VIDEO OF THE MONTH: "Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky's First Home Run —
Ultimate Sportsmanship"
Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky hit her first career home run with the help from Central Washington—ultimate sportsmanship. Sara tore her ACL running back to 1st base, as she missed it initially. The umpire said if she didn't run the bases by herself, the home run wouldn't count. If her teammates touched her, it would be void. The opposing team saw her pain and did the unexpected, they picked her up and helped her touch each base!
ARTICLE OF THE MONTH: "How Lily the Barista is Changing Lives by Pouring Happiness" by Aly Walansky
Many of us have fond feelings for the barista at our favorite coffee shop, but how many of us can say that their barista set off a seismic change in their life?
That's the story Ryan Estis shared about Lily Olsen, a barista who works out of a Starbucks in the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
The unforgettable cup of coffee.
Estis, a business growth consultant, encountered Lily at her work and has been so impacted by her that he felt compelled to share his experience with the world.
Estis will never forget a cup of coffee he had when he interacted with Lily in the airport terminal on Christmas Eve, when she took the time to warmly greet him, introduce herself and ask his name.
It was more than about making a great cup of coffee or giving service with a smile—Lily took the time to talk to him and ask him about his day, where he was going, and actually showed genuine interest and care in her interactions with him.
Unbeknownst to Lily, Estis' father had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. When he met Lily, he was heading home to spend a final Christmas with his dad—and he had no clue their conversation would change his perspective on life.
"Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers" by Larry Alexander -Book Reviewed by TLP Cohort #6 Member
I would highly recommend this book to the other cohort members. Major Winters is a true American hero and a first class leader. The strong leadership qualities and decision making of Major Winters in combat during WWII minimized the loss of lives amongst his men and ensured successful completion of the assigned missions given to him.
It is very inspiring to read about a man who could make extremely quick and logical decisions, under life and death situations. Major Winters always led from the front, putting himself in extreme danger. This showed he was willing to do exactly what he was ordering his men to do. This was great for motivating his men and earning their respect. Major Winters also used his leadership skills after the war to become a very successful corporate executive running a plastics factory. This book is a great read!
"Develop the Whole Employee"
Many companies focus their training efforts on job-specific topics. This makes a lot of sense because the rate of technological change brings new practices, processes, and products into the marketplace daily. Training on this new content is essential in order to keep up with trends and ensure efficient and effective operations. However, there is great value in looking beyond job-specific training and creating training programs that develop the whole employee.
Countless issues within the workplace arise from employees not having a deep understanding of interpersonal communication or strong self-awareness of how their actions affect other people. Unfortunately, these situations will be made worse as the technological revolution unfolds.