It is no secret that communication is key in any relationship—personal or professional. When it comes to effective and authentic leadership, communication is one of the most vital tools a leader can possess. For companies to succeed, their leaders must communicate effectively 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 [...]

Is it possible to balance work and family? Or is work-life balance a myth, an unending and unachievable pursuit?

The average person spends roughly one-third of their life at work, with another one-third spent sleeping. That final chunk of time is all that’s left for everything in our personal lives. And each relationship and area directly and dramatically affects the whole.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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

Second, only to the bedroom, the office is where you spend most of your time—certainly your waking time. If you’re exposed to something that doesn’t feel right, it can negatively impact you and play out in any number of ways.

There could be a conflict with authority figures, a drop-off in business, employee problems, morale issues, or you may feel like you have reached an impasse and can't seem to move forward. You may have lost your juice around your business or may feel as though there’s something else you should be doing. You might feel you’re underpaid and under-appreciated. Or perhaps [...]

Any job change can be distressing, whether you're laid off, fired, or switching your career. Still, losing your job can hit much harder than a career change. When you get fired or laid off, your profession, income, and self-esteem can all take a blow! It can feel like you're starting over.

Do you know how to rebound? Are you thinking of it as an opportunity to carve a life and career you love? Sometimes, when there are unexpected changes, we may need the change but not realize it!

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes 

As you know, IQ is short for intelligence quotient. It measures a person's capacity for reasoning and problem-solving; it shows how well a person can use logic and information. An IQ test measures short-term and long-term memory by providing a series of puzzles to solve.

But what about emotional intelligence (EQ)? How does EQ rank?

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 [...]