In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a war on poverty during his State of the Union address. While there was a sharp decline in poverty levels the decade after the declaration of war, poverty levels have remained mostly consistent for over 40 years. Ironically, the efforts people made to stay out of fiscal poverty launched them headlong into a new type of poverty: time poverty, that chronic feeling of having too many things to do and not enough time to do them. Stagnant wages meant people looking to improve their station had to work two or more jobs and additional time working outside of the home meant less time to complete the unpaid labor associated with running a household. In this episode, Pete and Melissa will talk about how the erosion of discretionary time affects our lives, some unexpected things that contribute to time poverty, and what we can do not to feel so time impoverished.

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There are entire professions dedicated to the concept of giving feedback. From editors to movie critics to corporate consultants to life coaches, feedback is widely recognized as critical to improvement in all arenas. While we love getting the kudos that come with a job well done, we don’t always have the same appreciation for the constructive criticism that allows us to reach new heights of performance. Part of the reason we balk at feedback might lie in the frequency of that feedback and the quality of it. In today’s discussion, Melissa and Pete shed light on what makes feedback useful, the best ways to deliver it, and how much is the right amount.

Conversation Kindling:

Feedback is one of the hottest topics in business today. Managers are encouraged to adopt a practice of radical candor with their employees, and employees are expected to welcome such constructive criticism with open arms. However, “The Feedback Fallacy,” an article in the March-April 2019 edition of the Harvard Business Review, maintains that telling employees what we think of their performance doesn’t help them thrive and relays how we think they should improve hinders their learning. Research demonstrates that the most effective feedback is delivered when people who know us and care for us tell us what they experience and feel, specifically when they see something within us that works.

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While the Great Resignation has caused many positions to go unfilled in the job market, there is another force at work that contributes to staffing woes–credential creep. Ironically, the act of requiring unnecessary degrees or certifications–usually with no additional bump in salary–in the hopes of attracting more qualified employees often produces the opposite result. Those additional screening metrics prevent job seekers from being able to apply to job announcements and leave companies with vacant positions. In this episode, Melissa and Pete discuss why a college degree isn’t necessarily the answer to attracting and retaining a qualified workforce and offer up what might be more important than a slew of certifications on our resume.

Conversation Kindling:

In February 2021, Credential Engine released two reports that offer an unprecedented understanding of the credential landscape. The first report estimates that there are 967,734 unique credentials in the U.S. across 16 categories—including both traditional degrees, certificates, certifications, licenses, and apprenticeships as well as non-traditional offerings such as badges. This finding illustrates the credential landscape is vast—perhaps much larger than many imagined.

The second report estimates that the total yearly expenditures by educational institutions, employers, federal grant programs, states, and the military is upwards of $1.921 trillion. This revelation signals the need to create better processes for accountability and decision-making. Employers and employees shouldn’t have to guess which skills and credentials meet their needs—particularly with the proliferation of new options in this new normal.

View the reports HERE

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