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Rely on Lean’s basics to recover from a crisis, prevent flatlining

Mark C. DeLuzio Business Management, Services & Risk Management

One of the best things leaders can do in a crisis — or to get back on track with their turnaround — is to get back to the basic tenets of Lean. When times get tough, we're inclined to seek out the next silver bullet instead of digging in to better utilize the tried-and-true methods we already have. Instead of thinking, "These Lean concepts don’t apply to my business," you must shift your mindset to being an active, hands-on participant in your Lean transformation. Even when you are sitting in the corner office, this starts with revisiting the fundamentals of Lean and how to manage them.

Associations: An indispensable partner to members

Dan Tjornehoj and Bob Harris Association Management

Associations must forge through the pandemic, realizing they are needed more than ever to guide and support their members. Stop to think about it. The essence of association existence is to work as a group to address the needs of members. This is an opportunity for associations to be their best. We are positioned as a trusted confidant with members. Our value is to "ask," then "listen" to members' challenges during this unprecedented time.

AI-powered payroll is advancing — but where do we draw the line?

Grace Ferguson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

According to Zion Market Research, the global cloud-based payroll market "is expected to generate around USD 13,374 million by 2026, at a CAGR of around 6.8% between 2019 and 2026." Though cloud-based payroll software is the industry's biggest disrupter thus far, artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t too far behind. Most notably, in a 2019 survey by Robert Half Finance & Accounting, 47% of CFOs predicted that payroll will benefit the most from AI integrations.

How to build a team of innovators

Chuck Swoboda Business Management, Services & Risk Management

As increasing competition, new technologies and evolving customer expectations continue to disrupt nearly every industry, business leaders are turning to innovation as a way to keep their companies relevant. The standard solution is to create teams that focus explicitly on innovation. The problem? Most of these teams struggle to innovate, often delivering incremental improvements at best. Simply telling a team to focus on innovation won't suffice. You need to thoughtfully select people with the right mindset for the team.

Conflict is hard. Virtual conflict is harder.

Cathy Bush, Ph.D. Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Conflict between co-workers is a fact of life. If you work with people who care about the mission of the work and who are invested in doing it well, there’s a good chance there will be conflict when each person tries to offer ideas and contribute to group decisions. Even though conflict can come from a good place, it’s definitely a challenging part of work life, and it can lead to the rapid demotivation of your employees. In a virtual setting, poorly managed conflict can push teams to the breaking point.

How leaders can help employees feel safe

Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

As recently as February, it was easy to think that what happened in the "outside world" was not relevant to the business world. That's no longer true. Lines between work, home and community are blurred because our homes are our workplaces and our workplaces are in our homes. Even essential workers who work on-site for the most part go home at the end of their shift and stay there. Even as cities and states begin to open up, people will still spend most of their time inside for now.

Who sets the metrics?

Robert C. Harris Association Management

"What's measured improves," said Peter Drucker, management consultant and author. Identifying metrics improves the strategic planning process. Metrics are the expected outcomes, data, timelines and assignments to carry out the mission. "How will we measure success?" should be a frequent question at planning and board meetings. Recommendations without metrics will be difficult to gauge achievements. During strategic planning, ask leaders to consider performance, including measurables, assignments and timelines.

Experts indicate small business debt could be worse than anticipated

Kevin Reynolds Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Recent studies by the Society for Human Resource Management and economic experts at the University of Chicago have predicted that debt levels for small businesses might be even larger than originally anticipated. The coronavirus pandemic, while it abruptly shuttered most businesses in early March, was originally met with a level of optimism by economists. But as the days have continued to pass, those same experts are seeing signs of an economic recovery that is more closely akin to the 2008 recession.

All decisions are risky, so it’s time to stop talking about ‘risk-based…

Dr. David Hillson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The idea of "risk-based decision-making" is becoming increasingly popular, and decision-makers at all levels are keen to ensure that their decisions take risk properly into account. But perhaps the term "risk-based decision-making" is mistaken. Surely all decisions are risk-based, by definition? Whenever we encounter a situation where we need to make a decision, two vital characteristics are always present. Every decision involves uncertainty, and the outcome of every decision matters.

Infographic: Managing momentum at work

Brian Wallace Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Life is easier when our goals are completed, but 88% of workers spend at least one hour per day procrastinating on a task. When you feel stuck, it's hard to get started again. However, even taking a small step forward can help. This infographic outlines how to manage momentum and keep moving forward, even when there are bumps in the road.

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