What is America’s greatest cultural asset? Well, there are many things you might cite: There’s the free market (though many might argue that the free market is a very good idea and America really should try it some time). read »
As Brian Kelly led me back toward his corner office in U.S. News & World Report's nondescript Georgetown building, he suddenly paused in the hallway. On the wall in front of us were dozens of printed pages with articles and pictures, arranged neatly in several rows. "This is how we used to put together the magazine every week," he told me. "Now it's a very small part of what we do." read »
You may remember I called for a ban on corporate speak in 2011. Many of you reached out and told me you’ve taken the challenge to heart. Usually New Year resolutions are broken by the first quarter, so as we sum up Q1 2011, I wanted to share some encouraging news to keep you on track. read »
CIO Central
Many executives see the drive toward sustainability as a forced march, one in which the government plays the role of drill sergeant, yelling at companies to be more efficient and cut carbon emissions and then punishing them with regulations. From this perspective, making your business more sustainable means making it worse. read »
When you think about applying findings in science to improve productivity or safety in business, your first thought, if you're anything like me, is to think about technological innovation -- new software or machines that enable work to be done more efficiently or safely. But there's definitely room for improvement by applying psychology, as well. Here's a fascinating article by Jess Levins about how removing typical "macho" behaviors led to improvements on two offshore oil rigs.
The[...] read »
Prosper Now
The first warning sign popped up this week when it was revealed that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is almost out of money. This is a separate part of Social Security that funds the needs of people who are “disabled” and can no longer work in a substantial, gainful way. read »
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 144,000 fewer chief executives were employed in the United States in 2010 than in 2007. More broadly, half a million fewer people were employed in management occupations in 2010 than in 2007. While some former executives have taken lower-paying jobs, a great many are still out of work. read »
It’s not easy being an HR executive. Just when you are about to applaud the cultural compatibility of a proposed merger someone starts talking about upstream synergies in the value chain. Or you unveil an innovative executive training programmed and boardroom colleagues question its net present value and pay-back time calculation. Or there is a crisis and the company needs to cut costs, so your desk is their first stop, since surely training, recruitment and work-life programmers are easily exp[...] read »