Meet a Powerful Peer: Laura Vacarro

by Laura Vaccaro

I believe one of the most important qualities in any communication scenario is demonstrating authenticity. When you are honest and genuine, people perceive you as trustworthy and this in turn, makes you approachable. Another communication practice I value is displaying empathy and listening for the intention behind the communication.  By this I mean, truly putting yourself in the other person’s ‘shoes’ and seeing the communication from their lens. If there is one thing I have learned in my career, it’s that personality differences and lack of appreciation for their role in communication drives much of the conflict in the workplace. Until you gain appreciation for how people are ‘wired’, what they value and what stresses them out, you really aren’t able to have an effective conversation with them. Why? Because much of the time, you are listening and interpreting their messages through YOUR lens. This often leads to misinterpreted intentions and negative assumptions.

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Leading at Net Speed: How to Stay on Course

by Cynthia Clay

Imagine this scenario: In a realistic assessment of your company's current standing, the senior management team just stressed that quick, nimble performance will be rewarded, while plodding departments may be eliminated. As the supervisor of a team that falls somewhere in between, you are wondering what to do. How will you help your team face this latest challenge?
 

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Grooming Your Stars For Greatness

by Lynda Silsbee

Promoting from within is a sound strategy for most businesses. It’s a way to keep high performers in your organization, retain the company’s investments in human capital, motivate the staff to see that success is rewarded and fill top spots efficiently. But promotions can backfire if they’re handled incorrectly. Putting your stars into roles that they’re not suited for or moving them up before they’re ready can quickly erase all the benefits of promoting from within. By doing your homework before, during and after the transition, your organization and employees will get the full benefit of promotions.

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