Technology Association of Georgia’s Post

Nothing gets us through a strategic planning session like an iced tea... and as you can see from the smiles on our faces, we ❤️ #NationalIcedTeaDay. Here's the history behind National Iced Tea Day. At the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, attendees were greeted by exceedingly hot weather. Tea plantation owner and merchant Richard Blechynden, who was at the fair, took advantage of the situation by selling chilled tea drinks as a cold refreshment. The rest is history! What is your favorite iced tea - black, green, or flavored? And where is your favorite place to purchase iced tea? Comment ⬇️. . . . . #findreverie #leadership #growth #chicagosmallbusinessconsultant #levelupchallenge #entrepreneurmindset #bizinspo #vibrantpartnerships #growthplan #smallbiz #gettoknowus #followus #weworkhardforyou #womanownedbusiness #femalefoundercollective #chicagosmallbusinessowner #helpingonesmallbusinessowneratatime #levelup #growthmindset #workit #strivetothrivetribe #selfimprovement #goaldigger #achievethedream #leveluplifestyle  

Here’s how you can incentivize your employees to take on more responsibility and become leaders in your company. Every month we get recognized in our sales meeting with Patrick for achieving specific milestones. This is a picture of me getting promoted for generating a generous amount of revenue for the company in the span of 60 days. “Everyone in your company craves recognition even the ones who act like they’re too cool to ever want it. I promise you they do.” - Will Guidara, owner of the number 1 restaurant in the world Eleven Madison. You have to make working at your company like a video game. Incentivize the right actions.

🍺 Thursday’s beer/leadership musings: Scott Ko post from last week reminded me of the Australian song ‘love to have a beer with Duncan’. And the reason why we love a beer with Duncan? (All together!) “Coz Duncan’s me mate” Except, with Duncan, I’m having ‘safe’ conversations. They don’t venture into new places and certainly don’t challenge my current thinking. They reinforce my existing frameworks approaches, rather than provide an alternative perspective. Even the beer is known. It’s all a bit ho hum. But to have a beer with someone who thinks differently to me - that might expand my thinking, create different perspectives and opportunities. I’d get to try other beer too. It’d be stimulating. It's a risk, but not a very big one. its a stepping stone to…. ? In leadership, we refer to this as 'safe challenge' or 'stretch'. For our staff and also ourselves, our organisations and industries. If you’re someone with an alternative perspective, experience or thought pattern, let’s have chat and maybe a beer. Cheers 🍻

Excited to be attending Restaurant Leadership Conference next Monday (well really Sunday) in Phoenix. This is my favorite conference of the year for a couple of reasons. I find the hallway connections are always great (the people you bump into at this conference are the widest array of concept's and scale). There is a nice mix of vendors as well and there is time to dig into items (whether that's with existing vendors or new potential vendors you can actually have time for a conversation). Informa Connect has clearly put a ton of thought into making sure there is enough time for these informal periods and the opening day activities are always fun (did a tequila tasting/cocktail making class last year and the year before some go kart racing). The drinks sessions, lunch periods etc. all facilitate and foster this seamless mixing. Finally I find that it's at a great time of the calendar right after Q1 has ended and we have been able to assess what's going right so far this year and what isn't. I find that other attendees are in a similar boat and thus the conversations are more vibrant and more focused. I do strongly suggest that operators of all sizes attend conferences like this one as the learning and development allows you to gain knowledge faster and from those further along the scaling journey than you are. Make time to work on your business rather than simply in the business as it will make you a far better operator. Not a sponsored post in anyway but just wanted to share my thoughts. Drop a comment below if you are attending as I'd love to see you there.

Theater Alliance was so pleased to join Booz Allen Hamilton at The Anthem for their Booz Allen Excellence Awards! The talented team of Theater Alliance artists and youth "brought the magic" to the evening of WOW led by Natalie Ade, Kari Merkel, and team. Arts organizations get asked to perform at these kind of events all the time - and as an artistic leader, we get asked to make those decisions. For me, the question always comes down to #values. Does the organization align with our values of integrity, diversity, and excellence? Does the organization value artists? Does the organization live their values? With #BoozAllenHamilton, the answer was a resounding YES. Even in the first conversation about the event, we didn't talk about what they needed or how to make all their dreams come true on a tiny budget. Instead, we talked about what they believe in and what we believe in - we talked about the WHY of our organizations. That is what makes a great collaboration and I'm grateful! #values #integrity #diversity #excellence

Throughout my career, I've experienced a wide array of leadership styles, each leaving a lasting impression on my perspective. In the '90s, I worked under the notorious "Chainsaw" Al Dunlap at Sunbeam Corp. His leadership, characterized by its ruthless and often hostile approach, left a profound mark on me. It was a time when the "Dictator" leadership style was more prevalent, and the contrast between hostility and camaraderie was both jarring and eye-opening. During the same era, I was an avid reader of Jack Welch's books. At the time, I admired Welch's transformative strategies at General Electric. However, Malcolm Gladwell's 2022 New Yorker article provided a compelling critique of Welch's methods, revealing the long-term consequences and ethical considerations that were often overlooked. These experiences and reflections have significantly shaped my views on effective leadership. The stark difference between leaders like Dunlap, who ruled with an iron fist, and those who led with empathy and support highlighted the importance of a positive work environment, consistency, and genuine care for people. Leadership is not just about achieving results; it's about how we achieve them and our lasting impact on those we lead. Let's strive to lead with empathy and create environments where everyone can thrive. #Leadership #Empathy #WorkCulture #PositiveLeadership #CareerGrowth

In the world of sports, success often hinges on more than just talent—it's about the culture and chemistry within the team. This piece talks of how the San Antonio Spurs, under the leadership of Coach Gregg Popovich, harnessed the power of simple, yet profound team dinners to build a lasting dynasty. A long read but good read on "how to" build a strong team culture within our own organizations. #Leadership #TeamBuilding #CompanyCulture #Teamwork #Success https://lnkd.in/dr2FWh_F

There's a whirlwind of activity in the realm of Structured Literacy professional development. Coincidentally, on the day of the Minister’s announcement, I engaged in a conversation with leaders from two different schools that Learning MATTERS support to implement a Structured Literacy approach. We delved into their experiences implementing Structured Literacy and uncovered what strategies have proven effective in their unique contexts. Topics ranged from securing buy-in and understanding the 'why' behind Structured Literacy to the importance of robust professional development, purposeful implementation planning, dynamic leadership, and the critical aspect of sustainability. There is so much we can and should learn from eachother. #idealapproach #structuredlitercy https://lnkd.in/gWVPbhkU

Focusing on company culture is crucial for achieving higher levels of success, a belief that echoes the sentiments expressed by the CEO of Beam. He highlighted, "From the beginning, I firmly believed that culture was critical to delivering on business objectives and that the unique culture at Beam could be superpower. When culture lost its way or was deprioritized, it significantly impacted our success. Culture and values should become not just the way of thinking but also approach to the business and to each other." This message resonates with my own views on the integral role of culture in driving a company's success. #CompanyCulture #BusinessSuccess #Leadership #CorporateValues #BeamCulture #StrategicManagement #OrganizationalDevelopment https://lnkd.in/dexSVHXw

The power of confidence and trusting oneself through life's challenges is one of the most valuable lessons. It's inspiring to see that a fellow leader like Brian Niccol, CEO of Chipotle, shares this sentiment. In his advice to Miami University graduates, he emphasized self-belief, action, valuing democracy, and building relationships. Read the article from Jane Thier in Fortune here.