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WHO'S ELIGIBLE: Starbucks says workers who average at least 20 hours of work a week are immediately eligible. The program is only for work- ers at company-owned stores, which account for about 60 percent of the more than 12,100 loca- tions in the U.S. HOW IT WORKS: Star- bucks and ASU say two years of the online pro- gram costs about $30,000. But ASU is reducing the standard tuition by about 42 percent for Starbucks employees. Workers may also qualify for federal aid and other grants because of their limited incomes. Workers pay whatever costs are leftover up-front and are reimbursed for that amount at the end of each semester. ALSO: Workers can pick from a range of aca- demic fields and aren't required to stay with the company. PARTICIPATION: Star- bucks says about 2,000 workers have enrolled since the program was introduced last June. It says it has more than 140,000 workers at its company-owned stores and support centers in the U.S. McDonald's THE OFFER: Upfront tuition coverage of up to $700 a year for workers, and up to $1,050 for man- agers. The money can be used to attend classes online or in-person. WHO'S ELIGIBLE: Workers who have been employed with McDon- ald's for at least a year and average at least 20 hours of work a week. Managers who work full- time are eligible immedi- ately. The program is open to employees at the chain's more than 14,300 U.S. stores, including those owned by fran- chisees. HOW IT WORKS: McDonald's provides the tuition money upfront so workers don't have to pay out of pocket. The com- pany says the check will be made out to the school the worker plans to attend. McDonald's expects many of its workers to take classes at community colleges, which it says charge an average of $300 to $350 per class. That means the assistance 2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • April 9, 2015 Balancing Act: Women in business: Tips from the top A publication of Conley Media Distributed by: Conley Distribution 262-513-2646 ©2004 by Conley Media, LLC Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. It is the advertiser's responsibility to be aware of the laws pertaining to employment advertising. Subscriptions are available for $34 (non-refundable) for a 6-month subscription. Call 262-306-5008 for information. Call Center Director: Cindy Shaske 262-306-5016 cshaske@conleynet.com Account Executive: Julie Sears 262-306-5008 jsears@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262-513-2690 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS Volume 17 • Number 30 April 9, 2015 To place an ad: Call us at 262-306-5008 or fax us at 262-542-6082 deadline: Noon on Wednesdays Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organiza- tions of all sizes. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at lizdeliverchange.com. What to do when your team can't get along By Liz Reyer Tribune News Service (TNS) & A Q Q. Some folks on my team are having trouble getting along – it's a mix of generational, religious and political differences. I need them to work together effectively. What can I do? A. Set expectations for civility and mutual respect, and then enforce them so that you create a safe and respectful work environment for everyone. THE INNER GAME Break down the issues one by one. Focus first on overt problems, step- ping back and looking at the facts of the situation. It could be playing out in a number of different ways. For example, if the conflict is taking a personal nature, as in attacks over beliefs, then it may be rising to the level of an HR issue. Or, it may be a communication or style misunderstanding; while still potentially challenging to address, there's a different level of organiza- tional risk. Then, look at the under- currents. Sometimes subtle behav- iors can be the most corrosive. Take a look at your skills to address this. Do you have an appreci- ation for the diversity represented on the team? Also look at the tone you've been setting. If you've been standing by while this plays out, it's important that you develop the abili- ty to more actively lead through these problems. Identify the resources available within your organization. You may need HR if problems are extreme. Or, you may find there are useful team-building programs available. Also, determine if you have a budget for outside support, as needed. OUTER GAME As a starting point, consider con- ducting a team assessment. It's help- ful if you can have someone from outside the team interview each team member to identify team strengths, challenges and concerns. Results can be aggregated so that people's confidentiality is protected, but this will help you see the broad- er issues. If the third-party approach isn't an option, spend time one on one with each team member to gather each perspective. Now do your diagnostics. Do you have a broad issue or is there a person or two stirring the pot? If the problem is limited, then you can set more stern expectations with them privately while you work with the team as a whole on establishing a positive climate. If the issues are more widespread, set ground rules on what is and is not acceptable behavior. Then start exploring ways to build appreciation for people's individual contributions. Using a style assessment like DISC or profiling tool such as MBTI could help by providing some shared language about valid similarities and differences. Set goals for team culture and include them on each person's annual plan. Not only will this help show people that you're serious, it'll give you tools if there are some who resist your efforts.Then spend time as a team and one on one to be sure people have the support they need to learn how to work together. Don't be afraid to make changes. One toxic person can make all of the difference. If you can't bring every- one on board, make consequences clear and then follow through. THE LAST WORD Your employees have a right to expect a positive workplace; setting clear expectations can help you achieve it. tuition . . . from page 1 A chess player, Susana Roble- do, 39, has used game strategy to build her $6 million curtain business. "You have to think of the end goal and stay focused," she said. She figured out in her 20s what life pieces she would sacrifice. When her friends were going to nightclubs, Robledo concentrated on hiring employ- ees, luring customers and filling in for whoever called in sick. "It's not always easy, but you have to stay focused on the win," she said. Women who want a role in re- engineering the culture of America's business world have a lot to learn from Robledo and other female leaders who were recognized last week by The Commonwealth Institute South Florida for running Florida's largest women-led businesses. Robledo plans to expand her business further through nation- al partnerships this year, and like other women leaders, she has an optimistic view of con- tinued growth. She also has strong opinions and insightful advice for the next generation of female lead- ers who are coming into the workforce at a time when the gender gap continues at the top ranks of most big companies. Robledo and her counterparts at the top believe young women must take it upon themselves to create opportunities. Here is their cheat sheet on how to advance: ■ Be a goal-setter: Robledo began as an employee at a com- mercial laundry company. When a customer asked for a service that her employer didn't provide, she seized the opportu- nity to start a company that would wash, sew and replace curtains for hospitals. She now oversees 30 employees at Cube Care and has health care cus- tomers nationwide. Robledo advises young women to create a plan for how to advance: "What strategic moves will it take to get there, who is going to help you, what do you need to learn, and who do you need to work with." Once you have a big picture plan or goal, break it into smaller victories, she said. "No move is below me if it gets me to my end goal." ■ Get clear on priorities: Take "doing it all" off the list and get real, said Debbie Snow, presi- dent of Accredited Holding Corp., an Orlando insurer that recently sold for $25 million (Snow stayed on). Building a company or a track record takes a lot of work, and you must be By Cindy Krischer Goodman Miami Herald (TNS) see WOMEN . . . page 6 see TUITION . . . page 6

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