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RCTM Monthly Newsletter September 2009Published: 2009-09-15

In This Issue:

  • minimize stress and panic in the workplace during challenging times (DVD)
  • ensure compliance with Red Flags Rule and educate about identity theft (DVD/VHS)
  • enhance diversity sessions with message about how silence hurts people, too (DVD)
  • new communications training program shares empathic listening skills (DVD)
  • popular ethics training program now available in a government version (DVD/VHS)

    Greetings

    The end of summer is near. School is back in session, and most summer vacations are now fond memories. Just in time for this typical period of refocusing, we have a number of new workplace training programs to share with you.

    The first program we think you should know about is "Don't Panic! A Recipe for Success in Times of Stress." Our conversations with many of you this year have included concerns about stress in the workplace. Your employees are stressed about layoffs, potential layoffs, reduced or stagnant pay, lack of revenue and profits, etc. Stress of any type can affect team morale and performance. One of our favorite producers has created this new program about how to manage stress. "Don't Panic!" includes many useful tips and suggestions on positive coping strategies. The discussions on stress management are combined with a cooking lesson, which provides a bit of fun on this tough topic. We believe this program will be a timely addition to your wellness and change management training libraries.
    Don't Panic! A Recipe for Success in Times of Stress

    Identity theft is becoming a pervasive problem. A new mandate, the Red Flags Rule, is being enforced by the FTC to help put an end to this growing problem. The new training program, The"Red Flags Rule: Preventing Identity Theft," will help your organization comply with this new mandate. It will also provide invaluable information to help your employees avoid becoming identity theft victims. Help your employees protect their identities with "Red Flags Rule: Preventing Identity Theft."
    Red Flags Rule: Preventing Identity Theft

    "Ouch! Your Silence Hurts" is the most current training program on diversity. This program will enable your teams to appreciate how their silence when faced with inappropriate or harassing comments can be hurtful. "Ouch! Your Silence Hurts" explores the power of the bystander to make a positive difference and will inspire your teams to use their voices constructively.
    Ouch! Your Silence Hurts

    The newest training program on communications teaches the dynamics and skills to become a better listener. "Empathic Listening: The Key to Communication" will help your teams understand one another and communicate successfully. Use of these skills will greatly reduce communication problems and improve problem-solving efforts.
    Empathic Listening: The Key to Communication

    The final training update we'd like to share with you this month is for governmental agencies. One of the most popular ethics training programs, "Accountability That Works!" is now available in a format designed specifically for government employees. This program emphasizes that everyone, from the top down, must demonstrate personal responsibility and integrity.
    Accountability That Works! for Government

    If you are interested in online streaming delivery options, simply contact us to learn more about the digital licensing options for a particular program. Most of the programs we offer are now available for (digital) streaming options.

    Sincerely,
    Walt Richardson
    President, The Richardson Co. Training Media
    The Richardson Co. Training Media


    Minimize stress and panic in the workplace during challenging times (DVD):

    Don't Panic! A Recipe for Success in Times of Stress
    Produced: August 2009

    What happens when eight fascinating people with experience successfully navigating challenging or stressful situations at work come together to cook a meal? Insights fly along with the food in "Don't Panic! A Recipe for Success in Times of Stress."

  • In this entertaining and thoughtful video, cooking serves as a metaphor for working through a challenge together. After the flames die down, the participants enjoy the meal they've created and explore insights gleaned from their dialogue.

    The program examines five main points:

    • Know Yourself
      Know what you know, what you don't know, and the difference between these. Self-awareness is critical to successfully navigating challenges.
    • Build Support
      Develop a network of people you trust and who trust you both inside and outside your organization. Don't be afraid to ask for feedback and support.
    • Assess Your Situation
      Realistically assess the situation you face. Filter noise and rumors from reliable information. Step back and interrogate reality.
    • Take Action
      Don't be immobilized by fear. Be resilient in the face of a setback. Remember you always have options and that hope trumps fear. Look for opportunities in a crisis or difficult situation and pursue them.
    • Learn from Everything
      Look for learning opportunities even in what may appear as bad news. Every shadow has a light source. Find it. Learning is the ultimate benefit from a challenging situation.

    Short and full-length online previews of this insightful and timely new stress management program are available via our website now. Complimentary DVD previews are also available (via ground shipping).

    Read more here:  Don't Panic! A Recipe for Success in Times of Stress


    Ensure compliance with Red Flags Rule and educate about identity theft (DVD/VHS):

    Red Flags Rule: Preventing Identity Theft
    Produced: August 2009

    $50 billion dollars a year! That's what the U.S. has been losing to consumer identity theft for several years running now. And the problem just keeps growing. In an effort to curtail the problem, the Red Flags Rule was created as a part of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003. New enforcement requirements inspired this new compliance program, "Red Flags Rule: Preventing Identity Theft." This engaging program explains the newest mandate, enforced by the FTC, that can help put an end to this alarming problem.

    Video Synopsis: The program includes interviews with actual victims of identify theft, highlighting the frustration and anxiety caused by this growing, global problem. The informative host leads us through the four steps of an effective Theft Prevention Program as we visit a variety of different workplace settings impacted by this new law. Periodic commentary by the real victims adds depth and color for the viewer, emphasizing the need for compliance.

    STEP 1: Identify relevant red flags. What are you likely to encounter in day- to-day business operations?

    STEP 2: Detect red flags. Program guidelines ensure that the organization will detect the red flags as they occur.

    STEP 3: Respond to red flags. The program details procedures for responding when red flags are detected.

    STEP 4: Update the program. Ensure that the latest identify theft tactics are included.

    Do your part to curtail the monetary and emotional impact of rampant identity theft in your organization by educating your employees and complying with the Red Flag Rules.

    An online preview of this new program on identity theft is available via our website now. Complimentary DVD previews are also available (via ground shipping).

    Read more here:  Red Flags Rule: Preventing Identity Theft


    Enhance diversity sessions with message about how silence hurts people, too (DVD):

    Ouch! Your Silence Hurts.....
    Produced: August 2009

    Why is "Ouch!" important?
    Many people say they want to speak up when they see others stereotyped, disrespected, or demeaned. But they stand by silently because of discomfort or the fear of saying the wrong thing. They may turn away thinking "who am I to get involved, this isn't my business." In fact, as a bystander, you ARE part of the conversation. You are the audience. Your silence allows the disrespectful behavior to continue. Your silence hurts.

    "Ouch! Your Silence Hurts" Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the high cost of silent collusion.
  • Explore the power of the bystander to make a difference.
  • Inspire passive bystanders to use their voice as active allies.

      "Ouch! Your Silence Hurts" challenges viewers by asking, "How will you personally respond next time you witness somebody being treated with disrespect? You have a choice: Passive Bystander or Pro-active Ally." In a powerful and compelling way, this nine-minute video motivates bystanders to use their voice to speak up for respect on behalf of someone else.

      "Ouch!" is ideal for:

      • Diversity & Inclusion Training
      • Teamwork Training
      • Communications Training
      • Leadership Training
      "When we speak, we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak."
      - Audre Lorde, Poet and Activist

      "Silence remains, inescapably, a form of speech."
      - Susan Sontag

      "Ouch! Your Silence Hurts" continues the conversation that "OUCH! That Stereotype Hurts" started. "OUCH! That Stereotype Hurts" is one of the top diversity and inclusion training programs produced.

      An online preview of this new diversity and communications training program is available via our website now. Complimentary DVD previews are also available (via ground shipping).

      Read more here:  Ouch! Your Silence Hurts


      New communications training program shares empathic listening skills (DVD):
    • Empathic Listening: The Key to Communication
      Produced: August 2009

      Communication is said to be the most important skill in life. And effective communication always comes down to one thing--mutual understanding. Based on the premise "Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood" (Habit 5 from Stephen R. Covey's ground-breaking book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People") this program explains empathic listening and shows how it helps us understand and successfully communicate with others.

      Benefits of utilizing this training program within your organization include:

      • Develops listening skills that improve people's ability to influence and problem-solve.
      • Helps to achieve higher levels of trust throughout the organization.
      • Reduces costs associated with misunderstandings.

      One of the biggest obstacles in interpersonal communication is our tendency to respond autobiographically--meaning from our own frame of reference. We advise, probe, interpret, and evaluate others' messages based on our own experiences and motives. In listening, an autobiographical response prevents us from clearing our minds enough to really hear and feel what is being said.

      Conversely, when we listen with the intent to understand ("empathically"), we are able to gain insights into another person's thoughts and feelings more accurately. Empathic listening is both an attitude and a skill.

      The "Empathic Listening" program contains 3 separate video components and a corresponding workshop that provide solid instruction on this key communication skill. Participants are given practical tips and specific phrases they can incorporate immediately into their daily conversations to ensure that they are listening with the intent to understand.

      Participants learn to:

      • Diagnose before they prescribe.
      • Listen empathically.
      • Seek to be understood from the other's perspective.

      Complimentary DVD previews are available for this new communications training program (via ground shipping).

      Read more here:  Empathic Listening: The Key to Communication


      Popular ethics training program now available in a government version (DVD/VHS):

      Accountability That Works! Government version now available
      Produced: August 2009 (Government Version)

      What makes a government agency accountable? It is a willingness to be answerable and accessible to the public. And while the specifics of an accountability initiative can vary from one agency to the next, all have one thing in common: Everyone, from the top down, must demonstrate personal responsibility and integrity. Designed specifically for government training, the 35 video clips in this Toolkit will help you demonstrate what it looks like when people hold themselves, each other and the organization accountable for keeping commitments and achieving results.

      Benefits of using this program include:

      • Supports government accountability initiatives by modeling 9 principles of personal responsibility.
      • Improves efficiency by emphasizing the importance of clear communication, goal setting and follow through.
      • Stretches training budgets by providing a library of video clips that can be used in a variety of applications.

      This Toolkit contains 35 unique video clips that fall within 9 categories of personal responsibility and accountability. It only includes clips that are set in a government agency or take place in a "generic work environment" that could easily be a government agency or government-run facility. The clips are provided on DVD and CD-ROM so that you can play them right off the DVD or embed them into a PowerPoint Presentation.

      In these categories, the clips can be used to make the following points:

      • Take Ownership and Keep Commitments
        When accepting responsibility for a task or project, take full ownership and do what you say you're going to do. For clarity, set deadlines-then keep them. When necessary, communicate and renegotiate commitments that cannot be met.
      • Be Proactive
        Take the initiative in seeking improvements to processes and practices. Work to improve your own skills, and influence others toward improvement.
      • Communicate With Clarity and Set Measurable Goals
        Getting to the right result requires clear agreements and an understanding of expectations and instructions. Accountability for results begins with clear directions, and places responsibility on both parties for clarification.
      • Be Ethical
        Know what's right according to law, policy, procedure, and best professional practice, and act accordingly. Make decisions for the best outcome when two "rights" conflict. Speak out when someone acts unethically.
      • Be a Problem-Solver
        Apply your own experience and knowledge to every problem. With this problem-solving mindset, you'll plan and take action towards a solution, rather than waiting for others to get things started.
      • Serve the Public Professionally
        Every person you serve and work with deserves your best effort, whether it's a problem to be solved or a transaction to complete. Know the technical and procedural aspects of your work and bring a positive attitude to the service you provide -- the public expects competence and is paying you for it.
      • Don't Be Afraid to Speak-Up
        Know what you need and what you deserve. In a professional manner, let others know it too. Those you work with and for may not realize when their actions are getting in the way. Claim what you need to do your best work.
      • Accept Feedback and Learn From Mistakes
        Learning and changing direction happen quickly and frequently in an accountable environment. Listen non-defensively, give proper consideration to what's being said, choose to adjust, and move on.
      • Supervising and Managing an Accountable Workforce
        Often held accountable for the work of others, managers and supervisors must first model accountable behaviors, then learn to require this type of personal responsibility from those who report to them. The manager's tone of voice, choice of words and standard-setting behaviors can make or break an accountable work team!

      The Toolkit package includes a Leader's Guide with discussion questions for each clip that will help stimulate further discussion and learning.

      An online preview of this new ethics training toolkit for governmental teams is available now via our website. Complimentary DVD previews are also available (via ground shipping).

      Read more here:  Accountability That Works! Government version now available


      Thank you for using The Richardson Co. Training Media as "Your Training Source." I am always pleased to chat with you regarding your training needs. We have products available which are not yet listed on our website. For a complimentary consultation contact me at 1-800-488-0319 or send an email to: WaltRichardson@rctm.com. We still offer complimentary previews, and government agency and education discounts on many programs.

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      Regards,
      Walt

      Walt Richardson, President
      The Richardson Company Training Media
      "The Training Source"
      email: WaltRichardson@rctm.com
      Voice: 1-800-488-0319 or 253-582-2911
      Fax: 1-253-588-0815
      Mailing address: 13 Creekwood Ln SW, Lakewood, WA 98499, USA

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