Business Fitness - It's more than a balancing act .. It's the future
Strategic Planning: It's more than focusing on direction
Keeping talented employees begins with you

You're Fired
The Next Step in Growth: It's not just about money

Business Fitness

It’s more than a balancing act . . . It’s the future!

By Bill Bakey

President, Catalyst Connections, Inc

During the last several years, we have continued to see major shifts in business. Information and communications technology is in a rapid and dramatic flux of change. These changes are driven by both new technology and greater demands of our customer’s. In just the past two decades, a new vocabulary has emerged (satellite imaging, web pages, gigabyte, and e-mail communications as a few) that continue to move the business world to new levels. The pace of business growth has allowed consumers more choices and better options in products and services. Whether in the healthcare industry, manufacturing or the service segment of business, the challenges are real and they affect the bottom-line of business profitability.

In today’s business world it is critical to maintain a strong business fitness that allows organizations to react to changing times and to be able to depend on the effectiveness of its people in working together to support common goals and understand critical and strategic issues. In the past, we have relied on strong management principles to keep business focused and prepare the necessary strategic drive to meet the oncoming challenges. We found various quality programs over the years, such as TQM, Re-Engineering, and SIGMA to assist managers. Some of these programs have come and gone yet we continue to see technology taking new shapes and dimensions. Are we loosing sight of the basics of “business fitness” that drives the success of every organization? Are we preparing the management teams to “lead” rather than dictate or demand business direction? Are we preparing our employees to deal with the various steps of change or are we just placing new technology out front and hoping everyone will adapt? Today, organizations need to balance the role of their leadership between manager and leader within the rapid change in technology and to strengthen their communication links to maintain strategic growth. .

Strong business fitness requires the strength of “people” and the “leadership” to make their organizations successful. In today’s business, world we find that a manager’s role continues to remain focused on bottom line results and in leading the organization to new levels through the concept called “strategic planning”. We also find that it is critical to develop leaders that can inspire employees to make day-to-day decisions; to coach them and give them energy.

However, when the pressure is on and change comes quickly, where does the planning part go, and why does it get replaced with reactionary management techniques? The answer becomes quite obvious, we find that managers revert back to instituting systems to ensure that employees comply with top-down policies and directives and focus on the experience of a “few” to meet goals and objectives. What are the signs of this shift or dysfunction? It is when we loose “proactive” problem solving and rely on technological data only, when the coach becomes a dictator, and when delegation becomes a concept rather than a business process.

Today, business requires more than just great leaders. We need managers that can simultaneously lead and manage a workforce during the rapid flux of change. These leaders must lead by continually adapting to a fast and competitive environment; by communicating the vision and strategy to employees; and by inspiring employees to be innovative in order to achieve the organizational objectives. At the same time, managers must mange by orchestrating a complex and technical system of interactions that deliver organizational synergies, effective resource allocation, and ensure that valid reporting and control systems are in place that encourages company growth. It becomes a balance between leadership management and technology.

The Manager is known for Planning and Budgeting where a leader will establish direction. It becomes critical to not only establish detailed steps and timetables for achieving needed results but to develop a vision of the future and strategies for producing the changes needed to achieve that vision.

The Manager is known for Organizing and Staffing where the leader will focus on aligning people. It is necessary to establish a structure for accomplishing project requirements and staffing that structure with strong delegation. Giving authority for accomplishment, guiding direction, and monitoring progress are the key elements. Influencing the creation of teams that understand the vision and strategies will balance the direction with encouraging risk and innovation.

The manager is known for Controlling and Problem Solving where the leader will motivate and inspire direction. It continues to be necessary to monitor results to the plan in some detail, but by energizing people to overcome major obstacles and to work together for common objectives drives results to “single vision” goals.

Where the manager will conserve and maintain stability and order to cope with complexity, the leader will foster new approaches and ideas within the organizational structure to cope with change.

Where the manager will react to goals and keep choices and options down to manageable levels the leader will encourage new options, develop choices, and stimulate fresh approaches to longstanding problems. The leader shapes moods and ideas of employees and establishes the direction.

Where the manager has been taught to conduct day-to-day activities; negotiate, rely on extrinsic motivation; organize responsibility by function and conserve assets, the leader relies on influence. They encourage others to voluntarily make day-to-day decisions that enhance the long term viability of the organization; maintain the control through shared beliefs, values, and generate intrinsic motivation.

As a business leader, knowing the right answer in today’s business is only part of the solution during growth. Understanding when it is the right answer and “leading” the organization through the blend of a manager and leader becomes the key.

Business Fitness just doesn’t happen by the stroke of a pen, or the pushing of a computer key or the directive from senior management. It begins with business values and the “lead by example” we often hear echoed throughout business settings. It is not just another program, but a value of focusing on the organization’s future. An organization’s success during rapid change depends on the effectiveness of its people in working together, supporting common goals and understanding critical issues.

Without the role balance of a manager / leader and technology, there is no “Business Fitness” as we shift and adapt an organization to meet the new business challenges.

Catalyst Connections, Inc is a business consulting firm focused on assisting business and the residential construction industry with organizational transition and issues that hinder business growth during technological shifts. Whether organizational, leadership, or safety assessments they are there to assist the business, manufacturing and the residential construction industry segments. Developing strong Business Leadership – piece by piece.

REPRINT - BUSINESS COMMENTARY Chesapeake Business Ledger NOVEMBER 2003 page 11

Strategic Planning . . . it’s more than focusing on direction

By Bill Bakey
Catalyst Connections, Inc

Today, interesting enough, strategic planning is a necessary evil in business and in life. However, the key to any successful plan is its flexibility, its adaptability and the commitment by those that create and implement it.

A written plan or a plan in concept should be designed to bend and “flex” with the competition and market changes that occur. The same applies to life plans, it is much healthier to have a
tentative plan than to lock oneself into only one direction. After all, in business as in life, one can really never predict or anticipate all the challenges that lay ahead. In other words, it is nice to have a plan for direction and a vision for a goal [results], but how one achieves those results may be different from what was originally planned. Bending and “flexing” one’s plan ties in directly with its adaptability to needed changes.

In business, a strategic plan must have the ability to adapt to market, environmental and economic conditions. Adaptability is how an organization copes or deals with what confronts them. In essence, can the business plan bend and “flex” fast enough to adapt to changes in their market place, environment surroundings or the current economy? More importantly, can the
people who create and implement the plan adapt to those same changes quickly?

Commitment by those that design and implement the plan is essential for its effectiveness. The team of leaders who commit to the design and implementation must work as one entity and display characteristics of flexibility and adaptability. Strategic Plans are business tools for the entire organization to remain focused on a result or results. However, when a plan result or outcome becomes unclear or it becomes misaligned with the original direction, there must be a commitment to review and redirect or align the plan. Strategic plan reviews should occur on a regular basis to ensure the organization is not only on tract, but also adapting to modifications or changes in the market place, environment and economy.

Strategic planning is at the forefront of business and life success. Every plan should be viewed as the direction map to achieve a vision or thought. Minus the vision, a plan is only a set of procedures that creates a culture without a result. Even though a business vision remains the same, the strategy in planning should be designed to shift as business or market opportunities move or change. Those entrusted to provide the vision and champion the plan, must display adaptability to changing market places, environmental issues, cultural issues, and economic variables. Organization’s, both small and large, must have flexible short term and long term plans to ensure the necessary guidelines to meet business needs. The people or leadership, who implement the business plans, must not only learn to exercise that ability to make changes within the plan or “guideline”, but also become the communicator by word and actions.

Today we find some organizations with great written strategic plans and strong senior management level commitment but downward focus and communications hinders their success. Some plans still remain as management goals rather than an organizational direction. Not all employees knew the business direction or vision. Without the buy-in and involvement at all levels of an organization all the great strategic plans and flexibility becomes just words and concepts. Without performance accountability and specific goals focused on strategic direction, we find success hindered. Whether a plan in business or life we should remember to communicate our goals and visions and get others involved in its success.

Organizations should not view a strategic plan as a security blanket to control its success or outcome but rather a path that brings business growth. Companies should be ever mindful of its vision and design a flexible business plan around it. In addition, and just as critical, organizations should fill its environment with people and leadership who can adapt to ever changing challenges rather than surrounding oneself with those who would find comfort in just controlling business destiny through a single direction..

Planning is not about control and security; it is about organizing a set of visions, thoughts and actions to ultimately guide business to achieve a specific result or outcome. Strategy is the catalyst that binds those thoughts and actions together and the result is the vision. Business planning as in life planning is like that box of chocolates; one never knows what one will get.

Whether you are developing new business visions, setting benchmarks for business growth or just maneuvering through changing marketplace trends, strategic planning is more than focusing on direction. The necessity of developing flexibility, adaptability and commitment into a focused business vision becomes essential. This in turn expands the direction success of a strategic plan and builds strong organizations to meet tomorrow’s business challenges.

(Catalyst Connections, Inc. is a business consulting firm focused on assisting business and the construction industry with organizational transition and issues that hinder business growth. Whether organizational or safety assessments or leadership growth the firm is there to assist the business, manufacturing and the construction industry segments. Developing strong safety programming – piece by piece. )

Keeping Talented Employees Begins with You

By Bill Bakey, President

Catalyst Connections, Inc.

In meeting the demands of business performance, keeping talented employees becomes even more challenging than in the past. Business performance depends on cultivating the human capital in any organization.

In today’s highly competitive business environment, it’s important for all business owners, managers or supervisors not only to recognize talented employees, but to also help them develop their careers with the company. Today’s talented employees are high energy /ambitious and they’re looking for more than just jobs – they are looking solid careers. How well we read between the lines of a job application, or how well we nourish employees’ potential and enthusiasm on the job can mean the difference between a key employee growing with the company, or one who will just exist on the company roles or leave the company to pursue a more promising career elsewhere.

When managers hear the words, “I’m leaving,” from their employees, it’s probably too late to do anything. Although some managers might shrug this off by saying, “they were just not a good fit,” or “the employee was not focused on the values of the organization.” Managers may try to entice them in staying with money, but this hostage situation will only delay the actual departure. Some managers may also take this casually and just go out and find another employee, while others are getting a wake up call and understand the financial impact on employee turnover in business today. Are your talented employees slipping away? When is it time to create the atmosphere that nurtures the employees’ potential and enthusiasm?

“Job hopping” has become a way of life for the fast-tracking talent who hold no loyalty to the companies they work for. In the past, benefit packages, pensions and other perks held loyalties and longevity of talented employees. Today, if they can’t get what they want from your company, they find the fit in another. Employees, who have particular business talents and skills and know they have them, want to develop and grow on the job. Smart managers know this as well, and do all they can to see that their employees live up to their potential and stay with the company. Growing on the job is more than just a competitive wage to that talented employee; it is growth of knowledge and knowing that they are contributing to the overall business vision.

Keeping the talented employees takes more than wishful thinking – success requires a commitment from each manager to uncover the under utilized talents and energies of their employees and to develop them. The business commitment in developing employee talents drives its success.

In today’s business environment each manager now has the additional role of being a coach to their employees, they are continually searching for those undiscovered talents and skills within their workforce and creating ways through performance management to enhance employee work performance. From time to time, we hear the manager give excuses that include that they don’t have the right mix of talent on their teams. Although this may be partially true, the other half of the equation still remains with leadership attitude and approach toward their people. Even the best and strongest talent of people will not be successful if the manager does not know how to recognize and utilize employee skills and abilities.

The core of any business is its people. Whether the business is service driven or product driven, it is the job of each manger to build strategically on employee skills and talents.

Business should continue to focus on the essentials to ensure that they keep the talented employees that are driving their business growth. These essentials include hiring talents, tapping hidden skills, aligning employee interests/ motivations, strong performance evaluations, building on employee strengths and solid employee recognition.

Hiring the right talents

The first essential is to make strong business hiring decisions, before you hire employees take the time for pre-hiring preparation. Know what you want in a new employee, look beyond today’s job requirements and be mindful for future growth. Are you considering the job as multidimensional? Are there other employee talents or skills necessary for next step growth? What hidden talents does an applicant have that may assist with the department or organization’s business vision? Are the applicant’s values in alignment with the company’s business vision or direction?

When the right employees are hired, begins the manager’s job of keeping those talented employees. Keeping the employee busy, get them involved, assign them trainers, and promoting team accomplishments from the beginning sets the foundation. The foundation is belonging and being part of company interested in the talents of their people.

Discovering your employees

Most managers think that once an employee is hired the search for talent is over – wrong, this is just the beginning. The chance of new employees having untapped skills and talents you are not aware of is highly likely. To retain talented employees with your company it is critical for all managers to discover and enhance the skills and talents of all employees. Although these talents, skills or interests may shift over to outside interests, determining how they can be turned into work-related skills. As an employee coach, talking and listening to your employees to better understand their interests and motivations is the key. Encourage employee growth and participation through strong delegation practices.

Matching employees’ skills and interests with business needs.

Have you ever hired someone and very quickly realize they have other talents and place them in a different job? Matching people with jobs is one of the most difficult functions of a manager. Either there isn’t time to explore “best fit” job placement by work task rotation or a manager doesn’t want to lose valuable training / orientation time. The employee becomes lost and sometimes de-motivated by hindering the use of their special talents or skills. Managers should continually explore employee talents and strengths and use them to the advantage of the company.

Performance Evaluations uncover talents

Today, we find various styles and shapes of employee performance evaluations. Although some are focused solely on monetary considerations, the true purpose of the appraisal form is the alignment of employee performance toward set company standards or goals to enhance business growth. We may recognize the formal process as an annual or semi-annual discussion between employee and manager and the outcome is formally documented. When focusing on the talented employees it now becomes critical to include both the formal and an informal performance discussion process that occurs continuously between employee and coach.

Most managers or supervisors are required to appraise and evaluate their employees and without the proper training may even dread this experience. The performance appraisal time is an opportunity to not only align an employee’s specific job performance but to also continue to explore the skills and talents of the employee. This is a critical communication tool to utilize and enhance the hidden talents of all employees.

Building a dedicated workforce

Today, it all comes down to trust and respect within a team setting. It is one thing to recognize the obvious strengths and talents of the workers, but how do you uncover those hidden talents and the ability to share these strengths with others? It has been found that during the last decade the business environment has encouraged workers to share their strengths, but any weaknesses seem to surface only to be used to de-motivate them or be used by others for self-recognition or advancement. Unknown to many managers this became a turning point in losing many talented employees.

We have all heard that employee involvement, team spirit, expanded responsibilities, and encouraging initiative and creativity build dedicated workforces. This is partially true, however. will it keep the talented employees or just hide the non-performers or employees with the wrong skill sets? The business advantage is to not only to strengthen our selection process in the beginning, but also focus on allowing each employee to recognize and share their strengths and abilities with each other. It is ok to have non-strengths. When we allow ourselves to understand and accept this, we begin to empower the entire workforce to be sensitive to their strengths and to assist each other with their non-strengths. Team diversity of strengths and talents working toward common organizational objectives increases business performance.

The challenge is in meeting the ever-changing demands placed on business today. Developing and keeping the talented workforce is the foundation for business success. Although there are several essential areas to strengthen, keeping talented employees does begin with you.

(Catalyst Connections, Inc. is a business consulting firm focused on assisting business and the construction industry with organizational transition and issues that hinder business growth during technological shifts? Whether organizational, leadership or safety assessments or leadership growth the firm is there to assist the business, manufacturing and the construction industry segments. Developing Strong Business Leadership – piece by piece. www.catalystconnections.com )

REPRINT From the Queens Anne County and Talbot County Chambers of Commerce Newsletters May 2004

YOU’RE FIRED !

By Bill Bakey

Catalyst Connections, Inc.

These are words that we’ve all heard often, especially connected with The Apprentice. However, business beware,

it is more than just these “two words”.

Terminations can be difficult time and when they become a judgment on feelings or perceptions, it exposes one to unnecessary legal actions and possible discriminatory practices. To avoid the exposure of litigation it is even more important today to ensure that the actions of managers during a termination withstand the test of “just cause.” Before each termination it is critical that business take the time to gather the facts and review their actions rather than just react. One simple method is to review a check list to ensure that each termination is for cause.

Arbitrators Adolph Koven and Susan Smith in their book Just Cause: The Seven Tests have established seven step test for measuring whether just-cause dismissal exists. These seven tests can help companies avoid litigation, minimize unwarranted unemployment expenses or establish a good defense if a case goes to court.

The Seven Step Test

1. Reasonable Rule – Employees are entitled to know what is expected of them. Clear company rules must be established that are effective, enforceable, reasonable, and reasonably applied.

2. Notice – Employees are entitled to have advanced notice of the company rules and be fore-warned of the consequences of violating them. Progressive discipline becomes a must.

3. Investigation – Employers must investigate the cause for termination promptly to make sure that the employee did, in fact, violate the rule. Discover the facts through both the manager and employee.

4. Fair Investigation- Employers must make a fair and objective investigation to ensure that the supervisor who initially recommends discharge is not prejudiced against the employee and that the discharge is not based upon either personal conclusions or emotions.

5. Proof- The burden of proof rests with the employer in discharge cases. Charge must be consistent with the evidence. Is there specific documentation of previous discussions that support your decision?

Avoiding issues within past documented performance reviews “excellence performance” may now become that blockade for just cause.

6. Equal treatment- Employers must apply rules even-handedly and consistently. Although true facts may warrant different outcomes, is it prejudice or warranted?

7. Penalty – Disciplinary penalties must be reasonably related to both the seriousness of the proven offense and the past record of the employee.

Every business should take the time to review each termination to ensure that there is a foundation of just cause. It is so easy to react and just terminate without proper documentation or case review which just increases exposure to unnecessary litigation. The two critical words now become, “just cause” not “you’re fired”. Protecting your business begins with you.

(Catalyst Connections, Inc. is a business consulting firm focused on assisting business and the construction industry with organizational transition and issues that hinder business growth during technological shifts? Whether organizational, leadership or safety assessments or leadership development workshops, the firm is there to assist the business and construction industry segments. Developing Strong Business Leadership – piece by piece. www.catalystconnections.com )

REPRINT - BUSINESS COMMENTARY Chesapeake Business Ledger March 2004 Page 23

The next step in growth: It’s not just about money

BY BILL BAKEY, President, Catalyst Connections, Inc.

In today’s business world we find that everyone wants to increase their business yet minimize costs, labor and administrative expenditures. Whether you are a business of two or three employees, twenty employees or over one hundred employees, the focus still remains the same. It begins with the focus on providing our customers with good products or services to the best of our abilities and to maintain a drive which ensures that entire organization remains focused on the same business values. Yet, what goes wrong when we see that business growth remain stagnated year after year or it remains at the same level of performance. Next Step Business Growth can be less painful when we focus on the right areas.

What keeps organizations from growing is usually a preoccupation of its leadership or that entrepreneur that is not quite ready to take the steps for true growth. Business performance shifts don’t always mean more employees or more products or services to our customers. It may mean just maximizing internal performance and increasing the profitability of the business. It may mean that you need to just focus on your current surroundings and make a difference on the things you can change in front of you today; preparing you for that next step growth.

As entrepreneurs we may have previously heard those words or “quick tips” for growth. 1) Never react to price concerns and cut prices to get a specific sale /job, 2) Have structure to your advertising / marketing campaign, 3) Return phone calls the same day, 4) Continually develop your skill base for both you and your employees or 6) Give out your business card each day to someone you don’t know. The tips are great and they do drive business success; for the young start up business. However, it is only a stepping stone for the required values needed to sustain business growth. Next step business performance comes from moving past one’s comfort zone of total control and single vision thinking to a systematic approach; which builds the right atmosphere for next step business growth. Whether your business is a service organization, sales organization, or whether it is in the agriculture, real estate or construction industry or in the medical field, it becomes obvious the focus remains the same.

Today, successful businesses may define growth success in different ways because it travels back to their vision and business plan. However, the commonalities for success remain focused on some of the same internal energies that drive solid business decisions. The key is that successful organizations maintain a level of focus on their direction, values and the pressures of market and industry demands. These businesses also create the necessary synergies and communications that allows their entire organization, whether one employee or hundreds, to be involved with the business direction. It isn’t just the entrepreneur boss or that “sole owner” or an executive that has all the answers that drives an organization’s success. Sure some would like to think so and some even demand the credit yet the real fact is that success is the synergy of the people around them working together. This synergy may be employees, partners, suppliers or even in some cases the customer base supporting their business direction. Taking a look at our own organizations can sometimes be difficult especially when business performance is being held back by our own paradigms that keep us from moving to the next step of performance.

Putting one’s house in order and preparing for next step growth begins at the top.

FOCUS ON THE BUSINESS PLAN. Early in the business cycle all business owners develop business plans and know the direction for success. These plans, whether formal and written or as visions and concepts, become the driving force for business success. Unfortunately, plans sometimes become blockades and hinder continuous growth in business performance if not visited on a regular basis. Once a company’s core business has matured, it is so easy to just coast and not travel into that area of risk and new market “nitch”opportunities that drive new platforms of success. Innovative “next step performance” is taking your current products and services and finding those new “nitch” markets that disrupt other business trends and expand our organization’s potential. Although we would all like to believe selling or producing more expands businesses, it doesn’t necessarily shift one to the next step of growth. Understanding your business strengths and aligning your business plan is the first step in growing the business and will drive long-term growth for success.

PREPARING LEADERSHIP VALUES is understanding what is important to you and your internal leadership. When a leader doesn’t understand his or her own values which make up their character or doesn’t "walk-the-talk", it hinders business growth. All values of leaders are important, whether hiring the right talent, maintaining the right work atmosphere or retaining employees that share your business visions, they are critical. Strong leadership today drives the foundation of trust, innovation, and strong teams through one’s consistency in communicating their values, but are these your values? Today, we still find that managers or leaders can sometimes get lost in an immediate crisis and are unable to dedicate time in preparing a workforce for tomorrow’s business opportunities. We find that leaders are not sharing the vision and growing their people. Without communicating leadership beliefs or values we may find inconsistency in decisions, lower employee moral and eventually turnover of people that could make the difference for your business. When focusing on business growth, we all need to ask ourselves, “what are my leadership values and do you share them with others?”

EMPOWERING THE PEOPLE, gosh that sounds both exciting and terrifying all at the same time. “If I dump more work to the employees I will have more time to do leader things!” “If I empower people I will lose control of my business!” We may have all heard these statements and they are real fears if we have not taken the time to understand their leadership values and begin sharing them with others. Empowering others can sometimes be a giant step for that entrepreneur; it is the beginning stages of true business growth. Empowering people is hard work and it takes planning and development on the part of all. The involvement of people working toward common goals appears to be an easy task. Besides you just tell them what you want and when you want it. Wrong, without allowing employees to understand the big picture, and contribute to the success of the business goals, you just have workers and payroll expense. Empowering people involves time on management’s part in developing the workforce. It takes commitment with ensuring that internal growth comes from delegating growth projects to all employees. It drives that once “single source” decision making process downward within the organization to get multi opinions from the strengths of others; which in turn makes better business decisions. After we have focused / clarified the business direction, strengthened your leadership values and involved the people, it makes even more sense to align our efforts with the business plan. The critical step is to take a look at the performance measurement systems. Some businesses have formal systems and written reviews where others prefer a more casual approach of just avoiding conflict and give the annual salary raises based on the ‘ you’re my employee” approach. To shift to next step business growth it is critical to develop a type of performance accountability that aligns ones performance to specific business initiatives. Ask yourself when any one performance goal is accomplished in your organization how does it directly effect your business plan? How does the employee’s goal relate their manager’s goals? This could be a simple goal or a complex goal that involves several people, the key is still alignment and this alignment assists business in next step growth.

WORKING THE PLAN TOGETHER takes communications. Without it, no plan can be successful. Communications is more than just telling employees on a “need to know” basis. Today, it is critical to share the big picture with employees and keep them in the loop if you expect them to assist in making the business plan successful. Working together also drives the utilization of “individual” strengths and talents and ensures that decisions and outcome have had the exposure of different viewpoints. Employee knowledge builds flexibility into organizations and allows them to react to market shifts more quickly. When we delegate meaningful things we continue to strengthen our employee skills and talents.

To gain foot holds or a new market “nitch” in our industry, it is also as equally important to teach employees to observe and question what customers really want or expect from our business segment or industry. It becomes equally important to also give our employees a communications avenue to communicate this critical information back through the organization. Ensuring the employees are able to send the right ideas /information to the right people in a timely manner drives success opportunities. Without two-way communications, innovative opportunities are missed at all levels and these are the things that that move companies to next step growth.

Money and investors do play a significant role in business growth, as do even the quick tips for those just beginning to focused on the journey of business growth. However, without remaining in constant touch with the right business basics, the success rates may begin to dwindle. Everyone does want to increase their business share or at least expand their profitability unfortunately some don’t focus on obvious areas that will ensure long-term growth. Moving past those comfort zones, those fears of change and toward new or revised business plans may be the beginning in aligning the right atmosphere for next step business growth. The time is now to focus on your business direction.

(Catalyst Connections, Inc. is a business consulting firm focused on assisting business and the construction industry with organizational transition and issues that hinder business growth during technological shifts? Whether organizational, leadership or safety assessments or leadership growth the firm is there to assist the business, manufacturing and the construction industry segments. Developing Strong Business Leadership – piece by piece. www.catalystconnections.com )