Annual CityScope® Business Issue
Running a successful business isn’t just about making the most sales or bringing in the most profit – it’s also about fostering a healthy work environment where employees can grow their skills and thrive in their positions. Here, we speak with eight local professionals to discuss how they empower their own employees to be the best they can be.
Over the years, I’ve found that team members best thrive, learn, excel, and reach their full potential when they approach their roles as just that, members of a team. Very few accomplishments come from the sole efforts of one person. And the quicker you learn that key lesson, the better off you’ll be. Those who truly thrive are the ones who get more satisfaction from the successes of their teammates than they do their own. They lift up the efforts of their colleagues and champion them to others, both inside and outside of the organization. So very true is Aristotle’s principle, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Mike Alston
Office Managing Partner, Husch Blackwell
Organizations thrive when their team members are empowered with the tools and support to grow their skills. At Southern Champion Tray, we’ve built a clear job architecture that provides visibility into career paths across the organization. A competency resource guide outlines key behaviors – both skilled and unskilled – offering team members a roadmap for development. By linking critical skills to business strategy, we ensure that growth aligns with both individual and organizational success.
Beyond skill development, we recognize that thriving team members need to feel supported. Through initiatives like text-based care, onsite counselors, and adoption assistance programs, we foster a culture where team members feel valued. When people are both empowered and cared for, they bring their best to their roles – driving engagement, innovation, and long-term success. This investment doesn’t just benefit our organization; it strengthens our communities, as team members apply their skills and care to make a meaningful impact beyond the workplace.
Ralph Romero
Chief People Officer, Southern Champion Tray
Understanding that each employee is motivated differently is critical to creating an environment in which they can thrive. Providing employees with tools to help them identify and understand what drives them and what opportunities are available to them, coupled with encouraging them to create a personalized approach to their own professional development, allows individuals to align their interests and aptitudes in their pursuit of growing their skills and expertise. This approach to learning and development, combined with an organizational culture that is committed to celebrating each employee for the unique attributes that they bring to the team and their role in the organization’s overall success can cultivate trust, innovation, and a sense of belonging that strengthens employee commitment, dedication, and dare I say, happiness.
Danette Scudder
Executive VP & Chief Strategy Officer,
Tennessee Valley Public Power Association
Five Star Breaktime Solutions has experienced significant growth for the past several years. In order to ensure that our associates are encouraged to develop their skills and succeed, it is crucial that well-defined organizational goals and strategies are established and communicated. All associates must understand how their roles contribute to Five Star’s overall success. Talent acquisition should align with organizational priorities, ensuring candidates fit the company culture. Comprehensive onboarding is critical for communicating our vision, mission, and values.
Five Star identifies learning and development needs through succession planning processes to define career pathways that are facilitated via a flexible learning and development program. It is important to ensure that trainers are qualified, equipped, and properly compensated to foster growth. Leaders should regularly meet with associates to discuss their career goals and progress. Lastly, it is important to provide performance feedback and recognize and celebrate successes to reinforce a commitment to growth.
Peggy Russell
Vice President of Human Resources,
Five Star Breaktime Solutions
At Miller & Martin, we empower our attorneys and staff by fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional development. We have a mentorship program for our associates where they are paired with a partner-level mentor and a mentor associate. This allows experienced lawyers to guide and support junior staff. We encourage our attorneys to make the time for continued legal education (CLE) to boost their knowledge, confidence, and expertise. This includes attending Miller & Martin Academy, a monthly meeting with topics of interests not only for attorneys but for our paralegals as well. We also offer Miller & Martin University for any partner-track attorneys, a series of educational sessions with business acumen topics, and any related topics that will impact their practice at the partnership level. We are very lucky to have a valuable, knowledgeable training manager who is always willing to explore new ideas, processes, applications, and/or programs that can make our daily jobs more efficient. By investing in their growth, a law firm can ensure its team thrives and remains competitive.
Yolanda Irby, CLM
Director of Human Resources, Miller & Martin
Investment in training and development programs is a key component to an employee’s growth throughout their career. However, I believe that companies who provide holistic support for their employees are the ones who see a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce – and this is the approach we’ve taken at Unum Group. In my role, I lead our comprehensive total well-being program that provides a full spectrum of support an employee needs to thrive professionally and personally. In addition to Unum’s extensive skills development resources, we provide our team with a wide range of financial, emotional, physical, and family caregiving support that focuses on bettering the overall work-life balance of employees. We do this not only because it drives productivity, but simply because it is the right thing to do.
Allison Salkeld
Vice President of HR Global Total Rewards, Unum Group
Organizations can empower their employees to grow their skills and thrive in their positions by cultivating an environment where learning is a cultural norm. A learning environment aligned with key organizational objectives and desired behaviors can be game-changing in achieving sustainable career fulfillment. The following considerations are essential for creating thriving spaces for all employees:
Brandon Springle
Director, Talent Development and Succession Planning, Shaw Industries
At Urban Story Ventures, we encourage everyone on our team to take ownership over their projects and lean into growth opportunities. We’ve seen this builds confidence, and our team is empowered to take initiative, make decisions, and take chances on creative solutions. As we work through challenges, we both give and receive feedback. This feedback on both sides keeps everyone engaged and energized by a culture where learning never stops. We learn from our experiences, and we grow, thrive, and succeed together.
Audrey Hooper
Chief of Staff, Urban Story Ventures
