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The Impact of Gratitude
Many of my fellow business owners struggled through third quarter. Revenue was lower than usual, the temperatures were higher than normal, and production was stalled. I have been asked time and again to create strategies that can turn around these trends (and quickly). Suddenly that request has a sense of urgency it didn’t possess in […]
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Fourth Quarter Goal Planning
As businesses approach the fourth quarter, (WHAT?!) you will hear repeatedly that is a smart business practice to prepare for a strong finish to the year. We know that. But how do we do it and what should we focus on? Here are some ideas to get you started with your 4th Quarter goal planning. […]
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Using September to Refresh your Goals
As I sit here staring at the calendar, I am surprised, although I shouldn’t be, when I turn the page and see “September” across the top of it. Really? Did I just say September? Before you know it, we will be drinking pumpkin spice lattes (don’t hate, they are my favorite) and putting up holiday […]
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The Impact of Professionalism
I “grew up” in corporate. I started there early and was molded by the professionals around me. They helped me polish my behavior, my language, and even my appearance. Looking back, I can’t say I agree with everything I was told to change. I can say that I appreciate the mentorship I received from some […]
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How to Keep your Business Moving Forward in this Heat!
Summer officially began on June 20th this year, but any business owner knows that summer really began when school let out the end of May. The Phoenix heat has set in by now and the air conditioners are running non-stop, and people are finding cooler places to vacation. Is summer different for business owners? Yes […]
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Servant Leadership
One of the corporations I worked with in the 2000’s decided they wanted to transform all their leaders into Servant Leaders. It wasn’t a new concept, as servant leadership had been around since the 1970’s. But the new CEO had just “read a book” and decided it was the answer to our struggling company. He […]
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Staying Ahead of the Chaos
Here we are in May – the time for graduations, weddings, sports tournaments, and Memorial Day. The time when my schedule can seem overwhelming and non-stop. Mostly because the personal invades my professional time. Why when they overlap does my stress level spike? A recent survey I read said nearly ¾ of leaders are already […]
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What Does the New Overtime Rule Mean?
Because of the FLSA ruling, I have been asking my clients the same questions repeatedly. What new ruling you ask? Last week the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) increased the required annual salary-level threshold by 23.4%. If you are reading this and saying “Huh?” Or if you have no clue if this applies to you. […]
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Leading by Example
One of the most overused and underexplained leadership concepts is that of “Lead by Example.” It should be self-explanatory yet in every one of my leadership workshops I have new leaders who are brave enough to ask questions on this concept. “Does this mean I have to do the same work they are doing?” “Does […]
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6 Ways to Create Psychological Safety at Work
An HR leader recently called me to bounce some ideas around regarding her leadership team. As she began to describe their struggle with specific situations, I realized there was a solution they hadn’t tried yet. It wasn’t accountability, or goal setting. Instead, we realized her leaders hadn’t created an environment where psychological safety was the […]
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Trust in the Workplace
Whenever I teach a workshop on communication I start with the concept of trust. Why do I begin with the concept of trust? Because without trust, communication is superficial. Think about it –if your communication, as a leader, is shallow or non-existent, your employees, your teams, and your colleagues will essentially ignore what you are […]
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I9 Form Grace Period Ends Soon
The new I9 form has been the talk of the town for a couple months now. It was announced on July 21st that the new form should be used as of August 1, 2023. So why am I just now bringing it up? Because the grace period ends on October 31st and employers are required […]
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As the Workplace Evolves, Your Performance Reviews Should Too
The performance review systems of the past will not survive—nor should they. They were built for a workplace that no longer exists. Performance reviews must evolve with the changing workplace. Younger generations of empowered employees and the continuing proliferation of remote work are transforming the workplace. Much work today, especially knowledge work like the practice […]
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4 Ways to Encourage Accountability
We all know that accountability in the workplace is one of the driving characteristics of high-performing teams and offices. If accountability isn’t part of your company’s culture, you will struggle with employee performance and engagement. Plus, if employees can always escape accountability by making excuses, you will have a stagnant culture and workforce. Accountability isn’t […]
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Employee Recognition Programs
Most people I have met, managed, and worked with want to be appreciated. They want to be appreciated for their hard work, for hitting a production goal, or for contributing to the company’s success, for showing up on time, and for being a decent person. Even the person who says they don’t want the trophy, […]
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Outside Perspectives
Like many of my friends and clients, I am a corporate refuge. I spent years in the corporate world, and in that realm, the HR team was the core of the business. It served as the first touchpoint candidates encountered when applying for a job, it was the heartbeat for recruiting, and we dealt with […]
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Banging Heads and Soothing Feathers: Difficult Conversations
In today’s competitive, diverse, and fragmented workplace, conflict happens.Different people, with different work styles, personal and professional needs, are bound to clash about what to do and how to get it done. There’s no need to fear conflict, resolved effectively, conflict and its resolution can lead to personal and professional growth, and a more resilient workplace. Before […]
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How to Encourage Flexibility, Pivots, and Changes in the Workplace
If there is one thing the last few years taught us, it is how to be flexible. Now when someone has to reschedule it isn’t a big deal – we accommodate and make the adjustments. For us introverts, sometimes it is a blessing, sometimes it is putting off the inevitable. Either way we, dare I […]
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Birthdays — One of the Most Common HR Traps
During my years in Corporate America, I didn’t give it a second thought when my offices had a birthday party for a team member. As my offices grew, we changed the ritual to once a month (from everyone celebrating individually), but the balloon, cake, and card were “normal” office policy. I learned the hard way […]
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Are you Playing in the Major Leagues?
Welcome to Spring 2023. Yes, I said Spring. While the rest of the country digs out from yet another snow storm, we are truly blessed to live in the Southwest, with its warm days and cool nights (although it has been cooler than normal for us!). It is the land of the Early Spring—those rare […]
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Maintaining a Healthy Work-Home Balance
I was lucky and I had an office to hide in during the pandemic. However, for many of my clients, remote work is here to stay. Yes, working from home has become the norm. When the pandemic started, I reminded businesses that it was important to maintain a healthy work/home balance and to respect people’s […]
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Navigating the 2025 FLSA Salary Requirement Raise: What Employers Need to Know.
As we approach 2025, significant changes are on the horizon for employers and employees alike. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has finalized a rule that will substantially increase the salary thresholds for overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Here’s a brief overview of what this means for your business. Key Changes […]
