Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Nancy Owsianowski, Founder of RoundTable Consulting, LLC. We hope you enjoy Nancy’s wisdom and perspective.

It’s January. Time to open that brand new calendar and think about goals, dreams, and the potential of the year ahead. With the new year, we get a fresh start and the chance for a new perspective. After 2020 drew our collective attention to health-related topics we have a greater appreciation for good health and the significance of strong relationships. We want a healthier life and healthier organization.

Have you ever felt you might be on the edge?

• Maybe like Melle Mel, you’re getting pushed to the edge and trying not to lose your head.
• Perhaps you’re on the edge of your seat, anticipating what is going to happen in the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian (link contains episode spoilers!).
• Or, riding to spectacular glory On The Edge in Michigan’s Copper Harbor Trail System.

Like individuals, teams also find themselves on the edge. It can run the gamut between being in a precarious position, almost there, before the fragile bonds holding everyone together begin to break; to one of great excitement and pure joy, roaring down the hill together after the long climb up.

What separates those special teams – the kind, if we’re lucky, we get to be a part of maybe three or four times in our life – from the more mundane, but solid experiences?

Holidays are synonymous with traditions. Beyond the traveling, heading home and famous family recipes, the holidays have a way of reminding us of memories and times spent with family.

This year has presented us with many challenges, cancelled events, and other setbacks. This spring, few would have imagined we would be where we are today. At this point, most of us have been looking forward to something to celebrate for weeks.

With concerns of COVID-19 cases rising in the coming weeks and larger gatherings showing increased rates of getting or spreading the virus, how can we safely continue these traditions?

This year there will be no licking of spatulas or taking the edge of the frosting off the dessert or bumping your cousins’ elbows under the table. Most recommendations centralize on wearing masks, maintaining safe distances, limiting the number of guests, and taking precautions on food preparations and changing how we traditionally sit down to eat, or celebrating at home with immediate family only.

Another year of blogging is in the books! 

In what has been a strange and challenging year for everyone, I hope these posts brought you some insight, nuggets of wisdom, or perhaps opportunities for reflection in 2020. 

Here are the most popular leadership blogs of the year:

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Michelle Mei, Founder of Leader Momentum. We hope you enjoy Michelle’s wisdom and perspective.

Fourteen years ago, just a few months into my first professional job as the Catering Sales Manager at Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites, I received a call that my mom had a stroke. She almost didn’t survive. My mom, a vibrant and motivated woman in her late 40’s, survived the ordeal but lost most of the mobility in the right-side of her body. I was fresh out of college, ready to show my boss, the company, and the world that I was capable of anything. During the next quarterly meeting with my Sales Director, I went on and on about my lofty client prospects and sales goal. My Sales Director didn’t say a word. Uh-Oh. Then, he pushed my goal list to the side of the table and said, “I need you to re-do this. I would like you to add another set of specific goals to your plan. How many times are you going to visit your mom in a week? How many times are you going to have dinner with your parents in a month?” I was speechless. I never thought a company, or a manager, would care about me as a person, or that my success in setting and meeting goals in the areas of my life that mattered the most, would matter to them too. I gave it my all for that company and because of that, I was successful at my job.

Did you claim victory over 2020, or did it get you?

How you answer that question has much to do with the kind of game you’re choosing to play: finite or infinite.

Ever feel like you’re being watched? I’m writing this in late October and Halloween decorations are out in full force. It’s the time of year everything gets just a bit spookier. But this isn’t a blog about ghosts and goblins; this is a blog about influence.

When we hear the word “influence,” we might think of a social media account with millions of followers, or maybe a great mentor we’ve had, or perhaps a high-profile leader of an organization.

But the reality is that we all carry some level of influence on the people around us.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Jim Coyle, Certified EOS Implementer and Chief Advisor at Nexus Business Solutions. We hope you enjoy Jim’s wisdom and perspective.

“Jim, we just need to make sure we get all the details and every part of the process documented, so people don’t mess it up anymore.”

“I think we just need to give our clients more choices. If we had 10 to 15 options, then they would get exactly what they want.”

“What we need is a more detailed plan, so we are all on the same page.”

This year our team has been talking about the Infinite Game, from Simon Sinek’s book. He talks about winning in a totally different fashion than I think we’re all used to.

Winning is about staying in the game, continuing to play, not giving up, and being resilient.

This concept can sometimes feel overwhelming. It got me thinking about another book our team at Gibson drew on in recent years - The Excellence Dividend by Tom Peters. One of things I found most useful in this book was that Tom talks about how excellence is all about the next five minutes.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Jon Brickner of HR Collaborative. We hope you enjoy Jon’s wisdom and perspective.

Whether the radical disruption of 2020 thrust your business into fight, flee, or freeze mode, none of us can deny that the way we work will never be the same. And change isn’t done yet. It may never be. Always-on transformation seems to be here to stay.

And while quarantine-required remote work initially boosted productivity, as organizations return to their old ways of working, engagement, collaboration, and business performance are starting to fall again.

But this trend isn’t equally distributed across all companies. At HR Collaborative, we’ve seen “a tale of two cities” this year. The organizations that embraced modern leadership and a remote infrastructure pre-pandemic weathered the storm much better than those that hadn’t.

I was born into a Green Bay Packers family. I have cheered for the Packers my entire life. There were even a few childhood birthday wishes centered around Green Bay’s success…or Chicago’s failure. I’m proud to say I have successfully made my two daughters into Packers fans. It has been 26 years since I’ve missed watching a game.

So, why the passion…or is it obsession? And what does it have to do with business?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Rachel Pritz, Certified Life Coach and Certified Enneagram Coach. We hope you enjoy Rachel’s wisdom and perspective.

Rarely do you see skills like compassionate, self-aware, or emotionally intelligent show up on a resume. These are often called "soft skills", but there's nothing soft about them. It takes daily intention and effort to learn these skills. It's a journey not a destination. No book, podcast, or personality assessment will be a quick solution to building these skills. But the Enneagram personality framework can give you a starting point along with a GPS map for your journey.

Rebranding is a company strategy.

It is not just a marketing strategy. It takes buy-in from everyone within an organization to launch a successful rebrand. Your brand identity is just as much internal, as it is external. At Gibson we have more than 150 brand advocates and we (the entire company) must make sure we are telling our truth and portraying ourselves in a way that not only we can be proud of, but that our clients can be proud of.

The other weekend I took down and replaced a light fixture in our bathroom. For some, this may seem like nothing or just an average weekend project, but for me, it was one of many new things I have learned how to do and conquer on my own. Six months ago it would have been one of many items on my husbands ‘honey-do list’ as I typically try to avoid tasks where I can get shocked or zapped!

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Alex Perry, CEO of Practically Speaking, LLC, host of the Minivan Mogul Podcast, and author of Minivan Mogul: A Crash Course in Confidence in For Women. We hope you enjoy Alex’s wisdom and perspective.

As I sit down to write this, I'm already battling the little voice in my head that says, "Why are you trying to write a post on leadership? Seriously, Alex, stop, you're going to try to come up with something that sounds business-y (is that even a word), and you're going to sound ridiculous! Why don't you just leave this one to the experts and go back to scrolling through Facebook or something like that. What on earth could you have to say to professional people who don't make their living writing and talking about their adventures self-discovery in their minivans." ((sigh)).

I'm fighting the urge to make this sound like I think you expect it to sound and doing what I know works for me as a leader, which is writing exactly what I think. You didn't realize when you started this that you were going to get an express ticket to the inside of my brain. Welcome, please make yourself at home. Being true to myself as a leader is tough work that's only gotten minimally easier as I've gone along. Is the same true for you? (if not, feel free to scroll on over to another blog.)

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Kristine Hilger Carles, Executive Director of Leadership South Bend | Mishawaka. We hope you enjoy Kristine’s wisdom and perspective.

My oldest son, a senior in college, is an acting major. Through the experience of being a theater mom, I’ve learned that acting isn’t the chaotic creativity I once believed and that “going off script” is frowned upon in most situations. Acting, though inherently creative, has scripts, procedures, and norms.

Many aspects of life today, from project planning to decision making to meeting management are scripted for us. There is comfort in the script, security in our routines, assured results in our procedures. What happens, though, when an unprecedented pandemic obliterates our routines, and there is no choice but to go off script?

During our board of director’s meeting last fall, I shared the story behind the Miracle on the Hudson, and pilot, Sully Sullenberger’s, quick, creative landing which saved 150 passengers in 208 seconds. When Captain Sullenberger was asked to define his thought process in the middle of a life-threatening crisis, he attributed his unorthodox solution to a “could” approach.

I joined Gibson in February of 2002. While I don’t consider myself a historian of the firm, I have had the privilege of experiencing the growth of our company over the last 19 years. In an industry that can be prone to aggressive sales techniques and practices, I was attracted to Gibson because of the consultative and client-oriented approach to creating a great client experience.

I was very fortunate to have been mentored by some of the best risk management and insurance brokers in our business. Collectively they helped me become more curious and ask better questions of clients and prospects. The answers to the questions helped me to engage the right partners within Gibson to make the client experience better.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Chris Mills, Chief Operating Officer/Partner at ML Talent Strategies. We hope you enjoy Chris’ wisdom and perspective.

We think of business strategy as a three-legged stool. Each leg is distinct, yet all three legs must be integrated effectively to grow a dynamic, value-based enterprise.

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a MasterMind group comprised of fellow ISU alumni. The focus of this study group was the concept of resilience. During this 4-week MasterMind we covered a variety of insightful topics, but there was one topic that really stuck out to me: Antifragility.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Randy Taussig, Chief Navigation Officer at BlueCore Leadership and Certified EOS Implementer^™. We hope you enjoy Randy’s wisdom and perspective.

The ability to solve substantive business challenges could be the most important skill your leadership team must master.

It can either propel your business forward at light speed or, if done poorly, keep you orbiting through chaos and frustration. Beating business obstacles is one of the most difficult skills to master, but when you do, magic happens!

Building trusting teams is critical. A team can accomplish more and endure longer, together, than they can alone. It’s a key part of playing the infinite game.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Kim LaGrange, President of Prime Talent Insights. We hope you enjoy Kim’s wisdom and perspective.

Even though we are only halfway through 2020, we can be sure it will long be remembered as an incredibly challenging year for our country and our world. We might consider it to be the year of “uns”, since the events of 2020 are described as unprecedented, uncertain, unsettling, and perhaps even unbelievable.

Within today’s challenges, we can find opportunities – for our organizations and for our own growth as leaders. To quote management expert Peter Drucker, only three things happen naturally in organizations: friction, confusion, and underperformance. Everything else takes leadership. Leadership matters, today more than ever. Never has it been more important for a leader to be resilient, to be able to grow and to drive their organization’s growth, even in times of adversity. Seizing the possibilities and creating a great tomorrow is exciting and important work!

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Randie Dial, Managing Principal at CLA Indiana. We hope you enjoy Randie’s wisdom and perspective.

“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.”

The quote above can’t highlight the concept of gratitude any better. Practicing the act of gratitude in your organization can have such a tremendous impact on so many areas. Culture. Retention. Team. Growth. These are all areas many leaders are striving to attain but can’t quite achieve!

As leaders, we have high standards. We are driven by passion. That passion causes us to hold ourselves to the highest standards, which in turn causes us to expect a lot from our teams. Because of this, gratitude MUST become a part of our routine. As leaders, we need to be able to recognize and express gratitude consistently!

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, CJ McClanahan, keynote speaker, advisor, and author. We hope you enjoy CJ’s wisdom and perspective.

Over the last 17 years, I’ve seen hundreds of “mini” crisis and a few big ones (2008/2009 ring a bell?). I get a little shaken up by all of them – just like you do. However, as leaders, we’ve got a responsibility to help others through these times.

Today, we find ourselves in yet another unprecedented situation.

However, even amidst the uncertainty, there are simple tactics we can put in place to help ourselves and our teams thrive during this interesting time.

I first wrote this blog in March, but I believe the ideas remain relevant. Even though some individuals, organizations, and industries are getting back into the swing of things, there are many still experiencing uncertainty. And I’d argue we’re all going to face some level of uncertainty for months to come. But be it from COVID-19 or any other obstacles, we will each continue to face uncertainty and crises at different points of our lives – and these tactics can help lead you through challenging times.

Beyond the normal day-to-day elasticity running a business demands, playing the infinite game requires existential flexibility. What exactly is existential flexibility?

Simon Sinek describes it as, “The capacity to initiate an extreme disruption to a business model or strategic course in order to more effectively advance a Just Cause.” In other words, it’s a big-time offensive maneuver and not to be confused with the defensive adjustments companies make when facing changing client needs or market conditions.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Jill Young, Certified EOS Implementer and Author of “In Courage” We hope you enjoy Jill’s wisdom and perspective.

Most people feel some kind of fear daily. Here’s what it looks like at work, when you’re an entrepreneur:

• I’m afraid that if I invest in the company, I’ll lose my personal security.
• I’m afraid that if I fire John, the clients might follow him.
• I’m afraid that if we hire for this new position, I’ll lose control of quality.

Some people are motivated by fear; others are debilitated by it. Successful entrepreneurs use this fear to propel themselves and their companies forward. I believe that true entrepreneurs are in constant growth mode, and growth means change. But great change, change that really sticks, is more like a constant evolution than a revolution, and living in fear makes that evolution scary instead of exciting.

According to the National Safety Council, the use of a cell phone while driving causes an estimated 1.6 million accidents each year. In 2018 alone, 4,637 people died in a car accident due to cell phone use. 14% of fatal crashes involved cell phones. Distracted driving is an epidemic.

Starting July 1, 2020, there will be a new Indiana State Law for distracted driving. This bill will extend the 2011 ban of texting while driving to banning all physical use of a cell phone unless using hands-free technology. We encourage you to take a little extra time to consider the dangers of distracted driving and get to know the laws for distracted driving in your state.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ron Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Michigan First. We hope you enjoy Ron’s wisdom and perspective.

When you lose perspective, you lose margin. When you lose margin, you lose impact.

As leaders, somewhere in our youth, we were told that, when things are not going well or when they are going well, “You need to work harder, work more hours, put your nose to the grindstone,” or a dozen other clichés. The reality is most leaders spend so much time and effort digging that we dig ourselves into a ditch. Soon, we begin to think that the edge of the ditch is the skyline. Gretchen Rubin, who appeared at Catalyst University in 2019, says, “Work is the most dangerous form of procrastination.”

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Connie Chwan, Certified EOS Implementer^™. We hope you enjoy Connie’s wisdom and perspective.

“The roads of the world are paved with squirrels that couldn’t decide.”

This insight was shared by a fellow EOS Implementer^® at one of our quarterly gatherings. It paints a very clear mental picture, doesn’t it? The ability to make a decision is one of the characteristics of all great leaders. Some people are great at making decisions; others find it challenging.

We must become proficient at change. 

As Cy Wakeman teaches:

Readiness is being prepared and willing; so, if we are prepared for what the future might hold and willing to take action, then adapting to new circumstances will not be as difficult as we often make it out to be.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Kathy Mayfield, Integrator at Traction® Tools. We hope you enjoy Kathy’s wisdom and perspective.

Everybody wants their team to get more done in the day, and effective communication is a big part of that. Rumor has it that when everyone is on the same page, rowing in the same direction, amazing things can be done.

There are good communication habits and bad communication habits. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference, and chances are, you’ve built some bad habits into your work life. If you want to boost your team’s effectiveness, you’ll need to get rid of those sneaky practices. 

Here are five big-value communication hacks you’ve probably never thought of.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Joe Calloway, author of “The Leadership Mindset,” “Keep It Simple,” “Magnetic,” and several other game-changing business books. We hope you enjoy Joe’s wisdom and perspective.

In my work with small business owners/leaders I see a lot of them these days looking for new product or service offerings that they can make, along with new projects to take on during these most challenging (and promising) of times.

As with many things, I think it’s a matter of balance.

On the one hand, certainly we should look for and take advantage of the new opportunities that are being created (i.e. going virtual). Almost every challenge creates opportunities, and it’s a leader’s job to help the organization discover and leverage those opportunities.

At some point, though, you need to focus on your areas of greatest potential.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Justin Maust, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer and certified speaker, trainer and coach for the John Maxwell Team. We hope you enjoy Justin’s wisdom and perspective.

We have an enemy.

Habitual mediocrity.

It’s a sleeper. We often don’t realize how nasty it is. In the end, we are not satisfied with our organization's results.

How do we overcome these frustrations?

Social engineering: two words that are increasingly being talked about in normal, day-to-day conversation.

If you are like me, when you first heard the term, you likely thought of something different than what this really encompasses. Let’s unpack the term a bit and explore the meaning behind words.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Erin Cressy, President of Cressy Consulting. We hope you enjoy Erin’s wisdom and perspective.

In Gibson’s blog last week, CEO Tim Leman discussed “readiness” in terms of what comes next for us. He noted we weren’t prepared for the pandemic, but we can push ourselves to become increasingly ready for the unknowns that lie ahead, “What’s done is done… but you and I can do the work now to be among the ready for what comes next.”

As restrictions slowly lift and we reconnect with the way our lives used to be, I encourage you to not be content with “returning to normal,” but to want an even “better normal” to return to.  

So, what does returning to a “better normal” look like?

Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s get ready to rummmmmmmmbbbbbbleeee!

Have you read Dare To Lead by Brené Brown? She has a concept she calls “rumbling”:

“It cues me to show up with an open heart and mind so we can serve the work and each other, not our egos.”

For Brown, a rumble means a completely honest conversation, devoid of ego, and done from a place of caring. And it’s listening, with an open mind, truly searching for the truth.

If you’ve read her books or watched her videos on YouTube you are probably grinning a bit right now recalling one of her rumble stories! I especially like the ones that involve her husband.

I want us – you and I – to rumble about our readiness. “Rumble. About our readiness?” you say.

Yes, and for clarity’s sake, here’s a pretty typical definition.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Kimberli Mock, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Forum Leader for Renaissance Executive Forum’s Emerging Leaders Program, and owner and CEO of TalentEvolutions. We hope you enjoy Kim’s wisdom and perspective.

So, business is great and you realize your growing organization needs to develop some new leaders. Excellent problem to have, right?  Many organizations work hard to identify upcoming leaders, often focusing primarily on individuals who have been successful in their current individual contributor role. Unfortunately, that may not be the best approach.

While leaders need to have business expertise and company knowledge, when we think about leaders we've admired in the past, we often focus on the characteristics they displayed that set them apart from those who simply “managed” others. One of these key characteristics is being an effective communicator.

Effective communication is an important trait for leaders in any organization, department, or group. It’s how we know what others want, what they need, and how they feel about things in their work and home lives, which often blend together these days. Unfortunately, sometimes communications are not as effective because we are so focused on the end goal that we forget what's needed to get there - good, clear communication and direction.

As a young man, I was very skeptical about the corporate mission statement and values each company I worked for put out. There were several reasons for that, but along the way a few things changed my mind. The current pandemic situation has really emphasized this for me.

Gratitude. That’s what I’m feeling right now. Extremely grateful. Grateful to be part of Gibson. Grateful for my fellow employee-owners and all the hard work they’re doing. Grateful that I’m able to work and provide for my family. And yes, even grateful I can help my kids with eLearning.

I did not always feel that way. My family is wrapping up week 5 of being home due to COVID-19. It’s been challenging to balance schedules, work full-time, and help with eLearning.

Landmark legislation was passed by U.S. Congress which includes exciting news regarding student loan contributions.

Anchored by a Just Cause, infinite games require courageous leadership. According to author Simon Sinek that means being willing to stand up to internal and external pressure to conform, in order to stay true to your cause.

Finite play favors conventional wisdom, and finite players spend most of their time in the past. That’s where their winning has taken place.

Infinite players take an abundant approach with less time spent on what happened. Instead, their effort and energy are focused on what is possible:

“By playing a single, non-repeatable game, they are unconcerned with the maintenance and display of past status. They are more concerned with positioning themselves to deal effectively with whatever challenges come up,” says a Farnam Street article about the concept of infinite players in James Carse’s extraordinary 2013 book Finite and Infinite Games.

Infinite play means a departure from the herd. And when leaders courageously forge new paths, try new things, or perhaps create a contrarian response to a crisis, they invite criticism.

We are living in unprecedented times. Right now, one in three Americans are working from home. Businesses and restaurants are closing their doors to the public. Schools are shut down for the rest of the academic year. Shelter-in-place directives are impacting our economies. Every day we are receiving new updates about new disruptions as we attempt to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Everyone everywhere is feeling disrupted in some way, shape, or form. And this disruption looks different for everyone. For some, they may be facing the fear of going out of business. For others, they may be juggling the additional responsibilities of childcare provider, housekeeper, teacher, cook, etc. Others may be dealing with the impact on parents or grandparents as they are forced to stay inside and not allowed any visitors. Some are being affected more drastically than others, but we are all feeling impacted in some way.

Now, more than ever, we need to look at those around us through an empathetic lens. In an age of sudden disruption, we can all come together and be unified in that we are ALL impacted in some way by this pandemic. For many, that means that priorities have suddenly shifted. Things that were so important just a couple of weeks ago are suddenly no longer at the top of the priority list. This also means that we must approach our conversations with our clients from a posture of seeking to understand the world they are living in and asking a different set of questions about how we can add value to them during these times.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Chad Peterman, President and Co-Owner of Peterman Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. We hope you enjoy Chad’s wisdom and perspective.

Blind spots are, by their nature, very frustrating. The main reason is because we cannot see a blind spot. We are oblivious to them. In leadership everything compounds. The impact we have multiplies by affecting those we are leading. Unfortunately, blind spots can compound our impact in a negative way.

Oftentimes our blind spots come in the form of our strengths. We may be great at getting things done. We may find fault in others who cannot get things done like we can. This creates a blind spot and inability to connect with that person. John Maxwell says, “We often see people as we are, not as they are.” This is the root of all blind spots.

If blind spots are so detrimental, how do we overcome them so that they don’t have a negative effect of our leadership ability? We must first understand that we need to be humble, coachable, and patient.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Mike Kemple, Director of Missional Chaplains. We hope you enjoy Mike’s wisdom and perspective.

Gaining an understanding of people, their unique giftedness, strengths, and flaws, is the starting point for empathetic leadership. 

When you examine an individual’s personality, you may find them soft, gentle, defensive, overt, indignant, manipulative, demanding, reserved, guarded, or cautious. We are also genuinely inquisitive and interested in who they are, and we enter into the essence of a redemptive sort of mystery.

This discovery brings you face-to-face with the self-centeredness that creates an environment of distrust, paranoia, and shame. You know that much of the human interaction is shaping and pushing us away from a place of hope, restoration, and peace.

So if you’re in a role of leadership or in a helping relationship, how do you make a meaningful connection?

At Gibson, giving back to the community isn’t just a transaction. It’s part of the fabric that makes up the core of our company. Gibson is always looking for ways to empower all team members to participate in a giving experience, whether that is through direct giving, input on corporate giving, group projects, through volunteer service, or board leadership.

“The first and final thing you have to do in this world is to last in it, and not be smashed by it.” – Ernest Hemingway

In Simon Sinek’s book The Infinite Game, the “winners” are those still in the game. Having the will and resources to continue playing the game, long after the other players drop out, will allow our organizations to stand the test of time.

A key part of Sinek’s philosophy revolves around Advancing a Just Cause. It’s what gives our work meaning. It is the world we hope to build and what inspires us to keep playing the infinite game.

Just Causes - and the Infinite Mindsets behind them - require resiliency. They must be durable enough to endure through political, market, technological, and cultural change over the years.

Likewise, so must the individuals that are doing the advancing. But how do we acquire resilience? Is it something we’re born with or can it be learned?

By now, we're all well acquainted with news of the coronavirus (COVID-19), which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), has now been confirmed in over 70 countries and has affected well over 90,000 individuals globally, resulting in over 3,000 deaths. While the vast majority of cases remain outside the U.S. at this time, it's never too ambitious to begin implementing prevention techniques in our homes and places of work. Below is a list of simple prevention techniques and travel best-practices in order to limit the possibility of COVID-19 spread and exposure:

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ron Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Michigan First. We hope you enjoy Ron’s wisdom and perspective.

Leaders push boundaries. They’re the first to try out big ideas. But doing what has never been done is not without risks. All leaders will eventually experience obstacles and setbacks—it comes with the territory. One of the things that separate great leaders from the rest is their ability to adapt and navigate adversities.

Here are a few tips you can use the next time you’re down:

According to the American Heart Association, someone dies of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) every 37 seconds in the U.S. This accounts for 2,353 deaths from CVD each day, based on 2017 data, making it the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. As is evident from these figures, it is extremely important that prevention becomes a part of your company culture by ensuring that your wellness program includes education and challenges centered on heart health and how to keep risk factors under control. This provides employees with a benchmark in order to begin working towards heart-healthier lifestyles. Living a heart-healthy lifestyle does take some effort because it involves changing daily habits, so it should be encouraged and exemplified within the workplace.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ben Berman, Certified EOS Implementer. We hope you enjoy Ben’s wisdom and perspective.

There’s a term to describe tempting opportunities outside of an organization’s core competencies: “Shiny Things.” 

Like sparkling diamonds or the flashing lights of fame, these opportunities beckon. Shiny things lure even the most rational leadership teams into poor strategic choices with real implications. When confronted with a new opportunity -- a shiny thing -- you’ll need to ask if it is a “core” or is it a “lure”? 

Let me illustrate by sharing an experience I had with a company implementing EOS® whose leader is an excitable, passionate Visionary.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Rebecca Fleetwood Hession, CEO/Founder of WEthrive.live and host of The Badass Womens Council podcast. We hope you enjoy Rebecca’s wisdom and perspective.

Maybe you can relate: I spent years of my life longing to see my office, my email, my car, and my house all neatly organized into color-coordinated files. Surely this blissful state would give me peace of mind and finally allow me to reach my biggest life goals.

As it turns out, getting organized is not the path to achievement. In fact, it might be killing your ability to have real leadership impact. While some level of order is essential for success, your quest to reach a blissful state of organized living might actually be holding you back.

“The true value of an organization is measured by the desire others have to contribute to that organization’s ability to keep succeeding, not just during the time they are there, but well beyond their own tenure.” - Simon Sinek, The Infinite Game

In 2009’s Start With Why, author Simon Sinek makes the point that all organizations and individuals have a “Why.” It’s our origin story, the reason we do what we do.

Why is our purpose, cause, or belief. Our purpose comes from our past. It’s born out of how we were raised and the values we were exposed to.

And, according to Sinek, it’s far more important than how you do it or what you deliver. As he often says, “People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”

Earlier this month I attended my first Gibson State Of The Company (SOTC) meeting. All 140 Gibson employees gathered in South Bend for the day to reflect on the past 12 months and ignite our energy for the year ahead.

I set modest goals for my first SOTC. I didn’t want to trip when walking on and off the stage and wanted to limit my creative pronunciations of names when announcing work anniversaries. I even got some laughs during my presentation – I think the laughs were of the “at me”, not “with me”, variety!

In all seriousness, I found this day to be incredibly valuable. Being relatively new to Gibson, the opportunity to meet fellow employees and put names with faces was a big part of the day for me. The energy and pride everyone had about Gibson, their clients, colleagues, and community was very evident and exciting to see. There was no doubt leaving the meeting that the Gibson culture is strong.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Doug Beebe, President/CEO of Benchmark Human Services. We hope you enjoy Doug’s wisdom and perspective.

“That was a stupid idea. I told him it wouldn’t work.”

As leaders, we all pursue excellence for our organizations, but sometimes hear the above. How excellence is defined varies across organizations and within industries. Often, excellence is described as cutting edge or best practice, but how many organizations adhere to the best practice standard? There is ample documentation across multiple disciplines that indicate huge gaps are evident between best practices and actual practices. These gaps are especially prevalent in service delivery.

“That’s not how we do it here.”

Identifying and addressing those gaps are important when trying to differentiate implementation outcomes (Are we following the practice?) from effectiveness outcomes (Are we getting the results we expected?). When poor outcomes result from a new initiative, we often blame the “new way” without holding ourselves accountable on the implementation side.

In this article originally published by Gibson's Loss Prevention Manager, Gary Clark, we explore best practices for staying safe during the cold winter months. With the cold weather, winter brings a slew of workplace safety hazards. From proper attire to snow removal and slippery surfaces, you should be thinking about how the cold weather impacts your employees. How can you protect them from the cold this winter?

Consider the following tips to keep your workforce prepared and protected:

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Jason Meyer, President/CEO of Passages, Inc. We hope you enjoy Jason’s wisdom and perspective.

We’ve all had that boss, supervisor, or co-worker we looked up to and wanted to strive to be one day. We’ve also had the opposite experience – a leader we were sure we’d never be like if we had his or her position.

Now as we lead others, have you ever taken the time to pause to think how you are a different kind of leader? Have you ever taken a minute to take a look in the mirror to see if you are the leader that you never wanted to become? Do you want to become that different kind of leader?

As we lead others, let’s take time to look in the mirror. Are we the kind of leader we always said we would never be?

To be a different kind of leader it takes commitment. It takes a willingness to be vulnerable. It requires us to check egos at the door and to be very humble. It requires LISTENING to the people we lead. Most importantly, if you get nothing else out of this blog post, being a different leader is not rocket science; it is much like the golden rule - leading others as you would like to be led.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Kathy Mayfield, Integrator at Traction Tools. We hope you enjoy Kathy’s wisdom and perspective.

Even if your leadership team has been running on the Entrepreneurial Operating System^® for years, you can still run into speed bumps in your team meetings. Tough Issues can be…well, tough to solve. It’s in those moments when you need your team to step up to the plate with creative ideas. Those are also the moments when your team may feel stymied. Meeting participation drops and you’re left with one or two people who drive the discussion.

If that sounds familiar to you, we’ve got your back. Here are seven proven ways to generate more engagement, stronger participation, and more creative ideas to solve your toughest Issues.

Looking for ways to educate and engage your employees on safety & health topics throughout the year? Check out our 2020 Safety & Health Calendar.

Workplace safety and wellbeing should be a top priority for leadership and employees. But how can you keep your employees engaged all year long? For every organization the approach is different – you could have a safety committee, newsletters, monthly training sessions, and more. The 2020 Safety & Health Calendar is a valuable tool you can utilize to make your efforts more effective.

A new year and new decade are upon us. I’ve noticed social media already calling it the #roaring20s. 

A recent opinion piece in the WSJ recalled the energy and creativity of the original Roaring 20s: “These remarkable 10 years saw the rise, all at once, of the world’s great cosmopolitan cities—New York, Chicago, Paris, Berlin, London. Music, art, drama, literature, ballet, architecture, movies, newspapers—it’s hard to grasp the creative radiance and energy of the decade.”

And just like in the 1920s, we have major political and cultural battles over taxes, tariffs, and traditions. Many are not prepared or willing – just like a century ago – to deal with the coming reality.

The previous era was known for creativity and new thinking about everything. Whether the 2020s will earn the title of roaring or not, with certainty I predict they won’t be the #boring20s.

Don’t let the new year get off to a bad start! Keep safety in mind to ensure you, your family, and your friends have an accident-free New Year’s Eve celebration!

Hard to believe we've been sharing #WhatsTheRisk blogs for nearly 7 years! As we wrap up this year of blogging, I'd like to share my gratitude. Thank you to our guest bloggers for sharing their insight with us! And to all of our readers - thank you for reading and sharing these blogs with others!

Here are the most popular #WhatsTheRisk blogs of 2019:

If you’ve been following my Friday leadership blog posts in 2019, you’ve likely noticed a common thread: excellence. We focused on lessons from Tom Peters’ The Excellence Dividend, with particular attention on these 12 “No. 1s,” - not only with my blogs, but also within Gibson.

As the year comes to an end, it is a good opportunity to recap these topics. Even if you don’t have time to read all 12 blogs, I’d encourage you to spend 5 minutes reading 1 of these posts because as Peters says, “Excellence is the next five minutes”…

This holiday season, we want to take the opportunity to thank you for being our client, colleague, and confidant in 2019. We wish you the happiest of holidays and a glowing hope for the new year!

Today we’re sharing insight from guest Art Betancourt, Principal & Founder of AEBetancourt. We hope you enjoy Art’s wisdom and perspective.

If you’ve ever been to a Disney resort or theme park, then you know that the level of service Disney's staff of “Cast Members” is unmatched. No detail is beneath their attention; their entire focus is on ensuring your family has the best possible experience during your stay.

What you may not realize is how incredibly difficult it is to land a spot in Disney's team. For instance, on a recent visit to Disney World, my family was delighted by a particular waitress at the Rose and Crown Pub. When I asked her how she came all the way from England to our table, she told me that she was one of the 40 hand-picked out of a pool of 6,000 applicants, or that position to join the cast—0.007% of applicants made the cut.    

While most organizations may not have the luxury of being as selective in their hiring decisions, you must admit Disney is on to something. Their success aligns with significant research on talent sourcing and development as well as the best practices in finding, selecting, and growing talent.

So, what can we learn from Disney regarding hiring and retaining top talent in today’s labor market?

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Perhaps to spend more time getting in shape? Eat healthier? Your health and wellbeing are very important, but we’d also encourage you to consider some personal risk management resolutions this year!

Here are 4 suggestions to help you improve your risk management strategy this year:

“I believe that emotion eats reason for breakfast.” – author & entrepreneur Tim Leberecht

The holiday season is upon us once more! 'Tis the season for family and giving, festive decorations, social gatherings and office parties, tasty sweets, family meals, shopping, and more.

With so many jolly activities to participate in, it's important to make sure you, your loved ones, and your organization are safe and healthy this holiday season. Consider the following resources to get you ready for the holidays!

We at Gibson would like to extend to you and yours our best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving this year! We are thankful for you - our friends, family, clients, and colleagues. Give thanks, and enjoy the family, food, and frivolity!

As a marketing professional, I have been on both sides of the same equation. As a corporate leader for a global company, I made decisions to ensure our local community was supported by making charitable contributions to worthy nonprofits.  Later, when I worked for the nonprofit Kelly Cares Foundation, this arrangement flipped. I was the one asking corporate executives for charitable contributions to my nonprofit. Now, as the Director of Marketing at Gibson, seeing both sides of the equation and matching those experiences with our own set of priorities has me seeing the whole arrangement from a new vantage point.

As soon as I joined the Gibson team, I asked myself: Are we fully embracing corporate giving? I knew right away, Gibson is an incredibly generous company. It’s very clear we have a culture of servant leadership from the top down and our donations and time prove this. But what difference is it making? Should we have a plan for giving, just like we have a plan for every other part of our company? Of course, the answer is yes.

Research shows nearly 90% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from a company that supports activities to improve the community. With a statistic like that, do employers really have a choice when it comes to giving and their social reputation? I can enthusiastically say no! But this doesn’t mean throwing together a disjointed giving program that exists outside the bounds of your company’s primary goals.

We all have our favorite Thanksgiving traditions. It could be eating turkey and pumpkin pie, spending quality time with family, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, cheering on your favorite football team, preparing for Black Friday shopping, or perhaps you’re someone who loves to start the day by running in a local turkey trot race. This week is a time to gather with friends and family, and to give thanks for our blessings.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Dr. Julie Lauck, Superintendent of Valparaiso Community Schools. We hope you enjoy Dr. Lauck’s wisdom and perspective.

Great ideas often come from simple beginnings. Much like the beginning of a favorite movie of mine, Out of Africa begins with “I had a farm in Africa…” the story of an initiative we started this year in our district begins like this, “I had a Yorkie with a tummy ache.”

I took my dog to the vet late last spring. Dr. Bill Donohue and I began talking about his sponsorship of our one and only therapy dog. My comment to Dr. Donohue was that I would have a therapy dog in every school if I could. Dr. Donohue offered to sponsor any dog we could place. He added that he had a patient expecting a litter of ten English Cream Golden Retrievers. I looked at him and said, “I’ll get every single one placed.” He provided me with the contact information… and so it began.

Nicole Fallowfield, Principal at Gibson, discusses incentives to motivate employees to better health when no matter what, health care cost continue to rise. To hear what Nicole has to say, check out the video below:

“The single most significant strategic strength that an organization can have is not a good strategic plan but a commitment to strategic listening on the part of every member of the organization.” – Tom Peters

Those are some pretty strong words. I think we all know listening is important, but are we treating it as Peters says, “the bedrock of leadership excellence,” and thus giving it the attention it deserves? Are we truly being effective listeners?

We all struggle to get ahead of the talent challenges of today's workplace. At Gibson, we care so much about this topic that we have partnered with employee engagement software leader, Emplify, to bring insights and tools to the table as trusted advisors.

In this webinar, we’ll be joined by Emplify CEO and Co-founder, Santiago Jaramillo, as he shares actionable takeaways to build your own personalized culture framework to help you not only mitigate culture challenges, but get ahead of them.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Joel Swanson, Certified EOS Implementer and Speaker. We hope you enjoy Joel’s wisdom and perspective.

It has almost certainly happened to each of us - you’re driving down the road on cruise control. You’re not doing anything reckless, but your mind is on a million things besides the stretch of road you’re on. You’re thinking about your destination, how long it will take to get there, whether you have enough gas, what’s for lunch, and why no one seems to know how to use a turn signal any more.

The next thing you know, you’re literally shaken back into focus by the rumble strip just on the other side of the white line. You’ve drifted a bit, so you make a slight course correction to straighten things out, and continue on your way with more focused direction.

No big deal, right? Right. But things could have gotten really dicey if it weren’t for that rumble strip.

The rumble strip was there to serve a purpose: it let you know that you were off course before you barreled into the ditch. It nudged you into making a small adjustment so you could avoid disaster.

There are rumble strips available to your business. Are you using them?

Do you have a best friend at work?

I heard this for the first time three years ago. I’d just started at Gibson and was becoming familiar with employee wellbeing and engagement surveys. I came across this question from the Gallup Q12 survey and remember thinking how strange I thought it was. Honestly, I’d never thought about it before.

Many people have the same reaction. In surveys, some employees comment that they already have a best friend and they don't need to spend extra time with the people they work with outside of work.

Having a best friend at work simply relates to having someone at work that you can confide in or share an experience with.

Nobody thrives in a plague or does their best work while fending off lions. And it doesn’t take a catastrophe to throw stress reactions into overdrive. When people don’t trust that they’ll be able to complete their work without surprises — especially those that come with negative consequences — engagement is nearly impossible. 

Being prepared to maintain employee engagement by addressing the difficulties that come with change is mission critical when triggers arise. Change is tough to absorb individually and as a company; keeping tabs on exactly how it affects your team should guide your efforts to maintain engagement through the shift. Without this feedback, you risk adding to your difficulties by setting the stage for disengagement and its costly sidekicks — low productivity, absenteeism, subpar customer service, and turnover.

Liz Misenar, Principal at Gibson, discusses personal liability protection. Accidents happen and unfortunately so do lawsuits. The amount of the settlement has nothing to do with your financial resources and you are legally obligated to pay whether you have the funds or not. To hear what Liz has to say, check out the video below:

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Renea Boots, EVP & Chief Administration Officer for Farmers State Bank. We hope you enjoy Renea’s wisdom and perspective.

I recently ran across the following quote.

“Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere.” – Ronald Reagan

Reading these words, I felt myself smiling, remembering that I have often said “Get great people, empower them, and get out of their way!” Maybe I read this quote earlier in my career and stole it from President Reagan, or maybe it just made sense and great minds think alike (except that I don’t consider my mind great).

Regardless, there is tremendous truth in the statement. As my career has morphed from HR into corporate leadership, I’ve learned that developing self-confidence in people, removing hurdles when needed, praising good work, and occasionally cleaning up a mess is really the true day-to-day nature of my role. The other focus of corporate leadership is looking out to next month, next quarter, next year - and preparing the organization for what lies ahead.

Mid-level managers are best equipped to handle most challenges an organization faces each day. The question is - are you letting them?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger René Boer, a Certified Implementer of EOS. We hope you enjoy René's wisdom and perspective.

It’s probably no surprise that employees would prefer feedback to be positive. But what may surprise you is that employees would rather have negative feedback than no feedback at all. Despite this, many bosses confess that they’re not particularly good at giving genuine praise or helpful criticism.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Peter Welsh, Director of Retirement Services for Thurston Springer. We hope you enjoy Peter's wisdom and perspective.

“The magic formula that successful businesses have discovered is to treat customers like guests and employees like people.” - Tom Peters

With annual budgeting season upon us, many organizations are facing the age-old question of cutting or spending their way to prosperity. Many businesses talk about the importance of growth yet allocate much of their planning time toward cost control initiatives. Yet, the celebrated stories of success rarely involved a sustained history of austerity. Business consultant Scott Edinger sums it up well in a Forbes article, “I believe strongly that we should attack waste, and there is often plenty of fat to trim. Unfortunately, many executives are so laser-focused on cost-cutting that they lose sight of their real objective: actual growth, not just the bottom line.”

Treating your clients well by investing in new and better solutions and attracting, growing, and retaining the best talent in the market can’t be accomplished through spending cuts. It requires investment.

In The Excellence Dividend, Peters pleads for leaders to over-invest in people and facilities. “Cost cutting is a death spiral,” he writes. That said, successful companies remain profitable over time.

Twenty years ago my wife and I were about one month into our new jobs after a cross country move to Arizona. I had just turned twenty-five and was figuring out the pecking order in the highly competitive sales focused culture of my new company.

Our firm was the dominant insurance provider in Phoenix. We worked with most of the major sports teams and that came with a reciprocal understanding that my company would be an active supporter of the teams through advertising and purchasing suites.

On Friday morning, September 24, 1999, news came that our office head had suffered a mild heart attack. He was going to be okay, which we were all thankful to hear. Not long after I observed many of our senior people huddling and excitedly talking about “the trip.” I got up from my desk to see what was going on.

Life insurance is one of those necessary evils that many of us don’t like to think about. While you hope you never need it, the chances are at some point you will. Life insurance is a wonderful way to help protect your family’s financial future whether you have a spouse, kids, parents that depend on you for financial support, or just debt. Life insurance provides a tax-free benefit to fulfill your needs, and those of your family, should you pass away andcan help your family pay for, and pay off, expenses such as:

• Funeral cost
• Uncovered medical expenses
• Mortgage
• Loans and credit card debt
• College funding
• Retirement funding
• Ongoing living expenses for your dependents

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Morales Group, a nationally recognized, Indianapolis-based MBE staffing company. We hope you enjoy their wisdom and perspective.

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” – Benjamin Franklin

Learning is understood and widely accepted for those of us who have gone through primary and collegiate schooling. We were regularly surrounded by individuals who encouraged and supported our development. New ideas and change were expected of us; the sky was the limit!

But what about once we got into the workplace? For many, we settled into the day-to-day routine, taking care of business, unaware of the toll that our comfortable, monotonous, uninterrupted tasks seemed to be having on our personal and professional growth.

Do you hear regular employees saying “I don’t get how this project management tool works” or “I’m bad at giving presentations. Please let someone else do it.” If so, reevaluation of your team’s growth mindset might be in order.

Summer is coming to an end. For some, that means it’s time to prepare the summer house for winter, put items into storage, and say goodbye until next Spring. The checklist below will help you remember what you need to do to ensure that your home is safe and secure until next year.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Mike Paton, Visionary at EOS Worldwide, LLC. We hope you enjoy Paton’s wisdom and perspective.

My high school cross-country coach, Chuck Lucas, was a legend. He and his teams won more than twenty league championships, countless district titles and two state titles – my senior year and the year following. There were lots of reasons “Coach Luke” was effective, but one was remarkable. He saw things other coaches never saw.

Michigan and Illinois recently legalized the recreational use of marijuana. This patchwork of laws, coupled with federal law that still criminalizes marijuana, leaves many employers wondering what they can prohibit and test for in the workplace.

According to Tom Peters, lunch is sacred. As he sees it, throughout the year we have “225 golden-never-to-be-repeated opportunities” to meet new people, learn new things, and build and nurture relationships inside and outside our organizations.

Okay, I like lunch as much as the next person. I fill my shared lunch hours with friends and colleagues whenever I can. But I’ve never thought of it as sacred. What gives?

Prepared, Not Scared.

That is the theme for this year’s National Preparedness Month. Annually, FEMA and other government organizations dedicate the month of September to educating individuals, families, businesses, and communities on the importance of taking action to prepare for emergency situations.The weekly themes include:

• Week 1 (Sept 1-7) - Save Early for Disaster Costs
• Week 2 (Sept 8-14) - Make a Plan to Prepare for Disasters
• Week 3 (Sept 15-21) - Teach Youth to Prepare for Disasters
• Week 4 (Sept 22-30) - Get Involved in Your Community's Preparedness

Though we hope you’ll consider disaster preparedness an important aspect of your risk management strategy all year long, this is a great time to check on your planning – both personally and in your organization. We’ve gathered a collection of resources to help you develop, implement, and test your emergency plans.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Mark Weber, CEO of YMCA of Southwest Michigan and interim CEO of YMCA of Michiana. We hope you enjoy Mark’s wisdom and perspective.

To improve our communities and make them places where people are healthy, safe, and cared for, takes a lot of work. As a non-profit organization, we know we can’t do it alone. The ability to effectively partner with other individuals and organizations in our communities is essential to the building of healthy communities.

To some, Labor Day weekend signals the end of summer and the last hurrah. To others, it’s the beginning of the best time of the year. The temperature starts to drop, the leaves slowly change colors, and the aroma of burgers and beer fills the air. It’s football season!

For some, tailgating is nearly as important as the game itself. It has become an integral part of the game day ritual. But don’t get so caught up in the festivities that you forget about safety. Consider these tips to keep your tailgating safe so you can enjoy the game:

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Don Tinney, Certified EOS Implementer™. We hope you enjoy Don’s wisdom and perspective.

Some people are great at avoiding conflict in the workplace. All you need to do is keep your mouth shut or yield to the strongest voice in the room. However you may be justifying your silence, passivity or lack of engagement, I want you to consider how damaging that behavior is for both you and your team. I also hope to give you some simple, practical suggestions for becoming a healthier, engaged fighter.

Conflict in the workplace is risky. I get that. It makes us uncomfortable, tense and our emotions can flare. But what should we expect from passionate teammates who are all fighting for outcomes that matter a lot? When we work with intelligent, creative, passionate people, we’re bound to have occasions when we see things differently. Conflict in the workplace is not only unavoidable in a growing, healthy organization, but it’s also essential!

This week begins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over” national campaign, which continues through Labor Day. Summer is a time to take advantage of the weather, cookout, go to the beach, and enjoy time with family and friends. Unfortunately, during the summer, there is an increased number of alcohol related vehicle accidents.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ron Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Michigan First. We hope you enjoy Ron’s wisdom and perspective.

Everyone wants to improve, and everyone knows they need helpful feedback in order to get there. The problem is that giving quality feedback is a difficult talent for leaders to master—and nobody is very good at receiving feedback that may be negative.

However, giving good feedback is the key to keeping your team engaged. Luckily, these discussions do not need to be unpleasant—especially when you use them as opportunities to celebrate success and discuss what’s next.

Here is your guide to giving and receiving feedback:

The greatest risk students face is getting to and from school every day.

According to The “Relative Risks of Death in U.S. Schools” report, school transportation-related incidents are the leading cause of fatalities. This includes riding school transportation, being struck by a school bus or other school vehicle, or being killed by a non-school vehicle on school property.

I can distinctly recall a discussion from my first real job. It was with a Regional Vice President, named Jim, who was about 4 levels above my direct supervisor. This was at a Fortune 100 organization, so being fresh out of college and having a serious discussion with a leadership team member was kind of a big deal. I had recently voiced my opinion on our current processes and procedures for time service standards at a large national conference. I offered several new ideas to evolve our standards. Jim called me a few weeks later to personally thank me for speaking up. And although most of my ideas were not feasible at the time or just bad, one of my ideas he loved and was already beginning to implement.

I wanted to discuss further my “bad ideas” that Jim said were not feasible, but he was too busy and basically ended the phone call with “Keep bringing me ideas – for every 20 bad ideas, hopefully 1 will be good.” I remember getting off the phone and being discouraged, thinking “Wow, what is that supposed to mean – 1 out of 20 is a good batting average?” Little did I know, this would be my first serious discussion on being an innovative leader.

Once your child turns 18, your ability to act on their behalf changes. Their medical history is no longer available and you cannot make medical decisions for them. Even if your child lives at home or is on your health insurance, a parent has no legal authority to make health care decisions nor do they have the right to obtain medical information due to the Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Mike Cahill, President of Banking Services at Ruoff Home Mortgage. We hope you enjoy Mike’s wisdom and perspective.

I recently came across a person on social media who was probably one of my worst hires ever. A very good person, just a very bad fit for the job and a poor judgment call on my part. I shared this with a friend who reminded me of a promotion I gave someone a few years back that was also ill advised. This friend has known me for a long, long time, so we reminisced about various bad hires or poor promotion decisions I made over the years.

As we all move up through management, the decisions that more times than not either make our break our success are the people decisions. Who do you hire, promote, reassign, develop, fire, etc.? After making sure you have the appropriate vision and strategy for your business, nothing is more important than the people decisions we all make.

At home, your family is exposed to the risks of robbery, fires, weather damage, and car accidents, among other things. When your young adult heads off to college, the same risks exist, even when they live on campus. It is important to understand your insurance policies to know what is covered and where there may be gaps.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Shery Roussarie, President and CEO of Allied Physicians of Michiana, LLC. We hope you enjoy Shery’s wisdom and perspective.

Two recent experiences have caused me to think about the legacy I am building. Is it a legacy where people will speak fondly of me, or will it be a celebration the likes of which hasn’t been seen since Dorothy’s house landed in Oz?

The first of these experiences was at Notre Dame’s annual President’s Breakfast. This year’s event concluded with a special tribute to John Affleck-Graves, retiring Chief Financial Officer of Notre Dame since 2004. It just takes a quick Google search to see the significant impact Dr. Affleck-Graves is leaving on Notre Dame and the financial development of the region.

What is hard to convey in an online search, or even in a sentimental tribute, is how he makes you feel. Should you have the good fortune to meet Dr. Affleck-Graves, you would indeed come away feeling blessed. He is one of those rare individuals who fully engages in the conversation at hand without regard to the status, title, or role of the person with whom he is speaking. Whether you are the president of the university or a little-known attendee at a breakfast.

 Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Anita S. Knudtson, Consultant/Owner of Experient Consultancy. We hope you enjoy Anita's wisdom and perspective.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Jim Gilkey, Director of Member Development at trueU. We hope you enjoy Jim’s wisdom and perspective.

I remember when my first employee quit. I was sitting in my office, a first-time branch manager at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, listening to a newly hired employee explain to me how he got an offer from “his dream job” and how he would be leaving me in two weeks. I told him, “no worries - sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” and let him take the next two weeks out of the office to prepare for his next role.

I sat in my office for a while after he left. My head was spinning - a battle was raging inside me. One voice was trying to reassure me, explaining the logic of why this employee left (he is a millennial), telling me that I’d do the same if I were in his position (no one grows up dreaming of renting cars for a living). The other voice was not as sure.

Would that employee have quit if I was a better leader?

Accidents are preventable, predictable, and unacceptable. Heat illnesses are no exception – they are preventable. It is your responsibility as an employer to provide a workplace safe from excessive heat, as well as appropriately train your employees on understanding heat illnesses and how they can be prevented. 

“The only thing you have power over is to get good at what you do. That’s all there is; there ain’t no more!” – Sally Field

Even after four decades of writing and speaking on excellence, Tom Peters continues his impassioned plea on training with an entire chapter devoted to it in his most recent book The Excellence Dividend. He makes the point that you don’t achieve mastery during the game, while delivering the speech, or playing at the concert. Rather, “mastery is achieved only on the invisible preparation stage.”

As a performer, training should be your highlight, leaving the main event as an afterthought. When you think about it, success has essentially been decided before you even step on to the field or stage.

Writes Peters, “I find it interesting that many people I come across think they would make a great writer, actor, executive coach, seminar speaker, or even leader with little or no investment in training. Odd how they don't feel the same about neurosurgery, instrumentation design, and dentistry.”

Chris Kidd, Client Executive and Risk Advisor  at Gibson, discusses how loosely monitored fleets can increase the frequency and severity of potential auto losses, resulting in significant liability claims. To hear what Chris has to say, check out the video below:

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Joe Calloway, author of “Keep It Simple,” “Magnetic,” and several other game-changing business books. We hope you enjoy Joe’s wisdom and perspective.

There are common threads woven through winning companies and top individual performers. There are also common threads woven through the mediocre and the struggling.

When I talk with people in companies that are not doing well, they will invariably tell me how complicated their business is, how different it is from other businesses, and that they “have a thousand things to do” each and every day.

Celebrating one of the nation's most historical holidays can be festive, but has the potential for risk. So we bring you a look at the 4th of July by the numbers with interesting statistics and facts. As with any holiday celebration, have fun and stay safe!

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, David Mann, Managing Partner at The Firefly Group. We hope you enjoy David’s wisdom and perspective.

About a year ago, I had the opportunity to introduce The Firefly Group and our team to a room of 200+ talented, inspiring, go getters who are making a positive difference in the world. It is always my desire to deliver my message in a way that hits its mark, but with this particular group I had an increased desire to leave a positive impression as we had recently formalized our partnership and were meeting the broader team for the first time.

At the end of my introductory remarks I was asked several questions. I was feeling pretty good until someone asked - "Tell us your firm's core values?" Embarrassingly, with a deer in the headlights expression on my face and my mind going completely blank, I looked at the person asking the question and had to admit that I could not name a single one of them. Spending the next couple of days ruminating on this experience, I continued to ask myself - do our core values actually mean anything or are they just something we tell people we have and hang on the wall? If I can't name them, how in the world could I possibly be living by any of them?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Robert Kistler, an attorney at Barrett McNagny. We hope you enjoy Robert's wisdom and perspective.

With mergers and acquisitions, employee benefit plans and transition issues are often among the last things considered when negotiating the purchase agreement terms or conducting due diligence. Given the complexity of maintaining and administering plans in compliance with numerous laws (ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, GINA [1], and some state insurance laws—that are regulated by countless government agencies) it is no surprise that buyers, and sellers, are often surprised by complicated benefit issues that arise shortly before the transaction closing date.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Andrew Wiand, Executive Director of enFocus, Inc. We hope you enjoy Andrew’s wisdom and perspective.

I’m sure every leader has felt something similar: I want my staff to have autonomy and inspiration to think outside of the box, but we also need to focus on the task at hand. Freedom and responsibility are core aspects of high performance, but there is a certainly a balance required to ensure that employees are staying focused on the critical tasks to complete necessary efforts while also producing the ideas the company can capitalize on in the long term.

There are many answers to this riddle across organizations, varied by type of business, type of job, and leadership philosophy. At the same time, there are many organizational models for creating innovative ideas; from “thinktank” spaces to design thinking exercises to newly formed innovation groups that are specifically designed to dream up the next wave of products and services for the company.

June is National Safety Month. While workplace and home safety are important every day of the year, the National Safety Council (NSC) specially focuses on safety during the month of June to help educate the public. Highlighting the following four themes throughout the month, the NSC aims to reduce the leading causes of injury and death – at home and in your workplace.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Nancy Owsianowski, President of RoundTable Consulting, LLC. We hope you enjoy Nancy’s wisdom and perspective.

I recently read that Warren Buffet spends 80% of his day reading and thinking. Can you imagine—80% of his day?!

According to Buffett, all of that reading and thinking is what has built his knowledge base, providing for less impulsive decision making in his business. In this world of go, go, go, most of us do not have the luxury to spend that much of our day this way. However, many high-profile CEOs also schedule thinking time into their calendars. In fact, AOL CEO Tim Armstrong makes his executives spend 10 percent of their day just thinking. Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, schedules two hours of uninterrupted thinking time per day. While it may seem indulgent, in reality, they use that time to come up with new ideas, brainstorm ways to overcome challenges, set goals, and organize their ideas.

Today we’re sharing a blog from Central Insurance Companies. We hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to HGTV, many of us are feeling more empowered than ever when it comes to home improvement and considering purchasing fixer-uppers to convert into our dream home. The possibilities are endless. Older homes have become a target for this trend, allowing us to hold onto some of the charm and character they offer while adding modern flair. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re considering purchasing an older home or any home you’re planning to renovate.

“In my whole life, I have known no wise people - over a broad subject matter area - who didn’t read all the time. None. Zero.” – Charlie Munger, Vice Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway

When Tom Peters, author of The Excellence Dividend, speaks of reading, he’ll often label it as the “#1 deficit in CEOs.” For all the talk about how much successful CEOs do read, it may not be enough. Said Peters in a 2016 interview: “I like to think I’m a half step ahead of the pack. But about three years ago, with all the crap that’s going on, particularly with technology, I realized that I was 25 steps behind.”

Reading books is such an important tool to learn new things but also to test your understanding and beliefs. “I love them because they help us understand that we are not the brightest people in the world, and there are 80 million things to trip over when we’re making decisions,” Peters added.

An estimated 10,000 workplace cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year. Even worse, many don’t know the symptoms of a cardiac arrest. As a result, only 46% of people who have “Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCA)” receive proper CPR before medical help has responded. CPR can double, or even triple, the survival rate.  

This week is CPR & AED Awareness Week. An emergency can happen at any time and you should know what to expect when that time comes. Become more aware in the workplace with these tips from the American Heart Association. With only 50% of people in a workplace knowing where to locate an AED, many lives are at risk.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Brad Duncan, Branch Manager and AVP at Centier Bank. We hope you enjoy Brad’s wisdom and perspective.

Since I was a child, I have always admired great teams. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of the 1985 Celtics, 1996 Bulls, or the 2018 Golden State Warriors? Unfortunately, I was not born to be a basketball player, but I have always strived to lead others. I believe the thing we forget is that leadership should not just be associated with a CEO, CFO, or Executive Director, it should be something you desire in every individual that touches your organization. Leadership comes in layers and each layer makes the organization better. When you add a player to a basketball team, that team gets better or worse depending on who is added or subtracted. Business is no different as each employee makes their mark on your company.

Most businesses wouldn’t think twice about investing in the safety of their employees while they are at work; however, if employees are your most valuable asset, shouldn’t you be concerned with their personal safety, risk management, and disaster preparedness?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Jennifer Magley, Coach, Public Speaker, Author, and Entrepreneur. We hope you enjoy Jennifer’s wisdom and perspective.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Kyle DeFur, President of trueU. We hope you enjoy Kyle’s wisdom and perspective.

One of our star leaders, we’ll call him Bob, sat across from me in my office asking some very direct questions about the degree of his job security in our company. I was president of the organization and our parent company had just recently announced our organization was being acquired by a much larger company. All the questions about the implications of this acquisition were running through Bob’s head. “I have a family to support and I need to know if my job is at risk of being eliminated”, he stated. “I trust you and I need you to be honest with me regarding my status so I can make the best decision for me and my family.”

Whitney Trent, Wellbeing and Engagement Strategist at Gibson, discusses how increasing healthcare costs, high rates of employee absenteeism, turnover, and decreasing employee engagement can impact not just your employee wellbeing, but your organizational wellbeing as well. To hear what Whitney has to say, check out the video below: 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Adam Weber, Co-Founder and VP of Sales for Emplify. We hope you enjoy Adam’s wisdom and perspective.

Over the years, I’ve talked with hundreds of executives and people leaders about employee engagement, company culture, and leadership. Based on those conversations, it’s become clear to me that there are two very distinct types of leaders...let’s think of them as the old school executive and the modern leader.

The biggest difference between the old school executive and the modern leader is how they view their employees and their expectations for their workforce. Here are two statements to illustrate these very different mindsets:

Today we’re sharing a blog from Central Insurance Companies. We hope you enjoy it!

If the wind was strong enough to pick up Dorothy and Toto and pull her entire house into a tornado and send them to the magical Land of Oz, there is no telling what it could do to your property. Tornado season is just around the corner, so instead of getting your magical shoes ready, follow these simple steps to minimize the wind damage to your home.

Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the “purest manifestations of business excellence” according to business guru Tom Peters. “I love SMEs. They create the jobs and are responsible for most of the innovation in our country.”

It’s true. Small businesses, those with less than 500 employees, account for roughly half of private-sector employment. And since the Great Recession, SMEs have accounted for 67% of the net new jobs in the US.

With all the benefits of lakefront living right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about parties, boating, and preparing your home for the season. Owning a lakefront home has more financial risks that need to be properly managed. Not only protecting the value of the home itself, but all your financial assets with the increased liability exposure.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Steve Husk, Owner of Circle Health Partners, Inc. We hope you enjoy Steve’s wisdom and perspective.

I recently relayed a story to a dear friend at Gibson about my earliest days managing a department for a large, local insurance company beginning in 1983. I shared that I had figured out how important it was to manage by walking around…little did I know that a similar term had been coined around the same time in the 1980s and recently shared in this blog. I am excited to know it’s not just me. Some very smart authors independently discovered what I did—that you must see it for yourself and poke around to get a complete picture of what is going on in your operation.

Robert Hyde, Advisor in Select at Gibson, discusses how a poor company culture can lead to difficulties in attracting and retaining top talent. To hear what Robert has to say, check out the video below: 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Ken DeWitt, business coach and Certified EOS Implementer. We hope you enjoy Ken’s wisdom and perspective.

Years ago, I bought my dream car: a three-year-old 1984 BMW 528e. Suddenly, I started noticing other BMWs just like mine on the road everywhere.

Psychologists tell us that this is the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, otherwise known as frequency illusion or recency illusion. This occurs when the thing you've just noticed, experienced, or been told about, suddenly seems to crop up constantly.

We are excited to host the 2019 What’s The Risk Summit on Wednesday, May 22 at the Century Center in South Bend. Our goal at Gibson is to provide you information on topics relevant to YOUR business.

We have identified those key topics and will bringtogether industry experts to educate and answer all of your questions. We hope to see you there! 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Bethany Hartley, Director of Diversity & Inclusion at South Bend - Elkhart Regional Partnership. We hope you enjoy Bethany’s wisdom and perspective.

Each year, National Work Zone Awareness Week brings attention to these safety, mobility, and constructability issues. As a driver, you must use extra caution in work zones to keep yourself and others safe. 

“By experience we find out a short way by a long wandering.” ~ Roger Ascham

Author Tom Peters and his partner Bob Waterman first coined the term MBWA, or Managing By Wandering Around, in the 1980s after visiting Hewlett Packard as part of their research for In Search of Excellence. They noticed that the most successful organizations had leaders who spent a great deal of their time engaging with their teams. By being out in the field or on the factory floor they were closer to the action while building personal relationships with their people. This allowed for better and more efficient problem solving.

Nowadays with company workforces, business units, and even teams spread around the country, literally “wandering around” may not seem as practical. Yet MBWA is really a metaphor for being in touch with your employees, your partners, and your clients. “It’s the discipline of getting out of your office and getting close to where the work is really done,” says Peters.

Spring has sprung and for many that means outdoor sports are about to begin! April is National Youth Sports Safety Month and a great opportunity to bring awareness to keeping our kids safe when playing sports.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Sue Hawkes, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Coach, Keynote Speaker, and Best-Selling Author. We hope you enjoy Sue’s wisdom and perspective.

Imagine driving on a highway you’ve never been on before. Preferably you’re driving a convertible and the views are breathtaking. In this scenario, it’s unlikely you’ll notice the guardrails. However, the guardrails are almost invisibly keeping you on track, guiding you safely and efficiently to your desired destination. In your business, your Core Focus™️ functions the same way.

Your company is the vehicle and your Core Focus is the guardrail for your journey; keeping you moving forward, allowing you to focus on what you do best.

We often think cyber-attacks only affect large corporations like Equifax, Home Depot, Uber, and Target. While these are extensively covered in the national media, what we don’t hear about are all the school districts across the country also being hit by cyber thieves.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, John DiJulius, Chief Revolution Officer & President of The DiJulius Group. We hope you enjoy John’s wisdom and perspective.

I recently was in Las Vegas to speak to a homebuilders association. The night before at the reception, my host was introducing me to their members as the keynote speaker for the next day. One of the members asked me what my topic was. When I told her it was Customer Service, she responded with, “I need to hear it, because my customers make me crazy.” She went on to give me an example, “One woman was building a 1.5-million-dollar house and you wouldn’t believe how she was losing her mind over the caulk. It is caulk!”

I found this story funny. It is the same story in every industry. Employees are not trained correctly to see things from the customer’s viewpoint. What they are struggling with, their fears and concerns. It is never about the caulk or the shipment being late. Those are just the tipping points to why someone may become irrational.

National Poison Prevention Week is always the third week of March. It’s an opportunity to emphasize the dangers of poisoning for people of all ages and highlight prevention strategies.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Erik Johnson, Principal at J2 Marketing. We hope you enjoy Erik’s wisdom and perspective.

Businesses start making brand decisions before they gain a single customer. When you plan the interior vibe of your restaurant, you’re making brand decisions. When you choose a logo, you’re making a brand decision. Even the typefaces you use are part of your brand.

There are two pitfalls we’ve seen a lot of businesses run into before they come to us.

1. New businesses often make brand decisions without finalizing their brand.
2. Businesses that have been around a while don’t have established brand standards and overtime, get off track.

In both cases, business owners, brand implementers (like employees, printers, or designers), and potential customers get confused.

A recent article by forbes.com claims that “Consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by up to 23 percent.”

Brian Souders, Risk Advisor at Gibson, discusses the premium audit process and why companies should consider taking a more proactive approach. To hear what Brian has to say, check out the video below: 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Steve Gawronski, Founding Partner at Lachesis LLC. We hope you enjoy Steve’s wisdom and perspective.

Earlier this year, the founder of Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher, passed away. Mr. Kelleher openly dismissed business strategy, often uttering his famous, sarcastic quote when questioned about Southwest’s strategy: “We have a strategic plan. It is called doing things.” Reading of his passing made me think of some recent conversations I have had with our clients about strategy, operations, and data analytics.

There seems to be an undercurrent of thinking that strategy is one thing and operational excellence is another. Our clients are very much focused on operations, as they should be. They see great merit in getting things done and driving initiatives towards completion. And this is all good and necessary and admirable. But in fact, strategy and operations are so closely interwoven that, in a well-run company, one does not exist without the other. There is no better example of this than Mr. Kelleher’s own Southwest Airlines.

Daylight Saving Time (DST) was created with the intention of giving people more time to either work or enjoy the sunlight during the summer months. So, every year, on the second Sunday in March, our clocks “spring forward” an hour. One hour might not seem like a big deal, but for many, the transition can be hard on our bodies and psyche.  

“The sergeant is the Army.” ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

As Tom Peters recounts in The Excellence Dividend, his early years in the Navy taught him how important “first-line chiefs” are to an organization. For Peters, “chiefs” is Navy-speak for Chief Petty Officers, the naval equivalent of sergeant in the Army.

“First-line chiefs are key #1 to organizational effectiveness and we invariably (way) underplay their collective importance,” writes Peters. “Not getting this is a strategic mistake of the first order.”

Frontline bosses are the main embodiment of corporate culture. They are the champions for excellence and enablers of sustained employee development.

This blog was written by Lynn Bemenderfer, M.D., FACOG.

“Thank you, I have more time with my wife and kids and I am forever grateful…”

CPR saves lives! CPR – or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. Within seconds of cardiac arrest, a person becomes unresponsive and no longer has a pulse. Circulation in the body stops. Death occurs within minutes if the victim does not receive treatment. Immediate CPR greatly increases one’s chance for survival, but an unfortunate fact is that the percentage of people who have CPR training is low.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Mike Paton, Visionary at EOS Worldwide, LLC. We hope you enjoy Paton’s wisdom and perspective.

During a recent Annual Planning season, one of my clients was moved to tears while reflecting on the past year. He was recounting a “personal great,” and filled with pride for his daughter while sharing a few of her significant accomplishments. He struggled to finish the story, and ultimately needed to take a short break to compose himself. Throughout this touching, heartfelt moment, he kept apologizing to his team for being so emotional.

Truth be told, I regularly witness crying, yelling, and various other forms of passion in a session room. Running an entrepreneurial company can be hard. Most of my clients spend far more hours at work than they do at home with their families. They pour themselves into their businesses as if their lives depend on its success or failure. They worry deeply about the well-being of every employee and most customers. And they often have to make tough decisions that adversely affect someone that matters to them very much.

According to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “The only thing that is constant is change.” This certainly rings true for the year ahead in the world of employee benefits and human capital management. While not an exhaustive summary of the changes to come, the following touches on some of the key trends and area of focus for employee benefits in the near future.

Everyone has probably heard the acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep It Super Simple) made famous by the U.S. Navy in the 1960's. It was used to gently remind people to work towards simplicity in design and process rather than falling into the trap of over complication. Even though this acronym has permeated into several facets of life and business, it is a skill set that many forget and few are able to master.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Gravitas Impact Premium Coaches. We hope you enjoy their wisdom and perspective.

Have you ever heard of the “Impossible Task”?

It’s a term you likely won’t find in any peer-reviewed journal, but you may be familiar with it. It actually grew out of a viral Twitter thread from back in August and is used to describe a symptom of depression where seemingly simple tasks — such as folding that pile of laundry, paying a bill, or even responding to an important email — suddenly become impossible to complete for no reason at all. You have all the tools. You know what needs to be done. You may even be fully aware of the simplicity of it, but you just. Can’t. Do it.

How often do businesses find themselves with a similar problem when it comes to execution? You have your strategy, your team, and your map. You know what needs to be done, but you just can’t seem to get out of the strategy phase. As it turns out, the answer is “a lot.”

Do you know “who” and “what” you are getting during a merger or acquisition and have you done your safety due diligence?  If your organization is in the process of an M&A, a question to ask yourself is: Does environment, health, and safety (EHS) and sustainability have a seat at the M&A table? If not, you’ll likely miss out on valuable insights that can help ensure a smooth process from start to finish.

“Execution will be one of the key differentiators going forward. Not just execution, but the speed at which new ideas and solutions can be deployed,” said my friend Larry Linne on a recent phone call. “It will be the thing that separates the winners from the losers.”

Larry and I were talking about the state of our industry and some friends in the business who decided to sell their firms. Larry is in a unique position to offer perspective on execution as he runs an advisory firm focused on helping insurance agencies maximize their potential. Larry and his team have expertise in operations, finance, and product development. They’re innovative and strategic, and also focused on training and implementation.

The thing Larry has noticed over the years is that when strategies fail, it’s usually due to poor execution. Many companies suffer a huge gap between great ideas and actual results.

Tom Peters, author of The Excellence Dividend, devotes the entire opening chapter to execution, calling it “the all-important last 95%.” Think about that for a minute. How many presentations have you been a part that pitched a new idea or strategy and barely touched on how it would be implemented? Guilty as charged. And yet Tom says all that ideation is only the first 5%! Leaders must prioritize the “how” of execution going forward.

Mark Wobbe, Principal at Gibson, shares his insight on what 2019 may bring for the property & casualty market. 

How did the property & casualty (P&C) market perform in 2018 and where is it headed in 2019?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Jim Canfield, President of CEO Tools. We hope you enjoy Jim’s wisdom and perspective.

At some point, all CEOs or managers have to ask themselves, “How do we get to the next level?”

The answer could cover a daylong workshop.

Luckily, seven simple steps or business tools, based on the book CEO Tools, provide a jump-start to finding those answers. Follow these and get what you need now to move your business forward.

It’s cold outside and many of us are taking our kids in an out of their car seats. Bulky winter coats can pose a serious threat when worn under the straps by creating too much space in between a child’s body and the harness itself.

During a crash all the material of a bulky winter coat will compress making the harness straps too loose on the child. When the harness straps are not snug on the child, they don’t do their job of securing a child during a crash.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Brad Galin, Director of Human Resources for Portage Public Schools. We hope you enjoy Brad’s wisdom and perspective.

In my role as the HR Director for a public school district, I receive emails on a weekly basis with articles that detail how teachers nationwide are burning out at a higher rate than ever. The articles frequently cite the same reasons and propose solutions that often require things beyond the control of the districts.

The thing is, this trend is not just limited to teachers. A quick search for almost any profession paired with the word “burnout” in Google will yield countless articles about the historically unprecedented burnout problem in these fields. In addition to those I receive about education, common ones we see include physicians, truck drivers, and police officers.

Burnout has become less of an outlier and more of a feature in the modern American workplace.

Sheri Butler, Select HR Manager at Gibson, discusses workplace harassment - the risks it poses and strategies for prevention. To hear what Sheri has to say, check out the video below: 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Barbara Khozam, internationally recognized customer service speaker and trainer. We hope you enjoy Barbara’s wisdom and perspective.

A touchpoint is every single opportunity that customers and clients have of connecting with your business. And every touchpoint has the opportunity to turn great service into a BAD experience.

Real World Story: At a restaurant, touchpoints can include the hostess, cashier, waiters, busboys, and even the chef. At an insurance company, touchpoints can include the company website, call service agents, and even claims adjusters. At a hotel, touchpoints can include reservation emails, parking and garage attendants, bellboys, reception agents, and even the facilities manager.

So, do you know ALL your customer touchpoints? More importantly, do you know how well or badly each touchpoint meets your standards of delivering exceptional service?

We live in a society that is constantly evolving, changing, and growing for the better. However, it is important to take the time and effort to prepare for it.

A great analogy is that of building or adding onto a house. When thinking about building a new home, or adding onto a current home, it is exciting to dream about the perfect rooms and their accompanying lifestyle. In these moments, people tend to focus on the things that would make life easier and more enjoyable. For example, heated floors and a whirlpool tub in the bathroom, an extra fireplace in the master bedroom, or a bonus room with the 70” Smart Television for watching the game.

It’s said that most adults will spend one third of their life at work. That’s roughly 90,000 hours! Putting it in these terms provides a different context in which to view the employer-employee relationship.

Author Tom Peters says leaders need to accept responsibility for the role they play in employees’ lives. “Every leader has a moral obligation [today] to develop people so that when they leave, they are better prepared for tomorrow than when they arrived,” writes Peters.

That’s heavy. I care about our people a lot. I think about the 150+ families relying on our leaders to make good decisions with the best interest of our team at heart. Yet “moral obligation” is an even larger burden. And you know what? He’s right. We owe that to our team.

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Perhaps to go to the gym? Eat healthier? Your health and wellbeing are very important, but we’d also encourage you to consider some personal risk management resolutions this year!

Here are 4 suggestions to help you improve your risk management strategy this year:

As we wrap up another year of blogging, I'd like to share some thanks. To our guest bloggers - thank you for sharing your insight and wisdom with us throughout the year! And to all of our readers - thank you for reading and sharing these blogs with others!

Here are the most popular #WhatsTheRisk blogs of 2018:

From our employee-owners to you and your family, we wish you a safe and joyous holiday!

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ron Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Michigan First. We hope you enjoy Ron’s wisdom and perspective.

Whether at home, on the street, or in the office, all people want to feel valued and respected. Psychologists generally agree that appreciation is a basic human need, just like eating properly and getting enough exercise.

So, in the workplace, regular recognition is critical. Some well-timed words of encouragement after a job well done can make a world of difference. But if overlooked, a lack of recognition is detrimental. In fact, a 2017 Office Team study revealed that 66 percent of employees think about leaving their current position when they don’t feel appreciated by their manager—and when it comes to Millennials, that number is as high as 76 percent.

Your team will respond to your recognition of their hard work because it shows that you not only value their efforts but also value them as human beings. Respect is a two-way street; a few words can go a long way towards building a great working relationship of trust. (And as an added bonus, after some pointed praise, the entire office now has the perfect model to follow as an example!)

The holiday season is officially here. Not only is this the season for family and giving, but it also means festive decorations, social gatherings, office parties, tasty sweets, family meals, shopping, and more.

How can you make this a safe and healthy holiday season for your family and your organization? Consider the following resources to get you ready for the holidays!

'Cause I gotta have faith
I gotta faith
Because I gotta to have faith faith
I gotta to have faith, faith, faith
-George Michael

As we come to the end of the year, we have much to be thankful for at Gibson: an amazing team, great clients, and we get to do it all in some truly wonderful communities. I feel very blessed and grateful to be a part of our employee-owned organization.

I also feel a renewed sense of hope and anticipation for all that lies ahead in the coming year. Yet, with this optimism and excitement comes some typical (for me) angst as planning sessions kick off, initiatives are prioritized, and rocks are set. Can we measure up to past success? What threats might our clients face in their businesses? Will the saber rattling in Washington seriously destabilize our economy?

Melissa Langley, Client Executive at Gibson, discusses the legalization of marijuana use and how to manage the risks it may bring to your workplace. To hear what Melissa has to say, check out the video below: 

Don’t let the new year get off to a bad start! Keep safety in mind to ensure you, your family, and your friends have an accident-free New Year’s Eve celebration!

As we all know - there are many awesome benefits with today's technology (the list is long, right). On the other hand, there are also unfortunate downsides with today's technology (the list is pretty long there, as well). 

In other words, today's mixed bag of pros & cons, yin & yang, salt & sweet smorgasbord of technological breakthroughs, has us drinking from a glass simultaneously half full, and half empty. (Deep, huh!?)

One of the most evident examples of this technological “split personality syndrome” - is digital music. Moreover, the ability to download any song. At any time. Anywhere. As fantastically terrific as this is … especially when we want that one super-duper song that's gonna get us movin', groovin', or chillin' … it also has its downsides in that most songs, are part of an album; an album with other songs.

In other words, they're a team. A unit. A family (faults, and all).  

The holiday shopping season is about to begin! Whether you’re someone who gets up bright and early to grab Black Friday deals or online shopping and Cyber Monday are more your style – the next several weeks bring lots of great deals and discounts…but also an increased risk of identity theft and credit card fraud.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Tim Hiller, Senior Manager, Talent Management at Stryker. We hope you enjoy Tim’s wisdom and perspective.

Leadership has been defined many different ways by many different people, but I would define it in a simple word.

Stewardship.

Leadership is ultimately stewardship. It is taking the best care possible of the people, resources, and responsibilities under our influence. It doesn’t matter if our level of responsibility is little or large…all that matters is how well we care for what we’ve been given.

So what qualities do we need to succeed as leaders who are great stewards? I believe the best steward leaders are caring, clear, and coaches.

Astronomically winter doesn’t begin until mid-December, but for most of the country the telltale signs of winter start much sooner – and may have already begun.

We all have our favorite Thanksgiving traditions. It could be eating turkey and pumpkin pie, spending quality time with family, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, cheering on your favorite football team, preparing for Black Friday shopping, or perhaps you’re someone who loves to start the day by running in a local turkey trot race. This week is a time to gather with friends & family, and to give thanks for our blessings.

About seven years ago we were putting the finishing touches on a new vision for Gibson. Like everyone else, we were emerging from the fog of the Great Recession. Even before the economic downturn we had misfired on a major multi-year plan. To say we were a little gun-shy about verbalizing some new grandiose plan would be an understatement.

Yet aiming for something that seemed out of reach to most of us was exactly what we needed. It pushed us to be better, to be more. We had a financial target in mind that would have us more than doubling in size over the next decade. From a math standpoint, while not a given, it was certainly achievable. We needed to average about 7 to 8% net growth per year. But after years of economic fear, this goal caused much angst among our management team. We wondered if we could really afford to fail again in the eyes of our employees. To our fragile team, to double in size seemed unthinkable.

Mark Purcell, Risk Advisor at Gibson, discusses Business Income vs. Business Continuity and the importance of funding your business continuity plan. To hear what Mark has to say, check out the video below: 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Nick Smarrelli, CEO of GadellNet. We hope you enjoy Nick’s wisdom and perspective.

When I joined the team at GadellNet, one of the first things I noticed was what it felt like to work at GadellNet. We were small then, less than five people, and it truly felt like family. The culture was naturally customer-centric, helpful, transparent, and flexible. What I saw was a company about to explode, and I didn’t want to lose the awesome culture that was already in place.

We spent 9 exhausting months of trial-and-error to identify our core values. What made us different? How can we use this to weed out those that don’t fit our culture? Was it clear enough to help make hiring/firing decisions? Was it inspiring? How did it play into our commitment to the community, our employees and our clients? Was it memorable? We didn’t want to have core values that were trite, rather, something that served as the foundation for every decision made as a company.

Looking for ways to educate and engage your employees on safety & health topics throughout the year? Check out our 2019 Safety & Health Calendar.

Workplace safety and wellbeing should be a top priority for leadership and employees. But how can you keep your employees engaged all year long? For every organization the approach is different – you could have a safety committee, newsletters, monthly training sessions, and more. The 2019 Safety & Health Calendar is a valuable tool you can utilize to make your efforts more effective.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Chris Kennedy, President, CEO of Hartson-Kennedy Cabinet Top Co., Inc. We hope you enjoy Chris’s wisdom and perspective.

In thinking about some of the experiences I’ve encountered running a manufacturing business for 30+ years, there is one recurring theme that jumps out at me. It is something I think has not only been beneficial to our company, but enjoyable and rewarding to me personally as well, and that is CARING.

How do we make sure we retain our employees over the long haul? What a great question. After all, we spend a great deal of time making sure we hire the best and brightest talent available – we sure don’t want to lose them down the road. It gets you thinking…what can we do to improve our chances of keeping that talent on our team?

The first thing we believe we do well at Gibson is simply treat people right. It’s somewhat of a cliché, but we really do the right thing with our team members. It starts with paying them a competitive, market wage. We back it up with workplace amenities like flexible work schedules, unlimited Gibson Time Off (GTO), and casual dress. We also provide a great wellness program and really walk the talk with healthy food options and provide a quality benefits package.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Dean Breyley, Certified EOS Implementer, entrepreneur, and speaker. We hope you enjoy Dean’s wisdom and perspective.

Bottlenecked, gridlocked, congested – there are lots of ways to describe how it feels when a business gets stuck. We’ve all been there at some point in our work, and once you realize you are there, you immediately start searching for ways to get ‘un-stuck.’

Finding an effective solution that truly gets the business back flowing and growing can feel like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. All the while, the issues caused by the bottleneck continue to pile up and snowball. Results slow down, growth starts to halt, errors increase, and people get frustrated. What got you where you are today no longer seems to work.

At Gibson, we hold our culture near and dear to our heart. It’s one of the most important aspects of our work environment. We care about it and work on it constantly. It’s also something we look for in prospective teammates – will they be a good cultural fit? We are focused on having the right people onto the Gibson bus and in the right seat.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Barbara Khozam, internationally recognized customer service speaker and trainer. We hope you enjoy Barbara’s wisdom and perspective.

Negativity has always been easier to pass along than positivity. This is largely due to our antiquated human nature of day-to-day survival against the world around us. Our existence depended, historically, on knowing where dangers could be found. So passing on this negative knowledge was essential to our lives. However, we no longer live in such an era. But, as human citizens of a modern world, why not make the conscious decision to make positivity contagious?

Jordan Friesen, Client Executive in the Employee Benefits Practice at Gibson, discusses Employee Assistance Programs, also known as EAPs, and why it is necessary to offer your employees easy access to mental health services, online wellbeing resources, and financial education services. To hear what Jordan has to say, check out the video below: 

Anyone trying to run a company today knows it can be complex, difficult, and full of change. The one thing that seems to be a constant in a world of change, is the need for top talent. Whoever has the best talent typically wins. Securing that talent is challenging on a good day, and depending on your specific situation, can be darn near impossible on others.

Of course, to acquire and keep the best talent, you have to offer a competitive total compensation package, including salary and benefits. There are standard employee benefits such as medical, dental, retirement accounts, etc. And then there are differentiators – benefits some offer but most do not - that set you apart from your competitors.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Mike Cahill, President of Banking Services at Ruoff Home Mortgage. We hope you enjoy Mike’s wisdom and perspective.

By chance, I was visiting with a former coworker the other day and two things popped up. One, I saw a copy of the book The Energy Bus on a desk in the office. Two, the person I was talking to shared how a coworker always had something negative or cutting to say. There was never anything positive forthcoming from them. This coworker could not seem to see this about themselves.

It is no surprise that Gibson is an avid supporter of and believer in ESOPs and all the benefits they can bring to a company. While there is no such thing as a silver bullet, we believe in the power of ESOPs and the many opportunities they offer to improve a company on so many levels.

An ESOP can offer significant opportunities in:

• Succession planning/perpetuation of ownership
• Employee engagement
• Corporate culture
• Building retirement wealth

In August of 2009, I was named President of Gibson. The fourth one in our entire history. Most of you remember what it was like in our country back in 2009-10. "The Great Recession" was crippling our economy. Companies were laying off large chunks of their workforce or closing their doors entirely.

Today we're sharing insight from guest blogger Mary Josephs, Founder & CEO of Verit Advisors and Forbes Contributor with a focus on ESOPs. We hope you enjoy Mary's wisdom and perspective. 

With stock prices perched at precarious levels, and an Internet-technology stock selloff already partially in motion, there’s a great anxiety among many business owners and investors hoping for a smart exit strategy.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger René  Boer,  a Certified Implementer of EOS. We hope you enjoy René's wisdom and perspective.

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. Many times, deaths and injuries can be prevented by proper use of car seats, boosters, and seat belts. On average, two children under 13 were killed per day in 2016 while riding in cars, SUVs, pickups, or vans. Below are some tips to follow to ensure that a child is properly secured in your vehicle.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ron Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Michigan First. We hope you enjoy Ron’s wisdom and perspective.

When hiring new team members, typical organizations focus on resumes and references. Great organizations, on the other hand, focus on selecting the best people based on talent, strengths, and fit. It may be faster to scan credentials and hire based on pieces of paper, but I guarantee that a strategic approach will lead to fewer regrets in the future. Simply put, we as leaders need to know what to look for and how to find it.

Art Jacobs, Principal and Risk Advisor at Gibson, discusses fire suppression systems. Fire suppression systems are universally accepted as the best initial line of defense against fire. The key is to make sure that your system is properly designed and maintained to help you protect what matters most. To hear what Art has to say, check out the video below: 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Scott Downes, founder and principal of Thomas LLC, an independent communications consultant. We hope you enjoy Scott’s wisdom and perspective.

As I was partaking in the annual holiday known as “Shark Week”, I thought a recent re-watching of the original summer blockbuster Jaws might provide a worthy metaphor to explore some leadership lessons. Chief Brody, Hooper, Mayor Vaughn, and that old salty dog Quint provide so many pearls of wisdom throughout the movie that I’m sure we could all learn from.

September is healthy aging month. While this campaign is aimed at individuals 45 or older, it’s also a great opportunity for EVERYONE to take some time to evaluate their life and recognize the possibilities that come with getting older.

Our lunch was great. It was like the twenty years had never passed. We talked about our wives (only good things of course), our families, and certainly business. I laughed hard more than once as he shared anecdotal parenting stories from the past two decades. His sons, teenagers when I began working for him right out of college, were now grown men with wives of their own.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Amy Cooper Collier, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Girls on the Run Michiana. We hope you enjoy Amy's wisdom and perspective.

The good news for driven, always-improving, Type A leaders, is that your success may well be rooted in that Type-A soil. You have vision, enthusiasm, and a commitment to ever-higher standards. You work tirelessly to make a difference in your company, your community, and your world. A lot is expected of you: crystal-clear vision, inspirational motivation, extensive knowledge, wise perspective, up-to-date skills, encouraging guidance, authentic affirmation, solid decision-making, and the list goes on and on. Leadership isn’t for the faint of heart. 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Adam Kronk, Head of School for La Lumiere School in LaPorte, Indiana. We hope you enjoy Adam’s wisdom and perspective.

I’m on the back of a rickety bio diesel truck, barreling down a dirt road outside Siem Reap, Cambodia. The sun has just come up, but it’s over 100 degrees and I’ve already broken out in a sweat. I’ve got a kroma—a thin, all-purpose scarf that seems to be standard issue for every Khmer person on the planet—wrapped around my neck covering my nose and mouth as a makeshift dust mask. There’s a lot of wind because of the speed at which we’re traveling. It’s so hot out that it feels like a hairdryer blowing in my face. I’ve kicked one of my flip flops off into the bed of the truck, itching the bottom of my foot where a mosquito bit it last night.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Larry Linne, entrepreneur, advisor, and author. We hope you enjoy Larry's wisdom and perspective.

About a year into my tenure at Gibson, I was named to the Leadership Team and responsible for our revenue and growth in a “Chief Growth Officer” role. Not only was I new to Gibson, I previously had no technical knowledge or career experience in two of our three business units. Before my first major meeting with our group, I was already hearing the whispers about this newly created role and my (lack of) qualifications to be in it.

Ashley Walsh, Benefits Consultant at Gibson, discusses Health Savings Accounts, also known as HSAs, specifically the benefits of health savings accounts. To hear what Ashley has to say, check out the video below: