In business, the adage “it starts at the top” can prompt an uncomfortable question: “Can the boss finish what he or she started?” Many CEOs and entrepreneurs wrestle with this challenge, with both short- and long-term implications. Meanwhile, a disconnect develops between the CEO’s initial big-picture vision for the company and its seemingly sporadic execution […]
In business, the adage “it starts at the top” can prompt an uncomfortable question: “Can the boss finish what he or she started?”
Many CEOs and entrepreneurs wrestle with this challenge, with both short- and long-term implications. Meanwhile, a disconnect develops between the CEO’s initial big-picture vision for the company and its seemingly sporadic execution toward those goals.
The Global Leadership Forecast 2018 (https://www.ddiworld.com/glf2018) highlights issues of greatest concern to CEOs; among them is a lack of alignment among senior leaders. The last problem any CEO wants is an inability to get everyone on the same page, aligned and executing their strategy.
I’ve witnessed CEOs struggle with this question: ‘‘Why is it so difficult to execute what I already know I should be doing?
They and their teams generally know what to do and how to get it done. But they avoid the decisions and actions they know could advance their success.
All roads lead back to obstacles within your mind. New behaviors leading to execution require new ways of thinking.
Here are five ways for CEOs to change behaviors that obstruct them from leading their company efficiently and effectively:
• If/when, then. A study on influencing behavior by German researchers found that formulating an “if/when, then” plan — stating a specific time to accomplish a task — provided a cue to provoke the desired response. I’ve worked with many CEOs who were not classically trained in accounting and finance and are overwhelmed by numbers. Such fears drove them to avoid financial information and reports. Making an if/when, then statement compels them to change the behavior.
• Relate and repeat. To change, one needs to believe that change is possible. Cultivate relationships with those who can help you see that the change you desire is attainable. Then repeat by testing out the new behavior or thought pattern and seeking feedback.
• Know when to say no. As the company leader, being a giver is important — but not to the point where sacrifice damages your own performance. Credible research shows that high-performing givers knew when to say no. Track your yes-to-no ratio. It’s the only way to protect your time, energy, and focus as a leader.
• Forget perfectionism. It’s a waste of time and energy for a CEO to seek perfection. He references the 80/20 rule — also known as the Pareto principle, first articulated by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto — which holds that roughly 80 percent of the effects come from 20 percent of the causes. The 80/20 rule also applies to perfectionism — the majority of the value in any endeavor comes from a small amount of the overall effort. Perfectionism frequently limits our progress and fuels our fears. If you can keep the 80/20 rule in mind, you can reduce your fears and accomplish more.
• Hold yourself accountable. One way in which CEOs and entrepreneurs can judge their performance is by asking themselves self-assessment questions daily. You need accountability strategies that require you to evaluate your progress and focus on the importance of your goals.
Often, the best way to modify a behavior is just to jump in. Seek out examples of the behaviors you want to employ, embrace some discomfort, and emulate them until they begin to feel natural.
Mark E. Green, author of “Activators: A CEO’s Guide to Clearer Thinking and Getting Things Done” (www.Activators.biz), is a speaker, strategic advisor, and coach to CEOs and executive teams worldwide. He is a core advisor to Gravitas Impact Premium Coaches.
OSWEGO — SUNY Oswego, Jefferson Community College (JCC), SUNY Canton, and SUNY Potsdam will use grant funding to help student veterans at JCC transfer to Oswego, Canton, or Potsdam. The effort seeks to “strengthen transfer pathways and foster academic success for student veterans,” according to SUNY Oswego. The SUNY Impact Foundation awarded a grant of
OSWEGO — SUNY Oswego, Jefferson Community College (JCC), SUNY Canton, and SUNY Potsdam will use grant funding to help student veterans at JCC transfer to Oswego, Canton, or Potsdam.
The effort seeks to “strengthen transfer pathways and foster academic success for student veterans,” according to SUNY Oswego.
The SUNY Impact Foundation awarded a grant of $70,400 from the U.S. Ambassador Carl Spielvogel Fund for Veterans to fund an academic-support proposal that the schools jointly submitted.
The grant will span four semesters and includes the hiring of a dedicated tutor to work specifically with the student-veteran population on each campus in an effort to “increase their comfort of use of academic-support services and assist in their academic adjustment,” SUNY Oswego said in a release.
In addition, JCC will provide space at least twice per semester for SUNY Oswego’s veteran and military-services coordinator to hold office hours to meet with prospective JCC student veterans and discuss transfer options with travel covered by the grant.
With the funding, SUNY Oswego will host prospective JCC student veterans on their respective campuses once per semester.
The colleges say they will also create transfer pathway materials specifically for student veterans and promote institutional services available to student veterans
The grant funding will allow the schools to assist student veterans in developing academic skills and confidence and “encourage persistence to complete their academic goals.” The effort involves advising on the coursework requirements at both the two-year and four-year academic programs while “establishing a rapport” with campus veteran-services coordinators early in the student veterans’ academic career through the JCC office hours.
Four-year campus visits will “ease the transition and prepare for a confident transfer” from JCC to SUNY Oswego, Benjamin Parker, veteran-services coordinator at SUNY Oswego, contended.
About the grant
SUNY on Veterans Day announced grants from the Ambassador Trustee Carl Spielvogel Fund for a total of 11 campuses to boost education opportunities for more than 12,500 military students and their dependents statewide.
The fund began with a “generous” donation (amount undisclosed) by Ambassador Spielvogel, who serves on the SUNY Board of Trustees and is a veteran himself having been a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and a member of the U.S. Army.
H. Carl McCall, chairman of the SUNY board of trustees, described the grants as “one more way to give thanks to those who have served and those who continue to protect our country.”
Just eight years ago American Express created Small Business Saturday, a day that encourages consumers across the country to shop small. Since becoming a co-sponsor of the event in 2011, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has seen the impressive impact Small Business Saturday has on small businesses and their local economies nationwide. According to
Just eight years ago American Express created Small Business Saturday, a day that encourages consumers across the country to shop small. Since becoming a co-sponsor of the event in 2011, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has seen the impressive impact Small Business Saturday has on small businesses and their local economies nationwide. According to the 2017 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, more than 72 percent of consumers are aware of the initiative and over 108 million consumers reported shopping at a small business on Small Business Saturday.
For America’s 30 million small businesses ready to launch their busiest shopping season, this Small Business Saturday represents an ideal opportunity for small-business owners to connect with communities, develop increased brand loyalty, and provide superior customer service.
The Golden Cleat is just one of the many small businesses preparing for this year’s Small Business Saturday celebration. The fine jewelry and gift shop is gearing up for Clayton’s inaugural Holiday Window Competition and annual Holiday Shopper’s Poker Run, a 12-day shopping event that commences November 24. Both events are organized by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. The Golden Cleat has also chosen Small Business Saturday to launch a new collection of handcrafted wedding and engagement rings just in time for the holidays. In an effort to include seasonal customers unable to shop the brick-and-mortar boutique this time of year, the Golden Cleat is also offering online shopping incentives this Small Business Saturday.
Last year, owner Emilie Cardinaux recognized an opportunity and invested in her future and her community by purchasing the downtown waterfront building where her store is located. An SBA-backed loan from Watertown Savings Bank financed renovations and additional inventory to diversify product lines beyond her own designs, which are handcrafted in-house. Customers can now find unique jewelry, accessories, and home goods handmade by other designers across the U.S. in her shop. Her timely investment has led to opening a seasonal second location on Wellesley Island and she is seeing a significant increase in sales and employees this year.
Small businesses like the Golden Cleat are the backbones to our communities, making a difference by providing vital jobs and economic impact. Committing to shopping small this holiday season and all year-round keeps more money in our local economies and our small businesses thriving. Please join the SBA and organizations across the country in supporting your local small business by shopping at a small business on this Small Business Saturday — a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities.
If you are looking to make the most of Small Business Saturday for your small business, then you must start with SBA’s website that is specifically dedicated to the Small Business Saturday movement — www.sba.gov/saturday. Jumpstart your plans with blogs such as “6 Good Reasons to Start Your Holiday Marketing Plan Now”, “33 Creative Ideas for Small Business Holiday Marketing” and “7 Holiday Marketing Tips on a Limited Budget.” Connect with a 2018 Neighborhood Champion, like the Watertown Small Business Development Center, and find printable Shop Small materials at www.smallbusinesssaturday.com. Stay up to date by following our SBA office on Twitter @SBAUpstateNY and use #ShopSmall and #SmallBizSat in your posts.
Bernard J. Paprocki is district director for the SBA’s Syracuse district office. He is responsible for the delivery of SBA’s financial programs and business-development services for a 34-county region in upstate New York.
The winners of the 11th Annual CNY BEST Talent Development Awards were announced at the ATD Central New York Chapter’s awards ceremony on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, near Carrier Circle. CNY ATD annually presents CNY BEST Talent Development Awards to recognize local excellence in this field.
The winners of the 11th Annual CNY BEST Talent Development Awards were announced at the ATD Central New York Chapter’s awards ceremony on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, near Carrier Circle.
CNY ATD annually presents CNY BEST Talent Development Awards to recognize local excellence in this field. Organizations that link learning to the strategic growth or success of organizations and individuals are honored as CNY’s BEST in Talent Development.
Nominations for this year’s CNY BEST Talent Development Awards represent a wide-range of organizations and include: American Heart Association – Greater Syracuse; University Center for Training and Development, Binghamton University, State University of New York; Community Bank, N.A.; Crouse Health; The Hartford; International Wire Group, Bare Wire Division; Nick Meskos, AmeriCU Credit Union; NYCM Insurance; OBG; Oneida Nation Enterprises Training Team, and Onondaga Community College.
Nominations were evaluated by a panel of local and national judges representing the profession and community for quality of talent-development practices, practice results and impacts, and demonstrations of how the practices linked to the strategic growth or success of the organization and individuals. The panel of judges for the 2018 CNY BEST Talent Development Awards included: Kristen Barney, Suburban Propane; Gayle Bays, CPLP; Laura Carroll; Chris Coladonato, CPLP, Farmers Insurance and national advisor to chapters, ATD; James D’Agostino, TDO – Train, Develop, Optimize; Steve DeHart, CPLP, Progressive Insurance and President Elect, CNY ATD; Louise Hand, Saab Sensis and vice president, CNY SHRM; David Hofstetter, The Hofstetter Group and national advisor to chapters, ATD; Daniel Lobb, CPLP, TRP Enterprises Inc. and past national advisor to chapters, ATD; Debbie Morello, Morello & Associates; and Lisa Rawcliffe, Engage Forward.
The honorees were as follows.
CNY BEST Talent Development
For-Profit Organization Gold Award
The Hartford was recognized with the CNY BEST Talent Development For Profit Organization Award for linking talent development to their organization’s strategic growth or success with its Claims DNA Badging Talent Development Program. The Hartford’s claims organization recognized that building employee core competencies drives continuous improvement and profitable growth. Employees are naturally motivated by development. They also want to differentiate their value and achieve recognition for their skills. For these reasons, The Hartford designed a talent-development program focused on developing, improving and sustaining essential capabilities known as “Claims DNA.” Transferable digital badges are the centerpiece of this program. Employees’ personal motivation to develop is enhanced and rewarded because their essential skills are publicly recognized. Each earned badge stays with the employee throughout their career and each employee can add to their portfolio of badges as their capabilities mature and expand. The program provides ongoing continuous personal talent development and organizational improvement.
Since the inception of the Claims DNA Program, the claims organization has exceeded other Hartford organizations in promotions, internal transfers, and retention, plus exceeding other Hartford organizations in surveyed employee-performance enablement measures by five points. One judged summed it up, “This is a most impressive, extremely well-designed program. A sustainable and scalable solution for well-identified talent development, one that could be implemented in other companies who are addressing similar talent opportunities. Hats off to a job well-done!”
CNY BEST Talent Development Not- for-Profit Organization Award
Crouse Health was honored with the CNY BEST Talent Development Not-for- Profit Organization Award for linking talent development to the organization’s strategic growth or success with its “Clueing In to Risk Management” program. In order to provide the best in patient care, Crouse constantly trains employees on common corporate-compliance issues. This is accomplished through mandatory, yearly computer-based learning modules and in-person classes.
Every three years, lectures of common issues are presented. Crouse Health’s Education and Professional Development team transformed the standard risk-management lecture into an interactive multimedia class. Based on the game of Clue, the class introduced staff to characters and scenarios of common risk-management issues around communication, HIPAA and credentials. The interactive class uses videos, debriefing, discussions, and sharing stories to determine: Who did what? How? and What should have happened? Crouse has seen better retention of compliance information and a significant decrease in complaints and issues in the covered areas of risk management. A judge exclaimed, “Loved the Clue game concept! Making a boring, compliant training more fun, with better learning.”
CNY BEST Talent Development Individual/Team Award
The Oneida Nation Enterprises (ONE) Training Team was presented with the CNY BEST Talent Development Team Award for contributing to internal or external customers’ talent-development growth or success. Over the last year, Oneida Nation Enterprises saw continued growth and success in the openings of a new casino complex, a wine and spirits superstore, and a new convenience store brand. In addition to these openings, new systems were implemented to enhance the guest experience and new certification programs were conducted to ensure leadership and employees stayed up to date and compliant in the requirements of the business.
All of this was accomplished while ongoing department, team, and individual training and development programs continued to meet the needs of its employees. Through the onboarding of almost 1,600 new employees, to guest service, compliance, and leadership training and beyond, the ONE Training Team ensured the success of the new enterprises as well as the continued growth and development of the more than 3,500 employees who completed training during the year. The growth of the Oneida Nation Enterprises has provided opportunities for the ONE Training Team to demonstrate its training design, delivery, and coordination expertise, its ability to partner across the organization to achieve diverse business goals, and its flexibility, dedication, and commitment to the success of the organization.
Ray Halbritter, CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises stated, “Our ability to on-board and prepare our workforce to provide our guests with the high standards of skills and hospitality for which we are known is due in part to the tireless efforts of the Oneida Nation Enterprises Training Team.” The judges commented that, “The Oneida Nation Enterprises Training Team is clearly a strong business partner supporting the organization’s many enterprises and the overall goals of the organization.”
In addition to recognizing excellence in talent-development practices, CNY ATD and CNY ATD members were acknowledged for national and local recognitions, and CNY ATD scholarship recipients were announced.
Sharing Our Success
ATD (Association for Talent Development) recognized CNY ATD with a Sharing Our Success Award for CNY ATD’s Leadership Team Onboarding best practice. CNY ATD’s Leadership Team Onboarding — On Your Own practice achieves a goal of simplifying the onboarding of leaders while still accomplishing what needs to be done, namely informing and acquainting the leadership team about the organization and their leadership roles and expectations. With time a precious commodity for everyone, especially for volunteers, a 100-percent participation, self-review approach was developed for leadership onboarding providing an overview that everyone can review individually on their own time that ensures that onboarding is handled properly for all leadership-team members.
ATD identifies and recognizes best practices among ATD chapters and uses them as models for other chapters. The ATD stated “This recognition honors CNY ATD’s best practice that demonstrates its commitment to managing a successful organization as well as advancing the talent development profession. We are honored to recognize CNY ATD with ATD’s Sharing Our Success recognition.”
CNY ATD Member Recognitions
Cheri Green and Beth King were recognized as 40 Under Forty winners as part of an award program presented by BizEventz and the Business Journal News Network. Cheri and Beth were nominated by CNY ATD for the 40 Under Forty recognition for their contributions to CNY ATD and their other business and civic achievements.
Mark Britz was recognized for receiving the international Internet Time Alliance Jay Cross Memorial Award for 2018. Recipients of this award champion workplace and social-learning practices, sharing their work in public and often challenging conventional wisdom. The award is given to professionals who continuously welcome challenges at the cutting edge of their expertise and are convincing and effective advocates of a humanistic approach to workplace learning and performance.
CNY ATD Scholarship Awards
Amanda Walters was awarded the CNY ATD Ken Steiger Leadership Scholarship. Amanda is pursuing her APTD (Associate Professional in Talent Development) certification. Shana Pughe Dean, Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees; Martha Hutchinson, Alzheimer’s Association; and Gracious Moyo, InterFaith Works of CNY were awarded CNY ATD Train-the-Trainer Scholarships.
CNY ATD established the CNY ATD Scholarship Program to encourage and support professional development and continuing education in the field of talent development. The CNY ATD Ken Steiger Leadership Scholarship is named in honor of CNY ATD’s 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Ken Steiger. The CNY ATD Train-the-Trainer Scholarships provide financial assistance for not-for-profit organizations looking to develop their staff who educate an audience.
Keynote Speaker
The keynote speaker for the 2018 CNY BEST Talent Development Awards Ceremony was Randy Wolken, president and CEO, MACNY, The Manufacturers Association; president of the Manufacturers Alliance of New York; regional co-chair of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, and author of the recently published book, “Present-Future: How to Thrive in Today’s Economy.” Randy’s keynote discussed talent development in today’s economy.
Sponsors
CNY ATD thanks the following sponsors for their support of the CNY BEST Talent Development Program: OBG, O.C. Tanner, Business Journal News Network, Visual Technologies Corporation, Oneida Nation Enterprises, LLC and Emergent.
CNY ATD is the local affiliate chapter of Association for Talent Development (ATD). For more than 45 years, CNY ATD has been connecting talent development professionals throughout the region and contributing to the growth and recognition of the profession. Currently, CNY ATD has over 140 members from various businesses covering 17 plus counties from the Canadian border to the Pennsylvania border in the central area of New York State.ν
A quartet of regional startups — including three from Ithaca and one from Potsdam — will each use $50,000 in funding as they work on their products and services. They won the funding during FuzeHub’s commercialization competition held Nov. 7-8 in Albany, the organization announced. FuzeHub is an Albany–based nonprofit organization that works to help small-
A quartet of regional startups — including three from Ithaca and one from Potsdam — will each use $50,000 in funding as they work on their products and services.
They won the funding during FuzeHub’s commercialization competition held Nov. 7-8 in Albany, the organization announced.
FuzeHub is an Albany–based nonprofit organization that works to help small- to medium-sized manufacturing companies in New York.
The Jeff Lawrence manufacturing-innovation fund, which FuzeHub administers, provided the award funding.
Capro-X Inc., Íko Systems, VitaMe Technologies, Inc., all of Ithaca, and RemWell LLC of Potsdam were among seven companies awarded a total of $350,000 in the second annual competition. In all, 18 companies made pitches during the event.
The finalists from across New York pitched their products in front of a live audience. A panel of 12 industry experts selected the seven award recipients “based on the commercialization potential of their technology.”
“These seven innovators — and truly, all 18 finalists — are a testament to the vitality of New York’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Elena Garuc, executive director of FuzeHub, contended in a news release. “It is clear that New York has a bright future in manufacturing, and FuzeHub is proud to do its part, and to support the competition winners with the funding to help advance their commercialization strategies.”
The finalists’ pitches and award presentations were part of an overall program that included speeches, panel discussions, and networking opportunities for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors.
The Rensselaer Center for Automation Technologies & Systems (CATS), the New York State Science & Technology Law Center at Syracuse University College of Law, and Innovate 518 sponsored the two-day event.
Innovate 518 works to “drive commercialization within the New York State Capital Region by leading the development of a supportive innovation infrastructure and connecting entrepreneurs to the startup ecosystem,” according to the University at Albany website.
About the Lawrence fund
Launched in 2016, the Jeff Lawrence manufacturing-innovation fund supports activities designed to promote technology development and commercialization across New York state, including the commercialization competition and manufacturing innovation grants.
The manufacturing-innovation fund, which was established with $1 million annually for five years, supports activities designed to “spur technology development and commercialization” across New York state.
FuzeHub administers the fund as part of its role as the Empire State Development-designated statewide Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center.
Lawrence, who died in 2015, was a top executive at the Albany–based Center for Economic Growth, the MEP Center for the Capital Region, and a supporter of New York manufacturing and entrepreneurial communities.
Regional prize winners
Capro-X Inc. is developing a natural and sustainable product for converting dairy-industry wastes into “valuable” platform chemicals, per the FuzeHub release.
Íko Systems is described as a “smart tabletop micro-greenhouse for the sustainably minded foodie.”
VitaMe Technologies, Inc. provides “fast, accurate, and mobile” nutrition-deficiency testing.
RemWell LLC is a company addressing public health and energy issues “associated with groundwater contaminated by an emerging class of chemical contaminants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), with a novel treatment reactor.”
PULASKI — Passarella Pizzeria & Restaurant purchased the nearly 2,000-square-foot building at 3782 Route 13 North in the village of Pulaski in October for $235,000. William Evertz of Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company exclusively marketed the property and brokered the sale on behalf of the seller, Pulaski Realty Holding LLC, according to a Pyramid Brokerage
PULASKI — Passarella Pizzeria & Restaurant purchased the nearly 2,000-square-foot building at 3782 Route 13 North in the village of Pulaski in October for $235,000.
William Evertz of Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company exclusively marketed the property and brokered the sale on behalf of the seller, Pulaski Realty Holding LLC, according to a Pyramid Brokerage news release.
The 1.1-acre property previously was home to Waffleworks and also a Jreck Subs restaurant.
The property was assessed at more than $192,000 in 2018 and listed with a full market value of just over $221,000, according to Oswego County online records.
OSWEGO, N.Y. — Oswego Health announced it has recently added general surgeon, Howard Simon, MD, to its medical staff. Dr. Simon has been delivering surgical
The Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business-conditions index edged up 2 points to 23.3 in November. The November reading, based on firms responding to the
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