This year was the first time that I had ever heard about Movember … and I don’t feel too bad about that because I have encountered very few people who have heard of this worldwide phenomena.

Movember is a worldwide, month long event designed to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer … prostate cancer, incidentally is the most common form of cancer in Canadian men. It was started in Australia in 2003, and now Canada is one of the more active countries.

Participants in Movember can spend the month on November growing a moustache (mo), or raising funds for the moustache growers! At the end of the month there are gala parties to celebrate the cause and to award prizes to the participants, who are supposed to dress up to match their moustache!

As a first year participant and not a very hairy person I wasn’t sure what result I would get … and I also wasn’t really ready for how annoying it is to have a bunch of hair on your upper lip! I am still not used to seeing myself in the mirror sporting a moustache, and occasionally shock myself … still! There have been the usual light hearted comments about my new look … and when people don’t know about Movember they are never quite sure what to say!

Some moustache growers I have met actually like their new look … most, like me, can’t wait to shave the thing off!

So far I have raised a little more than $700 for charity and I am “grinning and bearing” the abuse, the uncomfortableness and the occasional scary look in a mirror because it is for a good cause. As we come down to the short strokes I’m looking forward to getting rid of it, but will of course hang in there to the bitter end … if you feel like contributing a few dollars to the cause it will always be appreciated

Here is my (updated) donation page … http://ca.movember.com/mospace/255630/

I think that we human beings are by nature a strange bunch (and I certainly don’t eliminate myself from that thought) … we tend to wish for an easy life, and yet it is adversity and challenge that makes us grow.

In the same way that muscles need to be worked in order to get bigger and stronger … so too does our personal development come through hard work and effort.

We grow our intellect by learning … we challenge our brains, read, absorb and expand our knowledge base with the effort of learning. We need to devote time and commit to that learning to achieve growth, but from that growth we also derive satisfaction.

We grow our careers in the same way. We learn, we invest and we overcome the tough challenges we face … and as we climb through various levels of responsibility we have different experiences, the culmination of which is our career achievement. Those people who want achieve career success take pleasure from those achievements and recognise the effort it took to “get there”.

We grow our relationships in the same way. We invest in them, we work at them and we sometimes sacrifice for them. Perhaps people have a tough time with relationships because they don’t look at it this way … their expectation is that relationships just happen. The best relationships come through hard work and an investment … and they also bring the most satisfaction.

It has been said that anything worth having is worth working for … and sometimes I think we forget that.

We all need a little “down time” every now and then. We need time to recharge the batteries and to let the every day stress fall away. As a society we tend to suggest that “stress” is a bad thing, but really it is dealing with the stresses in our lives that helps us to grow, that provides us with our most valuable experiences and in the end defines the person that we become.

We ARE the product of our experiences … get out there and EXPERIENCE as much as possible. Don’t back away fro challenges because they might be tough, don’t be afraid of failure … the only thing to be wary of is not trying!

Wishing for the “easy life” is like wishing your life away … is that what you really want?

I feel like a broken record … I find it hard to believe that this government in Ontario can be so far removed from reality, and yet they continue to demonstrate that very fact.

Everyone in the world knows my views about Bill 139 and the tremendous harm that McGuinty’s Ontario government has done to the staffing industry. In a nutshell they make the classic mistake of identifying a few problems and addressing them by wholesale changes that cause more harm than good!

On that note this same government, led by the same minister (Minister Fonseca) have just passed Bill 168 through second reading. Just like Bill 139 the underlying issue is one that no-one could argue with … to prevent workplace violence. Once again the government focuses in on a tiny population of problems and tries to legislate change to fix it.

The government’s answer … make the problems that individuals have in their home life the problem of their employer. Let’s avoid the issues of Privacy legislation or even the issues of Human Rights for the moment … because the conflicts caused between these three competing needs place employers in a no-win situation.

For now let’s just look at the practicalities. If this law comes to pass then as an employer I am now responsible should a disgruntled spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend somehow come into one of my offices and hurt their partner. I may not know anything about the situation … but its my problem. What if they get attacked leaving the office, or on their way in … am I also responsible?

How do I prevent this from happening? Do I post guards at all entrances to our offices, and provide escorts to everyone coming and going?

What happens if I “think” there may be a problem … I am required to report it. What about the potentially innocent person I am identifying as a potential attacker? Isn’t this a little like Hitler’s Germany … report anyone who might not support the Fuhrer! Or maybe its akin to the workings of any despotic country where people are identified as “potential risks” … will the government spirit them away to interrogate them?

What is the worst scenario were to happen? What if one of my staff were to be killed at the office? Will I be jailed and the company opened up to lawsuit, and probably bankruptcy from such a case? Does all of this help anyone?

Our elected leders in Ontario seem to lack any degree of “common sense” when it comes to governing our province. Bill 139 was bad news, HST will be more bad news and Bill 168 is just another example of how far out to lunch these guys are.

I am one CEO who used to just go with the flow … not any more. We need this current administration to change or they are going to bankrupt all of us!

General Observations:

It was in July that Canada announced the recession was over, but we are definitely still suffering from a hangover. In general terms from a labour market perspective, we are still in a buyers market, with more people looking for work than clients looking for workers! There are of course some exceptions where very specific skill sets are in demand, creating some “mini skills shortages” but we are not yet seeing labour shortages.

After a couple of months of moderate growth, Canada lost 43,000 jobs in October creating an unemployment rate of 8.6%. Last year Canada had its first deficit in more than a decade at $5.8B and this year it is projected to be $55.9B. The “wisdom” was to stimulate the economy however I don’t see much impact on the IT sector from where I sit … except maybe a few more PCs (netbooks?) were sold. The result will be cuts in government spending which WILL have a negative impact on jobs in our sector. Coupled with provincial deficits (even Alberta is looking at a $7B deficit) there will be less work in government for a while.

More Specifically:

Here at Eagle we are continuing to see a steady increase in orders from our clients, but certainly nowhere near the activity of the years leading up to the recession.

The GTA (Greater Toronto Area), driven by the financial sector was probably the first market to be hit by the recession and has been the first to recover. We are seeing reasonable and growing activity in this market both in the demand for contract staff, and full time resources.

Alberta was Eagle’s busiest market prior to the recession but a big hit to both oil and gas prices, along with all the other nasty economic news hurt that market. It was slower into recession than the GTA, and is slower returning to normal too. Oil prices are back close to $80 and after hitting a 7 year low, Natural Gas prices seem to be recovering too. Perhaps driven by those realities we are seeing an uptick in activity in Alberta, but still nowhere near the demand that we saw a little more than a year ago.

In Ontario Bill 139 came into effect and we will see some impact from this as staffing companies adjust to the new regulations and associated costs of doing business. I expect the increased business risks, increased administrative burden and all of those associated costs will result in a reduction in available temporary jobs in Ontario.

The Federal market in Ottawa is always one of the biggest markets, but it continues to “tick along”, with no increase in demand and no new big initiatives causing excitement. The continued focus on procurement issues, the propensity for legal activity by disgruntled suppliers and the handcuffed minority government seem to have a damper on this market.

Elsewhere for Eagle we are not seeing any appreciable increase in activity. There are pockets of business needs in Montreal and in Vancouver, Winnipeg seems relatively quiet and Eastern Canada has never been a particularly busy market for us. Having said that, a recent report indicated that the Maritime provinces have weathered the recession better than most but mostly because their manufacturing base was small so there was little to lose.

On the candidate flow side of things resumes have been flooding in at a relatively consistent rate over the last three months. October was a little slower than the previous two months, but November is picking up the pace again! This can be attributed to several factors, (a) we are posting more jobs as our clients increase their hiring; (b) many employees are a little disgruntled with their current situation perhaps they have had pay cuts and/or increased responsibilities etc so they are looking to move; and (c) there are still plenty of people “out there” looking for work!

The following are some facts/indicators we are watching as of time of writing:

> The price of oil is now close to $80 a barrel which is good news for IT projects at oil companies. > Natural Gas prices have risen significantly to around 16 cents, after hovering down at seven year lows of 9 cents. This should start to have a trickle effect on confidence in that sector.
> The TSX moved up above the 11,500 range and is close to its 52 week high … a positive sign.
> The Canadian dollar is strong, currently above 95c US. Not always a good thing for Canadian business, but a positive economic indicator.
> Prime remains at 2.25%, making borrowing inexpensive. This is good for when companies feel optimistic enough to invest!
> Unemployment is still an issue … after a couple of months of modest growth we lost 43,000 jobs in October and have a unemployment rate of 8.6% nationally.
> The Alberta government is forecasting a $7B deficit, and announced government cuts to projects of $430 million
> Many sectors appear to be picking up activity … banks, oil companies, provincial governments and telcos all appear to be picking up steam.
> There have been few signs that any “stimulus” package will bring relief in the IT services sector. Hardware companies are benefiting from tax breaks but no big new IT services spending yet!

In Summary:

This should be one of the busiest times of the year in our sector. The Summer holidays are done, and the holiday season is not here yet … so the focus is on “getting things done”. There is increased activity, the economic indicators are generally good, and here at Eagle there is more of a “buzz” in the air than we have seen for some time.

Having said that, the recovery is slow and clients are very demanding. It is still a buyers market, but slowly changing and that always causes a little confusion in the market with candidates thinking they have a little more power in the negotiation of rates than they really do.

I expect it will be 2010 before we see a real shift in the market and a return to more skills shortages and some labour shortages. Meanwhile the recovery is happening, more and more clients are looking at new initiatives and the demand for resources is increasing. As a staffing company it would be nice to see those increases happen everywhere, and happen faster … but I guess I can’t be greedy!

Some time ago I wrote a blog entry titled “Is it Enough to be Good at What You Do?”

Time and again I come across people who are technically good at their jobs, but their personality, their attitude, their communication skills, their motivation and any number of other attributes actually make them undesirable as employees.

Over the thirteen years that we have been in business we have come across many consultants who have excellent technical skills, but for one reason or another they have become people that we would sooner not work with. We have seen ethics issues, personality clashes, communication skills issues or just nasty people!

We are all responsible for our own career and if you focus all of your efforts on the “technical” aspects of your job then you may limit your career opportunities. It is probably equally important to develop the soft skills that will help you to integrate well, that will get you noticed and that will position you for management.

In order to be a contributing member of a management team you need the ability to communicate your ideas effectively … in both spoken and written form. You need to be able to think about your “business” as a business person, not just from the technical seat you occupy (which could be IT, engineering, legal, accounting, marketing or any other profession). You need the interpersonal skills to navigate relationships at various levels, you need the ability to negotiate effectively and you need to know when to press your point and when to “get on board”.

All of these skills can develop over time IF you pay attention, recognise their importance and work on them.

The reality is that there are many, many people who are excellent technically (maybe even brilliant) but they are undone by those important soft skills they do NOT possess.

Do not underestimate the value of EQ versus IQ … it can be the difference between a long and rewarding career and “something else”!

Its mid November and for many people the holiday season will bring some “partying” … there will be company events, client events and personal events with family and friends. It is important to understand the difference between these types of events if you want to avoid some common issues.

You could think of these parties on a scale, where the most informal parties are the personal ones with friends and family, the most formal events are those with clients and somewhere in the middle are those parties at work.

Here are some guidelines:

1. Family and friends parties … you all know each other very well. If you drink a little too much you are likely to be forgiven, although you may pay a price Your friends and relatives are fairly forgiving, and what you wear and how you act are not really going to affect your relationship with them.

2. Work parties. You have to bear in mind that these are “work” events, no matter how informal the culture in your company. You should “ease” into them, taking your cue from those around you particularly management. It is fine to be a little more “laid back” than at the office, to be a little less formal with the boss and in most cases its OK to have a drink or two. You also should know that poor or boorish behaviour can reflect badly on you. I have seen people’s careers changed because they “cut loose” at a company event. You should relax, you should enjoy yourself, you should be very social … just don’t go nuts!

3. Client parties. These are a great chance to connect with clients at a more personal level, to enjoy a more social atmosphere and to relax. Whether to drink or not should be dictated by your client, and even if your client chooses to drink to excess you should not. Alcohol can cause us to talk too much and it becomes even easier than normal to stick our foot in our mouth. You should look forward to these opportunities, relax and talk about issues other than work. You can get to know your clients better, and when they are relaxed they may well choose to give you good feedback … which you need to be sober to catch!

The word party does not mean the same thing in all contexts and it is wise to be a little careful with your approach to “parties” … particularly when clients are involved! Save the crazy stuff for when you are with friends and family, and don’t ever post it on facebook!

I “grew up” in the business world with Steven Covey’s thoughts as a guide … I totally bought into his Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and am always impressed at just how often those ideas are reinforced.

One of Covey’s seven habit (Habit #2) is to begin with the end in mind. Effectively the advice says that if we clearly understand where we want to get, then it is easier to map out a way to get there.

We see examples in business and in personal life every day …

If you are in sales and are in the habit of preparing for sales calls then you will understand this. Your objective for a call might be to understand if your client has any new initiatives which might be an opportunity for you to work together. By setting that as an objective the salesperson should think through the types of questions that will uncover the kind of opportunities that make sense. The salesperson who does NOT plan, might well spend 45 minutes drinking coffee, talking about hockey, baseball, the kids and oh ya … isn’t the weather lousy!

If you are negotiating on the price of a car you need to understand your boundaries before you begin. What is your top price? What options are essential? Is the colour a show stopper? Do you want extended warranty? Could you get some snow tires thrown in?

If you are in a committee working towards a goal … then you need to understand if you are all headed in the same direction. You (and everyone involved) need to understand what the common goal is? If you have a common goal there is a chance of success … if not, then maybe the goal needs to be redefined!

Once you have “the end in mind” then coming up with a plan that gets you where you need to get becomes that much easier. If it’s a personal goal then what actions are required to get there? What sacrifices in time are needed? What dollar investment is needed? Who can help you achieve your goal? Etc.

If it is a shared goal then how are you going to make sure everyone pulls together. Can you understand everyone’s motivations? Can you find “wins” for everyone? Who is likely to “lose” and will it affect the outcome?

Covey’s “7 Habits” are a must read for anyone in business, and the longer I have been in business the more I understand just what insight Covey had when he wrote that book. Habit #2 Begin With the End in Mind is a habit to cultivate!

On November 11, 1918 hostilities ceased, marking the end of “the Great War” … World War I.

On November 11th each year we remember, and honour, those members of the armed forces who died serving their country.

This is not the first time that I have blogged about Remembrance day; last time I talked a little about my Dad’s experiences in as a tank gunner in World War II, and about my seven years in the Royal Navy.

Today I am just another citizen grateful that I get to enjoy the freedoms of our Western society, in great part because of the sacrifices of so many people.

I will wear my poppy … and I will remember!

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 – 1918)

We live in a world that is fast paced, and sometimes the “little” things can be forgotten. yet the
“little” things can also mean a lot!

In our Western society we work a lot, commute a lot, deal with our family commitments, deal with many “hassles” on a daily basis, have issues about money and generally have busy lives.

The fact that there are many people “worse off” can be a good reminder every now and then, so that we can remember that we really are lucky.

For me one of the biggest casualties of our “busy existence” is the absence of thoughtfulness in so many of us!

The fact is that a moment of thoughtfulness can mean so much to people … but for many of us our brains are too full of “stuff”, or we forget our manners, or we just don’t see the importance of the “niceties” in this busy world.

BUT … think about those times when people have been thoughtful to you. It made a difference. It brought a smile to your face. It made you feel good. It was a bright spot in your day.

The thing about thoughtfulness is that it costs nothing … yet its value can be priceless!

Make it a part of your day to be thoughtful … at least twice a day (as a starting point).

Start really small … hold the door for people instead of letting it swing in their face. Smile and say good morning to the people on the elevator. Ask the receptionist how his day is going.

Maybe you could move up the value chain a little …

Make it a personal goal to know when your colleagues birthday’s are, and send them a note.

Know when your clients have a special event and remember to ask about it.

Send a hand written note to your staff when they do something special.

Notice when someone has lost weight, has a new hairstyle, a special suit etc.

Be NICE instead of scowling your way through the day.

Brighten up someone’s day with a kind word, a simple gesture or just a big smile!

Remember just like the credit card ad … it costs NOTHING to be thoughtful … but the value to the people who receive your thoughtfulness is PRICELESS!

Bill 139 comes into effect today … a bill designed to protect “vulnerable workers”. Nobody will argue with providing protection for vulnerable workers … but we already had labour laws, so what does Bill 139 do for them? Well the answer is that it will mean LESS jobs for vulnerable workers AND it does serious damage to an industry that provides employment for thousands of people and generates annual revenues of $8 Billion … good job Premier McGuinty!

1. It ONLY applies to temporary help companies … any other employer can still hire a temporary employee directly, and the law does not apply to them.
2. It makes the business of supplying temporary help riskier and administratively more burdensome … roughly translated as a business owner, it is more expensive to be in the temporary help business in Ontario today.
3. SOME companies will just go deeper underground. Those companies who abused people’s rights before will continue to do so … just deeper underground.
4. Legitimate businesses have been forced to introduce new operating processes, more controls and find ways to reduce their risks. They will avoid situations that could “cost them” … so vulnerable workers will see less job opportunities.
5. There is a suggestion that this will result in more “full time” jobs. The reality is that companies need a flexible workforce for many, many different business reasons. Those reasons don’t change, it just gets more expensive to bring in temps in Ontario.
6. Companies will not want to increase costs any time, but particularly now as we recover from the recession. So … they will either find ways to do the work outside Ontario or they will do less work. Either way it means less jobs in Ontario.

Government intervention is not going to trump business realities.

This bill was driven by an agenda that suggests temporary work is undesirable and that everyone should have full time jobs. This is a very simplistic look at the world … if you eliminate the possibility of temporary work it will NOT result in full time jobs. Temporary workers bring value to companies because of their flexibility, and very often they are hired into full time work by those companies as it makes business sense. A flexible workforce is a reality … and temporary jobs provide income, opportunity, training, exposure to new skills and opportunity for full time work.

So what about the implementation of Bill 139 … another farce!

> The Ontario government TODAY posted some information on their website as guidance to industry on the implementation and interpretation of Bill 139.
> The Ontario Government TODAY supplied the information sheet that agencies are supposed to supply to temps starting today.
> Uncertainty will have another big negative affect on productivity in our industry.

Our government’s handling of this implementation has been a farce, not because of the bureaucrats … they do the best they can. It is their political masters who implement moronic bills and these guys are supposed to implement them … good luck with that!

As an industry we will survive, but I can’t rationalise why this government would cause so much damage to an $8 Billion industry with such ill conceived legislation.

So … as I have said before, McGuinty’s government got it wrong and Minister Fonseca refused to listen to reason!! It is clear to everyone who understands this industry that Bill 139 is going to cost vulnerable workers jobs … but I guess if they aren’t working they can’t be exploited by the bad guys!

(I think I suggested where McGuinty and Fonseca had their heads in a previous post … they are still there!)