Team Building

 Commitment to the New Hire   This month’s article in the series about GIC’s Culture of Commitment is our tenth and focuses on General Insulation’s “Commitment to the New Hire”.   You’ll read stories of employees receiving heartwarming welcomes and others who underwent “trial by fire”. In all cases they stayed because GIC’s family approach made them…

In our continuing series highlighting GIC’s Culture of Commitment, this month we are featuring the company’s Commitment to Sales. As any organization knows, the sales department’s job is to generate revenue. Regardless of how cutting edge the operation, a solid sales process must be in place to secure the company’s success.   When a company…

Frank Granara, CEO of General Insulation sets the example that anyone with a desire to learn and grow can do so. Over the years many of his employees who showed initiative and an ability to learn have been promoted into more challenging roles which allows them to move up the ranks. Frank is an avid…

Loyalty…it’s the defining competitive advantage for any business. It’s created when a company puts their people first. Loyalty produces many benefits like less absenteeism, higher productivity, better customer service and a happier workplace. Does that commitment stay with the employee even after they leave? The individuals interviewed are great examples of why GIC’s family atmosphere…

The Harvard Business Review reports that “people who have a “best friend at work” are not only more likely to be happier and healthier, they are also seven times as likely to be engaged in their job. What’s more, employees who report having friends at work have higher levels of productivity, retention, and job satisfaction.” For years…

  Make Halloween a Team Building/Community Awareness/Customer Bonding Experience Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in the United States. In earlier blogs I’ve talked about how everyone has an inner child in them that likes to have fun. Top employers have discovered that by tapping into this inner child, they help employees become…

    The Lighthouse Charity Team was proud to receive the donation of children’s items from the First Parish Preschool in Norwell, Massachusetts. The  Hitchcock community is still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and many residents are still living in hotels, with relatives, etc. while houses are under repair.         …

In our continuing series highlighting the “Culture of Commitment” at General Insulation, this article features two employees that take the culture to a whole new dimension – the international community.   Meet Emilio Rodriguez Jr., Export Sales Manager, Caribbean/Latin America   I was born in Cuba. When the Castro regime took over, my father, a…

Bringing Unity to Community During Disaster Lighthouse Charity Team in Action Hurricane Harvey roared ashore battering the small coastal town of Rockport, Texas. It then quickly made its way to Houston bringing record-breaking torrential rainfall causing one of the worst flooding events in Houston’s history.   This story begins with Sheriff’s Deputy John Bertolino Sr.,…

In our continuing series to highlight the “Culture of Commitment” at General Insulation, this article features two employees that many people may not have met. These individuals’ activities are performed primarily ‘behind the scenes’. Their roles are important to the ongoing success of GIC.    Ellen Sirois, IT Director, Tax Officer, & Corporate Secretary, Rockland…

This is the second interview in a series highlighting General Insulation employees. The two individuals, Stephanie Meegan, Operations Manager of the Miami Branch and Vincent Martinez, Warehouse Manager of the San Francisco Branch were chosen because, like the first three Branch Managers interviewed for our first article, they are a good example of the culture…

Remembering our Military Heroes   Watchfires have been a part of U.S. history dating back to the end of the Revolutionary War when General George Washington had signal fires lit along the Hudson River to let people know the war was over. It is said that following a battle or long march, a large fire was started so those missing or…

General Insulation has successfully been growing, product-by-product, branch-by-branch, customer-by-customer and employee-by-employee since Frank Granara acquired it in 1982. From its original branch in Somerville, starting out of an abandoned church, to the current 50 branches operating throughout North America, this company has conquered many challenges to become the powerhouse it is today.  Their motto and…

  Regardless of why you become a leader, the one overarching truth is, leadership will change you. As a leader for over 30 years, here’s how Leadership changed me. I’m always aware of the latest trends Things typically change so much faster outside the company than inside. My team needed to rely on me to…

The Ultimate Decision- Making Classroom   One of the most important leadership attributes needed is the ability to make quality decisions under stress.  I was challenged by one of my clients to help a group of leaders develop better decision-making skills. After much thought and research, I decided, instead of sitting them in a classroom…

Take a Risk, Reap the Reward Eddie Janek has experienced a lot in his life. “I’ve been hit by trains, caught under barges, survived World War II and the Korean War, but I wanted just a bit more adventure”. So, for his 90th birthday, he treated himself to a sky dive. His family and friends…

 How this charitable organization lives it From the moment you join the Lighthouse Charity Team (LCT), you hear, “Welcome to our Family!” Their motto, “People Helping People – Cooking for a Cause” is demonstrated throughout their communities as they cook for weekly benefits and fundraisers. Oftentimes companies tout, “We are family”, but don’t show it…

  Inspiring Quotes from Award Winning CEOs From the book “How To Create a Happy Workplace” by Lorraine Grubbs   John Johnson – David Weekley Homes We believe people are everything and we live by that philosophy.  Our company is only as good as our people. Our purpose Building Dreams, Enhancing Lives is applied to…

It’s Never Too Late to Make a Bold Move Meet Birney T. “Chick” Havey   I live in Galveston, Texas.  Last Sunday, walking down a popular tourist area called the “Strand”, I noticed an older gentleman sitting next to a table with a stack of books.  He was wearing a suit jacket and baseball cap. …

Team building in the workplace… When people go into work two things can happen: they will go in with the mindset that they love their job and the people they work with, or they go in less motivated and do the same routine every day without investing themselves in the company or in their coworkers.…