Beverly Flaxington, Collaborative founder and principal, was interviewed on Lifetime TV's Balancing Act program recently about her new book Understanding Other People -- The 5 Secrets to Human Behavior. Interviewed by host Beth Troutman, Bev discussed how by focusing on 5 key areas anyone is able to communicate better and improve both business and personal relationships. Click here for more information on Understanding Other People and click here to view a short video of her appearance on the show.

It always happens - the economy recovers from recession, and then what was a very loose labor market all of a sudden becomes very tight. Whether yours is a services or technology firm, you'll likely encounter obstacles in finding, retaining and training top talent. As the industry emerges from the economic doldrums of recent years, these issues confront managers in many functional areas.

For young or rapidly growing (or trying to) firms, obstacles to hiring and retaining top talent begin with a lack of emphasis on some very fundamental building blocks. Often, as these firms look to gain traction during the "all hands on deck" exigencies of day-to-day business, a firm foundation for future growth and stability is an early casualty.