Articles

You’ve Got Potential

Categories: Cleaning Applications, Innovations, Trends & Technology, Management

Accessible by: anyone

Are you prepared to unleash your untamed potential? Then head to Chicago, IL, for ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America 2016, which takes place October 25-28, at McCormick Place South.

Over the course of four days you can expand your horizons in countless ways. Learn how to operate effectively and efficiently on a budget. Discover the latest innovations in the cleaning industry. Draw inspiration from big-name speakers. And stay on the cutting edge with an education lineup that’s bigger and better than ever before.

Four Days of Education Await
ISSA/INTERCLEAN and the ISSA Convention will deliver an entirely revamped and even more engaging educational program. This year’s lineup will help you stay on the cutting edge of the marketplace with more than 60 sessions. You’ll have more content and format options, including: 

• Deeper dives (in-depth seminars on hot topics)
• Flash sessions (two 15-minute sessions in a 30-minute block of concentrated information)
• Ask the experts (panel discussions driven by attendees’ questions)
• Workshops (half- and full-day hands-on opportunities).

“Workloading: Art or Science” (sponsored by Whittaker Co.) promises to help attendees master the defined systems of cleaning and how to determine the right fit for a given facility. You’ll also get an in-depth look at the organizational structures, disciplines, and benefits of each system as well as how to motivate staff to increase performance and quality.

Does the idea of networking make you cringe, or can you work the room like a pro? Either way, “Networking Secrets of Successful Women” will offer sure-fire tips and methods to polish your skills and increase your confidence. This lively session includes built-in networking time to practice your newfound techniques. You’ll even discover the secret to juggling a plate of appetizers and a drink without embarrassing spills.

If you’re looking for tried-and-true techniques for developing your dream team, as well as building an environment that attracts the best people and increases your retention, put the “Hiring With Confidence” seminar on your agenda. Mary Miller, CEO of JANCOA Janitorial Services, will reveal how her company increased its annual profit and achieved a turnover rate that is 300 percent better than the industry average.

What really matters to prospects? When you attend “Get It Write: Killer Proposals That Land Accounts,” you’ll gain insider tips that will help you craft proposals with winning messages. In this session, you’ll learn how to strategically incorporate words and phrases, as well as which must-include elements of a powerful proposal will help you stand out from the competition and seal the deal.

Differentiate yourself from the competition and raise professionalism for the industry as a Cleaning Industry Training Standard (CITS) Accredited Certification Trainer (A.C.T.). In the CITS Accredited Certification Trainer workshop, you’ll master adult learning best practices and the principles of effective training for the cleaning industry.

Think there’s nothing new in hard floor care? Think again. In the “Cleaning Management Institute (CMI) Hard Floor Care Certification” session, you’ll hear an overview of hard floor surfaces and current trends. You’ll leave with a CMI Hard Floor Care handbook and an opportunity to take an online exam to earn certification. Plus, this course will carry a CITS designation toward the CITS Master’s program.

Are you interested in advancing your career? If so, then the CMI Supervisor course is for you. It provides an overview of major supervising and management topics, including employee engagement, progressive discipline, and what qualities you need to be a leader. You will leave the course with a CMI Supervisor handbook along with designation toward the CITS Master’s program.

Get Inspired
Inventor Thomas Edison famously said “Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” So in addition to seminars, workshops, sessions, and panels, allow the show’s keynote speakers to inspire you.

Keynote speaker Rob O’Neill will open the show on Wednesday, October 26, with his address, “Never Quit.” Join O’Neill, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, as he translates his elite team training into high-impact, actionable insights on leadership, decision-making, and operating in uncertain environments. Learn the ingredients for a successful mission: the right people, preparedness, decision-making under pressure, and—above all—a commitment to never quit.

Comedian and political commentator Dennis Miller takes the stage on Thursday, October 27. Maybe you’ve seen him on “The O’Reilly Factor” or listened to his syndicated radio show. Perhaps you remember him from his days as anchor of the “Weekend Update” segment on “Saturday Night Live.” Now, you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the idiosyncratic, award-winning Miller and experience for yourself what critics call “topical, scathing brilliance.”

Silicon Valley icon Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, will close out the show on Friday, October 28. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear Wozniak’s inspiring stories of entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity. Learn about his personal vision for the future of technology and how it applies to the facility solutions industry. Discover his secrets to taking the initiative to ensure that you are always going for great. The talk will include a moderated question-and-answer session.

Break Away From the Pack
If the highlighted sessions pique your interest, check out the full education schedule at www.issa.com/seminars and register at www.issa.com/show. The possibilities, as they say, are endless. 

About the Author.

Kirsten Lambert works in the Marketing Department at ISSA. She can be reached at [email protected].