Written by Dr. Dorothy A. Martin-Neville

Today is trash day. On the way to put out the barrels, I was caught by the vision of falling leaves. Only then did I notice all those that had already landed on the grass and the driveway. I can no longer pretend that it is simply “a cool day”. Fall has arrived and summer has left.

Yet again, I am struck by the realization that life passes by quicker and quicker each year. It’s all perspective, I know, yet it seems so real.

Written by Catherine Chadwick

Have you ever wished that you had changed your mind about something? Boy, I have.

Sometimes decisions are not made from our voice of intuition, but a voice of obligation or reactivity, or even poor programming.

Written by Dorothy A. Martin-Neville, PhD

A blessed and happy holiday to you. For some, it is simply a long weekend while for others it is a remembrance and celebration of the contributions of the working folks in both the development and achievements of the United States. It is a reminder that America is a country that has been built on the backs of millions of poor and hardworking people.

For all of us together, it also means that another summer is starting to wind down. School, in a variety of forms, has either begun or is about to begin. Not without the drama of masks or no masks for those going back into the classroom. Know your values and know that whatever they are, there is always a consequence. Own your values and the price of having them. How free you are to have a choice, even if one is a choice you don’t like….

Written by Joe Curcillo

Millions of people have made the decision to be entrepreneurs and independent business operators, and millions more will follow. 

One thing that many of them have in common is preparing for the unknown. What nobody tells someone who decides to become self-employed is that there are numerous things that will get in the way of your plan and that there will be some people who second-guess what they are doing or simply walk away. The good news is that the fear of the unknown doesn’t have to rule your life. 

Written by Machen MacDonald

Successful people know the secret of slowing down to speed up. It's about simplification and elimination. Finding ways to lighten the load, staying focused on the destination, and doing what must get done to complete the journey.

In auto racing, pit stops are a necessity to complete the race. Replenishing fuel, changing tires as they wear down and become unsafe, cleaning windshields, and making minor adjustments or repairs are all part of the successful pit stop. Even though when a car pulls into the pits, the pack of cars it was once ahead of passes on by, the car is doing the best thing for its chance to win. The other cars will need to pit as well, at some point, providing our car the chance to leap ahead. If the other cars don’t pit they run the risk of running out of fuel or worse…crashing and not finishing the race because of a worn tire that blows out or mechanical failure.

Written by Garrett Grega - Transforming Business Cultures and Leaders from the Inside Out

Have you ever hired the wrong person? If you could identify the characteristics for success in a position in advance, would you make the commitment? What if you had access to an assessment process that can compare “success” characteristics across multiple candidates, would this make it easier to hire?

Many companies approach their hiring process the same way. They cast a job description out and receive resumes from recruiters, employment sites, or their own career sites. As the hiring manager, you then need to filter through the list of resumes to find the perfect candidates for the role. Even after interviewing, you still may not know if the candidate will be a long-term fit for the organization.

New York State Passes New Regulation to Control the Spread of Airborne Infectious Disease 

Written by Marc Roberts

 

On May 5, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (“NY HERO ACT”) into law. The NY HERO ACT adds two new sections to the New York Labor Law... Section 218-b, which requires employers to establish prevention plans for airborne infectious diseases, and Section 27-d, which requires employers to allow employees to form “workplace safety committees."

Who is Covered?

Written by Matthew Heggem

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can make a huge difference in your business. Simply put, KPIs use data to track a key aspect of your organization’s performance. With precise growth objectives and accurate data, a dashboard of KPIs can paint a clear picture of what’s happening in your company and suggest new directions for growth and/or improvement.

Think of a doctor checking the electronic medical record next to a hospital patient’s bed to see at a glance whether they’re getting better or worse. Is the patient progressing as expected? Or is it time for a medication change or another procedure? If you can see and measure a problem, you can act on it, identifying and solving any performance issues.

Written by Suzanne Taylor-King

Sales slumps can do more harm than good for your business and your morale if you do not address them quickly and begin moving forward. The ideas below will help you address your sales slump immediately so you can begin the process of shaking the slump and propelling your business and your profits onward and upward.

The good news is that you do not have to implement all of these ideas at the same time. Go through the list one by one and begin making the changes you feel will offer the best results fastest.

Written By Michael Goldberg

Business Networking Mistakes
Here are my favorite ways to NOT make a connection, NOT develop a relationship, and NOT generate more prospects, more referrals, and more business when networking. 

Make It All About You
Ever meet someone and all they talk about is them? Most people don’t even realize they’re doing it. If this is you, see how you are? Talking about yourself exclusively is not a good way to learn, help others, connect, have fun, and develop meaningful relationships. In fact, most people will just avoid you! One less thing to worry about. 

Written by Machen MacDonald

Stop wasting time and energy trying to figure out what to do to grow your business.

Successful professionals and business owners have a proven daily routine you can borrow.

Written by John Rod

Recreating a brand for your company – The challenges are often frustrating and time-consuming.  How can you ensure you create a recognizable brand with lasting impact?

by Garrett Grega

As your team progresses through its own performance curve, you notice that some people are reaching for that next stage in career development. Are you prepared for what happens in the next stage? For that matter, do you recognize the career stage that you represent as a leader? How can you continue to develop people that are “rapid risers” in the organization?

Last time we discussed The “Four Stages Model” by Gene Dalton and Paul Thompson. You will recall that the model describes four different stages of career development: Dependent Contributor, Independent Contributor, Coach / Mentor, and Visionary. The 2 stages we will address today are Stage 3, Coach / Mentor, and Stage 4, Visionary.

Written by:  Alan Goldberg

Most of us are happiest operating within our “comfort zone” -- where everything is routine, familiar & safe. Inside our comfort zone, though, we rarely unlock our fullest potential. We often stay at a job or in a relationship, longer than we should -- because of its familiarity. There's comfort in security. The unknown can seem daunting.

Entrepreneurship is treacherous ground. You may face great risks, from the inception of a company through its growth stage, and even as you stabilize and gain momentum. If you’re going to be successful as a business owner, you need to be prepared for risk and address your fears proactively.

While each entrepreneur and each business is unique, there are five common fears almost every entrepreneur will need to face before starting a business:

Money
A business costs a lot of money to start and run. Capital is one of the biggest concerns most entrepreneurs have, and with good reason. Funding usually comes directly from an entrepreneur's savings or the pockets of independent investors. If you can't secure a reliable revenue stream by the time that initial startup capital runs out, the business -- and all that money -- is in jeopardy of being lost for good. Disappointing investors is one thing but losing your life savings is another!

Skills
Running a business takes specific talents and skills. Whether you're worried that you aren't good enough as an entrepreneur or that your product isn't good enough to be competitive, these fears can be debilitating.

Remember a simple concept that applies to all businesses launching with a minimum viable product. Your product doesn't have to be perfect when it first launches, nor does it have to be the best. It just has to be acceptable. From there, you'll have plenty of room to make improvements over time. No product ever starts out perfect. As an entrepreneur, you too can be a minimum viable product. You don't have to make all the right decisions, and you don't need to be a perfect leader. You just have to be passable until you have the time and experience to improve yourself.

Stress
The entrepreneurial life isn't chosen because it's easy. It's chosen because it's a challenge with many rewards along the way. If you're getting into entrepreneurship because it seems like an easy way to get rich quickly, someone has lied to you.

Entrepreneurship is riddled with obstacles, stress, and hard work. But, the flip side of entrepreneurship is control. Yes, you will inevitably feel overwhelmed at times, but it's all completely within your power to change.

Knowledge
You don't know what you don't know. The unknown is indescribable and impossible to prepare for. When you first get started with a business plan, a bit of money, and maybe a partner or a mentor by your side, you'll have no idea what to expect in your first year. For many, it's a thrilling thought, but it's also terrifying.

Entrepreneurship isn't a job. It becomes a lifestyle. You're choosing to be in this role because you're a risk-taker, you're passionate, you work hard and you believe in your idea.

Failure
The fear of failure gets the better of all of us occasionally. There are small failures -- such as a botched email-marketing campaign or a major bug you discover post-launch, and massive failures -- such as your company's going under. Failure will set you back no matter what. But, you can't let the fear of failure stop you from making a decision. Failure is only the end of the road if you let it be. Otherwise, it's just a temporary stopping point in a long path to a final destination. More important, failures are learning opportunities. Every failure you experience yields a lesson you can incorporate into your business or your life.

The above is more than enough to conquer any obstacle that gets in your way -- even the unknown ones. So put those fears to rest and believe in yourself. Risks shouldn't steer you away from pursuing entrepreneurship. Instead, see them for what they are: necessary obstacles on a greater path. There's no way to avoid the risks you'll face as an entrepreneur, but by recognizing them, you can prepare and mitigate them.

Written by Garrett Grega

You are supervising a new team.  How can you assess your team’s ability to succeed?  What do you need to do to achieve a high-performance team?  Over 15 years ago, I was introduced to the “Four Stages Model” of career development.  While simple in construct, the “Four Stages Model” provides a powerful tool in assessing not only your personal development but the development of your team.

The “Four Stages Model” is based on the research of Harvard Professors, Gene Dalton, and Paul Thompson.  The model describes four different stages of career development:  Dependent Contributor, Independent Contributor, Coach / Mentor, and Visionary.

Written by MerriLyn Gibbs

In our current work-from-home climate, the use of LinkedIn has become more and more important. It is a means of connecting, nurturing relationships, and promoting business and career development. Still, there also seems to be a lot of confusion on how to use it properly and what to actually "DO" with the platform.