The Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC) and the Midwest Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) intend to make 2011 “the year for change” to improve the state’s business climate for minority-owned businesses. The two organizations are collaborating for the first time to host a gubernatorial candidate business forum to address issues specific to minority business owners and to learn which of the candidates will make fostering minority-owned business growth a priority.

The MBCC and MMSDC invite business owners, individuals and community members to the two-hour Gubernatorial Candidate Business Forum, Monday, July 26 from 9 – 11 am in the Cowles Auditorium at the University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs, 301 19th Avenue S., Minneapolis.

U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison will offer the keynote address.  The forum is free and open to the public.

Ernest workers who hope to keep moving ahead in their lives and careers will carry a long list of questions into a career planner’s office:  How do I network effectively outside of LinkedIn?  What unusual avenues do people use to find a job or get promoted?  How can I tap into ambiguous leads?  How can I ensure that everyone I know knows what I want to do next?  These are all variations on a single question:  Where do I start?

Today, the best response to these questions, whether you are looking for work, hoping for a promotion, or just a little personal satisfaction, is the same.  Start by asking: What am I doing for others?

There’s the beach. And the kids underfoot. Concerts, cabins, movies in the park. Summer brings out the fun in all of us. But is it costing you professionally?

More than ever, people are moving out of traditional offices and into results-only work environments; some have gone the entrepreneurial route and have only themselves to report to. If summer finds you slacking, read on. It’s time to rework your approach to work and make the most of your time both on and off the clock. By knowing your goals and taking a realistic approach to your capabilities, you can keep your career moving forward in spite of all the distractions.

As Americans start spending money again, companies are stepping up production. The good news: more people are getting hired. The other news: more people have to adjust to new co-workers and new initiatives. Great leaders recognize the value – and the challenge - of building cohesive teams. Motivating groups of people from disparate backgrounds, whose trust banks might be limited, is possible if leaders seek out strengths, keep communication channels flowing and recognize that even serious situations can sometimes be handled lightly.

Leader Jake is sweating over a team that never wins. He hopes to teach and develop the group by identifying weaknesses and helping players overcome deficiencies. He leaves work every day exhausted and frustrated; his employees have learned, all right, that they’re inept, incapable of ever doing anything well.