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The power play between ‘aggressive’ and ‘assertive’

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The power play between ‘aggressive’ and ‘assertive’

By Emily D. Tisdale

If you’re lucky, you’ve had the experience of working for a great boss.

You know the one: She fostered a sense of teamwork. She held you accountable and made you believe in yourself at the same time. She appreciated your skills and talent, but pushed you to continuously improve. She talked the talk and walked the walk.

Unfortunately, these types of leaders are few and far between. More often than not, many of us have had the misfortune of working for a bad boss.

So, what makes a bad boss? They’re usually either too passive or too aggressive. Sometimes, they’re a curious combination of both.

The passive ones are ineffective. They struggle to manage their employees and become victims of manipulation by stronger members of their team. They avoid conflict, which then just breeds more conflict. They don’t communicate clearly. Their staff is simply not motivated to work hard.

Yet the aggressive ones aren’t always effective, either. Their bull-in-a-china-shop style of management is intimidating and, sometimes, downright bullying to their team. They’re rude rather than respectful. And their employees are motivated by fear instead of camaraderie.

One thing remains true regardless of the variables that come into play (passive or aggressive, boss/coworker/subordinate) with our relationships with others: It can be confusing to decipher the appropriate balance between assertiveness and aggression in the professional world, especially when you’re feeling the burn to perform.

But knowing and applying the difference can make a big impact on your professional success and your satisfaction on the job — no matter your rank on the company payroll.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

At first glance, being assertive and being aggressive may look the same, but their tone and application are widely distinct. Sometimes the confusion gives “being assertive” a bad rap.

People who are assertive exhibit self-control. They communicate clearly, and they speak with authority and confidence. Assertive people foster collaboration, creativity and risk-taking by demonstrating respect for others. They pursue their goals with a drive that ultimately cultivates that same kind of respect from the people with whom they work.

Aggressive people, on the other hand, are characterized by their intimidation of others and the negative feelings they provoke in the people with whom they work. Aggression often comes across as selfish, bullying, insulting or manipulative behavior. People who are aggressive may move ahead in their jobs, but they leave a trail of broken morale and bitterness behind them as they go.

IT’S ALL ABOUT INTEGRITY

Each of us has valuable ideas, thoughts and feedback that should be shared. Depending on our work environment, though, it may not always be easy to make your voice heard.

But foregoing sharing that information simply because it’s difficult or uncomfortable to get our message across is a disservice not only to yourself, but also to the team around you. So, speak your piece … strongly and effectively.

It’s times like this when many of us wonder: When being assertive and being aggressive can ultimately get us what we want, why does it really matter?

In a word: integrity.

Whether you sit at the top of the company hierarchy or on the bottommost rung, your ability to assert yourself appropriately will play a big role in how others respond to you on the job. It takes emotional intelligence to be assertive, but it takes very little to be aggressive — and emotional intelligence is the ultimate people skill.

If business is all about relationships, then good relationships are the foundation of good business. In business, as in life, you’ll be more likely to retain beneficial relationships (and less likely to burn bridges) if integrity ranks high in people’s concept of you.

When the going gets tough, assertive people know that “what benefits you, benefits me.” In other words, managing a challenge by being assertive versus aggressive can influence the outcome as well as the reputation you build along the way.

And that’s an achievement in “soft skills” that’s worth adding to a resume.

Emily is the CEO of LEAP for Women.

 

The Arts

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The Arts

“The arts.”

Those two words roll off your tongue rather effortlessly and they sound ultra-cool too…the arts!

I have a very eccentric friend who has a passion for a multitude of creative entities so when she says “the arts” she does so in a very grandiose manner. She rolls one shoulder back, flips her auburn hair over her shoulders, points her face toward the sky and says “the arts” in way similar to that of a Hollywood actress in the 1950s.

While my friend’s enunciation of the phrase is a bit exaggerated, her effort speaks to the magnitude of art.

When I think of art in the general sense, I think of what it does for people, how it makes them feel. Despite the type of art — music, paint, dance, photography, etc. — it allows a person the freedom to express themselves and it fosters education and dialogue.

Art is pure. Art is vibrant. Art is cool.

Art also enhances lives…on so many levels.

The benefits of the arts in communities are plentiful, which is why it is imperative that communities embrace the culture of creative expression.

Here are some ways that the arts have a beneficial impact on the economy:

The arts attract visitors

Every city wants to attract visitors in hopes of ensuring repeat trips or better yet: new residents. Tourists primarily visit a community for an attraction and most attractions that cities provide fall under the arts. Having tourists come to our cities, increases our economy because visitors not only spend directly with the art/entertainment event, but they are also likely to shop, eat at a local restaurant and stay at a hotel…all contributing to an increase in dollars brought to our community.

The arts attract businesses and residents

Art organizations play a role in the businesses that decide to make Indiana their home. Many middle — large companies consider an area’s entertainment scene before deciding to take up residence. If a city has a vibrant local community with a positive image, that business feels more confident in not only hiring local residents, but also attracting highly-skilled people who would relocate because of the amenities and culture of a city. Such businesses generally hire highly-skilled and high-revenue earners, who will deposit money directly into our state.

The arts attract investments

A community rich in culture and areas that are considered up-and-coming are more likely to attract individuals willing to invest in real estate or other businesses. In addition, banks may be more likely to lend capital to areas that are considered thriving and secure.

Cities throughout Indiana can continually evolve if we embrace the arts and entertainment industries. We must be deliberate about forming innovative partnerships and strategies that place arts at the forefront of economic growth. American consumers spend $150 billion a year on arts/entertainment-related items…we should all be doing more to enhance the quality of life for residents and the growth potential of arts venues. Doing so is essential to the vitality of a city and state.

Suds for Social Justice: Young entrepreneur promotes self-care, awareness

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Suds for Social Justice: Young entrepreneur promotes self-care, awareness

Moving the observance of Black history beyond the shortest month to be recognized 365 days a year is a desire shared by many who are proud of our culture and heritage. Brooke Starks, a 23-year-old Indianapolis resident, decided to join her love of Black history with a recent entrepreneurial endeavor, 12months Soaps.

“I’ve always been really interested in Black history and minored in it in college,” said Starks who graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Arts Management last spring. “I went to a lot of protests and wasn’t practicing self care. I just really wanted to educate and encourage self care at the same time.”

Starks is currently seeking her masters in urban education from IUPUI.

The 12months Soaps product line currently features naturally fragrant, colorful bars that honor Civil Rights activists Ruby Bridges and Huey P. Newton, legendary soul and funk band Earth Wind and Fire, and several African-American sororities. Each soap is accompanied by an informational postcard.

Starks shared that her intent is to not only help folks get fresh and clean but to promote positive portrayals of Blacks in America.

“It’s important to see more positive portrayals of African-American life,” she said. “A lot of media focuses on Black on Black crime, slavery and other things that aren’t so joyous and prideful. It’s important to have positive things highlighted and give people role models to look up to.”

The business owner also gives back to the local community. Since starting 12months Soaps this past fall, Starks has taken all the excess soap from her batches to create bars that are then donated to the Julian Center.

“It’s a cause I value and believe in. Often times they don’t get the supplies they need in terms of body care and feminine hygiene. I wanted to give them the pick me up feeling of having a luxurious shower or bath,” she said.

She shared that eventually she would like to have her product featured in museum gift shops and have the brand be on par with other natural beauty brands like Lush.

This month, Starks started a Kickstarter campaign to help raise money for the business. The funds, will go directly toward buying supplies and booth space at trade shows across the Midwest.

Supporters of the fundraiser will receive a signature 12months Soaps calendar, exclusive scents, and handmade art. To learn more about 12months Soaps, search for the company on kickstarter.org and check out the products available for purchase at 12monthssoaps.com.

Diversity is amplified for entrepreneurs

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Diversity is amplified for entrepreneurs

 

By Emily D. Tisdale

 

Diversity is an asset for an entrepreneur, but it often starts with feeling like the “other.”

Most business owners become entrepreneurs because they’re driven to be different — to provide services differently, to have a different quality of life and more. The problem with “different” is that it usually starts with the perception that you’re outside of the norm.

If you’re trying to start your own business, the pain of exclusion can be a discouraging roadblock to your success.

But entrepreneurship is ideal for those who are “different”! In fact, entrepreneurs often delight in the fact that there’s much more diversity than they initially thought.

 

Lose the labels

The traditional labels we use to define “diversity” no longer apply in the world of entrepreneurship. Each entrepreneur is unique — and the routes for entry into business ownership are more inclusive than ever before.

Consider the traditional issue of the workforce gender gap.

While most entrepreneurs today are men, current trends show that more and more women are pursuing entrepreneurship. Something as basic as being male or female in the workplace is no longer relevant for an entrepreneur.

By nature of their independence, entrepreneurs themselves set the cultural and financial norms for their own ventures.

These days, you’re going to encounter a variety of entrepreneurs. Some are single; some are married. Some have kids; some don’t. Some work from home; others work in an office. Some aspire to stay small; others want a global enterprise.

And thanks to the current technology, more people can pursue entrepreneurship today in ways never available before.

Undeniably, in the real world, diversity is amplified among entrepreneurs.

 

Pitch the cookie-cutter mindset

If you don’t feel a sense of inclusion within the corporate world, chances are you’ll choose entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship is a perfect fit for minds that stretch outside the box and for leaders who long for a dream fulfilled. It’s meant to be a solution manifested by one individual’s dream.

But entrepreneurship was never supposed to be a one-size-fits-all endeavor. So why do we try to make it a cookie-cutter experience?

The beauty of entrepreneurship today is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it. We get to make the journey our own, tossing out the “this is how we’ve always done it” mindset.

By entering the world of entrepreneurs as a business owner yourself, you “join the club.” You’re including yourself in the diverse community of business owners fueling their dreams with action. You’re becoming part of the community.

 

Support your peers

Independence is magnetic, and the autonomy of business ownership is a powerful draw for those eager to transform vision to reality.

As an entrepreneur, you can choose to do business with anyone. You have the ability to support small, and minority, business owners — and your support strengthens them to become powerful themselves.

Be diverse in how you support other businesses. Don’t automatically go for a big name just because you know the brand. Instead, explore opportunities to work with organizations that are local to your community. Think about how you can support more businesses like yours.

Most importantly, support these businesses with your actions and dollars, both personally and professionally. Your support of other entrepreneurs will create a ripple effect of growth within the entrepreneurial community.

Business owners are a diverse community of thinkers, doers, dreamers and planners. It takes all kinds of different people to make entrepreneurship happen, and the growth of the field illustrates its inclusiveness for people who aspire to independence in business.

And that’s a great way to measure progress in our communities and our economy.

 

Emily Tisdale is the founder of LEAP For Women, an online community founded in Fishers, Indiana, for woman-to-woman business networking. Learn more at leapforwomen.com.

Leadership: Creating an environment of ongoing success

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Leadership: Creating an environment of ongoing success

 

By Darrell Brown

 

“Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right,” said the late Warren G. Bennis, an expert on leadership and a distinguished professor of business administration at USC.

The word “leadership” brings to mind a variety of adjectives. A leader needs to be passionate, caring, empathetic, confident, creative, inspiring, dynamic, motivational, innovative, trustworthy, visionary, enthusiastic, transformational, a good listener — just to name a few important leadership traits. An exceptional leader should be a trailblazer, not afraid to take prudent risks and to be a “change agent” for his or her organization. Leaders help themselves and others in their organizations do the right things the right way. They set the tone and direction for the organization, their employees and their customers. Leadership is about inciting a team to reach and strive for newer heights while developing a win-win philosophy for all involved.

Although leaders set the direction and vision for an organization, they must use their management skills of organizing, coordinating, directing and planning to guide people in the right direction to achieve the organization’s goals. Leaders need to have good communication, collaboration, financial and critical thinking skills (the ability to solve problems under pressure logically while using meaningful data to draw the right conclusions), while building a solid foundation for their organizations to maximize efforts. Leaders bring about positive change to improve and maintain organizational and employee performance. A good leader needs to be efficient and effective while leading his or her organization to higher standards.

Leadership means different things to different people around the world, and it means different things in different situations. Although there are a number of leadership theories that have been espoused over the past century, I am personally a proponent of servant leadership.

Robert K. Greenleaf stated, “The servant-leader is servant first. … It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.”

We serve our families, our churches, our places of employment and our communities. Leaders enhance leadership knowledge and skills, if he or she is a servant first.

The Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership in Indianapolis promotes “servant leadership as a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and, ultimately, creates a more just and caring world.”

According to the center, servant-leaders focus primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities in which they belong. The servant-leader shares power while putting the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform to the highest levels they can. Leaders recognize this, and they work hard throughout the organization to connect their visions with people’s individual needs, goals and aspirations. This motivates people to work hard to achieve success, because they expect to enjoy rewards, both intrinsic and extrinsic, as a result.

A leader will also ensure team members have the necessary skills and knowledge to do their jobs and achieve their goals. Leaders can also motivate and influence people through their natural charisma or their position to pay bonuses or assign tasks. However, good leaders don’t rely on the power of their positions to motivate and inspire others; they lead by training and developing their people to improve both individual and team performance.

Good leaders also must look for others to lead by developing leadership skills within the organization and by creating an environment of ongoing success. That is a true measure of great leadership. It was Dwight D. Eisenhower who said, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”

 

Darrell Brown, Ph.D., is a clinical associate professor of management and director of diversity at Indiana University Kelley School of Business — Indianapolis.

 

Plan your work, work your plan

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Plan your work, work your plan

Staff Report

 

The phrase, “proper preparation prevents poor performance” is more than just a cliche. Going into a new year can be an exciting yet anxiety-ridden time for business owners and professionals — especially those looking to level up.

According to Daniel Wesley, founder/CEO of Quote.com, “failing to plan for growth is a great way to put a ceiling on your business’s potential.”

Read on for Wesley’s four tips for planning ahead as you scale up your business.

 

Be Every Employee

To understand your future needs, you must understand what your current employees do. Educate yourself on the roles of each staff member and learn their individual challenges. If you have 10 employees and only a vague idea of how each one contributes to the whole, schedule recurring one-on-one meetings to keep up with the evolution of each role as your business grows.

For me, taking an inventory of my employees meant giving up control of some tasks I did myself. It can be tempting to micromanage, but if you want to build a stronger workforce, delegate more tasks and give your employees chances to show what they can do.

 

Train Less, Do More

The last thing any business owner wants to do is spend days or weeks learning how to use software that’s supposed to make life easier. If the seller takes a long time to describe what the software does and even longer to explain how to use it, you might be better served going with the option that doesn’t require a doctorate to understand.

I’ve noticed that while our business can always make more money, it can never make up for lost time. Many software options are available to young companies for project management, financial reporting and more, but time spent learning a tool is time that could usually be better spent pursuing the company’s primary goals. Don’t be change-averse, but recognize when a learning curve outweighs utility.

 

Outsource Specialized Skills

How much control you have over your business is your decision, but you must relinquish part of that control at some point or risk becoming a bottleneck for decisions.

If you need a service — for instance, financial planning — and don’t have someone on staff trained in it, don’t try to learn a new skill overnight and put one more thing on your plate. Look outward for resources that could help you. We have our accounting service provide financial reporting because it helps to have someone who specializes in the numbers and taxes reviewing our books.

 

Don’t Activate Autopilot

Just because your business is doing well now doesn’t mean it can’t improve. Complacency has been the death of many promising companies, and failure to create new opportunities for growth leaves you open to getting run down by scrappy competition.

It’s easy to miss great opportunities because you aren’t prepared to take advantage of them. I maintain a savings account specifically for cases of unexpected revenue drops or unplanned expenses. These aren’t always bad: for instance, I once dipped into this fund because a prime opportunity to advertise in a major publication appeared, and I had not taken that possibility into account when I planned for that quarter. Be prepared at all times for growth opportunities, because you won’t always see those opportunities coming.

Know your business inside and out, value your time and always be ready to take a chance on a big opportunity. Growth doesn’t have to be a struggle; you just have to set the stage first.

 

A stogie for all scenarios

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A stogie for all scenarios

How to recommend cigars to others

By Sal Domingo, Famous Smoke Shop

 

As a “share and share alike” kind of guy, it’s always been important to me to help point cigar smokers new and old in the right direction. Cigar tastes are subjective — you may hate a cigar that I love, and vice versa — which is why recommending cigars can be so difficult.

Being that I am so gracious when it comes to sharing my opinions on cigars with other cigar smokers, I’ve compiled a few hypothetical scenarios that might help when you’re in a bind and needing some guidance for both the newbie and more experienced herfer.

 

Scenario 1: You’re on the golf course or just sitting around playing garage poker. Your friends are complete cigar newbies, and they’re looking to you to figure out what to smoke.

When it comes to new cigar smokers, I like to start them off with something rolled in a Connecticut Shade wrapper. These cigars tend to be mellow in taste, lighter on the palate and sweet in aroma. Think about it this way: You wouldn’t start a prospective wine drinker with a full-bodied cabernet or an extremely dry pinot grigio, because a rookie would not have the palate to enjoy the finer details of those wines. Follow the same basic rules when recommending stogies. Some good milder “starter” cigar brands with Connecticut Shade wrappers include: Macanudo, Montecristo Classic, Ashton, Avo Classic, Romeo y Julieta Capulet, Alec Bradley Connecticut, CAO Gold, American Classic, La Floridita, Rocky Patel American Market Selection, and Baccarat, to name more than a handful. Baccarat and Macanudo cigars are two of the bestselling cigars in the U.S.

 

Scenario 2: You’ve got a friend who’s been enjoying mild cigars for a while but is ready to make the leap to more full-flavored cigars.

So, they’ve played in the sandbox long enough and are now ready to move to the beach. It’s time to nudge them along to the medium-bodied stuff. The key is letting your graduate cigar smoker figure out his own path while you deftly guide his hand (or palate, as the case may be) to the strength and aroma you think might appeal to his individual tastes. You might want to suggest cigars with wrapper leaves such as Cameroon, Sumatra, Habano, Corojo and Broadleaf Maduro. Some tyros may be a bit hesitant to try the darker wrappers, but maduro wrappers are not necessarily stronger; in fact, they’re often sweeter in flavor due to the extra time they spend in the sun, which produces more sugar in the plant. For example, the Romeo y Julieta Montague is a nice medium-bodied maduro smoke that I enjoy quite often. But, if you’re still skeptical about the dark side, cigars such as the Arturo Fuente Hemingway series, La Gloria Cubana, Gran Habano #3 Habano, Oliva Cain Daytona, Perdomo Sun Grown, Olivia Serie G, Rocky Patel The Edge Lite, Nub Habano, Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne, Hoyo de Monterrey Maduro, CAO CX2, and the Avo Maduro will do right by you.

 

Scenario 3: Now you have an experienced cigar smoker who’s got a few notches on his belt but is still curious about what else is out there with more flavor, body, strength and complexity. They’re ready to make the leap into the world of super-premium cigars and luxury-class cigars.

By now, you’ve spent days with your newfound cigar buddy filling his ear with your favorite smokes, flavors and wrappers, and he’s finally ready to step into the big leagues. You might suggest some Brazilian wrappers like Mata Fina and Arapiraca, Dominican Corojo, Nicaraguan Maduro and Oscuro, as well as cigars that have more high-priming ligero fillers, or potent Nicaraguan Ometepe tobacco. By this time, you’re likely going to be helping them along into the subtle changes in both the depth, balance and complexity of the cigar, for example, learning how to identify a variety of flavors in the blend, such as coffee bean, wood flavors like cedar and charred oak, bittersweet chocolate, graham cracker, floral notes and even citrusy flavors. Some excellent examples of the more complex cigars include the Perdomo 20th Anniversary series, Tatuaje Miami, La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero, Montecristo White, My Father Le Bijou 1922, Kristoff GC, Davidoff Escurio, San Lotano Maduro, Rocky Patel Decade, Oliva Serie V Melanio, and Padrón 1926. I know that’s a lot, but the list could go on almost ad infinitum. To keep matters simple, pick any three of the brands above, and you’re off to a great start.

 

I encourage you to take a spin around the blogosphere, maybe watch a YouTube video and see what else is available on social media. Being a cigar connoisseur, as it were, I always try to be neutral and remind other cigar smokers that the experience is often a personal one. The reason I suggest social media is so you can reach out to the community, start a discussion and see what other cigar smokers are smoking out there.

Better together: Inclusivity training can benefit all employees

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Better together: Inclusivity training can benefit all employees

By Keshia McEntire

 

Training in inclusivity and diversity has been common in most American workplaces since the late 1900s. Today, almost all Fortune 500 companies and about half of midsize businesses require diversity training. When done correctly, churches, not-for-profits, government institutions and businesses large and small can benefit from inclusivity training. However, according to a Harvard Business Review study titled “Why diversity programs fail,” many of these training sessions have proven at best ineffective or at worst detrimental. According to the study, these required trainings often trigger biases or cause backlash against underrepresented groups of people. Because of this, many organizations that conduct inclusivity training are taking a new approach.

The Society for Diversity is one such company. Based in Indianapolis, The Society for Diversity has served corporate, nonprofit, government and educational institutions across the nation ranging from local school districts to the US Air Force. Today, they claim to be the nation’s largest professional association dedicated exclusively to diversity and inclusion training.

Leah Smiley, the founder and president of the Society for Diversity, has done diversity and inclusion consulting for the past 13 years. She said one of the major ways the field of inclusivity training has evolved is in the notion of the training being only for the benefit of people of color and other underrepresented groups. When she does inclusivity training, she makes it clear how it will benefit the entirety of the organization.

“Be inclusive in your inclusivity training. Inclusion is not just making sure underrepresented groups are at the table; it also means we aren’t going to exclude individuals who are in dominant groups, such as white guys. Inclusion is for everyone to have an equitable experience in the workplace,” Smiley explained. “One of the challenges while doing diversity training is you have leaders who may be white men, and they are not really comfortable with understanding what diversity really is. They don’t really see how it can benefit them. Being able to connect with individuals on an inclusive level means helping people understand that even though they are white, they can benefit because they are diverse themselves. Only then will they say, ‘Let me learn more about what this is,’ and not assume, ‘It will only support some group I am not a part of.’”

In addition to the challenge of getting employers interested in inclusivity training, another roadblock is getting companies to see their need for it. Smiley thinks many companies see themselves as more inclusive than they are.

“They have an exaggerated view of their level of inclusion. They look at the organization and say, ‘Wow! We have a huge diverse population with women, minorities and immigrants!’ Those individuals are typically in lower-level positions. You may have a lot of African-Americans, but they are working in administrative positions and have not been able to rise to levels of leadership.”

Ascend, an Asian-American professional organization based in New York, would agree with Smiley’s assessment. In their study titled “Hidden in Plain Sight: Asian American Leaders in Silicon Valley,” they found that white men and women are 154 percent more likely to be an executive compared to their Asian counterparts.

“Having diverse people groups in lower levels creates an illusion of inclusion, but just because you have diversity doesn’t mean you are inclusive,” Smiley said. “Inclusion means communication, opportunity and interaction among different groups so that everyone has an equal opportunity to not just get in the door, but also advance through different levels of an organization.”

The end goal in inclusivity training should be a better work environment for employees and more productivity for the organization. And that, Smiley says, is something all organizations can get behind.

“When we do diversity training, we ask what the objective is. Every organization needs to think of how this training can help with their objectives, including making money, saving money or achieving organizational goals. It should result in concrete skills for employees to use to help the business,” said Smiley.

The Society for Diversity offers in-person training sessions, webinars and diversity certification. For more information on the Society for Diversity, visit societyfordiversity.org.

Develop an exit strategy

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Develop an exit strategy

How to plan your finale performance like a star

By Erica Pierce

 

There comes a time in all careers when we either feel stagnant or simply long for more. We lose our happy, and once that’s lost, it makes the work situation tolerable, yet undesirable. The first thing many people think to do is simply quit their job; this isn’t the best option, as it doesn’t allow ample preparation, nor does it give you anything to fall back on.

It’s time to plan your exit strategy. Here are a few tips to help:

 

  1. Proper planning prevents poor performance. Dust off your resume and give it a nice review. This is where you can update it as needed and add the bells and whistles to really show off your abilities. If you have a website and/or portfolio of your work, is everything current and presentable on demand? Is your online presence user friendly and SEO-optimized? These are a few questions that you may want to ask yourself to make the necessary changes if needed.

 

  1. Pack lightly. This is the perfect time to slowly and discreetly start taking items home from your office space. Be careful, as you don’t want your imminent departure to be obvious, especially if you haven’t discussed the change with your employer. This is also a critical time to get any and all essential files that you may need backed up for personal access.

 

  1. Don’t burn your bridges. You never know when you’ll need to cross them again. This is the perfect time to reach out to those former business colleagues, employers and any potential references. Not only does this allow you to “put a bug in their ear,” but it also opens the door to potential opportunities.

 

  1. Pinch those pennies. Don’t spend frivolously, as you may or may not have a job lined up. Even if you do, now isn’t the time to spend. Choose to save instead!

 

One great quote that comes to mind is, “Before you quit, remember why you started.” Sometimes all it takes is a reminder or reassurance that you’re where you need to be. Other times, it’s that wake-up call that you’ve been ignoring, but now it’s simply time to answer.

It also never hurts to talk about your concerns with your employer to see if there’s an alternative to resigning altogether. This is where compromise comes into play. If after discussing your exit plans with your employer, you still don’t feel as though your needs are being met, this is when you can submit your professional resignation. It’s always wise to resign by providing at least two weeks of notice and with another job opportunity on the backburner; however, things don’t always happen this way. With proper planning, you should be able to resign from one position and transition into a new one without hindering yourself from advancement on either end. Your exit strategy may only be a discussion and a resume (or two) away.

Hoosier made: Five products to make you proud to be a Hoosier

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Hoosier made: Five products to make you proud to be a Hoosier

By Kelly Patrick Slone

 

Bootmakers USA, a certified minority and women-owned business in West Lafayette, Indiana, specializes in riding, polo and dress boots for women, men and young adults. Bootmakers offers a platform for designing riding boots that are custom-fit to each customer’s measurements. Bootmakers On Demand lets schools, universities and other organizations create custom designs.

 

 

The Sani Seal Waxless Toilet Gasket was created by friends Bob Grimmett and Joe Miller who set out to solve the problem of water damage caused by leaky wax toilet rings. The flexible, waxless and repositionable gasket is sold nationwide in Home Depot and Lowe’s, and hardware stores in Canada and other countries also carry the product.

sani_seal_2

 

Crazy Charlie’s Salsa offers a line of salsas, chili sauces and queso made with fresh Indiana tomatoes and no sugars, sweeteners or preservatives. Crazy Charlie’s products have won awards nationwide, though the company calls Fishers, Indiana, home. Customers can find these sauces on shelves across Indiana, Illinois and Ohio.

 

 

An award-winning line of children’s toys by SmartNoggin in Noblesville, Indiana, aims to provide parents and caregivers with toys and information to encourage early milestones. The company was founded by Marcia Haut, an educator and mother who struggled to find the right developmental toys. The research-based line of toys includes the NogginStik Developmental Light-up Rattle, NogginRings Reaching and Grasping Rings and the NogginSeek Peek & Seek Rattle.

redhots

G.A. Schimpff’s Confectionery in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which opened in its present location in 1891, is one of the oldest continuously operated, family-owned candy businesses in the United States. Cinnamon Red Hots are Schimpff’s signature piece and have been made in Jeffersonville since opening day. Schimpff’s Candy Museum and demonstration area offer a glimpse into the world of historic candy making, packaging and advertising.

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