The Florida Water Environment Association (FWEA) Public Communication and Outreach Committee (PCOC) is now in its sixth year of sponsoring an annual contest that encourages high school students to showcase their creativity — and fact-checking — when it comes to talking about what should or should not go down a toilet. In 2023, the FWEA …

Continue reading “To Flush or Not to Flush: Florida video contest encourages high schoolers to tackle baby wipes, cotton balls, and other unflushables with their own public service announcements.”

Good employees are hard to find. This fact should come as no surprise to anyone in the water sector, and it will hold true in 2024 as well. Most public utilities have record numbers of vacancies, and overall low unemployment numbers mean that job seekers have many options when choosing where they want to work. …

Continue reading “The Recipe for Success: Three essential ingredients for building the workforce of the future”

Are you sending mixed-up messages? At a loss for words? Effective communication is one of the tenets of authentic leadership and is essential for leaders to relay information, build trust, and motivate employees. So, if your colleagues are asking, “‘Water’ you talking about?” it’s time to communicate smarter. Read the full article in Water Environment …

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When you think of an authentic leader, who comes to mind? Chances are, it is someone who can enthusiastically engage with others to achieve great results. Being a connector is one of the most important tenets of authentic leadership. Strong connectors align people and resources to their goals by developing personal relationships, identifying and utilizing …

Continue reading “Keep Calm and Connect: Lead Authentically by Building Relationships”

Trust is one of the most important aspects of human interaction: It allows us to count on one another to get things done. On the other hand, a lack of trust hinders our ability to be effective collaborators. As Warren Buffet once said, “Trust is like the air we breathe — when it’s present, nobody …

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Humans are social, tribal creatures, who spend upwards of 30% of their lives at work. According to the Center for Talent Innovation, productivity and workplace enjoyment is largely driven by a sense of belonging. So how does a leader ensure their colleagues are engaged and content? How does a leader know when the team is …

Continue reading “Lead With Purpose, Drive a Culture of Recognition & Appreciation”

In physical science, a catalyst causes chemical transformations to happen more quickly. In social science, a human catalyst motivates and accelerates action toward a goal. Combining these concepts embodies the definition of catalytic leadership. Read the full article in Water Environment & Technology.

An authentic leader is emotionally intelligent and sets the emotional standard for their team. As leaders, we strive to expand the EQ tank. No, not the equalization tank! We are referring to the other EQ — the emotional intelligence quotient (EQ). Read the full article in Water Environment & Technology.

talk” — their behavior and day-to-day actions match the aspirations they have for their colleagues, team, and organization. In other words, they practice what they preach. Read the full article in Water Environment & Technology.

A pandemic, technological advancements, and a rapidly changing economic and environmental landscape demand that organizations pivot quickly or risk being left behind. To do so, one deceivingly simple but powerful tool is effective mentoring. Read the full article in Water Environment & Technology.