Continuous Learning for Individuals, Management & Business

The Holidays are such an important time of year for small businesses. For many, especially in retail, the Holidays may make or break the entire financial year. Craft fairs and holiday markets have become popular among both consumers and small businesses during this time. But are businesses doing all they can to maximize their retail sales from holiday markets?

By Michelle Brubaker

“We’re way past big speech time” said Coach Norman Dale in the renowned 1986 sports film Hoosiers, based upon a small-town Indiana basketball team that made it to the state finals.

The coach, portrayed by actor Gene Hackman, knew that it wouldn’t be a motivational pep talk to a bunch of underdogs that led to victory. The championship would be the result of ongoing leadership bringing individuals together to achieve a common goal. 

We get it, not all companies can be Google, offering complimentary laundry services, haircuts, gourmet meals, nap pods, swimming pools... We can go on but you get the idea. Google discovered early on that a happy employee is a productive employee. When you can hold on to great employees, it means less time and money spent on recruitment and training. And keeping those employees happy? That will translate to your bottom line. Read on to discover why company culture is MUCH more than just a mission statement.

As a manager, you are the first line of defense when it comes to addressing day-to-day HR issues before they become serious. However, it’s important to arm yourself with the necessary skills to empower your team and avoid possible legal headaches. In this post, we’ll take a look at four leadership skills that are essential for promoting effective teamwork.

In work and life, effective communication is a critical piece to successful relationships, leadership, and growth. There are communication challenges that can trip up any professional — like reacting instead of responding, treating everyone the same, or assuming your message is understood. And today’s many outlets for communication — like email, text messages, social media, and instant messaging — can actually make communication more complicated, rather than easier.

In this post, we’ll take a look at some wise words that offer practical advice for effective communication.

As political polarization has gotten steadily worse over the last few election cycles, so too has political tension in the workplace. In the close quarters of a work environment, political differences, especially when combined with the pressures of work, have the potential to get out of control. Fewer than a quarter of employers have formal, written policies on political conversations in the workplace. So, it’s important to have an understanding of the management skills that can help you handle these conversations before they escalate into heated debates. We’ve put together some management communication tips to help you do that.

There’s an old saying that “a fish rots from the head down.” Nowhere can this be truer than in the business world. From huge corporations, to small business, leadership at all levels sets the tone for any organization. If any of that leadership is unethical, it will more than likely have a trickle-down effect to the rest of the company.

Do you want to be a stronger leader? In today’s world, too many of us think leading means doing it all on our own — everything from making the “To Do” lists to checking each task off on those lists. But that’s a recipe for burnout! Most strong leaders don’t do everything on their own; they delegate. The power of accepting help can help you become a strong leader by enabling you to work less and do more.

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to be really good at problem-solving, while others struggle to make decisions? Did you know that when you strengthen your problem-solving skills, it can actually help you learn how to make better decisions? That’s because you’ll gain the confidence, acquire the analytical skills, and develop the creativity you need to be able to make predictions about the results of different solutions. We’ve put together some of the best ways to strengthen your problem-solving skills and become a more confident decision-maker.

Established by the U.S. Small Business Administration, October marks National Women’s Small Business Month and while the glass ceiling might still be prevalent, women are steadily coming toward the forefront of small business ownership.