All Business Management, Services & Risk Management Articles
  • Should your brand be using Groups on Facebook?

    Emma Fitzpatrick Marketing

    Up until early 2018, most companies did not use Groups on Facebook. Why would they when they had already built a community of followers on their page? That January, though, Facebook announced the algorithmic change that is still plaguing brands: their content is not ranked as highly in the News Feed as posts from friends, family and Groups. User-generated content could be a way to encourage friends and family members to amplify company messages. For that to be successful, though, you must depend on others. That’s why some businesses saw Groups as the best way to potentially "beat" the new algorithm.

  • The Fed weighs in on economy, opts to stay the course for now

    Seth Sandronsky Civil & Government

    President Trump is not happy with the Federal Reserve Bank under Chairman Jerome Powell. Suffice it to say, the Fed’s interest-rate policy is a source of friction. The Federal Open Market Committee issued a statement June 19 opting to leave "the federal funds rate at 2-1/4 to 2-1/2%" for now. That rate could change depending on factors such as inflation, or a rise in prices and wages. "They are trying to make it clear that they will lower rates," Dean Baker, a senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C., told MultiBriefs by email.

  • 5 kinds of difficult managers — and how to retrain them

    Lisa Mulcahy Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    We all remember our favorite teachers in school — and those instructors we'd rather forget, too. Employees view their tough-to-deal-with superiors the same way, of course. A less-than-personable manager may be great for your company's bottom line in terms of achieving profit, but the way he or she deals with her team should be addressed. A difficult manager can sometimes have a long-lasting impact on your entire business. The good news is you can work with even a problematic manager once you understand the type of personality you're dealing with. Let's talk about some common tough manager types — and the smartest ways to collaborate with each type most fruitfully.

  • Why successful onboarding begins with blunt honesty

    Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    Like a first date, no one expects complete honesty in an interview from either side of the conference room table. However, as we become more experienced in the process, two things can happen: we become better at dancing around the truth or we become less interested in the dance and just throw it all out there. When it comes to a successful onboarding process, that latter path, blunt honesty, is the way to go.

  • L versus M: Where do I start?

    Maryann Lesnick Civil & Government

    I've noticed a trend with some companies to use section M of the government solicitation document as the basis for their proposal structure. While I understand the desire to make it easy for the evaluators to score your proposal, this could result in a noncompliant bid. Organize your bid or proposal according to the customer’s instructions. A compliant proposal meets the customer's requirements and submittal instructions.

  • Common myths about women and executive presence

    Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    There’s so much noise these days about executive presence that it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. Here are a few myths that need dispelling. The first myth is that if a woman wants to make it to the top, she needs to act like a man. While there’s much we can learn from the men who’ve come before us, that doesn’t mean we have to do things the same way to be equally successful. The most successful leaders I know, many of whom are women, don’t try to be something they’re not.

  • Department of Energy: Renewables create massive savings for facilities

    Scott E. Rupp Facilities & Grounds

    For business organizations, renewable energy can be a costly capital investment, but more companies are experiencing the successes of their efforts to reduce the energy used within their buildings and plants. One program created to help facilities leaders explore the opportunity of renewables is the Better Buildings Initiative from the U.S. Department of Energy. According to the agency, the program is meant to work "across industries to provide guidance and to document effective approaches for installing renewable technologies including solar, wind and geothermal." Per the government’s reporting on the issue, many organizations are making headway with solar.

  • How white Americans and black Americans lead separate lives

    Patrick Gleeson Education

    Increasingly, Americans live in separate worlds, divided by race, class and political allegiance. Not only is does this segregation continue into the 21st century, studies show that it has increased over a period of decades and is still increasing today. An almost unavoidable consequence of this kind of social apartheid is that on those occasions when groups do attempt communication, their experiences differ so greatly that instead of the communication leading to further understanding, it can lead to further disbelief.

  • How to help millennials become great leaders

    Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    Instead of complaining about millennials, it is time for us to start taking responsibility for supporting their leadership development. Here are a few ways to take on the challenge. For example, one common critique of millennials is that they need exact details mapped out for them on how they can succeed and constant feedback along the way. While that may be a challenge sometimes, this is exactly the type of trait that can help us grow leaders.

  • Inclusive culture starts with foundation, so don’t fall into diversity…

    Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    If you want to create an inclusive culture that lasts, you have to start with a strong foundation. Too often, organizations spend too much money on training without a clear direction, no defined measures of success, and no alignment with their short- and long-term culture objectives. While training is essential to increase diversity, create equity, and build inclusion throughout the organization, training alone is not enough for systemic change and to get the results you want. Working without a foundation and a road map is like building a house on quicksand. It won’t last.