Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Dan Oswald, CEO of Simplify Compliance, writes about management, leadership, and the workplace. Occasional guest articles are written by other leaders and C-Suite executives from BLR.
by Dan Oswald Sunday night, the New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons in the greatest comeback in the Super Bowl’s 51-year history. None of us should have been surprised. The Patriots have had more success in this millennium than any of the other 31 teams in the NFL. Since head coach Bill Belichick and […]
by Dan Oswald Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny that Donald Trump has communicated differently than any other U.S. presidential candidate, president-elect, and now president. And his communication style has been analyzed, criticized, and commended. Everyone seems to have an opinion about his approach to communication, but there certainly isn’t agreement on […]
by Dan Oswald Our newly inaugurated president is in the midst of selecting the team he will work with to achieve his vision for our country. And while, in his case, many of those selections will require congressional approval, they are nonetheless his choices. It’s an interesting process to watch. Imagine recruiting and hiring your […]
by Dan Oswald Last month, BLR was involved in a merger that resulted in a new company with four business units being established. The combined company, Simplify Compliance, serves HR, safety, and environmental professionals as well as the healthcare, telecommunications, and financial services industries. As we start 2017 with a newly constituted executive team, I […]
by Dan Oswald There’s an old story that goes like this: A man walks into a bar and asks the bartender for a glass of water. Instead, the bartender pulls out a shotgun and fires a shot, just missing the man. Satisfied, the man places a nice tip on the bar, turns, and walks out. […]
by Dan Oswald I was extremely sad to learn today that Lee Smith, the founder of M. Lee Smith Publishers, passed away Tuesday night. Lee was a true southern gentleman and a savvy businessman. Lee founded his company in 1975 and built an incredible business that successfully served hundreds of thousands of customers over the […]
Editor’s Note: Dan invited former Tennessee Employment Law Letter editor John Phillips to share his memories of business colleague and “lasting friend” Lee Smith. by John Phillips In March of 1986, I started The Tennessee Employment Law Update, a monthly newsletter. Some lawyers subscribed to the newsletter, but it was primarily designed for HR professionals. […]
by Dan Oswald The other day, in a conversation about the recent U.S. presidential election, I mentioned that one of the ways I evaluate politicians is to consider whether I’d be willing to either work for the person or have the candidate work for me. It’s pretty simple—I want to work with people I respect. […]
by Elizabeth Petersen This contribution is the second in a two-part series from BLR Executive Vice President Elizabeth Petersen about business lessons learned through sports. Rugby has taught me innumerable life and business lessons, and today I pay homage to the nameless French Canadian who taught me how to lose strategically. But first, an introduction […]
by Dan Oswald Thanksgiving is behind us, and the holidays are in full swing. Most of us feel busier than ever this time of year. With parties to attend, gifts to buy, and anticipated travel for the holidays, there certainly is a lot going on. How do we find time to get everything done and […]