If I were to say to you, “St Patrick’s Day,” what are the first images that come to mind? If you’re like me, it might be something like “a parade full of drunks.”    Yet, the first celebrations of this Irish priest were closer to a Holy Day than a drunken parade. How did the purpose of these celebrations stray so […]

Kathy and I recently enjoyed the Kansas City Symphony as they performed “Star Wars.” Dozens of professional musicians worked together to make an incredible blended sound.  In contrast, I remembered joining a rock and roll band as a teenager. We each played the songs without respecting the other instruments. We sounded terrible!   My respect for the symphony grew when I […]

My wife, Kathy, and a young lady recently discussed following up a job interview with a thank you email. This young lady blurted, “I would never do that! It shows you’re desperate for a job!”  Kathy and I were stunned. If someone takes the time to interview you, and you want the job, it seems respectful and prudent to thank […]

In 1916, Germany and parts of Canada concluded that Daylight Savings Time would conserve energy. Since that time Daylight Savings Time benefits have been greatly debated. Some countries embrace the concept, while others despise it.   There are some problems that have indisputable fact-based solutions. There are other problems, however, where the facts are debatable. It appears that Daylight Savings Time […]

In this series, we’re discussing how to move towards working 80% of your time in your areas of giftedness. After you’ve determined your strengths, identified where your time is spent, and determined who to delegate work to, it’s time to turn your attention to your team. Begin by helping your team determine their own individual strengths and where their time […]

In Harvard Business Review, Susan Peppercorn highlighted five questions to help you retain your employees. Her final question is, “Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?”  Talented people can perform different types of functions effectively. However, each person has skills that they love doing.   By asking about what they do best and exploring how […]

In Harvard Business Review, Susan Peppercorn highlighted five questions to help you retain your employees. Today I want to talk about her fourth question, “What are we currently not doing as a company that you feel we should do?”  When you can make this question specific, for instance, asking, “What are we not doing in our marketing efforts?” it will […]

In Harvard Business Review, Susan Peppercorn highlighted five questions to help you retain your employees. Today I want to talk about her third question, “What do you need from me to do your best work?  Employees need to know that you are there to serve them. By giving your employee the opportunity to share what is hindering their progress, you […]

In Harvard Business Review, Susan Peppercorn highlighted five questions to help you retain your employees. Today I want to talk about the second question, “Do you feel a sense of purpose in your job?’   Many employees do serve meaningful roles in your company. But if they don’t know how to connect their work to your mission, work likely feels like […]

With inflation increasing wages, and employers struggling to find new employees, employee retention has become critical. Executive coach and speaker, Susan Peppercorn, developed a list of five key questions to help you retain key employees.  The first question is “How would you like to grow within this organization?”   Two-thirds of people leave jobs due to a lack of career development […]