In today’s business climate, business owners and leaders alike are perplexed by and grappling with the challenge of keeping employees. They struggle with employee turnover, high hiring costs, employee drama, unresolved conflicts, and the growing complexity of the virtual workplace with employees working from home but unproductive. (And no, spying on employees is not the answer!)

A couple of years ago, I lectured to a group of business owners on employee engagement. A gentleman gave lavish praise for one employee in particular. In the same breath, he also lamented how difficult it would be to find a replacement to fill her shoes.

The business owner had many reasons for his fondness: "She stayed late whenever asked to get projects done and with amazing accuracy." "She always volunteered to go the extra mile!" "She was super productive!" "She was the first to come to work and the last to leave." "And the best part, she was very popular in the office because she went [...]

It is no secret that communication is key in any relationship—personal or professional. When it comes to effective and authentic leadership, effective communication is one of the most vital tools a leader can possess.

For companies to succeed, their leaders must communicate skillfully—and empathetically—with their employees. And when things get tough or employee performance wavers, these same leaders need to be able to have difficult conversations while also inspiring those they lead.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Last winter, I was driving down the interstate in a blizzard. I could barely see even a few feet ahead. Little did I know I was on the bumper of a revelation. I slowed down, but not soon enough. The snow cleared for a second, and I discovered myself face-to-face with the tailgate of a semi-truck. I swerved to safety, but something caught my eye.

Glaring back at me was a large bumper sticker: “Truckers don’t deserve to be treated like ....” I strained to see the final word. There was none—only a picture of a slab of beef. 

Estimated reading time: 5.5 minutes

Many entrepreneurs begin a business because they have a passion but may not have business experience. And it’s easy for small business owners to anticipate achieving success much sooner than is feasible and lack the staying power to make it successful. In fact, seventy percent of businesses fail after a decade—that’s a staggering statistic.

And even if your business grows, with the Great Resignation, you’ll most likely face the obstacle of finding and keeping quality employees at a reasonable wage. As a business owner, you might depend too heavily on faithful employees when staffing is [...]

There’s a lot of talk about how we sabotage our personal and professional success. However, the whole concept of sabotage has always rubbed me the wrong way. Are we really our own worst enemy? Do we sabotage ourselves just when we’re about to jump forward into a new level of professional success, health, or personal growth?

If we buy into the concept of self-sabotage, I think we have completely misunderstood our inner journey.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Why do small and big businesses fail? And what makes a successful business? How do you know if you're headed in the right direction as a business owner?

There are many troubling statistics on the failure rate of start-ups and small businesses. Maybe you're one of them, but you're surely not alone.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

As a business owner, you know better than anyone just how important your employees are to your company's success. You may give them guidelines to align them with your vision, but they are the ones who implement it. Ultimately, the success of your products or services, as well as your company’s customer satisfaction, are driven by your employees’ day-to-day interactions.

Unfortunately, your staff members can burn out, making you lose efficient or talented workers causing profits to bleed through excessive turnover. The question is, can you effectively reduce employee burnout and lower [...]

The life of a small business owner is a busy one. Factor in taking care of a family and keeping up with the demands of everyday life, and you may feel your motivation begin to dwindle.

If you’ve been in business for a while, you may notice that you feel uninspired by your small business. Perhaps you haven’t yet seen the growth or success you were hoping for; sometimes, it takes much longer than we anticipate! Or maybe you’re experiencing burnout from the repetitive nature of your daily work and the relentless responsibilities that come with owning your own business. Getting support and [...]

Many companies across all industries are struggling to hire quality employees and keep them. The complaints that I hear most often from company owners and leaders are relentless turnover and attrition. Employee attrition is a huge problem. Once hired, some people don’t even show up for their first day of work or quit after a few weeks.

Therefore, company hiring and training costs have surged. These challenges are compounded by poor employee attitudes, a sense of entitlement, and hires lacking the internal motivation to do the work.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes