Ready For the Business at Hand

Floyd V. Myers

Title: Chief of Business Development & Partnerships; Business Management Specialist

Organization: National Parks of New York Harbor (National Park Service)

Location: New York

Age: 44

Power Play: Myers uses his extensive Park Service training to support the superintendents and the partners of the National Parks of New York Harbor, which consists of 10 parks. His responsibilities in the commissioner’s office include drafting agreements to establish partnerships with local and federal agencies, such as the City of New York and the Army Corps of Engineers, and other groups. He also supports the parks’ concessionaires and nonprofit partners in enhancing the visitor experience.

Why should a company spend the money to make sure its employees are properly trained?
A well-trained staff can take your company to new heights. By investing in employee training, a company strengthens its primary human resources by building proficiency and common skills across the organization. Employee training provides a self-regulating scorecard of development. Staffs that are well-trained tend to be more organized, confident in the services they are providing, less stressed, and more open to new ideas. And the company benefits from their creativity, dedication, and focus.

How does employee training assist in a company’s sustainability?
A well-designed training program can engage an

individual employee in a continual learning process that allows him or her to adjust to new technologies and changing market climates without losing productivity. For the staff, it can mean the difference between a company riding the waves of social and economic disequilibrium or crashing and sinking as a result of incompetence and a lack of confidence. It doesn’t matter how large or small the company, sustainability rests in the ability to not only adjust to changing times and develop the skills needed on the local and national stage but also the ability to be prepared for the often unexpected changes occurring in the global arena. Ongoing, effective employee training will ensure your company’s existence in the future.

Is there an ideal set of skills for an effective team?
The most efficient teams are those who have mastered skill integration and time management. Every team member has a unique skill that can be useful for a company or organization. Your job as the director or manager is to help the staff member identify his or her strengths and organize your team so that each staff member is operating at his or her highest capacity in an area that will benefit the entire team and, ultimately, your business. By creating

multiple training opportunities, you can help your staff to develop their unique abilities within the framework of their job functions so that they are happier and more willing to work hard for the company’s success.

How critical is preparation for the overall success of a company?
Training is not only good for the image of the business, it is good for the employees as well. Preparedness not only creates an organized and properly functioning business, it helps employees psychologically with their work. Training makes them feel more confident in what they’re doing and decreases the mishaps that could occur in the business.