The unrelenting news of the COVID-19 pandemic is taking its toll on the mental and emotional well-being of Americans. First, there’s the grief and depression for those who’ve been stricken or lost, of social interactions suspended indefinitely and of the disappearance overnight of their normal routines. Humans are social creatures and the forced isolation the past few weeks is … [More]
Coronavirus and the New American Economy
The face of the American economy is forever changed by this coronavirus pandemic. In three weeks’ time, we've witnessed financially viable companies go into rapid freefall by the millions, starting with employees and trickling rapidly. Small to mid-sized businesses are laying off in record numbers, and there is no clear end in sight. With the spread of COVID-19, people are … [More]
Bad for Business: People at Work Who Shouldn’t Be
Today’s workplace culture has many workers feeling the pressure to turn up to the office at all costs, even when ill; however, the global pandemic COVID-19 has shown it is more critical than ever for businesses to tackle the widespread workplace challenge of “presenteeism” (coming to work when ill or suffering other anxiety). As coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to … [More]
Where’s the Profit?
Business owners tend to focus on the traditional accounting method of driving up revenue: Sales – Expenses = Profit. This approach can lead to a cycle where businesses might build revenue but quickly spend it as expenses rise proportionately. This leads to less profit and owners paying themselves last, if at all. Unfortunately, too many business owners keep reinvesting in the … [More]
Navigating Unexpected Change and Disruption
Many of my clients have been discussing the challenges they face in their careers, their personal lives and even their investment portfolios as they struggle to keep up with how COVID-19 is impacting our economy. Let’s face it, daily market swings of 1,000 points can unleash a flood of adrenaline in anyone — even seasoned investment professionals. Add to this the need to reach … [More]
FAQs about COVID-19 in Employment Setting
Employers must carefully balance their duty to provide a safe and healthy workplace for employees with compliance mandates so as to not violate employee rights afforded by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act and other civil rights and anti-discrimination laws. Below are some frequently asked questions that may assist employers in their … [More]
Dos and Don’ts of Email Negotiating amid the COVID-19 Crisis
That’s not what I meant! The fact is, nobody likes to be misunderstood or have their words misconstrued, especially when another party wrongly applies sinister motives, casting their character in a negative light. And nowhere does this happen more frequently than via email or other modes of e-communication. Even during the best of times, email negotiation can be tough. But … [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]
The Proactive Magic of Asking, ‘How Can I Help?’
On the Friday afternoon of 4th of July weekend, 2009, I was on the New Jersey Turnpike returning home from another bustling day of activities as CEO of Campbell Soup Company. My wife was away in Washington, D.C., helping our daughter move into her new apartment. In the backseat of the car, I was dozing off with my seatbelt on, at the end of a busy week. We were going fast, … [More]
Common Delegation Pitfalls
Delegating is the key to a successful business and what sets bosses apart from true leaders. The hardest part? Knowing when to let go. Some leaders find themselves delegating tasks, then nervously hover over their team making sure they do it right. Well, if the team doesn’t do it right, it might be as much their leader’s fault as it is theirs. Here are some of the top … [More]
Competitors Build on Collaboration
“I've definitely realized that there is more than enough business to go around,” says Dallin Harris, founder and president of Skyhook Interactive, discussing an “agency forum” group he takes part in within a larger business owners’ organization. It’s an unexpected assembly. Explains Harris, “In normal EO [Entrepreneurs’ Organization] forums, we try to stay away from our … [More]
Successfully Leverage Business Partnerships and Relationships
To launch, a business needs time and capital; but to genuinely scale, partnerships become equally as important. This has become a forced reality in a day when competition is now global, not just local. For business leaders, it means mastering and leveraging the resources outside the company as well as within. To lead successfully, knowing what is available, how to ask and how … [More]
Is Brand Obsolete in the Amazon Age?
Has the rise of e-commerce sites — Amazon in particular — made brands obsolete? Some people think so. In the Digital Age, or so the theory goes, customers don't even notice brand names. Online retailers offer endless supplies of in-stock products with plenty of user opinions to recommend them (or not). All the customer has to do is click through web pages and comparison-shop … [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]
Organizational Capacity Defined
These days, businesses are often exhorted to build organizational capacity, but what does that really mean? There are many definitions of “capacity,” but in simple terms, an organization’s capacity is its potential to perform — its ability to successfully apply its talent and resources to accomplish stated goals and satisfy stakeholder expectations. Capacity is the engine that … [More]
Financial Wellness Is Workplace Benefit for All
As more and more business owners offer retirement and healthcare benefits for their employees, the question is: What else can I do? This isn’t purely altruistic; while employers do want to help employees live well, benefits are also critical to a company’s success. Eighty-five percent of Americans are nervous about their financial lives, and 65 percent lose sleep over money. … [More]
How to Get a Meeting with the C-Suite
Hollywood has always known how to take a meeting. Tinseltown tête à têtes are how movies get made, box-office records are broken and stars are born. In the business world, fate-altering meetings don’t happen in directors’ or producers’ offices, they happen in the C-suite. For those, that is, who can break through. Thirty-three minutes and 13 seconds into the 2005 movie … [More]
HonorHealth’s Tradition of Impact
The word honor conjures up all kinds of thoughts about respect, ethics and pride. Whenever honor is brought into a conversation, the assumption is that a place of integrity and distinction is being described. This is exactly the case where Valley hospital group HonorHealth is concerned. Since 2013, HonorHealth has been serving the Valley. However, its legacy of helping the … [More]
