El Niño strikes again, and winter 2018-19 will reflect that. Jillian MacMath of AccuWeather reports:  El Niño will affect the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes and eastern Ohio Valley. Cold air and storms will blast the Southeast, Tennessee Valley and Gulf Coast. The western Ohio Valley, Midwest and central/northern Plains will see a mild start to the season. Snow and ice will hit the southern Plains. Heat and dryness will dominate the Southwest. Snow and rain could target the Northwest and Rockies. Click for forecast

“While leadership styles vary from person to person,” writes Dan McCarthy, “great executives share a number of common, observable behaviors that support their success.” Take No. 10, for example: They regret not taking action on poor performers sooner.  Dennis Rethmeier, CEO of Western Pump in San Diego, plans to talk more about that particular subject on a panel called "What Worked ... and What I'd Never Do Again" during the 2019 PEI Young Executives Winter Conference in Long Beach, California.  “Get rid of the bad attitudes in your business as soon as you spot them. They are like a cancer and will infect your good people,” Rethmeier said. “Don’t hold on to mediocre employees.” The PEI Young Executives Winter Conference will be Feb. 6-8. For more information and to register, click here.  Click for article  

Animal behaviorist Joseph Barber breaks down the psychology of networking and provides best practices for introverts. Keep social groups small. Focus on others’ needs to distract you from negative emotional states. Positively reinforce behaviors you like. Use your social connectors effectively. Click for article

As Hurricane Florence threatens the East Coast (read about recent evacuations here), PEI has compiled links to resources so members can prepare for and recover from disasters. Click these links, print and make copies of important information and save documents in a waterproof container stored in the highest level of your home or business. Back up everything to the cloud or an off-site server. Most important, evacuate immediately if your local emergency management authorities give orders to move to safer locations. If you or your business is affected by Hurricane Florence, please let us know how you're doing and how PEI members can help.  To report oil spills or chemical releases, call the National Response Center at 800-424-8802. FEMA App Get real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. Learn emergency safety tips for more than 20 disaster types, including hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, tornadoes. Locate open emergency shelters in your area and find disaster recovery centers where you can talk to FEMA in person. Toggle between English and Spanish.  Safe & Well App Register yourself as safe and well. Search for others who have registered themselves safe and well. FireChat App Free messaging. Communicate without internet, cellular coverage or data. The Weather Channel  Multi-State FMCSA Waivers (Sigma)  Energy Waiver Library (DOE) www.gasbuddy.com Waze App Real-time traffic, road information. Community-shared gas prices. Energy Infrastructure with Real-Time Storm Information (Energy Information Administration) International Code Council Disaster Response Network Hurricane Toolkit for Businesses (FEMA)  How to Prepare for a Hurricane (FEMA)  Timeline to Prep for a Hurricane (Ready.gov)  Oil and Natural Gas Industry Preparedness Handbook (American Petroleum Institute) Playbook for an Effective All-Hazards Chemical Sector Response (Chemical Sector Coordinating Council and Department of Homeland Security) American Red Cross  Disaster Assistance (DisasterAssistance.gov)  Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response (EthanolResponse.com) Underground Storage Tank Flood Guide (EPA)  What UST Owners Can Do After a Flood (NACS)  Post-Severe Weather Checklist (EPA)  State Feedback: Emergency Response to Natural Disasters (EPA)  2018 PEI Directory  PEI Recommended Practices  RP500: Inspection and Maintenance of Motor Fuel Dispensing Equipment RP900: Inspection and Maintenance of UST Systems RP1200: Testing and Verification of Spill, Overfill, Leak Detection and Secondary Containment Equipment at UST Facilities RP1400: Design and Installation of Fueling Systems for Emergency Generators, Stationary Diesel Engines and Oil Burner Systems  

Ted Talks On any day, we're lied to 10 to 200 times, and the clues to detect those lies can be subtle and counter-intuitive. Pamela Meyer, author of "Liespotting," shows the manners and "hotspots" used by those trained to recognize deception. Watch video