There is no “I” in team. It is a phrase often cited and not attributed to anyone. So, I am going out on a limb to say there is an “I” in team and it is the most critical aspect of a high-performing team. No, this is not a reference to Michael Jordan’s quote of “there is an “i” in win.” Common knowledge is that a team of self-focused “I” performers does not make for a high-performing team, because they never become a team. What do I mean that “I” is the most critical aspect?
The first bit of concrete feedback I recall receiving in the workplace was from a fellow colleague, a much more experienced person than I. The feedback was not part of a review, he was not my supervisor, but someone I worked with daily. I don’t know what prompted him to share the feedback. I am so grateful that he did. His exact words escape me, but the sum of the feedback focused on my lack of warmth and the perception of being an “ice maiden”. I was shocked.
Stress. You know the feeling, the drop or churning in your stomach, the sweaty palms, the flushing of the face. Full-on signs that something or someone has just sent you on a path of worry, frustration, fear, or panic. While not always appreciated, our bodies send us instantaneous signals of our state of being. The trouble with these reactions is that they served us well when we needed to outrun the saber tooth tiger. Most of us are not living in that environment today, yet our brains have not evolved with our change in circumstances. The outsized reaction is referred to as an Amygdala highjack. This is where Adam Smith’s wisdom can help us evolve beyond our caveman days. But we have to get to that place to step outside ourselves. How do we do that?
Since the pandemic, many companies have negotiated new rhythms for workplace productivity. While a number of companies are fully “back at the office,” there are many others that remain committed to remote work, or to allowing their employees some flexibility via a hybrid work option. Remote work certainly offers many perks, and studies have shown that many employees prefer the flexibility that it provides. However, when you have employees who don’t work in the same physical space together, goals related to team building or company culture can be more challenging to achieve. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you seek to engage remote employees in your company culture. Keeping Remote Employees Engaged with Your Culture Have your CEO or primary leader host a regular “coffee hour.” This is an approach that many companies have found incredibly effective. Schedule a regular, virtual “coffee hour” once every week or two, for maybe 30-minute blocks. Your CEO or primary leader should host this event, taking the time to introduce new employees, to share big-picture strategic updates, and to take questions from team members. This can be a great way to ensure that remote employees feel like they are in the loop. Ensure that company leaders are highly visible. It’s important for managers, supervisors, and other primary decision-makers to lead by example, even in a remote or hybrid environment. That means turning cameras on during Zoom meetings, promptly responding to instant messaging, and being intentional about reaching out to check in on employees. Provide ways for remote employees to receive ongoing professional development. Here’s where HR can play a direct and active role in engaging remote employees. Develop online learning opportunities that can allow all employees to cultivate new skills, without the need to travel to a workshop or seminar. Also ensure protocols are in place to recognize employees who complete these programs, or who have other notable workplace achievements. Allow remote employees to take the lead. Here’s a tactic that’s simple yet incredibly effective. Nothing helps employees feel invested in an institution or a culture like placing them in charge of a project or a team. Engage remote employees by providing them with opportunities for leadership and autonomy. Prioritize one-on-ones. As we’ve noted before,
Jason Moore and Haley Devlin were running Stratasan on EOS and were stuck. They had hit the ceiling and were no longer making progress. In early 2021 they decided to move beyond EOS, and began working with a System & Soul coach to focus more on their people, their culture, and their organizational habits. They created habits that everyone in the organization could align with: evergreen, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual habits. These were the cornerstone of their success and foundational to their successful exit. In fall of 2022, Jason and Haley negotiated a successful 9 figure exit, and they attribute much of that success to the clarity and execution System & Soul brought to their team. If you’re looking to scale and exit, and realize that people are more than 1/6th of your business, check out www.systemandsoul.com Jonathan King 469.514.7564 jonathan@leanleadersinc.com
Nobody likes a micromanager. In fact, studies confirm that just the opposite is true: Employees tend to be much happier and more engaged when they are afforded some autonomy to make their own decisions. And leaders benefit, too, when employees are given some leeway to act independently: It tends to result in a higher-quality of creative work, and a team that takes greater ownership of what they accomplish together. Alas, even for leaders who are theoretically committed to the idea of an empowered employee base, it’s all too easy to slip into the mindset of, “Well, it’s easier if I just do things myself.” And to be sure, some leaders have been burned by bad experiences, entrusting employees to make wise decisions and then being dismayed by the outcome. The good news is that there are some guardrails you can put into place. Here are a few tips for equipping your team members to make thoughtful, judicious decisions, exercising their independence in a way where everyone wins. Tips for Empowering Your Team to Make Autonomous Decisions 1) Be thorough in evaluating your personnel. You don’t want to impart important tasks to just anyone. Instead, you want to really know the people on your team, allowing you to ensure that you’re entrusting the right tasks to the right personnel. Make sure you evaluate your employees’ current skills and their natural abilities, but also their interests; whenever possible, you’ll want to give important jobs to employees who really want to do them. A harmonious alignment of interests is key. Finally, always be sure to evaluate employees’ time. Be respectful of those workers who already have too much on their plate, or who are at a higher risk of burnout. 2) Remember, delegation and empowerment are two different things. Delegation means taking something off your plate and putting it on someone else’s. This usually benefits you, allowing you to free some time, but it doesn’t necessarily benefit the other party. Empowerment means more than just giving someone a task; it means providing them with the space and the freedom to make decisions on their own, not just following your instructions but setting the direction for a project or task. This is how your employees grow, develop, and become more engaged in their work. 3) Check-in frequently. Once you’ve empowered an employee to do a specific task, make sure you check in with them regularly, simply assessing their progress and offering help as needed. This is not the same as micromanaging. It’s simply about showing that you haven’t forgotten them; that you care about the project they’re working on and want to support them however you can. 4) Avoid retracting power. What if you empower someone, and they don’t handle the task quite the way you’d hoped? In this situation, your natural inclination may be to retract power, but this can be hugely deflating to the employee. Instead, create a safe space for mistakes and failure, and provide coaching opportunities before the next task. Show that you still believe in them, not that you’ve given up on them based on one goof-up. Learn More About Empowering Your Team An empowered team is an engaged team. To find out more, reach out to
Although there’s a strong parallel between creating a winning culture in Sports and Sales, winning cultures come in all shapes and sizes. There’s an important yet subtle distinction between creating a winning culture centered around winning at any cost and winning the right way. The difference between the two is often overlooked and dealt with reactively rather than proactively. The solution typically involves recruiting the right people that fit your organization’s culture, ongoing coaching and training, and how your leadership team communicates their vision, sets expectations, and deals with discipline. As the Business Owner, Visionary, or Integrator, I want to equip you with new concepts that help you create a Winning Sales Culture. Winning a single championship is the goal of most teams, but winning back-to-back titles is the goal of only one team each year. Last year, the
Join our CEO Growth Workshop on Tuesday March 7 at noon EST (on Zoom) to learn about “How to have difficult and uncomfortable conversations – and how you can give more impactful developmental feedback.” 😖72% of employees think that their performance would improve with more feedback. And yet Gallup has found that only 26% of employees strongly agree that the feedback they receive helps them do better work. ❤️ When done properly, feedback is a great way to improve yourself and to help your team members progress and take responsibility for their actions. How can you give better feedback? This is exactly the point of this workshop. By the end of this interactive workshop, you will have: 🎓Learned the 5 steps of a constructive feedback conversation. 🎓Experimented with these steps in role plays in a safe environment. 🎓Identified your next steps to implement your insights. Register here:
Trying to communicate to create connection, alignment, and action? Here’s a fantastic example from an attendee at one of our GENIUS Business Storytelling workshops who identified two important messages he wanted to communicate and used two versions of a story to do just that in a memorable way. Both versions began with the following: At the September 2020 US Open, Novak Djokovic was on his path to a 30-match winning streak and bid for an 18th Grand Slam title. As he walked to the Arthur Ashe Stadium side-line for a changeover, trailing Pablo Carreño Busta 6-5 in the first set, Djokovic – who was seeded and ranked No. 1 and an overwhelming favourite for the championship – angrily smacked a ball behind him. The ball flew right at the line judge, who dropped to her knees at the back of the court and reached for her neck. Djokovic pleaded his case saying that he didn’t hit the line umpire intentionally. He said, ‘Yes, I was angry. I hit the ball. I hit the line umpire. The facts are very clear. But it wasn’t my intent. I didn’t do it on purpose.’ So he said he shouldn’t be defaulted for it. The chair umpire thought otherwise, and Djokovic was swiftly disqualified. Ending Version 1– Djokovic Moments The US Tennis Association issued a statement saying that Djokovic was defaulted “in accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences.” I’m sharing this with you because we have all experienced “the Djokovic moment” where we’ve unintentionally said something, unintentionally sent that email, or unintentionally reacted a certain way. We’re often busy and under pressure and we need to be mindful that our unintentional actions can sometime have disastrous consequences. Let’s all watch out for those regrettable “Djokovic moments”. Ending Version 2 – Djokovic Recovery To Djokovic’s credit, he later issued a statement saying, “As for the disqualification, I need to go back within and work on my disappointment and turn this all into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being,” he wrote. “I apologize to the @usopen tournament and everyone associated for my behaviour.” I’m sharing this with you because we have all acted irrationally and unintentionally, like Djokovic, when under pressure either at home or at work. However, like Djokovic, we can quickly recover by acknowledging our mistakes and applying our growth mindset to turn our mistakes into a lesson for our own growth and evolution. How much more memorable and impactful are these messages shared with storytelling skills rather than a ‘just do it’ approach? If you would like to learn the art, science, and skills of strategic business communication using storytelling I’m here for you and your teams!
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to close their doors, sending employees home to work remotely, many leaders worried about the long-tail effects on culture, employee engagement, and morale. As it turns out, some of those concerns were unfounded.
CEOs are often bombarded with little voices in their ear asking, “Am I reaching the best markets?”, “Is my management team capable of taking us to the next level?”, “What about my business model?”, “What changes do I need to make?”, and finally, “Do I have enough money?”. There are only so many hours in day for a CEO to keep up with everything. Studies show that 85% of what keeps a CEO up at night is cash flow related. These thoughts often confuse or overwhelm many CEOs. It’s lonely at the top. You don’t have anyone to talk to. It shouldn’t be so hard to run a successful business that is increasing shareholder value. The best CEOs have figured out that the benefit of a board of directors or, for a smaller business, a personal board of advisors, is critical to their success. Read more:
Join our FREE CEO Workshop on “How to define Core Values that improve your company culture” on Tuesday, October 4 at noon EST / 6 pm CET on Zoom. By the end of this interactive workshop you will: Know how Core Values can positively impact your company culture. Understand how to practically use Core Values on a day-to-day basis to run your business more efficiently. Have a first draft of actionable Core Values for your company, and have a methodology to keep improving them with your team. Register
As a CEO, it can be lonely at the top and they often struggle to know whether their actions and decisions are helping their company or hurting it. How do they achieve excellence? What separates great CEOs from the good ones? These questions often leave new CEOs overwhelmed and frustrated. Every CEO deserves to have a strong company with a bright future. We talked recently about how an exceptional CEO should have a
Conflict avoidance and mitigation create artificial harmony, and by contrast, teams that are comfortable with “creative conflict” will find that the best ideas emerge from debate. In ourThe 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, defines good conflict as “productive, ideological conflict: passionate, unfiltered debate around the issues of importance to the team.” Teams without trust certainly do have conflict, but the kind of conflict that’s laced with politics, pride, and competition, rather than the pursuit of the best decisions. When people who don’t trust each other engage in passionate debate, they’re trying to win an argument. They’re not listening to each other’s ideas or reconsidering their own point of view. They’re figuring out how to manipulate the conversation to get what they want. Nearly as destructive, some teams avoid conflict and never engage in tough conversations because they don’t want to get uncomfortable. They don’t want to offend, have others feel personal rejection, or feel it themselves. As a leader, you can’t expect to arrive at the best decisions without healthy, creative debate that sometimes gets heated or passionate. According to Lencioni, “If team members are never pushing one another outside their emotional comfort zones during discussions, then it is extremely likely that they’re not making the best decisions for the organization.” Teams that communicate well are capable of engaging in healthy disagreement and constructive conflict. So what can you as a leader do to minimize unhealthy conflict and foster healthy, productive conflict on your team? Establish conflict norms You’re the leader. You drive the culture. Conflict norms are essentially rules of engagement, and they can vary drastically from group to group. When teammates know the rules of engagement, they are more likely to be comfortable speaking their minds and disagreeing about what matters. Some teams don’t have a problem with emotionally charged, loud debate, even if it’s laced with emotion, swearing, or interruption. Some teams prefer to keep things relatively emotion-free, logical, and objective. According to Lencioni, “One thing is certain: having clear norms gives teams a huge advantage when it comes to ensuring the exchange of good ideas.” A measure of judgment is required from you as the leader when setting the tone and ground rules for what healthy debate looks like on your team. Take into account the capabilities and attitudes of your teammates. If you’re unsure how to define these norms, here’s a 30-minute team exercise: Have all team members write down their preferences for acceptable and unacceptable debate, in terms of language, tone, volume, emotional content, expectations of involvement and participation, avoidance of distractions, and timeliness of responses. Have each team member review and explain their preferences with the rest of the team. Discuss collective preferences, paying attention to areas of difference and unacceptable behavior that everyone can commit to. Formally record and distribute your Conflict Norms. This approach is effective because it gives everyone a chance to be heard. Once the team knows the norms, it makes
Qualified Small Business Stock is a type of stock that includes immense tax relief for investors. Those benefits serve to stimulate investment in small businesses by mitigating the tax consequences that attach to their returns. Below is an article that discusses the definition of QSBS, the relevant IRC section at play, the tax benefits flowing from QSBS, the standards for obtaining QSBS, and the costs and importance involved in gaining a QSBS certification. What is Qualified Small Business Stock? Qualified Small Business Stock is that class of stock issued by a small C corporation that meets specific qualifications specified in the Internal Revenue Code. It enables the investor in QSBS to exclude from federal income taxation up to 100% of the capital gain realized upon the sale of such stock, provided certain requirements are met. The provision is meant to incentivize investment in startups and small businesses as a means of promoting innovation and driving economic growth. Governing Section of the Internal Revenue Code Treatment of QSBS is given under Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code. This section was enacted as part of the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993 and has undergone several amendments to expand the benefits available to investors. Section 1202 outlines those requirements that must be satisfied for stock to qualify as QSBS, along with particular tax benefits available to the investors. Examples of Qualified Small Business Stock Tax Benefits Investing in QSBS offers substantial benefits in terms of tax. Example: Exclusion of Capital Gains: Depending on when the QSBS was acquired, up to 100% of the capital gains from the sale of QSBS can be excluded from federal income tax. The exclusion percentages are as follows: 50% of the stock acquired from August 11, 1993 to February 17, 2009. 75% for stock acquired between February 18, 2009 and September 27, 2010. 100% for stock acquired after September 27, 2010. Limitation on Gain: The amount of gain to be excluded is limited to the greater of $10 million or ten times the adjusted basis in the stock. The generous cap allows for significant tax savings by investors. The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) stipulates that gains exempted under Section 1202 do not qualify as preference items for the purposes of AMT, potentially offering supplementary tax relief. State Tax Benefits: Some states follow federal QSBS exclusion rules, giving additional state tax benefits. Investors should check the particular rules of the state pertaining to QSBS. How to Meet the QSBS Requirements To qualify for QSBS treatment, certain requirements must be met: Qualified Small Business: The issuing corporation must be a domestic C-corporation and it must meet the definition of a “qualified small business.” A qualified small business is one in which the corporation’s aggregate gross assets do not exceed $50 million at any time before and immediately after the issuance of the stock. Active Business Requirement: During at least 80% of the period the investment is held, assets of the corporation must be used in the active conduct of one or more qualified trades or businesses. The following types of businesses specifically do not qualify:. The stock must be obtained directly from the corporation when the stock is originally issued, in exchange for money, other property but not stock, or as compensation for services. Holding Period: The investor must hold the QSBS for more than five years to qualify under the capital gains exclusion. These requirements are often complex to navigate, and guidance is usually sought from a tax specialist to ensure compliance with the law. What is a Qualified Small Business Stock Attestation? A Qualified Small Business Stock Attestation is the declaration of a corporation; a formal statement that the stock of the particular corporation meets all the qualifications necessary for the classification to be deemed a QSBS under Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code. This certification gives assurance of qualification both to investors and the tax authorities, confirming the eligibility for the tax advantages to the owners. Importance and Cost of a Qualified Small Business Stock Attestation Investor Confidence: It enhances investor confidence because the attestation is basically a documented proof that the stock is qualified for favorable tax treatment; thus, making it more attractive to prospective investors. Tax Compliance: An attestation plays a crucial role in confirming adherence to tax regulations and can promote more efficient engagement with tax authorities. It functions as proof that the corporation satisfies the QSBS requirements, which may streamline the tax reporting procedure. Risk Mitigation: The attestation works by giving a risk mitigation of disputes or challenges in the future that may develop in the mind of the IRS about the stock’s QSBS status. Cost The costs for obtaining a QSBS certification will depend on many factors, such as the extent of complexity of the company’s organizational structure and how much any given professional services company charges for providing the certification. In most cases, the costs range between several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. Regardless of the monetary investment, the tax advantages likely to be gained for the backers, coupled with increased certainty of conformity, could make the expense a wise investment. Conclusion Qualified Small Business Stock provides substantial tax advantages to investors in the interest of enabling small businesses to energize the economy. Controlled by Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code, QSBS enables considerable exclusions from federal income taxation of capital gains. However, fulfilling these requirements can be tricky, and the ability to get a QSBS attestation may provide much value through assurance with compliance and qualification for huge tax benefits. Although obtaining such certification does involve some costs, the potential tax incentives and reduced liabilities make it an important consideration for companies and investors alike.
Depending on who you are talking to, Private Equity is either the Great Satan or the savior of small and mid-market companies in the United States. The stories depend a lot on the personal experience of the speakers. Once a vehicle for high-risk investment plays in corporate takeovers (see Bryan Burrough’s Barbarians at the Gate,) Private Equity has morphed into tranches where specialists seek opportunities in everything from a Main Street entrepreneurship to multi-billion-dollar entities. What is Private Equity? The term itself is relatively generic. According to Pitchbook, there are currently 17,000 Private Equity Groups (or PEGs) operating in the US. The accepted business model for our purposes is a limited partnership that raises money to invest in closely held companies. The purpose is plain. Well-run private businesses typically produce a better return on investment than publicly traded entities. The current Price to Earnings (or PE – just to be a little more confusing) ratio of the S&P 500 is about 27.5. This is after a long bull market has raised stock prices considerably. The ratio is up 11.5% in the last year. That means the average stock currently returns 3.6% profit on its price. Of course, the profits are not usually distributed to the shareholders in their entirety. Compare that to the 18% to 25% return many PEGs promise their investors. It’s easy to see why they are a favorite of high net worth individuals, hedge funds and family offices. As the Private Equity industry has matured and diversified, they have even drawn investment from the usually more conservative government and union pension funds. Private Equity Types Among those 17,000 PEGs the types range from those who have billions in “dry powder” (investable capital,) to some who claim to know of investors who would probably put money into a good deal if asked. Of course, which type of PEG you are dealing with is important information for an owner considering an offer. private equity moneyThe “typical” PEG as most people know it has a fund for acquisitions. It may be their first, or it may be the latest of many funds they’ve raised. This fund invests in privately held businesses. Traditionally PEGs in the middle market space would only consider companies with a free cash flow of $1,000,000 or greater. That left a plethora of smaller businesses out of the game. For a dozen years I’ve been writing about the pending flood of exiting Boomers faced with a lack of willing and able buyers. I should have known better. Business abhors a vacuum. Searchfunders Faced with an overabundance of sellers and a dearth of capable buyers, Private Equity spawned a new model to take advantage of the market, the Searchfunders. These are typically younger individuals, many of whom graduated from one of the “EBA” (Entrepreneurship By Acquisition) programs now offered by almost two dozen business schools. These programs teach would-be entrepreneurs how to seek out capital, structure deals, and conduct due diligence. Some Searchfunders are “funded”, meaning they have investors putting up a stipend for their expenses. Others are “self-funded.” They find a deal, and then negotiate with investment funds to back them financially. Both PEGs and Searchfunders seek “platform” companies, those that have experienced management or sufficiently strong operational systems to absorb “add-on” or “tuck-in” acquisitions. The costs of a transaction have bumped many seasoned PEGs into $2,000,000 and up as a cash flow requirement. Searchfunders have happily moved into the $500,000 to $2,000,000 market. In the next article we’ll discuss how PEGs can promise returns that are far beyond the profitability of the businesses they buy.
Early last month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed the Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings rule. The aim is to curb heat related injuries or death which OSHA identifies as “the leading cause of death among all hazardous weather conditions in the United States.” The proposal places new responsibilities on employers: establishing heat thresholds, developing Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Plans, regularly monitoring temperatures, and establishing safety measures when heat thresholds are met. This rule is yet to be finalized however, it is a sign of what’s to come. The standard applies to all employers except for the following: Work activities for which there is no reasonable expectation of exposure at or above the initial heat trigger. Short duration employee exposures at or above the initial heat trigger of 15 minutes or less in any 60-minute period. Organizations whose primary function is the performance of firefighting and other certain emergency services. Work activities performed in indoor work areas or vehicles where air conditioning consistently keeps the ambient temperature below 80°F. Telework (work from home). Sedentary work activities at indoor work areas that only involve some combination of the following: sitting, occasional standing and walking for brief periods of time, and occasional lifting of objects weighing less than 10 pounds. Heat Thresholds There are two heat thresholds which will trigger employer action: An “initial heat trigger” means a heat index of 80°F or a wet bulb globe temperature (defined below) equal to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Alert Limit; and A “high heat trigger” means a heat index of 90°F or a wet bulb globe temperature equal to the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit. The “heat index” is calculated by measuring the ambient temperature and humidity. Wet bulb globe temperature is a heat metric that considers ambient temperature, humidity, radiant heat from sunlight or artificial heat sources and air movement. Employers may choose either method of measuring the temperature. Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (HIIPP) Requirements If an employer does not fall under the exceptions, it must develop a HIIPP with the input of non-managerial employees and their representatives for occasions when the heat threshold is surpassed. This plan may vary on the worksite but must be written if the employer has more than 10 employees and use a language employees will understand. The HIIPP must contain: A comprehensive list of the type of work activities covered by the HIIPP Policies and procedures needed to remain compliant with the standard. Identification of which heat metric the employer will use heat index or wet bulb globe temperature. A plan for when the heat threshold is met. Along with creating the HIIPP, employers must designate one or more “heat safety coordinators” responsible for implementing and monitoring the HIIPP. The HIIPP must be reviewed at least annually or whenever a heat related injury or illness results in death, days off work, medical treatment exceeding first aid, or loss of consciousness. Employers must seek input from non-managerial employees and their representatives during any reviews or updates. The definition of “representative” is not defined; if this is broadly defined, this could be a major complexity employers must face. Identifying Heat Hazards Employers must monitor heat conditions at outdoor work areas by: Monitoring temperatures at a sufficient frequency; and Track heat index forecasts or Measure the heat index or wet bulb globe temperature at or as close as possible to the work areas. For indoor work areas, employers must: Identify work areas where there is an expectation that employees will be exposed to heat at or above the initial heat trigger; and Create a monitoring plan covering each identified work area and include this work area in the HIIPP. Employers must evaluate affected work areas and update their monitoring plan whenever there is a change in production processes or a substantial increase to the outdoor temperature. The heat metric employers choose will affect the thresholds. If no heat metric is specified, the heat metric will be the heat index value. Employers are exempt from monitoring if they assume the temperature is at or above both the initial and high heat trigger, in which case they must follow the controls below. Control Measures When Heat Triggers are Met When the initial heat trigger is met, employers must: Provide cool accessible drinking water of sufficient quantity (1 quart per employee per hour). Provide break areas at outdoor worksites with natural shade, artificial shade, or air conditioning (if in an enclosed space). Provide break areas at indoor worksites with air conditioning or increased air movement, and if necessary de-humidification. For indoor work areas, provide air conditioning or have increased air movement, and if necessary de-humidification. In cases of radiant heat sources, other measures must be taken (e.g., shielding/barriers and isolating heat sources). Provide employees a minimum 15-minute paid rest break in break areas at least every two hours (a paid or unpaid meal break may count as a rest break). Allow and encourage employees to take paid rest breaks to prevent overheating. At ambient temperatures above 102° F, evaluate humidity to determine if fan use is harmful. Provide acclimatization plans for new employees or employees who have been away for more than 2 weeks. Maintain effective two-way communication between management and employees. Implement a system to observe signs and symptoms of heat related problems (e.g., a Buddy system). When the high heat trigger is met, employers are additionally required to: Provide employees with hazard notifications prior to the work shift or upon determining the high heat trigger is met which includes: the importance of drinking water, employees right to take rest breaks, how to seek help in a heat emergency, and the location of break areas and water. Place warning signs at indoor work areas with ambient temperatures exceeding 102° F. Other Requirements Training: all employees and supervisors expected to perform work above the heat thresholds must be trained before starting such work and annually. What’s Next? The rule is yet to be published in the Federal Register. Once this happens, there will be a 120-day comment period when all members of the public may offer OSHA their opinion about the rule. Whether this rule comes to fruition may also depend on which party wins the White House. Furthermore, if finalized this rule would likely be challenged in the courts, which now have more discretion to overrule agency rules following the US Supreme court case of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless Inc. v. Department of Commerce (overturning the Chevron deference decision). Employers should review their heat illness prevention policies to maintain compliance with regulations. If you have questions, call competent labor and employment counsel. Brody and Associates regularly advises management on complying with the latest local, state and federal employment laws. If we can be of assistance in this area, please contact us at info@brodyandassociates.com or 203.454.0560
Private equity leverage can dramatically increase ROI, but it can also be a trap. In our previous
Today we are highlighting the FIREPOWER Owner Sweet Spot Sessions! We’re about to embark on a game-changing conversation that will revolutionize the way you approach your business. It’s time to shift gears and start envisioning the future of your company in a new personal role. The Small Business Universe: Common Concerns of Owners Similar concerns echo throughout the small business universe. Maybe you feel like you’re lacking the right leadership, or worse, you don’t have any leadership at all. Perhaps your workforce has hit a plateau, or you’re dealing with the frustrating challenge of high turnover. And let’s not even get started on the never-ending cycle of decision-making, where it feels like you’re carrying the entire load on your own. What is the Work that Only You Can Do? We’re here to share a secret to successfully moving your business into the future. It all starts with a simple question: What is the work that only you can do? It’s time to tap into your natural talents and abilities that have fueled your business success from its inception and then refocus your efforts in a new way. Now, brace yourself for a little revelation that’ll bring a smile to your face. The answer to that question is much less than what you’re currently doing. Yes, you heard it right. You’re probably sporting way too many hats, it’s time to bid farewell to those unnecessary responsibilities and rediscover your true sweet spot. Enter the FIREPOWER Owner Sweet Spot sessions. These sessions are crafted to help you pinpoint those burdensome responsibilities that are holding you back from doing the work your company desperately needs from you. We’re here to lift that heavy weight off your shoulders and set you free to focus on what truly matters in achieving your future goals. Deciphering the best use of your time is the key to solving both short-term challenges and long-term business goals. It allows you to stay fully engaged in the work that only you should do, helps your teams to know your true superpowers, and ultimately unleashes your full potential to lead your company into the future. At FIREPOWER, we truly get the challenge, we live it every day. We understand the struggles you face as an owner. Juggling numerous roles and tasks can be incredibly overwhelming and downright draining. But here’s some fantastic news – it doesn’t have to be that way. By identifying your unique strengths, you can reclaim your valuable time, restore your energy reserves, and reignite your enthusiasm for your business. So, are you ready to unlock your Owner Sweet Spot? Then it’s time to bid farewell to all the hats you’ve been wearing, delegate those unnecessary responsibilities, and rediscover the true value you bring to your company. Our owner-focused approach led by Maria Forbes, will expertly guide you through the process, empower your team, and take your business to unprecedented heights. Conclusion Remember, sustainable growth flourishes when you harness the potential of your team and become laser-focused on the work that only you can do. The number of hats you wear will shrink, while the quality of your life expands. It’s time to embrace the FIREPOWER within you and achieve the success you’ve always dreamed about. Together, we can make it happen! Fuel your people power, Maria Forbes with FIREPOWER Teams
© 2024 XPX Global LLC. Privacy Policy Norms & Principles Site Map Terms of Use
© 2024 XPX Global LLC. All Rights Reserved.
