Who comes to mind when you think of famous business leaders? Warren Buffett? Indra Nooyi? Bill Gates? Sheryl Sandberg? Each leads a great organization and has changed lives. My vote goes to an individual closer to home. He helped shape the culture at East Central Energy, and his legacy of leadership continues. Steve Shurts was the CEO of East Central Energy for 10 years. When
Business Lessons in Junior High
In seventh grade, I learned one of my most important business lessons: the benefits of clearly communicating a message to an audience. Picture a geography class full of 13-year-olds. Our assignment was to create a diorama about building the pyramids. We were divided into teams, given a shoe box and our assignment. My team was diligently painting and gluing, all
Why we celebrate July 4th
The Declaration of Independence located in the upper level of the National Archives Museum, was written and signed 247 years ago by 56 men who pledged “our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor.” They knew they could be put to death for treason. This document is a symbol of what America stands for. Thomas Jefferson intended the Declaration to be “an expression of the American mind,” and it was written in terms
Cheaper can cost more
Do you agree that cheaper sometimes means it can cost more? For years Mike and his employees have been frustrated with inefficiencies due to cramped space and disorganization. His company is in dire need of space dedicated to storing tooling and fixtures. Mike finally agreed to add an addition to his shop; plans included a new tool room. Everyone was
Hello! Hello! Hello! – The echo effect
Have you ever had the opportunity to shout and listen to your voice bounce back at you? Pretty cool! Masters of communication often make good use of this echo effect. They’ve learned that listening and repeating back the words they hear makes people feel more comfortable. This mirroring and clarification of language brings a better understanding of the other person’s concerns
Your first job
Do you remember your first “real” job? The first job where you had to be at work for certain hours, performing certain duties AND you received a real paycheck! Over the years, I’ve employed a number of interns, high school students who want to learn about some of the aspects of office/administrative work. Our latest intern, Emma, with her enthusiasm
Industrious
Before my father passed away, he cleaned out his shed and house and held an auction. My siblings and I helped him sift through a lifetime of tools, bolts, chainsaws, and lawnmowers to decide what to toss, what to keep, and what to sell. Mom had passed away several years earlier. We decided it was finally time to purge her
Not one of my best ideas
I love the fair season in Minnesota: the smells of cotton candy, popcorn, and 4-H animals wafting through the air. A few years ago, I took my nephews, Charlie and Josh, to the local fair. We had a good time taking in the sights as we ambled toward our ultimate goal, the Midway. The giant yellow slide made two sets
Life Is Amazing; Why Aren’t You Happy?
We take for granted the advances that continue to make our lives easier: We eat foods grown around the world, talk to friends who are thousands of miles away, pay for lunch with a wave of our smart phones, and our cars can parallel park themselves. Pretty amazing!
So Many Good Ideas-How Do You Choose the Right One?
Sean and Dave are brothers and business partners. They’ve built their company by working hard, paying attention to the numbers, and listening to customers. Their business had been stable and successful for years. But changes in technology along with increasing competition have begun to threaten the status quo.