Note:This article contains 1,875 words and 1 image, with an estimated read time of 8 minutes. Most savvy business owners and leaders alike understand the importance of finding and retaining top employees especially when it comes to business success. This is specifically true for small businesses with limited budgets competing with larger corporations for top talent. It’s not just enough to recruit top talent, it’s critical and more cost-effective to retain those top performers for years to come.  Companies that replace employees as fast as they recruit them often have to contend with fluctuating productivity levels and that could culminate in reduced revenue. The demand for companies to retain top talent is intensifying and is often one of the most important issues leadership contends with globally. Employee retention is becoming increasingly challenging. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; the average worker’s tenure on average is about 4.4 years.... read more ❯

Note:This article contains 1,134 words and 1 image, with an estimated read time of 5 minutes.   Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” -–Paul J. Meyer.   Right from the early 1970s, productivity (generally referred to as the total amount of output per hour worked) has been consistently increasing in North America. According to the Economic Policy Institute, between the years 1973 and 2011 there has been an amazing 80 percent increase in the productivity of the American worker. This rise in productivity has been a direct result of implementing new tools to bolster our efficiency and focus. However, while it’s obvious that the average level of productivity for American workers has improved significantly, top CEOs, business owners, entrepreneurs are still looking for ways to increase their productivity. So what practices and strategies do highly successful people incorporate into their... read more ❯

Happy New Year everyone! As we start off a New Year, I think most of us take the time to ponder and envision the things that are important to us.  Some call them resolutions, or goals, or plans – whatever resonates for you – but they are all about what and where we want to put our focus and precious energy this year. Recently, I was in the company of a group of amazing ladies as we discussed life, what works, what doesn’t and what makes us feel better and how to make that happen going forward! We all had common complaints: lack of sleep, waking up in the night and trying to solve all of our challenges – real and perceived (and realizing the list is very long!); wanting everyone in our lives to be well and thriving, and the lengths we will go to try to make that happen, sometimes to... read more ❯

Note: This article contains 1,240 words and 1 image, with an estimated read time of 5 minutes.   Fear is an emotion induced by a perceived threat; it arises from the ability to recognize a risk of significant loss of wealth, health, power, status, security or anything of value leading to an urge to either flee from it or confront it. Fear has always been a very powerful emotion since the evolution of mankind and has been very crucial in the survival of the human race. It has saved us from predators, disasters and has kept us alive. It’s a primal instinct that served us as cave dwellers and today. There is nothing that makes us more uncomfortable than fear, and there are so many of them from fear of failure, disease, missing an opportunity, being conned and a lot more. Our best experiences are borne out of fear. Think about the happiest, growth-oriented... read more ❯

Note: This article contains 1,453 words and 1 image, with an estimated read time of 6 minutes.   In my role as a business coach, I sometimes meet with well-educated and intelligent people who run businesses but are not very adept at solving problems. Many people start businesses only to find out that it’s quite challenging to solve business problems. As a business owner, you probably believe you should be able to solve all your business problems, but that is not often the case. That’s why it is important to know when you need the expertise and support of others and where and how to get it. This is where business coaching comes in. Business coaches provide the help needed to solve some common problems in business, giving you the opportunity to focus on other important aspect of the business. Most times the underlying problem is that you are too close to the situation,... read more ❯

Note: This article contains 1,365 words and 1 image, with an estimated read time of 5 minutes.   “My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.” - Abraham Lincoln   Sometime ago I came across a portrait taken on the morning of the D-day landings. It pictures an army Regimental Sergeant Major standing courageously while those around him cowered in fear as they try to find cover from the bullets raining down on them. Undoubtedly, he was fearful, but his body language portrays something else entirely. He is seen calling his troops to come with him into battle; without knowing what the eventual outcome will be, and with the odds clearly against them. The aura of confidence around this leader, bravely leading his troops on showed that for him failure is not an option. He made a decision to keep moving forward, regardless of the uncertainty of... read more ❯

Note: This article contains 988 words and 1 image, with an estimated read time of 4 minutes.   The Canadian government recently announced the legalization of cannabis for non-medical use. This significant and rapid change to the legal status of cannabis raises new challenges and questions for Canadian employers. It is expected that there will be a major increase in the consumption of cannabis for non-medical purposes post-legalization. A survey conducted by Deloitte revealed that an estimated 22% of the Canadian adult population consumes recreational cannabis on an occasional basis while about 17% will be willing to try it out if it were legal. This brings the figure to about 40% of the adult population. Furthermore, a significant increase in the number of cannabis users in some states in the United States where recreational use is legal indicates that there’s a possibility that the number of Canadians using cannabis will increase after full legalization. There... read more ❯

Note: This article contains 1067 words and 1 image, with an estimated read time of 4 minutes.   Leaders are bombarded daily with choices; a choice to do right or wrong; a choice to do nothing; a choice to do the right thing or to do the barest minimum required to get the job done. Unfortunately, people have become comfortable with working in cultures where mediocrity and low expectations are the norm. Some leaders have learned to tolerate bad things happening in the workplace because to them "it's has always been that way." They have adopted a hopeless and disinterested attitude and operate with mediocrity as the standard. Sometimes the leader takes the path of least resistance, with the hopes of holding on to their position and employment longer. In time of mistakes, there’s no thorough investigation on the part of leaders to find out how to change processes to prevent further recurrences.  The concept... read more ❯

Note: This article contains 1,656 words and 1 image, with an estimated read time of 7 minutes.   Employee engagement is much more than a buzzword for modern business. In today’s competitive marketplace, employee engagement has emerged as an important component of business success; fostering customer loyalty, promoting retention and improving organizational performance. Engaged employees are fully involved, enthusiastic and committed to their work. Engaged employees are willing to do their best for the success of their organization. Recent studies have shown that companies with engaged employees outperform those without by up to 202%. The United States alone loses an estimated $11 billion on employee turnover, with Canada ranking the 4th globally for highest employee turnover rate at 16% (United States rate at 13%, 5th place, and France being 21% in first place). Employees are more likely to leave the company they work with if they do not feel engaged by or committed to the... read more ❯

Note: This article contains 1,284 words and 1 image, with an estimated read time of 5 minutes. In the 21st century managers are just not managers. As a manager, you may be innovative, analytical and an excellent problem solver, still it is recommended that you should develop and acquire coaching skills that will help you manage and empower your team effectively. Developing coaching skills allows you to be more impactful as a leader and help you get the most out of your team. Another benefit of coaching others is that it allows you to polish your management skills. And it has been proven that when given the opportunity to learn and grow people thrive. Adopting a coaching mentality will help with employee onboarding and retention, skill improvement, performance improvement, and knowledge transfer. A study conducted by Bersin & Associates revealed that organizations that coach their teams consistently experience a 21% improvement in their business... read more ❯