Free Yourself to Focus on Your Business

By nature, we humans are social. Even the most introverted among us knows that fostering good, long-lasting relationships is central to fulfillment in life. In 1992, author and counselor Gary Chapman was so convinced about the importance of relationships that he wrote a #1 New York Times international bestseller The 5 Love Languages® to help couples and families…

The cool autumn air has returned, and the kids are back in school. For those in the workforce, the emerging bright fall foliage should serve as a reminder that the end of another year is fast approaching and it’s time to put things in order for your future. Indeed, there are several items of business…

I used to mow my own lawn.  It only took a few hours, wasn’t hard to do, and gave me a sense of accomplishment when it was all done.  Every week.  Every Saturday.  Mow and weed eat.  But occasionally either my mower or weed wacker would break down and I’d spend half a day with…

Life is hard.  So is work.  Sometimes things in life go awry and those events deeply impact our ability to work.  For some people, that’s called Monday.  But for others, it’s a debilitating daily struggle that requires help.  And whether the disability is innate or acquired through a life experience or traumatic event, physical and/or…

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” a phrase most often credited to John C. Maxwell, an American clergyman, author, and speaker, is one of the most overused sayings in many aspects of life, but that’s only because it holds so much truth.  After all, any team comprised of truly great team players can accomplish amazing things! Businesses…

The music world recently lost a legend and it hit me particularly hard.  Having once performed on stage with Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band, I consider myself to be one of his biggest fans – a true “Parrot Head” – Hawaiian shirt, flip-flops, and all.  In the days that followed his passing, his…

During half time of a very competitive high school lacrosse game, my goalie son made an impassioned case to his team to rally in the second half.  It was not the first time he’d been so vocal, and it never went unnoticed by the fans.  In fact, during this intermission, the mother of one of…

If you’ve been on either side of the desk during a performance review, you know just how dreadful the process can be. For both the supervisor and the employee, the anticipation and administrative preparation required for appraisal day can be exhausting especially when the regular day-to-day job demands don’t lighten up. Indeed, performance review season…

An abridged version of the parable of bricklayers goes something like this: Three masons busily setting bricks to rebuild London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral were asked what they were doing. The first said, “I’m laying bricks.” The second said, “I’m building this wall so I can feed my family.” The third said proudly, “I’m building a…

Even before COVID-19, employees increasingly valued flexibility in their weekly work routines.  According to a Flexjobs survey in 2019, only 16% of respondents were looking for a job that offered flexible work.  Compare that to a recent GoodHire survey of those working from home since the start of the pandemic where 74% would need some…

It appears employers and employees are learning together how the post-pandemic workplace has changed and continues to evolve.  Fear of the unknown drove the country and the business world into a temporary paralysis until American grit and determination brought about innovative solutions to keep the lights on.  None of it was easy, but we have…

Employees are the lifeblood of any company.  Business leaders invest valuable resources recruiting, screening, hiring, training, and supporting each member of the “dream team” that makes the business thrive.  When skies are clear and things are running smoothly, customers are happy, and business is great.  But when a tempest brews in a team member’s life,…

Renowned author Stephen Covey once said, “If there’s one thing that’s certain in business, it’s uncertainty.” We live in trying times. The global pandemic, sociopolitical conflict, inflictions of oppression and war, rising inflation, the competitive labor market, the exorbitant price of necessities such as food, fuel, and clothing, etc. The list goes on. Add to…

America has significantly shifted the way it works since COVID-19 came into our lives.  Maintaining business operations since early 2020 has required surviving companies to be creative and implement new business approaches to accommodate mandatory social distancing, work area layouts, and virtual versus in-person co-worker and customer interaction.  Shouldering the brunt of adapting to keep…

Whether you’re a 16 year-old high school student working your first job or a 20 year-old living at home because college was too expensive or too time consuming, you’ve probably been told by family, friends, and social media that success in employment comes with a college degree.  And statistically, they are correct.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Bachelor’s degree recipients earn 49% more than those with some college or no degree…

Growing up, I certainly never yearned for a career in HR.  In fact, several years ago my then 5 year-old daughter asked what I did for work.  When I replied, “human resources,” she puzzledly asked, “What kind of race-horses are those?!”…

Small businesses seek to hire the best, the brightest, and the most gifted employees from a talent pool that looks very much like our local community.  We devote hours upon hours recruiting and selecting employees we feel are the best fits for our organizations…