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August 17, 2005

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Care Committee Volunteers Needed

It is a trait of maturity and compassion to look beyond ourselves, our own problems, our own desks, our own circle of friends and to genuinely get involved in some small way to assist a co-worker who cannot assume their customary place with us. With the recent increase in co-worker illnesses, accidents, surgeries, etc., some of us are exploring ways to assist/encourage them beyond what the library/departments customarily do. We are seeking a proper way to inform others outside the employee's department so that anyone wanting to send a card or make a phone call can do so before that person has already returned to work!! At the same time, we wish to protect individual privacy.

We would like your thoughts, ideas and suggestions on this. How might this service be offered so that it protected individual privacy, but alerted people to co-workers who would like some assistance? Would you be willing to help in some way-- send cards, drop off a meal or run an errand when necessary?

A name for this service might be "We Care" or "Hesburgh Helpers". HR has a similar group to coordinate their "efforts of caring" and have sent us their guidelines and ideas. Please let us know what you think by sending your thoughts and comments to either Patricia.A.Loghry.1@nd.edu or Alice.M.Barnes.27@nd.edu

Thank you.

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The Seven habits of Highly Effective Employee Recognition

The 7 Habits of highly effective employee recognition

  1. Be timely. Don't wait. Praise should be given as soon as possible after the action or achievement occurs.

  2. Begin with proportion in mind. In other words, don't give someone a roundtrip ticket to Paris for a good attendance record.

  3. Put specifics first. Get to the point and identify the positive behavior immediately. Don't weigh down your praise with "setting the stage" rhetoric or beating around the bush.

  4. Think individual-individual. Recognize the individuals who took the positive action. If the action is the work of a group, first recognize the individuals who were most instrumental and then recognize the group as a whole.

  5. Seek first to listen. Get feedback from coworkers for additional praise for the individual. Peer recognition can be more rewarding than just a pat on the back from the big boss in many cases.

  6. Be sincere. Be sincere and show your employees that you care, otherwise the recognition does more harm than good.

  7. Sharpen up on the personal. The recognition should ultimately reflect the recipient's personality. Some people like to be recognized in public, others prefer a more private setting, while others would be happy with a personalized note or card.

From Bob Nelson (www.nelson-motivation.com)

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August 09, 2005

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The Edgewater Grille

Restaurant Review
With Diane Kennedy

Recently my husband and I had the pleasure of celebrating a momentous occasion; we made the final payment on our SUV! My screams of joy were heard from miles away! We decided to celebrate with a nice dinner out of town. Approximately an hour drive South from South Bend is the small town of Culver on the beautiful Lake Maxinkuckee. The lake alone is worth the drive; however, what makes it even more enjoyable is a restaurant right across the street from the lake called The Edgewater Grille.
(620 Lakeshore Drive)

The Edgewater features a great view of beautiful Lake Maxinkuckee and offers patrons an eclectic and "kitchy" interior which provides a feast for the eyes while you feast on an incredible selection of fabulous foods and beverages. The Bar, known as the Lakeview Lodge, features knotty pine, lake memorabilia, some "tired" taxidermy, a 50's vintage speedboat, an old ash and canvas canoe, and the best selection of spirits, beers, and wines in the area.
The Dining Room features a soaring ceiling which houses a spectacular 20' C-Scow sailboat, rigged and ready to embark on the lake. The walls feature funky original surfboard art, a 30 foot mural of early Lake Maxinkuckee, and super-sized art that ranges from the bizarre to the nostalgic. The atmosphere is casual and fun making it perfect for a casual luncheon or even an upscale dinner.
This, not being our first visit to The Edgewater, was again extremely enjoyable. The service is wonderful and the food spectacular. I highly recommend any of the seafood items on the menu, however, if you are not a seafood lover, the menu includes everything from steaks to pastas, pizzas, stir-frys and sandwiches. The cost is moderate; our total was around $46.00. The Edgewater was voted Best in Fine Dining and Romantic Restaurant 2004 & 2005.

So, if you are tired of the franchise restaurant scene, give The Edgewater Grille a try, I doubt you will be disappointed.

Diane Kennedy
Amateur Food Critic

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"Lou's" you can use

May 17-19, 2005, Lou Wetherbee led an Institute on Leadership open to all library employees.

The Institute Planning Committee (Jo Bessler, Pascal Calarco, Gay Dannelly, Ross Fergerson, Diana Kennedy, Pat Loghry, Becky Price, and Michelle Stenberg) asked Lou to focus attention on how to improve the effectiveness of our meetings and decision making.

Lou sprinkled her presentations with thought-provoking quotations and observations.

  • Vision is a great hope held in common.
  • Today institutions are facing "wicked problems" – problems with an evolving set of interlocking issues and constraints, a myriad of stakeholders, and with no definitive solutions.
  • Random discussions do not move things forward as efficiently as disciplined discussions.
  • Leadership is a set of behaviors that is open to everyone.
  • Formal and informal meetings can provide a neutral space where ideas and suggestions can be freely voiced and jointly molded into improved services
  • The workplace is a laboratory, an experiment, a journey

Beyond words:
To turn the adages and visions into action, Lou offered individuals and groups guidelines, strategies, and tools. Handouts and readings about "wicked problems," "effective questions," and "decision making tools" are available at: https://libstaff.library.nd.edu:990/lib_only/lipt/index.shtml .

Individuals can begin today moving conversations to a deeper and more productive level by adopting one or more of the following "ground rules".

To reduce time wasted arguing about mis-perceptions,
1. Test assumptions and inferences.

To come up with a solution that will not be undermined by some undiscussed requirement,
2. Share all relevant information.

To ensure that the listener understands what you are trying to convey,
3. Use specific examples and agree on what important words mean.

To keep the listener from speculating about your motives,
4. Explain your reasoning and intent.

To allow room for negotiation and collaboration,

5. Focus on interests, not positions.

To ensure attention for the interests of both parties,
6. Combine advocacy with inquiry.

To move forward with a plan that is well-supported,
7. Jointly design next steps and ways to test disagreement.

To move conversation to a deeper level (such as, exploring conflicting visions),
8. Discuss undiscussable issues

To make decisions which vary in impact, time frame, political importance, & complexity,
9. Use a decision making rule that generates the level of commitment needed.

-- Jo Bessler

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