Education Sessions Going Strong as Virtual Experience Powers Through Day 3

Education and professional development was in full force during Day Three of the ISSA Show North America Virtual Experience as attendees learned pandemic leadership lessons, heard predictions about the future of the global cleaning industry, and learned best practices for how to clean and disinfect for health and wellness.  

The Virtual Experience continues today with more great educational sessions, exhibitor spotlights, and the anticipated announcement of the ISSA Innovation Awards winner at 3:45 p.m. CTl. Remember registration is still available for this event and educational sessions and exhibitor resources will be available on demand through March 2021 with the All-Access pass. And if you are looking for new products and services, the Expo Only pass is free!

Now, let’s catch up on highlights from Day Three.

Spotlight Panel Provides Direction for the Future of Cleaning

A panel of experts discussed ongoing and future strategies the global cleaning community must embrace in COVID-19: Where Do We Go From Here, Wednesday’s Spotlight Speaker event.

The event featured Patricia Olinger, executive director of GBAC, a Division of ISSA; Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, director of GBAC; Carolyn Berland, senior scientist/brand innovation manager at Essity; and David Causton, general manager of McCormick Place in Chicago.

Macgregor-Skinner explained how to translate written procedures and protocols into practical “how-to” guidance for the cleaning industry, stressing the need to use science-based information. Berland concentrated on proper handwashing, stressing the superiority of soap and water over alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Causton offered his vision for the future of conventions, speculating they will be hybrid, perhaps more regional, and implement safety measures. 

Read more details about the spotlight panel’s presentation. 

How to Be a Pandemic Leader

Liz Trotter, owner of American Maid Cleaning LLC, knows most leaders are struggling during the current pandemic. That’s why her session on Day Three of ISSA Show North America, Don’t Just Survive in Tough Times – THRIVE, taught industry leaders ways to cope in times of crisis. She pointed to a quote from businessman Vinod Khosla as key to handling tough times: “Every problem is an opportunity. The bigger the problem, the bigger the opportunity.” Trotter said, when we notice things are not how we need them to be, we must see them as an opportunity because we are the ones who spotted the problem, which means we are the ones who can use it as an opportunity. 

Trotter laid out three points to focus on when leading when we face a problem: 1) Mindset, 2) operations, 3) relationships. She said, “The people who are thriving still feel like they’re barely hanging on right now. It’s okay. We all feel that way in these unprecedented times, but the people using these three things are being a lot more successful.”

Mindset: Trotter says, focusing on your mindset does not mean you must have positive attitude, adding it is great to have but not key. Some negative attitude is okay as long as you have a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset. A growth mindset, coined by Carol Dweck, looks at failures as opportunity for growth, such as thinking, “I failed; now how can I improve?” A fixed mindset sees failure as the end, such as thinking “I failed. That’s it. I need to be sure I don’t push myself too far because this is the best I can offer.”

“Know and trust that you’re not stuck with your fixed mindset. You can have a growth mindset when you choose to,” Trotter explained. “Nobody has a growth mindset around every single issue…People with very strong growth mindsets think, ‘Yeah, but not with this.’ We all have to work at it.”

To help leaders turn to a growth mindset, Trotter recommended the TED Talk with Dweck, “The Power of Believing that You Can achieve.”

Operations: Trotter said leaders must focus on maintaining and growing the operations of their businesses. (See the chart below). She says, while all aspects of operations are at the times they are important. Then at other times they are less so, and leaders must focus on what is important at a given time.

Relationships: Trotter considers relationships the most important point for growing as a leader in difficult times. She said, “Sometimes you can borrow a good mindset from someone else.”

Trotter explained that people, especially leaders have power in other’s behavior, and when we lead by example, others will change their mindset too. However, she says, “We feel compelled to do the thing that is going on around us. We don’t know how to keep doing our thing when others aren’t doing their part around us,” so we can end up falling to their level.

Trotter suggests using the “Be Better to Get Better” approach to change build better relationships in times of struggle. She says, “It’s hard to recognize you’re in the box and hard to want to leave it.”

On the left side of the chart are ways to be in order to make others follow you. If you will change your actions, they will change theirs. She says you do not have to use all of these; try one, and if it doesn’t work, try another. She added, “Don’t get sucked back into the right-side box.”

Lastly, Trotter suggests performing a daily “mindset check” in which leaders first think of their biggest problem of the day; second, reflect on how they responded; and third, decide if they thought in a growth mindset or a fixed mindset. If they had a fixed mindset, they should look for growth opportunities by deciding how they could better handle that problem next time.

This session was part of the Residential Cleaning Track, presented by ARCSI, a Division ISSA. Find more sessions in this track here.

Disinfection, Claims, and Efficient Application

Disinfection has become a more important topic and business driver than ever before during the pandemic. Ecolab Inc.’s Amanda Bakken, lead chemist and disinfection expert, and Kaycee Strewler, disinfection procedure and training specialist, discussed how to select products for pandemic cleaning and where and how they should be used in Wednesday’s educational session The Changing Landscape of Disinfection, Claims and Efficient Application.

As you strive to maintain clean, healthy facilities, how do you know which cleaning and disinfection product to choose? “The most important question to ask is what are you trying to clean?” said Bakken, noting the answer will vary based on your specific facility and needs. However, when it comes to choosing a disinfectant for combatting the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, you must ensure the disinfectant is registered on the EPA’s List N for COVID-19 Disinfectants.

Bakken showed attendees where to find the EPA registration number on the product label that can be entered into the EPA List N Tool on the EPA website to verify this. She said you must still look at the product label for proper dilution instructions and recommended using a one-step broad spectrum disinfectant that would not only kill SARS-CoV-2, but also harder-to-kill pathogens like MERS. “Make sure the disinfectant you choose can be your single solution to kill all of these pathogens,” Bakken said.

Increased disinfection has also led to the increased use of electrostatic sprayers during the pandemic, which when used properly ensures uniform and comprehensive coverage of surfaces. Bakken and Strewler discussed the considerations for choosing between trigger spraying, pressure spraying, and electrostatic spraying. When it comes to electrostatic spraying, “find specific directions for use on the product label or on the EPA website,” Bakken said. “The EPA also requires specific PPE for all products used through electrostatic sprayers (a N95 mask).”

Another key factor when selecting an electrostatic sprayer is the nozzle size. “Making sure the nozzle is the right size is critically important,” Strewler said. She recommended a size of at least 40 microns for effective spraying. She said there are many electrostatic sprayer options on the market now including battery-powered backpack options, which allow for more mobility. Choices should be based on your facility type and the area you are cleaning.

This session was part of the Infection Prevention and Control track sponsored by Victory Innovations. Find more sessions in this track here.

See highlights from Day 2

COVID-19: The Triad

Understanding the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on health care providers and staff is crucial to addressing the future outlook of the industry as a whole. Dr. Shalonda Wilson-Patterson told Virtual Experience attendees in her session, COVID-19: The Triad, the driver of success is to have three key health care departments or stakeholder groups—nursing staff, environmental services (EVS) staff, and infection control committees—work together going forward.

“Collaboration is key,” Patterson said. “We are no longer to work in silos. Communication is critical.”

Patterson, a licensed registered nurse, nurse practitioner and a physician assistant who has worked in health care since 1988, said the COVID-19 pandemic has brought these three groups to the table like she’s never seen before. “Everyone has been hands-on, everyone has been all-in. Everyone has been committed,” Patterson said.

Patterson is optimistic about the difference this newfound collaboration can make in fighting future outbreaks. She is also hopeful about the $180 million U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) program Project Front Line, which the CDC says will provide millions of frontline health care workers and members of the public health workforce the infection control training they need to protect the nation from infectious disease threats.

Patterson believes the lessons learned during the pandemic will be a springboard for more new processes and procedures that can be used should a similar outbreak occur in the future, and that these three key groups will be the ones taking the lead together to provide answers.

“In these unprecedented times, remember you have to stand together,” she said.

This session was part of the Healthcare Track, presented by IEHA, a Division of ISSA. Find more sessions in this track here.

When Disaster Strikes – Rental Disaster Response

What happens after a disaster or catastrophe occurs? David Drinard, national strategic customer manager at Sunbelt Rentals, discussed the importance of rental companies’ response to the urgent and often last-minute needs of restoration contractors at the session How We Make it Happen.

“Disasters happen every day while catastrophes, like hurricanes and floods, happen far less often but create damage to a wider area and require a great deal of more response. So how do we help the contractor in each of these scenarios?” Drinard asked Virtual Experience attendees.

Drinard discussed how Sunbelt Rentals “makes it happen” as he went over the three components a rental company should provide in its response plan for restoration contractors:

1. Availability – Core equipment should be available in all top metro markets with the ability to source it in other areas. For instance, Sunbelt equipment is available in over 900 locations in 46 states and Canada.

2. Reliability – Deliver equipment within one hour of promised delivery time. Have service operators on site within one hour of promised service time, committed to safety and training, and provide 24/7 customer support.

3. Ease – Promise total customer satisfaction in person, online, and by phone. Enable customers to view, manage, and track fleet in real time and at the project.



Rental equipment and services most helpful to restoration contractors during disasters and catastrophes include general tools, power and HVAC services, climate control services, flooring solutions, scaffold services, oil and gas services, pump solutions systems, ground protection, shoring solutions, industrial services, and industrial heat.

“Climate control services have been hard at work not just with the storms and fires, but also with setting up temporary hospital sites to help deal with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Drinard said. “Climate control teams are ready to respond at any time.”

Drinard said this year they added electrostatic sprayers to help their customers battle the pandemic. These sprayers disperse chemicals on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s N List, which can deactivate the coronavirus and many other infectious diseases and contaminants.

“Your job is our job,” Drinard said. “We all know that disasters don’t necessarily happen between 9 to 5 Monday through Friday. These things come over holidays and after hours. Contractors need a leader in after-hours service capability.”

This session was part of the Restoration and Remediation track. Find more sessions in that track here.

The Culture Connection to Company Success

As 2020 ends with more closings and restrictions due to increasing COVID-19 cases, an educational session on Tuesday afternoon by Dirk Beveridge, owner of Unleash WD,  Leveraging Your Purpose and Values to Lead During Uncertainty, offered tips for companies looking to keep their employees motivated. He stressed the importance of maintaining a company’s culture to keep workers focused.

A company’s culture is made up of three elements:

• Beliefs- “Beliefs are the ideas your company believes in so strongly that it will drive your actions even it if drives you toward losing money,” Beveridge said.
• Behaviors- “We need to drive the behaviors we will hold ourselves to as standards for everyone to follow, from CEOs to janitors and everyone in between,” he said.
• Commitment- “You need a commitment to these beliefs and behaviors because in times of uncertainty they will be under question,” Beveridge said.

Guiding ideas will help a company stay on track with maintaining its culture. Guiding ideas of made up of a company’s:

• Purpose- why the business exists
• Vision-the future reality you believe is possible with a committed effort
• Mission-how you plan to win in business
• Values- a set of behaviors to live by

“It’s our job as company leaders to help our people apply a company’s guiding ideas toward their work,” Beveridge said. “Guiding ideas provide clarity, focus, and direction while uncertainty is surrounding us. As leaders, it’s imperative our workers have a vivid idea of their guidelines.”

Managers closest to frontline workers will make a difference between whether a company’s guiding ideas live on, or fade into obscurity. He explained managers can ensure they live on by localizing the guiding ideas, or showing how they fit into the big picture.

“How do you localize your company’s guiding ideas,” Beveridge asked, offering four methods:

1. The review process- review the company’s guiding ideas
2. The connect process-How do these ideas mandate we perform on the job?
3. The envision process- Ask yourself “what is the standard of excellence we want to be known for?”
4. The capture process- How can you capture all the information generated from the previous three steps and make sure they stick as part of the company’s culture?

The Future of Cleaning for Health and Wellness

Also on Tuesday afternoon, Patty Olinger, executive director at GBAC, a Division of ISSA, hosted a panel of leaders from the professional cleaning and disinfection industry who discussed the challenges of cleaning for health and wellness in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and what new and innovative and creative solutions the industry will see moving forward.

In the session The Future of Cleaning—Cleaning for Health and Wellness with Innovative Solutions, Richard Simon, founder of United Service Companies, said the focus of his business has shifted to making people feel safe and discussed how safety measures implemented at events held during the pandemic, like hand sanitizer stations and thermal imaging for temperature checks, will likely remain after COVID-19. “Safety is a primal instinct and if people don’t feel safe they won’t want to resume their normal life and they won’t come to our events,” Simon said.

Andy Clement, chief customer officer at Kimberly-Clark Professional, said his company has recognized the need for agility and flexibility during the pandemic, especially when it comes to keeping their employees safe, which was their first priority. After that they turned toward keeping the supply chain open, pivoting quickly to new product categories (like wipes and masks), and learning how best to communicate digitally with their customers and sales team.

Panelists agreed automation technology that provides data and real-time insights such as restroom IoT systems that alert custodial staff when supplies are running low and autonomous vacuums that free up time for custodians to do other tasks, which have been around for a few years, have now taken center stage during the pandemic.

“One thing we noted that is very important is to now have systematic processes,” said Julien Seret, vice president of Robotics Integrations at SoftBank Robotics America. “People can no longer rely on a notion of visibly clean, it has to be a proven clean. Data was a side product initially, but this has really put a spotlight on data.”

Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, director at GBAC, a Division of ISSA, said in the future he’d like to see more visualization of cleaning that makes use of this type of data—more dashboards on display in public buildings with information that shows what cleaning was done and when it was done. This allows travelers and building occupants to make decisions and take the right precautions when moving from place to place, he said.

Gavin Macgregor-Skinner also said other needs have been exposed during the pandemic that will be addressed by the end of 2021. These include giving cleaning workers essential employee identification to carry with them to work and where they are needed; QR codes to product labels so users can scan and quickly access video instructions on how to use a product properly; and more training on product dwell times to ensure products are being used effectively.

ISSA Show North America Virtual Experience Continues 

Registration is still available for the ISSA Show North America Virtual Experience, and educational sessions will be available on demand through March 2021. Log into your Virtual Planner to add upcoming events to your planners, including these live sessions planned for Thursday: