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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 7 M AY 3 , 2 0 2 1 N O T E W O R T H Y S O U T H E R N U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland was awarded a total of $749,856 from the Economic Development Administration's Scaling Pandemic Resilience Through Innovation and Technology Challenge to support its Gulf of Maine Blue Innovation Recovery program. The pro- gram seeks to provide direct support to local seafood-related startups and small businesses adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Southern Maine Community Col- lege in South Portland awarded $1.5 million in emergency relief grants in April to students experiencing finan- cial difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic. The college awarded grants to 848 students using funds from the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act with an average award of $1,741. Legacy Properties Sotheby's Interna- tional Realty in Portland said its charita- ble giving program "Legacy's Legacy — Giving Back to Maine" donated a total of $25,000 to 45 organizations in 2020. Skowhegan plans small grants for small businesses Main Street Skowhegan is offering a second round of mini-grants for small businesses and entrepreneurs, a pro- gram that expanded last year because of the pandemic but is now going back to its roots. e grants, available between $500 and $2,000, are for business owners looking to further develop a business as well as for entrepreneurs looking to start one. e deadline to apply is May 15. Last year, the total available through the organization's Business Enhancement Committee was initially $5,000. e program was launched in mid-February 2020, and quickly morphed into a larger COVID-19 relief fund that eventually awarded 23 grants worth about $20,000, with support from additional donors. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N Central Maine Power in Augusta awarded grants for Level 2 chargers for Electric Vehicles at 11 locations, offering 48 new plugs in Maine. The company will install, maintain and retain ownership of the electrical in- frastructure needed to connect to the charging pads and has awarded incen- tives for up to $4,000 per plug toward the cost of the infrastructure. A total of 60 charging plugs will be funded upon completion of the grant awards. Skelton Taintor & Abbott, a law firm in Auburn, announces that Isaacson & Raymond PA, a law firm in Lewiston, will join the firm effective July 1. Organic farms get grants to boost production Four organic farms across the state were awarded a total of $200,000 from the Maine Farmland Trust to scale up their production for whole- sale markets.e Belfast-based trust awarded $50,000 competitive grants to Dandelion Spring Farm, a veg- etable and herb farm in Bowdoinham; Sheepscot Valley Farm, a dairy farm in Whitefield; the Milkhouse Dairy M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N C R E D I T S & D E B I T S In an about-face, Sherman's now bullish on the retail market — A hearty turnaround for an iconic Maine business, opening three stores Maine scores high on US list of best small cities for launching a business — Maine can stay on this list as long as companies can keep their overhead low If internet searches are an indication, Maine will have a busy summer — Another indicator is out-of-state cars, and their rolling in this spring Almost heaven, West Virginia? Maine faces cash competition for out-of-state workers — We like our odds Falmouth mulls building cap change as Cumberland County towns hit growth limits — Maine's housing crunch is being felt on a number of fronts State hones in on offshore wind site, but fishermen's protests continue — Even with a 10-year moratorium, some people aren't going to be happy A S K AC E A n s w e r e d B y T o m R e n e h a n , C e r t i f i e d P r o f e s s i o n a l C o a c h 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. Q: Why is a coaching culture important? ACE advises: The Human Capital Institute and the International Coach Federation did a study in 2016 on the impact of a coaching culture on a company's bottom line. They found that team performance, engagement and productivity went up in the companies that have a coaching culture. In addition, these companies had higher revenue than their industry peer groups. The "command and control" style of leadership does not promote employee engage- ment, personal development, or a team member's percep- tion that his or her contribu- tions are valued. Instead, research shows that devel- oping a "coaching culture," is more effective. A coaching culture supports employees so that they learn new skills and become greater assets to the company. The support is provided by a management culture emphasizing training, regular feedback, and opportunities for growth to a more engaged and energized workforce. Should an organization want to develop a coaching culture with their leaders and managers, developing their skills is a must. Skills like building trust, listening and com- munication, managing progress and accountability are just a few of the skills that your team will need. Accountability and buy in from top leadership is also required for suc- cessful cultural change. Gallup's ongoing study of employee engagement discussed in their 2020 study that moving from boss to coach is a sure way to increase engagement. The leaders who know how to identify team members strengths and use and build the strengths to achieve better outcome is a step in achieving high development culture. Tom Renehan of Yarmouth-based Tom Renehan Coaching and Leadership Development, is a Certified Professional Coach working with individuals and groups to improve their leader- ship skills. He is certified in Leadership Effectiveness 360, an assessment measuring 22 leadership behaviors. He can be reached at tom@tomrenehan.com. For more on this topic, see "Why You Need a Coaching Culture" at www.consultexpertise.com/ blog/9470305 @ P H O T O / G O O G L E M A P S Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shops location in Freeport.

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