In working with business owners and senior leaders for the past decade, I’m inspired weekly by the humility, diligence and compassion the leaders in my network bring to their organizations. 

Every.  Single.  Day.

 When these leaders speak on behalf of their private businesses that typically provide work for dozens of employees and many local supply partners, their humility often sounds like,

 “We’re very fortunate to be coming out of 2020 stronger.”

To clarify, their good fortune has NOTHING to do with luck. 

It has everything to do with their diligence and their pro-active efforts to:

• Understand and address the facts of their situation - even when these facts aren’t kind

• Tackle their immediate priorities while staying forward focused

• Lead with empathy and concern with all their stakeholders – their customers, their employees and for their organization to remain sustainable long-term

• Stay curious as they consider new ideas and opportunities to adapt and pivot

• Invest in the growth, learning and development of their leaders and employees

  “It’s funny – the harder I work in practice, the luckier I get.”

-        Arnold Palmer, Golf Legend

Given the uncertain times, challenged economy and stress we all face, the care and compassion these same business owners extend to their employees is also inspiring.

For those who paint a picture of an “owner or company taking advantage of a worker to line their pockets with profit,” well, this just isn’t true in my world.  Simply put, if you’re not caring for your employees, and they aren’t caring well for your customers, your entire operation is at serious risk. 

 How do you best serve and support your employees? Here’s some best practices:

1. Provide a compelling vision that includes all – a vision that isn’t about making money

2. Lead your core values by example in your daily thoughts, words and actions

3. Provide clarity in role and functions & reinforce how each team member is vital to the long-term success of the organization

4. Invest in regular, structured professional development and ongoing feedback that is both affirming and guiding

 In summary, if you are a business owner in Alberta and can relate, thank you for the honorable contributions you’ve made to our community.

If you’re still grappling with uncertainty and you don’t have a clear path forward, please consider us a passionate and proven resource to the compelling next chapter you can write.

“Stay curious, stay focused - looking forward to coming out stronger with you”

- Michael Powell, c/o NexXT Chapter Solutions Group