Increasing work in the home office offers a variety of opportunities, but also risks. According to a survey among 500 office workers, the vast majority (83 percent) believe that the corona crisis has opened up a new business trend towards more digitalization and home office usage. A clear majority (61 percent) is also in favor of a law establishing a right to work from a home … [More]
How to Reach Out to People You Don’t Know … Yet
A healthy network is a growing network. Successful professionals are constantly cultivating new connections and keeping in touch with individuals they’ve collaborated with. When an opportunity to connect with someone new presents itself, don’t hesitate to take it. When reaching out to someone new, your approach matters. The tone you strike and method you use can make the … [More]
The Value of Shareholder Letters
Letters to corporate shareholders contain some of the best writing on business. These communications can be particularly valuable for investors probing for high-quality companies and managers. They are of general value for their insights on business and economics. Shareholder letters have an interesting history. Through the 1970s, shareholder letters consisted, as a rule, of … [More]
Workplace Relationships: Millennials vs. Baby Boomers
Regardless of which side of the generational divide you fall, you have probably noticed a difference in how younger and older colleagues act in the workplace. A recent study authored by Olivet Nazarene University analyzed workplace relationships between millennials and baby boomers with the goal to learn more about how they interact and conduct business together. The analysis … [More]
Business Communication Tips to Take Back Control during COVID-19 Quarantine
World Health Organization announcements about the COVID-19 pandemic are raising many uncertainties and questions about the way business will now be conducted around the world. In the face of this unusual situation, companies often do not know what to do and how to communicate with customers, partners, even their own employees. It is obvious that the current quarantine … [More]
Convey Complex Ideas Simply and Persuasively
Not everyone is a natural raconteur. But everyone can enhance his or her skill by keeping three principles in mind: People need to feel something for a story to have an impact. The story must be easy to follow and stripped of unnecessary detail. And finally, because focus is a scarce resource in the brain and attention spans are dwindling, the quicker it gets to the point the … [More]
Networking Is for Introverts
Why do we have a visceral reaction to the word “networking”? I often hear the mental machinations that hold us back, like, “I have nothing to say” or “They don’t want to talk to me.” The other roadblock is how it feels — yucky! I have heard people refer to networking as manipulation, pasting on a smile, schmoozing (which sounds like “oozing,” which makes me think of an open … [More]
Rehumanize Your Business
Every day, most working professionals entrust their most important messages to a form of communication that doesn’t build trust, provide differentiation or communicate clearly enough. It’s easy to point to the sheer volume of emails, text messages, voicemails and even social messaging as the problem that reduces our reply rates and diminishes our effectiveness. But the faceless … [More]
Handshakes Speak for You
Have you ever wondered what your handshake says about you? Your handshake is like your business card. It conveys your confidence, credibility and influence without a single word being spoken. Studies have shown this one simple gesture can enhance a social situation and make a positive impact on others. In our culture, a handshake accompanies almost every introduction and … [More]
Use Disagreement to Build Stronger Teams
Because I facilitate team sessions for a living, I’ve seen a lot of team interactions. All kinds of drama, some shouting and tears, but also a lot of laughter, joy and bold action. Much about teamwork has been researched, dissected and discussed. Yet lately, situations have come forward that fall into an unexplored topic: how to get team members to disagree. What do you do … [More]
Crisis Communication Is Key for Businesses
The NFL’s regular season starts each September, but the preparation for battle is a year-round process: There’s free agency, the college draft, mini-camp, organized team activities, training camp and the preseason. Now, imagine the controversy and outrage from fans, sports radio and ESPN’s talking heads if teams walked into stadiums and stood on the sidelines of the first game … [More]
