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Don’t ever resign with a ‘shove it’ quit

Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In 1977, country music artist Johnny Paycheck recorded what many employees wanted desperately to tell their boss as they quit their jobs. "Take This Job and Shove It!" nearly won a CMA award for Song of the Year, and artists like the Dead Kennedys and David Alan Coe re-recorded it in the years to follow. Have you ever felt like leaving a job this way? Many people have. However, before you yield to the temptation, there are few things you ought to know.

Housing America part 6: Cohousing

Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building Materials

Speculative housing development and the single-family home have been the norm for a large part of the last century. It’s all many of us know about housing works. But a new wave of cohousing communities across the U.S. features experimenting with a new model of living that places the emphasis back on shared space and shared prosperity. In this final part in the "Housing America" series of articles, I look at why these communities set up, whether the planning system is equipped to help them thrive, and whether their lessons can be applied more widely to how we build communities.

Interior designers consolidating in fewer states

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Between 2017 and 2018, large numbers of interior designers changed locations, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Half of all states reported fewer employed interior designers in May 2018 than in May 2017. Many of the designers appear to have migrated to a handful of states with some of the highest concentrations of designers in the country. Employment figures for interior designers always fluctuate among states from year to year. However, in the past few years, the number of states losing designers has been gradually increasing.

9 noteworthy governance practices

Robert C. Harris Association Management

There are thousands of great associations, chambers and other nonprofits working for important causes. Each has a mission and dedicated leadership. I have been introduced to noteworthy practices in governance, communications and membership. First, know precisely why the organization exists. It should be clear by the mission, but that is often stuffed with everything the board can fit into it. Worse, then nobody can remember much about the mission.

5 ways to perfect your identity marketing strategy

Lisa Mulcahy Marketing

As a marketer, you know that targeting a potential customer as specifically as possible can be a powerful sales tool. But if you focus in on a consumer's identity the wrong way, you could alienate rather than motivate. So, you need to proceed carefully, accurately and respectfully. The good news: cutting-edge marketing research has you covered. Try these five easy and effective tips to make sure your approach will work every time.

Tips for creating an effective online job posting

Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Online job recruitment is here to stay, and just about everyone is doing it. Like print ads, your goal is to stand out from the competition. But that's where the similarity ends. In today's fast-paced environment, job candidates are quickly surfing the internet for the next big wave, or in this case, job opportunities. Here are some tips to help you capture their attention and optimize your online recruiting investment.

HR best practices: Lannister-style

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

"Game of Thrones" is such a great example of extreme cases. It is by looking at these extremes that HR practitioners can learn the limits that define best practices. Understanding these limits are especially important for us because we are so often in the situation where we are the intermediary trying to balance opposite opinions and keep everyone satisfied. This constant focus on positive outcomes can take our attention away from addressing negative behaviors. HR pros should keep these "Thrones" practices in mind as we work to create, cultivate and implement our best practices.

Social moves away from vanity metrics — and you should, too

Emma Fitzpatrick Marketing

Social media platforms are currently intrigued with ways to reduce the emphasis on likes and vanity metrics. The companies are still trying to figure out how to make it happen, but in the meantime, you can address vanity metrics internally at your company. Vanity metrics capture satisfying numbers that make you feel good about your social media marketing efforts but don’t deliver on action. Here are a few common vanity metrics you can evaluate, along with ideas on what numbers to focus on instead).

How to save 200 hours on board meetings each year

Robert C. Harris Association Management

Are board meetings depleting association resources and staff time? The culprit may be meeting frequency. Most boards convene quarterly. A few govern only three times a year. Others gather as frequently as monthly. The most common reason given for meeting often is, "We’ve always done it this way." Other rationales: "We like each other and the meeting facilitates the board’s networking." And, "If we don’t meet monthly the directors will forget what we are working on."

Advisor vs. coach: Is there really a difference?

Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

I'm often contacted by people who tell me they are looking for a coach when what they need is a trusted advisor. The words advisor and coach are frequently used interchangeably. However, they are actually quite different. Understanding the distinction will ensure that you hire the right person for your needs.

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