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How to Build Better Relationships to Advance Your Career

By
Statepoint
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0

Looking to get ahead in your career? Whether your goal is to raise your own level of performance, enhance customer engagement, or become a more effective leader, it all starts with bringing out the best in your co-workers, and in yourself, too.

One of the primary keys to success is learning to identify the fundamental characteristics of your co-workers, and developing strategies to work with each type of boss, co-worker or client you come across, says Kim Christfort, national managing director of Deloitte’s US Greenhouse Experience and co-author of the new book, “Business Chemistry: Practical Magic for Crafting Powerful Work Relationships.”

Co-written with Suzanne Vickberg, lead researcher of Business Chemistry at the Deloitte Greenhouse Experience, “Business Chemistry” identifies the four most common types of people you will work with in your career:

• “Pioneers” who value possibilities and spark energy and imagination. They’re creative thinkers who believe big risks can bring great things.

• “Drivers” who value challenge and generate momentum. They’re direct in their approach to people and problems.

• “Guardians” who value stability and bring rigor and order. They’re deliberate decision makers apt to stick with status quo.

• “Integrators” who value connection and draw teams together. They’re attuned to nuance, seeing shades of grey rather than black and white.

Once you identify the traits that make your co-workers and team tick, you can use this knowledge to become a more effective leader or team player, stress Deloitte’s Christfort and Vickberg. It’s all about learning how to best interact with each of the four major “Business Chemistry” types to help generate the best results and raise your level of performance — and your value to your employer.

Here are several ways to apply that knowledge and become more effective at your job:

• Recognize the key differences in how people work, so you can build empathy and stronger relationships with them — and flex your own style accordingly.

• Learn which kinds of working conditions and interactions can motivate your team, and which kinds may kill their potential. Then you can manage situations to help your team thrive.

• Tap into the diversity of your co-workers by determining whose needs are being met and whose aren’t, and then revamp your team’s normal processes so that everyone can perform at his or her best.

“Among members of a team, there will often be key differences in working styles and in what each individual needs to thrive,” says Christfort. “An effective leader and co-worker can manage and motivate different types of people by learning what kinds of interactions and working conditions enhance everyone’s performance.”

For more tips and insights on how Business Chemistry can help you – and your team – perform at your best, visit deloitte.com/us/practicalmagic.

By spending some time learning what drives your co-workers, bosses and employees, you can discover how to create a more productive team atmosphere that allows everyone to thrive and succeed, including yourself.

-Statepoint

US 59 South Scheduled for Night Work

By
Ezra McMullen
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0

LUFKIN – Work on US 59 South between Lufkin and Diboll will continue next week as contractors begin night work.Crews are scheduled to continue joint repairs beginning Sunday night through Tuesday night in preparation for an $8.3 million construction project to begin. Work is scheduled to alternate between night and day until project completion and will include north and southbound lanes. Motorists should expect lane closures and possible delays as this work progresses.

The project includes the resurfacing US 59 South from FM 3482/Whitehouse Drive to 1.1 mile north of FM 1818 near Diboll. It includes planing the existing pavement, applying a hot mix level up course and a final permeable friction course that will repel water and reduce surface noise.

Moore Brothers Construction, Lufkin, is contractor for the project that began June 26 and is scheduled to be completed by May, 2019, weather permitting.
Motorists should reduce speed to the posted speed limit and obey all traffic control devices. It is illegal to drive around a TxDOT barricade, cones or barrels. Stay alert to moving equipment and workers near the lanes of traffic as this project progresses.

For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or (936) 633-4395.

The Stranger On The Phone

By
Rhonda Oaks
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0

“I bet you don’t remember me,” the woman on the other end of the line said in a cheerful voice. I talk to a lot of customers each day, so I couldn’t imagine who she was.

The stranger on the phone began to remind me of a night almost a year ago when she woke me just before 4 a.m., lost and afraid somewhere near Beaumont and headed straight into flood waters.

She makes a monthly business trip from Florida to Houston and in the pre-dawn hours as she approached the state line, she discovered Interstate 10 was closed due to flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. She had driven north a few miles, detoured onto a couple of farm roads thinking they would take her around the closure and now she was lost. She somehow found my state number online and couldn’t believe she was talking to a real person.

We laughed as we recalled the events of that night, but it was no laughing matter at the time. It has been a year since Hurricane Harvey changed so many lives, dropping more than 60 inches of rain that caused catastrophic flooding along the Gulf Coast, Houston and Beaumont areas.

My caller was looking for directions, but when I opened drivetexas.org to find her location, I quickly realized she was driving straight into flood waters. I told her to turn around and what to expect if she didn’t. She asked me to stay on the phone with her until she found her way to Interstate 49 in Louisiana where I directed her to drive north to Shreveport and cross the state line. It was the closest crossing into Texas that was not flooded.

In the 30 minutes or so that we were on the phone together we talked about kids, jobs, dogs, ex-husbands and anything else I could think of to keep her from feeling alone and afraid in the dark. She was mid-sentence when she spotted the interstate sign and shouted with relief. We hung up and I figured that would be the last I heard from her. When she called last week, she told me that when we hung up that night she decided to find a hotel room. She returned to Florida the next day.

I told my caller that many people think TxDOT only builds and repairs roads. The truth is our resiliency has been tested over the past 100 years. We have stood strong and remain safety trained, ready to take on the challenges of storms the likes of Harvey. So many TxDOT employees helped to rescue and rebuild during those weeks of great need, leaving their own homes and families to work along the Gulf Coast.

I know on this first anniversary of Hurricane Harvey there are many people just like my caller who are looking back and counting their blessings, and like so many other TxDOT employees also remembering those days, we are glad we were there to help.

She said she will always remember this one night that could have turned out very differently had she not reached a stranger on the phone.

Grazing Beef

By
Cary Sims
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0

In all my years visiting cattlemen and cattlewomen, all their cattle have been raised in pasture, grazing grass. So, the marketing term “grass fed beef” is really interesting to me.

While no one knows the exact number of cattle there are in Angelina County, it is a safe bet that over 99% of all cattle are raised for beef production. In fact, the closest dairy I know of is outside of Angelina County to the north of us in Cherokee County.

The fact is that all cattle spend the vast majority (if not all their lives) on pasture grazing grasses and a few kinds of other plants. Only at the last stage are some cattle fed the most nutritiously dense part of the plants (the seeds commonly called grains) to rapidly get cattle to market weight. By feeding this most nutritionally dense part of the plant, it shortens the time it takes to get cattle to market, and reduce costs for a quality, marketable product.

Of all the varieties of grasses you’ll see in our area, you’ll find nearly all will fit into two species: bermuda and bahia. There are several varieties of bermuda and bahia. Just like car guys can talk about motors, transmissions and more, you can find stockmen discussing the choices between pasture varietals such as Coastal, Jiggs, and Tifton 85 bermudas or Argentina, Pensacola and Common bahias.

True there are a few folks that will plant clover for high quality, short term supplemental grazing of their beef herds. Though excellent forage for cattle, it is most certainly a broad-leafed forb. However, clover isn’t a grass.

Indeed, clover is considered a weed in many lawns. You can find numerous products to eliminate clover from your yard.

In some agricultural regions, alfalfa reigns supreme. Nicknamed “The Queen of Forages”, alfalfa is a perennial plant that can build the soil by taking nitrogen from the air and “fixing” it in the soil. Alfalfa, like the aforementioned clover, is a legume. And legumes are well known in agricultural operations for improving the soil in which they grow by incorporating the most limiting nutrient, nitrogen.

But alfalfa, like clover, is not a grass. So technically, cattle fed alfalfa or clover are not “grass fed” beef.

I’m a glutton for marketing. Honestly, I know that there are countless smart individuals who have studied customers just like me. They know what I like and don’t like, what I respond to and what I ignore.

There are several products that I am relatively ignorant about and I yield to the advertisements. So, if you tell me nine out of ten dentists say this toothpaste is better? Sounds good to me.

But try and tell me that “grass-fed” beef is unique or superior? I know I don’t want to spend the extra money for that cut of beef.

Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with grass fed beef. It can be perfectly nutritious and a healthy part of one’s diet.

Truth is, I think more of our local cattlemen could profit greatly from marketing and selling locally grown, custom finished beef. I have neither the time or the resources to do that myself. But for folks interested in this marketing niche, I’ve shared my plan before and would again if asked.

On Monday, Aug 20, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Angelina County will be holding a program called “Path to the Plate”. The program will separate fact from fiction in modern day food production systems and marketing.

We’ll be highlighting a local farmer, demonstrating and preparing some nutritious meals, and busting some myths about food production. The evening starts at 6:30 pm. Cost is $10 per person. RSVP’s appreciated. The first 50 people to RSVP will receive a cookbook.

How Much Do Your Kids Know About Money?

By
Statepoint
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0

With consumer debt on the rise and many failing to adequately save for the future, experts say that financial illiteracy is a major problem for Americans — and one that communities and parents have a joint responsibility to address, starting in childhood. And right now, most children are coming up short in this area.

Over 62 percent of the 15- to 18-year-olds tested by the National Financial Educators Council received either a “D” or “F” on the 2017 National Financial Literacy Test. Without intervention, these young people could grow up without the skills needed to manage credit cards, loan debt or savings goals.

If you’re a parent, you’ve likely already instilled in your children the importance of good grades and healthy decisions, but if you aren’t also discussing concepts like overall saving, budgeting and the importance of having an emergency fund, now is the time to start. Children are never too young to learn skills needed for a secure financial future. To get started, consider these tips:

• Teach young children money basics by playing “store” at home. Take turns being the customer and the cashier. Play board games involving money exchanges to practice addition and subtraction.

• Give children an allowance and help them create a budget. Stress the difference between needs vs. wants to help them make smart decisions when it comes time to shop for clothes, school supplies, toys and more.

• Offer children incentives to save, promising to match any money they sock away so they’ll learn how invested money grows.

• Encourage teenagers to get part-time jobs, then help them make smart decisions about how to allocate their income, whether that’s saving for big-ticket items, putting money away for college or donating to charity.

• Review free, online financial education materials together that are geared for school-age children, such as those found at PurchasingPower.com and JuniorAchievement.org.

“Purchasing Power has been helping adults learn to manage their money in smarter, more flexible ways for years,” says Richard Carrano, Purchasing Power CEO. “Expanding these efforts to include resources for young people empowers parents to put their kids on the right path in their formative years.”

• Seek out community initiatives helping to combat financial illiteracy. For example, Purchasing Power, LLC, a workplace voluntary benefit that allows US workers to buy brand-name products and services interest-free through payroll deduction versus traditional high-interest credit options, partners with Junior Achievement USA, an organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need for economic success. In Atlanta, for example, more than 30,000 middle school students visit the Junior Achievement Chick-fil-A Foundation Discovery Center yearly, where they work with business leaders to learn about real-life financial situations. Together with Junior Achievement, Atlanta corporations including Purchasing Power are supporting a generation that knows how to budget, save and invest.

“Financial illiteracy and confusion over money matters is a national problem that won’t be solved overnight,” adds Carrano. “However, families, employers and communities can take proactive steps to raise money-smart kids and foster healthy financial futures.”

Children are never too young to learn how to spend responsibly and save for the future. Get started now in your household.

-Statepoint

US 59 South Scheduled for Night Work

By
Rhonda Oaks
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0

LUFKIN – Work on US 59 South between Lufkin and Diboll will continue next week as contractors begin night work.

Crews are scheduled to continue joint repairs beginning Sunday night through Tuesday night in preparation for an $8.3 million construction project to begin. Work is scheduled to alternate between night and day until project completion and will include north and southbound lanes. Motorists should expect lane closures and possible delays as this work progresses.

The project includes the resurfacing US 59 South from FM 3482/Whitehouse Drive to 1.1 mile north of FM 1818 near Diboll. It includes planing the existing pavement, applying a hot mix level up course and a final permeable friction course that will repel water and reduce surface noise.

Moore Brothers Construction, Lufkin, is contractor for the project that began June 26 and is scheduled to be completed by May, 2019, weather permitting.

Motorists should reduce speed to the posted speed limit and obey all traffic control devices. It is illegal to drive around a TxDOT barricade, cones or barrels. Stay alert to moving equipment and workers near the lanes of traffic as this project progresses.

For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or (936) 633-4395.

Angelina College Hosting Adjunct Job Fair

By
Nancy Reynolds
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0

LUFKIN, TEXAS,  – Angelina College is hosting an adjunct job fair Aug. 16 from 5-7 p.m. in the Technology & Workforce building, room 139. Those wishing to apply for part-time teaching positions at the college will have an opportunity to speak with faculty members and academic administrators from each of the four instructional schools. Representatives from Human Resources, Community Services and the tutoring center will also be on hand.

Attendees should bring copies of their resumes and transcripts. Computers will be available for those wishing to fill out online applications.

For more information about the fair, contact Human Resources at (936) 633-4511 or email ewalker@angelina.edu.

Back-to-School Checklist for Families with Asthma

By
Statepoint
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0

For the more than 6 million children in the U.S. living with asthma, gearing up for another school year involves much more than picking out a new pencil case and backpack. Accounting for nearly 14 million lost school days each year, asthma is one of the main illness-related reasons that students miss school.

With better asthma management, children are able to feel healthy, safe and ready to learn! For a full toolkit and free resources from the American Lung Association, visit Lung.org/asthma-in-schools.

To get ready for a successful school year, the American Lung Association recommends this back-to-school checklist for families with asthma:

1. Schedule a check-up with your child’s physician. Use your yearly check-up to create or revise your Asthma Action Plan, check the effectiveness of asthma medication and dosage, get prescriptions for back-up medications for your school nurse and coaches, as well as ensure your child knows how to use his or her asthma medicines.

2. Assess your child’s readiness to self-carry medication. All 50 states have laws that allow children to self-carry and use their asthma inhalers at school. Use the American Lung Association’s Self-Carry Assessment Tool to see if your child is ready to carry and self-administer asthma medication. The assessment tool will help parents create a plan for children not yet ready to self-administer medication, as well as help children learn the necessary skills throughout the school year.

3. Set up an appointment with your school nurse. Remember to bring in your updated Asthma Action Plan and back-up medications. Take this time to sign all required medical forms, discuss whether your child can self-carry their own quick-relief inhaler, as well as deliver any special instructions when it comes to physical activities and asthma emergencies that may happen during the school year.

4. How’s the air in there? Take a moment to talk to your child’s teacher about asthma, what triggers might bring on an attack and what to do in an emergency — whether that be to head directly to the school nurse or use his or her quick-relief inhaler. This may also be a great time to talk about the air quality in the classroom. Mold, fragrances and idling buses can all be asthma triggers for your child.

5. Introduce yourself to the PE teacher and any coaches. Kids with asthma shouldn’t have to miss out on playing outside or participating in gym class. You can quickly put teachers’ and coaches’ minds at ease by talking about exercise-induced asthma, ways to manage symptoms and what to do in an emergency.

6. Have fun! While it may take some proactive organizing at the start of the school year, you are helping to ensure that your child is safe and active throughout the school day. Take a deep breath and enjoy a healthy 2018-2019 school year!

-Statepoint

 

Imagine Growing Food for Others to Eat

By
Ezra McMullen
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0

There are all kinds of careers, businesses and industries to be a part of. We guide younger generations, as someone perhaps guided you, into all kinds of jobs with varying degrees of profitability.

Most everyone has studied certain skills that we enjoy and have been drawn to different occupations that will pay the bills and leaves us some amount of discretionary income to pursue our hobbies and entertainment.

We typically live at one residence and drive daily to our place of work where we build, we create, and we serve others in exchange for payment.

Imagine deciding that your business would be to grow food. Food that you would sell to others to consume. Your “shop” would be a field, pasture, orchard, or maybe greenhouses.

You would study the inputs of time, equipment, space, and, most importantly, the expertise needed. Most everyone I know in this field has at least a large portion of their operation on the same property as their home. Stepping out your back door, you don’t see what the neighbors are doing. You would see barns and your expansive work space. Its tough to take a break from your employment because the view from every window and each porch reminds you of tasks to be addressed.

You watch the weather forecast intently. You are not as concerned about a sunny weekend as you are the rain. Too little and, yes, too much rain can greatly affect your work.

You know the temperature patterns. You understand the difference between 33 degrees F and 28 degrees F are vastly more important than any other range of temperatures. You are only too aware that a few days below 28 F can ruin a fruit crop that you been preparing for all year.

You been watching the climate change season after season long before climate change was in vogue.

You are acutely aware that the soil which yields production for harvest or forage for livestock is one of your most valuable assets. You build, amend and manipulate the ground so that it provides a marketable product during your time of stewardship and for generations to come.

You greatly desire clean, pest-free plants and soil. You probably know the names of and are too familiar with the diseases that can rot and the insects that can consume forage for livestock or produce for the table.

You weigh all these factors into producing a healthy, safe product to sell. You also must watch for trends that will that economically will fare well in the marketplace, allowing you to pay the bills and leave you some amount of discretionary income.

Yet there will always be the one who grows nothing more than an aloe vera plant but has watched a Netflix documentary and now complains that you seek to destroy the environment.

Your industry is relied upon by every living person. Whatever you grow is also grown by others equally as skilled as you a thousand miles away. They can often be cheaper than you in your own local economy than what you have been able to produce it for.

If you want to be competitive in this chosen vocation, you’ve got to be a scientist, weather forecaster, marketer, mechanic, and have a love of the land you tend.

And if you do all this in this global industry, you may very well be granted the noble title of farmer or rancher.

On Monday, Aug 20, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Angelina County will be holding a program called “Path to the Plate”. We’ll be highlighting a local farmer, demonstrating and preparing some nutritious meals, and busting some myths about food production. The evening starts at 6:30 pm. Cost is $10 per person.

Woodland Heights Adopts Improved Communication Process

By
Ezra McMullen
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0

Lufkin Texas  – Woodland Heights has recently adopted a communication platform that connects clinicians across healthcare entities in real-time. Built on mobile technology, the system helps providers minimize miscommunication and delays in emergency care.

Approximately 80% of medical errors are because of miscommunication during transitions of care between clinicians. “With this new system, the ER can receive vital patient information such as EKGs to diagnose a heart attack well before the patient arrives to the hospital,” states Stephen Bennett, RN, Director of Emergency Services. “During time-sensitive emergencies, treatment times will decrease by using the system to activate care teams such as the Trauma or Stroke team well before the patient arrives to the ER to be treated.”

“Lufkin Fire will have the ability to have a great impact on patient lives by ensuring we are providing and maintaining the high standards of service, and performance utilizing technology and resources in a collaborative manner,” states City of Lufkin Fire Chief Ted Lovett. “It is our initial patient assessment and activation that enables all members of the patient care team to coordinate care for the critical patient. This platform has seen improvements in treatment times, averaging a treatment reduction between 20-46%. This data convinced me that if we can improve patient outcomes, we will be committed to this project.”

Communication is critical, and if something happens the time to lifesaving care can be delayed and crucial information can be lost, making this system a lifesaver. “The Emergency team is excited to now have this technology to offer the patients of Woodland Heights,” states Bennett.

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