Management & Leadership

Apr 14, 2015

Board member wanted:

The progressive boardroom moves the needle away from operating in a vacuum with targeted board recruitment for the 21st century. While turbulence is not new, its nature and degree present an ever-increasing need for executive-level acumen to capitalize on opportunities and mitigate risks in the ever-more-sophisticated business environment. According to Spencer Stuart, about one-third of […]

Apr 10, 2015

Tips for a happy workplace

When it comes to wellness program trends, employers are whistling an old tune.  Nearly 30 years after Bobby McFerrin urged us to “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” employers are reclaiming that call to action, fueled by research indicating that happy workers are not only more productive and engaged but healthier, too. A five-year study of 3,000 […]

Apr 8, 2015

Caring for employees = caring for your business

We are now researching different ways to help us stay ahead of the game, and as hiring gets more competitive and difficult, we want to be prepared to go that extra mile. We need to be competitive and be thought of as a place where perspective employees want to go, because this ultimately leads us...

Apr 8, 2015

Do it like Tito Puente

I think Puente was pleased. Why? Because he seemed to understand that a leader’s job is not to be better than everyone on the team, but to bring out the best in each team member and thus make each successful. He is good enough to have the top spot in any salsa band, but if he couldn’t build a team...

Apr 7, 2015

Four steps to great org culture

If there’s a term more shrouded in mist than “strategy,” it’s “culture.” I don’t claim to have a lock on business definitions, but I find that if I can make them actionable, they have purpose. If not, they’re like watching the chairman of the Federal Reserve talk to Congress — lots of words with n...

Apr 6, 2015

Top five small-business spring cleaning tips

Spring time in Colorado means many things, high country snowmelt – a joy for raft and kayak enthusiasts, ice-free roads – for the cycling enthusiasts, and of course the always anticipated (or dreaded) spring cleaning.

Apr 6, 2015

Is your company ready for an activist attack?

A consistent, fully functioning, board of directors helps avoid activist challenges. Further, involved oversight by your nomination/governance committee is essential to counter the presentation of a short slate of director replacements from activists. A target company is presumptive if it believes...

Apr 2, 2015

Employer drug-testing rules

Many U.S.-based employers perform pre-employment, post-accident, or random drug testing, and with some exceptions, are generally permitted wide latitude in deciding when to conduct such tests. The U.S. attitude toward drug testing does not necessarily translate to other countries, however, where there may be different attitudes toward employee privacy, in particular. U.S.-based employers can run […][...]

Mar 27, 2015

Business leaders and basketball coaches:

Have you ever noticed that great business leaders are a lot like great college basketball coaches?  In both cases, their job is to recruit and grow top performers to accomplish major goals through positive character-building experiences.  Top talent – or A-Players – are individuals who first and f...

Mar 26, 2015

Five reasons to train your supervisors

Chances are, your human resource professionals know the law and the protocols your business has in place so they can ensure they are followed. Your supervisors, however, may not.  If they don’t, they may not have the knowledge they need to alert your in‑house human resource experts. For example, i...

Mar 25, 2015

The business of gender equality

So how do we overcome the stereotypes and discrimination that hold back the careers of our wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters—especially when the status quo harms us all, both financially and morally? The data are in—and have been for many years. It’s time for equality. I have two suggestions...

Mar 24, 2015

Best of CoBiz: Check your ego at the door

Everyone knows someone with a narcissistic personality. Often, it is someone of power that shows the extreme symptoms of narcissism. Even a few leaders in the ancient world believed they were gods. I hope those times are done. A narcissist, by definition, is a personality trait of egotism, vanity...