Q.INSIGHTs & INTUITION

Growing as a leader is a big priority in my life. In order to make growth and development happen, I intentionally prioritize and schedule the time and energy required. If time is not utilized wisely, it will be consumed by something else. It is also very important to me to have a “growth mindset” – realizing that challenges help me grow and discover new ways to succeed. So I lean into everyday life to implement growth from situations. There are many great leadership development resources available to us at no cost. I seek out quality examples of leadership. For me this means finding the books, podcasts, and leaders who are ahead of me on the path of life. Once I consume the new information, time is needed to absorb their insights. Then analyze and determine how to take my next step in applying that valuable input into being an impactful leader.

Leaders need to double down on agility to continue developing and growing. Being in tune with your team needs to be more than words. What they need now may be different in two months based on office returns, COVID concerns or the significant amount of change occurring in most companies. Markets, supply chains and customers all continue to evolve. The best leaders are thinking ahead, using data, and anticipating the future so they can stay ahead of changes and/or adapt quickly. Leadership agility is the ability to effectively lead organizational change, build teams, and navigate challenging business conversations and changes. Leaders who get too siloed in their thinking, leadership and growth will struggle with agility. Leaders need to be aware of how they show up for their team. How do you improve your agility? Ask. Simply ask your team where they need you more. Where do they need you less? Am I listening enough? Am I asking the right questions? Asking will show vulnerability and willingness to be transparent. In turn, your team will be more open to giving you feedback and asking you questions, all the while building trust and confidence in both your leadership and within your team.

Shane Zutz Vice President of Human Resources Digi-Key Electronics Thief River Falls, Minn.

Building relationships and networking are important. They help ensure I’m not only communicating but connecting. We need diverse people in life to learn and develop personally and professionally to become the best version of ourselves. For me, this means having a mentor and being a mentee. I also find it rewarding to participate in learning circles, particularly centered around change, technology, work, and learning; involvement in community volunteering, serving on boards, and committees.

Self-reflection is a must. You can’t give what you don’t have! Equally important is observing people and discovering how you can make an even greater impact or add increased value to their work and life. Uncertainty, change, failure, and adversity are all great teachers. Times like these are not easy, but important in teaching us invaluable life lessons: trust, authenticity, acceptance, compassion, love, support, and being vulnerable in that there is no shame in asking for help. Learning and development does not mean to improve you must constantly be learning something new. Every leader must find their balance. Interestingly, some of my biggest wins as a leader have been brought about by focusing on improving what I already may be good at and simply doing more of it.

Nikkee Rhody

EVP, Strategy Central Payments Co-founder & Executive Director at Falls Fintech Sioux Falls, S.D.

Dan Uhlir Human Resources and Employee Relations Manager 3M Aberdeen, S.D.

“Books, podcasts, mentoring…anything I can get my hands on. I’m convinced of one thing - you never ‘arrive’ as leader. In other words, leadership requires continual investment. In a world where everything else is evolving, so should our ability to lead well, serve others and improve outcomes.

I’m a big fan of micro-content - these bite sized nuggets from people that have pioneered this leadership terrain and are willing to share information, best practices, humble experiences and lessons learned. My go-to leadership podcasts are Defining and Adapting Your Leadership Style as well as Club Capital Leadership Podcast. There is inward work that is required to develop as a leader. Selfawareness is often improved over time and the best way to get there is being mentored and mentoring. If it’s true that you can’t see yourself through your own eyes, find another trusted individual with a very different vantage point that can challenge you and encourage you and consistently remind you it’s a journey, not a destination.”

Nonfarm Business Productivity

Nonfarm business sector productivity grew 1.9% in 2021, as output increased 7.4% and hours worked increased 5.4%, according to a recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increases in output and hours are the largest annual increases since 1984, when the measures increased 8.5% and 6.1%, respectively. Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector increased 3.3% in 2021, reflecting increases of 5.2% in hourly compensation and 1.9% in productivity. Real hourly compensation, which considers changes in consumer prices, increased 0.5% in 2021; consumer prices grew 4.7% in 2021, which was the highest annual growth rate since a 4.9% increase in 1990.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Transportation Demand

The final demand for transportation declined 15.4% ($295.2 billion) from 2019 to 2020 (adjusted for inflation) according to the most recent analysis by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The drop during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic was the largest year-over-year decrease since the start of the current data series in 2002. The second largest decline (7.4%) occurred in 2009 at the end of the Great Recession.

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Median Earnings For Women

In 2021, median weekly earnings for wage and salary workers who usually worked full time were $998. Median earnings for women were $912, or 83.1% of men’s earnings. The women’s-to-men’s earnings ratio varied by race and Hispanic ethnicity. White women earned 82.2% as much as their male counterparts, compared with 94.1% for Black women, 78.5% for Asian women, and 87.6% for Hispanic women.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Transportation Goods And Services

In 2020, the final demand for transportation goods and services was $1.6 trillion, or 7.7% of U.S. GDP – the smallest percentage contribution of transportation goods and services to GDP since the start of the current data series in 2002. The second smallest contribution (8.6%) occurred in 2009, also at the end of the Great Recession.