A Paper by Ron Slee and Steve Johnson
What are Continuing Education Units (CEU)? Pivotal Professional Development Role.
In 1968, a group of individuals in the United States recognized that no standard means existed to quantify continuing education and training, one of the fastest growing segments of education in the workplace.
Adult learners participating in seminars, conferences, workshops, short courses, and other programs found it difficult to accumulate, update and transfer CE/T records. This was of particular concern to those in occupational fields that required such educational experiences to maintain membership, certification, licensing, or other recognition of professional achievement.
A task force formed to identify a uniform, nationally accepted unit of measurement that could be used to quantify CE/T activities. This unit, the continuing education unit (CEU), serves the same purpose for CE/T programs as the credit hour does for higher education coursework.
Nearly 90 million workers in the U.S. lack the skills needed to thrive in the future workforce. That’s not too surprising when we consider that among adults (25+) in 2022, 84 million had a high school diploma or less, 33 million had completed some college, and 77 million had college degrees. Further, 80 percent of workers say their college education was not relevant to their field(CAEL 2025).
For such workers, closing skills gaps means finally crossing the divide between their low-wage job to more rewarding work. And thousands of employers involved in WorkForce Development show that opportunities for career advancement come along with further skill development and credentials that increase earnings. That’s why adult learners and workers expect education and training to position them for advancement along rewarding career pathways. From apprenticeships to advanced degrees, the choices can be overwhelming. But the success of educators, employers, and entire communities depends on empowering adult learners to make the right choices.
It seems clear to many that adult learners and workers can only realize their potential within a well-aligned industry, education, and workforce ecosystem. We help build organizational partnerships that center adult learners and workers in initiatives that span the continuum from education to employment. These include workforce and economic developers; chambers of commerce, postsecondary educators; employers and industry groups; and foundations and other mission-aligned organizations. If you are in one of these groups, we can help you meet adult learners and workers where they are and benefit the ecosystem and help achieve your goals by partnering on pathways that support equitable economic mobility and helping adult learners and workers navigate them.
CEUs and College Credit
Most colleges and universities will not directly accept Continuing Education Units for college or graduate credit. However, those who have the ability to assess prior CE/T learning activities as part of an overall portfolio of work experience, credentials and certifications may consider the CEU.
For more information about how CEUs can be translated into college credit, visit:
- The Council on Adult and Experiential Learning.
- The American College Advisory Service.
A Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a standard attributed to continuing education programs to provide professional development across industries. One standard CEU entails ten hours engaged in an education program.
Many fields require ongoing education or training, and requirements vary between countries, states, and licensing boards. The following professions typically require CEUs:
- Accountants
- Administrators
- Architects
- Cosmetologists
- Counselors
- Dentists
- Doctors
- Engineers
- Educators
- Financial managers
- Healthcare professionals
- Insurance professionals
- Interior designers
- Lawyers
- Paralegals
- Project managers
- Psychologists
- Real estate agents
- Safety personnel
- Social workers
- Tax preparers
However, there are also CEUs through a traditional education facility. Those education facilities are vocational and community colleges, a technical or vocational school, and a public or private university. This also requires ten hours for a CEU which can earn one academic credit that can go on the school transcript.
For example – Wharton Online accredited for Continuing Education Units (CEUs)?
Wharton Online has been accredited for CEUs by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) since November 1st, 2018. All of Wharton Online’s courses are accredited for CEUs.
What is the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)?
The IACET is an organization that provides a standardized structure for development and education for the global workforce. This organization is responsible for the initial development of CEUs, and the establishment of the ANSI/IACET Standard of Continuing Education and Training.
Learning Without Scars is accredited by IACET as well. We are the only ones in our industries that offer accredited CEUs which earn Academic Credits at the school categories listed above.
However, we also offer Workforce Development classes that earn Industry Certification. We offer Electrical Assessments and Classes as well as Flat-Bed Assessments and Classes. We are currently working on expanding this to include Supply Chain, Automotive, Material Handling, Finance, Banking, Human Resources, Continuing Education, and Cybersecurity.
The Internet is transforming education by changing the way students learn, and teachers teach. In public and private education:
- Online learning: The Internet has made online learning accessible to everyone. Students can now attend classes and complete assignments from anywhere, anytime.
- Personalized learning: With the Internet, students have access to a wide range of resources that allow for personalized learning experiences.
- Collaboration: The Internet enables students and teachers to collaborate in real-time from different locations, making it easier for students to work together on projects and assignments.
- Access to information: The Internet provides students with instant access to a vast amount of information, making it easier for them to research and learn about various topics.
- Improved communication: The Internet has made communication between teachers and students, as well as between schools, much easier and more efficient.
Overall, the Internet has greatly improved the education experience for students and teachers alike, providing them with new tools and resources to enhance their learning and teaching experiences.
How does Learning Without Scars work?
Learning Without Scars is a company that aims to improve the education system by making learning a positive and enjoyable experience for students. The company uses a variety of methods to achieve this goal, including:
- Game-based learning: Learning Without Scars incorporates elements of gaming into the learning process to make it more engaging and enjoyable for students.
- Experiential learning: The company encourages students to learn through hands-on experiences and real-life scenarios, as opposed to just reading from textbooks.
- Positive reinforcement: Learning Without Scars emphasizes the importance of positive reinforcement and reward-based learning to help students build confidence and motivation.
- Emotional support: The company provides emotional support to students, helping them develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and anxiety.
- Interdisciplinary approach: Learning Without Scars takes an interdisciplinary approach to education, incorporating elements of psychology, neuroscience, and other relevant fields to help students learn in the most effective way possible.
- Leading Edge Technology: Learning Without Scars uses leading edge technology and software. We use Artificial Intelligence to create Avatars and Audio Tracks and Subtitles. Now this includes a font for Dyslexia.
The overall goal of Learning Without Scars is to help students develop a love of learning and a positive attitude towards education that will stay with them throughout their lives.
The Time is Now.
PS If there are any questions or comments I would love to hear from you at ro*@******************rs.org
“You don’t hire for skills; you hire for attitude.” Is This True?
Herb Kelleher and Simon Sinek said, “You don’t hire for skills; you hire for attitude. You can always teach skills.” Most of us likely agree with this. In theory, hiring managers would claim they prioritize attitude over skills. However, is that true? Some jobs require specific skills, such as a heavy equipment technician, an accountant, and an engineer. Skilled labor and trades exist, and candidates must possess the skills required to succeed.
What about experience? We discussed skills and attitude, but how does experience influence your hiring decisions? There’s a clear difference between a technician with 20 years’ experience and one who just graduated. So, what should we seek in a candidate? How crucial are skills, attitude, and experience? For simplicity in this blog, we can categorize experience as part of skills. Next, let’s discuss the significance of skills and attitudes in hiring.
Many say we hire for attitude, but we often prioritize skill instead. Why do we contradict this principle? My experience as a technician, manager, and executive shows that job descriptions typically emphasize skills over attitude.
Why do we prioritize hiring for skills over attitude? Because we are lazy. Yes, I said it, or better yet, typed it. When we hire for skill instead of attitude, it is because we do not want to engage in the hard work of training, mentoring, and coaching. We do not want to face the challenging and demanding task of teaching skills.
So let me tidy this up: a dealership has a few branches with service departments performing well, and one underperforming. All three branches are in good markets, have new facilities, and feature great brands, but one service department constantly lags behind the others. After investigating, they discovered they had two all-star service managers and one average manager. It’s easy to see where they could wrongly conclude that the issue lies with the service manager.
Here’s the real problem: there are not enough all-star service managers. Wanting to hire an All-Star service manager is hiring for skills. It would be great if we could hire another All-Star service manager and move on.
Usually, the dealership terminates the struggling or average service manager and hires a replacement. However, finding another All-Star service manager is unlikely, so they repeat the cycle of terminating an average manager in the hope that, eventually, one day, they will find another All-Star manager. In the meantime, employee and customer satisfaction are eroded. The department continues to decline because senior management cannot find another All-Star service manager.
Have you ever wondered why not every baseball player makes the All-Star team? Only the best make it. There is a limit to the number of All-Stars, and no baseball team has won the World Series where every player was an All-Star. A balanced and well-coached team with great attitudes wins the World Series. If your strategy is to hire only all-stars, you’ll face frustration and a bloated payroll. Hiring only top employees, like a service or store manager, to fix your issues is unwise.
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Why is it not prudent to hire all-star employees to solve your problems? Because there aren’t enough all-star employees to go around. All-star employees are your top 10% performers, and there are more dealerships and open positions than all-star employees available to fill them. Additionally, all-star employees don’t tend to last very long. They either become bored with their current position, or your competitor offers them more money. This is not to say that you should not hire an all-star employee, but rather to emphasize the importance of a balanced team and the potential pitfalls of over-reliance on a few individuals.
Here’s another drawback of hiring all-star employees: All-star employees will win at all costs, always finding a way to succeed, and can obscure the underperforming issues concerning your product or processes in your dealership.
For instance, in regard to our underperforming service department mentioned above, the problem wasn’t the service manager—it was poorly developed processes and procedures. The average service manager was set up to fail, and only the high-performing, highly skilled All-Star managers had a chance to succeed in that department.
Here’s the point: as leaders, we must take responsibility for developing processes and procedures that allow average to mediocre employees with great attitudes to shine. This approach creates a more balanced team and unlocks the untapped potential of all employees, empowering them to be successful.
Another reason dealerships usually hire for skill rather than attitude is that management is overtaxed and does not have the time to train, coach, or mentor great candidates- those with a great attitude but may lack some skills or experience. That’s where I can help. If you have a manager, whether in parts, service, or a branch manager, who has a great attitude and is loyal but lacks some specific skills and experience, I can assist you in helping them through training and coaching. We can empower your people who may not be All-Stars, enabling them to perform at a much higher level.
Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.
What It Takes to Be a Great Training Instructor: Beyond the Basics
Being a great training instructor is more than knowing your material or speaking in front of a room. It’s about creating an experience that sticks with your learners long after they leave your session. Having spent over 30 years teaching technical, leadership, and communication skills, I’ve learned that delivering information is just the starting point. The true art of training lies in how you engage, connect, and bring the content and the learning space to life.
Since starting out training Grove Crane operators in the 1990s and moving into leadership and instructional roles in 1998, I’ve seen firsthand what makes some trainers exceptional. I’ve also sat through over 100 training classes and seminars myself, learning to spot the difference between average and outstanding instructors. I always wanted to emulate trainers like Lloyd Shull at Empire Cat’s Regional Dealer Learning Center, he made every session fun, engaging, and interactive. And people remembered what they learned.
Along the way, I’ve also been influenced by trainers like Amy Parrish of Iluma Learning, whose ability to create dynamic and engaging sessions is second to none. Teaching is about building connections and crafting a learning environment where people feel comfortable, curious, and motivated.
Let’s dive into what makes a great trainer, including not only communication and engagement tools but also how the physical training space itself can boost learning.
Without deep knowledge of your subject matter, you can’t create the credibility or trust needed in a learning space. A trainer who fumbles through the material or relies too heavily on slides loses the room fast.
A standout trainer:
Remember: knowledge creates confidence, and confidence creates trust.
Great communication goes beyond speaking clearly. The best trainers know how to modulate tone, pace, and language to keep their audience engaged.
Communication tips for trainers:
Communicating to large groups:
With bigger groups, the need for energy and presence increases. Walk the room when possible, and make sure your voice reaches the back. Repeat audience contributions to ensure everyone hears and feels included.
The physical environment is often overlooked, but it’s critical to fostering engagement and focus.
What to consider in your training space:
Humans are visual learners by nature. A blank slide deck and a monotone voice will drain energy fast.
Visual and sensory engagement ideas:
When I implemented simple visuals and allowed space for participants to physically interact, whether through sketching, building models, or hands-on exercises, engagement skyrocketed. Amy Parrish is a master at integrating movement and creativity into learning activities, blending traditional teaching with dynamic participation.
The best trainers:
Even providing sticky notes and markers can empower learners to participate visually during brainstorming sessions or group discussions.
Tips for keeping people engaged all day:
Great instructors don’t just teach; they connect. Participants are more likely to absorb content when they feel seen and valued.
One-on-one check-ins during breaks or after sessions can also help build rapport, especially with participants who may be struggling to engage.
Building group connection:
After three decades of delivering and observing training, here’s what consistently sets great trainers apart from average ones:
Emotional Intelligence:
Commitment to Growth:
Despite delivering over 500 classes, I still learn something new from every session. The best trainers are humble, constantly refining their craft.
Final Thoughts: Creating the Full Experience
At the end of the day, a successful training experience is a combination of:
When I think back to people like Lloyd Shull and Amy Parrish, what stands out isn’t just what they taught, it’s how they made their learners feel. They created spaces where people were comfortable, curious, and energized.
If you want to move from average to great as a trainer, invest in the full experience: the room, the tools, the human connection, and yourself.
Continuing Education Units
A Paper by Ron Slee and Steve Johnson
What are Continuing Education Units (CEU)? Pivotal Professional Development Role.
In 1968, a group of individuals in the United States recognized that no standard means existed to quantify continuing education and training, one of the fastest growing segments of education in the workplace.
Adult learners participating in seminars, conferences, workshops, short courses, and other programs found it difficult to accumulate, update and transfer CE/T records. This was of particular concern to those in occupational fields that required such educational experiences to maintain membership, certification, licensing, or other recognition of professional achievement.
A task force formed to identify a uniform, nationally accepted unit of measurement that could be used to quantify CE/T activities. This unit, the continuing education unit (CEU), serves the same purpose for CE/T programs as the credit hour does for higher education coursework.
Nearly 90 million workers in the U.S. lack the skills needed to thrive in the future workforce. That’s not too surprising when we consider that among adults (25+) in 2022, 84 million had a high school diploma or less, 33 million had completed some college, and 77 million had college degrees. Further, 80 percent of workers say their college education was not relevant to their field(CAEL 2025).
For such workers, closing skills gaps means finally crossing the divide between their low-wage job to more rewarding work. And thousands of employers involved in WorkForce Development show that opportunities for career advancement come along with further skill development and credentials that increase earnings. That’s why adult learners and workers expect education and training to position them for advancement along rewarding career pathways. From apprenticeships to advanced degrees, the choices can be overwhelming. But the success of educators, employers, and entire communities depends on empowering adult learners to make the right choices.
It seems clear to many that adult learners and workers can only realize their potential within a well-aligned industry, education, and workforce ecosystem. We help build organizational partnerships that center adult learners and workers in initiatives that span the continuum from education to employment. These include workforce and economic developers; chambers of commerce, postsecondary educators; employers and industry groups; and foundations and other mission-aligned organizations. If you are in one of these groups, we can help you meet adult learners and workers where they are and benefit the ecosystem and help achieve your goals by partnering on pathways that support equitable economic mobility and helping adult learners and workers navigate them.
CEUs and College Credit
Most colleges and universities will not directly accept Continuing Education Units for college or graduate credit. However, those who have the ability to assess prior CE/T learning activities as part of an overall portfolio of work experience, credentials and certifications may consider the CEU.
For more information about how CEUs can be translated into college credit, visit:
A Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a standard attributed to continuing education programs to provide professional development across industries. One standard CEU entails ten hours engaged in an education program.
Many fields require ongoing education or training, and requirements vary between countries, states, and licensing boards. The following professions typically require CEUs:
However, there are also CEUs through a traditional education facility. Those education facilities are vocational and community colleges, a technical or vocational school, and a public or private university. This also requires ten hours for a CEU which can earn one academic credit that can go on the school transcript.
For example – Wharton Online accredited for Continuing Education Units (CEUs)?
Wharton Online has been accredited for CEUs by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) since November 1st, 2018. All of Wharton Online’s courses are accredited for CEUs.
What is the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)?
The IACET is an organization that provides a standardized structure for development and education for the global workforce. This organization is responsible for the initial development of CEUs, and the establishment of the ANSI/IACET Standard of Continuing Education and Training.
Learning Without Scars is accredited by IACET as well. We are the only ones in our industries that offer accredited CEUs which earn Academic Credits at the school categories listed above.
However, we also offer Workforce Development classes that earn Industry Certification. We offer Electrical Assessments and Classes as well as Flat-Bed Assessments and Classes. We are currently working on expanding this to include Supply Chain, Automotive, Material Handling, Finance, Banking, Human Resources, Continuing Education, and Cybersecurity.
The Internet is transforming education by changing the way students learn, and teachers teach. In public and private education:
Overall, the Internet has greatly improved the education experience for students and teachers alike, providing them with new tools and resources to enhance their learning and teaching experiences.
How does Learning Without Scars work?
Learning Without Scars is a company that aims to improve the education system by making learning a positive and enjoyable experience for students. The company uses a variety of methods to achieve this goal, including:
The overall goal of Learning Without Scars is to help students develop a love of learning and a positive attitude towards education that will stay with them throughout their lives.
The Time is Now.
PS If there are any questions or comments I would love to hear from you at ro*@******************rs.org
Lessons from the Beaverkill
Back this week with his Muddy Boots series, guest writer David Griffith brings issue 6 with “Lessons from the Beaverkill.”
I have been a fly fisherman for most of my life. I learned to fish in Maine on the rivers that flow north from Moosehead Lake, including the Allagash and the associated lakes and feeder streams. My first instructor was a traditionalist who tied his own flies in the field at night based on the hatches occurring. I learned to fish both dry and nymphs, the different rods and line combinations, casting strategy, and most importantly, how to read a stream and think like a fish.
Years passed, including school, employment, marriage, kids, moves, grandkids, and a few retirements. Opportunities to get on the stream took a back seat to other priorities. Then, a good friend asked me to join him for a weekend at his club on the Beaverkill.
There, on a cold May morning, with the sun pushing the morning fog, I remembered what had stirred my love of fishing in the first place that only with age could I now appreciate. My friend Pierce commented about hatches, pools, and knots, then imparted some great advice: “Dave, the most important part of fishing is remembering that fishing is not about the fish.”
Fishing done well requires you to focus and use your rod, line, tippet, and fly as an extension of your cast. You stand waist-deep in a stream, watching your steps and being entirely in the moment. You are alone in the outdoors, stream, sky, woods, and weather, and you are at peace with the work at hand.
I have found that such time spent on the river restores the soul. Fish caught and released or not, it matters not. We need to find the time to restore, think, reflect, and just be quiet. It does not have to be fishing; for me, it is, but we need our restoration time. The camp is off the grid, with no phone, wireless, or TV. The stream and other like-minded individuals are happy to share a meal, have a conversation, and appreciate the moment. I have learned that the brain still works on the stream, just in the background. Often, on the ride home, a complicated problem solution will emerge. The issue needs step away time to solve.
To be clear, catching and releasing adds to the experience. I joined the club, and it is one of my favorite places—places we all need.
Where is your place? And that is the lesson of the Beaverkill.
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The Dog Fence…A Muddy Boots Blog
Guest writer David Griffith returns with another blog post from his Muddy Boots series: The Dog Fence.
We have had three dogs since moving to New Hope in 1993: Duncan, Piper, and our current Clover. We installed a Dog Fence with Duncan to allow him to roam the property without a leash, chase the deer and squirrels on an even footing, and give us peace of mind when outside.
It is remarkable how well they work once the dog is trained. A beep goes off a few feet from the wire that marks the perimeter, and the dog stops, not wanting to have the mild reminder from the collar shock.
It works well unless it is cut. Over the 30 years I must have spliced the wire 75 times. Sometimes, a lawn mower would catch the ground, sometimes edging the plant beds, sometimes a tree roots, to the point where a rainstorm could short the wire, sending a beeping signal to the panel. The challenge is finding the break first, repair, and test. The process sometimes would take 20 minutes, sometimes 20 hours.
Last week was one of the 20-hour sessions, and I had had enough. I called Invisible Fence, and we scheduled to replace the old wire field with a new one. Today, it is getting installed. OK, so where am I going with this?
Sometimes, we repair a broken system; while it works, it is still broken. Any rational person would have replaced the fence years ago. We hang on to our old way more than we like to admit. As I step away from the Episcopal Community Service ( ECS) and look at the systems designed to address poverty throughout the City of Philadelphia, I see many spliced wires and systems that break or don’t really change lives or, worse still, put people at risk.
This is why ECS took on a brain science-based coaching methodology to address long-term intergenerational poverty, which we call MindSet, and social and emotional learning with our Out of School Time ( OST) children. To do the best job of helping people gain economic mobility, you need to fix broken systems, and sometimes that is a replacement. We continue to use a broken system for many built-in reasons, but none warrant continuation if they don’t drive long-term change.
I am proud of ECS and our partners who have decided to take on the heavy lift and drive transformation rather than keep repairing the broken fences. We work through direct programs and services and advocate for public policy to change where it impacts people adversely.
Sometimes, you have to say “enough” and fix the fence.
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Do You Know What Your Customers Are Purchasing from You?
Guest writer Debbie Frakes encourages readers to keep track of customer activity in order to have a clear picture of your business in “Do You Know What Your Customers Are Purchasing From You?
To better understand your business and your customers, you have to take a close look at what they are buying from you the most, if you offer multiple products or services. By analyzing the types of purchases your customers make, you can determine what sells the best, how often it sells, and which branches or departments move more or less of specific items. Armed with that information, you will be able to make more informed decisions about your business strategy, optimize resource allocation, and maximize your profitability.
Why tracking types of purchases matters
As an equipment dealer, your success depends on connecting customers with the products and services they need. Identifying purchasing patterns helps you pinpoint what matters most to your audience. Using these insights, you can fine tune your marketing and advertising strategies to focus on high value products—boosting both your marketing ROI and your customers’ satisfaction. Monitoring types of purchases also prevents wasted spend on promoting lower demand items. Instead, you can invest in the areas that generate the greatest return for your company.
Understand your trigger products
Triggers are the products and services that cause customers to come into the store or dealer in the first place. At the grocery store, they are products like bread, eggs, and milk. At equipment dealers, they are things like emergency repairs, seasonal inspections, or specific types of machine breakdowns that lead to a replacement rental. It’s the type of goods or services that bring the customer through the door.
By tracking and analyzing customer purchases, you will start to see what your specific trigger products are. Once you recognize them, you can highlight those items in your marketing and advertising materials. That way, when a customer requires something like a seasonal inspection, they’ll think of you and schedule with you, then potentially purchase more products and services as a result.
Optimize your resources for maximum impact
Your marketing, sales, and financial resources are limited, so they should be used as strategically as possible. Regularly reviewing key business metrics, like the types of purchases that are most common, helps you determine which products to promote, so you feature them in email campaigns, highlight them on your website, and focus on them for any paid advertising. Beyond marketing, these insights also shape decisions on inventory and expansion. Knowing which products sell best allows you to introduce complementary offerings that align with customer demand.
Understanding the types of purchases that are most popular with your customers also helps you understand how well branches are performing and which ones are selling more or less of a specific product or service. If something is selling great at every branch but one, then there is probably an issue specific to that branch that you can address and solve, so their revenues will increase accordingly.
Expand customer awareness with strategic upselling
Once you know your customers’ purchasing behaviors, you can introduce them to additional products they may not have considered. They might visit your website or open an email for one item, but with the right strategy, they’ll discover more of what your dealership has to offer. Use your most popular products to drive engagement and increase overall sales.
Our partner, Zintoro, provides equipment dealers with comprehensive business analytics reporting, helping them track key business metrics like types of purchases, purchase frequency, customer retention, and more.
Schedule a Zintoro demo today to uncover valuable insights and start making data driven decisions!
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The Hidden Risk to Services
Guest writer Kevin Landers returns this week with a blog post on the hidden risk to services. Read on to learn more about how hidden IT chaos undermines dealership success.
For equipment dealerships, the service department stands as a pivotal revenue generator. A well-oiled service operation not only ensures customer satisfaction but also significantly boosts the dealership’s bottom line. At a minimum, a service department should generate millions annually. Which means every minute of downtime is money lost. Yet, many dealerships are sabotaging their own success with IT setups that are outdated, unreliable, or completely unmanaged.
Lurking beneath the surface of many dealerships are IT challenges that, if left unaddressed, can severely hamper service efficiency and profitability.
The Unseen IT Pitfalls in Dealerships
Modern equipment dealerships are increasingly reliant on technology to manage operations, from scheduling maintenance to processing orders. Yet, many are encumbered by outdated or poorly managed IT infrastructures. Common issues include:
The Strategic Importance of Robust IT Management
To transform IT from a potential liability into a strategic asset, dealerships should focus on the following areas:
Real-World Implications of IT Mismanagement
The consequences of neglecting IT management are tangible and detrimental:
The Path Forward: Embracing IT as a Catalyst for Growth
To harness the full potential of their service departments, dealerships must:
In the dynamic landscape of equipment dealerships, a strategic approach to IT management is not just beneficial—it is imperative. By addressing IT challenges head-on and embracing technology as an enabler, dealerships can unlock new levels of efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction. The journey toward IT excellence is a continuous one, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
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520 Chestnut Street
Guest writer David Griffith continues his Muddy Boots blog series this week with “520 Chestnut Street.”
I have lived and worked in the Philadelphia region on and off for the last 45 years. For many of those years, I walked past Independence Hall on my way to work. On occasion, I would go in, usually at an off-hour, and look, be quiet, and think of the history that has taken place within these walls.
Now more than ever, I marvel at the wisdom of these founders and the men and women who have continued the work that started at 520 Chestnut Street. It is said that “democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” The wisdom of the three branches of government and the associated checks and balances. Flawed, most certainly, but a remarkable resilience in the face of challenges from within and without.
As we are near our 250th anniversary as a nation, we feel we have some decisions to make. Our history is that of a nation of immigrants and immigration. Legal immigration has fueled our growth, and the diversity brought has been a source of strength. Our history on race and gender equality has much pain and continues to be a source of friction, disagreement, and injustice.
How we move forward will set the stage for the next 250 years. It is critical we look forward and not backward; we look for the opportunity for growth, not the decay of the status quo. To find the common ground and include all Americans. There is a reason people want to move to America. Opportunity.
Imagine if thirty percent of people who live in poverty found the opportunity of a living wage job. Why would we not want the growth that would follow? A country and government with a strong private economy in the right balance focused on growth and all that implies drives opportunity. Imagine thirty percent more consumers.
However, that vision requires a strong, independent economy, a focused government operating under the rule of law and the checks and balances of the original founding vision, and a practical and strong public policy that drives the conditions for growth, innovation, security, and opportunity.
The time has come for the next 250 years. I would suggest we look back to move forward. We have our differences, but we also have the opportunity to gain experience from the differences and, in doing so, find the common ground we all crave. And that would be authentic leadership.
The us, them, needs to become the we.
As in “We the people.”
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What It Takes to Be a Great Training Instructor: Beyond the Basics
Guest writer Jim Dettore digs down into instructional practices in “What It Takes to Be a Great Training Instructor: Beyond the Basics.”
Being a great training instructor is more than knowing your material or speaking in front of a room. It’s about creating an experience that sticks with your learners long after they leave your session. Having spent over 30 years teaching technical, leadership, and communication skills, I’ve learned that delivering information is just the starting point. The true art of training lies in how you engage, connect, and bring the content and the learning space to life.
Since starting out training Grove Crane operators in the 1990s and moving into leadership and instructional roles in 1998, I’ve seen firsthand what makes some trainers exceptional. I’ve also sat through over 100 training classes and seminars myself, learning to spot the difference between average and outstanding instructors. I always wanted to emulate trainers like Lloyd Shull at Empire Cat’s Regional Dealer Learning Center, he made every session fun, engaging, and interactive. And people remembered what they learned.
Along the way, I’ve also been influenced by trainers like Amy Parrish of Iluma Learning, whose ability to create dynamic and engaging sessions is second to none. Teaching is about building connections and crafting a learning environment where people feel comfortable, curious, and motivated.
Let’s dive into what makes a great trainer, including not only communication and engagement tools but also how the physical training space itself can boost learning.
Without deep knowledge of your subject matter, you can’t create the credibility or trust needed in a learning space. A trainer who fumbles through the material or relies too heavily on slides loses the room fast.
A standout trainer:
Remember: knowledge creates confidence, and confidence creates trust.
Great communication goes beyond speaking clearly. The best trainers know how to modulate tone, pace, and language to keep their audience engaged.
Communication tips for trainers:
Communicating to large groups:
With bigger groups, the need for energy and presence increases. Walk the room when possible, and make sure your voice reaches the back. Repeat audience contributions to ensure everyone hears and feels included.
The physical environment is often overlooked, but it’s critical to fostering engagement and focus.
What to consider in your training space:
Humans are visual learners by nature. A blank slide deck and a monotone voice will drain energy fast.
Visual and sensory engagement ideas:
When I implemented simple visuals and allowed space for participants to physically interact, whether through sketching, building models, or hands-on exercises, engagement skyrocketed. Amy Parrish is a master at integrating movement and creativity into learning activities, blending traditional teaching with dynamic participation.
The best trainers:
Even providing sticky notes and markers can empower learners to participate visually during brainstorming sessions or group discussions.
Tips for keeping people engaged all day:
Great instructors don’t just teach; they connect. Participants are more likely to absorb content when they feel seen and valued.
One-on-one check-ins during breaks or after sessions can also help build rapport, especially with participants who may be struggling to engage.
Building group connection:
After three decades of delivering and observing training, here’s what consistently sets great trainers apart from average ones:
Emotional Intelligence:
Commitment to Growth:
Despite delivering over 500 classes, I still learn something new from every session. The best trainers are humble, constantly refining their craft.
Final Thoughts: Creating the Full Experience
At the end of the day, a successful training experience is a combination of:
When I think back to people like Lloyd Shull and Amy Parrish, what stands out isn’t just what they taught, it’s how they made their learners feel. They created spaces where people were comfortable, curious, and energized.
If you want to move from average to great as a trainer, invest in the full experience: the room, the tools, the human connection, and yourself.
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AI is Flipping the Economy on its Head – Here’s What You Need to Know
Guest writer Steve Clegg tackles the worries and opportunities that come with Artificial Intelligence in “AI is Flipping the Economy on its Head.”
Let’s talk about something huge that’s happening right now – AI is completely changing how our economy works. And trust me, this is way more interesting than it might sound at first.
What’s the Big Deal?
Think about how you buy stuff today versus 10 years ago. Remember when you had to:
Deal with pushy salespeople who knew nothing about what you actually wanted
Wait forever for customer service
Get stuck with one-size-fits-all products
Pay crazy fees for simple financial transactions
Well, AI is killing all of that. And it’s about time!
The Old Way is Dying (Good Riddance!)
For basically forever, business worked like a pyramid:
Big shots at the top making all the decisions
Middle managers pushing paper
Customers at the bottom dealing with whatever they got
That’s flipping upside down now. AI is putting customers where they should be – at the top.
Everything else is just support.
Here’s What’s Coming (Actually, It’s Already Here)
Super-Personal Everything
AI knows what you want before you do
Products that adapt to YOU
No more “sorry, that’s just our policy” nonsense
Money Getting Smarter
Real-time everything – prices, exchange rates, interest
No more waiting 3 days for a simple bank transfer
Local prices that make sense for YOUR area
Cutting Out the Middlemen
Direct person-to-person deals
Way lower costs
Faster everything
The Tricky Parts
Look, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. We’ve got some stuff to figure out:
What happens to jobs that AI can do better
Making sure AI plays fair
Updating laws that were written for the horse-and-buggy era
Dealing with money that’s backed by… well, nothing really
Why Should You Care?
Because this train is leaving the station, and you want to be on it, not under it. Companies that get this are crushing it. The ones still doing things the old way? Well, let’s just say Blockbuster probably wished they’d seen Netflix coming.
What’s Next?
We’re going to dive into how all this actually works – no boring technical stuff, just real talk about how AI is changing the game for:
How you buy and sell
How money moves around
How businesses run
How we all make a living
Ready to see where this is going? Stick around – it’s going to be a wild ride!
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