English Proficiency is a Global Business Competency

Today, we thought of reinforcing a previously published article to help you with a personal guide on how you gauge yourself in your speaking abilities. When you work in an English speaking country and your mother tongue is not English, there are times that challenges in speaking occurs.

We are giving you a mock up list of descriptions that may be relevant to your own personal experience and proficiency. Try it out, and then let us know how you fair.

Procedure:

Please choose all applicable items below that will describe your present abilities when you are speaking in English with another individual at any given setting such as; at home, at a party, among friends, applying to a job, on the telephone, in the store buying something, at a doctor’s office or at any location where you need English as the means to share your idea.

	1	I can only say the words I learned from my language classes through memorization and grammar
	2	I struggle to find the right word or phrase to say
	3	I cannot explain myself when asked to describe. Unless the other person will ask me something that is answered only with yes or no
	4	I only ask simple questions but cannot discuss more to inquire about the details
	5	I can ask and answer simple questions that are only familiar to me
	6	I can talk about usual activities that I was trained for. I can engage with simple conversations but limited to discuss more information that may be relative to activities. I cannot do a progressive conversation
	7	I can share certain degree of fluency during conversations with native speakers on familiar topics, express and support my ideas but will not engage with topics that are broad and need more knowledge because I don’t have all the words and expressions to support my views
	8	I can express myself fluently without searching for informal expressions during basic conversations but don’t have control on topics within the business environment. I lack technical terms to engage with better conversations professionally
	9	I can use the language somewhat effectively for informal social and professional purposes. I can share my ideas and opinions with confidence but limited with formal expressions and cannot handle specific topics that require additional situations like entertainments, jobs, articles with specific focus, sharing more in depth knowledge on certain topics

To read the complete article, please visit "How can I tell that I need .... "

Perspectives:
Globally, English is the understood preferred language of major businesses enterprises, business men or women and their families.

Language competencies and proficiencies are equally essential to those who find opportunities within English speaking countries, they will learn to speak English the best they can.

Among the workforce of multi-national organizations, who migrated to the United States, they face many challenges when articulating their ideas with their co-workers. They learn to polish their conversational English.

For the employees who are English speakers (their mother tongue is English), they also face many challenges when it comes to writing and articulating their ideas. They get confused on many grammatical features of the English language. This is because they did not learn the correctness of the linguistic features when growing up. Today, when engaged in speaking and or writing reports for management consumption they often commit mistakes like the non-native English speakers.

USA: The Affordable Care Act aka The Health Care Law

June 28, 2012, is very significant day in the United States of America because the US Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act  aka the Health Care Law, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 23, 2010.

As a backgrounder,  many states, businesses, private individuals have challenged the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The White House provided at their website, the set of benefits that the American People will benefit from this Law:

Credits: 2012 whitehouse.gov

Credit: Whitehouse.gov

The President Barack Obama's Remarks about the Affordable Care Act and its constitutionality.

Please click the link to read the full document that illustrates the US Supreme Court Decision on Affordable Care Act. 

The Healthcare.gov provides a website where anyone can read the Full Text of the Affordable Care Act.

National Physicians Alliance on Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: What It Means For You

Perspectives:
The US Supreme Court have released their decision and provided their institutional guidance with respect to the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. While all Americans will benefit from it, there will be continuing debates by many politicians, businesses, interest groups, individuals who will disagree with the Supreme Court decision.

This Healthcare Law will serve generations of today and those that will come. Many have fought against the battles to make this far. President Barack Obama and his administration have succeeded to demonstrate their care and compassion to the American people who will need health care attention.

Workforce: Influencers of Poor Productivity and Low Morale

A very interesting poll was made by a UK-based HR Review, the data shows a growing evidence of facts in the workforce - please see below:

credit: HR Review-UK 12Jun22

The above data may be a sampling and random response from individuals. However, it provides a behavioral insight and facts regarding factors that influence poor productivity in the workforce environment. 

Any organization with the above issues is facing a great problem within. 

Perspectives:

1. The three items that were randomly surveyed are symptomatic on how inefficient the organization where respondents are working. 

2. There are bad apples in the composition of organization. 

3. The bosses are not fit to be managers of people. 

4. There is no optimization of workforce capabilities to their job responsibilities. 

What employees can do?

1. Show active listening to your negative co-worker. Then approach it with positive behaviors that influence negativity to become positive. Demonstrate good modeling of positive attitude.

2. Demonstrate leadership that will make your Boss realize how bad he/she is. Show results and emphasize on R.O.I. of your efforts.

3. Creativity and ingenuity will open doors of opportunity. Challenge yourself with other options to create new dimension about your role. Think strategically and demonstrate that attitude for better opportunities.

What employers should do?

1. Influence the behaviors of negative workforce by identifying the causes of these behaviors.

2. Create and implement an advanced development program for managers with a focus on management of people and efficiency

3. Skills of workforce must be matched with their responsibilities in order to accelerate higher productivity and avoid high turnover as caused by boredom. 

4. Assess all areas of your business and leverage results and return on investments

5. Become a High Performance Organization

Read some thoughts from the following links of articles:

1. Leadership

2. Communication

3. Results and R.O.I.

4. Boost Your Competencies

5. Workforce R.O.I

Collaboration for Migrant Workers Rights (USA, Ecuador, Hunduras, the Philippines and Peru)

In June 11, 2012, the Ambassadors of five countries along with the US Secretary of Labor signed a Partnership Agreement on the Migrant Workers Rights, according to the recent Press Release by the International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB).

Credit: US DOL

Under the agreements, all countries (USA, Ecuador, Honduras, Peru, and the Philippines) will partner together to help the US Wage and Hour Division and OSHA to effectively enforce U.S. laws especially in high-risk and low-wage industries. It will help all agencies identify problems faced by migrant workers. With today's signings, US DOL now has agreements with ten countries.

The following are comments from each country representative:

"Migrant workers make important contributions to our economy," "Today's agreements help ensure these workers are aware of the right to safe workplaces and to receive full payment of the wages owed to them under the laws of the United States." - said US Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis

"Ecuador considers a priority the welfare of every Ecuadorian immigrant in the United States. The agreements that will be signed with the Department of Labor are a useful tool to protect the rights of migrant workers," said Ecuador Ambassador Nathalie Cely.

"Honduras is extremely pleased to sign these letters of arrangement with the DOL, WHD and OSHA,"  "It marks an important step forward in the cooperation between our governments that will promote the respect and defense of migrant workers' rights. This collaboration exemplifies our determination to help promote labor rights for all in our countries." - said Honduras Ambassador Jorge Ramón Hernández Alcerro

"This agreement reflects the existing cooperation and full understanding between Peru and the U.S. to jointly protect Peruvian workers' rights in the United States regarding wage issues through public outreach campaigns, education and training. This program helps to promote a legal framework between Peruvian workers and their employers to ensure the enforcement of fundamental human rights and responsibilities in the workplace." - said Peru Ambassador Harold Forsyth

"We are very pleased to sign these joint declarations and letters of arrangement with DOL," "We assure DOL we will do our part in ensuring the dissemination of helpful information to Filipino workers concerning their right to a safe and healthy working environment, and fair wages and working hours in the U.S., and in assisting them to seek redress when such rights are disregarded or outright violated."  - said Philippines Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr.

Please click the link to read the Press Release.

To learn about more details of the Cooperation between countries, please visit the web page of International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB).

Perspectives:
This international partnerships will aim to protect the Rights of Workers who are working in the low-wage industries within the United States.  It is the responsibility of each consulate to inform workers about the Rules and Regulations under the Wage and Hour, OSHA and relevant US employment laws.

Learning and understanding the many information and regulation will diminish employer's abuse. Visit this relevant link of References pertaining the US Workers.

Link to the US Department of Labor

USA: June 2012 - LGBT Pride Month

credit source: jayter02

The LGBT Pride Month has just started ~

The following is the full text of the Released Statement by the US Secretary of the Department of Labor;

Credit: dol.gov

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on LGBT Pride Month

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month:

credit source: dol.gov

"This month, Americans continue our march to a more perfect union by proudly celebrating our many victories in the fight for LGBT equality.

"We are proud to live in a country where gays and lesbians can now serve openly in the armed forces, just as we are proud that our military is led by a commander-in-chief who understands that sexual orientation has nothing to do with one's fitness to serve.

"We are proud of our president's history-making support for the right to marry regardless of sexual orientation, just as we are proud that he refuses to use taxpayer dollars to defend the Defense of Marriage Act.

"We are proud of our country's leadership at home and abroad in protecting Americans from violence, hate crimes, bullying and harassment.

"We are proud that we've now enshrined into our laws the rights of our LGBT friends to receive the same health care benefits as their straight neighbors, and we are proud that our government has said to America's federally funded hospitals that they may no longer separate loving same-sex couples when they are sick and need each other the most.

"At the Department of Labor, we are proud to have clarified that the Family and Medical Leave Act applies to all kinds of families. Two million children are being raised by parents in same-sex relationships, and our action ensures that, regardless of a parent's legal relationship to his or her child, he or she can take leave to care for the child in the event of a medical emergency. In other words: If you act like a parent, do the work of a parent and raise a child like a parent, then you are a parent, as far as the Department of Labor is concerned.

"Like all of the great civil rights victories in our nation's history, this hard-won progress was forged by the determined advocacy of so many pioneers who refused to settle for second-class citizenship based on who they love. While we know many battles lie ahead in the fight to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, this June, let's pause to reflect on the many barriers we've overcome as we strive to realize the promise of equal justice under law for every LGBT American."

source credit: wikipedia.org

In June 1, 2012, the Office of the Press Secretary issued the Presidential Proclamation that June 2012 is the LGBT Pride Month;

Presidential Proclamation: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, 2012

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, 2012

By The President Of The United States Of America

A Proclamation

From generation to generation, ordinary Americans have led a proud and inexorable march toward freedom, fairness, and full equality under the law ‑‑ not just for some, but for all. Ours is a heritage forged by those who organized, agitated, and advocated for change; who wielded love stronger than hate and hope more powerful than insult or injury; who fought to build for themselves and their families a Nation where no one is a second-class citizen, no one is denied basic rights, and all of us are free to live and love as we see fit.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community has written a proud chapter in this fundamentally American story. From brave men and women who came out and spoke out, to union and faith leaders who rallied for equality, to activists and advocates who challenged unjust laws and marched on Washington, LGBT Americans and allies have achieved what once seemed inconceivable. This month, we reflect on their enduring legacy, celebrate the movement that has made progress possible, and recommit to securing the fullest blessings of freedom for all Americans.

credit source: abcnews

The full text of President Obama's Proclamation on LGBT Pride Month, 2012

In June 2, 2012, the California Governor, Edmund G. Brown Jr proclaimed June 2012 as LGBT Pride Month;

credit source: gov.ca.gov

"California has been a leader in advancing the civil rights of its LGBT citizens. This year, we have seen powerful statements in support of the right of every person to marry the person they love: two opinions from federal appellate courts and, for the first time, a statement from a sitting president in support of this right. While further progress is needed, it is proper and important to recognize and celebrate the substantial and important gains that have been achieved."

NOW THEREFORE I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim June 2012, as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month.”

The full text of Governor Brown's Proclamation on LGBT Pride Month 2012

Perspectives:

There is a growing recognition of realities about the on going fight against LGBT community discrimination. President Obama himself pronounced his personal support to the LGBT community. His key leaders across the government spectrum have slowly aligned their organizations in recognizing the issues that required attention. 

The LGBT community are also citizens who execute their roles, responsibilities and duties to the United States of America. They pay the same taxes like everyone else. Many documentations exist that validate their effectiveness as parents to their children, leaders in their communities, leaders in both private and public environments, and each individual play an important role in the continuing development and progression of America.

"To all our LBGT friends, family members, colleagues, community members, and acquaintances, enjoy the June 2012 Pride Month as we celebrate your individual contributions to our society. Your roles in our communities validate the existence of an integral part of the society regardless of orientation and across cultures." 

Comments:

We like to hear about your insights. You can email your comments to: info@jntconsulting.com or share them in the provided comments field at the end of this article.

About JNT Consulting

JNT Consulting Global Resources offers professional consulting in  human capital and resources management, provides workforce solutions that will achieve the "High Performance Organization" regardless of size and location.

JNT Consulting has its headquarters in San Jose, California and is "Your Partner for Growth & Development”, “Your Professional Coach”, and “Your Provider of Global Resources”. You can contact us by calling +1 650 241-3207 or visit our website.

Reference:

1  whitehouse.gov

2 dol.gov

3 http://gov.ca.gov

4  Facebook /JNTConsulting

5 Twitter/JNTConsulting  

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England: Diamond Jubilarian - HRH Queen Elizabeth II

It is one remarkable day in United Kingdom and its Commonwealth as everyone celebrates the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II from the date she became the Queen of England., June 2, 1953.

The celebration of her Diamond Jubilee is celebrated among the English people and countries around the world.  She is the second Monarch who achieved the 60th Anniversary of being the Queen of England. 

The following are many different links to the celebration of her Diamond Jubilee:

Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service (source: BBC News)

Public Act of Dedication of HRH Queen Elizabeth II (Source: BBC News)

"A Humbling Experience" by HRH Queen Elizabeth II (Source: BBC News)

"A steadfast ally, loyal friend and tireless leader, a living witness" - Pres. Obama (Source: BBC News)

Few examples that Queen enjoys colorful shades of fashion when going to her business and duties:

Source Credit: Getty Images & CNN

Our team, wishes more power, great and continuous health and blessings to HRH Queen Elizabeth II, that she will continue to inspire everyone around the world. 

"I will continue to treasure and draw inspiration from the countless kindnesses shown to me in this country and throughout the Commonwealth. Thank you all." - HRH Queen Elizabeth II

Comments:

We like to hear about your insights. You can email your comments to: info@jntconsulting.com or share them in the provided comments field at the end of this article.

About JNT Consulting

JNT Consulting Global Resources offers professional consulting in  human capital and resources management, provides workforce solutions that will achieve the "High Performance Organization" regardless of size and location.

JNT Consulting has its headquarters in San Jose, California and is "Your Partner for Growth & Development”, “Your Professional Coach”, and “Your Provider of Global Resources”. You can contact us by calling +1 650 241-3207 or visit our website.

Reference:

1  The BBC News

2 CNN

2 JNT Consulting

3  Facebook /JNTConsulting

4 Twitter/JNTConsulting  

Doughnut Indulgence - The National DoNut Day

It's Not Too Late!

Today is the 1st of June, and the lovers of Doughnuts are offered with free 'indulgence' at participating doughnut shops.

credit: krispyKreme

Krispy Kreme that naughtiest of all the doughnuts offers free taste to anyone ~ Isn't that the real indulgence? And then you go home with a box or two dozens of it. It's once a year so it may be an excuse to participate :-)

We like doughnuts, and it seems a great food to share with our friends at JNTC Articles. Your coffee time in the afternoon may be a good time to enjoy it, if you have not done this morning.

This is not an advertisement!