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How the pandemic presents opportunities for association improvement

Bob Harris and Arturo Mariani Association Management

There are hundreds of stories about organizational and personal improvement during the pandemic. People are sharing ways they are adapting. Many of the changes have positive, long-term impact. The adaptations are necessary or organic to survive, sustain, and thrive. For example, what used to be a daylong board meeting requiring hours of travel is being replaced by a video conference. Groups that shied away from online technology are rethinking the concept, realizing governance decisions can be made without the expenses of in-person meetings, meals, and travel.

As many struggle, some small businesses are thriving during COVID-19

Kevin Reynolds Business Management, Services & Risk Management

For a pandemic that has been particularly bad for small businesses across the country, some sectors of the economy are using these months as a revival of sorts. As the demands of consumers have changed, some stagnant industries are getting a second chance. Economists have noted this trend is not uncommon in times like these. In nearly every major economic downturn, there are some small businesses that manage to provide exactly what the economy needs.

The pillar page: Your secret weapon to marketing growth

Lisa Mulcahy Marketing

During the pandemic, you're no doubt brainstorming ways to boost earnings as soon as possible. A fresh way to do it is by building the perfect pillar page. A pillar page is a lengthy explainer you use on your company website and across your platforms that will completely answer a question your audience has, using both text and graphics. According to data from Single Grain, a pillar page can help your SERP on Google if it's thorough enough in terms of its layout and content. Here's how to create the ideal pillar page.

Avoiding the two extremes in remote worker management

Eric Taussig Business Management, Services & Risk Management

If your company is one of the countless enterprises that has managed to stay afloat under COVID-19 quarantines by suddenly shifting to remote teams, it is probably comprised mainly of "knowledge workers" who process information for a living. Your managers, who are used to guiding these workers through face-to-face interactions, are adapting their skills to a new environment, and they're just now catching their breath amid the rapid change. In this new environment, many managers are gravitating toward an extreme focus on one of two management styles: widespread surveillance or total worker autonomy.

What the leadership manual reveals about strategy

Robert C. Harris Association Management

Association board manuals come in all shapes and sizes. Volunteer directors rely on them to understand their responsibilities. Some manuals are nicely bound in a notebook with a table of contents and tabs for quick reference. Others are designed as a virtual document, posted to a shared storage site or accessible on memory stick.

Tips for small business leaders managing social media during COVID-19

Natalie O'Grady Marketing

Small business owners have been hit hard in recent months. From forced closures to staff layoffs and increased pressure to connect with customers authentically, the road has been far from smooth. Many businesses have lost most of their communication avenues with customers except for social media. For those not accustomed to prioritizing social, this has presented a steep learning curve. For businesses that already had a social media strategy, many components of carefully crafted plans have been put on hold or shelved.

The future of work: Why resistance is futile

Patrick Gleeson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

I've had two careers in my life: one as a college English professor, the other as a composer. What both professions have in common is that they're both being transformed by technology that many musicians and teachers find threatening. Sometimes I'm amazed how much teachers and musicians resist this transformation. Unfortunately, resistance to the incursion of technology in both professions is almost certainly doomed to failure and will deprive skilled workers the opportunity to shape this technology in ways that could benefit everyone.

The new normal may be anything but

Linda Popky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Maybe we've hit bottom. Three months into the COVID-19 lockdown, it appears that mitigation measures have "flattened the curve." Measures are being taken to reopen the economy on some level in just about every state in America. How far and how fast this will proceed remains to be seen. A common refrain is that we are trying to "get back to normal." There’s only one problem. Those days are gone — if not forever, for a very, very long time.

8 ways businesses can help during COVID-19

Kris Putnam-Walkerly Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In the midst of all the unprecedented challenges that companies need to focus on during the COVID-19 crisis, there is also an immense opportunity to do good. Right now, the world needs philanthropists more than ever and corporate giving offers another way for your company to differentiate itself and go deep as a leader. So, before putting your corporate giving on autopilot, consider these eight tips to catapult your philanthropic impact. These suggestions apply to corporations of any size, in any industry, and in any location around the world.

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.

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