ZenFox Solutions

Speaking to the Alaska Trucking Association last week sharing specific skills to help retain their valuable employees was an absolute highlight! Look at this space, look at this engaged audience - this is what happens when an industry association truly invests in developing its people and encouraging innovation.

My "Retention Toolbox" session sparked conversations that continued long after the session ended. The skills I shared:

1. Listen & Reflect Back - listen to understand, then reflect back what you hear before offering your own perspective

2. Acknowledgement + Accountability (acknowledgement of either contribution or challenge) using the “And not But” framework

We talked about using these skills at two key moments critical in the retention battle: when someone makes a mistake and when someone leaves the organization.

After my morning session, people came up to me throughout the day saying things like - “we really need more of this” and “thank you for highlighting these skills - it’s so important and really got me thinking” and “that was my favorite session of the day!”

I’ll tell you the secret - I got people talking to each other - sharing real stories, opening up, and reflecting on when they had a chance to grow from their own mistakes.

Special thanks to Jamie Benson and the ATA team for the invitation and for the thoughtful lineup of great speakers - the content was really well aligned and each session built upon the one before it, from Brian Fielkow’s talk about the Executive’s Role in Safety Leadership where he highlighted the failings of traditional progressive discipline and rethinking how we treat mishaps so people can learn, to Jeremy Reymer and Dr. Mark Manera’s presentation on Project 61 whose goal it is to improve the health and longevity of drivers (which includes mental health and working in a psychologically safe environment where they are treated like human beings).

Special thanks to my friend and former colleague Graham from Black Gold Express for his fantastic photography capturing the energy in the room!

To my fellow speakers and all the attendees: your insights, engagement, and conversations elevated everything. Collaborative learning at its finest.

Exciting things ahead for Alaska's transportation industry! 🚛

Come join us at the 2026 Alaska SHRM Conference coming up in April! I'll be speaking in two breakout sessions:

Mastering Human Connection in a Digital World
Attention is Your Superpower: Mastering Focus in the Age of Distraction

Timely topics for the modern world we live in where people are suffering from a loneliness epidemic and media companies are vying for our ever-diminishing attention spans with highly sophisticated (and effective) apps and features.

I am speaking at 2026 AK SHRM Conference - The Business of People: HR's New Frontier See more here