Alright – so today we have the honor of introducing you to Tara Powers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation…we’ve shared it below.

Tara, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. How has COVID changed your business model?

Pre-COVID, I wrote the book Virtual Teams for Dummies. I would have never imagined how important the tips and strategies in that book would become once COVID hit. When COVID started, and everyone shifted working from home, my business model of doing in person, live workshops and training immediately shifted to virtual learning and training via Zoom. I was also asked to help leaders learn to lead virtually – FAST! So, we adapted our business model and incorporated eLearning into our programs so that leaders and their teams could do self-directed learning on their own and then combine that with live, virtual learning via Zoom with their peers. This has led to creating large-scale virtual programs for Fortune 150 companies that is easily adaptable across the organization. We are also creating the Virtual Team Academy for leaders and their teams which will launch later this year. The Academy will be a membership-based platform with tools, resources, team building and more for virtual and hybrid teams and their leaders. Offering more programs and products like the Academy is a significant change in our business model from consulting.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights, and we have a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that, can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some background and context?

In 1996, with a business degree in accounting and dreams of exploring the world, I moved from a small town in Pennsylvania to Boulder, Colorado with a few college friends. It was in Boulder, at the world-famous Dark Horse Bar and Grill, that I quickly fell in love with my bartender, and eventually went on to marry him. At the time, I was working at a local company as the accounts payable supervisor, when the HR manager asked if anyone in the accounting department would build a training program to teach managers how to read budgets. Looking back, this was a turning point for me. I dug in and created and delivered my very first training program. It was like someone opened up a whole new world. It was my initial encounter with the business of talent development.

I immediately started my career pivot by getting my Masters in Organizational Leadership at Regis University and transferring to the HR team at my company. As a growing company, I had the opportunity to move through all of the HR functions – employee relations, training, benefits, policies and procedures. My capstone project for school required implementation of a change initiative at work. With the full support of the CEO, I designed and launched our inaugural company-wide management development program called SCC University. It was a very strategic, consultative and integrated project where I was fully responsible and accountable, and I absolutely loved the entire process. I was in my element and had found my career path.

I come from a long line of entrepreneurs, so the idea of starting my own consultancy was in my blood. In 2001, I launched Powers Training, which I later changed to Powers Resource Center (PRC) to reflect the full spectrum of services we offered.

Powers Resource Center, or PRC, is a boutique consultancy, specializing in leadership and team development. We really found our niche in working with teams and leaders and creating a culture of connection for Fortune 200 companies and start-ups. We use and sell a variety of assessment tools, and I am frequently a keynote speaker at conferences around the country. After conducting a research study on the effectiveness of virtual teams in 2016, we were asked by Wiley to write the book Virtual Teams for Dummies and during COVID, published a second book ~ Working from Home for Dummies, to help support the new normal of remote work. Later this year, we will be launching Virtual Team Academy, a membership site of tools, resources, training and support for leaders and their hybrid teams.

I am most proud of the results we deliver and the long-term relationships we create with our clients. More than 90 percent of our clients work with us again, and some clients have been with us for more than 15 years. I love that we are seen as the ‘go-to strategic advisor’ for our clients. We pride ourselves on being flexible, agile and over-deliver on expectations every time. I know we provide real value and real change for leaders, seeing results from the measurement we conduct throughout all our engagements.

At PRC, we view leadership as a gift and are on a crusade to transform team trust and wellbeing by creating a culture of connection at work. Our programs have impacted over 300 companies and more than 35,000 leaders.

Our programs have earned the prestigious Top 10 Leadership 500 award by HR.com and a bronze award from Brandon Hall for Best Results from a Leadership Program. For the past two years, OnCon awarded PRC with a Top 25 Human Resources Vendor Award as well as an HR Contributor Icon Award in 2019. I have also served as a long-time judge for the coveted Brandon Hall Excellence Awards.

PRC quickly becomes a trusted business advisor to take team health and employee engagement to the next level. Our commitment is to serve as a catalyst for extraordinary change and to create cultures where people can do the best work of their lives. PRC is also a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBENC).

Do you have any insights you can share related for maintaining high team morale?

Employees have FIVE BASIC NEEDS that are required to be met by their manager and organization. These needs influence the level of passion and commitment employees have to their company. Use the questions below to quickly assess the health of your culture and if there’s risk of employees leaving.

NEED 1: TO BE RESPECTED
Do employees feel listened to? Paid fairly for the work they do? Does the company and their manager encourage a healthy balance with work and life? Is who they are valued and appreciated?

NEED 2: TO LEARN AND GROW
Do employees have the opportunity to learn and develop new skills in their current role? Is the company committed to developing their talents?

NEED 3: TO BE AN INSIDER
Are employees involved in team problem solving and decision making? Are they kept informed about information and decisions that senior management is making?

NEED 4: TO DO MEANINGFUL WORK
Do employees have a sense of pride in their organization’s purpose? Do they understand the meaningfulness of what they do and how their work contributes to the organization?

NEED 5: TO BE ON A WINNING TEAM
Do team members know how they contribute to the organization’s success? Is everyone on the team is committed to improving their performance?

PRC offers diagnostic and training tools that evaluate your organization’s overall well-being. With over half of companies anticipating a return to an in-person work environment, PRC can facilitate an honest, deep evaluation for your team’s organizational health and avoid unwelcome employee attrition. We work closely with you to craft distinctive custom programs that support your business goals while creating a culture of healthy teams and leaders empowered to do the best work of their lives.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

We go above and beyond every time to deliver white glove service to every client. We become a trusted partner and advisor, and 90 percent of our clients do business with us again, some for over 10 years. We also get to know our clients’ businesses deeply by interviewing leaders, holding focus groups, and talking with employees. We do this in order to craft the most effective solution that people believe in and will support moving forward. Our approach is to build trust first and then help guide change in organizations. We care deeply about the people we are impacting because at the end of the day, they are going home to families, friends, pets and their community, and if we can help them thrive in their work and life, then we are making the world a better place in powerful ways.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.PowersResourceCenter.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taralpowers/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarapowers/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/taralpowers
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW-aH1B55yrCWSD_nCBOR7g