Category: Employee Training & Development

Over my career, in multiple organizations, I have noticed a tendency to pay little attention to key employees because they are so good at what they do. I am not suggesting we need to micro-manage these people. I am however concerned about the almost lack-luster communication that happens about the value of and the future… Continue reading Ignoring Your Key Employees

Apprenticeships are making a comeback. In this employment market where it is more and more difficult to find candidates with the skill sets you need to fill positions, I see organizations slowly adapting to the old way; teach someone with the right attitude the skills you need them to have in your particular environment. In… Continue reading Apprenticeships, a New/ Old Thing

“Resources are things you use. I don’t want to use people. I want to develop them.” These words were spoken to me 20 years ago by the owner of the company I was working for; before the baby-boomer exit changed “succession planning” into a major issue, before “engaged employees” was the current topic, before the… Continue reading People Development vs. Human Resources

I have recently semi-retired. In my final decade of permanent employment I was privileged to work for companies that in that time frame were selected as one of the 101 Best Companies to Work For in West Michigan. They ranged from 6 employees to 150 employees; from a single office to a company with four… Continue reading West Michigan Best Companies to Work For

One of the first things I tell a new employee that I am working with is “my goal is to do nothing”. That always gets their attention. After that, I let them know what I really mean is my desire is to simplify every responsibility I have to the point that systems perform the task… Continue reading My Goal is To Do Nothing

You probably have heard of Strength Finders. I believe the marketing for the Strength Finders test was very clever. You can take this “free” test to determine what your top 5 strengths are. All you have to do is buy the book. By the way, the code that you get with the book can only… Continue reading Focus on Strengths Not Weaknesses

One of the things I have enjoyed most in life is coaching people to find their goal when they don’t even know what that goal is yet. This has happened as a father, as a coach for sports teams, as a business manager and as a mentor. The common thread is recognizing that everyone has… Continue reading Coaching Those That Don’t Know Where They Want To Go

I have heard a lot of organizations make the statement, “Our People are Our Greatest Resource”. I believe they mean that. They recognize that their people are an integral part of their success. Without their years of effort and their collective knowledge the organization could not function. For 15 years of my career I was… Continue reading Our Employees are Our Greatest Resource…Really?

I was in a meeting talking about the best companies in West Michigan and their concerns and best practices. A word was used that really resonated with me; re-recruiting. It was mention in the context of retain your current staff. In this current “employment economy” where there are more openings than qualified people, retaining your… Continue reading People Development- Re-Recruiting