Ideas

Gallup's U.S. Job Creation Index increased to 22 in May, the highest score for any month since April 2008.
 

Upward advancement in a competitive company can feel like a race with bumper cars at the fair. Every “player” is careening around the track, ricocheting and banging into one another as they race to the goal. The winner is generally the one who can swerve to avoid all the bumps and smash ups with the other competitors.

I spoke with a group of recruiters recently, and one of the frustrations in the room (shared by most) was related to flexibility. It is becoming more and more challenging to oversee where employees are working and when.

The goal of an innovation initiative is to embed innovation into the organization's culture so it becomes a way of life, not a special effort. Just like purchasing, sales, production or quality control, innovation has to be a standard practice to make a difference.

When someone making small talk finds out I'm in sales training, almost every time, they reply with something like this: “Oh, that's interesting. You know, at the end of the day, isn't sales really all about relationships?”

Reed Hall, secretary and chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, will be the featured guest of the Milwaukee Press Club’s Newsmaker Luncheon, which will take place Wednesday, July 17, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Newsroom Pub in downtown Milwaukee at 137 E. Wells St.

The Wellness Council of America (WELCOA), with its local affiliate, the Wellness Council of Wisconsin, presented the coveted Well Workplace Awards to seven Wisconsin employers this week.

Kohl’s Department Stores has announced the renewal of its partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) of Wisconsin with a donation of $1.5 million over three years to support and expand the JA Kohl’s Education Center.

College Possible Milwaukee will help 375 area students from low-income families boost their ACT scores and open up their college options with support of a $300,000 grant from Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation.

Four months ago, at the onset of Wisconsin's state budget process, we asked Gov. Scott Walker and state legislators to partner with us toward our MMAC goal of increasing the number of high-performing educational options in Milwaukee.