill module is a beneficial and value-add tool for individuals. The CareerBooster skill assessment tool complements the state's internally-built assessments that guide individuals to jobs and other data.

To visit Benchmark Learning's assessment tool from iSeek's webiste, navigate to the Assess Yourself page and click the CareerBooster (Role Profile) Tool link in the column to the right.

About CareerBooster (Role Profile) Tool

CareerBooster (Role Profile) Tool is a free skill assessment tool used to keep your education goals on track. Advance your career by targeting the skills you need based on requirements for specific job roles. Choose an education path that will allow you to meet the skill requirements for a position and add courses of interest to your personal queue with ease.

Assess your skills now!