LeBron James was the most valuable basketball free agent in the universe, and his signing with the Lakers over the weekend changed the landscape of professional sports. Deadspin recently published an article about his unique approach to his free agency this year, and there are valuable B2B business development lessons that all of us can learn from King James.

"James might meet or speak with a club official or owner at some point, but the elaborate presentations that have common in NBA free…

Let me start this post by making a disclaimer - I'm not anti-leadership book, nor am I anti-personal development. There's a real need for all of us to look for ways to get better at what we do professionally. I believe enough in leadership/management skills that I actually have a training series for managers of people.

The series help managers navigate the most important conversations they have with their direct reports - in their own, authentic voice.

So I'm a believer in the need to get better…

Sexual harassment has been in the news a lot recently. Some of the top companies are experiencing the repercussions of lawsuits: Google, ESPN, Red Lion Hotels, and Lithia Motors to name a few. This has gotten the attention of CEOs and executives running small business. Most small businesses under 50 employees do not have an HR person on staff, therefore, they have no one for employees to come to if there was an allegation, except the top executives. It is the company's obligation to create a…

Increasingly, mental illness is becoming part of a mainstream conversation that employers must address. We work more than ever, take less vacation and have little to no paid maternity or paternity programs. We all have moments when we need to talk to someone, breathe and get the help and support we need. This may seem like a no-brainer if you have a program in place, but please read on.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) Are Not Enough

Employee assistance programs (EAP) offer employees and family…

Civility usually is demonstrated through manners, courtesy, politeness, and a general awareness of the rights, wishes, concerns, and feelings of others. It includes the behavior that helps to preserve the norms for mutual respect at work and, given the current economic and political climate, it's something we could all use more of.

In 2016, 62% of employees were treated rudely at work at least once a month, according to a global, annual poll on workplace incivility by McKinsey & Co. Since…

Employment arbitration is a fairly new concept that has mushroomed into a very common practice in employment agreements. In 1992, only 2% of non-unionized workers were under arbitration agreements; currently that number is 54%. The main consequence of an arbitration clause is the employee abandons their right to sue an employer. Most agreements require binding arbitration whereby both parties agree that the arbitrator's decision is final - there are no appeal provisions. As arbitration…

If you think you have been fired unlawfully from your job anywhere in United States, you should enlist the help of National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, which is a federal agency vested with the power to take action against employers who have violated the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, or NLRA. There are certain unfair labor practices mentioned in this act which are prohibited.

NLRA has clearly mentioned here that if your employer has done something that is part of unfair labor…

For years SHRM (the society for Human Resource Management) has held a reputation as being risk averse and sometimes even Pollyanna. As the largest  HR organization globally, with over 250,000 members in the USA, it has significant reach within the HR community. Its TV commercials the past few years have only added to its brand and visibility. They are also known for playing it safe and being "non-partisan" in their significant lobbying on capital hill. Supporting such a large and diverse…

Have you ever been fired? I have. Three times. The typical response when people hear this is "wow, for what?" always with a bit of trepidation in their voice for what they are about to hear. When people think about being fired they think of the obvious bad stuff. Fraud, harassment, not showing up or maybe just unacceptable performance. I've never been fired for any of these reasons.

Nope, I was fired for doing my job.

But aren't you in HR, aren't you the one that typically does the firing? Yes.…