Life Skills

Learn the fundamental personal skills needed in today's streamlined workplaces. Let us know what you find helpful and what else to include!

Sound: Air wrench

“The illiterate of the future are not those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” —Alvin Toffler (Futurist).

“The three R's - reading, 'riting, and 'rithmatic are no longer enough. We must add the three C's — Computing, Critical Thinking, and Capacity for Change.” —Fred Gluck, former managing director, McKinsey & Co.

“The only real security that a worker can have is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.” —Henry Ford (Founder of Ford Motor)

Topics this page:

Site Map  
About this site  

Personal Effectiveness:

• Approach Complaints as Creative Challenges
• Plan Your Career .
• Write your own personal Mission Statement .
• Put Time Management Tips into practice.
• Use the online Birkman Method Questionnaire to get a list of jobs best suited for your Interests, Style, Needs, and Stress Behaviors.
• Learn about circadian sleep and shiftwork.
• Get prepared for an earthquake and other safety hazards.
• Calculate your Life expectancy based on your responses to a questionaire about family history and lifestyles.

Computing:

• CMP's Tech Encyclopedia promises to have the latest new vocabulary surrounding the technology and community of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Also consider dictionaries from Indiana University Gartner Group,   Gale Research,   Wombat,   Matisse   and Acronyms.   also offer their glossaries of technica so you could speak
• Work the beeper.
• Setup your computer to avoid eyestrain and repetitive stress injuries.
• Choose and Use a Password to safeguard your secrets.
• Organize information with and without a computer.
• Know about Web addresses (Universal Resource Locators) and Country Codes used in URL addresses.
• Tips for Windows 95 users.
• Tips for Macintosh users.
• How to accurately enter and verify data in spreadsheets.
• Backups and handling magnetic media.
• Get a (fun and splashy) Introduction to the Internet culture.
• View answers to computer questions.
• Get your creativity juices running (waste your time) with the Magnetic Poetry Kit Java program to compose sentences using nerd words they provide.
• If you can't find a business word in the multi-media Guide to Management and Technology and Dictionary of International Financial Terms, look up Quality Related Words on-line.

Critical Thinking
and Quality Management:

• Recognize, name, and avoid Flawed Logic
• Are You a Logical Thinker? offers a 5 minute online test of logical thinking. Participants get individual feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. [THWSO]
• Read Dr. Deming's famous “14 points”—The Need for Change.
• Be prepared to explain the rationale for Open Book Management.
• Know which Stage of Quality Management your organization is and where it is headed.
• Read an overview of the Basic Principles behind international standards and ISO 9000,   in plain English,   for your specific Job Function.
• Read the questions auditors might ask about each of the 20 Elements of the ISO 9000 Standard.
• The Malcolm Balridge National Quality Awards has created value by recognizing praise-worthy organizations based on a common national Criteria of excellence.
• Compare your approach to business against how others answered the Quiz for Small Business Success.
• The 31 Most Common Questions asked about running a business.

Interpersonal Problem-Solving:

• Our Teamwork Tutorial explains words and concepts such as Authority, Culture, Quality, Continuous Improvement, Team Charters, Roles, Customers, Self-Managed Teams, etc.
• Take the Keirsey Temperament Sorter or the Myers-Briggs Inventory to identify your preferred style so you could better understand and work with others.  
• Assess your “Emotional Intelligence Quotient”.
• Listening and Conflict Management Tips.
• Become a Better Listener
• Deal With Negative or Angry People.
• Know How the US Government in Washington DC Makes Laws.
• Project Management and Critical Path Analysis .

Measurement
and
Statistics:

• Use a Calculator
• Look up Measurement Terms and abbreviations used in measuring business success.
• Get labor and other statistics from the federal government.
• Learn how to plan, organize, and conduct opinion surveys.
• Use scales to measure weight in pounds, etc.
• Measure volume of liquids in pints, quarts, gallons, etc.
• Use thermometers and thermographs to measure temperature.
• Use hygrometers to measure humudity.
• Use rulers to measure lengths / distances in inches, feet, etc.
• Calculate areas in square inches, square feet, etc.
• Use densitometers and spectrophotometers to measure color and dot gain.
• Convert between English and metric measurements.
• Calculate rates of production (efficiency) measurements.
• Extrapolate likely future values from a Trend Chart.

Written
and
Oral
Communications:

• English Language Resources
• Organize your presentation using tutorials from Learn2.com. The university tutorial also helps you define the the purpose of your talk, support your points, and pick appropriate visual aids.
• Know your options for printing and binding of documents.
• Track packages delivered by FedEx, UPS, or US Postal Express.
• Find the Zip Code or State Abbreviation for an address.

Research:

• Search the Web and look up companies, people, articles, web pages, etc.
• Learn2.com, the Ability Utility, has well-designed tutorials such as How to tie a necktie, shave, cope with menstrual cramps, and package fragile items, etc.
• Learn Skill holds on-line classes over the Internet.
• Web sites offering instructional support for teachers
• Training and Seminar Locator

Bibliographies
for Additional Reading:

• Life skills for the homeless
• Total Quality Management books and articles.
• Core Values for Leadership: INTEGRITY: Ethics, Values; SERVICE BEFORE SELF: Mentoring, Courage, Patriotism, Leadership; EXCELLENCE: Accountability, Competency, Standards.