Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 29, 2018 | Worcester Business Journal 41 10) Got cloud? According to Cloud Security Alliance, more than 70 percent of the world's businesses now operate in some capacity on the cloud. 9) Cloud positive. Running apps in the cloud offers lower fixed costs, auto updates, easier collaboration, disaster recovery, scalability, pay-as-you-go options, lower tech support costs and access from any device. 8) Cloud negative. The cloud is no stranger to data breaches, bad actors, malware injections and hijacked accounts. Ponemon says breaches are 3x more likely for businesses utilizing the cloud. 7) Sharing. Cloud security is a shared responsibility. The cloud service provider protects its infrastructure, but businesses/ users must password protect their apps. 6) Backup data locally. While the cloud appears like a backup safeguard, it's not designed to be one, so better to do your own backups or use a third-party service. 5) ID theft. Like the internet, there's no privacy in the cloud. Avoid storing sensitive information such as passwords, credit/debit card details, social security numbers, IP, etc. on the cloud. 4) Encryption. Use cloud providers that encrypt your data. This double security ensures data has to be decrypted for it to be accessed. Encryption protects data from unauthorized users. Use third-party tools to encypt files before uploading to the cloud. 3) Install anti-virus. Malware & viruses can expose your system to file deletion, access your personal data or commandeer your laptop camera (cover your lens by taping a piece of paper). Most anti-virus programs will scan and update automatically. 2) Use strong passwords. A nuisance when they expire, now special characters, numbers and non-repeatable items are required. Sites exist to help you create inventive passwords. Get used to changing them often. 1) Third-party testing. Hire a third- party data security service to perform penetration, app, mobile and network testing for vulnerabilities. These tests are as much important on cloud as on premise. W 10 T H I NG S I know about . . . … Cloud security Michelle Drolet Michelle Drolet is CEO of Towerwall, a data security services provider. You may reach her at michelled@ towerwall.com. K N O W H O W Retain employees in a turnover industry 10 1: A L I G N M E N T W hen I first accepted the job as medical director of YOU,Inc., I had many big ideas about growth and change within the medical department. I wanted to implement my ideas as quickly as possible, but soon realized listening to my staff was a more valuable long-term investment. Workers in the behavioral health sector – particularly those deal with child psychiatry – have notoriously high burnout rates. Yet, in my first year at YOU, my department had zero turnover. Here's what I found was important to creating a stable staff. Be authentic. My entire life I have tried to present myself authentically – the good and the not so good. My staff quickly connected with me and appre- ciated my authenticity. is led to more open and honest communication. Be humble. As a young and fairly new medical director, many days I do not have the answers to the questions my staff ask. I set my pride aside and answer them honestly with, "I don't know, but I will work hard to find out." is fosters an open dialogue, respect and trust. Reflect on the mission. In nonprofit work, it is easy be become bogged down by the everyday challenges: staffing issues, funding issues, insurance issues and facilities in desperate need of maintenance. Instead of getting stuck in a negative thought loop, I take time to reflect on the reasons I chose this work: to helpi foster resilient kids and families. I then bring this reflection to my team. Shut off the phone and stop look- ing at your email. For the first several months as medical director, I was "on" 24/7, worried I would miss something. I soon realized this pace was not sustain- able for my personal or professional life. I realized I had a very capable and intelligent team who did not need me available 24/7. I was able to unplug and spend time with my husband, young daughter and two dogs and take time to realize I did not need to be in control at all times. Treat your staff as you would want to be treated. is sounds like something we all learned in first grade, but it carries forward into our adult professional lives. Keep/get a mentor. Having mentors to bounce ideas off, ask advice and learn from their experiences. Take care of your personal health and encourage your team to do the same. We cannot care for others or stay true to the mission if we first do not fill our own physical and mental energy tanks. I oen work hard each week to carve out some time to exercise and time for pleasure reading. I encourage my staff to do the same, especially since we work in an emotionally exhausting field. Have difficult and honest conversa- tions. I am a people-pleaser by nature and having honest conversations about performance issues has never been easy. I would rather spend my time encour- aging my team rather than discussing performance issues. When having these conversations I first acknowl- edge my own discomfort to myself and sometimes to my team member. I find acknowledging my own areas of growth allows for a more open dialogue. Never stop exploring. I remember in college I bought a pair of flip flops (or rather my parents bought them) from e North Face which said "Never Stop Exploring." I always loved when I put my sandal on and took them off because it reminded me to stay curious and explore the world around me. When working and managing a medical staff in the nonprofit field, it is important to stay cu- rious. Stay curious about your staff, your business/agency, and your own life. BY ALLISON BECKLER Special to the Worcester Business Journal BY SUSAN SHALHOUB Special to the Worcester Business Journal B usinesses with great intentions fail all the time. Alignment is what brings a business its intended success — with sometimes-complex layers of purpose, mission, objectives, people and processes. Communication is at the core. Here are ways to keep your company on course. A good interview does not equal a good hire. Hiring the wrong person sets up you and your company for misaligned roles and skills. Andre Lavoie of Entrepreneur.com recommends looking past rehearsed interview answers and impeccable resume formats to a better-identified job fit. "Test their skills beforehand. Whether it's through an assessment test, mock assignment or trial employment, give job candidates some way to show off the skills listed on their resumes," he writes. (Meanwhile, existing staff need realignments, with training and coaching as needed.) The goals and action plan must click. Managers must be sure the goals and action are aligned and bridged by a plan, identifying who is responsible for what — and when. "Too oen plans are created and then sit on a shelf gathering dust. To ensure that plans will be implemented, specific assignments need to be made and people need to know that they are accountable for achieving specific results," writes Leigh Richards at SmallBusiness.Chron.com. Without all the elements in line, the goal is harder to achieve. Align teams with teams. Team efforts and objectives must be aligned with external and internal teams, as well, whether out of the building or out of country. Jeff Boss of Forbes.com: "e nature of alignment demands cross- functionality — communication up, down and across the organization and between teams," he writes. Exceptional- performing organizations don't get that way based on a few great people, but based on the conditions aligning those people and teams to work together, he said. W Allison Beckler is medical director at behavorial health nonprofit YOU, Inc. in Worcester, Baldwinsville and Gardner. Reach her at BecklerA@youinc.org. W

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