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Does Your Company Have a Recovery Plan if Disaster Strikes?
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Doug Powell, PEARL President
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Last year our company experienced what appeared as an attempted attack on our network from an outside source. Fortunately, we were able to quickly trace the origin of the hack and were able to lock down and secure our network from damage. However, for a few days, we thought that our network had been compromised and we feared the loss of critical and confidential data. Fortunately for us we were able to isolate the attack and protect ourselves from near disaster. But it got me to thinking about how critical IT is to our infrastructure and what we would do if it were lost or damaged in an attack or natural disaster.
 Many of PEARL's members make their living selling reconditioned electrical equipment to companies that have experienced a recent brush with disaster, either natural or the result of failed equipment. We see this nearly every week. My question to you is this, "what's your company doing to prepare for recovery from a disaster"? I hate to even bring up the topic, but all of our businesses are exposed to the reality that we live in a world with growing outside threats to our business operations. As small business owners we are accustomed to dealing with the market threats to a business like aggressive competitors and cash flow challenges, but how many of us are prepared and dealing with the threats from nature and more modern day threats to our business such a cyber-attacks or even terror or workplace violence from both inside and outside of the organization?
This coming year at the PEARL Conference in Newport Beach, CA, PEARL will be taking a more in-depth look at the topic of "Disaster Recovery". We will be having discussions and speakers at the conference talking with us from both the perspective of responding to clients in the midst of a disaster and about our responsibilities as business owners to understand how we can prepare and manage our companies through a business crisis caused from an outside threat.
Please make plans now to join us on April 6-9, 2017 at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach California for the 20th Annual PEARL Electrical Safety, Reliability and Sustainability Conference & Exhibition. Learn firsthand from Business Continuity Experts how to plan and prepare your organization for the unexpected.
Wishing you the best,
a Doug Powell, PEARL President
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Wait a Minute, I Thought There Was a Global Surplus of Copper?
The International Copper Study Group report that the global copper market posted a near 120,000 MT deficit during the first four months of 2016, as compared to a 13,000 MT surplus during the comparable 2015 period. READ MORE
Electrical Industry on Hold
We are now almost at the half way point of 2016 and it's clear that industry sales will cross into negative territory for the year as a whole. As a matter of fact, industry sales were down more than 1.5% in the first quarter, and we view first quarter performance as history, not forecast. But let's try to put this in some context. Few if any industries can thrive against the tide of a slow-growing economy. READ MORE
Nine Ways to Screw Up a Switch Installation
In its simplest form, an electrical switch is a humble device. For example, a single-pole, single-throw 15A snap switch consists of a pair of electrical contacts that can be opened or closed manually. Of course there are more elaborate types of switches, including double-pole, triple-pole, 3- and 4-way switches, circuit breakers, etc. Check out this photo gallery to see some of the most common violations found in switch installations.
12 Basic Motor Types Used for Industrial Electric Devices Almost all modern industrial and commercial undertakings employ electric drive in preference to mechanical drive because it possess the following advantages: READ MORE
Report: OSHA Should Reexamine Settlement Policy
Every year, thousands of workers die on the job in the United States, and many more are seriously injured. Unfortunately, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) tools to hold employers accountable for endangering workers have been woefully inadequate for decades. READ MORE
15 Reasons Why Water Trumps Electricity
Would your electrical equipment risk-management process be thorough enough to have predicted and planned for an unexpected event like the one shown in the photo gallery? If not, maybe it's time to gather the knowledgeable facilities personnel and conduct a new "what-if" risk assessment to identify all possible sources of electrical equipment failure.
Electrical Safety Training: What Could Go Wrong? Performing electrical work without being properly trained can be deadly. I have seen this hold true during numerous investigations. READ MORE
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The PEARL$AFE Leadership Corner is a new addition focusing on professional and leadership development and ways to increase your business's internal effectiveness. Contributions come from Leanne Edwards, president of Leadership Management International.
Competence - Confidence - Commitment: The 3-C Energy Cycle
Wouldn't it be rewarding to know that you have made a difference to your employees by helping them become more competent, confident or committed? You can do exactly that as you use the 3-C Energy Cycle. You can generate an ever-increasing cycle of Competence-Confidence-Commitment, each contributing in turn to the growth and energy of the other.
Where do you start?
You can immediately begin applying the 3-C Cycle by replacing any negative elements with positive ones. For example, train to increase Competence, praise to increase Confidence, and inspire to increase Commitment. Like the eternal chicken and the egg puzzle, few people agree which of the 3 C's comes first. Each of them grows out of the other:
- Competent people feel more confident about themselves.
- Confident people are more willing to take risks to increase their competence.
- Competent, confident people are more likely to be committed, and
- Commitment to a person or cause is essential for confidence and competence building.
One of the most effective ways to begin is to provide the fuel for the 3-C Energy Cycle by answering the following questions that are in the mind of your followers. Employees want to know:
Who will I become as I grow and change?
Fear of change is a natural and valuable part of life. It alerts us to potential problems and increases our awareness of opportunities. Still, change can be frightening. People fear losing their identities. Your followers' questions may come in the form of negative statements like "I could never do that" or "That's just not for me." Listen for the message behind their words and offer encouragement, not criticism. Confirm your belief that they will still be the same person, only stronger and better.
What will I become?
Help followers paint a vivid, positive picture of their future as they grow and expand. Describe how they will feel, how others will respond to them, and the benefits of their growth and new skills.
How will I reach my goals?
Offer a road map, outlining steps and stages for their journey. Those who are easily overwhelmed will need to be led in small increments. Others will want the big picture immediately.
Most everyone I've met is eager to find personal rewards in their work beyond just a paycheck. You supply those rewards when you initiate and perpetuate the 3-C Energy Cycle. Competence-Confidence -Commitment. You'll secure the loyalty, trust, and enthusiasm of your followers. At the end of each day you'll know that you are a leader who truly makes a difference.
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PEARL Rebranding Efforts Taking Shape!
For the past several months, PEARL has been working with its management partner, The Kellen Company, on rebranding efforts. This process involved several weeks of analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the organization, synthesizing this information into overarching goals, and now using this information to determine how PEARL should be marketing itself. From these meetings, PEARL and the board of directors have made some very important and exciting decisions which include approving a new mission statement, creating a tagline, updating the PEARL acronym, and agreeing to create a new logo. As these new branding decisions are approved and rolled out, we will be sharing the details with you!
New Mission Statement: Developing, advancing and promoting safe reconditioning practices for electrical equipment.
New Tagline: Trusted. Safe. Now!
Updated PEARL Acronym: Professional Electrical Apparatus Reconditioning League
August PEARL Board Meeting Scheduled for August 2
The PEARL Board of Directors welcomes you to join the August board meeting, Tuesday, August 2 1pm-2:30pm EST. To join the call, please use the call-in details below. To receive the agenda and additional materials being reviewed, please email PEARL headquarters at pearl@pearl1.org to be included.
Dial: 866-210-1669
Participant Code: 936-3604#
September PEARL In-Person Board Meeting Scheduled, Members Invited
This September, the PEARL Board of Directors will be meeting in-person in Boulder, CO, and any interested members are invited to participate. Taking place Saturday, September 10, at the Hotel Boulderado, any interested members should contact PEARL headquarters to setup your reservation and for more information. Your reservation will need to be made through headquarters by August 19 to receive the negotiated rates.
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Save the Date for the 2017 Annual Conference The 2016 Conference wrapped up a little over a month ago, but planning for 2017 is well underway! Save the date for April 6-9, 2017, as PEARL heads to Newport Beach, California! Sponsorship and exhibit details, hotel information, and schedule of events are forthcoming. |
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NECA 2016 Show
October 7-10, 2016
Boston, MA
Big R/ReMaTecUSA Show
October 29-30, 2016
Las Vegas, NV
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PEARL is now accepting applications for Level 1 Technician Certification. For more information, click here, or contact pearl@pearl1.org.
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PEARL offers some of the most competitive advertising rates in the industry with the PEARL$AFE monthly newsletter. Reach over 11,000 people with your ad! Click here to review the e-Newsletter media kit. Have questions? Contact PEARL at pearl@pearl1.org.
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Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League | 877-AT-PEARL | http://www.pearl1.org10200 W. 44th St., Ste. 304 | Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
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Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
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