1. religion and spirituality
2. buddhism

The Journal of the Laboratory Animal Management Association, 2008 Volume 20 - Issue 4
Managing the Generational Divide
Part 4
Page 10
Integrated Project Delivery Results in Greater
Value for Facility Owners
Page 14
What is Clean Anyway? Cleaning
IVC Racks
Page 24
Incorporating International Building
Code Changes Can Cut Construction
Costs
Page 26
The Lama Review - Page 1
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Page 2 - The Lama Review
Objectives of the
Laboratory Animal Management
Association
• To promote the dissemination of ideas, experiences, and knowledge
• To encourage continued education
• To act as spokesperson
• To actively assist in the training of managers
This publication contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been
specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to
advance understanding of ecological, political, economic, scientific, moral, ethical,
personnel, and social justice issues, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a “fair use”
of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C Section 107, this material is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material
for purposes of your own that go beyond “fair use,” you must obtain permission from
the copyright owner.
For more information concerning The LAMA Review, please contact the Editor in
Chief, Fred A Douglas at (765) 532-7177, FAX (765) 494-7569, or e-mail: fad712@
comcast.net
Change of Address:
Attention, Members. Are you moving? To ensure that you receive your next issue of
The LAMA Review, please send your change of address to:
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ATTN: Keith Knapp
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or e-mail database/address changes to: [email protected]
LAMA Review advertising rates and information are available upon request via email, phone, or
mail to:
Kristi S. Ames
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LAMA Review
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Tele: 952.253.6235
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The Lama Review - Page 3
T H E
2008-2009 Executive Committee
Officers
L A M A
PRESIDENT
Kyrsten Koebach
Wilmington, MA
VICE PRESIDENT
Steve Baker
Framingham, MA
VICE PRESIDENT ELECT
Cammie Symonowicz
Wallingford, CT
Volume 20, No. 4
In This Issue:
6 President’s Message
9 Q&A
10 Managing the Generational Divide Pt 4
12 The Daily Drive
14 Integrated Project Delivery Results in Greater
21
22
24
26
37
41
44
46
55
Value for Facility Owners
Manager’s Forum
Surefire Ways to Help Keep a Positive Work..
What is Clean Anyway? Cleaning IVC Racks
Incorporating International Building Code
Changes Can Cut Construction Costs
Foundations
Leadership Wired
On The Trail With LAMA
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Howard Mosher
Wallingford, CT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jim Manke
Eden Prairie, MN
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ONE YEAR
Laura Mistretta - Denver,PA
Bill Avery - Carmbridge, MA
TWO YEAR
Lisa Brown - El Paso, TX
Pamela Straeter - Collegeville, PA
PRINTER
Data Print Distribution - Edina, MN
2008 LAMA Review
Editorial Staff
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Fred A. Douglas
West Lafayette, IN
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Carolyn Malinowski
Northwestern University
MANAGING EDITOR
Evelyn Macy
Lafayette, IN
Brian Tracy
Book Review
EDITORIAL
ADVISORY BOARD
Steve Baker
Framingham, MA
List of Advertisers
Inside Cover
PAST-PRESIDENT
Regina M. Correa-Murphy
Providence, RI
Harlan
Bob Beck
West Lafayette, IN
5
Lab Products
16
World Courier
Gail Thompson
Wheatland, WY
19
Myrtles Rabbitry
Ancare
Staff Contacts
22
30-31
Allentown
33
Lab Diet
40
Bio Serve
59
Lab Diet 2
Back Cover
Techniplast
Jim Manke, CAE
Executie Director
(952)253-6084
Kathi Schieff
Meeting Manager
(952) 253-6235 X115
Keith Knapp
Membership &
Development Manager
(952) 253-6235 X139
Kristi Ames
LAMA Review Coordinator
(651) 429-1867
Page 4 - The Lama Review
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Review - Page 5
From the Editor’s Cube
The 4th and final edition of the Review has arrived on your desk. It is hard to believe that
2008 is almost over. The Review has had a good year due to the outstanding efforts of the
Review Board and the Publication’s committee. I am especially grateful for the contributions
of my Associate Editor, Ms. Carolyn Malinowski. She has been most helpful with insights
and thoughts for improvement of the publication as well as writing the Book Review and
Puzzle columns. Mr. Bob Beck has always risen to the occasion with the “Glad You Asked
That” column. I appreciate his enthusiasm to tackle the tough questions that many of us
managers routinely ask. Ms. Gail Thompson has provided some sage advice with her “Reflections” column
and I always look forward to seeing what insights she will have for us each time. We made some good
changes this year and I want to especially note a kudo for Steve Baker and his efforts to get us a new look. I
have had many favorable comments about the new cover. And lastly where would we be without the support
and help of our President. KK as she is known to us has simply been outstanding in her encouragement to
reach greater heights.
This last edition of 2008 again contains some great original articles by members of the career field. That has
been one of our greatest initiatives during this past year. I feel very rewarded to have put so many of my fellow
managers in print. In addition you will find some of the tried and true stock in this edition by the likes of John
Maxwell (Leadership Wired), Brian Tracy, and others. I have put a few articles in on stress as we all need to
hear some insights on this all-important topic from time to time.
I wish you well for the holiday season. Happy managing in 2009!
Fred
President’s Message
Welcome back from AALAS everyone! I hope that you all found the meeting enjoyable
and informative. Our little LAMA group was busy as ever at the national meeting, using to
our advantage actually having everyone in one place at a time. Our exec board met early
Saturday morning to listen to presentations from two marketing firms to assist us in our
25th anniversary rebranding initiative. We have made a selection of the firm we are going
to work with, and efforts have already begun to launch the new brand at the LAMA annual
meeting in April in Charleston. This just doesn’t mean a fresh new “look” for LAMA, it means
a refreshed effort moving forward to give our members the tools they are looking for – a new
website included. Also involved in these efforts will be the follow up of our Strategic Long Range Plan (SLRP)
that leadership worked on in August. Our full board approved this plan at our meeting at national AALAS,
and we would like to share it with you now (see below). If you have any questions or feedback, please do not
hesitate to contact any of us on the board.
In addition to the large project of rebranding, we are pulling together an amazing program for our April meeting.
The call for speakers is on its way out the door, and the schedule for the meeting is just about set. This
includes our fist annual golf outing to be held on Tuesday, March 31st before the meeting kicks off Wednesday,
(Brush off those clubs and hit the driving range!!) and of course a great social event on Wednesday night
sponsored by our friends at the ATA. We really hope to see a large group this spring to celebrate our milestone
of 25 years.
Please read below and check out the SLRP. Let us know what you think.
And keep working on those CMAR certifications – check out the LAMA website for training opportunities in your
area!
Take care everyone, and have a great holiday season!
-KK
Page 6 - The Lama Review
Goal #2
Goal #1
LAMA is re-branded
LAMA is the premier
provider of management /
leadership education
Objective 1A
More members of LAMA earn
the CMAR designation.
Strategies:

Complete the AR
workbook

Conduct a train the
trainer program on the
west coast

Expand our marketing
efforts

Conduct a workshop at
AALAS in 2010
Develop mock exams

Objective 1B
Develop a mentoring
program.
Strategies:



Partner with ATA and
LAWTE
Contact new members in
their first month
Promote leadership to
new members
Objective 1C
More programming at
national LAMA meeting.
Strategies:



Leadership meet and
greet
Hold orientation for first
time attendees
Conduct a Board
Leadership Academy in
the first quarter of 2009
Objective 1D
Improve marketing of
educational opportunities.
Strategies:
Send new members a
welcome email in addition to
letter
Objective 1E
Conduct a member outreach
program.
Strategies:





Develop a consistent program to
be offered at AALAS branches
Discover which universities have
animal research programs
Create an ambassador program
Partner with NAVTA
ILAM – get a LAMA member on
the committee
Objective 2A
Increase the value of
our portfolio of
programs, products and
services.
Strategies:




Investigate the use of
podcast, webinars to
deliver information
Create a blog for
LAMA members
Develop a speakers
bureau and a
consistent
presentation to be
presented at industry
events
Make a proactive
effort to get on the
program of branch /
district programs
Goal #3
LAMA is financially
stable
Objective 3A
Maximize revenue
sources.
Strategies:



Objective 2B
Create and promote a
new logo, tag line, etc.
Strategies:


Hire a marketing
professional to
develop our message,
logo, tag line
Create an ad
campaign to promote
our new look
Objective 2C
Re-assess our
relationship with other
organizations.
Strategies:


Have conversations
with ATA partners on
how to best use their
contributions
Create a dedicated
fund in our reserves to
fund pilot programs
Re-evaluate our dues
structure
Re-evaluate our
annual meeting
registration fee

Become positive about
our image, capabilities,
etc.
Analyze relationships
with other organizations
that would be win-win
Objective 3B
Adopt stricter guidelines
on budget expenditures.
Strategies:



Require committees to
have a business plan
that ties to strategic
plan goals for budget
approval
Analyze value of all
costs
Develop a plan for
annual meeting site
selection that
maximizes our profit
potential
Goal #4
LAMA has progressive,
competent leadership
Objective 4A
Continue our Board /
committee leadership
academy training.
Strategies:
Hold training at every BOD
meeting
Objective 4B
Develop future leaders.
Strategies:




Develop a Board
Buddy program where
Board members invite
potential future
leaders to meetings
Re-examine our
nominating process
Promote leadership
opportunities in the
Review
Use the Presidents
goodbye letter to
promote personal
value of involvement
2009-2011 LAMA
Strategic Plan
Objective 1F
Use the Review as a source
of knowledge and marketing
of LAMA programs.
Strategies:


Offer podcasts and
webinars
CMAR materials CE’s in
Review
The Lama Review - Page 7
Guide To Authors
The LAMA Review is a quarterly Publication of the
Laboratory Animal Management Association. It is dedicated
to providing the highest quality management
information to our membership, which is comprised of
professional managers, supervisors, and administrators of
laboratory animal care and use programs throughout the
world. All information published in this journal is for nonprofit educational purposes.
o Job Opportunities: posting of current job opportunities
available in the field
o Book Review: provide a synopsis and review of current
literature in various management topics
o Problem Solving: present a workplace problem and
propose several methods to solve the problem or
improve the situation
ARTICLES
OBJECTIVES OF LAMA
The objectives of the Laboratory Animal Management
Association are as follows:
o To promote the dissemination of ideas, experiences, and
knowledge
o To encourage continued education
o To act as spokespersons for the organization
o To actively assist in the training of managers
PUBLICATION FEATURES
The LAMA Review features the following Sections in each
publication:
o Original Articles: provide new ideas, topics, and
experiences through the eyes of LAMA members,
professional managers, and administrators of laboratory
animal care and use programs. Review Articles: provide
thorough and representative reviews of available
literature. Often present the historical basis and attempt
to solve a current problem or discuss future directions.
o Job Tips: provides ideas on handling staff relations and
communication.
o Manager’s Forum: a resource for human resource
topics, experiences with employee
o Relations, organizational development, etc.
Page 8 - The Lama Review
Submissions of articles are accepted from LAMA members,
professional managers, and administrators of laboratory
animal care and use. Submissions are accepted for the
following features of the LAMA Review:
o Original Articles
o Review Articles
o Job Tips
o Manager’s Forum
o Problem Solving
Submissions should generally range between 2,000 and
5,000 words. All submissions are subject to editing by the
Review Board, for clarity and length.
FORMATTING
All references should be indicated numerically throughout
the document with full citations listed numerically at the end
of the article. Please do not include headers, footers, or
footnotes in electronic documents.
SUBMISSIONS
Articles, ideas, and recommendations may be submitted
electronically to Fred Douglas, Editor in Chief, via email
to [email protected]. Alternatively, hardcopies may be
faxed to (765) 494 - 7569
Contributing Writers
Bob Beck
Jacque Calnan
Casey Kilcullen-Steiner
Cammie Symonowicz
Steve Young
Bill Umiker (Dec)
Fran Langley
Ron Gordon
George Irving
Carolyn Malinowski
Katy Burns
Gail Heidbrink
Harriet Burgess
Jim Hendley
Q &A
Q:
A:
Glad you Asked That!
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
By Bob Beck
I have an ADD individual on my staff. I think that some of the problems with work habits
that I have been seeing may be due to their ADD. Any tips or insights on how to effectively
supervise an individual with ADD?
This might even be considered a trick question by some management experts! When I first
read this question my mind began racing for how to’s and what to do’s for supervising in such
a situation.
Then I sat down and collected myself. This is a true minefield. The first question that comes to mind is how do
you know about a medical condition of one of your staff?
The HIPAA laws and privacy laws that are in full swing in our places of work are meant to prevent these
kinds of breaches of privacy. So for discussion sake, let’s say your team member simply ‘volunteered’ such
information at some point in time. Otherwise, if your person is on FMLA for this, that would be a huge no-no,
learning about the doctor’s diagnosis.
So now we have a ‘cleaner’ dilemma to work from. The real focus for you as the supervisor is to zero in on the
team member’s work performance. Identify where, when and how this person is not performing up to standard.
Ensure this person knows what the expectations and standards are first, however.
As performance issues arise, sit down in private (as with any employee) and discuss the performance, work
related issues you have observed. If your team member begins to share that the failure to perform to standard
is due to their condition, regardless of what that might be, stop them in their tracks. The question to ask them
is if they are capable of performing the ‘essential functions’ of the job as noted in the job description.
If yes, then resume the conversation as to why they are not performing accordingly. This is not a time for a
personal health issue to stand as an excuse. If need be and appropriate, refer this person to EAP for further
assistance.
If they reply they are unable to perform these essential functions, then the next question is, could they do
so with reasonable accommodation? If they say yes, then ask what this might consist of. Then schedule a
meeting with your HR representative as soon as possible. If you are told they cannot perform the essential
functions then it might be time for a job task analysis to be completed by a doctor. This is where the doctor
makes a medical determination if your employee can do the work tasks as noted in the task analysis. This is
also the time to get HR involved, and none too soon!
What you do not want to get into is trying to supervise team members from an arm chair medical practitioners’
perspective! We are not doctors or psychologists, so let’s not try to become one in leading our team members.
We must strive to be even handed and lead all according to their ability, job maturity and personal maturity. No
supervisor should have to brush up on their medical encyclopedia to lead their team. And you would not want
to do this as you will only get yourself into a very negative situation that might be even more difficult to back
away from once having started down that path.
In today’s work world there are so many issues and potential traps that we have to be very careful about what
we do and what is shared among team members and supervisors.
Treat everyone with courtesy, dignity and respect and this will go a long way in maintaining a positive team
environment even in the midst of some tricky issues such as the one discussed here.
The Lama Review - Page 9
Pam Straeter (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals)
We have completed discussion about three
generations thus far, traditionalists, Baby Boomer
and Generation X. In this fourth and final section on
Managing the Generational Divide, we will talk about
the generation that has everyone talking, Generation
Y or the Millenials. Why is everyone talking about
this group of employees, because they are entering
the workforce at a record pace, and most managers
are having challenges with attracting and retaining
this generation.
Generation Y- (Millenials) (born 1981-1999)
This generation has also been termed Millenials due
to the turn of the century turn of the century. They
are also referred to as Generation ‘Why” because
people of this generation ask so many questions
and have a thirst for knowledge. The oldest people
of this generation are just beginning to enter the
workforce on a full time basis. They have been
raised with the most technological advances of any
other generation and they have never known a time
when cell phones, remote controls, computers,
microwaves and dishwashers were not in existence.
Generation Y was raised by Baby Boomers and
some Generation X’ers who included them in most
of the household decision making. They have been
pampered, nurtured and programmed to multi- task
due to the ability to instant message (IM), watch
DVD’s on a portable screen, play computer games,
and talk on the phone using a hands-free device all
at the same time.
The Y’s have entered the workforce in the same
way, fully expecting to have input in all decisions
that may affect their work. They grew up as the
most diverse generation, experiencing cultural and
racial diversity in their schools, on TV and via the
Internet. Many of them are children from bi-racial
or multicultural marriages which has made them
very tolerant of others. They do not judge people
solely on gender, heritage or sexual orientation.
Generation Y grew up during the most consistently
expansive economy in the past 30 years. They
have an optimistic outlook on life, work and their
futures. Y’s feel that with computers and the Internet,
nothing is beyond their reach at the click of a mouse.
Generation Y has seen drastic upturns and downfalls
in the dot com era. They have been financially
affected by their parents job loss due to downsizing,
Page 10 - The Lama Review
restructuring and reorganization, and are determined
to avoid the same situations. Generation Yers are
financially savvy and look for financial security in
the future by opening 401k’s and IRAs as soon as
they start work. Millenials grew up questioning their
parents and now question their employers. They are
not afraid to challenge the status quo.
Millenials are looking for an environment where
creativity and independent thinking are allowed and
are interested in jobs that will be accommodating
to their personal lives and family. This includes
jobs with flexibility, telecommuting options, and the
ability to work part time and receive a temporary
leave if they start a family. Thanks to the nurturing
from their parents and teachers anything is possible
for this generation of workers. Millenials want to
start work today, be promoted for a good idea they
have tomorrow, and occupy the corner office by the
end of the week. However, they do not have the
respect for their elder workers like the Traditionalists
and Boomers. Millenials are dismissive about the
abilities of their co-workers, and the older workers
are dismissive of them. With their knowledge and
expertise of computers and electronic devices, they
can be a valuable tool for older workers who are still
trying to learn and perfect these areas. Generation
Y grew up with general knowledge of crack cocaine,
designer drugs such as ecstasy, and the AIDS
epidemic.
They had free reign of violent video games and
sexually advertising on TV and in the media. When
they were eight to fourteen years old, they lived
through the Los Angeles riots in response to the
Rodney King verdict, and the stand off of the Branch
Davidian in Texas. In their youth, they watched as
bombs went off at the World trade Center, Oklahoma
City and the Atlanta Olympics. They have lived in a
time of heighten awareness of terrorism around the
world and close to home in the wake of the attacks
that destroyed the World trade Center and the war in
Iraq. Their “war” has been fought in the classroom,
on the playground and in their homes with the
increase in school shootings and violence in the
home. Their career choices are being made based
on their desire to have a meaningful role in work and
to help others. They enjoy working closely in teams
with co workers, and socializing with them both in
and out of the workplace as.
Generation Y believes in themselves and in their
self worth and are not shy about trying to change
companies they work for. This is a trait that they
learned from Generation X parents and role models.
Millenials may wear flip flops to work and listen to
I-pods at their desks. Unlike previous generations,
they want to work to live, not live to work. This
generation often changes jobs during their lives
and are resume builders who desire to move up the
corporate ladder. Frustrations can run high with this
generation for a company struggling to retain high
performers.
Despite their drive and great technological knowledge,
Yers can create conflicts in the workplace. Gen Y
wants constant feedback, not annual performance
reviews. They are used to coaching and feedback on
a constant basis from parents, teachers and coaches
and they expect the same thing from the workforce
on a regular basis. Upon entering the workforce,
chances are they are supervised by Traditionalist and
Baby Boomers, who are not used to giving coaching
and feedback on a regular basis. This is a source of
frustration for both employees and their supervisors
Managing Millenials:
Millenials have been involved in teams and team
environments since childhood. Consider assigning
projects to this group of employees which include
all generations of workers, and evaluate the group
based on reaching their goals.
Designing office space that is open and allows the
generational mix and sharing of ideas will allow this
group to express themselves freely at all times.
Allow flexibility in their work schedules to include
hours worked, projects worked on and attire worn
in the workplace. Gen Yers want career choices
and base their behaviors on the chance to have
meaningful work that helps others while building
bonds with coworkers and supervisors alike. They
want to join an organization not because they need to,
but because they want to.
Gen Y wants to be involved with a team of highly
motivated and committed individuals. They enjoy
working closely with colleagues they respect and want
to form personal relationships that extend outside of
the workplace. These relationships is what adds fun
to the workplace for this group, which is what life is
all about to them.
This generation wants to be coached and receive
constant feedback from their supervisors. They want
consistent positive praise for any little thing they
complete, since growing up they have been praised
by parents, coaches and teachers every step of the
way. They want to have a personal relationship with
their supervisors and want supervisors to listen to
them and care about them as a person, not just an
employee. They want a flexible work schedule where
work can fit into their lifestyle, not where their lifestyle
fits in around their work.
When training this generation, keep in mind that
they enjoy training that incorporates interaction
with coworkers on self directed teams. Provide
training opportunities that will help them build
personal relationships, and take into account their
technological skills. Incorporate fun into the learning
with games or teambuilding activities and a manager
will get their attention.
When rewarding and recognizing this generation
for their contributions, reward them as individuals
as well as for the groups or teams they have worked
with. They enjoy certificates and plaques they
can display that verify their desire to progress up
the career ladder and gives them credibility with
coworkers of older generations. This generation is
the most educated of any generation in the workforce
and have a desire to learning as they progress
through their careers. The big difference between
this generation and those before them is that they
want to be rewarded for each level they achieve
or for each training they attend with promotions or
financial rewards. Offering education opportunities as
a reward is a good idea, however a manager needs
to make it clear that there may not be a promotion or
financial reward at the end of the training, but show
them how the opportunities are helping them grow to
be able to achieve their higher goal.
Since Generation Y is still at the early stage of
entering the workforce, there is a lot to learn in the
future as to how they will impact the workforce. In
general, treating all generations with the respect and
appreciation that they deserve, especially in our
industry, will go a long to “Managing the Generational
Divide”.
References:
Hicks, Rick and Kathy (1999). Boomers, Xers and Other
Strangers; Understanding the Generational Differences That
Divide US. Wheaton, Illinoise: Tyndale, House Publishing.
Zemke, Ron, Raines, Claire & Filipczak, Bob (2000). Generations
at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers and
Nexters in Your Workforce. New York: AMACON (American
Management Association)
The Lama Review - Page 11
The Daily Drive
The Orphan Drug Act Turns 25
The legislation is credited with building biotech and spawning hundreds
of drugs for rare diseases. So why do some analysts hesitate to call it a
By Bob Grant
success?
Twenty-eight years ago, Abbey Meyers was at her wit’s
end. Her young son, who had Tourette’s syndrome, had
been cut off from the drug pimozide, which had begun to
show promise in treating his debilitating condition. The
doctor running the clinical trial told her the study was halted
when McNeil Laboratories pulled out of producing the drug
because it proved ineffective against schizophrenia, its
primary (and more common) target. He told Meyers that
pimozide would now be considered an “orphan drug,” the
term for products that target too few patients to bring in big
bucks.
Now, her son’s rare disorder was essentially untreatable.
There was no recourse for the Connecticut housewife. “I
was devastated,” she says.
Meyers reached out to people experiencing similar
pain and frustration. “We knew we had to solve the
problem.” Meyers and a small group of patient advocates
convinced US Representative Henry Waxman (D-Calif.),
then chairman of the House Commerce Committee’s
Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, to hold a
hearing in 1980 to discuss orphan drugs and rare diseases.
According to Meyers, the hearing was sparsely attended.
But the story of the meeting eventually reached actor Jack
Klugman, star of the popular television medical-mysterydrama Quincy, M.E. Klugman decided to dedicate one of
the show’s episodes to Tourette’s syndrome and the orphan
drug problem.
“Without the incentives of the ODA, many drugs never
would have been developed.” -Tim Coté
According to Meyers, attention from Hollywood was exactly
the shot in the arm her movement needed. “That’s what
really started it, the Quincy episode,” she says. “It was like
an instant grass roots movement.”
As public momentum gathered behind the cause, the
orphan drug legislation made its way through Congress.
On January 4, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed
the Orphan Drug Act (ODA) into law, which encourages
the development and marketing of orphan drugs through
incentives that lower costs to manufacturers.
Since the ODA’s passage, more than 325 orphan drugs
have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration,
and more than 1,800 drugs have received orphan
designation, meaning they treat diseases affecting fewer
than 200,000 people living in the United States. In contrast,
in the decade before the ODA became law, fewer than ten
such products came on the market.
Page 12 - The Lama Review
Furthermore, the percentage of patients with rare diseases
dying at a young age decreased by more than 6% from
1979 to 1998, according to a 2003 National Bureau
of Economic Research working paper. Recently, the
European Union and Australia have adopted statutes to
encourage orphan drug development that mirror the ODA.
Some analysts say that the ODA even helped to give
birth to the biotech industry, which received 63% of all the
orphan drug designations from 2000-2004, according to
a report from the Tufts University Center for the Study of
Drug Development. Two of the most well-known names
in biotech - Genzyme and Amgen - both got their start
from orphan drugs. “It turned out to be one of the most
successful pieces of health legislation ever enacted,” says
Meyers.
However, some economists claim that the true benefits and
costs of the act have not yet been fully assessed, making it
premature to trumpet the act as an overwhelming triumph.
“The conclusion that [the ODA’s] a tremendous success is
unwarranted based on available data,” says Rob Rogoyski,
an attorney specializing in intellectual property law.
The adoption process
Today’s Orphan Drug Act looks slightly different from
the act that was passed 25 years ago, thanks to several
amendments added by Congress through the years. But
the intent of the law remains intact. The ODA incentive
commonly cited as the most important to drug makers is a
seven year period of market exclusivity after approval. This
assures drug companies full access to the market for their
drug free from any competition without going through the
patent process. The ODA also guarantees up to 50% of the
cost of clinical trials in tax credits, grants to further defray
the cost of clinical research, advice on designing clinical
trial protocols, and a waiver of Prescription Drug User Fee
Act filing fees, worth $1 million per application in 2008.
Tim Coté, director of the FDA’s Office of Orphan Product
Development, says that his office, which administers the
ODA, receives about 200 applications per year. “Without
the incentives of the ODA,” he says, “many drugs never
would have been developed.” Case in point: After the
morning sickness pill thalidomide was pulled for causing
birth defects, a few researchers continued to study the
compound and found that it was effective against some
symptoms of leprosy and multiple myeloma. Still, says
Meyers, “No drug company would go near thalidomide.”
A success?
But with the incentives and protections of the ODA, a small
biotech company, Celgene, applied for and got orphan drug
status for thalidomide in the early 1990s, and is now testing
thalidomide for its anti-cancer properties and its ability to
alleviate symptoms of Crohn’s disease.
Still, some experts hesitate to dub the ODA a resounding
success. While studying law at Harvard in 2005, Rob
Rogoyski conducted an economic analysis of the ODA and
spotted what he calls a “correlation/causation problem.”
Specifically: “You can’t explain the totality of the rise in
drugs for orphan conditions by the ODA alone,” Rogoyski
says. “There’s an absence of good evidence to show that
that’s happening.”
Instead, Rogoyski argues that the passage of the ODA and
the rise in orphan drugs may be simply coincidental, and
based more on reforms to the patent system and leaps in
biomedical technology that both occurred in the 1980s. For
instance, of the 29 orphan drugs approved between 2001
and 2003, 79% already had some level of patent rights.
This would negate the market exclusivity commonly cited
as the main incentive offered by the ODA, and suggest that
these, and many other orphan drugs, would have reached
the market without the ODA, argues Rogoyski.
Frank Lichtenberg, a business professor at Columbia
University, credits the ODA for encouraging innovation
targeting rare diseases, but says that alone does not qualify
the ODA as an overall economic success. “The aggregate
benefit to society is not very big because of the small
market size,” he says. “The fact that [the ODA] did
encourage more drug development does not necessarily
mean that it succeeded,” he adds. “That’s a minimum
requirement.”
Additionally, Lichtenberg says it’s possible the ODA has
diverted resources away from common conditions. Since
1995, orphan drugs have accounted for about 20% of all
the drugs approved by the FDA. “It is conceivable that [the
ODA] caused firms to reallocate their investments towards
orphan drugs and away from non-orphan drugs after the
ODA was passed, but I doubt that effect, if it indeed exists,
would have been very large.”
Then there’s the problem of drug companies charging
exorbitant prices (See Box on p. 68) for orphan drugs
in order to recoup R&D costs on a medication intended
for a small patient population. Genzyme, for example,
said in 2005 that the average cost to treat a patient with
Gaucher’s disease with Cerezyme - an orphan drug - was
$200,000. Similarly, patients with mucopolysaccharidosis
paid an average of $175,000 per year for BioMarin
Pharmaceuticals’ enzyme replacement therapy. Even
thalidomide, one of the ODA’s main success stories, sells
for more than $150 per pill. Abbey Meyers, who founded
the National Organization for Rare Disorders while helping
to get the ODA signed into law, says her organization
tried to tackle this problem by urging drug makers to offer
prescription assistance programs, as the ODA matured.
Orphan Blockbusters
Generic
Name
Trade
Name
Topiramate
Topamax
Lamotrigine
Lamictal
Etanercept
Enbrel
Modafinil
Provigil
Tacrolimus
Prograf
As a result of her efforts in the early 1980s, Meyers’s son
was able to go back on pimozide, and today, “He’s doing
very well,” she says. But in
Price* (USD
US Sales
the end, it wasn’t the ODA
Sponsor
Orphan Indication
for 30 day
in 2007
that saved her son: McNeil
supply)
(USD)
Laboratories eventually
Johnson & Johnson Lennox-Gastaut
$114 (60
$1.837
developed pimozide as a
Pharmaceutical
Syndrome in children
25mg tablets) billion
Tourette’s syndrome treatment
$248 (60
Lennox-Gastaut
$1.717
of their own accord, in
Glaxo Wellcome
100mg
Syndrome
billion
response to the arguments
tablets)
about human responsibility
Polyarticular-course
$179 (1
$0.874
that convinced Congress to
Immunex
juvenile rheumatoid
kit 25mg
billion
arthritis
injections)
eventually enact the ODA.
“They changed their mind
$237 (30
$0.744
Cephalon
Narcolepsy
200mg
voluntarily and they developed
billion
tablets)
it without getting it designated
Prophylaxis of organ
as an orphan drug,” says
rejection in patients
$239 (60 1mg $0.515
Meyers.
Astellas Pharma
Raloxifene
Evista
Adalimumab
* As per DestinationRx Price Index (www.drx.com )
receiving allogenic
heart transplants.
capsules)
billion
Eli Lilly and Co.
Reduction in risk of
invasive breast cancer
$92 (30 60mg
tablets)
$0.503
billion
Humira
Abbott Laboratories
Juvenile idiopathic
arthritis
$1,391 (2 kits
40mg/0.8 mL
injections)
$0.462
billion
Imatinib
mesylate
Gleevec
Novartis
Pharmaceuticals
Various cancer-related
symptoms
$3,164
(30 400mg
tablets)
$0.384
billion
Glatiramer
acetate
Copaxone
Teva
Pharmaceuticals
Relapsing-remitting
multiple sclerosis
$1,771 (1
kit 20mg/mL
injection)
$0.303
billion
Related Articles
The Future of the FDA - http://www.thescientist.com/article/display/36885/
A Complementary Pathway - http://
www.the-scientist.com/article/
display/23823/
Cracking the Biotech Code - http://
www.the-scientist.com/article/
display/43692/
The Lama Review - Page 13
Integrated Project Delivery Results in Greater Value for Facility Owners
Fewer Errors and Potential Changes Reduce Risk for Everyone
Published October 2008
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) represents a paradigm
shift. IPD’s environment brings owners together with
architects, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors,
fabricators, and suppliers to work collaboratively in making
collective design decisions that shape a building. The
combined experience and expertise of varied viewpoints
improves the knowledge necessary to make choices.
These choices occur in a shorter time frame resulting in
greater value for the building owner. Errors and potential
change orders are reduced for all participants, having the
consequent benefit of reducing risk for everyone.
Co-location is perhaps the single most important factor
needed to facilitate a collaborative environment. IPD
locates the entire team of architects, engineers, and
preconstruction construction planners and estimators with
the owner in a common space. This physical proximity
fosters enhanced communication, understanding,
and respect among team members. This network of
relationships facilitates cooperation and joint decisionmaking.
Equally important is the inclusion of sub-contractors,
fabricators, and suppliers in all decisions regarding their
disciplines. This translates into nearly continuous work
sessions throughout the design process—work sessions
that complement and inform one another through a holistic
vision of design decision-making.
Holistic Design
Design decisions for each building system are considered
in a holistic fashion. Each choice is considered in the
context of how it will affect each and every other system.
For example, a flat slab concrete structure may allow better
integration of ductwork and lower floor-to-floor heights,
thereby reducing skin area and hence cost. Holistic design
also considers construction sequencing and schedule
impact. Schedule compression provides earlier buyout,
thus avoiding the impact of cost escalation as well as the
benefit of earlier revenue generation by the completed
facility.
A building design treated as modular systems of
components with multiple applications not only facilitates
budget management and construction sequencing, but
may result in greater architectural clarity and aesthetic
character.
In the Integrated Project Delivery process, direct
involvement in the collaborative design process on the
part of users and other stakeholders is essential. It permits
immediate feedback and avoids the submit-review-revise
feedback loops that are inefficient at best. A threedimensional modeling program shown on a projector can
be employed in user workshops. Reviews and requests for
planning changes occur in real time. Owner/users clearly
see the consequences of each change and can approve
or revise them on the spot. This clarity of understanding
avoids rework and promotes the buy-in inherent in a
collaborative process.
As the project migrates into construction, moving the
entire team into a single large construction trailer
maintains the continuity and the collaborative spirit.
Questions normally posed in the form of RFIs are handled
through discussion and consensus between design and
TPS Principles
Philosophy and Foundation
• Base your management decisions on a long-term philosophy, even at the expense of short-term financial goals.
The Right Process Will Produce the Right Results
• Create a continuous flow to bring problems to the surface.
• Use pull systems to avoid overproduction.
• Level out the workload (work like the tortoise, not the hare).
• Build a culture of stopping to fix problems, to get quality right the first time.
• Standardized tasks and processes are the foundation for continuous improvement and employee empowerment.
• Use visual control so no problems are hidden.
• Use only reliable, thoroughly tested technology that serves your people and process.
Add Value to the Organization by Developing Your People and Partners
• Grow leaders who thoroughly understand the work, live the philosophy, and teach it to others.
• Develop exceptional people and teams who follow your company’s philosophy.
• Respect your extended network of partners and suppliers by challenging them and helping them improve.
Continuously Solving Root Problems Drives Organizational Learning
• Go see for yourself to thoroughly understand the situation.
• Make decisions slowly by consensus, thoroughly considering all options; implement decisions rapidly.
• Become a learning organization through relentless reflection and continuous improvement.
Page 14 - The Lama Review
construction team members. Confirming RFIs are issued
to document decisions. Review of shop drawings can
also become a collaborative effort between the owner,
architect/engineer, general and subcontractor, fabricator,
or supplier. Collaborative meetings focus the strength of
diverse expertise, thus providing a coordinated review that
minimizes the risk of construction errors or rework.
Lean Processes
The roots of Lean systems and processes are buried deep
in the culture of Toyota; its principles were developed over
many decades. Today the Toyota Production System (TPS)
has made the company the most profitable automobile
manufacturer in the world. Lean has been studied by the
manufacturing community for some time as its principles
were seen as directly applicable in the linear process of
manufacturing.
Unnoticed was Toyota’s application of Lean principles to
its Product Development Cycle, which is the shortest in
the world. Gradually Lean principles, tools, and techniques
have been applied to the design process in many
organizations. Recently, Lean principles have been adopted
by architectural and engineering firms who have realized
that their processes contain an enormous amount of waste
and yield mediocre results. Surveys of engineers engaged
in product development cycles in America have revealed
that only 20 percent of their time added value directly to
the customer. The comparison to Toyota is stark, where 80
percent of engineering time is spent directly adding value
for the customer. This is a staggering disparity.
Lean Tools
The Lean system provides a number of tools and
methodologies that only achieve their full potential in
the context of an organization that has embraced the
core values of Lean as practiced by Toyota. Of the many
Lean tools that exist, the following sampling is intended
to suggest the potential contained in a Lean approach to
design.
Target Value Design: Traditionally, architects and engineers
prepare design concepts, often to a phase level required
by the contract (i.e. schematic or design development),
which are then turned over to a Construction Manager At
Risk or General Contractor for estimating. If the estimate
exceeds the project budget, a value engineering exercise
ensues. Quality and, frequently, the program become
casualties of this process.At project outset, the Target
Value Design approach breaks the budget down into its
component pieces based upon building systems—such
as superstructure, exterior skin, mechanical, electrical,
plumping—each of which is, in turn, broken into its
subsystems. Designers then design each system and
subsystem to its specific budget. In an Integrated Project
Delivery scenario, subcontractors and estimators work with
the design team to drive decisions toward these budget
targets.
The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism--KAET 8 Public Television
Station is the first ground-up facility on the Arizona State University
(ASU) downtown campus. With a contract stipulation requiring
completion by the 2008 fall semester, integrated project delivery
was used extensively to ensure a timely completion. By engaging
stakeholders as early as possible, collocating in one space, and
beginning construction on the foundations before the shell and
core design was complete, the project was finished, from contract
award to completion, in 19 1/2 months. This was built in PublicPublic Partnership with the City of Phoenix. (Photo courtesy of HDR
Architecture Inc. and Steven Ehrlich Architects, © Bill Timmerman.)
This allows the design team to drive the design solution
for each system to the budget, adjusting components
as needed to achieve the desired value and cost. In the
case of complex projects the superstructure, exterior
skin, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection
systems can easily account for as much as 70 percent of
total project cost. Bringing these major systems into line
goes a long way to ensuring budget conformance.
Last Planner System:
Traditionally Gantt and CPM Network scheduling is
founded on a planning and control mindset that focuses on
task completion. It begins with the first task and “pushes”
forward through the timeline with successive tasks under
a successor focused mindset. Pull planning starts with
an end state in mind and reverse engineers the schedule
by focusing on the network of commitments necessary to
accomplish it.
Any discrete work effort or task is recognized as having
a customer for whom it is performed. Each customer
has conditions of satisfaction that must be met for the
completed task to serve its purpose. The performer of
each task must be competent to perform the task. He
must have the tools necessary, and may stipulate that his
performance is contingent on receiving certain information
or decisions from others. Based on a specific allocation of
resources, the individual responsible for the task commits
or promises to deliver the task within a specific time frame.
The promiser takes individual responsibility to complete the
task such that it meets the conditions of satisfaction defined
by his customer. In this dynamic environment, if a promiser
believes he cannot perform as promised, he immediately
notifies his customer and renegotiates the agreement.
The increased relatedness between individuals in a
The Lama Review - Page 15
of schedule and in fact exploits the capabilities of 3-D
modeling software and BIM to carry multiple solutions
across multiple disciplines.
Knowledge-based Design
Arizona State University (ASU) was so impressed with the integrated
project delivery method used on the Walter Cronkite School of
Journalism—KAET 8 building that it selected the same project team to
design Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV, ASU’s most
significant investment in laboratory research facilities to date. The project
team created a permanent co-location space in the HDR Phoenix office
for the design process and will move the entire project team into an onsite trailer during the construction stage. The project is set for completion
summer of 2010. (Image courtesy of HDR Architecture Inc. and Steven
Ehrlich Architects.)
tight knit IPD environment makes breaking promises the
exception rather than the rule as social pressure ensures
performance.
Set-based Design: Traditional design processes tend to
be point-based. System decisions are frozen early in the
process. When additional information or owner direction
comes to light, this often results in costly rework and
compromises schedules.
Set-based design is based on the proposition that for each
building system or design question, multiple options should
be considered and decision-making kept open for as long
as possible. This allows for a deeper understanding of
potential options through more thorough development.
Delaying decision-making also allows the final decision
to be made in the context of the maximum level of
information, knowledge, and a complete understanding of
how various systems and decisions affect each other.
Building Information Modeling (BIM):
Conventional wisdom as portrayed by legacy modeling
software requires an early concentration of effort and
decision-making. This theory pushes design decisions to be
made quickly and without adequate exploration, knowledge
and consideration of other systems. It also requires
software-trained staff who are highly knowledgeable of
building systems and technology. It is thought that this
compression of decision-making provides value to the
building owner by shortening schedules and saving cost. In
reality, both qualities lead to iterative rework that becomes
self-defeating for both schedule and cost. A set-based
approach delays decision-making until the “last responsible
moment” when the investigation of multiple concepts and
the maximum application of expertise and knowledge
has been possible. This does not require a compromise
Page 16 - The Lama Review
The idea of knowledge-based design broadens the context
within which the principles of Integrated Project Delivery
and Lean operate. Knowledge-based design recognizes
that a change in corporate culture is necessary for the
methodologies and techniques of IPD and Lean to have
a meaningful and lasting effect. This is borne out by the
number of American companies that have tried to emulate
the Toyota Production System and have had lackluster
results because they failed to embrace the philosophical
and cultural foundations that underlie Toyota’s success.
This cultural difference is really the consequence of a
distinctive value system. Looking at the differences in
terms of value systems allows comparison of the Toyota
environment and that of other companies. The typical
design and production culture can be characterized as
structure-based, while the Toyota culture is knowledgebased.
These differences are profound. From a pragmatic
implementation perspective great difficulty is involved.
Organizations, particularly large organizations, have
inherent inertia; individuals are invested in careers and
positions in a way that discourages change and innovation
of their corporate culture. This has made adoption of the
Toyota Way difficult for those have who aspired to reap the
benefits of the Toyota system.
Any organization wanting to implement a knowledge-based
system must include a thoroughly planned change process.
Empirical data has shown that organizations that attempt
to implement change on a trial or piecemeal basis fail. This
sort of radical cultural change requires total commitment
from the very top of the organization on down.
Organizations capable of embracing change and willing to
meticulously plan for its implementation will experience the
reward of competitive advantage and a culture that values
people and the ideas they generate.
By Michael Jackson
Principal, Science+Technology
HDR Architecture Inc.
3200 East Camelback Road
Phoenix, Ariz. 85018-2311
(602) 522-4379
[email protected]
Reprinted with Permission
HDR Architecture Inc. © 2008
Biography
Michael Jackson is a vice president and principal of HDR’s
Science + Technology program, specializing in managing
integrated project delivery teams. He is a hands-on
managing principal with an impressive ability to inspire a
team and deliver ultimate project excellence. His success
in this area is founded on a solid understanding and working
knowledge of how an integrated team approach benefits
both client and each involved consultant or contractor. This
is evidenced in successful, often landmark projects up to
$250 million in value. Having owned his own firm as well as
working for other firms, he has seen all facets of architecture
and has an extensive background in programming and
design, technical documentation, construction administration
and estimating. His multi-talented skills are especially
focused on not only leading a project team, but energizing
effective collaboration, and in management of the project
itself. After attending Arizona State University, he became
licensed in the State of Arizona and has been practicing
architecture for nearly 40 years in the Phoenix area.
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The Lama Review - Page 17
Page 18 - The Lama Review
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The Lama Review - Page 19
Books
Can Save Us
By Mark Sanborn
I've always believed that
books could save me. Regardless of the problem or
difficulty I faced in life, I felt
confident of finding a book
to help me through. Truly,
books have transformed
my life. I can look back in
time and point to specific
books that have profoundly
influenced my thinking and
shaped my attitude.
Cruising the Bookstore
This eternal optimism of mine about books may explain my
love of loitering in bookstores. Sometimes I spend more
time searching for books to read than I do reading them.
This isn't all bad, as it saves me from wasting time on
books that aren't worthy of my attention.
Think of the investment of life that goes into reading a
book. Consider the hours you spend, and, after you finish a
book, ask yourself if the exchange was satisfying. I've quit
reading a book after a hundred pages after it wandered off
topic, lost credibility, or because the quality of writing deteriorated. Why would I want to waste any more of my life on
it than I already had?
When I browse through a bookstore, I am reminded of how
much I still have yet to learn about leadership and life. The
books I encounter can expose me to ideas that I didn't
even know existed. Acquainting myself with new knowledge
often creates a desire to learn more. My mind expands as
I uncover new perspectives and insights that challenge my
previous assumptions.
As a bibliophile, I like spending time in public libraries, too.
However, I prefer bookstores. That's because I subscribe to
theory, "If a book is worth reading, it's worth owning." I like
marking my books up with a highlighter, and I have discovered that most librarians frown upon this practice. Owning
a book gives me the luxury of referring to it at any time
without making the trek back to the library.
Escaping the Trap of the Bestseller
Aside from stimulating thought, bookstores serve another,
more subtle purpose: they tell us what has captured the
attention of our fellow human beings. Bookstores are
billboards of our preoccupations. Consequently, I make
it a point to peruse the bestseller sections to identify the
zeitgeist of our times. I must confess, it can be alarming to
consider the popular titles most people are reading.
Page 20 - The Lama Review
Bestselling books seldom make it to my personal reading
list. The reason for this is rooted in a theory I formulated
early in life: if you do what everybody else is doing, you'll
end up like everyone else. Going with the crowd makes
you average. Much of what ends up on the bestseller list is
popular but not profound. Unfortunately, most people prefer
to avoid an intellectual challenge in favor of mindless entertainment. Reading at the lowest level can be done very
passively, and that is the preferred manner of our time.
Exercising the Right to Choose
Amazon.com, the online incarnation of the bookstore, has
a nifty software program directing you to books similar to
your expressed interests. The "what other people who have
bought this book are buying" feature directs you to similar
and/or complementary works. The software also tracks
your purchases and tailors future recommendations to
match your preferences.
Long before the advent of such software, I used a similar
but superior technique. I asked the people I knew and admired which books they would recommend. The best reads
of my life have come as a result of a friend's recommendation. In fact, that is how I became interested in Wallace
Stegner and his book Crossing to Safety, one of my all-time
favorite novels.
Online book sales have eroded the sales of storefront
bookstores. However, bad news for traditional booksellers
may be good news for readers. For readers, choice proliferates. With more ways to peruse and purchase books than
ever before, I would hope that technological advances like
online shopping encourage more people to read.
The Final Word
I believe that the cumulative IQ of our society will increase
as more people make time to read. Reading is central to
self-education and lifelong learning, and if books have the
power to save an individual, maybe they have the power to
save a society as well.
About the Author
Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE is president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc.,
an idea studio for leadership development and remarkable performance.
He is an award-winning speaker and the author of two recent bestselling
books, The Fred Factor: How Passion In Your Work, Life Can Turn the
Ordinary Into the Extraordinary, and You Don't Need a Title to be a Leader:
How Anyone Anywhere Can Make a Positive Differenc eare bestsellers. His newest book The Encore Effect: How to Give a Remarkable
Performance in Anything You Do released in September 2008. To obtain
additional information for growing yourself, your people and your business (including free articles), visit www.marksanborn.com, www.fredfactor.
com and www.youdontneedatitle.com. For information about having Mark
speak for your group, call 303.683.0714.
"This article is used by permission from Maximum Impact. Find other
leadership content, resources, training, and events at
www.maximumimpact.com."
Manager’s Forum:
Fran Tarkenton’s 5-Step Strategy for Motivation
Step 1:
Focus on behavior and objectives. Don’t zero in on attitude or personality.
Get Employee input into work objectives.
Step 2:
Keep performance records. Document how they’re doing and give them
frequent feedback.
Step 3:
Get their involvement. Adopt a participative leadership style. Involve them
in decision- making and problem-solving.
Step 4:
Reinforce behavior through consequences. Go heavy on praise, light on
criticism – strive for a 4:1 ratio.
Step 5:
Evaluate your motivation strategy. Step 2 is essential for this.
(1) Tarkenton, Fran and Tuleja, Tad. “How to motivate People” Harper and Row, 1986.
WHEN “I” IS BETTER THAN “YOU”
Criticism should always be directed at behavior, not at the
person. This is difficult to do when you start your remark
with “you”; i.e. “You always get your reports in late.”
When you preface your statement with an “I”, you
correctly focus on your expectation, not on the person’s
character or personality; i.e. “I’m concerned about these
late reports.” (note that the focus is on the late reports, not on the person.)
Other “I statements” include: “I’m worried”, “I’m upset”, and “I need”. If you want to
make a statement stronger, use “I want”. Now, you’ve issued an order.
“I-statements” can be also used to acknowledge an employee’s efforts:
“I know you want to do what is right.”
“I know you are trying.”
The Lama Review - Page 21
Surefire Ways to Help Create a Positive
Work Environment
Dawn Hull - Supervisor, Research Animal Resources, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine,
Baltimore, MD
I
have spent many
years trying to find
ways to create a
better and more positive work environment. Most
of the challenges involved relationships between
teammates. I have found that every interaction
with team members is a coaching opportunity - an
opportunity to create a positive environment.
Sometimes it involves clarifying goals and prioritizing
tasks. Other times it involves problem solving by
listening to others’ ideas and discussing potential
solutions. Often it means providing recognition.
By trial and error I developed 4 key concepts for
building successful teams:
1. Motivate - Try to create a work place where people
motivate themselves - where they are excited to
achieve. How do you do this? It can be as simple
as involving the team in goal-setting, then working
together to achieve those goals. With few exceptions,
all people want to achieve, contribute and be part of
something special.
2. Keep your commitments - However minor or
seemingly insignificant, if you say you are going to
do something - remember to do it. When you do
this, people learn that they can count on you to keep
your word. The converse also applies: if you don’t
keep your commitments, you will lose the trust and
confidence of your team.
Page 22 - The Lama Review
3. Provide positive feedback - When you fail to
recognize achievement, your coworkers feel they are
taken for granted. Just a small verbal compliment
on a job well done can help someone realize how
important they are and motivate them to continue
doing great work. They in turn may compliment
others, reinforcing their desire to perform at their best.
Recognizing others is one of the most effective ways
to encourage the positive attitudes and behaviors that
create a better work environment.
4. Lead by example - Each member of the team
influences the thoughts and behaviors of other team
members, and none more so than the team leader. It
is critical that you set the proper example and create
the desired atmosphere.
For example, If you follow the rules, take responsibility
for your actions and do more than is expected of you,
your team will likely do the same. If you treat others
with respect and dignity, encourage improvement
and recognize success, your team will follow suit.
And most importantly, if you are the best you can be
at your job, your team will be the best they can be at
theirs.
Dr. Julie Watson MA VetMB Dipl ACLAM
Asst. Professor, Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology.
Director, Rodent Clinical Services, Research Animal
Resources
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
733 N. Broadway #809
www.hopkinsmedicine.org/animalresources
Baltimore MD 21205
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The Lama Review - Page 23
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What is Clean Anyway? Cleaning IVC Racks
By Ann Dinkel and Peggy Nahorski, Alternative Design Mfg.
While IVCs, individually ventilated cages, have been
in use for some time, we are only now beginning
to focus on the actual process and standards for
cleaning and sanitizing these very important and
expensive pieces of equipment. There are no industry
wide standards, no best practices, no currently
accepted standards. There is not even a universal
definition of “clean” for purposes of this discussion,
yet clean is key to the health and wellbeing of our
animals and validity of our research. However, a
quick survey of IVC users indicates that clean can be
anything from the absence of dust, periodic sanitation,
sterilization or anything in between. For some,
absence of an outbreak is enough .
Frequency of sanitizing follows the same pattern.
Sanitizing can be done monthly, quarterly, semiannually, annually, or maybe not at all. Again, no
universal standards exist. A number of factors
influence the decision to sanitize. In some instances,
institutional guidelines determine frequency; in others,
a routine schedule is set by the facility; others typically
sanitize at the beginning and end of a project. For
some, sanitation only occurs when equipment is
available for turnover or when a problem occurs. As
cleaning IVCs can be laborious and time consuming,
availability of time and personnel also figures into the
cleaning schedule. The identification of an outbreak
as a trigger for sanitizing is of the most concern. This
puts the facility into reactive rather than proactive
mode, to fix a problem the equipment was intended to
prevent. Most respondents indicated that they did not
have a detailed plan for rack sanitation.
accumulate. Areas that are difficult to see are a
potential breeding ground for bacteria.
Configuration of the plenum has an effect on how
dirty it becomes. The primary plenum stays cleaner
than secondary plenums and the direction of the
plenum affects collection of dust and debris. Ancillary
exhaust pieces are another place that can trap
particulates.
If eliminating the chance of contamination is so
important, why are so many not cleaning more
frequently?
Size of the rack is probably a big factor. IVCs have
typically been big, heavy pieces of equipment.
Moving them to rack wash, jockeying them around the
room, and the overall weight of the equipment present
an ergonomic challenge.
Another reason may be the time involved to clean
the racks. Many facilities do not have the ability to
take a rack out of service, even for a couple of days.
Depending on animal populations, there may not be a
rack available for turnover at any given time.
Disassembling and prepping the rack for washing can
be a labor- intensive undertaking. Some IVCs have
a lot of parts to disassemble and re-assemble in a
specific order. Preparation can include disconnecting
the rack and water system, disassembling parts,
using multiple processes to clean/sanitize/sterilize
and moving parts and pieces between washers and
autoclaves, often while working in a confined area.
We invest in IVC s to protect our animals’ health
and the health of those who work with them. Proper
cleaning and sanitation is key to assuring optimal
function of the equipment by maintaining proper
airflow. Lack of maintenance can lead to sick
animals, compromised research, allergen exposure,
biological exposure and damage to the equipment.
In an ideal world, before your IVCs arrive you have
developed a cleaning/ sanitizing/ use plan, at least
in draft form. It is as important to know how you will
handle the racks when they arrive as it is to know
where they will go and what animals will live in them.
Your vent rack supplier should provide you with some
guidance, including cleaning recommendations and
start up training.
What should be cleaned? Cages, of course, are
routinely changed, but IVCs have a number of other
components that should be addressed. Outside
surfaces where the dirt and dust collect, and any
places potentially contaminated by animal debris
require sanitization. This includes animal drinking
valves, where dust can affect proper function, and
inside the exhaust plenums, which animal particulates
As part of your vent rack selection process, you
should look at the rack and evaluate how easy it
will be to clean, sanitize and maintain. Look for
potential areas where particulates can be trapped
and accumulate. How easy is it to access the interior
exhaust plenums. What is the ease of disassembly
and assembly? Are the plenums large for rack spray
to reach? Which direction do the plenums go? In
Page 24 - The Lama Review
general, vertical plenums make it easy for water to
drain and dries more quickly.
As for the actual cleaning process, in general, the
first step is to remove components that cannot get
wet such as air handlers and filters. Any casings
containing electrical parts need to be hand wiped
with only a damp cloth. Electrical parts and filters
should be removed to a dry location. Consult with
the manufacturer to determine the safest way to
clean air injectors, seals and gaskets. While this
information may seem obvious, each of us has a story
about something that went into the cage washer or
autoclave that should not have, often with disastrous
results.
The next step is to breakdown the units and open any
access panels and plenums to allow water to move
freely and drain completely. Also remove the main
plenums to access inner air channels to and from
cages. Cleaning the inside, especially the exhaust is
important. These items should be run through a rack
washer with acid detergent. Again, check with your
rack vendor for specific information.
Flush your auto water system frequently to avoid
bacteria build-up. Pay special attention to fixed
drinkers, as you may need to do additional treatment
to sanitize the drinking valves. Be sure to check the
drinker tips for bedding materials. You should not
have any, but you need to check. Pay attention to
your selection of chemical as chlorine bleach can pit
stainless steel.
As you think about the cleaning and sanitizing
process, look at your equipment to determine how
well you can clean it. Some plenums are easier to
clean than others. The more that air plenums can
be dissembled, the more access is provided to the
inside areas. The ease of this capability varies by
manufacturer. The goal is good water penetration
inside and out, and complete drainage to eliminate
pooling water.
How easy is it to clean out air valves? Newer vent
rack designs address weight, mobility and easier
interior access to save time, enhance ergonomics
and improve sanitation to better protect animals and
staff. As you look at future purchases of new IVCs,
consider ease of cleaning in your evaluation process.
Newer modular designs with removable components
are being introduced that allow improvements in ease
of cleaning.
Primary materials of most vent racks today are
stainless steel with silicone gaskets and seals. These
materials will withstand high autoclave temperatures.
However, component materials vary; different
materials may require different cleaning and sanitizing
processes and chemicals.
The design of the IVC may affect chemical contact
time, which is critical for sanitation. There is always
a concern about residual chemicals, so the ability to
completely wash/rinse the racks removes a potential
contaminant. It is also important to remove standing
water from the equipment, as water can serve as a
reservoir for microorganisms.
There are several methods available to sterilize
your racks after washing. Autoclaving has been the
most popular, but you may wish to investigate other
processes that might save you additional time and
money. In addition to steam, dry heat, chemical
sterilization, VHP, peracetic acid and chlorine dioxide
are used.
IVC manufacturers are introducing racks with a
number of improvements to facilitate cleaning. Many
are reducing weight and eliminating areas where dust
& dirt might collect. Racks are becoming more open,
and lighter in weight with fewer parts and pieces.
Newer designs also allow easier access to plenums,
and vertical plenums for better water drainage overall.
Modular designs let you clean only the parts that need
to be cleaned while your rack stays in service. Keep
extra components and not complete IVCs.
No matter what manufacturer you use, filter
maintenance is key. A damaged filter is like having
no filter at all. Some racks allow easy access to
the filters. Others do not. This should be another
consideration as you evaluate potential equipment.
Check and change pre-filters regularly. A plugged
filter will hinder airflow causing the air handler to
work harder to move air throughout the cages. A
torn pre-filter can shorten the life of the HEPA filter.
Remember that the filter system is the last line of
defense for the animals.
In summary, IVC racks provide unique cleaning
challenges, depending on the rack configuration.
New purchases should be evaluated for interior
access and ease of assembly, as the ability to clean
and sanitize is a critical component to ensure animal
health and personnel protection.
The Lama Review - Page 25
Incorporating International Building Code Changes Can Cut
Construction Costs
New Fire Ratings for Labs Permit More Cost-Effective Designs
Published October 2008
Changes in the International Building Code (IBC) that
became effective in 2006 can save building planners
significant construction dollars that normally would be spent
building higher rated construction types to accommodate
hazardous chemicals, specifically flammable liquids.
The code revisions allow building planners to reduce
fireproofing and floor design costs while maintaining safety
and building flexibility, and increasing efficiency. The
IBC must be addressed at the beginning of the planning
process for maximum benefit, notes Tom Serruto, director
of lab design for AECOM.
The code revisions allow building planners to reduce
fireproofing and floor design costs while maintaining safety
and building flexibility, and increasing efficiency. The
IBC must be addressed at the beginning of the planning
process for maximum benefit, notes Tom Serruto, director
of lab design for AECOM.
“If you start dealing with these issues when you are too
deep into the design process, you lose opportunities to
save money.”
The new IBC allows builders to use the more inexpensive
type IIA construction while still controlling hazardous
materials. The 2006 version of the code drops the
requirement for a two-hour rated floor for a control area
if the construction type requires a one-hour rated floor.
What this means is that type IIA construction that requires
fireproofing designed to last one hour would not need to be
upgraded to two hours. A two-hour floor rating is equivalent
to type IB construction. It requires an additional concrete
floor deck and two-hour fireproofing. The inexpensive
type IIB construction, while requiring a zero-rated floor,
would need to be upgraded to a two-hour floor to meet the
requirements of a control area.
Two additional requirements to take advantage of the 1
hour control area floor are that the building is equipped with
sprinklers and no higher than three stories.
The estimated cost for upgrading the construction type
from IIB to IIA is $6.73 per sf. The upgrade from IIB to
IB construction is $11.43 per sf using general cost data
published by the International Code Council in the Building
Safety Journal, January/February, 2008.
“Before 2006, you had to make a steel floor rated for two
hours, so you had to use the equivalent of a very expensive
construction type,” notes Serruto.
Start by reviewing what chemicals will be used in the
building. Combine this knowledge with the design of more
control areas and central storage areas for the hazardous
materials, and choose the construction type carefully to
take full advantage of the IBC.
Page 26 - The Lama Review
These slides show how the IIB construction requires no fireproofing and
minimal steel and concrete as compared to the more expensive IIA and IB
construction types. (Image courtesy of AECOM.)
Business Use Permits Increases Options
A review of the chemicals that will be used is key; proper
design and control of these materials can mean the
difference between a code-designated business use, typical
for a laboratory, and a high hazard use (H2 Deflagration
Hazard or H3 Physical Hazard).
The business use designation provides more flexibility,
such as a larger allowable area and taller structure for a
given construction type. High hazard use designations
allow chemicals in amounts that exceed the exempt
amounts, but require expensive design features like
damage-limiting walls to contain and vent deflagrations
(subsonic explosions). The code revisions give area and
height bonuses for buildings equipped with sprinklers
that contain a hazardous use, but they don’t apply to high
hazard areas, only to the non-hazardous use areas.
“If you have a high hazard use, a lot of expensive things
start happening, and there are a lot of restrictions as to how
you can use the facility,” says Serruto.
Collect information from the facility’s chemical hygiene
officers, environmental health and safety officers, or
industrial hygienists. The information should include the
amount and type of chemicals, containers, boiling points,
and flash points.
The information, combined with how the chemicals are
stored, disseminated, and used, will determine whether the
building qualifies as a business use or high hazard use.
“Lab buildings are a business use unless the chemical
amounts and storage create a hazardous use. The idea
is to try to keep it as a business use,” says Serruto. “The
only way to do this is to make sure you’re under the exempt
amounts.”
Control Areas are Key to Reducing Hazards
Control areas help facilities maintain a business use. These
designated areas compartmentalize the chemicals. Exempt
amounts of hazardous materials can be stored, used, and
dispensed in a business use if control area requirements
are met.
“We can reduce the hazardous materials by controlling the
fire load in an area, and putting rated construction around
it and compartmentalizing it,” explains Serruto. “Then you
have a business use, even though you have materials in
there that should be in a hazardous rated building.”
Control areas are defined by rated construction. The
quantity and type of chemicals determines the type of fire
resistance rating. If no rated construction defines a control
area, then the entire building is considered a control area.
“We typically make each floor a control area where this
allows exempt amounts typically seen in a laboratory.
However, this is not always the case. There will be times
where the design requires multiple control areas on a floor
to maximize the amount of hazardous materials allowed,”
says Serruto.
Prior to 2006, control areas had to have two-hour rated
floors. Builders often used IB construction, even though
the use and height of the area allowed them to use IIB
construction. The 2006 code changes allow for a one-hour
rated floor in control areas when the construction there
is type IIA. The code also gives a “sprinkler bonus.” The
amount of chemicals allowed in a control area doubles if
the area has a sprinkler system. It doubles again if they are
stored in approved areas or containers.
The sprinkler bonus also applies in control areas where
the chemicals are never exposed to air, or are dispensed
using equipment like nitrogen blankets or vacuums (closed
system).
Limited Flexibility in Multi-Story Buildings
Control areas provide flexibility within a building, but there
are increasing restrictions as the building height rises. It’s
not beneficial to go above three or four stories.
“If you build above that, you have to use the more
expensive construction type and are still restricted in
chemical use,” explains Serruto.
He recommends a stacking diagram when laying out
departments. Instead of placing the labs using the most
chemicals, like analytical chemistry, at the top of a building
(for easier vent hood and ductwork access), locate
those labs lower. The code allows the maximum amount
of chemicals on the first floor, so labs that rely less on
chemicals, like biological labs, should be placed higher.
“There’s no cost tradeoff otherwise because you can’t use
the building—it won’t pass fire codes.”
The IBC allows four control areas on the first floor, where
100 percent of the hazardous materials are exempt. On
the second floor, three control areas are allowed and
75 percent of the hazardous materials are exempt. The
allowable control areas decrease to two on the third floor,
with 50 percent of the materials exempt. On floors four and
higher, only two control areas are allowed with 12.5 percent
of hazardous materials exempt.
Basements and what can be stored there have been
redefined in the new code. Small amounts of flammable
liquids are now allowed in basements. Three control areas
are permitted, with 75 percent exempt materials. In 2003
Class I flammable liquids were not permitted in basements.
The 2006 International Fire Code allows small amounts of
Class I flammable liquid storage in a basement.
“It’s like an underground control area with small amounts,”
Central Storage Areas Control Highly
Hazardous Material
Central storage areas solve the problem of containing
high hazard materials while keeping construction costs
down. The code allows for an infinite amount of H2
classified high hazard areas (this classification includes
deflagration hazard class IB, IC, II, IIIA liquids, normally
open containers, systems, etc., and containers or systems
pressurized greater than 15 psi) or IA liquids in open or
closed storage or use.
The H2 areas cost more due to safety feature requirements
like pressure resisting walls, but are cheaper than
designing the entire facility for a high hazard rating. Larger
facilities often store flammables in a central location and
deliver solvents to the labs.
“Don’t spread the chemical storage throughout the facility,”
advises Serruto. “Have a central storage area, make it
H2, and take advantage of the new sprinkler bonus for the
business use. You will have a safe facility, can use control
areas, and will drive down the cost of construction.”
This slide shows how the 2006 IBC revisions can benefit a pharmaceutical
company by establishing control areas on 60 percent of each floor. Only
the lab areas need two-hour floors or the equivalent of IB construction; the
rest of the facility can use IIB. The design limits flexibility, however. (Image
courtesy of AECOM.)
The Lama Review - Page 27
(Incorporating International Building Code Changes
cont’d...)
Changes in the International Building Code (IBC) that
became effective in 2006 can save building planners
significant construction dollars that normally would be spent
building higher rated construction types to accommodate
hazardous chemicals, specifically flammable liquids.
The code revisions allow building planners to reduce
fireproofing and floor design costs while maintaining safety
and building flexibility, and increasing efficiency. The
IBC must be addressed at the beginning of the planning
process for maximum benefit, notes Tom Serruto, director
of lab design for AECOM.
The code revisions allow building planners to reduce
fireproofing and floor design costs while maintaining safety
and building flexibility, and increasing efficiency. The
IBC must be addressed at the beginning of the planning
process for maximum benefit, notes Tom Serruto, director
of lab design for AECOM.
“If you start dealing with these issues when you are too
deep into the design process, you lose opportunities to
save money.”
The new IBC allows builders to use the more inexpensive
type IIA construction while still controlling hazardous
materials. The 2006 version of the code drops the
requirement for a two-hour rated floor for a control area
if the construction type requires a one-hour rated floor.
What this means is that type IIA construction that requires
fireproofing designed to last one hour would not need to be
upgraded to two hours. A two-hour floor rating is equivalent
to type IB construction. It requires an additional concrete
floor deck and two-hour fireproofing. The inexpensive
type IIB construction, while requiring a zero-rated floor,
would need to be upgraded to a two-hour floor to meet the
requirements of a control area.
Two additional requirements to take advantage of the 1
hour control area floor are that the building is equipped with
sprinklers and no higher than three stories.
The estimated cost for upgrading the construction type
from IIB to IIA is $6.73 per sf. The upgrade from IIB to
IB construction is $11.43 per sf using general cost data
published by the International Code Council in the Building
Safety Journal, January/February, 2008.
“Before 2006, you had to make a steel floor rated for two
hours, so you had to use the equivalent of a very expensive
construction type,” notes Serruto.
Start by reviewing what chemicals will be used in the
building. Combine this knowledge with the design of more
control areas and central storage areas for the hazardous
materials, and choose the construction type carefully to
take full advantage of the IBC.
Page 28 - The Lama Review
Building planners should use a stacking design and place the chemical intensive labs in control areas on lower floors, where the highest amounts of hazardous materials are exempt. (Image courtesy of
AECOM.)
Business Use Permits Increases Options
A review of the chemicals that will be used is key; proper
design and control of these materials can mean the
difference between a code-designated business use, typical
for a laboratory, and a high hazard use (H2 Deflagration
Hazard or H3 Physical Hazard).
The business use designation provides more flexibility,
such as a larger allowable area and taller structure for a
given construction type. High hazard use designations
allow chemicals in amounts that exceed the exempt
amounts, but require expensive design features like
damage-limiting walls to contain and vent deflagrations
(subsonic explosions). The code revisions give area and
height bonuses for buildings equipped with sprinklers
that contain a hazardous use, but they don’t apply to high
hazard areas, only to the non-hazardous use areas.
“If you have a high hazard use, a lot of expensive things
start happening, and there are a lot of restrictions as to how
you can use the facility,” says Serruto.
Collect information from the facility’s chemical hygiene
officers, environmental health and safety officers, or
industrial hygienists. The information should include the
amount and type of chemicals, containers, boiling points,
and flash points.
The information, combined with how the chemicals are
stored, disseminated, and used, will determine whether the
building qualifies as a business use or high hazard use.
“Lab buildings are a business use unless the chemical
amounts and storage create a hazardous use. The idea
is to try to keep it as a business use,” says Serruto. “The
only way to do this is to make sure you’re under the exempt
amounts.”
Control Areas are Key to Reducing Hazards
Control areas help facilities maintain a business use. These
designated areas compartmentalize the chemicals. Exempt
(Incorporating International Building Code Changes cont’d........)
amounts of hazardous materials can be stored, used, and
dispensed in a business use if control area requirements
are met.
“We can reduce the hazardous materials by controlling the
fire load in an area, and putting rated construction around
it and compartmentalizing it,” explains Serruto. “Then you
have a business use, even though you have materials in
there that should be in a hazardous rated building.”
Control areas are defined by rated construction. The
quantity and type of chemicals determines the type of fire
resistance rating. If no rated construction defines a control
area, then the entire building is considered a control area.
“We typically make each floor a control area where this
allows exempt amounts typically seen in a laboratory.
However, this is not always the case. There will be times
where the design requires multiple control areas on a floor
to maximize the amount of hazardous materials allowed,”
says Serruto.
Prior to 2006, control areas had to have two-hour rated
floors. Builders often used IB construction, even though
the use and height of the area allowed them to use IIB
construction. The 2006 code changes allow for a one-hour
rated floor in control areas when the construction there
is type IIA. The code also gives a “sprinkler bonus.” The
amount of chemicals allowed in a control area doubles if
the area has a sprinkler system. It doubles again if they are
stored in approved areas or containers.
The sprinkler bonus also applies in control areas where
the chemicals are never exposed to air, or are dispensed
using equipment like nitrogen blankets or vacuums (closed
system).
Central Storage Areas Control Highly
Hazardous Material
Central storage areas solve the problem of containing
high hazard materials while keeping construction costs
down. The code allows for an infinite amount of H2
classified high hazard areas (this classification includes
deflagration hazard class IB, IC, II, IIIA liquids, normally
open containers, systems, etc., and containers or systems
pressurized greater than 15 psi) or IA liquids in open or
closed storage or use.
The H2 areas cost more due to safety feature requirements
like pressure resisting walls, but are cheaper than
designing the entire facility for a high hazard rating. Larger
facilities often store flammables in a central location and
deliver solvents to the labs.
“Don’t spread the chemical storage throughout the facility,”
advises Serruto. “Have a central storage area, make it
H2, and take advantage of the new sprinkler bonus for the
business use. You will have a safe facility, can use control
areas, and will drive down the cost of construction.”
Limited Flexibility in Multi-Story Buildings
Control areas provide flexibility within a building, but there
are increasing restrictions as the building height rises. It’s
not beneficial to go above three or four stories.
“If you build above that, you have to use the more
expensive construction type and are still restricted in
chemical use,” explains Serruto.
He recommends a stacking diagram when laying out
departments. Instead of placing the labs using the most
chemicals, like analytical chemistry, at the top of a building
(for easier vent hood and ductwork access), locate
those labs lower. The code allows the maximum amount
of chemicals on the first floor, so labs that rely less on
chemicals, like biological labs, should be placed higher.
“There’s no cost tradeoff otherwise because you can’t use
the building—it won’t pass fire codes.”
The IBC allows four control areas on the first floor, where
100 percent of the hazardous materials are exempt. On
the second floor, three control areas are allowed and
75 percent of the hazardous materials are exempt. The
allowable control areas decrease to two on the third floor,
with 50 percent of the materials exempt. On floors four and
higher, only two control areas are allowed with 12.5 percent
of hazardous materials exempt.
Basements and what can be stored there have been
redefined in the new code. Small amounts of flammable
liquids are now allowed in basements. Three control areas
are permitted, with 75 percent exempt materials. In 2003
Class I flammable liquids were not permitted in basements.
The 2006 International Fire Code allows small amounts of
Class I flammable liquid storage in a basement.
“It’s like an underground control area with small amounts,”
explains Serruto. “Before 2006 you couldn’t put any Class I
flammable liquids in the basement.”
Case Studies Demonstrate Savings
A case study using an 110,000-sf warehouse building for
Aldrich Chemical Company found that the company would
have realized a significant savings by using the 2006 IBC
code.
The facility’s lower level contains a QA/QC lab with wet
bench, inorganic chemistry instrumentation, and organic
instrumentation. A waste solvent storage area was
designated H2, so the floors had to be rated two hours,
which precipitated IB construction. The builders pulled
the earth back to get additional light and made it a threestory building. The production labs have damage-limiting
walls, and windows designed as explosion release panels.
Control areas include the paths to transfer materials into
the building.
“How you move your materials up through a building—up
an elevator and across, for example—can all be a part of a
control area.” The Lama Review - Page 29
Page 30 - The Lama Review
12 Memory Tricks
the problem, I guess you throw away the scratch paper.
By Tamim Ansary
Expert testimony
I
ndisputably, we moderns can’t match the memory
feats of bygone times, those days when people could
do things like memorize the “Iliad” in Greek without
even knowing Greek. And maybe it’s true, as some
have speculated (me, for instance), that we’ve lost this
capacity because we now tend to outsource our memory
tasks to an exo-brain of technological gadgets. We no
longer have to remember Mom’s birthday because our
cell phone will remind us about it when the time comes.
But it struck me recently what this doesn’t mean. It
doesn’t mean we depend on (organic) memory less than
people of the past. A good memory is still a power tool
in this world. It’s just that our culture imposes different
demands on our memories.
Those ancestors of ours who could memorize the “Iliad”
and so forth lived in quieter times. They could sit under
a tree and devote themselves without distraction to a
single, sustained memorization project for days on end.
Who has that luxury now?
New ball game
Today, most of us have to cope with an unremitting
swarm of info-bits coming at us like wasps. At this
moment I have at least a dozen things I should be
thinking about, but since a guy can do only one thing
at a time, I’m holding all those thoughts in abeyance
-- keeping them in memory, that is -- while I write this
column.
But even as I write, some of those items will become
irrelevant, some will change, others will rise to urgency,
new concerns will intrude, e-mails will come in, phone
calls -- it’s the same for everyone I know. We’re
constantly revising the map of information we’re “holding
in memory,” just to stay functional. It’s like memorizing
the “Iliad” while it’s still being edited: Every time we
look, it’s a different “Iliad.” No, we can’t match what the
memory virtuosos of the past achieved, but I bet they
couldn’t match what we moderns do either.
This is why I take an intense interest in ways to buff up
my admittedly shabby memory. I remember that right
out of college I worked at the post office for six months
and spent three of them in a mnemonics class; can’t
remember what I learned, though. Since then, I keep
asking people to tell me their tricks for remembering,
especially if their job requires instant access to tons of
data. Unfortunately, few of them are into metacognition:
They don’t remember their tricks. Once you’ve solved
So I decided to look into it myself and talk to the experts
-- people who teach memory skills professionally. At
the end of this column I’m going to list 12 tips I distilled
from their recommendations, but first, to put those tips in
context, let me just review how memory works.
Biologically speaking, we actually have two kinds of
memory: short-term memory and long-term memory.
Think of them as the front room and the back room.
The front room is what we’re actively dealing with at
any given moment. Call it consciousness. This room is
small: Only seven or eight items fit in there at a given
time, and nothing can stay in there for more than a
few seconds. The back room is a warehouse. For all
practical purposes, it’s infinitely large. Incredibly enough,
everything we ever learn or experience gets stored in
long-term memory, and once it’s there, it’s there for life.
The question is, once a piece of information goes into
that dusty back room where trillions of items are already
stored, how do you find it again when you need it? The
answer lies in that front room. What happens there is the
key, because nothing gets into the back room without
passing through the front.
Memory retrieval
All memories are recovered memories, and we recover
them through associations: We remember a past
event because something currently in our awareness
-- something we’re looking at, hearing, tasting, thinking
about, whatever -- reminds us of something, which
reminds us of something else, which reminds us of
something else and so on back. That’s why recent
events are easy to remember: The environment is still
loaded with cues and the chain of links is short.
Good memory, then, is all about processing information
properly as it goes into storage. Psychologist William
James summarized the fundamental principle in a single
phrase: “The secret is … forming diverse and multiple
associations with every fact we care to retain.”
Here, then, are 12 concrete steps you can take to
remember particular facts and improve your general
capacity to retain what you learn. Note that only the last
step is one you can take when you’re actually trying to
remember. All the rest have to do with how you absorb
information and how you convert it into memory.
The Lama Review - Page 31
(Incorporating International Building Code Changes cont’d........)
After 2006, the lower level could have been constructed as
a basement, and perimeter and sprinkler bonuses applied.
Using the new code, IIA construction would have worked,
as opposed to the IB originally chosen.
The cost difference between IB and IIA construction is
$4.70 per sf. The project was 50,000 sf per floor area, so
the savings is $235,000 or, one percent of the project cost.
“I think the company would have loved to have that one
percent back, plus the same size building with the same
uses.”
In a second case study of a 190,000-sf pharmaceutical
laboratory with three floors, Serruto found that IIB
construction works with the code revisions. The steel
doesn’t need to be fireproofed, and savings can be realized
by making only the lab portions (60 percent of the 45,000
sf per floor) into control areas with two-hour floors, or the
equivalent of IB construction.
A laboratory building with 60 percent laboratories and
40 percent offices, with IIA construction throughout, has
the same cost as IIB construction with two-hour floors,
equivalent to IB construction for the lab controareas. The
scenario does have its drawbacks, though.
“You have to be able to put your office space in a
consolidated area, so you’re reducing the flexibility of your
solution. Part of the building can’t become a laboratory.”
This case study also showed there’s a tipping point, when
it’s cheaper to make the whole building IIA construction,
allowing control areas for the entire floor. Use the less
expensive IIB construction type for the office area and
upgrade the frame to the equivalent of IB construction for
the lab areas.
“Once the labs spaces take up more than 60 percent of the
building and the offices are fewer, it’s as cost effective to
use IIA construction throughout; otherwise you’re better off
just upgrading the lab space,” explains Serruto.
Check Local Fire Codes
Be sure to check local fire codes, advises Serruto. They
can vary from state to state and city to city, and are not
always compatible with the 2006 IBC updates. Buildings
being managed by the state fire marshal, such as
healthcare facilities, high rises, and prisons may be subject
to different regulations as well.
“Read the local amendments. The IBC is used in
conjunction with your fire code and sometimes the local fire
code is different than the International Fire Code.”
By Taitia Shelow
Biography
Thomas M. Serruto, NCARB, LEED AP, is director of laboratory
design and technical leader at AECOM in Chicago, where he has
worked since 2001. He holds an MS degree from the University
of Notre Dame and a master’s in architecture from the University
of Illinois at Chicago. Serruto is a registered architect in Illinois
Page 32 - The Lama Review
and has 25 years of experience designing research and health
care buildings. He holds professional affiliations with the National
Council of Architectural Registrations Boards, the American
Biological Safety Association, and the International Society
of Pharmaceutical Engineers. Serruto has spearheaded the
sustainable design effort for AECOM in Chicago and is a LEED
Accredited Professional.
This report is based on a presentation Serruto gave at the at the
Tradeline Research Buildings 2008 conference held in May.
For more information
Tom Serruto, NCARB, LEED AP
Technical Leader
Director of Laboratory Design
AECOM
303 E Wacker Street
Suite 900
Chicago, Ill. 60601
(312) 373-7700
[email protected]
Donald Hagen
Vice President
AECOM
303 E Wacker Street
Suite 900
Chicago, Ill. 60601
(312) 373-7534 [email protected]
The Lama Review - Page 33
Top 10 Traits of a Master Networker (www.careerbuilder.com)
Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D., with Michelle Donovan Networking is more than just
shaking hands and passing out
business cards. Networking is really
about building your social capital,
according to the results of a survey
of more than 2,000 businesspeople
throughout the United States, U.K.,
Canada and Australia, published
in “Masters of Networking” by Ivan
Misner and Don Morgan. The survey respondents rated
the traits related to developing and maintaining good
relationships.
Here are the top 10 traits that make a master networker,
ranked in order of their importance as judged by the
respondents.
1. Timely follow-up on referrals
This was ranked as the No. 1 trait of successful networkers.
If you present an opportunity -- whether it’s a simple piece
of information, a special contact or a qualified business
referral -- to someone who consistently fails to follow
up successfully, it’s no secret that you’ll eventually stop
wasting your time with this person. Following up with what
you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to
do it, builds your credibility and trust with your network.
2. Positive attitude
A consistently negative attitude makes people dislike being
around you and drives away referrals; a positive attitude
makes people want to associate and cooperate with
you. When you are positive, you’re like a magnet; people
want to be around you and will send their friends, family
and associates to you. Positive attitudes are contagious.
Being positive contributes to your determination, internal
motivation and ultimate business success.
3. Enthusiasm/motivation
Think about the people you know who get the most
referrals. They’re the people who show the most motivation,
right? It’s been said that the best sales characteristic is
enthusiasm. To be respected within our networks, we at
least need to sell ourselves with enthusiasm.
Once we’ve done an effective job of selling ourselves,
we can reap the reward of seeing our contacts sell us to
others. That’s motivation in and of itself. Enthusiasm aligns
well with a positive attitude. Enthusiastic and motivated
people make things happen for them -- and for the people
they know.
4. Trustworthiness
When you refer one person to another, there is no
doubt that you’re putting your personal and professional
reputation on the line. You have to be able to trust your
Page 34 - The Lama Review
referral partner and be trusted in return. Neither you nor
anyone else will refer a contact or valuable information to
someone who can’t be trusted to handle it well. Trust, as
we have been taught, is earned. It develops over time and
throughout the life span of a relationship. Trust can never
be taken lightly, because it plays such a huge role in your
credibility.
5. Good listening skills
Our success as networkers depends on how well we can
listen and learn from the people in our network. The faster
you and your networking partner learn what you need to
know about each other, the faster you’ll establish a valuable
relationship. Listening for the needs and problems of others
can also position you to engage the services of the people
you know. Many distractions can get in the way of listening
well to each other. Communicating well takes focus and
effective listening.
6. Commitment to networking 24/7
Master networkers are never formally off duty. (Well, maybe
when they’re asleep.) Networking is so natural to them that
they can be found networking in the grocery checkout line,
at the doctor’s office, and while picking the kids up from
school -- as well as at business mixers and networking
meetings. Master networkers take advantage of every
opportunity that’s presented to them on a daily basis. They
operate in the “givers gain” mindset and are primarily
looking for opportunities for the people in their network.
7. Gratitude
Gratitude is sorely lacking in today’s business world.
Expressing gratitude to business associates and clients is
just another building block in the cultivation of relationships
that will lead to increased referrals. People like to refer
others to business professionals who go above and
beyond. Thanking others at every opportunity will help you
stand out from the crowd. Expressing sincere gratitude to
the people who will one day be there to help you is not just
a courtesy -- it’s the right thing to do.
8. Helpfulness
Helping others can be done in a variety of ways, from
simply showing up to help with an office move to clipping a
useful and interesting article and mailing it to an associate
or client. Master networkers keep their eyes and ears
open for opportunities to advance other people’s interests.
They offer to help others whenever they can, because they
authentically want to help. It’s as simple as that. Master
networkers get joy out of helping other people succeed.
9. Sincerity
Friendliness without sincerity is like a cake without frosting.
You can offer the help, the thanks, the listening ear, but if
you aren’t sincerely interested in others, it will show -- and
they’ll know it. Those who have developed successful
networking skills convey their sincerity at every turn.
One of the best ways to develop this trait is to give your
undivided attention to the individual with whom you’re
developing a referral relationship. Don’t multitask when
you’re on the phone; stop browsing the Web, balancing
your checkbook and shining your shoes. When you
multitask, nothing gets your full attention and everything
suffers in some way; besides, people can tell when you’re
not all there. Make eye contact when you’re speaking to
them in person. Sincerely show that you care, and give
your complete attention to the individual in front of you.
5 Steps to Help You Make the
Most of a Mentorship
Robert Half International There are many essential ingredients to a successful
career, but there’s
one that many people
overlook: having a
mentor.
You may possess
drive and talent, but
such qualities won’t
necessarily help you
navigate a tricky
situation at work,
determine the best way
to advance your career
or choose the right training class among several intriguing
options. These more nuanced situations, the ones in which
the issues aren’t black and white, are when mentors are
especially helpful.
Here are five tips for finding a mentor and establishing a
successful relationship:
Determine what you need. Many companies have formal
mentoring programs that pair new or junior employees with
more experienced colleagues. If your firm offers this type
of arrangement, talk to your manager about taking part in
it. Don’t be discouraged if your company does not have
a formal process in place. You can establish a mentoring
relationship on your own. You might ask an experienced
colleague to offer guidance on your career, for instance.
People you approach are often flattered to be asked and
happy to help. They do not even have to be in your field to
offer the feedback you seek.
Look for a “teacher.” You may be in awe of someone’s
work, but sheer talent doesn’t always translate into an
ability to coach. You need someone who is patient and
willing to spend time with you. A mentor should also
be generous and honest with advice -- someone who’s
unwilling to be candid won’t help you build your skills. In
addition, make sure the relationship is a good fit.
“If your personalities don’t mesh well, the relationship is
not going to work,” notes Ilise Benun, co-author of “The
Designer’s Guide to Marketing and Pricing” and co-founder
of Marketing-Mentor.com.
10. Dedicated to working one’s network
Master networkers don’t let any opportunity to work their
networks pass them by. They manage their contacts
with contact management software, organize their e-mail
address files and carry their referral partners’ business
cards along with their own. They set up appointments to
get better acquainted with new contacts and learn as much
about them as possible, so they can truly become part of one
another’s networks.
Take an active role. It’s useful to consider what you expect
from your mentor and what you hope to accomplish from
working with him or her. For example, how often do you
want to check in with the person? What area of your career
are you seeking to improve? If you’re ambivalent about the
mentoring process, you won’t get a lot out of it. Arranging
a regular time to meet -- over breakfast once a week, for
instance -- can help you remain committed.
“People tend to wait for their mentor to take charge, but
it’s really important for you to take responsibility for the
process,” Benun says.
Be appreciative. It’s important to respect your mentor’s
time and adhere to some basic etiquette rules. Always
show up on time for meetings and keep in mind that
while it’s OK to reach out to your mentor between formal
meetings, don’t take advantage by constantly calling or
e-mailing him or her. If your mentor has given you an
assignment or challenged you to reach a goal -- he or
she might suggest you lead a team meeting to enhance
your public speaking skills, for example -- be sure to
follow up with the person about your progress. Show your
appreciation, too. You might send your mentor a thankyou note after a particularly helping coaching session, for
example.
Think long-term. Keep in mind that you and your mentor
may experience some growing pains and that it’s important
to give the relationship time to develop. If your first few
conversations with him or her are a bit awkward, it doesn’t
mean the relationship won’t be successful.
“Don’t make a snap judgment about what could potentially
be a long-term relationship,” Benun advises.
While it may require some effort to begin the mentoring
process, the long-term payoffs can be significant. The
guidance you receive will allow you to grow and put
yourself in better position to achieve your professional
goals. So don’t overlook this valuable career resource.
Robert Half International is the world’s first and largest
specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than
360 offices worldwide. For more information about our
professional services, please visit www.rhi.com.
The Lama Review - Page 35
Page 36 - The Lama Review
Foundations
Fresh Ideas Come From Fresh Sources
“Went fishing with my son today,”
.the U.S.Congressman wrote in his
diary,”-a day wasted.”
Few people lived
their childhood
years wihtout a
favorite toy, blanket,
or stuffed animal.
As parents, they
now value their
children’s favorite
toys because they
understand how
important they are
to the children. The
most ragged teddy
bear is likely the
best loved, preciousoly to a child
-and understanding
parents
Charles Francis Adams,son of President
John Quincy Adams, was a member of
Congress from 1858-60. From 186168, during the turbulent Civil War years,
Charles Adams was U.S.minister to
England and was commissioned for various other diplomatic functions in later
years. Adams was a very busy man with
his state and his nation depending o
him. In contrast with his history-shaping
civic duties, Adams deemed the day
fishing a wasted day. His son saw it differently.
“Went fishing with my father,” Brooks
Adams recorded in his diary on the
same day,”-the most wonderful day of
my life!”
Different people will often value the
same event differently. What the busy
father felt was a wasted day was “the
most wonderful day” for an enthusiastic
son.
Sensitivty is valuing not only events but
also objects and opportunities with an
appreciation for their importance to others. A sensitive parent will understand
his child’s tears over a damaged stuffed
animal because he is sensitive to how
his child values the toy.
However, sensitivity is not just a bridge
between the valuation gap of parents
and children. On the job, such sensitivity
is one employee recognizing the importance of a missed opportunity in the
eyes of a coworker. At home, it is a hus-
band sharing in his wife’s concern for a
matter that normally would not bother
him as deeply, but he understands how
she values things.
At home or on the job, sensitivty is treating a problem with the gravity with which
it weighs on those directly affected by
the problem. Even if the problem does
not affect you so significanlty, sensitivity is learning to understand the value of
people, objects, and events through the
eyes of others.
Charles Adams had a different set of
priorities than his son; nevertheless, he
took a day for fishing with his son. In
one sense, his father failed to understand through the eyes of his son, but
in another sense he succeeded in sacrificing his own priorities to provide the
experience his son would value. Brooks
never forgot his father’s kindness to give
him such experiences.
After graduating from Harvard law
school, Brooks returned home to work
for his father. For several years, he was
his father’s personal secretary, prior
to pursung his own law career. Brooks
wanted to be there for his father; he had
learned to value things through the eyes
of others.
Measuring events and objects according
to the valuation of others builds relationships, and it draws others to understand
your needs as welll. show sensitivity by
understanding the value others place on
the things that are important to them.
The Lama Review - Page 37
Carl’s Garden
Carl was a quiet man. He didn't talk much. He would always greet you with a big smile and a firm handshake.Even
after living in our neighborhood for over 50 years, no one
could really say they knew him very well.Before his retirement, he took the bus to work each morning. The lone sight
of him walking down the street often worried us.
He had a slight limp from a bullet wound received in WWII.
Watching him, we worried that although he had survived
WWII, he may not make it through our changing uptown
neighborhood with its ever-increasing random violence,
gangs, and drug activity.
When he saw the flyer at our local church asking for
volunteers for caring for the gardens behind the minister's
residence, he responded in his characteristically unassuming manner. Without fanfare, he just signed up.
He was well into his 87th year when the very thing we
had always feared finally happened. He was just finishing
his watering for the day when three gang members approached him. Ignoring their attempt to intimidate him, he
simply asked, 'Would you like a drink from the hose?'
The tallest and toughest-looking of the three said, 'Yeah,
sure,' with a malevolent little smile.As Carl offered the hose
to him, the other two grabbed Carl's arm, throwing him
down. As the hose snaked crazily over the ground, dousing
everything in its way, Carl's assailants stole his retirement
watch and his wallet, and then fled.
Carl tried to get himself up, but he had been thrown down
on his bad leg. He lay there trying to gather himself as the
minister came running to help him. Although the minister
had witnessed the attack from his window, he couldn't get
there fast enough to stop it.
'Carl, are you okay? Are you hurt?' the minister kept asking
as he helped Carl to his feet. Carl just passed a hand over
his brow and sighed, shaking his head. 'Just some punk
kids. I hope they'll wise-up someday.'
His wet clothes clung to his slight frame as he bent to pick
up the hose. He adjusted the nozzle again and started to
water. Confused and a little concerned, the minister asked,
'Carl, what are you doing?' 'I've got to finish my watering.
It's been very dry lately,' came the calm reply.
Satisfying himself that Carl really was all right, the minister
could only marvel. Carl was a man from a different time and
place. A few weeks later the three returned. Just as before
their threat was unchallenged. Carl again offered them
a drink from his hose.This time they didn't rob him. They
wrenched the hose from his hand and drenched him head
to foot in the icy water. When they had finished their humiliation of him, they sauntered off down the street, throwing
catcalls and curses, falling over one another laughing at the
hilarity of what they had just done. Carl just watched them.
Then he turned toward the warmth giving sun, picked up
his hose, and went on with his watering.
The summer was quickly fading into fall Carl was doing
some tilling when he was startled by the sudden approach
of someone behind him. He stumbled and fell into some
evergreen branches. As he struggled to regain his footing,
he turned to see the tall leader of his summer tormentors
reaching down for him. He braced himself for the expected
attack.
'Don't worry old man, I'm not gonna hurt you this time.'
The young man spoke softly, still offering the tattooed and
scarred hand to Carl. As he helped Carl get up, the man
pulled a crumpled bag from his pocket and handed it to
Carl.
'What's this?' Carl asked. 'It's your stuff,' the man explained. 'It's your stuff back. Even the money in your
wallet.' 'I don't understand,' Carl said. 'Why would you
help me now?'
The man shifted his feet, seeming embarrassed and ill
at ease. 'I learned something from you,' he said. 'I ran
with that gang and hurt people like you we picked you
because you were old and we knew we could do it But
every time we came and did something to you, instead
of yelling and fighting back, you tried to give us a drink.
You didn't hate us for hating you. You kept showing love
against our hate.'He stopped for a moment. 'I couldn't
sleep after we stole your stuff, so here it is back.'
He paused for another awkward moment, not knowing what more there was to say. 'That bag's my way of
Page 38 - The Lama Review
saying thanks for straightening me out, I guess.' And with
that, he walked off down the street. Carl looked down at the
sack in his hands and gingerly opened it. He took out his
retirement watch and put it back on his wrist. Opening his
wallet, he checked for his wedding photo. He gazed for a
moment at the young bride that still smiled back at him from
all those years ago.
He died one cold day after Christmas that winter. Many
people attended his funeral in spite of the weather. In particular the minister noticed a tall young man that he didn't
know sitting quietly in a distant corner of the church.
The minister spoke of Carl's garden as a lesson in life.
In a voice made thick with unshed tears, he said, 'Do your
best and make your garden as beautiful as you can. We will
never forget Carl and his garden.'
The following spring another flyer went up. It read: 'Person
needed to care for Carl's garden.The flyer went unnoticed
by the busy parishioners until one day when a knock was
heard at the minister's office door. Opening the door, the
minister saw a pair of scarred and tattooed hands holding the flyer. 'I believe this is my job, if you'll have me,' the
young man said.
The minister recognized him as the same young man who
T
had returned the stolen watch and wallet to Carl.
He knew that Carl's kindness had turned this man's life
around. As the minister handed him the keys to the garden shed, he said, 'Yes, go take care of Carl's garden and
honor him.'
The man went to work and, over the next several years, he
tended the flowers and vegetables just as Carl had done.
During that time, he went to college, got married, and became a prominent member of the community. But he never
forgot his promise to Carl's memory and kept the garden as
beautiful as he thought Carl would have kept it.
One day he approached the new minister and told him that
he couldn't care for the garden any longer. He explained
with a shy and happy smile, 'My wife just had a baby boy
last night, and she's bringing him home on Saturday.'
'Well, congratulations!' said the minister, as he was handed
the garden shed keys. 'That's wonderful! What's the baby's
name?
'Carl,' he replied.
That's the whole gospel message simply stated....
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The Lama Review - Page 39
A healthy self-esteem can be the first step to
wellness. People shine brightest when they feel good
about themselves. While an occasional deflated
ego is normal, harboring a low opinion of yourself in
general can keep you from reaching your potential.
of the day, enjoy their gentle comfort.
Could you use a boost in self-esteem? Here are some
thoughts:
Cranky Mood or Toxic Behavior?
™
Anyone can feel angry or frustrated now and then.
But ongoing negativity and rudeness from one
employee can bring down the productivity, morale and
satisfaction of the whole team.
Delivering
olutions...
BEST ADVICE: Before you adopt a pet, be sure you
are prepared for the time, energy, and responsibility
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Try new challenges. They will keep you moving
forward, and achieving them will increase your
confidence. For example, you could take a class or
Is your research project presentingLearn
youto with
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take on a new work assignment.
recognize unacceptable behavior – in
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SIGNS OF
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•
Won’t
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research can present. Our experienced VMD and Ph.D. Nutritionist
Don’t procrastinate. If you tend to put off the
• Arrives late for work or meetings.
will such
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to help
reach your
goals.
unpleasant,
as diligently
difficult phone with
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Acts disgruntled
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others’
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• Spreads malicious rumors.
• Disrupts others with loud talk and rude behavior.
Take a course in public speaking. Adopting the basic
• Publicly criticizes others’ work performance or
techniques of speech can raise your comfort level
personal issues.
when addressing a group.
• Takes credit for others’ ideas.
• Blocks others’ access to information or resources
Be social. Talking and laughing with good friends is
to undermine their career advancement.
an easy way to boost your self-esteem.
If you witness repeated abusive talk or actions at
Celebrate your achievements. Recognize the smaller
work, you can help stop it. Document episodes
steps you take that lead to bigger goals. You need
that you witness – be specific about the time,
belief in your abilities to succeed.
situation, language and others present. Report your
observations to the employee’s supervisor or the HR
department.
Nutritional
Solutions
Enrichment
olutions
S
Pet Power
More than two-thirds of American households have
pets, the most popular being dogs and cats. They are
fun, interesting and warm companions. Science is just
tapping into the power pets posess in helping us to
heal emotionally, physically, and mentally.
Changing a negative personality is difficult and it may
not happen quickly. But it’s important to call attention
to behaviors that are clearly unacceptable at work.
Medicated
Solutions
Many studies show the animal-people bond can aid
patient recovery from serious illness and promote a
calming effect on Alzheimer’s patients, helping soothe
their fears and aggression. Others credit their pets
with simple helping them adopt healthier habits, such
as a daily walk and regular relaxation.
Special Care
Solutions
To harness your pets’ healing power, spend time with
them – look at them, listen to them, and touch them to
increase their interaction with you. Teach them skills
and play together. When you’re feeling low at the end
800-996-9908
Page 40
- The Lama Review •
[email protected] • www.bio-serv.com • Frenchtown, NJ
Thought Busters
By Dr. John C. Maxwell
The power
of thought
is indisputably great. For
illustration, look at the life of Henry David
Thoreau, a 19th-century Massachusetts philosopher.
In 1849, Thoreau, as a relatively unknown scholar,
published his thoughts in a controversial essay about civil
disobedience. The essay expressed his ideas about justice:
• Not all laws are just.
• A person should respect justice more than the law.
• Without resorting to violence, a person of conscience is
justified to transgress the law to protest its injustice.
•
Thoreau’s thoughts, as the basis for nonviolent
resistance, would end up fueling two of the greatest social
advancements of the 20th century - Ghandi’s struggle to
free India from Britain’s colonial rule and the American Civil
Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King, Jr.
THOUGHTS ABOUT THINKING
Thoughts never begin fully formed.
Have you ever looked through a microscope? At first
glance, the image appears blurry and indistinct. However,
after adjusting the lens, the image comes into focus, and
you can see with remarkable clarity.
When thoughts enter my mind, they are hazy and
disordered, much like the initial image seen through a
microscope. I have to fine-tune my thoughts by dwelling
upon them, and connecting them to other thoughts I’ve had.
It takes awhile for me to wrestle with a thought before its
merit becomes clear.
Thoughts take time to develop their potential.
I am not a naturally brilliant thinker. My mind doesn’t
overflow with out-of-the-box creativity. However, I do
leverage experiences to stretch my thoughts. I have found
that reflection turns my experience into insight. At the close
of each day, I’ll review important lessons I’ve learned. I’ll
mine failure until I’ve gained a nugget of wisdom, or I’ll
consider how the day’s events validated or invalidated one
of my ideas. Through time, evaluating my experiences
helps my thoughts to expand and mature.
Thoughts take others to develop their potential.
Alone, my thoughts are shallow and unexceptional.
However, I am able to polish and refine them through my
interactions with other leaders. I enhance my own thinking
by piggybacking on the wisdom of friend and colleagues.
In conversations or observations of their behavior, I
strengthen and confirm my own inklings about leadership
and life.
Each of us is trapped inside our own perspective and
limited by blind spots and prejudices. If we isolate
ourselves, we diminish our minds, and our thoughts
atrophy.
We are wise to seek out others to test our assumptions and
sharpen our thinking.
Thoughts are very fragile in the beginning.
Gardeners know the delicate nature of a newly planted
seedling. To survive, the plant must receive nourishment
and be protected from harsh winds, weeds, or hungry
animas. Until its roots take hold and its stem grows, the
seedling is vulnerable.
Likewise, our thoughts are fragile at first. They are
endangered by pessimism, busyness, insecurity,
forgetfulness, and a host of other threats. In the words of
Bob Biehl, “Ideas are like soap bubbles floating in the air
close to jagged rocks on a windy day.”
In order to grow, our thoughts need careful attention and
cultivation.
THOUGHT BUSTERS
Thoughts only reach their potential in a healthy
environment. During my time as a leader, I’ve encountered
the following environmental hazards, or thought busters,
which threaten to destroy good thinking.
Criticism
When leaders pay any cost to ward off criticism, they
sacrifice their best thoughts. In the words of Elbert
Hubbard, “If you have something others don’t have, know
something others don’t know, or do something others
aren’t doing, then, rest assured, you will be criticized.” In
my opinion, thinking requires boldness, the courage to be
second-guessed, and readiness to endure conflict.
Lack of personal commitment to thinking
Taking action is by no means a negative quality in a leader.
However, when a leader is all action, it’s only a matter
of time until he or she falls behind, steers off course,
and surrenders the reins of leadership. I like Gordon
MacDonald’s appeal to mental fitness:
“In our pressurized society, people who are out of shape
mentally usually fall victim to ideas and systems that
are destructive to the human spirit and to the human
relationship. They are victimized because they have
not taught themselves how to think, nor have they set
themselves to the lifelong pursuit of growth of the mind. Not
having the faculty of a strong mind, they grow dependent
upon the thoughts and opinions of others.”
As leaders, thinking keeps us in front. Before we shape the
future, we must get our minds in shape.
Excuses
“I don’t have enough time,” has been my most common
excuse to avoid thinking. However, blaming time constraints
is not a legitimate excuse. After all, a great idea is one of
the greatest commodities a person can own. Besides, by
The Lama Review - Page 41
taking the time to think, we invent smarter ways to expend
our energy and resources.
“I’m not creative,” has been another excuse of mine. Of
course, blaming my lack of creativity is actually a sorry
excuse for being lazy. Thinking well isn’t easy. It takes
concentration, focus, and, most challenging of all, the
discipline to stop moving for a few moments.
Criticism That Counts
Americans have a warped view of criticism. Unfortunately,
most of us see criticism almost exclusively in a negative
light. We dish it out tactlessly, use it to tear down rivals, and
attack others with it even when we have no authority to do
so.
It certainly doesn’t help that we are inundated with
poor examples of criticism in the media. For starters,
consider American Idol’s British judge, Simon Cowell. It’s
not uncommon for Simon’s scathing criticisms to elicit
tears from contestants. His words are given sincerely, but
heartlessly. Watching Simon, it’s as if he relishes finding
faults in another’s imperfections.
Election season paints another ugly picture of criticism.
Politicians wield it like an ax to cut down their opponents.
Instead of debating ideas in a civil forum, too often
politicians lower themselves into a mudslinging contest.
Another media avenue, the blogosphere, has become
criticism central in America. Bloggers attack the character
of leaders they don’t know and rail against decisions made
in circumstances they could never understand. Far too
frequently, their inflammatory tone escalates conflict without
adding any substantial value to the interplay of ideas.
CRITICISM DEFINED
Given the less than stellar models of criticism prevailing in
society, we need a healthy definition of criticism along with
practical guidance for giving and receiving it. In an April
1st article for BusinessWeek, Dr. Bruce Weinstein gives us
exactly that. Here’s how he describes the value of criticism:
“The goal of true criticism is to help someone be the best
they can be…When criticism is done appropriately, the
person who has been criticized will understand what he
or she has done wrong and will feel inspired to make a
change for the better. Not only should we not avoid being
criticized, we should embrace criticism because it is the
only way we can continue to grow professionally and
personally.”
The following practical tips are intended to flesh out the
ways we can begin to embrace and wisely employ criticism
as leaders.
Page 42 - The Lama Review
WHEN GIVING CRITICISM
Encouragement helps criticism to land.
Before a pilot lands an aircraft, she goes through a series
of procedures to make the plane touch down as smoothly
as possible. The pilot gently drops altitude, gradually cuts
back on speed, and lowers landing gear at just the right
moment. If these steps are handled incorrectly, the ride is
certain to be turbulent and may end up in disaster.
For criticism to “land” well, it must be preceded by
encouragement. Leaders deafen their people to criticism
when they neglect to encourage them regularly. If leaders
are silent after victory but outspoken during defeat,
then team morale plummets. It’s difficult to stay open
to suggestions for improvement under what feels like a
constant barrage of negativity.
Criticism should avoid being personal
Criticism should avoid being personal, but it should have
the support of a personal relationship. To prevent personal
insult, leaders should carefully pinpoint specific actions or
ideas to criticize. People can accept negative feedback
of their performance, but they bristle when they feel their
personhood is under attack.
Leaders effectively deliver constructive criticism when they
have taken the time to acquaint themselves with those they
lead. Without relational connection, the person receiving
criticism may feel their leader has a personal vendetta
against them. However, if they are convinced their leader
respects their efforts and values their growth, they are more
likely to be receptive to tough words.
WHEN RECEIVING CRITICISM
Selectively filter criticism
The higher up a person goes in leadership, the more
criticism he or she will receive—guaranteed. While some
criticism builds up, other criticism tears down. Leaders must
learn to distinguish between the two.
The acid test of criticism is made up of three questions:
1. Does the criticism have basis in fact?
2. Is the criticism offered constructively (in an effort to
help)?
3. Does the critic have the insight and perspective to
speak credibly?
When all three questions can be answered, “yes,” then
a leader should take the criticism seriously and weigh its
meaning. If any question can be answered, “no,” then a
leader is best served to let the criticism go in one ear and
out the other.
Avoid Extremes
A leader who routinely dismisses criticism chokes off vital
feedback. When leaders ignore or suppress opposing
views, they miss the opportunity to sharpen their ideas.
Wise leaders want to be challenged, not coddled. They
surround themselves with voices that speak what they need
to hear instead of saying only what they want to hear.
On the other extreme, leaders with thin skin are rattled by
all manner of criticism. They agonize over the opinions
of people whose input is uninformed and unintended to
be helpful. They allow second-guessing to cut into their
confidence. Ultimately, such a leaders cede authority
by subjecting their decision-making to the approval of
outsiders.
Listen, Listen, Listen
Sincere criticism rarely comes without a morsel of truth.
For a leader, the trick is to stay open when confronted with
negative feedback. When criticized, people are tempted
to react defensively, angrily, or from a place of hurt. With
emotions swirling about inside, it can be difficult to keep
listening and to absorb critical comments.
Those who gain the most out of criticism hold their tongue
and control their emotions in order to gain access to hard
truths. By listening and remaining objective, they grow
increasingly self-aware and improve their leadership.
For more advice on addressing criticism, you can read Dr.
Bruce Weinstein’s BusinessWeek article, “How to Give and
Receive Criticism.”
Charismatic Leadership
William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli were two of
the fiercest political rivals of the 19th century. Their epic
battles for control of the British Empire were marked by
intense animosity that spilled over from the public arena
into their personal lives. Ambitious, powerful, and politically
astute, both men were spirited competitors and masterful
politicians.
Though each man achieved impressive accomplishments
for Britain, the quality that separated them as leaders was
their approach to people. The difference is best illustrated
by the account of a young woman who dined with the men
on consecutive nights. When asked about her impression
of the rival statesmen, she said, “When I left the dining
room after sitting next to Mr. Gladstone, I thought he was
the cleverest man in England. But after sitting next to Mr.
Disraeli, I thought I was the cleverest woman in England.”
What distinguished Disraeli from Gladstone was charisma.
Disraeli possessed a personal charm sorely lacking in
the leadership style of his rival. His personal appeal
attracted friends and created favorable impressions among
acquaintances. Throughout his career, Disraeli’s charisma
gave him an edge over Gladstone.
UNDERSTANDING CHARISMA
Of all leadership attributes, charisma is perhaps the least
understood. At first glance, charisma appears to be an
invisible energy or magnetism. There’s no denying its
presence, but it’s hard to put a finger on its source. Some
mistakenly believe charisma is a birth trait—embedded in
certain personalities, but completely absent in others.
I believe charisma is both explainable and learnable. I
also believe charisma helps to boost a leader’s influence.
That’s why I included it in my book, The 21 Indispensable
Qualities of a Leader. I’d like to examine the causes of
charisma and teach you how to increase the charisma you
display as a leader.
THE QUALITIES OF A CHARISMATIC LEADER
Charisma is defined as, “The ability to inspire enthusiasm,
interest, or affection in others by means of personal charm
or influence.” Leaders who have this special ability share
four things in common:
1) They Love Life
Leaders who attract a following are passionate about
life. They are celebrators, not complainers. They’re
characterized by joy and warmth. They’re energetic and
radiant in an infectious way.
Look no further than the smile to illustrate the power of
charisma. When people see a smile, they respond with a
smile. If you’re skeptical, try it. Smile at cashiers, waiters,
co-workers, etc. You’ll find your smile earns a reciprocate
smile almost every time. We are hardwired to take on the
energy of those around us. Leaders who love life have
charisma because they fill the room with positive energy.
2) They Value the Potential in People
To become an attractive leader, expect the best from
your people. I describe this behavior as “putting a 10 on
everyone’s head.” Leaders see people, not as they are, but
as they could be. From this vantage point, they help others
to build a bridge from the present to a preferred future.
Benjamin Disraeli understood and practiced this concept,
and it was one of the secrets to his charisma. He once said,
“The greatest good you can do for another is not to share
your riches but to reveal to him his own.” When you invest
in people and lift them toward their potential, they will love
you for it.
3) They Give Hope
People have an inner longing to improve their future and
their fortunes. Charismatic leaders connect with people by
painting tomorrow brighter than today. To them, the future is
full of amazing opportunities and unrealized dreams.
Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “Leaders are dealers in
hope.” They infuse optimism into the culture around them,
The Lama Review - Page 43
and they boost morale. While attentive to the current
reality, they do not resign themselves to present
circumstance.
4) They Share Themselves
Leaders with charisma add value to people by sharing
wisdom, resources, and even special occasions. They
embrace the power of inclusion, inviting others to join them
for learning experiences, brainstorming sessions, or simply
a cup of coffee. Such leaders embrace team spirit and
value togetherness. As a result, charismatic leaders are not
lonely at the top.
When it comes to charisma, the bottom line is
othermindedness. For leaders, the greatest satisfaction is
found by serving. They find great pleasure celebrating the
successes of those around them, and the victory they enjoy
the most is a team triumph.
SUMMARY
In closing, charisma has substance. It’s not manipulative
energy or a magical gift endowed upon select personalities.
Rather, it’s an attractive blend of learnable qualities.
Furthermore, charisma compounds a leader’s influence.
Without it, leaders have trouble inspiring passion and
energizing their teams. With it, leaders draw out the best
in their people, give the best of themselves, and find the
greatest fulfillment.
This article is used by permission from Dr. John C.
Maxwell’s free monthly e-newsletter ‘Leadership Wired’
available at www.injoy.com.
On The Trail with LAMA
RON ORTA MEMORIAL AWARD
Mr. Ronald “Ron” Orta worked in the field of laboratory animal science for over 30 years and he
was known for his smile, a helping hand, and his genuine concern for whomever he may have been
interacting with. He will be remembered for his giving spirit and as a role model to many in the
laboratory animal science field. Ron’s legacy for generations in laboratory animal science will be how
much personal satisfaction and fun can be found by getting involved with professional groups, such as
LAMA.
In memorial to Ron Orta, LAMA will present an annual award to an individual actively employed in lab animal vivarium
operations, management, or administration that presents a professional/managerial presentation at our LAMA/ATA
Annual Meeting.
The criteria for the award requires that the nominee submit an abstract to the LAMA Program Committee and have the
abstract accepted for presentation at the LAMA/ATA Meeting.
The award selection process will occur during the LAMA/ATA Annual Meeting by requesting meeting attendees to rank
the top four managerial presentations on the meeting evaluation form. Meeting attendees will be only allowed to submit
one meeting evaluation form.
The award winner will be presented with an award and honorarium during the next National AALAS Meeting following the
LAMA/ATA Annual Meeting each year. An award winner can only win the award once during their professional career. Attendance at the National meeting is not required in order to win the award.
Allentown, Inc. is the sponsor for the award and will be responsible for the award presentation and honorarium. Allentown, Inc. will also have the rights to publicize the award winner. The award will consist of a crystal plaque and
$500.00.
Page 44 - The Lama Review
LAMA/ATA ANNUAL MEETING
Doubletree Guest Suites 181 Church Street Charleston, South Carolina
April 1-3, 2009
Call for Speakers
Please fill out this form and return to the LAMA headquarters by January 15, 2009
Submit to: Kathi Schlieff at [email protected] or LAMA, 7500 Flying Cloud Drive, Suite 900, Eden Prairie, MN 55344.
Phone: 952-253-6235 - Fax: 952-835-4774. NOTE: LAMA or ATA are unable to provide travel costs or waive registration for
program speakers, facilitators, recorders, and moderators Below is a general outline of topics available. Any alternative topics may also be submitted. All topics and slide presentations submitted are subject to review prior to approval.
1. Management Practices
2. Future Industry Trends
3. Dealing with Unions
4. Motivating good workers
5. SOP Development
6. Going “Green”
7. Team building workshop – personnel/vendor relationships
8. Coaching and Mentoring, Training Techniques
9. Research findings, current studies
10. Maintaining Employee Morale
11. Management Styles and Techniques
12. Communication
13. Dealing with per diem issues
14. Facility Design Trends
15. Conflict Resolution
16. Occupational Health
Special Topic Suggestion for 2009: New approaches to “Lean” management. “Doing More with Less”.
Category of program participation (Check One)
Speaker at Plenary Session (20- 30 Min)
Break-out session leader/presenter (1 hour 2 sessions)
Workshop Session (1 hour)
Topic
Suggestion
Title
Brief Summary
Name
Title
Company
E-mail
Address 1
Phone
Address 2
Fax
City, St Zip
Country
Please be aware that internet service in the meeting space will not be offered to presenters. Power Point is the Audio Visual format for this 2009 meeting. Speakers will be notified by February 15, 2009 as to the status of their submission. Please
send your Power Point presentation by February 29, 2009 to Kathi Schlieff (address and email address listed above)
The Lama Review - Page 45
Developing A Vision For Your Future
around you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, then the
world is yours and all that’s in it”. What Only Leaders Can Do
The one quality that all leaders have in common is that
they have a clear and exciting vision for the future. This is
something that only the leader can do. Only the leader can
think about the future and plan for the future each day.
Your job as a leader is to have a clear vision of where you
want to go and then to keep your cool when things go
wrong, as they surely will.
By: Brian Tracy
Develop A Clear Vision
Excellent leaders take the time to think through and
develop a clear picture of where they want the organization
to be in one, three and five years. Leaders have the ability
to communicate this vision in such a way that others “buy
in” and eventually see the vision as belonging to them. How to Motivate People
It is the vision of the future possibilities, of what can be,
that arouses emotion and motivates people to give of their
best. The most powerful vision is always qualitative, aimed
at and described in terms of values and mission rather
than quantitative, described in terms of money. Of course,
money is important, but the decision and commitment to
“be the best in the business” is far more exciting. To encourage others, to instill confidence in them, to help
them to perform at their best requires first of all that you
lead by example.
Be A Great Team Player
A study at Stanford Business School examined the
qualities that companies look for in promoting young
managers toward senior executive positions, especially
the position of Chief Executive Officer. The study
concluded that there were two important qualities
required for great success in leadership. The first is the
ability to put together a team and function as a good
team player. Since all work is ultimately done by teams,
and the managers’ output is the output of the team, the
ability to select team members, set objectives, delegate
responsibility and finally, get the job done, was central to
success in management.
Keep Your Cool
The second quality required for rapid promotion was
found to be the ability to function well under pressure, and
especially in a crisis. Keeping your cool in a crisis means
to practice patience and self-control under difficult or
disappointing circumstances. Everyone Is Watching
The character and quality of a leader is often demonstrated
in these critical moments under fire, when everyone is
watching, observing and privately taking notes. As Rudyard
Kipling once said, “If you can keep your head when all
Page 46 - The Lama Review
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these
ideas into action.
First, project forward 3-5 years and imagine your ideal
future vision. What does it look like? What steps can you
take immediately to begin turning your future vision into
your current reality?
Second, resolve in advance that, no matter what happens,
you will remain calm and cool. You will not become upset or
angry. You will take a deep breath and focus on the solution
rather than on the problem.
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uperhighway
Research News
U.S. Urged to Renew the War
on Cancer
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter
Leadership has to come from White House
to offset growing complacency, presidential
panel says
THURSDAY, Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) -- America has
grown complacent in its war on cancer, so it must redouble
its efforts to defeat this often-deadly disease. And the
leadership for this campaign must come directly from the
White House.
That’s the assessment of a report, Maximizing Our
Nation’s Investment in Cancer, released Thursday by the
President’s Cancer Panel, which calls for a three-pronged
approach to defeat this “bioterrorist within.”
“This has to get back on the national political agenda. It
has to come from the White House,” said panel member
Margaret Kripke, a professor emerita of immunology at
the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston.
“We can no longer afford to have 1,500 people dying a
day from the disease,” Kripke said. “Part of making it a
national priority is getting it to the White House. We need
to get the funding issue addressed, but also the continuity
issue. The director of the National Institutes of Health and
the National Cancer Institute are presidential appointees
and, if that’s not high on the radar screen, sometimes those
appointments languish.”
rapidly aging, the problem will only become worse, the
report stated.
In 1971, then-President Richard Nixon declared a national
war on cancer. And, although there have been important
advances since then, urgency seems to be declining, the
panel said.
“It was felt that having the direct attention of the president,
that somehow the battle against cancer will remain a
high priority. But over the years, we have forgotten that,
and, in the last five to seven years, with President Bush
being so occupied with problems in Iraq, we have seen
funding diminish,” said Dr. Kishan Pandya, clinical director
of hematology-oncology at the University of Rochester
Medical Center’s James P. Wilmot Cancer Center. “The
focus that was there in the earlier era seems to have
become diffused.”
In addition to declining research funding, the report also
identified other trouble spots: not enough collaboration
among cancer institutions, a fragmented health-care
system and continued tobacco use.
The three recommendations put forth by the panel are:
•
•
•
Making the treatment and prevention of cancer a
national priority, with direction coming straight from the
White House.
Ensuring that all Americans have timely access to
needed health care and prevention measures. This
would entail “comprehensive health care reform,” the
report stated. “Some of the things that will make the
biggest impact are ones that are pretty obvious and
have to do with applying what we already know,” Kripke
said. “That’s the access-to-cancer-care issue.”
Ending the “scourge of tobacco,” which is a known
cause of at least 15 different types of cancer, accounts
for 30 percent or more of all cancer deaths, and 87
percent of deaths from lung cancer, according to the
report. “We have the ability. We know how to do this,”
Kripke said.
The three-member panel, which also includes famed
bicycle racer and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong and
Dr. LaSalle D. Leffall of the Howard University School of
Medicine, is sending the report to the Bush administration,
as well as to the Obama and McCain campaigns.
Every day, 4,000 people in the United States are diagnosed
with some form of cancer, and another 1,500 die from the
disease. In 2008, this will mean 1.4 million new cases and
565,000 cancer-related deaths.
More information
View the full report at the National Cancer Institute.
SOURCES: Margaret L. Kripke, Ph.D., professor emerita,
immunology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center,
Houston; Kishan Pandya, M.D., professor, medicine and
oncology, and clinical director, hematology-oncology, James P.
Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center,
Rochester, N.Y.; Maximizing Our Nation’s Investment in Cancer:
An estimated 40 percent of the U.S. population will develop
cancer at some point in their lives. And with the population
Three Crucial Actions for America’s Health
Copyright © 2008 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
The Lama Review - Page 47
Research News
Harnessing The Power Of The Brain
Nov. 2, 2008
(CBS) Once in a while, we run across a science story
that is hard to believe until you see it. That’s how we felt
about this story when we first saw human beings operating
computers, writing e-mails, and driving wheelchairs with
nothing but their thoughts. Quietly in a number of laboratories, an astounding
technology is developing that directly connects the human
brain to a computer. It’s like a sudden leap in human
evolution - a leap that could one day help paralyzed
people to walk again and amputees to move bionic limbs.
As correspondent Scott Pelley reports, the connection
has already been made for a few people, and for them it
has been life changing. Scott Mackler was a husband, father and successful
neuroscientist when he received perhaps the worst news
imaginable. At the age of 40, he could run a marathon
in three and a half hours, but it was about that time he
discovered he had ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. His brain was losing its connection to virtually every muscle
in his body. The near-total paralysis would also stop his
lungs. He didn’t want to live on a ventilator, so nine years
ago he recorded this message for his two sons. “I know the future holds lot of love and joy and pride and
that life goes on and I’ll be watching you along the way and
I love you very much and I’ll see ya,” he said in a home
video. Today, Scott Mackler’s mind is sharp as ever, but his body
has failed. Doctors call it “locked in” syndrome. Scott and
his wife Lynn learned to communicate with about the only
thing he has left, eye movement. To signal “yes,” Lynn says Scott looks at her; to signal “no,”
he looks away. But recently Scott found a new voice. “Can everyone hear
the PC? I apologize for the quality of the voice,” he asked
in writing. Scott wrote these words, one letter at a time, with nothing
but his thoughts and the help of what’s called a brain
computer interface or “BCI.” He wears a cap that picks up
the electrical activity of his brain and allows him to select
letters simply by thinking about them. Then the computer
turns his sentences into speech. “I hate being helpless and when other people put words in
my mouth,” he wrote. Page 48 - The Lama Review
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“Well, this is a very unusual interview for 60 Minutes.
We’ve done something we never, ever do, and that is we’ve
submitted the questions in advance because it takes Scott
a little while to put the answers together using the BCI
device,” Pelley remarks. “Scott, I understand that earlier
in the progression of this disease you said that, at the
point you had to go on a ventilator you didn’t wanna go on
anymore, but today you are on a ventilator. And I’m curious
about what changed your mind?” “Because I can still communicate,” Scott replied, with the
help of the BCI device. It isn’t fast. It takes 20 seconds or so to select each letter.
Scott told 60 Minutes it took him about an hour to write the
answers to our 16 questions. But he writes well enough to
continue his research and manage his lab at the University
of Pennsylvania, where he still goes to work everyday. “You use this system even to text your sons, for example.
And I wonder what it would mean to your life today if the
system somehow was taken away from you?” Pelley asks. Scott says he couldn’t work with BCI. Asked what it has meant to their relationship, Scott’s wife
Lynn tells Pelley, “Well, he’s happier. He can communicate
with not just us, but with the world. This gave him
his independence. His working, intellectual, scientist
independence back.” The system was developed by neuroscientist Dr. Jonathan
Wolpaw at New York State’s Wadsworth Center. To understand how the BCI works, Pelley asked researcher
Theresa Vaughan to hook him up to the BCI device. “And you’ll see there are little white disks scattered around
on your head,” Dr. Wolpaw explained. Those disks are electrodes that pick up the faint electrical
activity that brain cells create when they communicate with
each other. Vaughan put a conductive gel on top of Pelley’s
scalp to help the electrodes pick up the signals. Pelley was thinking of the letters of a word that only he
knew. Every time the computer flashed the correct letter
on the screen, he silently thought to himself, ‘That’s it,
that’s the one.’ That feeling of recognition set off a unique
electrical pattern in his brain, which the computer picked
up. It worked the first time Pelley tried it, without a single
mistake, spelling out “THOUGHT” with the help of BCI. “You know, I can imagine some people watching this
interview are thinking to themselves, ‘Wait a minute, they’re
connecting the brain to a computer.’ Are we moving in the
direction of reading people’s thoughts? Are we, is this mind
control around the corner?” Pelley asks. “No, No it is not - it is certainly not mind control and it’s
different from reading people’s thoughts. And it’s important
to realize this requires the cooperation of the person,”
Wolpaw explains. As remarkable as this is, some scientists believe this
technology is limited, because putting electrodes on top
of the scalp is like listening to a symphony from the street
outside the concert hall. So what would happen if the
electrodes were inside the brain? That’s what they’re doing at the University of Pittsburgh,
implanting electrodes inside the brains of monkeys. Andy
Schwartz, a neuroscientist at the university, implanted a
grid of electrodes. It’s tiny, but there are 100 sensors, each
listening to a different brain cell, or neuron. It’s like listening to the symphony of the brain, but now
sitting in the front row. Schwartz has been decoding
that language by watching the monkey’s movement and
recording the corresponding signals in its brain. Asked what that tells him, Schwartz says, “So there’s
a relationship between how fast the neuron fires and
the way the animal moves its hand. And we’re trying to
understand that relationship so that if we see a neuron
firing we can say, ‘Ah, the animal’s about to make this kind
of movement.’” Once Schwartz started to figure out that relationship, he
was able to connect the monkey’s brain directly to a robotic
arm. Within days, the monkey operated the arm as if it was
his own. “The monkey has both arms restrained. And we’re
recording brain signals from its brain and it’s using those
brain signals to operate this entire arm,” Schwartz explains.
“As well as the gripper” Schwartz says the monkey is operating the robotic arm with
nothing but his thoughts. Asked what the chances are that
a human would be able to do the same thing, he says, “Oh,
we think a human being could do much better.” Cathy Hutchinson is well on her way to finding out: she’s
among the first humans to have her brain directly wired to
a computer. Years ago, Cathy suffered a stroke that left her
mentally sharp but trapped inside a paralyzed body and
unable to speak, “locked in” like Scott Mackler. Three years ago, Cathy volunteered to have the same kind
of sensors Pelley saw in the monkeys implanted in her
motor cortex, which controls movement and is located right
on the surface of the brain. The sensors connect to the
computer through a plug on her head. The system is called
“Braingate” and it was created by a team led by Brown
University neuroscientist John Donoghue. “If you look at this square each one of these little black
boxes is the electrical signal coming from one electrode in
the brain,” he explains. Each one of the little black boxes is a neuron firing. “It’s its
electrical potential. It lets out a 1/1000th of a second pulse,”
Donoghue explains. Asked how well we understand this language, Donoghue
says, “We have a somewhat of an understanding. We know
that there’s a general pattern of, for example, left/right, up/
down, even fast or slow.” Dr. Leigh Hochberg of Massachusetts General Hospital is
leading the clinical trial. Pelley watched as Cathy showed
what she can do. She was able to move a cursor with nothing but her mind.
“She’s thinking about the movement of her hand, and
she’s moving the cursor much as if she had her hand on a
mouse,” Hochberg explains. So if a paralyzed patient thinks to move his or her left arm,
Donoghue says the brain fires those neurons, even though
the arm doesn’t move. “It’s very surprising. It fires, even
though you’re not moving,” he says. Moving the cursor with her mind is not as fluid or direct as
using a mouse. While 60 Minutes was there, the cursor
meandered a bit, sometimes overshot, but Cathy always hit
her target in the end: clicking the cursor on a logo to play
music. “That’s pretty amazing. And so, if Cathy can control a
cursor, she can control anything a computer is connected
to?” Pelley asks. “That’s the goal,” Hochberg says. “The lights, the temperature in the room, even, even a
wheelchair at some point,” Pelley adds. In fact, Cathy has already driven a wheelchair. They
haven’t let her ride in it yet for her own safety, but with
monkeys adopting robot arms and a completely paralyzed
person driving a chair, imagine where this could be headed. Donoghue envisions this technology will go beyond helping
people communicate. He believes that amputees will one day be using BCIs to
control robotic arms, and those with paralysis will be able to
move their own arms and legs again. “In spinal cord injury,
that cable that connects the brain to the spinal cord is
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Research News
broken. We can reconnect that brain, not to the spinal cord,
but directly out to the muscles with a little computer that’s
making up for all the lost parts. And we’ll see people be
able to do things like reach out, hold onto a cup, bring the
cup to their mouth and have a sip of water,” he says. As a neuroscientist, Scott Mackler also believes that day
will come. His skullcap interface is a machine that has
given him back his humanity. He’s continued to publish
scientific papers and to speak his mind. “Live life to the
fullest. My wife and I now speak everyday of how we have
no regrets,” he says. As our interview ended, Scott Mackler asked Pelley to play
a PowerPoint presentation he made to make sure that he
got the last word. “So I’m going to roll that now and see what he has to say,”
Pelley remarked. “Please don’t think that I’m an inspiration, because anyone
could do what I’ve done,” Scott said. “Scott keeps talking about not being courageous. I don’t
particularly think that is true,” Pelley commented. “I don’t either,” Scott’s wife Lynn added. “I think he’s pretty
brave.”
ICPM Trends
November/December 2006
Diversity is More Than Skin Deep
Benjamin Franklin once said, “It’s not necessary to
speculate about the driving forces within us. Under
pressure they leap out and reveal themselves.” Today
these different forces are called “diversity,” and they
take many forms such as beliefs, values, needs and
attitudes. Certainly, driving forces vary from individual to
individual. Differences in skills, personalities, work styles
and leadership attributes can lead to misunderstanding
and closed-mindedness. This dynamic translates into
workplace conflict, discontent and dissatisfaction, all of
which contribute to productivity breakdowns. Understanding
how to neutralize differences and create a common ground
brings harmony back to the workplace.
Innate Differences
Obvious differences such as gender, race, religion, culture
and language exist in the workplace. What’s not as visible
is the diversity determined by one’s emotional perspectives.
These dictate how individuals learn, respond to changes
and make decisions.
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It is part of the human condition that people have dissimilar
needs and values, which form the basis for their belief
systems. Their beliefs generate attitudes that ultimately
drive behaviors and become manifested as diverse skills,
personality traits, work styles and leadership attributes. As
a natural consequence, misunderstandings and conflicts
arise because people misinterpret situations or lack skills
to deal with personality differences. For example, some
employees need order and control to help them stay
focused, prepared and grounded. When their environments
and work experiences lack these fundamentals, they take it
personally. They are likely to feel frustrated or dissatisfied.
When other co-workers start asking questions such as,
“Where is that person coming from?” and “Why don’t they
get it?” it indicates differences are being judged rather than
appreciated.
Here’s an example of how behavior misunderstandings
occur. A state attorney was smart and hard working, yet
to others she appeared cold, aloof and conceited. The
cultural expectation in her office was to be friendly and
outgoing. Instead, she was straightforward, well informed,
well prepared and to the point. Co-workers expected this
attorney to be vivacious and animated, and when she
wasn’t, others immediately assumed something was wrong
with her. They made disparaging remarks about her and
“pushed” her away. This attorney eventually learned to
speak in a more upbeat way to match the expectations of
her co-workers. When she changed her style, others began
to relate to her in a more positive way and productivity
increased.
Emotional Threats in the Workplace
According to Dr. W. Edwards Deming, a statistician credited
with creating the foundation for Total Quality Management,
there are 14 points for management to pursue in order
to increase quality, productivity and competitive position.
One of those points is the mandate for management to
drive out fear in the workplace in order to allow employees
to build trust and work effectively for the organization. As
Deming notes, when employees feel secure enough to ask
questions and express ideas, they are more productive.
If they have a fear of speaking up, conflicts are likely to
occur and remain unresolved. The more management is
able to keep the workplace safe, steady and secure, the
more likely employees feel their needs are being honored
and met. As a result, they respond in a more constructive
manner.
A second emotional threat also comes from employees who
feel misunderstood. Most often, they also feel minimized,
unappreciated and de-motivated. Because they think
management and/or other co-workers do not appreciate
their needs, they take it personally and become defensive.
This negative energy stifles their creativity and eventually
leads to an irreconcilable breach, one where insult leads to
injury.
Part of taking care of business means taking care of
people. This requires attention, skill and commitment to
nurturing the emotional needs of workers. When workers
feel balanced, safe and secure, they function better. On the
other hand, when they feel threatened, resentful or angry,
they feel victimized, insulted and injured. Unmet needs
can bring about emotional reactions where everything is
personalized. Problems become convoluted and tougher
to resolve. The solution is to catch oneself when emotions
threaten to take over, or “needs” jerk reactions begin, by
recognizing the other person is not a threat but rather is
someone with a different set of needs. In order to modify
perceptions, one must have self-knowledge to manage
one’s own needs and control one’s emotions.
Diversity in Action
Consider this common workplace scenario. Jane, an
employee, who expected co-workers to be brief and direct
in order to not waste time, approached other employees
in this fashion. Another more friendly and outgoing coworker, Mary, usually started conversations by asking about
the other employee’s family. Neither method was wrong.
The individuals simply had completely different sets of
expectations and socialized values. Yet, each approach
caused the other to feel insulted. Jane perceived Mary
as someone who crippled her ability to complete work
by beating around the bush. Mary, on the other hand,
felt offended when Jane was totally task-focused in their
conversations. Eventually, these two significantly different
work styles created gaps between the employees, and
their relationship deteriorated. To bridge the gaps, Mary
and Jane learned not to take differences personally but to
negotiate agreements about communicating and working
together.
Reconcilable Differences
Feelings are driven by deep, instinctive needs. The key to
embracing diversity in the workplace is to understand the
emotional drivers behind individual needs. Most everyone
assumes incorrectly that everybody else has needs
similar to their own. In reality, every person “speaks” a
different emotional language. To communicate effectively
sometimes requires the equivalent of learning a foreign
language or developing a common ground around a shared
emotional language. For example, a female employee
might generalize and make assumptions that a male coworker is treating her differently because he doesn’t value
women. Yet, she might be making inappropriate attributions
and be lacking in an understanding of his emotional filters
related to socialization and culture. Similarly, employees
around the world might have the same emotional drivers
yet express them differently. Acceptable behavior within
the United States might not be acceptable in China, Italy or
other countries and vice versa due to cultural differences.
Fortunately, there are personality assessment tools that
can provide a framework to normalize or create a baseline
for appreciating differences. These tools assist with
acknowledging, understanding and addressing personality
differences. When carefully selected and used, they can
create a competitive advantage and give working teams an
extra margin of success. Additionally, they bring insights
into discovering why people do what they do, act the way
they act and ask the questions they ask. They provide a
method for dealing with differences in a non-emotional,
non-judgmental, descriptive way.
What makes personality assessment tools unique is their
ability to present findings visually to see differences. For
maximum success, use a tool that goes beyond measuring
rational and social dimensions to include the instinctive
level. The rational level reveals the way employees like to
interact in their jobs while social dimensions describe how
one learned to interact with others. The instinctive level
explains the motivating forces affecting self-esteem. This
is where relationships are built and destroyed and is a key
component to understanding and appreciating diversity.
Awareness Builds Diversity Acceptance
Many organizations develop their cultures and what it
takes to be successful within the organization based on
one particular style. Typically the leaders are authoritative,
directive and focused on short-term results. Employees
attempt to conform to this style in order to climb the
company ladder, resulting in myopic organizations with
underused employees. The organizations suffer in the
long run because the cultures are not focused on strategy.
Ironically, cultural differences create new paradigms by
allowing employees to share their diversity. Acceptance of
this diversity of work styles promotes communication and
cooperation, which provides significant benefits to the
company. Eventually, this leads to higher performing teams
and a greater competitive advantage.
Most often, the lack of understanding of the emotions
involved in human interaction is the root cause of people
problems in the workplace. That’s not surprising because
people are trained to be logical, rational and analytic.
Although many might argue there is no room in business
for emotion, it will always exist. It’s simply a part of
the human condition. For example, one does not think
confidence or trust; one feels confident and trusting. Being
aware of emotional needs and accurately describing them
closes the irreconcilable differences gap.
Tools that assist employees and leaders in identifying
and discussing varying needs raise the level of
performance. Humans, by their very nature, are diverse
beings, regardless of gender, culture, religion, etc. Each
employee contributes a unique package of strengths to the
company. By embracing the emotional diversity within the
organization instead of attempting to quell it, employees
communicate more effectively, accept divergent viewpoints
and are able to truly pull together as a high-performing
team.
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ICPM Trends
Article from Workforce Performance Solutions (www.
wpsmag.com) by Warren Birge, senior vice president, and
Deborah Dorsett, vice president, executive consultants with
Personalysis Corporation, a management consulting firm
located in Houston, Texas. Personalysis Corporation works
with national and international companies to help them
achieve higher productivity and performance.
September/October 2007
Stress Management--Desk Rage is More
Common in the Workplace
As any manager can tell you, frustration and office temper
tantrums by employees are not unusual, but two studies
indicate that incivilities in the workplace appear to be
increasing. Termed “desk rage” by one survey, it includes
arguments between employees, pen throwing managers,
and workers kicking expensive computer equipment in fits
of aggravation.
In a telephone survey commissioned by Integra Realty
Resources, Inc., nearly one-third of 1,305 workers who
responded admitted to yelling at someone in the office
and 65% said workplace stress is at least occasionally
a problem for them. Work stress had driven 23% of the
respondents to tears and 34% blamed their jobs for a loss
of sleep.
In a separate study published in the quarterly journal,
Organizational Dynamics, it was found that workers who
experienced rude behavior at work had reactions that were
negative for business. Nearly a third of them admitted
intentionally decreasing their commitment to the company,
with a quarter indicating that they stopped doing their best.
Almost 12% of the rudeness recipients quit their jobs to
search for friendlier environments.
Workplace stress is not new, but many experts and
workers feel that it is at epidemic levels. Several economic
and social trends have escalated tensions or at least
made employees more sensitized to stress. Layoffs and
downsizing have left a lingering sense of job insecurity
for many workers, while demands for productivity have
increased.
At the same time, the nature of the American workforce has
changed. It is more diverse—including women, multiple
generations, and ethnicity--which can exacerbate on-thejob tensions. There is a sense that the technology that was
supposed to make jobs easier-- from cell phones to e-mail
to PDAs--has turned into high-tech leashes. Referred to as
“technology tethers” by C. Leslie Charles in her book, Why
Is Everyone So Cranky?, she feels American workers are
overwhelmed, overworked, overscheduled and overspent.
“We’re leading these non-stop lives, and we’re continuing
to accelerate the pace,” according to Charles. “We are so
preoccupied with what we’re doing and what’s next that we
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have an inability to process what’s just happened or what’s
bugging us.”
Charles recommends the following tools to de-stress your
work life:
• Fortify your “emotional immune system (EIS).” When
exposed to crankiness, stop and quantify the problem
and put it in perspective. Is this a small, medium or large
annoyance or something more serious? How large of a
response is required? Make your reaction match the size of
the problem.
• Take a “Reality Bite.” Expecting, waiting and hoping
for things to be different in our lives only increases our
susceptibility for crankiness. Expect some parts of life
to be frustrating; you will wait in lines that are too long,
people will do things that irritate you, and you will encounter
inconvenience more days than not. Accept this reality. Let
it roll off your back and smile. It may not change what is
happening, but you will feel better.
• Take time out for a “Personal Battery Recharge.” What do
you really enjoy doing? When was the last time you did it?
Take the time to recharge. Whether a game of golf, a walk
with a friend, or reading a book, take the time for renewal
as often as possible.
Article by Barbara Bartlein, CSP, an expert on
stress management and work/life balance; barb@
thepeoplepro.com. Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.
com. For more tips and a stress quiz visit: http://
www.101stressmanagement.com.
May/June 2007
The Changing World of Change Management
Once limited to software development, more and more
firms are discovering that change management tools
and processes are well suited for use across the entire
business enterprise. Here is what you need to know to be
part of the new picture in change management.
Software Configuration Management (SCM), the practice of
using a set of well-defined procedures and tools to manage
the changes that occur during the software development
life cycle, has long been a part of the software engineering
lexicon. For companies employing SCM, the benefits
are substantial: improved control, reduced release and
distribution costs, lower support costs (because of the
elimination of errors in final configurations) and faster time
to market. It was, therefore, only a matter of time before
many of these companies realized that changes occur
throughout all aspects of an organization, and that there
should be a way to apply the principles and practices of
SCM to other parts of the enterprise. Simply put, these
organizations are looking for ways to identify, track and
control changes to business-critical assets to gain a higher
return on these assets.
This expansion in the definition of change management
is occurring slowly but steadily. Three things separate the
companies that manage this change successfully from
those that do not. First, they have the foresight to recognize
the need for change management at the enterprise level.
Second, they understand that change management is as
much about process as anything else, and that without
clearly defined and repeatable practices these initiatives
are likely to fail. Third, they recognize the need for tools
that can support these processes to make enterprise
change management efficient and effective.
For years, change management has been generally defined
as a technique for managing software development.
However, organizations need to understand that this is
only an important subset -- true enterprise-wide change
management encompasses much more than just software
development. Change management can be applied to
manage the customization and deployment of commercially
available applications as well as track and control “soft”
or “digital” assets, such as Web content and documents.
Once organizations recognize that software, a Web page,
a financial procedure manual and a business procedure
document are all assets that are developed, deployed and
changed periodically, they quickly come to the realization
that they must be tracked and managed if they are to retain
their intrinsic value.
Enterprise Change Management (ECM) is the practice of
identifying, tracking, managing, verifying and releasing
(or publishing) corporate digital assets. It makes the
assumption that these types of assets will change over
time in the course of supporting the business and, unless
they are managed, can yield low returns. It is important
to understand that items such as Web content, product
documentation, internal policy documents and business
process documents are all assets that play an important
role in the workings of a business. Using assets that are out
of date, incorrect or inadequate can lead to unnecessary
costs, inefficiencies in business process execution and
poor customer service. When these assets are viewed
as business assets that work to generate profit for the
corporation, the need to ensure that they are closely
managed becomes self-evident.
This is vital in light of the proliferation of the Internet
and the World Wide Web. Every department and line of
business (LOB) within an organization, including HR,
operations, product research and development, and sales
and marketing, deals with assets. Even business processes
and procedures are themselves subject to change. In
short, if there are changes to an organization’s tangible
or intangible assets, these changes can and should be
managed.
In some instances, this ECM endeavor will focus
primarily on implementing change management in a
given department or aspect of a business. More often,
it will reflect a comprehensive approach that binds the
organization together and gives management insight into
cross-functional interdependencies as they impact the
entire business. In either instance, process and tools are
essential in making this change management effective and
efficient.
Change management and process
Change management is not just about having the vision
to recognize that change impacts assets throughout an
organization; it is about recognizing that it is necessary
to manage this change in a consistent manner. What is
required is a change management process. A change
management process is often viewed as an ominous
practice, and one that most people balk at using. However,
if processes are defined as a set of simple rules that can
be followed consistently and easily, they can become an
important step toward greater efficiency and lessened risk.
Change processes define what steps need to be followed
in what order, and who has ownership of each step. The
net result is a clear set of business rules that everyone can
follow.
Organizations can avoid having to constantly re-invent
the wheel by adopting one of the industry-standard
best practices that are emerging for managing the
process of change across an organization. The Institute
of Configuration Management in Scottsdale, Ariz., for
example, has developed a “how-to” process called CMII,
also known as Configuration Management for Business
Process infrastructure. Underlying CMII is the belief that the
same capabilities and principles used for software change
management can be applied to other “non-software”
assets.
CMII is widely becoming the norm. For instance, HewlettPackard Co. (HP) employs CMII as a company-wide best
practice to leverage the benefits of process and efficiency.
Underpinning these standards is the concept of closedlooped change control in which organizations process and
implement only approved changes, thereby eliminating the
enormous costs and risks associated with unauthorized or
unscheduled changes.
The planning and implementation of this sort of enterprise
change management is similar to any other large-scale
enterprise initiative. Companies need to conduct audits
of existing practices to identify their starting point, and
follow this with a gap analysis and policy review to identify,
implement and assess the relevant modifications. In a
sense, each person, procedure and tool needs to be
assessed regarding its value to the overall business. If
any one of these factors does not map clearly to business
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ICPM Trends
value, then it needs to be reassigned, redefined or retrained
as appropriate, or risk elimination.
Looking ahead
As more companies outsource and collaborate with
partners and suppliers, they must also look beyond
their own personnel, development and infrastructure
to coordinate and effectively manage changes both
internally and externally. The reality of business today is
that more and more activities cross multiple geographic
and organizational boundaries, making it essential that
organizations look to manage the whole endeavor rather
than a particular isolated project.
Complicating matters, these partners and collaborators may
be using different systems, which require that the chosen
CM process accommodate disparate environments. Some
organizations are even taking the approach of dictating
that partners and suppliers adopt a single tool as part of an
overall project.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, for example, has taken this
approach as part of its development of the Joint Strike
Fighter, one of the largest single military development
projects in U.S. history. By implementing a single overriding
framework and process across all of these organizations,
Lockheed can have better visibility and control over the
entire project, while avoiding the delays, problems and
expense of integrating disparate systems. Ultimately this
should help ensure that -- despite the huge number of
outside contractors involved -- they can still deliver the
project on time and within budget.
It is not difficult for companies in today’s economic climate
to implement enterprise change management if they
understand the benefits of automating processes to reduce
costs, gain efficiency and improve competitive advantage.
If an organization already has a documented working CM
process in place, then it clearly comprehends that change
management brings competitive value, such as completing
tasks more quickly and efficiently.
Article by Jagi Shahani. Jagi Shahani has more than
30 years of experience in the computer industry, and
has published several papers under contract with IDC.
Reprinted from Application Development Trends, 6/30/2003;
http://www.adtmag.com/article.
Institute of Certified Professional Managers
On the campus of James Madison University, MSC 5504,
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Phone: 800-568-4120
©2002 Institute of Certified Professional Managers, All Rights
Reserved.
Institute of Certified Professional Managers
On the campus of James Madison University, MSC 5504,
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Phone: 800-568-4120
©2002 Institute of Certified Professional Managers, All Rights
Reserved.
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12 Signs You’re About to
Be Fired
By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor
Think a pink slip could be headed in your direction?
Most people who are let go know their time is up or (in
retrospect) say they should have seen it coming. While
there are no sure signs of professional apocalypse, here
are 12 clues your job may be in peril:
1. You’re Out of the Loop. You no longer get advanced notice of company news
or reports; and you seem to be losing your voice in
organizational matters. You are not copied on memos you
normally receive or invited to meetings you usually attend. 2. Your Boss Has an Eye on You. You feel as if you’re being scrutinized more closely
and that your boss no longer trusts you. Your decisions
are constantly questioned, your expense reports put
under a microscope, and you have less latitude to work
independently.
3. You’re Getting the Siberia Treatment. You used to know all the scoop -- be it business or social
in nature. Now your co-workers avoid you and the last
conversation you had with your superiors was a lame
attempt at pleasant banter.
4. You Had a Bad Review. You received a poor performance rating and a
disproportionate amount of negative feedback. If you
received a warning or were given a “performance
improvement plan,” it’s really time to start packing!
5. Your Superior is Leaving Paper Trails. Your boss communicates with you predominately in writing.
You receive memos pointing out errors, criticizing your
performance and confirming any meetings or discussions
the two of you have had.
6. You and Your Boss Are Not Getting Along. Corporate management will swear it’s not personal, yet
many downsizings are actually ways to get rid of unpopular
or “black-listed” employees. Performance is a subjective
judgment and managers are more likely to get rid of people
they don’t like.
7. Your Mentor is Gone. The executive who always championed you has left the
company or been rendered powerless.
8. You Publicly Messed Up. You made a blatant error that embarrassed your boss or
made the company look bad. Or, you’re part of a team that
goofed up and they need a scapegoat.
9. New Blood Has Taken Over. Your company is about to merge, be acquired or undergo
reorganization and your leader suddenly disappears. New
hires have become the wave of the future and they’ve been
given the directive to “shake things up.” 10. You’re Being Set Up to Fail. You’ve been assigned to an undesirable territory or given
impossible tasks with unrealistic deadlines and little
support.
11. You’ve Been Stripped of Your Duties. You’ve been asked to compile a report of all your ongoing
projects and pushed hard to finish one or two specific
Management Tips
projects. Or, you’ve been relieved of your core duties so
that you can work on meaningless “special projects.” You
are encouraged not to do your usual long-term planning.
12. You’re Hearing Rumors. If you’re hearing rumors of your demise, take heed: Where
there’s smoke, there’s fire!
At one point or another we’re all vulnerable to the
proverbial corporate ax. Don’t live in denial. If you
recognize more than one of these signs, it’s time to look for
greener pastures and take steps to reverse your fate.
Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.
com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career
management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
Copyright 2006 CareerBuilder.com. All rights reserved. The information contained
in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without prior
written authority.
Book Review
The 360 Degree Leader
Developing Your Influence from Anywhere
in the Organization
By: John C. Maxwell
Published: Jan 10, 2006
ISBN: 9780785260929
Format: Hardcover, 336pp
Publisher: Nelson Business
Price: $24.99
Book Description
In his nearly thirty years of teaching leadership, John Maxwell has encountered this
question again and again: How do I apply leadership principles if I'm not the boss? It's a
valid question that Maxwell answers in The 360 Degree Leader. You don't have to be the main leader, asserts
Maxwell, to make significant impact in your organization. Good leaders are not only capable of leading their
followers but are also adept at leading their superiors and their peers. Debunking myths and shedding light on
the challenges, John Maxwell offers specific principles for Leading Down, Leading Up, and Leading Across.
360-Degree Leaders can lead effectively, regardless of their position in an organization. By applying Maxwell's
principles, you will expand your influence and ultimately be a more valuable team member.
The Lama Review - Page 55
Employment Seeker Tips
How To Find a Good Boss
By Marilyn Haight
Whether you get hired for a new job, promoted, or reassigned to a new position, you will most likely have a new
boss. Each time that happens, you must develop a new
professional relationship with the person you rely on for
direction, development, and future advancement. You need
to quickly determine if this new boss is a good match for
you and your career goals. But how can you tell? Try these
five questions.
1. Does your boss showcase your work? If you're not sure,
you could ask him, "What leadership opportunities will I
have in my job?" If he says something like, "There's only
one leader here -- me," you may have what I call a "Suppressor Boss." A boss who replies, "We're all leaders here;
you'll be in charge of projects that need your expertise," will
have no problem appreciating your role and contribution.
2. Does your boss solve problems? Try asking, "How
should I escalate problems to you when I think you need
to get involved?" If she insists you must solve your issue
alone, then she could be a "Confounder Boss" who ignores
problems, which makes them worse. A good boss might
say, "Give me detailed examples; I'll determine the cause
and work with managers at my level to correct the issues."
3. Does your boss let you complete your work? When in
doubt, try asking him or her when you can start handling
tasks from start to finish. If the answer is, "I'm a hands-on
manager; we do everything as a team," you've got trouble.
This is a "Player Boss" who does parts of your job he likes
and leaves problems for you. If you hear, "Tell me when
you think you're ready; I'll give you guidelines and be available only when you need me," you'll know your boss trusts
your skills.
4. Does your boss listen to your suggestions? If not, tell her
that when she cuts you off you wonder if she values your
opinion. A reply like, "I have the final word," could mean
she's a "Manipulator Boss." A good boss will say something
like, "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I was doing that. Please
bring it to my attention next time it happens." A good boss
always listens attentively.
5. Does your boss treat you and your co-workers equally?
If you notice preferential treatment among your co-workers,
try asking your boss, "What measurements will you use to
evaluate my job performance?" If he says, "Every case is
different; I use my judgment," he could be a "Dumbfounder
Boss" who uses the wrong measures to evaluate job performance. A better answer, like, "Your work will be evaluated according to the documented standards we've already
agreed upon," will signal your boss's fairness.
Listening skills, problem-solving, a sense of fairness, and
an ability to trust are just some of the hallmarks of a good
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FS
rom the Information
uperhighway
boss. A good employee will learn to spot and appreciate
those attributes, and then move toward building a mutually
successful relationship.
________________________________________
Marilyn Haight is the author of "Who's Afraid of the Big,
Bad Boss? 13 Types and How to Survive Them" (available in the United States and soon to be released in China
and Korea). Visit her Web site at bigbadboss.com for more
workplace advice.
Here We Come A-Networking
Use the Holidays to Make More Contacts
By Debra Davenport
Just like you can never receive too many gifts at the
holidays, you can never have too many contacts in your
network. Being well-connected connotes success and influence -- the kind of cachet every serious professional seeks
to achieve.
The holidays are a great time to build your list of influential
contacts. Whether you’re currently employed or searching
for the perfect job, consider every invitation a chance to
create new career-building relationships.
Here are several networking strategies that have proven
successful:
The best networking takes place at home. Inviting colleagues, prospects, clients, and contacts to your home
establishes a more personal relationship. An invitation to
your home also creates opportunities for reciprocal invitations and introductions to others’ inner circle of contacts.
Host a holiday open house, buffet, or afternoon tea. You
don’t have to impress by spending a lot of money. It’s the
invitation that counts.
Give and you shall receive. Feeling altruistic this holiday
season? Get involved with a charity. Volunteering leads to
important connections and the development of relationships
that are not just based on building business contacts, but
on helping others.
Don’t assume. Don’t reject invitations to events that seem
like duds -- they often turn out to offer valuable networking opportunities. You never know who’s going to be there.
And, while it’s possible you may connect with only one person, that connection could turn into a powerful, long-term
relationship.
Create your own networking opportunities. Start a holiday
book club, a caroling troupe or a game night. Host a party
to honor someone you admire, give an award or even create a scholarship program. There are countless ways of
getting people together to enjoy the spirit of the season. All
you need is one idea and an invitation.
Use the Internet. Write a holiday blog or newsletter and
e-mail it to your contacts. Include a “viral” element, such
as a photo, video, news article, or original quote to prompt
recipients to spread your message.
Follow up with every person you meet. A handwritten note
letting someone know you enjoyed meeting them is priceless today, and worth every minute. Your goal is to solidify
your initial impression as a savvy professional -- and to be
remembered.
Use your business cards! Your business card is your best
networking tool. Always have plenty on hand and don’t be
shy about handing them out. Include your card in your holiday mailings and attach them to business gifts. In-between
jobs? Personal “call me” cards printed with your name,
descriptor (e.g., “Sales and Marketing Specialist”), and
contact information are the perfect tool for self-promotion.
Note: If you’re employed but on the job hunt, it’s proper protocol to use your personal cards rather than your company
business cards.
Most importantly, remember that the holidays are a time of
giving. Put the needs of others first while you’re working
the room. Benevolence is the greatest attribute of any jobseeker, regardless of the season.
Debra Davenport is president of DavenportFolio, a licensed
firm with offices in Phoenix and Los Angeles that provides career counseling, Certified Professional Mentoring,
professional employment placement and executive search
services. She is the creator of the Certified Professional
Mentor(R) designation, and you can contact her at debra@
davenportfolio.com.
The Right People Can Help You
Find Your Calling
By Caroline Levchuck
Finding the job you want isn’t always easy. And, when you
don’t know what job you want, it can seem impossible.
What’s a job seeker to do? You can spend hours doing
research, along with some serious soul searching. But you
may still come up blank.
There are people who can help. Some are pros; some you
already know. But either way, they can assist you in answering the age-old question of what to do with your life.
Career Counselors
Career counselors can help you shape your career path, including find a job. They rely upon a host of resources, such
as personality tests, expert knowledge and experience. If
you’re really confused, a good career counselor can help
you explore many different career options.
There are career counselors for every stage of your career
and every budget. School-based counselors offer career
advice to students free of charge. Independent career
counselors or consultants will often require you to pay an
Employee Seeker Tips
advance fee for a set number of sessions. Others won’t
limit the number of sessions and will work with you until you
land a job.
The best way to find a skilled, dependable career counselor
is by word of mouth. Ask people you trust for referrals. You
can also screen a counselor through the Better Business
Bureau before signing up at http://www.bbb.org.
Personal Coaches
Personal coaches can be very helpful to job seekers.
Coaches focus on helping people identify their values,
dreams and goals. But, a word of warning: If you’re looking
for advice, career coaching might not be for you. A good
coach won’t tell you what he thinks you should be doing
because he believes that, deep down, you already know.
Simply put, coaches work to uncover existing knowledge -and to eliminate self-doubt.
If you know someone who has visited a personal coach,
ask for a referral. You can also consult the International
Coaching Federation (http://www.coachfederation.org) for
trained and certified coaches in your area. To help you find
the right coach before making a commitment, most coaches will even offer a free, 30-minute phone session.
Mentors
People frequently find mentors in their workplaces to guide
and nurture them in their present position and up the corporate ladder. But, even if you don’t have a job, you can still
have a mentor. Many colleges and alumni associations offer mentoring programs. You can also join a local business
or professional association and inquire about a mentor
program. Even if there isn’t one, you may still find someone
to mentor you informally.
Another idea is to find someone who works in a field that
interests you. Set up an informational interview. If the two of
you click, ask if you can e-mail or phone them from time to
time with questions. If you’re lucky, it may be the start of a
mentoring relationship.
Friends and Family
Everyone you know probably has an opinion about what
you should be doing in your career. Most times, we don’t
care to hear these opinions.
But, if you’re stuck, it might not hurt to solicit opinions from
friends and family members as to what career they think
you should pursue. Likely, they know you well enough
to know your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes.
They’re probably also familiar enough with your past to
know what you should avoid.
Ask direct and earnest questions, such as, “What do you
think my strengths are?” and “Have you ever imagined me
in a certain career?”
Your friends and family may dream bigger than you would
ever dare.
The Lama Review - Page 57
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