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Don’t get fooled by the manipulator

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

All manipulators are the same. Just the circumstances and the victims change. You hire an employee who seems to be an asset. She’s friendly and easy-going. Always has a smile. She frequently takes the initiative to create projects and implement them. Wow, what a go-getter, you think. But perhaps after a couple of months, it begins to dawn on you that while she’s great at thinking up fun little projects to keep herself busy, she’s doing everything and anything except the work you assign her to.

Mentoring, a beacon in the dark for young leaders

Sheilamary Koch Education

Recently, my 15-year-old daughter, an emerging environmental activist, told me of her first mentoring experience at a youth summit she attended. In a nutshell, a college student involved in activism on her campus was assigned to a group of three younger students. She began by sharing how she’d experienced little support for her ideas in the area she grew up, then encouraged the others to share about their lives and aspirations. Often, mentors act as metaphorical beacons in the darkness for mentees aiming to accomplish things outside the scope of what people around them are doing.

A facility management guide to virus protection

Scott E. Rupp Facilities & Grounds

The National Safety Council has updated its original statement from Jan. 31 on the coronavirus (COVID-19). The organization works to eliminate preventable deaths at work, in homes, in communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education, and advocacy, so its standing in the facility management world has a strong foundation. In its statement regarding the virus, it is urging employers to assess their risk of exposure and ensure procedures are in place to control transmission effectively. Likewise, workplace illness prevention training is imperative for all employees, the NSC adds.

Why transparency is vital for an association

Bob Harris and Karim Shaaban Association Management

Transparency is a fundamental concept of good governance. It is frequently adopted as a principle to guide board and staff discussions and decisions. Members of an association expect a sense of openness. They want to trust that the board is making good decisions on their behalf. The opposite of transparency in an association is a secretive organization, unwilling to share reports with members and hiding key issues.

What to know when the only constant in today’s world is change

Linda Popky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

There’s an old Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times. We are certainly in the midst of interesting times right now. On a global perspective, we have the coronavirus pandemic that started in China but has spread around the world. There’s Brexit, which will cause considerable disruption in the European Union. Then there's the lengthy presidential election process in the U.S. and ongoing political turmoil in other countries. Here are a few things to consider as you navigate the new normal.

How leaders can stop loneliness and create community at work

Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

According to an article in Scientific American, loneliness in the U.S. and other parts of the world has reached epidemic proportions. Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that loneliness is a significant health issue and has the potential to shorten a person's life by 15 years. Loneliness affects people of all ages in different ways. When people feel lonely, they feel disconnected and disengage. It becomes a cycle and can be hard to break alone. However, there are many solutions.

US employers add 273,000 jobs; unemployment drops to 3.5%

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In February, total U.S. nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 273,000 after January's growth of 225,000, while the unemployment rate dipped to 3.5% from 3.6% the previous month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The jobless rate has been 3.5% or 3.6% since September. In February, nearly all major groups of workers had scant change in the rate of employment versus January's figures. Meanwhile, wage growth remained rather tepid.

Opportunity zone developments spread despite being under investigation

Michelle R. Matisons Construction & Building Materials

Opportunity zones provide tax breaks for real estate developers who invest in low-income communities. Yet, numerous examples of opportunity zone (OZ) investments ignore the supposed original spirit supporting low-income, affordable housing. Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate criticize existing code, but disagree whether or not this is another ruling class machination to increase wealth. Some kind of opportunity zone reform seems inevitable in coming months as the Treasury Department’s inspector general investigates the program.

Understanding sexual harassment: Why isn’t it obvious?

Sarah Beaulieu Business Management, Services & Risk Management

"Shouldn’t this stuff be obvious to people?" At a recent kickoff meeting for a company-wide sexual harassment training, a CEO expressed frustration that he had to explain — and keep explaining — the basics of sexual harassment to his employees. Though I didn't mean to, I laughed, and then noted that he probably had more experience understanding behavior, boundaries, and relationships than the average employee. When organizations fail to recognize that people have various levels of experience with sexual harassment, they approach training through a one-size-fits-all lens.

Podcast: Escaping reimbursement nightmares by transitioning out of network

Jarod Carter Healthcare Administration

In 2005, Cody Barnett left his job to open a physical therapy practice because he wanted to be able to provide the kind of care that exceeds patient expectations. For the same reason, he had the intention of structuring the practice as cash-based from the start. However, with limited access to good resources on how to make that succeed, he felt he needed to bolster his cash-pay practice by participating with the two biggest insurance carriers in his market. But after years of fighting with insurance companies, he began "plotting his escape."

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