Expectations

  You hear it in everyday conversation and in business. “I had the expectation…” or “I thought this was going  was going to happen…”. It is typically and normal for each of us to have an expectation of what is happening or what a result will be. However, while we have a clear picture of […]

Attracting the Right Employees

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Jim Kendall of the Daily Herald (local newspaper) on the various struggles of small employers to find quality employees.  There is so much you can do. Read here to see what I shared with his audience.  http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150126/business/150129375/ Don’t forget you need to focus on the planning to get […]

Plan to Get it Right

Summary: Before you take action in your business, you plan. May people don’t plan enough when it comes to hiring. Here are a few things you need to plan to get you started and to help you Plan to Get it Right. In many parts of your business, before you take action, you plan. You […]

Best Places to Work

Summary:  It’s award season – awards for best places to work. What do you need to do or consider to make your organization a great place to work. I have to admit I’m not a big fan of the “Best Places to Work” awards. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is vital for all […]

Everyday Values

 Summary:  Take the time to write down your values. It affects all you do. Make them conscious and live them everyday.     Have you ever taken the time to write down your values? If you own a company, have you written the companies values? Have you noticed this is not a simple as it […]

How to Motivate Employees

Summary: A common question is “How do I motivate my employees?” You are not going to like the answer – you can’t motivate others. You can however trigger their internal motivation. This question comes up a lot. How do I motivate my employees?   Most people are looking for an answer that is similar to […]

The Art of Feedback

Summary: People want feedback more than once a year. Provide the feedback by being specific, open, create accountability and being timely. This is a conversation that comes up at least once a month.  Client:  We need new performance reviews. Me:  Ok, what are you trying to accomplish with the reviews? Client: We need to give […]

When Can Knowledge Bite You in the Butt

Summary:  In Illinois a new law was signed and goes into effect January 1, 2015 regarding background checks. Many states have similar laws.   On July 19, 2014, 2014, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act, which will go into effect on January 1, 2015. The new law will […]

Removing the Leadership Blocks

Summary:  As leaders we all have blocks that may stop us from being better. Here are some common ones and how to overcome.   This is going to sound silly – I love to play Candy Crush – yes I know it is a thoughtless and simple game. It is and that’s probably why it […]

What Employees Want You to Know

Summary: If I were to go around your organization and ask each person “What do you want your manager to know about leading you?”. What kind of answers would I get? Do any of these sound familiar?         If I were to go around your organization and ask each person “What do […]