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.

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.