Kevin Cushing

We’ve all heard the expression, “The fish rots from the head down,” meaning poor leadership is the cause of organizational failure.

Re-dos are a frustrating, yet normal part of any business that sells something. Get serious about processes and prevention to improve.

Identifying the leaders in your organization or hiring them is important today and for the long term. As much as some of us believe we can or have to do it all ourselves, the hard truth is without a strong team, you’ve got a weakened business - even if you’re making money. Who will be your successor?

If you’re seeing telltale signs of burnout from your high achievers - exhaustion, forgetfulness, negativity and pessimism - you’re not alone. According to a study by Kronos, 95% of human resource leaders say that employee burnout is sabotaging their efforts to retain their workforce. Here are a few habits that can alleviate a slow burn.

The Winter Olympic Games open February 9, and whether you’re a super fan or casual observer of sports, the competition and the athletes’ personal stories make for some great TV watching. When it comes to setting business goals, there are a few things we can learn from the world’s best in their fields.

One of my great mentors and first “real” boss, Roger Peters, had loads of insight and common sense. During our 18 years of working together in development and operating 81 Hardee’s fast food restaurants, I took away many lessons that I have used in the 22 years since we took different paths.

Every year, I took on the duty of targeting and ultimately winning five new accounts that were “top 10 worthy.” This was not easy for me because I was not a natural salesman. I also wasn’t a big fan of being sold to, which meant I had a rough time making the hard sell to others.

We worked hard to define our values and are dedicated to using them to drive our daily work. I hope sharing the following story can help your organization stay focused on what is important to you, your employees and your customers as you pursue new opportunities, including acquisitions or mergers.

We all know the three-step fire safety technique we were taught as children: stop, drop and roll. It stands the test of time because of its simplicity and effectiveness. Over the years, I’ve taken this concept and modified it somewhat to develop a business safety technique that I call Stop, Drop, Evolve and Grow. It is one of the tools that has helped me stay focused on the future.

We’re in the throes of the fourth quarter. If you’re like us, you’re sprinting to the finish line while also trying to plan for 2017.

A recent Pew Research Center report cited that 59% of Americans are worn out by all of the political coverage. Count me among them.

My wife Jill and I had the benefit of a 2 ½ week post-drupa European vacation. Additionally, I wanted to challenge myself to “unplug.”

If you never get your personal battery (mind and body) fully charged into the green zone, your stamina and effectiveness can take permanent hits, and you will likely find yourself more easily drained and back in the red and yellow zones. Once there, the possibility increases for you to be impatient and imprudent in your leadership, decision making and personal relationships.

I've been fortunate to have had great mentors and business owners/partners throughout my career. Consistently, they placed a high degree of importance on culture and are what I call 'oozers.' In each leadership role I've held, including my current role at Alliance Franchise Brands, I begin by focusing on finding the team members who represent the kind of value and energy that will make the organization successful.

We all have those moments of being "in the zone." It's that perfect time of leading your team when all cylinders are firing. But there's also being "zoned out." That is, resting in your comfort zone while opportunities, value and talent start to evaporate.