We are, each of us, the sum total of all our experiences. One problem and/or situation affects us in others.

When employees feel strong, involved and needed, they get extraordinary things done while those who feel weak and insignificant consistently underperform and want to flee.

People who feel powerless tend to hoard the power they have. For example, powerless leaders usually adapt petty and dictatorial styles where political skills are utilized. "Covering your rear" and "passing the buck" are modes used to handle difficulties. Powerless employees tend to follow orders and avoid taking any initiative.

Sharing power is the answer. It lets workers know they are responsible for doing their own jobs – doing what they're paid to do – to help the organization succeed. It helps management and non-management realize the need not "to major in minor things" and continue to ensure that accountability is part of the day-to-day operation.

Read this article for some methods that should be incorporated to ensure this approach is being effectively applied.

Almost every owner has a selling price he or she would like for the business, including publishers. The publishing industry has used many methods to determine a publication's value; the most common method now used is a multiple of cash flow. However, often sellers set a price by what their business is worth to them, and sometimes it is based on what they need, which is rarely related to the value.

There is a misconception about what leadership is and what it takes to be an effective leader today. Oftentimes a member of top management can relate success to bottom-line results, not realizing that without commitment to the dignity of each employee this success is usually short lived.

Michael Zinser outlined an action plan for all employers during last week's webinar on the U.S. Department of Labor’s New Rule on Overtime.

While he noted that the November 2016 election could impact the finality of the rule, he encouraged all employers to take steps now so they are prepared to implement the changes.

It's important to remember that not all criticism is valid. To benefit from negative feedback, you must learn to appraise criticism and decide whether to act on it. Otherwise, you may react to every negative comment and end up adopting counterproductive habits. Use these criteria to determine how to respond to negative feedback.

All questionnaires for this year's SNPA Salary Survey must be returned to the SNPA office by this Friday, May 27.

Publishers who share data for this important study will receive a benchmarking report the first week of June that looks at salaries and wages of department heads and non-supervisory staff.

Ohio Supreme Court upholds a minimum wage amendment in the Ohio Constitution that states, in pertinent part, that "employer," "employee," "person" and "independent contractor" all have the same meanings as they do under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

While not specifically discussing this case, federal law also excludes from the Wage and Hour Law individuals who deliver newspapers to the consumer. The same exclusion should also apply under Ohio law.

Read bios of 2015-16 NEX GEN participants.

Eight executives from SNPA member newspapers have been selected to participate in SNPA's 2015-16 NEX GEN class. They will be paired with experienced industry experts in a structured mentorship program.

Read about the executives who will participate as members of the 2015-16 NEX GEN class.

Instead of bemoaning the loss of old categories in classifieds, a strategy of developing new categories has turned into significant print classified revenue growth at the Times-Herald Record in Middletown, N.Y.