How to Use This Track

Complete each topic below with a group or mentor and log it here to qualify for Job Corps incentives and FlexTalk awards. Students who finish this track are eligible to become a mentor.

How It Works

Schedule a time and a place to meet and discuss the first topic. Watch the topic ahead of time to prepare for your meeting and use a journal to take notes. Then, when you meet, use the discussion questions as needed to talk through the topic. Meetings should last 15- to 60-minutes. Repeat this process for all 8 topics, meeting every week. 

The Four Commitments

New to FlexTalk conversations? Make the four FlexTalk commitments:

  1. Come ready to talk. Make a commitment to watch the video or listen to the audio before you meet for a conversation. This will prepare you to bring your own ideas and participate.
  2. Come ready to listen. Don’t just share your perspective. If you find yourself lecturing or dominating the conversation, stop yourself and start listening more.
  3. Come ready to discover. Nobody has a corner on the truth. In good conversations you can expect to discover a fresh perspective on just about any topic.
  4. Come ready to change. The goal in every conversation is transformation, not just information. You’re the only one who can act on something new you’ve discovered.

Learn more about FLEXTALK.org.

Topic #1

Talking Points:

  • EQ (Emotional Quotient) measures your emotional and relational health. It’s even more important for your future success than I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient).
  • A person with high EQ is self aware and brave enough to articulate their faults and strengths.
  • A person with high EQ develops a “growth mindset” where they work hard to push against the low expectations for people in their situation.
Discussion Questions:
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. If you could have any job in the world, what would you choose and why?
  3. Share the last time you felt the emotion of excitement. Share the last time you felt stressed. How did both of those emotions affect you in the moment?
  4. Why do you think understanding yourself and others is a better skill to have than book smarts?
  5. Make a list of 3 of your strengths. Share one area in your life where you know you need to grow and improve. What can you start doing today to overcome that weakness and turn it into a strength?
  6. Write a personal action step based on this topic.
Topic #2

Talking Points:

  • Healthy people show empathy for others and learn to view situations from someone else’s perspective.
  • Healthy people are humble and teachable when someone points out a weakness and shows a willingness to learn from their mistakes.
  • Healthy people set boundaries and have the courage to say “no” both professionally and personally.
Discussion Questions:
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. How do you get along with others? How often do you experience conflict with friends and family? Explain.
  3. How do you feel when others don’t listen to your perspective? How do you do at listening to others?
  4. Why is it hard to be in relationships with people who think they’re always right?
  5. Share about a person in your life who you know wants to help you accomplish your goals in life. Who in your life doesn’t have your best interest in mind? How do you know? How can you draw boundaries with that person?
  6. Write a personal action step based on this topic.
Topic #3

Talking Points:

  • Mature adults increasingly take ownership of their lives and stop playing the victim.
  • Mature adults recognize their physical and emotional needs and seek out healthy ways to meet those needs.
  • Mature adults know the basics of budgeting: earning, saving, spending and giving.
Discussion Questions:
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. What lifestyle do you dream of having (own a house, car, trips, clothes). What kind of job do you need in order to afford that lifestyle?
  3. What does a victim mentality look like to you? When have you played the victim in your life? What would it look like to take control of your circumstances to achieve your goals?
  4. In what areas of life are you currently struggling? What or who could help you to manage those problems?
  5. Why is a budget important? Have you ever made a budget? Explain. How could learning to manage your money help you in your life?
  6. Write a personal action step based on this topic.
Topic #4

Talking Points:

  • Honesty is having the courage to say it like it is and the kindness to hold back when you need to.
  • Integrity is being the same person in front of people that you are when you’re alone.
  • Responsibility is taking ownership of your actions and attitudes instead of looking for someone to blame.
Discussion Questions:
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Share your worst experience working with someone whether it was a co-worker or supervisor. Why was that person so difficult to work with and what happened?
  3. What do you think the balance is between being honest about your frustrations but being kind in your approach? What is likely to happen if you just react without thinking?
  4. How do you respond to a two-faced person? Why is it hard to trust someone like this? 
  5. Evaluate yourself. Are you the same person no matter where you are? What would others say about you?
  6. Why does our attitude matter as much as our actions? How will you start taking more ownership of your attitude and efforts at school and at work?
  7. Write a personal action step based on this topic.
Topic #5

Talking Points:

  • Healthy communication requires active listening: repeating back what someone else is saying before you try to get your own point across.
  • Healthy communication requires giving input: offering your opinion when you have something worth saying.
  • Healthy communication requires buying in: following directions even when the team’s decision doesn’t go your way.
Discussion Questions:
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. When’s the last time you were in a conversation with someone but they weren’t listening to you? How did you know they weren’t listening and how did that make you feel?
  3. What does it mean to be an active listener? Why is it important to hear someone else’s point of view?
  4. Why is it better to speak when you have something to say rather than talking for the sake of talking? 
  5. Describe what you think it means to be a team player? Why is it damaging to a group when some work against a team decision?
  6. Write a personal action step based on this topic.
Topic #6

Talking Points:

  • Your perspective is valuable-but it’s not always valid. Proactively seek the point of view of people who are different from you.
  • Recognizing your personal bias can lead to breakthroughs at work and in life. Blindly embracing your bias can make you irrelevant.
  • Be willing to make a decision and make it work. When necessary, be willing to do it again for the same problem.
Discussion Questions:
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Share some of your strongest opinions. How did you form those opinions?
  3. Do you have friends or co-workers who are really different than you? How do you interact with them?
  4. Why is it valuable to hear someone else’s point of view? How do you feel when people don’t care about your opinions?
  5. Have you ever felt discriminated against? Explain. How did that affect you?
  6. Do you have any biases toward certain people? Have you ever assumed something of someone and turned out to be wrong? Explain.
  7. Thomas Edison made a lot of mistakes before he got the right design. Why is it important to keep trying, even when mistakes happen? What decisions do you need to make about your future?
  8. Write a personal action step based on this topic.
Topic #7

Talking Points:

  • Your personal or professional mission is a short, catchy statement that captures the “why” behind what you’re setting out to accomplish.
  • Your vision is a bullet-point picture of what your life or career will look like in the years to come.
  • Your strategy identifies 3-5 big “boxes” that represent growth areas, with clear action steps listed in each box.
Discussion Questions:
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. What are some social issues that you care about? Why are those important to you? How can your passion for those things impact your future career?
  3. What do you want your life to look in a year? In five years? 
  4. What are some of the practical steps you need to take to make your vision a reality? (College, specialized job training, tutor)
  5. Write a personal action step based on this topic.
Topic #8

Talking Points:

  • FlexTalk can be a great resource for you beyond this leadership track and even once you leave Job Corps. There are tons of topics to choose from to help you continue to grow as an individual.
  • Now that you’ve completed the career success track, you’re ready to become a mentor yourself. Talk to your mentor about how to do that.
  • Your future is yours to own. Keep your mission, vision, and strategy in front of you for career success.
Discussion Questions:
  1. What’s your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Describe how this mentoring experience has impacted you. What are some other topics that you want/need to talk about?
  3. Identify the benefits of becoming a mentor yourself. How could your role as a mentor help to set you apart from others? What do you think future employers will think about it?
  4. Revisit your mission, vision and strategy. How will you continue to incorporate those things in your life?
  5. Write a personal action step based on this topic.

Bonus Topics

What’s Your Mission at Work?

Mission answers the question, “Why do we exist?” Remember three things as you develop or refine your mission statement.

Strategic Alignment

Understanding your mission and vision is only half the battle. If you do not align your team around common strategic objectives, you will never accomplish the mission.

The Power of Habit

If you’re anything like most people, you have habits you probably want to break. Here’s how.

How to Use Rhetoric to Get What You Want

Rhetoric isn’t just a club in high school. Whether in advertising, at work, or in a political speech, people and companies are always trying to persuade us to see things their way.

Being Vulnerable as a Leader

Most of the time we imagine leaders as strong, not vulnerable. Find out how vulnerability will build trust with your team and make you a better leader in the long-run.

Boundary Conflict With Friends

If you’re a compliant person, you need to watch out for these 4 types of conflicts that can complicate friendships.

How to Navigate Roommate Relationships

Roommate relationships can be some of the trickiest relationships to navigate in life. They can be temporary and casual, or they can lead into a lifelong friendship. Whatever the outcome, in order for them to function smoothly, these relationships require thought and care.

Strategy, Action Steps and Habits for the Team

Once the “boulders” of strategic objectives are in place, it’s time to establish the “pebbles” of action steps. Eventually, the “sand” of everyday habits can be ingrained in everything you do as a team.

Winning the War Within as a Leader

The first four principles for winning in business and in life have nothing to do with luck or environment. It’s all about who you are on the inside.

Just for Administrators

This program is offered by FlexTalk in cooperation with Job Corps. Successful administration of the program requires activity on part of both organizations.

FlexTalk will provide:

  • A customized “Career Advancement” track (above)
  • An embedded form (above) for students to log progress
  • Custom spreadsheet for log entries
  • Weekly “Bonus Topics” (above)
  • FlexTalk leadership certificates

The Job Corps center will provide a program administrator who will oversee:

  • Program marketing
  • Mentor recruitment
  • Mentor training
  • Mentor assignment
  • Integration of hours into phase system
  • Award distribution

Program administrators, please sign up here.

Got questions? Just ask.

FLEXTALK @ School