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?

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.