Keep Your Employees with these Key Questions

Have you read this book? First, Break All the Rules, What the World’s Great Managers Do Differently is a compilation of the findings of Gallup poll researchers who interviewed over 1 million employees, 80,000 managers and 400 companies. The book makes several great points.

One is how to determine the strength of any workplace. Ask your employees these questions:

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?

2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?

3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?

5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?

6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?

8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?

9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?

10. Do I have a best friend at work?

11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?

12. This last year, have I had the opportunities at work to learn and grow?

These are the core elements needed to attract, focus, and keep the most talented employees. We explore these strategies further in our leadership resilience hub, where sustained performance under pressure is the central focus. The first 6 questions are the most important fundamental questions that often get jumped over. That is a critical mistake, because those 6 are foundational before any employee can even consider vision, mission, and growth.

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Marketing Tip- How Often to Contact?

Once Every 6 Weeks

Clients frequently ask me to create their marketing strategy and their marketing materials. But I always want to know how they are going to implement the strategy and follow-up using the marketing materials.

One suggestion is to use the “once every 6 weeks” rule. With existing clients and prospects, be in front of them somehow, once every six weeks. Communicate something of value, whether it’s an article you have written or read that is relevant to them, a phone call to check in on them, a birthday card, a newsletter, a brochure, a lunch date, an email update or ezine. Stay in front of them once every six weeks and be of service.

Always provide value and give more of yourself each time. And never burn bridges- you have no idea where that CEO will end up or that salesman you spurned will relocate. It’s a very small world and you want everyone you touch to be better off from your interaction.

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Your Favorite Activities Are Clues About Your Dreams

What Do You Do For Fun?

One of the best ways to learn about your dreams is to consider what you love doing. It’s amazing the kind of information you can discover about yourself when you take a few minutes to list your favorite activities and how often you do them . If you want to have some fun and learn more about yourself, take ten minutes now to do complete the list called “My Favorite Activities.”

Make a list from 1-5 . On the left put down your favorite activities and on the right put down how long it’s been since you did it, the cost of it.

Ex:
1. go to beach yesterday free
2. comedy club 2 months $20
3. girlfriend time 2 weeks free

Most people discover that what they love to do is free, and can be scheduled at the last minute. Good to know, hum?

People who are the happiest and most at peace in their lives regularly schedule what they enjoy doing. They spend more of their time being “Fired Up!” and that joy shines through all areas of their lives. They have acknowledged their goals and dreams and are doing whatever it takes to accomplish them.

Eat Walnuts and Eggs to Prevent Depression

Stop Depression Naturally Through The Right Foods

The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, depression will be second only to heart disease as a worldwide health issue. 38% of women who experience depression have low folic acid. Eggs “contain the highest-quality food protein known to mankind….egg protein is often the standard by which all other proteins are judged,” says dietitian Carolyn Snyder of the Cleveland Clinic.

Harvard Science Review published a study by McClean Behavioral Genetics Laboratory citing that walnuts are powerful antidepressants. (Molasses and beets also work.) So increase your intake of both eggs and walnuts to boost your mood and improve your stress. (Always consult your doctor first.)

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Two Things That Shorten Your Life

Stop Sitting So Much & Cut Down on TV

According to an article in US Today, if you spent less than 3 hours a day sitting, it would add 2 years to your life. And if you reduced your TV watching to less than to 2 hours a day, you could add another 1.4 years to your life. Sitting is linked to diabetes, heart disease and stroke. About half of the US reports sitting for 6 or more hours a day and 65% spend more than 2 hours a day watching TV.

New research presented at the American Institute for Cancer Research Conference reported that sedentary behavior is linked to breast and colon cancer. Being sedentary (sitting) for long periods of time without moving increases inflammation (a leading cause of disease.) The solution: set a timer for every hour. Get up, move, walk around, look at nature, drink 8 ounces of clean water and connect with another human being. It could make a huge difference to your health. ©2012 Snowden McFall All Rights Reserved. No duplication or reprinting without permission and author reference

Improve Your Communication by Not Interrupting

Americans frequently interrupt others in their conversations. It’s a bad habit for many of us, and it has to do with one
simple thing. We interrupt because we are afraid that we will not get a chance to say what we want to say.

In most cases, you can establish groundrules with your co-workers, loved ones and customers. You might consider saying something like “I want to give you my complete attention because what you’re saying is important. So I’m going to let you talk and I’ll listen, and when you’re done, I’ll give you my thoughts. Is that OK with you?”

Most people are delighted you want to give them your undivided attention! I’ve spoken to thousands of people and I often do active listening exercises in my speeches and trainings. Invariably, people say it is a huge relief to be heard. And some realize that they really have
not been good listeners before. So now is the time to start.
Set the guidelines, listen, don’t interrupt, and watch the quality of your communication improve dramatically!

Communication Tip for Winning Teams

Check In Weekly Face to Face

If you have employees or co-workers, one of the most important things you can do to keep your team communication on track is to check in weekly. Take a half-hour in an non-threatening, informal setting and sit down over coffee and chat. Ask how they think things are going, ask them if they have any questions, issues or concerns. Share your issues and concerns. Clear the air over any misunderstandings or communication breakdowns.

Let them know you value them and that they are important to you. Praise them for work well done and coach them on areas for improvement. People are so hungry for positive feedback.

This will go a long way towards strengthening your working relationship and keeping a positive tone at work. Regular, face to face communication is one of the simplest and most powerful expressions of executive presence.

Learning Keeps Leaders Fresh, Adaptable, and Resilient

Continuous learning is not optional for leaders, entrepreneurs, or anyone carrying sustained responsibility. The pace of change demands adaptability, and stagnation quietly erodes clarity, confidence, and effectiveness.

Leaders who stop learning often isolate themselves, relying on outdated assumptions while pressure increases. Those who stay curious, connected, and mentally flexible remain resilient even as demands grow.

Why Ongoing Learning Matters Under Pressure

Learning expands perspective. It challenges old patterns, sharpens decision-making, and prevents burnout driven by rigidity. Whether through seminars, peer conversations, coaching, or independent study, learning keeps leaders responsive rather than reactive.

Clarifying what truly matters and what no longer serves you
Strengthening decision-making through fresh frameworks
Breaking patterns that lead to overwhelm or stagnation
Reconnecting with purpose during periods of stress
Reducing isolation by staying engaged with others

Learning Is a Resilience Strategy

The most effective leaders treat learning as a form of maintenance, not remediation. It keeps thinking sharp, energy renewed, and leadership grounded during periods of uncertainty.

This principle applies far beyond entrepreneurship. Leaders across industries use continuous learning to stay clear-headed, emotionally steady, and effective under sustained pressure. These habits form the foundation of resilient leadership.

To explore how adaptability, clarity, and learning fit into a broader resilience framework, visit the Leadership Resilience Hub.

Staying fresh is not about doing more. It is about learning better.

Yoga Keeps You Young

Just 12 minutes of daily yoga for two months improved cognition among people with memory disorders in a study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Other stress relievers include aerobic exercise, listening to mellow music, meditating or praying, and writing in a journal.

Recent studies at the University of NC Hospitals and Duke University show yoga reduces stress and also provide significant improvements for those with illnesses such as arthritis, back pain, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, etc. It has even been shown to help breast cancer and menopausal patients find relief from symptoms.

Yoga:

• increases flexibility through stretching
• improves posture
• massages all internal organs of body
• increases lubrication of tendons, joints, ligaments
• flushes toxins out of the body
• tones muscles
• provides a deep sense of relaxation

Try yoga in a local class or video today. You won’t believe how much better you feel.

Here’s an infographic that shows what else you can do to prevent Alzheimers.

Please include attribution to Positive Health Wellness with this graphic.

Stress Tip: Ask for What You Want

At Work, At Home, Made Your Needs Clear

So many times, we get upset because someone did not do what we wanted how we wanted it, and we did not get our needs met. The easiest way to overcome this is to be crystal clear about what you want and ask for it. Most people are grateful to have clarity and to know how to help and support you. They want to participate in your life but may not know how.

I have found at home that my wonderful husband cannot read my mind. So I ask, “The garbage is really smelly- could you please take it out now?” He responds very well to requests. (Rather than complaints- most of us are like that.)

When you are swamped at work, at the end of your rope and so stressed, you are snapping at others, ask for help. Try a request like ” This week is going to be difficult for me because I am overwhelmed with the new regulations. Could you please help me by following up on the___ project? I don’t want to slow down our progress. Thanks so much for your assistance with this.” Others will be happy to help when you clue them in.