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A strategic plan dilemma: Organizational infrastructure

Robert C. Harris Association Management

A strategic plan guides the board, communicates value to members and empowers the staff. Most have three to six goals. The dilemma is whether to include anything about the infrastructure in the plan. Infrastructure is internal, focused on governance and management. It would include technology investment, leadership pipeline, professional staffing, and financial resources. Without infrastructure, the other goals cannot be advanced.

Has company culture improved during the pandemic?

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The list of negative COVID-19-related implications is endless. However, it appears that the pandemic has actually improved company culture. According to a report by CHG Healthcare, 20% of respondents said that the culture actually improved since they’ve been working from home. In addition, 54% stated that their culture remained the same. Among workers who felt that the company culture improved during the pandemic, the top three factors were increased transparency/communication, maintained benefits/salary, and better leadership support.

What ‘business ghosting’ says about your leadership, and why…

Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

One would think that during this time of COVID-19, work from home, and high unemployment that people who have the title of "leader" would make an extra effort to be kind and caring to their employees and other people with whom they come in contact. While I’ve seen some amazing leaders who practice that kindness, caring and respect for others, there is another group of people who have the title of leader but whose actions are just the opposite. For them, they practice what I call "business ghosting."

Nearly 4 in 10 workers suffer from video call fatigue

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

One advantage of working from home is the absence of unproductive, time-consuming, in-person meetings. For a while, video conferences were rather interesting, and they gave workers a sense of connection with team members. But now, two different reports reveal that employees are growing weary of video communication as well. According to a Robert Half survey, 38% of respondents say they’ve experienced video call fatigue. The Owl Labs/Global Workplace Analytics State of Remote Work survey reveals that 44% don’t find it necessary to get dressed up for a video meeting, which is a good thing. However, 70% believe there should be a day each week without any meetings.

Committee meeting principles that achieve results

Ron Phipps and Bob Harris Association Management

Sometimes the best judge of leadership is the ability to run a meeting. Even though the bar is low, many leaders fall short. Members are known to quit volunteering if they attend a meeting that was poorly managed. There was no agenda, the chairman started late, or there was no significant outcome. Here are seven principles to support better meetings.

How to manage a negative employee

Amanda Kowalski Business Management, Services & Risk Management

You could give every employee in the office a bonus, an extra week off and a party to celebrate — but there would still be that one guy who would find a reason to complain. Almost every manager has run up against a negative employee at some point in their careers. Even the best employees can have an off day, but when someone on the team is consistently complaining, the manager needs to deal with the situation before it spreads, brings down the company morale or productivity, causes other employees to leave or damages relationships with clients. So, what do you do?

5 ways to keep your emotions in check while running a business

Scott Greenberg Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Running a business is intense. You’ve invested your own money or, more likely, borrowed money you have to pay back. It’s your signature on all the contracts. You're the last word on all big decisions. There's a correlation between your mental state and the state of your business. Your ability to manage your feelings is a huge determinant of how you’ll perform. Some people are naturally calm. Others, myself included, have to be more deliberate about it. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to keep your emotions in check. Here are five.

‘Lean’ into office productivity the right way

Sean Fields and Dr. Michael Sanders Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Although lean is generally considered a way to streamline manufacturing, it’s also useful for tackling inefficiencies in the office. By upgrading the front end, lean also prevents downstream problems that are a result of mistakes in the office. Given this, one might think that substantial gains would be a lead-pipe cinch when lean practices are introduced to an office. However, when these efforts get underway, disappointment often follows. The good news is that attacking the causes for the letdowns makes a remedy possible.

Managing executive sessions

Robert C. Harris Association Management

Just before adjourning, the elected president said, "I'm going to ask everyone except board members to leave so we can meet in executive session." An executive session is a closed-door meeting when guests and staff are excused. The intent is to give the board space to handle sensitive or confidential issues. In Canada it is referenced as an in-camera meeting. The similarity of the phrases executive session and executive committee often creates volunteer confusion.

Survey: Firms fight to operate during COVID-19

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The breadth and depth of the pandemic’s effects on private businesses has surfaced in new government data collected from July 20 through Sept. 30, 2020. In these numbers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conveys how businesses big and small operated. Spoiler alert: the BLS data on employment, wages, job openings and terminations, employer-provided benefits, and safety and health paints a tough picture of firms fighting to stay afloat. Nationally, 52% of surveyed businesses, or 4.4 million, told their workers to avoid work (paid or not) for some time.

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