text: Assessments provide a neutral frame of reference that helps teams better understand their differences and similarities.
  Assessments can help you identify the behaviors needed for a specific job, where those qualities exist in your team, and what to look for when interviewing new candidates.
  Know thyself. This is the core concept behind communicating well and performing well in what you do. Using behavioral and learning style assessments is a way you can get more insight into how you work and how you perform best.
  Assessments can be used for one-on-one coaching, clarification in job descriptions and candidate selection, and for assembling teams that complement each member’s strengths and interests. The data from assessment creates a lens through which we can gain insight into our own behaviors and the behaviors of those around us.
  Human resource managers find these tools useful for hiring and on-boarding. Managers of all levels use these tools to help them gain insight into how their teams can be best managed and directed. Click here to learn more.
  Whether you need a speaker to address your group and set the context for your meeting, or you need professional development workshops that help create positive behavioral change within your organization, Slate can help.
  It’s been said that that the organizations that learn the fastest, win. The good news for organizations that want to succeed is that humans learn really well when they get to learn together. We can improve our effectiveness, agility and adaptability when there is opportunity to learn at work.
  Corporate Education and Training works to target where skills need to be developed within your team and creates a plan for making use of them. Whether you need basic skill development for new managers, new ways to manage difficult conversations, or want to learn how to begin creating a new level of operational transparency in your business, we will assemble the right pieces to create better skills and confidence for your team.
  
  It’s the announcement you’ve all been waiting for – the Download Festival have just gone and added 20 more bands to the line up!
  From chief heavyweights and major players of the international rock scene, classic rock heroes, acclaimed rock legends and innovators to the latest hotly tipped acts emerging onto the scene, Download 2011 is set to make ears ring, voices hoarse and legs very weary this summer.
  UK Top 5 charting modern metallers Bullet For My Valentine, critically acclaimed New Jersey boys Gaslight Anthem, Australian drum ‘n bass / rock dynamos Pendulum and US classic rockers Alter Bridge have all been added to the bill.
  Legends of the classic rock fold will be back on the scene at Download this year – the Thin Lizzy boys are back in town, LA glam-rock stars Buckcherry return, as well as American ‘jam band’ Clutch, Brit rockers FM and Mr. Big.
  The list goes on! Master of theatre and horror Alice Cooper will be at Download in 2011, along with Korn, Danzig, The Cult, GWAR and Masters Of Reality.
  Weekend tickets and RIP packages for Download (at 2010 prices) are on sale now – click here to get yours!
  
  I grew up in Texas and quickly learned about fresh foods from the garden from my mom’s love of the outdoors and gardening. My path shifted after being in the retail world for a number of years to a more holistic and meaningful approach to life. I have taught the garden life cycle to children in Virginia on farms, in a fun and interactive way to inspire my students. I taught high school students the value of cooking with fresh foods and the benefits of sourcing food locally in the Washington/Virginia/Maryland region. I took an opportunity to expand my knowledge and volunteered at a holistic school in Costa Rica for 6 weeks. I learned how to teach mindfulness and yoga to children and brought those techniques to schools in the Denver area, where I currently teaches kid yoga. I puts my focus on helping others realize opportunities in making a positive shift in their personal lives and communities.
  
  Personal development should be a crucial part of every business owner’s long term plans. If you’re not working on yourself, how can you expect the same of your team? Here are 5 mistakes you need to avoid making in your personal development.
  Active listening is one of the most crucial skills you can learn for your workplace advancement. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how good you are at your job or if your skillset is stellar— if you can’t connect with people and make them feel heard, you’re not going to reach your full potential.
  It might feel challenging to make this happen while so many people are working remotely, but it’s actually the perfect time to develop your listening skills. One benefit of communicating over video chat is that you can monitor yourself and your reactions.
  Instead of viewing this as a distraction, view it as a unique insight into your listening style. While you might be listening attentively, your facial expressions might indicate boredom or irritation. You can adjust on the fly and make sure that others feel heard by you.
  Being humble is good, but being self-deprecating is not. If you don’t advocate for yourself and own your experience in your field, you cause a chain reaction of negativity in your network and your personal development. Read here about what happens when you don’t own your experience.
  This is especially important for the owners and leaders of businesses. If you can’t advocate for yourself and your team, why would investors take a chance on you? You absolutely need to be able to share your achievements and celebrate the wins in your business journey. This doesn’t make you arrogant; it makes you confident. Just make sure you can back it up with results.
  While some personality types thrive in conflict, many people will avoid it at all costs. The truth is that no matter how hard you try, conflict is inevitable in the workplace. How you handle that conflict will define your professional relationships.