JANUARY 2021
COVER STORY
How to Be a Good Team Leader in 7 Key Steps by Dr. Rick Goodman, pg. 22 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2021 1
Contents
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com
About Us
Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader
Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad. Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.—
5 Randolph County, GA Featured in Get Out to Vote Campaign Video
15 A Novel Early Detection Blood Test Could Soon Change How Cancer is Found
6 Jumping on the Real Estate Boom? Do Your Homework First
16 A Novel Early Detection Blood Test Could Soon Change How Cancer is Found
7 Three Socially Distanced Road Trip Ideas for 2021
18 From Cancer to COVID-19, How One Company is Transforming Vaccine Technology
8 Top Things Homeowners Forget When Prepping Their Home for Winter 11 Three Truths About the Glycemic Index from a Registered Dietitian 13 COVID-19 Vaccine Development: Key facts you want to know, from Pfizer’s Chief Patient Officer
21 This New Alexa Feature allows Families to Safely Care for Loved Ones at a Distance COVER STORY 22 How to Be a Good Team Leader in 7 Key Steps by Dr. Rick Goodman
Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent. Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermag.com Contact Us info@ruralleadermag.com editor@ruralleadermag.com ruralleadermagazine@gmail.com
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Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview. Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at info@RuralLeaderMag.com—
Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue. As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support! Sincerely, Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
What you do matters. @RuralLeaderMag
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Randolph County, Georgia Featured in Get Out the Vote Campaign Video All eyes are on Georgia for the historic January 2021 Run-off Election. Fair Count developed a Get Out the Vote Campaign to encourage civic participation in Georgia. Founded by Stacey Abrams in 2018, Fair Count is a nonprofit organization with a mission to partner with Hard to Count (HTC) communities to achieve a fair and accurate count of all people in Georgia and the nation in the 2020 Census and to strengthen the pathways to greater civic participation. Cuthbert, Randolph County, Georgia was one of several site locations featured in Fair Count’s Get Out the Vote Campaign videos. Located at the crossroads of U. S. Highways 82 and 27 in southwest Georgia, Cuthbert is 161 miles south of Atlanta. Randolph County represented the soul of the deep south. The video was directed by California film director, film producer, and screenwriter, Deon Taylor. Taylor is a self-taught iconic visionary. His work is innovative and cutting edge. Taylor has written, co-written, and directed dozens of films, TV series, and special projects. His latest project is the 2020 thriller film Fatale that stars Hilary Swank, Michael Ealy, Mike Colter, and Geoffrey Owens. The film was released in the United States on December 18, 2020 by Lionsgate. The Get Out the Vote Campaign Video, coined The Tables Will Turn, features narration by Giavonte Riggins, Fair Count Organizer and Cuthbert native, Portia Jones. Jones is currently the Get Out the Vote Educational Organizer for Fair Count. Jones also volunteers with several organizations that promote social justice and community development. “It was an honor and joy to participate in the development of this project. Other than Atlanta, the scenes were filmed in Cuthbert, particularly the Day Park in McDonald Woods, the Town Square, and various other locations. It was important to show authenticity and to capture the plight and resilience of the people while delivering the message of the importance of voting and how your voice matters,” said Jones.
Cameo appearances of several Randolph Countians were included in the video, including Dr. Kuanita Murphy, Publisher and Editor of Rural Leader Magazine and Freddrick Cannon, owner of Unique Images Barber and Salon, which was also the site for Fair Count’s Census 2020 Hub. Other cameos included Jones’ grandfather, Douglas Jones, Larry Burks, Sandra Willis, and Zydasia Jackson. The Get Out the Vote Campaign video will roll out on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Georgia runoff election will be held January 5, 2021. Make your voice heard. Make a plan to vote. Your vote matters. Visit FairCount.org for voting information or visit the Georgia Secretary of State My Voter Page website at https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/ mvp.do.—
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Jumping on the Real Estate Boom? Do Your Homework First Over the past several months, everyone’s lives have been upended, with consequences nobody predicted. One unexpected result of the pandemic? A real estate boom. With so many more people working from home, people are re-evaluating their living spaces, including those who need to factor in homeschooling. Some families are realizing they need more bedrooms, larger yards or just more space in general. Others who have suffered financial setbacks may be looking to downsize. And many city dwellers are trying to move away from congested areas to smaller towns or suburbs. All of these changes, plus the low mortgage rates, have resulted in plenty of activity in the housing market. If you’re one of the many Americans considering a move, here are some tips to navigating the process successfully right now. 1. Check your credit. Long before you make any large purchase, whether it’s a car or a home, you should check your credit score and your credit report. Before you even start scoping out neighborhoods, visit AnnualCreditReport.com, a site where you can access for free your credit report - these days, on a weekly basis. Also be sure to review the report to ensure there are no errors. You can also check your VantageScore credit score for free at websites like CreditKarma.com, MyLendingTree.com and MyCreditGuide from American Express. The VantageScore model, widely used by lenders, helps both consumers and lenders by providing a more accurate representation of the risk for someone to default on a payment on his/her loan. It also provides more consistent scores regardless of which national credit reporting company provides your score, which is helpful especially for first-time home buyers. If your credit score is not up to par, improve it by: * Making timely payments on bills, especially credit cards, and pay more than the minimum when you can. * Reducing the percentage of revolving credit you’re using by paying down some of your cards. Under 30% of the maximum credit available is optimal. * Asking for your credit limits to be increased. If you increase the credit limit but don’t charge more on your card, you’ll be using a smaller percentage of your limit. 6
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* Keeping a neglected credit account active by making a small purchase on it that you can quickly pay off. No matter which strategies you use, allow a few months for your improved credit habits to show up on your report before applying for a mortgage. 2. Get pre-qualified for a mortgage. Being pre-qualified makes you a much more attractive buyer. The first step in getting pre-qualified is checking your credit score (see above). Next, crunch some numbers. You’ll need to figure out your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) based on the anticipated mortgage monthly payment: How much (percentage) of your gross monthly income goes toward debt (student loans, credit cards, car payments, etc.)? Most mortgage lenders look for a DTI of 36% or lower. If your DTI is high, see if you can decrease your debt by paying some down and/or increase your income (perhaps with a part-time job). Apply with a number of lenders - some will give you better rates than others. Before applying, ask what information and documents you (and your co-borrower, if there is one) will need. This will include proof of employment and income, plus previous tax returns. Also, be sure to apply to all the lenders within a span of two weeks. That way, only one “credit inquiry” will impact your VantageScore credit score. 3. Take advantage of virtual home tours. Save time and stay safe by touring homes virtually while you’re in the initial stages of house-hunting. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, you can ask about visiting properties in person, following safety protocols. 4. Leave your emotions at the door. Whether you’re buying and/or selling, don’t let the emotions of the moment push you into making a hasty decision. Make sure you know your budget and the acceptable terms or conditions for the purchase (or sale). If the seller (or buyer) suddenly changes something about the deal - from the closing date to the offer or asking price - don’t make a snap decision. Tell them you’ll think about it overnight and discuss it with your real estate agent. Weigh the pros and cons before agreeing. For more financial tips and information about credit, visit www.yourvantagescore.com.—
Three Socially Distanced Road Trip Ideas for 2021 In 2020, we’ve all endured conditions we never expected. And in the darkest moments of the journey, the glimmer of hope on the horizon has been a guiding light. While it’s hard to know what’s around the corner, many travelers with wanderlust are thinking about heading for the horizon in 2021. And while travel may look different in the new year, there are lots of great socially distanced destinations on the map. Nokian Tyres is inviting drivers to report what’s on their horizons. The tire company has created a website - NokianTires.com/Horizons - where users can add road trips they hope to take in 2021. The global leader in safety and sustainability will randomly select entrants to win a free set of tires. Website visitors will also find a road trip tire safety checklist and a guide to Nokian Tyres’ high-quality products. And the tire company also created a list of great road trips for every U.S. state and many Canadian provinces to help fuel journey ideas. Here are some places drivers plan to travel in 2021. Close the hood and head for Oregon. Craggy coasts, vast volcanoes, lush vineyards, remote forests - it’s hard to match the geographical diversity of Oregon, making the Beaver State a cherished road trip destination. Eclectic Portland is a great home base. In the Rose City, quirky meets classy in a delightful blend that’s as rich as a Willamette pinot noir. From there, it’s time to explore the Beaver State’s wealth of environmental riches. Set your sights east toward towering Mount Hood, which presides over Northwest Oregon from its pulpit 90 miles outside town. Oregon’s highest point stands at 11,250 feet. Head to Government Camp, a pocket-sized tourist town on the side of the slope. It’s home to several shops, restaurants and boutique hotels; you can also hit trails that’ll get you up the mountain. For the best driving experience, install a set of all-weather tires, which are rated for winter weather but suitable for year-round use. Explore mountains of adventure in the Green
Mountain State. Vermont brushes the shores of Lake Champlain before gracefully rising into the clouds, shrouding a world of adventure and escape that’ll make you glad you visited the Green Mountain State. Start in Burlington, the state’s largest city. Stroll down Church Street for a socially distanced jaunt to immerse yourself in the city’s eclectic culture - part college town, part New England village, part business capital. Then, it’s time to head for the hills. Killington Ski Resort is 60 miles south of the capital city but feels like a world away. It’s the largest ski area in the Eastern United States and boasts the biggest vertical drop in New England - more than 3,000 feet. If it’s summertime and the slopes aren’t frosty white, rent a mountain bike and tackle the hills on wheels instead. Vermont’s winter weather can be severe. A set of winter tires will help you stay safe in sudden snow and ice. Volunteer for a jaunt through Tennessee. If you live in the Eastern U.S., perhaps the mountains are calling. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most-visited in the country - and for good reason. Carve your way from bucolic Gatlinburg up to Clingmans Dome, Tennessee’s highest point, for stunning views - as long as the Smokies’ namesake haze isn’t shrouding the hills below. Dip your toes in a frigid mountain stream and dive into the trail map for thousands of hiking and backpacking options. And when your head is ready to hit the pillow, book a cabin on the Peaceful Side of the Smokies in Townsend, Tennessee, for a quiet escape. If you’re headed east, rest at renowned Hemlock Inn in Bryson City, North Carolina for a bucolic bed-andbreakfast experience. Just like our tires, we’re all eager to get rolling. Soon, it will be time for adventure - and time to make sure you’ve got the right tires at the foundation of your new journey. To explore others’ road trip ideas and add your own top choices, visit NokianTires.com/Horizons. One U.S. entrant will be randomly selected to win a free set of tires.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2021 7
Top Things Homeowners Forget When Prepping Their Home for Winter
In the winter, keeping the cold out and the heat in is everything. For many busy homeowners, it can be easy to overlook a few simple preventive maintenance tasks before cold weather sets in. Doing so can reduce the risk of home damage and help maximize energy efficiency. So before frigid temperatures are here for good, you can use this list to make sure your house is shipshape. Check for exterior gaps and cracks. Take a walk around the exterior of your home. Get up close and inspect the windows, the siding and the doorways to check for cracks or gaps that need fixing and caulking. Plugging the gaps and making necessary repairs can help you keep the cold out. Because the freezethaw cycle can exacerbate these gaps, you’ll want to get ahead of that damaging cycle and fix these today. Check your attic insulation. Heat rises, and the layers of insulation are an important barrier between you and the cold. The more the insulation settles, the less effective it is. So if it’s been a few years, take a peek at the upstairs crawl space. If it’s sunken below the floor joists, it may be time to replace it. While you’re up there, take a flashlight and check the roof and joists for signs of leaks, rot and popped nails. Give your heating system a checkup. Before the first snowfall, it’s always wise to contact your HVAC technician for a heating system checkup. They can give it a tune up, check for problems - and if it’s getting up there in years, can tell you if it’s time to invest in a replacement. If you’re ready to upgrade your system, ask your HVAC provider about technologies like LGRED° (reliable to extreme degrees). This 8
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new heat technology from LG Electronics delivers superior heating performance, continuous heating operations down to -13°F and remarkable energy efficiency - ultimately helping your family stay comfortably warm during even the coldest winter day. Clean out the gutters. Leaf debris in your gutters today can lead to roof and gutter damage tomorrow. But when the snow thaws, these leaves can move downstream, and end up plugging up your downspouts. A big sign of this is hanging icicles from the roof. These form when you don’t leave a clear path for the snowmelt, and that creates a dangerous situation when they fall. Plugged up gutters can also leave ice dams on your roof, which can cause leaky ceilings. Have a smart winter window strategy. In colder months, your windows can help or hurt the cause of conserving energy. If window replacement isn’t in the cards this year, the next best thing is to winterize. In drafty areas, use window caulk and plastic sheeting. Remember, the sun’s lower angle can be an advantage this time of year; use it. By day, open the blinds and drapes so the thermal effect provides a bit of “free” heat, but keep them closed at night to keep the chill from creeping in. By catching these small issues early, you’ll feel good knowing your house is ready for the snow, ice and cold. Before winter is here to stay, ask your HVAC provider about the latest technology and ENERGY STAR certified products from leading brands like LG. To learn more, visit lghvac.com.—
Dr. Martin Luther
KING
Day
Jan. 18, 2021
Remembering the Dream AND the Dreamer.
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Three Truths About the Glycemic Index from a Registered Dietitian
It is recommended by nutrition experts that fruits and vegetables should be part of everyone’s daily eating pattern. However, only one in 10 Americans meets the recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Confusion around the Glycemic Index (GI) and its dietary implications may be another barrier to adequate consumption. “The GI has been around for 40 years,” explains registered dietitian Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN. “Its intention is to indicate with a single number how quickly a food will cause a rise in glucose in the bloodstream, and it can be used by people who want to achieve weight loss or by people with diabetes for choosing which carbohydrate-containing foods to eat. However, the GI doesn’t give the full picture, and many nutrition professionals, like me, believe that it leads to misinformation about the healthfulness or nutritional qualities of foods, including fruits and vegetables.” Brown-Riggs offers her insight into the most common GI misconceptions, supported by findings from a new survey conducted by Today’s Dietitian and sponsored by Potatoes USA: Myth: High-GI foods should be avoided. Truth: Foods like potatoes, carrots, watermelon and ripe bananas have GI scores that are categorized as “high,” and this score might lead people to remove them from their diets or label them as “bad” for their health. The truth is that these are nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables that should be included as part of any healthy, balanced eating plan. Even nutrition professionals surveyed who use the GI with their patients or clients do not rule out high-GI foods completely. Three out of five strongly believe that eliminating high-GI foods and allowing only low-GI foods can cause people to exclude perfectly healthy foods from their diet, like potatoes. Potatoes should be encouraged in any diet because they are a nutrient-dense vegetable and high-quality complex carbohydrate that provides 3 grams of plantbased protein per serving, 30% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C and underconsumed nutrients including potassium (15% of the daily value) and fiber (7% of the daily value) per 5.3-oz. serving with skin. Myth: Using the GI is the only way to select foods and plan meals Truth: The reality is, it’s more important to focus on the overall nutritional qualities of a food when
building meals. It’s also more practical to focus on the glycemic effect that a meal has on blood sugar rather than focus on the effects from individual foods. That means looking at carbohydrate needs and content at meals; realizing how the fiber, protein or fat content of a meal can impact blood sugar; and prioritizing combinations that work to meet individual goals. “When choosing foods, it’s important to consider the big picture and know that being balanced is the best approach rather than focusing on one number,” says Brown-Riggs. “A versatile nutrient-dense vegetable like the potato can be prepared in so many enjoyable ways, like mashing, roasting, sautéing, steaming, grilling, baking and more. They’re easy to prepare and pair with a variety of cuisines, too. Potatoes are a good carb and perfect addition to a healthful, balanced plate.” For reference, a medium skin-on white potato (148 g/5.3 oz.) has: * 27 mg of vitamin C (30% DV) * 620 mg of potassium (15% DV) * 2 g of fiber (7% DV) * 3 g of plant-based protein (6% DV) * 1.1 mg of iron (6% DV) * 0.2 mg of vitamin B6 (10% DV) * 110 calories (26 g of carbohydrate, 3 g of protein, 0 g of fat) Myth: Nutrition professionals use the GI frequently with patients and clients. Truth: The GI is not a tool that the overwhelming majority of nutrition professionals use when providing dietary guidance or recommendations. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of nutrition professionals surveyed report that they do not use the GI when counseling their patients and clients; and among those who do use it, 70% do so infrequently. An overwhelming majority (83%) of nutrition professionals also report that the GI isn’t part of the nutritional guidelines for food or meal selection of clients or patients in their practice. Rethink the GI and be inspired to try new recipes, such as this flavor-packed Mediterranean Spiralized Potato Salad, which uses chilled potato and zucchini noodles and can be eaten at home or made in containers for easy on-the-go meals. For full survey results, visit the Today’s Dietitian White Paper landing page at www.todaysdietitian. com/white_papers.shtml. For more information on potato nutrition, visit PotatoGoodness.com/Nutrition.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2021 11
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COVID-19 Vaccine Development: Key facts you want to know, from Pfizer’s Chief Patient Officer The COVID-19 global pandemic has impacted many people around the globe in some way, and as a result, all eyes are on the biopharmaceutical companies that are working to develop safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. As the Chief Patient Officer at Pfizer, Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron describes herself as “a physician by trade and an advocate by choice.” Her current role is focused on helping to ensure that patients’ voices are heard and their concerns are looked to as a guiding light. Since the start of the pandemic, Richardson-Heron has been speaking with patients and answering their questions, and she wants to share four key things about the commitment and dedication her company has to changing the course of this pandemic. 1. Working at the speed of science. While the COVID-19 vaccine development process is moving with unprecedented speed to find a solution to this pandemic, we are moving at the speed of science. We are committed to always making the safety and well-being of vaccinated individuals our top priority. We continue to adhere to high scientific and ethical standards regarding the conduct of clinical trials and the rigor of manufacturing processes. 2. Focus on diversity in clinical trials. The pandemic has drawn focus on the need for greater racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials. This is not a new issue - diverse communities have long been underrepresented in clinical research - but I’m encouraged by the progress being made. We have made intentional efforts to design our studies in a way that is inclusive, which will allow us to generate data from a broad and diverse group of patients. Why? Because we want to evaluate COVID-19 treatments and vaccines in diverse communities, so that these communities have confidence in these potential medical breakthroughs. Our goal is to help address the pronounced health disparities we
are seeing with COVID-19. As an industry, we will continue to hold ourselves accountable in this area. 3. Proactive healthcare, especially for the aging population. The pandemic has served as yet another stark reminder of the tremendous value of preventive healthcare. It’s especially critical to help protect vulnerable individuals, including those over 65, who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.1 So please remember to schedule routine preventive health exams and screenings for you and your family, and stay up-to-date on recommended vaccinations for diseases that have approved vaccines. 4. Stronger together. We have made a very intentional effort to mobilize impactful partnerships and collaborations that will continue to endure in the face of this crisis. Our work together has once again demonstrated that we are stronger together. For example, we joined eight other biopharmaceutical companies that are also working toward potential global regulatory filings and approvals of COVID-19 vaccines and signed a historic pledge. The pledge outlines our commitment to always make the safety and well-being of vaccinated individuals our top priority.— Sponsored by Pfizer. PP-CVV-USA-0041 © 2020 Pfizer Inc. All rights reserved. November 2020 ___________________________ 1 Coronavirus disease - Hospitalization and death by age. CDC. Accessed October 2020. https://www. cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/investigations-discovery/hospitalization-death-by-age.html. Updated August 2020.
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A Novel Early Detection Blood Test Could Soon Change How Cancer is Found Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way, whether it’s a friend or family member facing a diagnosis, or their own worry about susceptibility to the disease. This year alone, roughly 1.8 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. Nearly 1,700 lives are lost to cancer every day. Despite numerous advances in oncology - the field of medicine that treats cancer - cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is projected to become the first. That’s in large part because most cancers go undetected until it is too late because there is no early screening available today for the majority of deadly cancers. The current guideline-recommended screenings in the U.S., while critical, test for just five cancers and screen for a single cancer at a time. In fact, cancers without available screening tests account for 71% of all cancer deaths in the U.S. The importance of early detection. Medical experts agree that early detection of cancer saves lives and directly correlates with the ability to treat the disease successfully. Because screenings exist for only five types of cancer when there are more than 100 types in total, the most pressing unmet need in cancer early detection is to identify cancers for which there are no existing recommended screening tests. “Late stage cancer detection is deadly,” says Joshua Ofman, MD, MSHS, chief medical officer and external affairs at GRAIL, a company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. “The fiveyear survival rate of a person diagnosed with cancer once it has already spread is just 21%, compared to an 89% survival rate of someone whose cancer is found in early stages. There is a significant opportunity to reduce cancer deaths through early detection.” Potentially game-changing technology expected in 2021. Fortunately, medical advances are poised to
change how cancer can be detected in the near future. Researchers have been working hard on a single blood test capable of finding many cancers. The novel multi-cancer early detection blood test, called Galleri, is developed by GRAIL and expected to be commercially available for the first time in 2021. In a clinical validation study, an earlier version of the test demonstrated the ability to detect more than 50 types of cancers - over 45 of which have no recommended screening today - including at early stages, with a very low false positive rate of less than 1%. When a cancer signal is detected, Galleri is able to determine where in the body the cancer signal is located with high accuracy. “A simple blood test capable of detecting more than 50 types of cancer is a ground-breaking and potentially life-saving advancement that could have a tremendous human and economic benefit,” explains Minetta Liu, MD, research chair and professor, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic. “Recent modeling data suggests if all cancers currently diagnosed at stage IV could be detected earlier, evenly distributed across stages I-III, cancer deaths could fall by 24%.” A new era in early cancer detection. “With the introduction of Galleri, we are approaching a long-awaited and pivotal moment in cancer care, and we are dedicated to bringing this potentially life-saving technology into the hands of patients, providers, and communities,” Ofman says. “We are thrilled to be making a blood test that can detect multiple deadly cancers early a reality.” Biomedical innovation is evolving, and this new breakthrough blood test has the potential to save many lives through early detection. To learn more about this technology, visit grail.com/galleri.—
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Tax Season 2020 Will Look Different: Here’s How to Prepare
It’s no secret that 2020 has been a tumultuous year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans found themselves out of work - at least temporarily - and received unemployment benefits. Others may have experienced employment changes, like working from home or taking on multiple jobs. All of these factors will have even more of an impact come time to file income taxes on tax day, April 15, 2021. “For many, the 2020 tax season will likely look different,” says Mark Steber, Chief Tax Information Officer at Jackson Hewitt Tax Services. “The pandemic brought unexpected, overwhelming changes.” To help you prepare and get the maximum tax refund you deserve, Steber offers the following tax tips. 1. Understand how unemployment benefits work If you received unemployment benefits this year, it may have been for the first time. Make sure you’re aware of how they affect your taxes. Unemployment benefits are taxable and must be reported to the IRS on your tax return. Taxable benefits also include any special compensation authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act earlier this year. That means if you did not withhold enough taxes from your un16 RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2021
employment benefits, you could see a big tax bill or a much smaller tax refund than you normally receive. Unemployment benefits can affect tax credits. Unemployment is considered unearned income, so it won’t count toward certain credits. For example, you must have earned income to qualify for the Child Tax Credit or the Earned Income Tax Credit. Additionally, your adjusted gross income must be below certain levels to get certain credits. 2. Set money aside to cover unexpected taxes. If you received unemployment benefits and did not withhold any federal or state income tax, you’ll need to pay tax on that money. To prepare, consider setting money aside now to cover those taxes on your 2020 return and brace yourself for a much smaller refund or no refund at all this tax season. 3. Take advantage of possible deductions. Every taxpayer will get a charitable donation deduction for 2020. Make a list of any IRS-approved donations you made this year and locate any receipts. Whether itemizing or taking the standard deduction, under the CARES Act, all taxpayers are eligible to deduct up to $300 worth of monetary donations to qualified organizations.
And while many Americans have been working at home for months, a home office deduction is not guaranteed. The home office deduction is only available to those who are self-employed. 4. Consider major life changes. Life goes on, even during a pandemic, and life changes can bring sizeable tax implications. Some changes that cause the biggest impact include getting married or divorced, having a baby or adopting a child, buying or selling property, retiring, or starting a business. If you experienced any of these events in 2020, know that your return will look different. 5. Keep track of important documents. Even if your taxes won’t be affected by unemployment, make sure you gather all your documents, such as W-2 forms and 1099s for interest dividends and even retirement distributions. Remember to include the Notice 1444 you received with your stimulus check for your 2020 tax records. Collect your charitable contribution totals, mortgage interest, property taxes
you’ve paid, and any additional state and local income taxes paid for the year. If you were furloughed and able to pick up a temporary job, gather your W-2s for each job you worked. If you worked a side gig, make sure to keep a record of your income, the miles you drove, and any additional expenses. And if you’re not filing single, be on the lookout for family members that may have been impacted to make your tax return more complicated. No matter your 2020 situation, follow these tips to prepare for any unexpected tax implications. For more information and help during the 2020 tax season, visit jacksonhewitt.com.—
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From Cancer to COVID-19, How One Company is Transforming Vaccine Technology The race to create and distribute effective COVID-19 vaccines continues. Big pharmaceutical companies are producing promising vaccines and initial distribution is underway, however, this is not without numerous concerns or logistical hurdles. What you don’t hear much about is the smaller biotech companies working hard behind the scenes to develop alternative medicines that have big potential in fighting the novel coronavirus and much more. Concerns with current big pharma options. The COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly changing vaccine technology, with innovative approaches that are moving away from the use of live viruses towards genetic-based approaches using RNA and DNA vaccines. 18 RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2021
Rather than injecting a weakened form of a virus or bacteria into the body, like with the flu vaccine, DNA and RNA vaccines use part of the virus’ own genes to create antigens that stimulate an immune response. So, when someone who was treated with the vaccine gets exposed to the virus later on, their immune system will be able to fight it off more easily and reduce their risk for serious illness. While it’s critical to produce a safe, effective COVID-19 vaccine, the leading candidates are RNA vaccines, which despite promising results, do have several drawbacks. RNA is very easily destroyed due to the body’s natural enzymes and chemical reactions which will break the RNA apart. As a result, these vaccines need to be manufactured, shipped and
stored under very specific and extremely cold conditions in order to try to slow or prevent that breakdown of RNA. These stability and manufacturing issues can lead to limited production capabilities, leaving governments and communities fighting for available supplies. Distribution and storage is complex, with one option requiring more than -70 degrees Celsius refrigeration. Supply chain issues may be an ongoing issue. Small biotech with big ideas and the potential to save lives. While leading pharmaceutical companies are spearheading the fight against COVID-19, it’s important to consider the potential technologies that smaller organizations are researching. One of those companies is Orbis Health Solutions, a South Carolina-based biotech using its deep cancer research experience and established vaccine technology to create a new approach to fighting COVID-19 - a DNA vaccine that addresses the shortcomings of the current frontrunners and with the ability to combat future viruses and biological threats. Based on the research and science of Thomas E. Wagner, Ph.D., the company’s founder and chief scientific officer, the potential COVID-19 vaccine uses a blueprint based on Orbis’ success in treating cancer through personalized vaccines. In addition to positive data from its Phase IIb cancer clinical trial, proof-of-concept studies have demonstrated that Orbis’ vaccine technology platform has a wide range of possibility, from addressing agriculture and veterinary applications to fighting future pandemics and biological threats. “We have developed a very successful vaccine against cancer, which is the most difficult challenge for the immune system,” says Wagner. “Now we’ve shifted our science and technology to fight the current COVID-19 pandemic and what we’re seeing is incredibly hopeful.” The science for the new vaccine is based on cancer vaccine technology that delivers foreign substances (antigens) to help the immune system to recognize an invader and trigger an immune response. In cancer therapy, this is created with antigens from a patients’ own tumor. For COVID-19, Orbis scientists have created a synthetic replica of portions of the DNA code of the virus focusing on the spike proteins, which is the external part of the virus that
penetrates a healthy cell. The vaccine contains this information in order to trigger a response and help teach the immune system how to fight the foreign invader and eliminate the virus. Neutralizing antibodies in 100% of trial participants. The good news: Early data shows promise. Results of a clinical trial evaluating 20 healthy volunteers demonstrated that one inoculation with the vaccine led to 100% of participants expressing neutralizing antibodies against the virus, meaning the vaccine is successful in triggering that critical immune response to COVID-19. The Orbis COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t use any part of the virus itself, only the DNA encoding the spike protein. For this reason, it is believed to be a safe option with few side effects. What’s more, there’s no need for low-temperature storage and it’s highly scalable, so it may be easier to quickly get enough vaccine worldwide, especially to those who need it most. “We are very encouraged by these Phase I data, which represent a critical milestone for our vaccine technology platform and echo the early success of our personalized cancer vaccine,” said George E. Peoples, M.D., chief medical officer of Orbis Health Solutions. “Following further data analysis and discussion with regulatory authorities, we remain committed to initiating a larger Phase II trial that will move us one step closer to bringing this important treatment to patients as soon as possible so that we can help address this global health emergency.” These trials are particularly important because if successful, they will provide definitive proof of concept for the platform that could be rapidly applied to future vaccines to help with new viruses and health concerns within a matter of weeks versus months to years. To learn more, visit http://orbishealthsolutions. com/. “Just as COVID-19 didn’t exist a few years ago, other diseases and viruses will evolve,” Wagner says. “The proprietary delivery platform for the Orbis vaccine provides a blueprint that can be updated quickly with different DNA information, which allows for rapid vaccine development and deployment to address the next viral or biological threat. This platform has the potential to save many lives both now and in the future.”—
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This New Alexa Feature allows Families to Safely Care for Loved Ones at a Distance This year, more Americans are providing ongoing caregiving, with many having started their role as caregiver since the COVID-19 outbreak or providing care specifically because of the pandemic. Caregivers are looking to strike that balance between ensuring their elderly friends and family are safe and healthy while letting them maintain their independence. Yet, the need to limit contact by social distancing or self-quarantining has disrupted the ability to provide the hands-on care our loved ones deserve. For that reason, families are looking for ways to help make remote caregiving easier. There’s now an option for both the family member providing support and their loved one leveraging the simplicity of Alexa. The Care Hub helps families stay connected, no matter if they’re 3 or 3,000 miles apart. And, it’s available on Alexa-enabled devices that many customers already have, like Echo Dot and Echo Show. Once set up and approved by both the family member and loved one, they both simply go about their day as normal. The family member can get alerts and use the Alexa app to see their loved one’s recent activity at a high-level, so the aging loved one still has privacy while the person providing support has the information they need in order to know their loved one is OK. And their loved one has the added comfort of knowing they can ask for help at any time by just asking Alexa. Care Hub offers a simple, unobtrusive way to care for loved ones remotely and stay connected at a time when many of us are not able to be with the ones we love. Here's a quick look at how the Care Hub works. It alerts you when something’s amiss: strong. As the person providing support, you can set up alerts to get notifications when your loved one has
their first interaction of the day with Alexa, or if no activity is detected by a designated time, such as 10 a.m. Non-intrusive visibility on your loved one's day: The goal of creating Care Hub was to give people only a high-level view of their loved one's activities. When you look through the activity feed of the Care Hub, it shares only the basics. If your loved one streams a movie, asks for information or listens to music, you can see they were using Alexa for Entertainment or Information, but it won’t reveal the details like what your loved one asked Alexa. And, the loved one can always view this same information from the Care Hub in their Alexa app, too. Convenient connection: When both parties have an Alexa-enabled device and grant permission to connect via the Care Hub, staying in touch is easy. With the Care Hub, you can initiate a hands-free call over morning coffee or use the Drop In feature as a two-way intercom for a quick check in. Daily contact is effortless. Help is just a call away: Care Hub makes it easy to access help when your loved one needs it. As part of the Care Hub set up process, they can enable Alexa Communications and select you as their emergency contact. If your loved one selected you as their emergency contact, when they simply say, "Alexa, call for help:" you'll get a call on your Alexa-enabled device, and you'll also get a text and push notification sent to your phone. So even if you're out and about, you'll know your loved one has reached out. Care Hub is free of charge and is available with the Alexa app. To learn more, visit www.amazon.com/ carehub.—
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COVER STORY
How to Be a Good Team Leader in 7 Key Steps by Dr. Rick Goodman
I want to be clear in saying that there's no seven-step or 12-step or even 100-step formula that will automatically make you a brilliant leader... but for those wondering how to be a good team leader, there are some fundamentals that are worth getting down. 1. Know Your Team Leadership Style The first step is self-assessment. Before you think about the needs of your team, think about the strengths and weaknesses you bring to the table. Think about how you like to receive information, and how you best communicate. Think about whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. Ask yourself what really motivates you. And try to put together a basic picture of your team leadership style. This shouldn't just be busy work. I highly recommend spending a few days mulling these points, talking to people who know you well, and even trying to write down a clear vision of your team leadership style. 2. Effective Team Leaders Make Time to Lead As a team leader, you already have a lot of responsibilities on your plate. It's critical that you create time and opportunities for you to be visible to your team members, offering your support. This might mean that you actually allocate some time in your planner or your Google Calendar to walk the floor, to have "office hours," to take employees to lunch, or to do 22
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something else that allows you to invest time in the people you're leading. Simply put, without that time investment, you're just not going to have an effective team leadership style. 3. Know Your People As you make the time to be engaged with your team, make sure you're intentional about getting to know each one of them. In particular, try to determine what motivates each employee, and where each employee has strengths or weaknesses. Team leadership often means assembling various pluses and minuses like puzzle pieces, pairing employees who make each other stronger or who make up for each other's weaknesses. It also means knowing how to select the right person for any given role or project. All of this requires some real knowledge of the team. 4. Good Team Leaders Communicate That one word is going to be so important to you in your role as a team leader. Indeed, for anyone who wants to know how to be a team leader in the workplace, I don't think there's anything more critical than being international in the way you communicate. Set expectations. Be clear about your team's mission and purpose. Let employees know how they can connect with you, and when. It's always better to over-communicate than to under-communicate.
5. Leaders Set Examples Even in those moments when you're not actively communicating, you are being watched. Like it or not, your team members look to you as an example, and they will be quick to emulate your behavior. Do you want to have a company culture that's marked by a sense of balance? For your employees to clock out by six each afternoon so they can go home and be with their families? Then you need to make sure you're not in the office at all hours of the night. Show them the kind of culture and the kind of values you want them to uphold. 6. Effective Team Leaders Delegate Something else that all leaders need to do is delegate. Don't assume you can do it all yourself. Trust the people around you to step up and to do great work, freeing some of your time to lead! If you don't trust your team members to do good work, or if you're anxious about delegating to them, that's a problem. Specifically, it's a hiring problem. Simply put, if you can't trust the people you've enlisted, then it's hard to justify why they're on your team at all. Learn to share your responsibilities with others, but also make sure you constantly surround yourself with good, stalwart people! 7.Effective Team Leaders Make Decisions To be an effective team leader, you ultimately have to make some decisions. That doesn't mean you should be impetuous. On the contrary, it's always important to review the available data, do some critical thinking, and make a wise decision.
What you can't do is agonize over every last decision that needs to be made, to the point where you're simply wasting time. Sooner or later, you have to rip off the Band Aid and move forward with your decision and all its attending consequences. Sometimes you'll get it right, and when you do, you should celebrate. And sometimes you'll get it wrong. When you do, be sure to learn from it. — Dr. Rick Goodman is one of the most sought-after leadership and engagement experts today. Dr. Rick has delivered over 1,000 presentations in all 50 states and in 25 countries. Dr. Rick is also a successful entrepreneur who walks his talk and shares his winning philosophies with his audiences. He has built several extremely successful multimillion-dollar businesses and uses those experiences to provide solutions for his clients and audiences throughout the world. Dr. Rick's latest book "The Solutions Oriented Leader Your Comprehensive Guide to Achieve World-Class Results" was #1 on Amazon Kindle when it was released. To book Dr. Rick's virtual keynote programs, seminars or workshops. contact: info@rickgoodman.com or go to https://www.rickgoodman.com If you are interested in Dr. Rick 's Executive coaching program go to: https://www.rickgoodman.com/executive-coaching/ Call 888-267-6098 or direct at 786-402-2140 © 2020 Dr. Rick Goodman
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