What Does It Take to Engage Employees?

Everyone seems to agree that disengaged employees cost enterprises billions of dollars in lost profits, sales, market share and opportunity. The Gallup Organization has placed the cost of disengaged employees to the US economy at $350 billion per year.

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In a Recession, Dress Up To Cheer Up

A few weeks ago, I had dinner with Executive Apparel’s president and its director of product development in Orlando, Florida. In desultory fashion, we discussed the weather (unusually cold for Florida this time of year) and the economy (not so hot either) over dinner until someone raised the subject of socks. Suddenly the evening sprang to life: The men pushed their chairs back from the table and rolled up their pant legs.

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Raining Rose Inc. Moves Home After the Flood

Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Raining Rose Inc., manufacturer of natural lip balms and body-care products, announced the company has moved back to downtown Cedar Rapids after recovering from earlier flood damage.
“This flood has been a test to our company’s perseverance,” said Chuck Hammond, president and CEO of Raining Rose. “It feels good to have everyone back downtown. Although we know that there is still a great deal of work ahead of us, I know that we have already come out of this stronger.”
All of the Raining Rose staff would like to thank its customers and vendors for their patience and

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Alienated Yet?

Okay, I know. I’ve been bad. Really, really bad—especially considering the fact that if you want a blog to work, you should post several times a day to keep readers coming back for more.
Um, let’s not get crazy with our expectations, though.
BUT, at the very least, I should be able to get a piping-hot post on the table once a week. I fell off the blogging wagon. Sorry. I realize it’s going to take awhile to regain your trust … prove I’m not just going to cut and run when the going gets tough.
So, to start on the road

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The End of Norman Rockwell

» Americans have discovered the fragility of life, that ominous fragility that the rest of the world either already experienced or is experiencing now with terrible intensity. « JOSÉ SARAMAGO

Our lives as Americans are changing. I remember vividly, as a child, visiting the Norman Rockwell Museum. I was enthralled with the “charmed” lives of the people in his artwork, the simplicity, the joy. His work captured the innocence and mores of post-WWII America.
But even as a child, I knew these pieces of work did not depict my America. Twenty-five years later, I can say with great certainty, there will be

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