Topic: ‘For the Executive’

CEOs Make the Best Storytellers

Children aren’t the only ones who like to hear a good story. In fact, adults like to know the story behind almost everything that affects them. It’s a very adult way to get satisfaction of the why questions we never stop wanting to ask.

My husband frequently comes home excited about a story one of the shareholders told, because it brought insight into the motivation behind a company decision while also revealing a delightfully personal side of a powerful shareholder. These stories build respect and trust. They raise awareness of the seemingly insignificant actions that are not so insignificant at all.

If a leader is struggling with getting employees to buy into a procedure or mindset that is important to the company, perhaps it is time to uncover the story behind this priority. When a good story is told, people want to repeat it and then the message takes on a life of its own.

Job Relocation: Top 7 Places to Avoid

We can’t always chose to stay put, but we certainly want to go somewhere we won’t regret. Below are seven places to avoid when considering a new job or location.

Topeka, Kansas

Topeka City Council recently voted to repeal the city’s misdemeanor domestic battery law. In other words, if you move to Topeka your spouse can beat you or your child and get away with it. So much for common sense.

Anywhere in Michigan

Property taxes are high enough for long-timers who have been somewhat protected by increase limits, but property tax calculations are not as kind if you move to a house that can be reassessed by the city. Some folks report paying five figures in annual property taxes. Businesses are avoiding Michigan, too, because of the unrealistic tax burden they would suffer.

Miami, Florida and Long Island, New York

If you’re planning to need medical care, you may want to know which states are kind to doctors, and which ones chase them away with high malpractice insurance rates. California and Texas have caps on malpractice awards which has identified them as doctor-friendly states (according to Medscape Medical News). However, Miami, Florida and Long Island, New York top the list of places charging surgeons and obstetricians outrageous rates.

Knoxville, Tennessee

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, the beautiful Smoky Mountain view may not make up for the misery you experience in the spring. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, Knoxville has the highest pollen score.

Stockton, California

High crime rates and unemployment put Stockton, California on the top of the list of cities too dangerous to live in, according to the FBI. Don’t write off California all together, though. Irvine, California was rated the safest city.

East St. Louis, Illinois

Do you pick your city according to which schools are the best? If so, you may want to avoid East St. Louis, Illinois where Tomorrows Builders Charter Schools state test scores were too aweful to believe. Interestingly, though, five of the top 25 worst performing schools were located in South Carolina.

Leaving a Legacy Worth its Weight in Time

I was recently invited to a breakfast focusing on Creating a Legacy as an entrepreneur. I wasn’t sure what to expect (people are always trying to sell something these days) but I was intrigued by the prospect that business owners would invest time in the name of social conscience. I was curious who would show up, and if they would really be committed to investing time for the greater good. (more…)

Team Players: Power of Peers

I am a member of a group of doctors’ wives. I first found these wonderful gals through a blog where I guest posted as a “seasoned” doctor’s wife (ouch!). The group later formed a private Facebook page where we now discuss personal struggles we don’t want to make public. The support is amazing. Inevitably, a new resident’s wife desperately reaches out for confirmation that her exhausting days and nights will not go on forever, and the pack of peers respond with amazing comfort. There are no solutions. There is no magic cut-off date to busting a hump. There is only the support of all of us who have learned to alter our attitudes, be creative, and use every resource available to us. (more…)

Careful — This Back Burner is HOT!

It shouldn’t take a special holiday to remind us to show our spouses some love, but it frequently DOES! In our pursuit of career success, we often put our family relationships on a back burner. We assume a certain amount of loyalty, without regard to what we give in return. But do we deserve such loyalty?
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