ProRecruiters

Happy November!  We are quickly approaching Thanksgiving, which is a time for expressing gratitude.  This month, I want to talk about the power of expressing gratitude.  In November, we end every week by sharing what we are grateful for. The items do not have to be big; they only have to be meaningful  One staff member was grateful that she had co-workers who supported her when her baby was sick, and they did not guilt for coming in late.  Others were grateful for friendships in the office, and others were grateful for working in a drama-free office.  Giving ourselves the space to be thankful for all that we have helps us to see just how much we often take for granted. Lunch with a client; having clients in the first place; my three-year-old very passionately ending her dinner prayer with “Awe Ha!” instead of “Amen”; gas in my tank, and having a car in the first place; the ability to exercise; family nearby; the love of friends and family; the humility and fear of parenting; a lov

Happy October and fall!  This month, my team and I are doing a team building exercise focusing on fears.  Facing them and overcoming them.  Fear is a very powerful emotion.  It is there to protect us from harm but if we allow it, it can be so crippling to the point where it does not allow us to grow or move forward. We wanted to learn more about each other’s fears and learn ways to overcome them.  Fear might creep into our minds when we are given more responsibilities, when we experience uncertainty, or when we deal with daunting “unknowns.”  Whether starting a new job, searching for a new job or making step forward in your current position, being an employee can be scary and difficult. It entails making hard decisions and lots of them. But while it may overwhelm us, it sometimes can help us. Fear is the mind’s way of telling us that danger is lurking ahead.  While it may be justified, it can halt imagination and choke ambition.  It can sometimes make simple or straightforward

Happy October and fall!  This month, my team and I are doing a team building exercise focusing on fears.  Facing them and overcoming them.  Fear is a very powerful emotion.  It is there to protect us from harm but if we allow it, it can be so crippling to the point where it does not allow us to grow or move forward. We wanted to learn more about each other’s fears and learn ways to overcome them.  Fear might creep into our minds when we sense responsibility for others, when we experience uncertainty, or when we deal with daunting “unknowns.”  Whether trying to grow a company, making changes, or simply making payroll, running and managing a company or department is scary and hard.  It entails making hard decisions and lots of them. But while it may overwhelm us, it sometimes can help us overcome those fears. Fear is the mind’s way of telling us that danger is lurking ahead.  While it may be justified, it can halt imagination and choke ambition.  It can sometimes make simple or

For those of us with kids, summer can be awesome.  It is a chance for our young children to thrive, have some fun and play.  It can also be a time when “bad” habits can be formed.  For me and our children specifically, some days with too much technical time, going to bed too late, sleeping in, not hanging up wet suits, “skipping” baths a bit too much, etc.  With school beginning many of these bad habits have to be broken and a healthier routine maintained.  We try to have a healthy routine because it affects our grades and how we perform and interact in school. In business it is just as easy to develop bad habits that need to be broken.  This month I want to talk about some bad business habits that should be broken immediately. “ I don’t have time right now ”. We all have the same numbers of hours in each day; it is how we choose to spend them that separate us from the rest.   When you state that you don’t have time it is usually because you are avoiding something you are not

For those of us with kids, summer can be awesome.  It is a chance for our young children to thrive, have some fun and play.  It can also be a time when “bad” habits can be formed.  For me and our children specifically, some days with too much technical time, going to bed too late, sleeping in, not hanging up wet suits, “skipping” baths a bit too much, etc.  With school beginning many of these bad habits have to be broken and a healthier routine maintained.  We try to have a healthy routine because it affects our grades and how we perform and interact in school. In business it is just as easy to develop bad habits that need to be broken.  This month I want to talk about some bad business habits that should be broken immediately. “ I don’t have time right now ”. We all have the same numbers of hours in each day; it is how we choose to spend them that separate us from the rest.   When you state that you don’t have time it is usually because you are avoiding something you are not

With summer coming to a close I can’t help but think of the phrase, “Lazy Days of Summer.” As a business owner, summer can be a good time to get away. But as most of you have probably experienced, getting away doesn’t always mean disconnecting . Each year I have physically exited the business every July to spend time with my two girls.  While they are well-rounded and incredible little people, I often wonder if they have suffered since they seem to spend more time with sitters than they do with me or my husband.  So to curb this guilt, I allow myself one month out of the year to be with them. We cherish this sacred time. For the last few years, it has been a running joke that July is our company’s best month.  Is it because I bust my butt in June to get things ready to leave? Or is it because I allow the team the chance to do things without me?  I am finally able to see clearly and know that it is the latter! My absence allows the team to flourish in their strengths. When leaders ac

Happy July! Do you remember when you were younger and your parents told you to eat your vegetables? Maybe you liked to eat them, but you probably didn’t like them all. You didn’t want to eat them. Perhaps your parents said, “If you don’t eat your vegetables, then you don’t get dessert.” In the end, you probably ate them, either for a reward or punishment. When you grew up though, you final understood and appreciated how important it was to eat healthy, so now you eat your vegetables because you know you need to. You’ve taken ownership of your health and have become accountable. This month, I want to talk about creating a work environment that encourages accountability and responsibility. This type of atmosphere is when employees own their job responsibilities and are willing to answer for the results of their behaviors and actions. They hold themselves accountable to meet certain performance expectations. Why is this important? Well, in order for a business to grow, it needs to g

Happy June.  The month of June is a transition month for many—having graduated in May, they find themselves moving into careers. In light of that, this month I want to share how to make a great first impression to the new hires who join your team. Whenever a transition happens, making a great first impression is vital to an organization! Have you ever arrived for an appointment—at a restaurant, at the doctor’s office, for an interview—and had the feeling like they were not quite ready for you?  This can cause the business to lose a prospective client or potential valuable employee.  So, what can you do as a business owner to welcome and retain the best people? 1. Be prepared. Companies must be prepared. Lack of preparation can communicate a lack of appreciation or welcome. Preparation does not need to be extravagant; even simple things matter, such as having a work space prepared with all the relevant tools (computer, phone, etc.) ready to go, providing business cards, a train

Happy May! This past month, I had the pleasure of talking to a group of executives about the power of perception . Perception is reality but it is not always the truth . One of the examples I use is an email exchange between people. Have you ever invited someone for an interview or sent an e-mail and received a response of "k thx," and though, "No thank you!" Have you ever read an email and reacted in this way: This month I simply want to remind you not to rush to judgement. Ask yourself if you  have the full story. Ask yourself if perhaps your current emotional state may be contributing to your reaction. Too often we react without having gotten the bigger picture. Perhaps a clarifying contact, or even some time to reflect, will clear up confusion. Here are some reminders to help ensure that e-mails that you sent are received and perceived properly: Make sure the subject line reflects the content of the email. If your email takes the conversation in a di

One of my favorite writers Jeff Haden recently wrote about the Affirmations the Most Successful People Repeat Each and Every Day.  His message is simple: What you say is often what you do--especially if you say it to yourself. I thought about re-writing but he said it so well I just had to share!  Happy April.  1. "I treat others the way they want to be treated." By treating others the way they want to be treated, my own personal fulfillment grows. I give respect and provide service. I show love, care, compassion, and consideration. I help others feel appreciated. I let others know they are important, that they matter, and that they are valuable. By valuing others, my confidence increases. 2. "I am ever grateful." Gratitude allows happiness to come into my life. I choose to show appreciation for what I have, whom I know, what I can learn, and whom I can help. I define and talk about the things I am grateful for on a daily basis. I know that the No. 1 wa

Happy February! Is "walking the walk" a tired old cliche or a bold new concept? Very few managers today are receiving formal management training. As a result, many are poor communicators and weak in their delegation and leadership skills. According to a Gallup poll, 25% of U.S. employees would fire their bosses if they could. Why? Because many manager set high service standards for their employees, yet fail to abide by those same standards. If you are a manager, you are in an excellent position to lead by example. Your employees will only respect your authority if they observe your excellent customer service skills on a daily basis. Customer loyalty must be a top-down initiative. Here are five ways you can earn greater respect and increase employee loyalty: 1. Always give performance reviews and salary increases on the promised dates. Employees have those dates memorized. They won't feel valued and will resent you if their review dates are postponed or forgotten.

Happy 2016!  First and foremost, I hope that this year is off to a great start, both personally and professionally.  To kick off the year, I want to talk about the importance of setting goals.  You might ask yourself why setting goals is so important.  My mentor educated me on this just a few years ago.  He said that without goals, you become like a hamster on a wheel going nowhere, and no one wants to work for, invest in, or be part of a company that is simply spinning its wheels.  This analogy gave me the incentive to create goals and move forward. In years past, I would set New Year’s resolutions.  To be honest, they would hold for about the first month or two and then wither away, until the next year—kind of like a business plan that is written, printed, and then tucked away to collect dust.  However, about three years ago, that all changed for me.  I was tired of setting resolutions and not sticking to them.  So I set out to change this which, in retrospect, was resolution #1