FIRST FOCUS for First Time Managers

FIRST FOCUS for First Time Managers

Becoming a First Time Manager can be one of the most challenging and overwhelming career transitions.  As many studies will tell you, an effective on-boarding program substantially increases the success of someone joining a new company. 77% of new hires who hit their first performance milestone had formal on-boarding training. Organizations with a standard on-boarding process experience 54% greater new hire productivity Yet, not every company has a formal on-boarding program for new employees let alone provide guidance for First Time… Continue Reading »


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Thoughts On Volunteer Leadership

Thoughts On Volunteer Leadership

I had the opportunity a week ago to attend the Volunteer Leadership Conference for New York State SHRM and at the same time, I have been working with some of my HR colleagues from @NYCSHRM the New York City Chapter of SHRM to better engage future leaders in our Chapter. It got me to thinking about my experiences as a volunteer leader and all the benefits that have come my way: Development: As a young girl, I joined the International… Continue Reading »


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Everyone Has A Story!

Everyone Has A Story!

I LOVE Stories…especially those that are about or based on true life.  That may be why I like to read historical fiction, why I am a big fan of “Humans of New York” (HONY) and why I loved to listen to my Mom and Dad tell stories about our family and growing up.  I am especially grateful to have my Dad’s home movies and recordings of my cousin interviewing my Mom and my Aunt about their childhood. Both of these… Continue Reading »


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Your Leadership’s SuperPowers

Your Leadership’s SuperPowers

Attracting and retaining top talent; individuals that drive for success and in turn impact the success of your organization will continue to be a priority. There is much written about the “Top Skills of Successful Leaders” and there is much truth in the need for those skills identified. However, before we can attract and retain, we need clarity about the competencies, those skills, knowledge, abilities and behaviors that indicate top talent for our organization in particular. Understanding the ones that are… Continue Reading »


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“Play Well With Others”

“Play Well With Others”

How many of us remember hearing those words from our parents when we were  growing up?  They are a parent’s advice that would serve anyone well through out their life. Today, those words take on even more significance when working with or collaborating with others in the workplace. A 2012 IBM Survey of CEOs identified “collaboration as the number one trait CEOs are seeking in their employees with 75% saying it was critical.” Collaboration encourages the sharing of knowledge, supports… Continue Reading »


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CHART Talks: Get Your Social On – Leadership Skills for the Workplace 2020

CHART Talks:  Get Your Social On – Leadership Skills for the Workplace 2020

I have always loved Ted Talks — short, to the point presentations packed with thought provoking ideas and useful information.  The Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers implemented its version in the form of CHART Talks.  I had the honor to share my thoughts on how Social Media is impacting the Leadership Skills needed for the workplace.   You can also read more in my previous blog post.  What other leadership skills do you think we will need to be… Continue Reading »


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A COLLECTION MOST PRECIOUS!

A COLLECTION MOST PRECIOUS!

Over the years, I have collected a number of things:  books, cranberry glass, nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments, Wedgewood  (specifically that beautiful dark blue), art supplies, milk glass, family heirlooms and prints from my travels to name (quite) a few.  I enjoy the process of seeking out new and unusual places to find something to add to each collection, the excitement of finding the perfect addition, enjoying them in my home and knowing there is a story behind each of them.  Without… Continue Reading »


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Guest on DriveThruHR – “What’s Keeping You Up at Night?”

Guest on DriveThruHR – “What’s Keeping You Up at Night?”

I had the honor of being a guest today on Drive Thru HR hosted by Bryan Wempen.  The conversation starts with the question “What’s Keeping You Up at Night?” and quickly moved through a variety of topics:  Attracting and retaining talent, the importance of 0n-boarding, simplifying HR, aligning people practices with business results, adding value and collaboration.  Would love to hear your thoughts on any of those topics! You can catch DriveThruHR everyday at 12:00 pm central time on Blog… Continue Reading »


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Feedback: It’s a Dialogue not a Monologue!

Feedback:  It’s a Dialogue not a Monologue!

In most organizations when employees are asked what they would like most from their managers – -the answer is feedback.  People want to know where they stand. They want to know if your perception of their performance is the same as their own.  Providing effective feedback is therefore a key skill set for leaders looking to develop high performers.  Yet, in many cases providing feedback is a skill that causes the most discomfort for new and long-term supervisors. For many… Continue Reading »


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Key Benefits of Effective Feedback

Key Benefits of Effective Feedback

Providing effective feedback to our team offers great benefits.   Many times we loose site of how impactful those benefits can be, however, when given at the right time in a respectful, positive and constructive manner feedback is the key to individual and organizational success.  Here are some of the benefits: Improves Performance Feedback provides a clear expectation of performance.  Learning what they do well increases a team member’s confidence. They are more likely to try more, stretch themselves and share… Continue Reading »


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