Shortage of employees? Juggling skeleton crews’ vacation schedules? Searching for qualified team members? Everyone is dealing with staffing concerns. Most companies, big and small, are experiencing the same challenges. These are unprecedented times of organizations and businesses not being fully staffed add to ownership and management stress. Seeking to fill position vacancies, interviewing, hiring and training can raise the blood pressure. These challenges became universal issues about 18 months ago,…
Read More
The “Leadership from the Competencies Approach” webinar April 29 informs small business owners how to lead their teams for business success. An understanding of leadership positively impacts the employee experience and helps gain loyalty among customers. Learn how key management skills can be beneficial to any small business. Webinar highlights: Leadership in the context of COVID-19 Leadership skills vs. Management abilities The Leader’s Competencies Model Competencies for effective leadership Critical…
Read More
The recent COVID-19 outbreak has sent shock waves of fear and uncertainty through our hearts, economies and social media feeds. While the outbreak is grave and tragic, it brings to light how freshness of information and abundance of communication lights the path for attention. Just a few weeks ago, social media news feeds and news outlets were filled with news on the outbreak, economic uncertainty and people succumbing in the…
Read More
I write articles on leadership and management with one goal: to help others become more mindful and caring leaders. Science and clinical study support this modern idea of leadership. Volumes of research are published in academic journals each month, showcasing the positive outcomes of these new forms of practice. What were once fringe ideas offered by singular gurus of their day – servant leadership, emotional intelligence, mindful leadership – now…
Read More
Dr. Amanda Trosten-Bloom is a principal with the Corporation for Positive Change, a consulting agency specializing in organizational change and transformative leadership. She shares the story of a mid-sized American automotive repair company that sought to improve customer satisfaction, and the lessons it learned about the power of an appreciative inquiry. The story begins simply enough. Company managers examined data on customer satisfaction and agreed that customer satisfaction could be…
Read More
There is a saying in counseling circles that goes like this: Every happy family is happy in the same ways; every dysfunctional family is dysfunctional in its own unique way. While this is vast generalization, it is something that can be applied to organizations as well. When you look at successful organizations, there are some things these organizations do well: Clear vision and mission; strong, effective communications throughout the organization;…
Read More
Editor’s Note: Leadership can mean different things to different people. The Valley Business Report turned to experienced business leaders in the Rio Grande Valley to learn more about their views on leadership in their own words. Through a question-and-answer format, Leadership Matters presents comments on leadership from Valley CEOs and other business leaders. Frank Fernandez has been plant manager for Duro Bag at the Port of Brownsville since 2015. With…
Read More
Leadership is not the task of getting things done. It is equally not the task of getting people to want to get things done, despite the frequently quoted definitions offered by some of our modern leadership teachers. Leadership is the task of shaping the character, potential and contribution of others for their own sake and the sake of society at large. The tasks that we leverage to go about doing…
Read More
Editor’s Note: Leadership can mean different things to different people. Valley Business Report turns to experienced business leaders in the Rio Grande Valley to learn more about their views on leadership in their own words. Through a question-and-answer format, Leadership Matters presents comments on leadership from Valley CEOs and other business leaders. Paul R. Rodriguez is president and CEO of Valley Land Title Company, which provides title insurance products and…
Read More
When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with a member of your staff? A healthy rapport with staff is critical to good leadership and good workplace outcomes. Building good rapport from day one provides the foundation necessary when critical conversations are necessary to launch a product, address a concern or clarify an objective. When employees walk into your office or meeting area knowing you are invested in the relationship…
Read More
