Ideas

H ave you ever come across a solution to a problem that was so simple you almost rejected the solution out of hand because it was just too simple? "Surely there's more to it than just that," you reasoned!

What is your company's vision statement? Can you recite it at a moment's notice? Does it inspire you?

Credibility is the currency most people want. Like dollars in the bank, credibility can be spent in the company store. When you need to get buy-in on a new idea, others are more willing to get behind it. When a new position is available, your name can be advanced as a candidate others can safely support. If you disagree with a decision made by senior management, they are more willing to listen to your argument.

The electronics that are installed in a car or truck have cables that need to be fastened to the undercarriage. Data centers, being built in ever-growing numbers, need wire and cable bundling and enclosures.

As the economic and political situations seem to become more uncertain, Wisconsin companies are wondering about the near-term outlook.

Believe it or not, 2012 will soon be coming to a close and the new year provides business owners with an opportunity to take a fresh look at their company retirement plans.

Glendale-based Johnson Controls Inc. has donated two electric vehicles and its services in developing related curriculum to Pulaski High School in Milwaukee.

While time constraints often limit employers from tending to their employees' career development, Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni suggest a simple way for managers to fulfill employees' development needs: brief but frequent conversations.

Menomonee Falls-based Actuant Corp. reported a fiscal fourth quarter net loss of $16.5 million, or 23 cents per share, compared with a net profit of $41.4 million, or 55 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Blogging is a powerful tool. But taking the time to plan how you'll develop content and aligning it with your company's brand and goals – both externally for your customers and internally for your employees – makes it even more powerful. It's an approach that will help elevate your brand from an idea to an asset.