Acclaro Management GroupAcclaro Management GroupReliability & Engineering Reliability & Engineering ConsultantsConsultants

Presented by: Presented by: Deborah WyssDeborah WyssHuman Resources ManagerHuman Resources Manager

About AcclaroAbout Acclaro

Acclaro Group's companies have a range of expertise stretching from Acclaro Group's companies have a range of expertise stretching from Utilities, Power Generation, Hydro, Oil & Gas, Metallurgy, Utilities, Power Generation, Hydro, Oil & Gas, Metallurgy, Transportation, Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Refining to Transportation, Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Refining to Processing, Packaging, Plant Operations and Comprehensive Processing, Packaging, Plant Operations and Comprehensive EngineeringEngineering. .

The group is growing diversely as one of North America's premier The group is growing diversely as one of North America's premier comprehensive industrial solutions teams.comprehensive industrial solutions teams.

Acclaro ManagementAcclaro Management earned its reputation as one of the top expert earned its reputation as one of the top expert players offering solutions by using the players offering solutions by using the latest reliability centered latest reliability centered maintenance (RCM) and asset management techniquesmaintenance (RCM) and asset management techniques, equipping , equipping clients with optimized strategies to improve the operational efficiency and clients with optimized strategies to improve the operational efficiency and bottom line. bottom line.

Acclaro works with clients in delivering and maintaining optimized asset Acclaro works with clients in delivering and maintaining optimized asset hands-on programs that result in hands-on programs that result in increased returns on investment, saved increased returns on investment, saved costs and improved efficienciescosts and improved efficiencies. Acclaro is a preferred reliability & . Acclaro is a preferred reliability & engineering provider to some of the largest North America’s utility and engineering provider to some of the largest North America’s utility and power generation companies. power generation companies.

Comprehensive Engineering ServicesComprehensive Engineering Services

Asset & Reliability ManagementAsset & Reliability Management Project ManagementProject Management Construction ManagementConstruction Management Civil, Mechanical and ElectricalCivil, Mechanical and Electrical Pipeline and Facility ConstructionPipeline and Facility Construction Road ConstructionRoad Construction Oil well Controls & InstrumentationOil well Controls & Instrumentation Oil field Services and RentalsOil field Services and Rentals Natural Gas Production ServicesNatural Gas Production Services Oil & Gas Manufacturing and MachiningOil & Gas Manufacturing and Machining Gas Turbines and Related ServicesGas Turbines and Related Services

Soft Skills are Fundamental Soft Skills are Fundamental CompetenciesCompetencies

for organizations to succeed they will have to nurture creativity in their for organizations to succeed they will have to nurture creativity in their workforce. workforce.

Creative people are at all levels, Creative people are at all levels, including the janitor, , and are not “human resources” but individuals who and are not “human resources” but individuals who have the capability of gaining wisdom.have the capability of gaining wisdom.

From the From the Creative Class BlogCreative Class Blog is an article on is an article on The Workplace in a Wiki World, with this idea with the changing emphasis , with this idea with the changing emphasis of workers.of workers.

Soft skills, especially collaboration and networking, will become more Soft skills, especially collaboration and networking, will become more important than hard skills. important than hard skills.

Smart employers have always focused more on attitude Smart employers have always focused more on attitude than any specific skill-set because they know they can than any specific skill-set because they know they can train for a lack of skills and knowledge.train for a lack of skills and knowledge.

The soft skills require time, mentoring, informal learning and other The soft skills require time, mentoring, informal learning and other environmental supports. Once you have the soft skills to perform in a environmental supports. Once you have the soft skills to perform in a networked workplace, you’ll have networked workplace, you’ll have foundational competenciesfoundational competencies. .

Questions to reveal Integrity/HonestyQuestions to reveal Integrity/Honesty

Discuss a time when your integrity was challenged. How did you handle Discuss a time when your integrity was challenged. How did you handle it?it?

What would you do if someone asked you to do something unethical?What would you do if someone asked you to do something unethical? Have you ever experienced a loss for doing what is right?Have you ever experienced a loss for doing what is right? Have you ever asked for forgiveness for doing something wrong?Have you ever asked for forgiveness for doing something wrong? In what business situations do you feel honesty would be inappropriate?In what business situations do you feel honesty would be inappropriate? If you saw a co-worker doing something dishonest, would you tell your If you saw a co-worker doing something dishonest, would you tell your

boss? What would you do about it? boss? What would you do about it?

Integrity and HonestyIntegrity and Honesty

Personality/ TemperamentPersonality/ Temperament

What brings you joy?What brings you joy? If you took out a full-page ad in the If you took out a full-page ad in the National Post National Post and had to describe and had to describe

yourself in only three words, what would those words be?yourself in only three words, what would those words be? How would you describe your personality?How would you describe your personality? If I call your references, what will they say about you?If I call your references, what will they say about you? Do you consider yourself a risk taker? Describe a situation in which Do you consider yourself a risk taker? Describe a situation in which

you had to take a risk.you had to take a risk. What kind of environment would you like to work in?What kind of environment would you like to work in? What kinds of people would you rather not work with?What kinds of people would you rather not work with? What kinds of responsibilities would you like to avoid in your next job?What kinds of responsibilities would you like to avoid in your next job? What are two or three examples of tasks that you do not What are two or three examples of tasks that you do not

particularly enjoy doing? Indicate how you remain motivated particularly enjoy doing? Indicate how you remain motivated to complete those tasks.to complete those tasks.

Ability to Work with OthersAbility to Work with Others

What kinds of people bug you?What kinds of people bug you? Tell me about a work situation that Tell me about a work situation that

irritated you.irritated you. Have you ever had to resolve a conflict Have you ever had to resolve a conflict

with a coworker or client? How did you with a coworker or client? How did you resolve it?resolve it?

Describe the appropriate relationship Describe the appropriate relationship between a supervisor and subordinates.between a supervisor and subordinates.

What sort of relationships do you have What sort of relationships do you have with your associates, both at the same with your associates, both at the same level and above and below you?level and above and below you?

How have you worked as a member of How have you worked as a member of teams in the past?teams in the past?

Tell me about some of the groups Tell me about some of the groups you've had to get cooperation from. you've had to get cooperation from. What did you do?What did you do?

What is your management style? What is your management style? How do you think subordinates perceive How do you think subordinates perceive you?you?

As a manager, have you ever had to As a manager, have you ever had to fire anyone? If so, what were the fire anyone? If so, what were the circumstances, and how did you circumstances, and how did you handle it?handle it?

Have you ever been in a situation Have you ever been in a situation where a project was returned for where a project was returned for errors? What effect did this have on errors? What effect did this have on you?you?

What previous job was the most What previous job was the most satisfying and why?satisfying and why?

What job was the most frustrating What job was the most frustrating and why?and why?

Tell me about the best boss you Tell me about the best boss you ever had. Now tell me about the ever had. Now tell me about the worst boss. What made it tough worst boss. What made it tough to work for him or her?to work for him or her?

What do you think you What do you think you owe to your employer?owe to your employer?

What does your employer What does your employer owe to you? owe to you?

Past MistakesPast Mistakes

Tell me about an objective in your last job that you failed to Tell me about an objective in your last job that you failed to meet and why.meet and why.

When is the last time you were criticized? How did you deal When is the last time you were criticized? How did you deal with it?with it?

What have you learned from your mistakes?What have you learned from your mistakes? Tell me about a situation where you "blew it." How did you Tell me about a situation where you "blew it." How did you

resolve or correct it to save face?resolve or correct it to save face? Tell me about a situation where you abruptly had to change Tell me about a situation where you abruptly had to change

what you were doing.what you were doing. If you could change one (managerial) decision you made during If you could change one (managerial) decision you made during

the past two years, what would -that be?the past two years, what would -that be? If you had the opportunity to change anything in your career, If you had the opportunity to change anything in your career,

what would you have done differently? what would you have done differently?

Creative ThinkingCreative Thinking

When was the last time you "broke the rules" (thought outside the box) and When was the last time you "broke the rules" (thought outside the box) and how did you do it?how did you do it?

What have you done that was innovative?What have you done that was innovative? What was the wildest idea you had in the past year? What did you do about it?What was the wildest idea you had in the past year? What did you do about it? Give me an example of when someone brought you a new idea, particularly Give me an example of when someone brought you a new idea, particularly

one that was odd or unusual. What did you do?one that was odd or unusual. What did you do? If you could do anything in the world, what would you do?If you could do anything in the world, what would you do? Describe a situation in which you had a difficult (management) problem. How Describe a situation in which you had a difficult (management) problem. How

did you solve it?did you solve it? What is the most difficult decision you've had to make? What is the most difficult decision you've had to make?

How did you arrive at your decision?How did you arrive at your decision? Describe some situations in which you worked under pressure or Describe some situations in which you worked under pressure or

met deadlines.met deadlines. Were you ever in a situation in which you had to meet two Were you ever in a situation in which you had to meet two

different deadlines given to you by two different people and different deadlines given to you by two different people and you couldn't do both? What did you do?you couldn't do both? What did you do?

Problem SolvingProblem Solving

What type of approach to solving work problems seems to work best What type of approach to solving work problems seems to work best for you? Give me an example of when you solved a tough problem.for you? Give me an example of when you solved a tough problem.

When taking on a new task, do you like to have a great deal of When taking on a new task, do you like to have a great deal of feedback and responsibility at the outset, or do you like to try your feedback and responsibility at the outset, or do you like to try your own approach?own approach?

You're on the phone with another department resolving a problem. You're on the phone with another department resolving a problem. The intercom pages you for a customer on hold. Your manager The intercom pages you for a customer on hold. Your manager returns your monthly report with red pen markings and demands returns your monthly report with red pen markings and demands corrections within the hour. What do you do?corrections within the hour. What do you do?

Describe a sales presentation when you had the right Describe a sales presentation when you had the right product/service, and the customer wanted it but wouldn't buy it. product/service, and the customer wanted it but wouldn't buy it. What did you do nextWhat did you do next

Miscellaneous QuestionsMiscellaneous Questions

How do you measure your own How do you measure your own success?success?

What is the most interesting thing What is the most interesting thing you've done in the past three you've done in the past three years?years?

What are your short-term and What are your short-term and long-term career goals?long-term career goals?

Why should we hire you?Why should we hire you? What responsibilities do you want, What responsibilities do you want,

and what kinds of results do you and what kinds of results do you expect to achieve in your next job?expect to achieve in your next job?

What do you think it takes to be What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours?successful in a company like ours?

How did the best manager you How did the best manager you ever had motivate you to perform ever had motivate you to perform well? Why did that method work?well? Why did that method work?

What is the best thing a What is the best thing a previous employer did that you previous employer did that you wish everyone did?wish everyone did?

What are you most proud of?What are you most proud of? What is important to you in a What is important to you in a

job?job? What do you expect to find in What do you expect to find in

our company that you don't our company that you don't have now?have now?

Is there anything you wanted Is there anything you wanted me to know about you that me to know about you that we haven't discussed?we haven't discussed?

Do you have any Do you have any questions for me? questions for me?

ConclusionConclusion

““Therefore, for an individual to succeed in a Therefore, for an individual to succeed in a wiki-corporation or wiki-organization it will wiki-corporation or wiki-organization it will increasingly require being more than an increasingly require being more than an engineer, programmer, economist, or engineer, programmer, economist, or accountant. It will also require the “soft skills” to accountant. It will also require the “soft skills” to do media relations or “wiki” relations, do media relations or “wiki” relations, interacting daily with a range of customers and interacting daily with a range of customers and outside contributors, as well as collaborating outside contributors, as well as collaborating with others in the company”. with others in the company”.

People will say of course we’ve known People will say of course we’ve known this all along, but in a workplace where this all along, but in a workplace where our networks are as important as our our networks are as important as our skills, it will be more difficult to hide the skills, it will be more difficult to hide the fact that you’re a highly skilled jerk!!!fact that you’re a highly skilled jerk!!!