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V O L . X X V I N O. X I X A U G U S T 1 0 , 2 0 2 0 10 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E the nonprofit organization's inaugu- ral downtown grant program, made possible through a sponsorship by Machias Savings Bank. N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor and Mount Desert 365 announced a partnership to develop the COA Mount Desert Center, a three-story structure at 141 Main St. in Mount Desert that will feature year-round apartments for student and faculty housing and street- level retail space. UMaine to partner on Navy contract Navatek LLC and the University of Maine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center have won a $5 million contract to research materials and novel manufacturing tools and methods to improve the design and construction of Navy and Marine Corps vessels. e goal is to maximize the speed, range, payload and survivability for naval mis- sions, while lowering cost and build time, according to a news release. e contract came from the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Naval Research. e research will explore opportunities to apply addi- tive manufacturing, commonly called 3D printing, to surface vessel design and construction. N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor said it received a $75,000 gift from the Davis Family Foundation in Yarmouth to support a student-first approach to responsive education and training. The Acadia Federal Credit Union in Fort Kent pledged $100,000 to Northern Maine Medical Center's $12.6 million expansion project. When completed, the expansion will include a new operating room, exercise space for the Child Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, laboratory and cafeteria. Q: I know so little about what some of my employees actually do, but as the general manager I would feel embarrassed to ask. What should I do? ACE Advises: Asking real questions for which you don't know the answer is a sign of strength, not weakness. Your employees should be glad you want to know more about their tasks, and that you're not pretending to be knowledgeable when you are not. Listening attentively to your employees is a way of showing that you respect them, and it can help bridge any management-staff gaps. Begin with an affirmation: "Mary, I understand you're a critical link in how we deal with customer problems, and I really appreciate your work. But I know little about what your job actually involves. What challenges do you face in a typical day?" You might also use this conversation to see how well the organization is supporting Mary (or whomever) in her work. You might say, "I'd love to know how well you're supported with technology, with policies, and with access to particular staff and resources." Make sure you have permission from the employee's manager to ask such questions. Otherwise the manager may feel that you're undercutting his or her authority. A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y A r t h u r F i n k o f A r t h u r F i n k C o n s u l t i n g The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a non-profit association of independent consultants who value "Success through Collaboration." The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com. Arthur Fink can be contacted at arthur@arthurfink.com Your employees should be glad you want to know more about their tasks N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N You care about your employees. THE PROBLEM Financial matters cause more stress amongst employees than anything else in their lives. Increased stress means decreased productivity. THE SOLUTION A financial wellness program which includes individual financial coaching. It's a high- value benefit for a very low per-employee cost. THE RESULT Increased focus, loyalty, trust, dedication, productivity. Here's an easy way to improve their well-being allison@allisonbishop.com allisonbishop.com Contact Allison Bishop for a free consultation to see what a financial wellness program might look like for your company.

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