Foundations In the middle of the American Civil War, a boy was born in Dearborn, Michigan, USA. He grew up on a farm and showed an early interest in machinery and technology. At the age of 16, he left home to work as an apprentice machinist in Detroit. Over the next several years, he worked […]
Continue reading »Category: Leadership
Five Outstanding Interview Questions
Are You Doing Interviews All Wrong? Hiring decisions are among the most important decisions in any business, because employees can be either a company’s greatest assets, or greatest liabilities. Asking the most effective interview questions in a standardized way may be key to your company’s success. Behavioral interviewing is a technique used in the hiring […]
Continue reading »5 Ways to Improve Employee Retention
Give Them a Reason to Look Forward Employee retention is based on more than monetary compensation. Money is of course the root reason of anyone’s employment, however, if money alone is the mode of employee retention, your workers will flock for the first job that offers better pay or comfort. People need to feel a […]
Continue reading »The Value of Compassion to Resolve Conflict
You don’t need a lesson in Buddhism to know the value of compassion in solving problems in the workplace. When facing stress on the job, an employee oftentimes holds their emotions in for a long time before coming forward. When the flood gates open, be prepared to understand how they feel; realize the fear that […]
Continue reading »35 Things We’ve Learned About Successful Businesses
Venture Up marks its 35th anniversary in 2018. To mark the occasion, here are 35 things we’ve learned about successful businesses over the years decades. They start with a mission. They know how to regroup if they stray far from the mission. They improve people’s lives. (No product or service succeeds without showing how it […]
Continue reading »How Millennials are Changing the Workforce
Bash millennials at your peril. They are on the right track. Often characterized as a disruptive force in the workplace, the younger set are redefining the workstyle for mobility and more adaptability. The new way of working is not only more productive, it creates happier employees who agree that flexibility and time off rather higher […]
Continue reading »How Agile Is Your Organization?
Companies that respond and adapt to change direct themselves toward success, while those operating on inertia tend to fall short of their goals. When it’s time to shift gears to meet changing demands, to rise above the new competition, to adjust to industry regulations and keep pace with the vicissitudes of technology, how agile is […]
Continue reading »Storytelling for Teambuilding
I’ll never forget my first day training as a Starbucks barista in 2009. Angela, my manager, walked me through the coffee tasting process, presenting me with a row of short cups of coffee, each with a different flavor. As part of the exercise, she asked me to describe the flavors I recognized. “Coffee,” I responded, […]
Continue reading »How To Tell If Employees Are Disengaged – And What to Do About It
Research shows businesses with high levels of employee engagement experience more positive strategic outcomes than those where employees are not engaged. The term “employee engagement” is really a measure of how much interest and respect employees have for their job, how proactive they are and how well they gel with the team. Studies on employee […]
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