The idea in my book that information is the product comes from the work of sociologists from the early days of social media, including Yochai Benkler, Charles Leadbeater and Clay Shirky, who predicted that the economy would increasingly become a participatory one (Benkler, 2007). Clay Shirky introduced the concept of “mass amateurization,” where platforms turned consumers … [More]
The Secret to Productive Meetings? Fewer, Faster, Focused
Remote and hybrid workforces are additional challenge
Meetings, for many businesses, are a necessary part of the workday. They provide a platform for team members to share information, align on strategy and make important decisions. However, they can also be a significant drain on time, energy, and creativity, with data revealing that many employees spend nearly 24 hours per week in meetings. Long meetings with unclear agendas, … [More]
How Can Business Leaders Show Up for Their Employees Who Get a Cancer Diagnosis?
A survivor’s experience, from the day of her diagnosis and how she shared that diagnosis with her manager and with the wider executive team
After I returned to work, two work friends of mine asked me if I would be willing to talk about my cancer diagnosis at a management training day they were hosting. They hoped that by my speaking publicly about what could be an awkward work situation, they could challenge these people managers to think deeply about how to lead with empathy and human-ness. I was so excited … [More]
Coming Soon: A Nationwide Ban on Noncompete Agreements?
Now is the window to submit comments to the FTC
On January 8, the Federal Trade Commission published a proposal to ban the use of noncompete agreements for most workers nationwide. The proposed rule, entitled the Non-Compete Clause Rule, would prohibit all employers — regardless of size — from imposing covenants not to compete on employees and independent contractors, with no carve-out available that would permit the use of … [More]
Elevate Recruiting Skill with Conscious Curiosity
It’s amazing how connecting dots makes the work of HR and recruiting teams so much easier. Knowing what the business does, how it makes money, and what’s happening in that industry is important. So is knowing what hiring managers are looking for – and how to interact with the right candidates. And yet, many recruitment professionals are not doing these things. The best HR … [More]
The Female Founder Advantage in Startups
Enough about “cracks” in the glass ceiling. We’re wielding sledgehammers; cracks seem beside the point now. Don’t get me wrong. We have a long way to go in a “traditional” sense. Sure, more women are running Fortune 500 companies than at any previous point in Fortune 500 history, but that figure amounts to a paltry 5%. Instead, let’s take a closer look where it … [More]
Using Popularity to Get More Sales
Scarcity is not just an economic principle. It is a psychological principle and one that subconsciously drives many decisions. Scarcity has such a powerful influence on people that it causes them to wait in long lines for hours on end and experience anxiety when they can’t get their hands on a sold-out product or get into a popular restaurant. There are reasons scarcity is … [More]
What Is Quantitative Intuition™ and How Do We Use It?
Quantitative intuition™ (QI)—the combination of data and analytics with Intuition—might sound like an oxymoron at first, but it is actually the key to effective decision-making. Simply put, QI is the ability to make decisions with incomplete information via precision questioning, contextual analysis, and synthesis to see the situation as a whole. So, what is Intuition? In … [More]
Businesses Can Focus on Employee Advocacy
While global efforts to make the world a better place from a culture and climate perspective continue to make noteworthy strides, they have also paved the way for entrance into corporate America, as employees, consumers, investors and communities hold companies to higher standards and expect accountability in business operations. Although each group can have a significant … [More]
Investing in Purpose-Driven Companies
June marked a record-breaking jump in the Earth’s atmospheric greenhouse gas levels with the highest-ever average measurements of methane and carbon dioxide, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. April 2022 was the first month in human history that CO2 levels exceeded 420 parts per million. These sustained increases in CO2 concentrations will … [More]
Brainstorming – Is Online or In-Person More Creative?
A recent study found that online interactions result in less creativity than face-to-face. The reason: When online, people mostly stare at the screen rather than letting their eyes wander around, which sparks more divergent thought. But the flaw with this study was that the conditions that actually result in creative thinking were not set, not in the online nor the in-person … [More]
The Rise of Recruitment Marketing
Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic upended the culture in the United States, flipping the labor market on its head. The Great Resignation, as many call it, has shifted attitudes of workers — and the impact is not only immediate but, seemingly, long-lasting. Isolation, burnout and lack of employer empathy have resulted in a mass exodus of qualified and skilled … [More]
Compensation Strategies for High-Value Employees
This year is shaping up to be one of the most challenging in history for employers thanks to the highest inflation rate in four decades and a growing imbalance between the number of job openings and the number of candidates willing to fill them. Pressure has increased across all industries to raise salaries and hourly wages, but that simply won’t be enough for many companies. … [More]
Estate Planning for Closely Held Businesses
Many owners of closely held businesses are so busy with the daily activities involved with running a business that they haven’t had time to put an estate plan in place. Or, if they have an estate plan, it hasn’t been updated recently. While having an estate plan is important for everyone, it is particularly important for closely held business owners in order to protect the … [More]
Developing Artificial Intelligence: Are Your Lawyers Involved?
Artificial intelligence, or “AI” as it is commonly known, is becoming more prevalent as businesses have come to realize that AI can accomplish many basic tasks more efficiently and economically than a human employee. AI refers to machines or systems that simulate human intelligence in performing functions and solving problems. AI frequently uses algorithms to make decisions and … [More]
Maintain Company Morale in Times of Uncertainty
If the events of the past few years have proven anything, it is that companies’ success correlates with the morale of their employees. Studies have shown that when employees feel happier and more appreciated, they tend to value their work more, leading to boosts in morale and productivity. At the same time, when employees’ morale declines, they begin to feel less valued in … [More]
Together, We Can Protect Arizona Businesses from Illegal Trade
In 2020, Arizona welcomed more than 32 million visitors to the state, and we were delighted to welcome them. Collectively, they spent $15 billion, representing a tremendous economic investment in Arizona. From the Grand Canyon to the Chiricahua Wilderness, Arizona boasts some of America’s most beautiful national treasures. There are endless opportunities to explore Arizona’s … [More]
Walking the Line: How to Keep Your Employees Healthy, Safe — and Respected
There was a moment this summer when it seemed the end of the tunnel was finally here. Something like normal life blossomed for a couple of months before the Delta surge; I even went out to a movie at one point. It was almost like old times. Now, with national vaccine mandates in place covering tens of millions of workers and private mandates coming into force at countless … [More]
