Toni Duval

This economy has many people looking to start their own businesses. As a self-employed consultant, I have been asking for business for almost 20 years. Although it doesn't come easy, let's just say that having to put food on the ...

Does your company's training effort match its work force? Recently I was asked to conduct training for a group of "thirtysomethings". The oldest employee was probably 35 years old. The workshop, "Delivering Superior Customer Service", was a traditional classroom styled ...

More and more I listen to managers discuss how their employees have lost the art of communication.

I recently spent time listening to expert project managers discuss their jobs. Some of the projects they managed were five to seven years in length. In fact, when we speak of project management, we often think big; big budgets, many ...

Working with your hands in the dirt to help plants grow teaches you a thing or two about work and life, too.

Recently a few young professionals have discussed their desire to work globally with me. I can understand their enthusiasm because the rewards you receive working in a multicultural environment are interesting, economically rewarding and culturally stimulating.

Let me add my voice to the cacophony of the concerned public by providing my own example of how regular activity can improve both your mental and physical condition.

Have you heard of the term "too big for his britches?" Well, I believe that some businesses get too big for their britches.

When was the last time you felt like you received the quality of service that warranted your investment? And when was this experience associated with traveling by one of the major airlines? "Never," you say? Well, I say, "Never, say ...

I'm the shuttle driver during this week's Habitat for Humanity Women Build. Listening to the ladies talk as they arrive at the job site, I can hear anticipation, excitement, and a bit of intimidation in their voices.

How important is emotional intelligence? According to some experts in the field, "EQ" is indeed more important than technical knowledge, especially if you are an organizational leader or manager.

Things that I like and don't like about Knoxville (right now). I like the city of Knoxville's new curb-side recycling service by Waste Connections Inc. As a result of recycling my paper, plastic, bottles, cans and cardboard, I have cut ...

Over the last few months as I watched the town hall meetings and the cable news shows or listened to the pundits on talk radio, it has become clear to me that Americans have lost their ability to debate. Oh, ...

On July 2, I left the Colorado River after traveling 16 days and 225.5 miles through the Grand Canyon. It was not my first trip. It may not be my last trip. But it was by far the most eventful. ...

I've been doing research for a class on stress management, and even though there are legitimate inescapable life issues that can cause emotional upheavals, there are a few habits that you can adopt to improve your quality of life.