There’s no such thing as having too many leaders in a workplace. Famed leadership consultant and author John C. Maxwell doesn’t just define leadership as a top-down phenomenon that is limited to people in managerial roles. Maxwell says that most leadership takes place in the middle of the organizational hierarchy—and that it’s important for these […]
Is Your Service Up to Snuff?
Disney has made headlines recently with its plans to reopen parts of its flagship theme park in Orlando, Florida in just a few weeks. (The Shanghai location opened on June 16, and the California location may follow suit later this summer.) A Disney vacation may look different for the foreseeable future, but the company has […]
Know When the Price Is Right
After a drastic drop in March and April, consumer confidence has been shaky around the globe—slightly up in the US, and down in China. Amidst so much upheaval, it’s reassuring to know that some things haven’t changed, including the principles that govern consumers’ choices. In Dollars and Sense, behavioral economist Dan Ariely explores how consumers calculate the value […]
Style Your Business Like a Startup
These days, everyone’s an entrepreneur. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, startups were still all the rage: eye-popping IPOs drew attention to the ways that startups used dense talent pools and perk-laden headquarters to attract top talent and generate big wins for venture capitalists and early employees. But now that the economic outlook has soured, VC […]
3 Tips for Weathering a Downturn
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment. According to the World Bank, the global pandemic has triggered a recession that will be the deepest one the world has seen in decades. Many people, particularly those who have lost their jobs or fear they soon will, feel […]
How to Make a Good Impression
Most of us don’t remember every detail of our daily activities. It’s the defining moments, whether they’re terrible or great, that make experiences memorable and give our lives shape and meaning. When defining moments are positive, they can deepen our relationships with individuals, organizations, and customers. Defining moments make or break the customer experience. In business, […]
How to Play the Game
As research for his book Tools of Titans, self-help guru Tim Ferriss interviewed hundreds of world-class performers to learn about the habits, tools, and tactics they used to become successful. One of the themes that emerged from these interviews was that all problems in life should be tackled with a two-pronged strategy, involving both offensive and […]
The Upside to Upending Your Routine
Distraction and change can be beneficial, even under difficult circumstances. Amid the global upheaval caused by the novel coronavirus, many of us are dealing with more distraction and change than usual. A small silver lining: the disruption might help develop your capacity for creative thinking and innovation. Changing plans, working in different environments, and negotiating general […]
Are You a Team Player?
Coach Bill Campbell was one of the most valuable players in the history of Silicon Valley, working behind the scenes to create trillions of dollars of value for companies like Apple and Google. But he was content to stay out of the spotlight after retiring as a football coach for the Columbia Lions. Campbell’s selflessness […]
Creating the Right Incentives
Sometimes competitive compensation isn’t enough. Motivation isn’t just a matter of money. Everyone wants to feel as though their work has meaning that goes beyond their compensation. When your daily grind feels meaningful, you’ll usually be more productive—especially when you take pleasure in the work. But when the work feels meaningless and empty, your productivity […]
