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A leader’s guide to collaboration

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

"Great, we can collab!" That was what one of my colleagues said to me a few weeks back, which, being the geek that I am, inspired me to read about collaboration (as well as think about whether I could ever utter the word collab and not sound like an idiot). Fortunately for me, a lot has been written quite recently about the science behind collaborative work environments. Here are a few tips for leaders to create an environment that encourages sustained, successful collaboration.

How to end the divide between generations in the workplace

Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

For over 10 years, I’ve been facilitating cross-generational dialogues. I started them because I was tired of one-dimensional conversations filled with bias and wrong assumptions about people who were older or younger. After the first three sessions, it was clear to me that we have a lot to learn from each other. Cross-generational mentoring became an integral part of my inclusive leadership coaching process. Here are some of the generalizations that are permeating the mainstream media and examples of assumptions and stereotypes based on age that I find irritating.

Companies loosen job requirements, but are they going too far?

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Unemployment is at historically low rates, which is great for employees and the economy. However, when the job market is at — or past — full employment, companies struggle to recruit workers. "In short, companies cannot hire and keep the talent they need," explains Ian Cook, Vice President of People Solutions at Visier. In fact, according to a new survey by Adecco USA, 37% of companies have loosened job requirements to hire in a tight labor market.

New Year’s resolution: Hire someone different than you

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Process provides perspective in lieu of panic. When we face challenges, we can rely on process to get us through difficulty one reliable, tested step at a time. Any leader who has faced a potentially devastating situation and worked through it, relying on methods instead of in-the-moment emotional reactions, understands the value of process. Yet for some reason when we hire, we often miss an important aspect of process in judging candidates: differences.

How to plan an out-of-town conference

Jonathan Morse Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Planning an event or conference out of town can prove to be a complicated task. You'll have no firsthand insight into the best venues, logistics will be different, and catering from your favorite hometown restaurant is out of the question. But don't give up hope, it’s possible to plan an out-of-town event or conference, just like the one you would back home, with these tips. First and foremost, to make an out-of-town event successful, you need to start by choosing your host city wisely.

The path to leadership includes not being the smartest in the room

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Experts can become successful leaders; so can non-experts. The path to leadership for the former includes understanding the limits of their expertise. Conversely, the path for the latter includes recognizing the value of their non-expert contributions. Both paths, thus, require an understanding of the benefits of specific and general knowledge and how they should be combined and used as the diverse tools they are. In other words, the path to leadership includes not being the smartest in the room.

Do you really need to check an applicant’s references? Absolutely

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

We've all been there: a job candidate looked perfect on paper and sounded perfect during the interview. But soon after, you realize that this picture-perfect employee probably won't reach the one-year milestone at your company. You probably shouldn't be surprised. According to research by Monster, 85% of recruiters say that candidates exaggerate skills and competencies on their resume. Whether this is intentional or "accidental," the result is the same: an employee who is ill-equipped to do the job. So, what's the solution? Checking references.

How to measure association success

Bob Harris and Nana Berdzenishvili Association Management

No country has more nonprofit organizations than the United States at 1.5 million. That number includes nearly 150,000 associations and 7,000 chambers of commerce. Around the world, when others hear about the size of the nonprofit sector, someone always asks, "With so many organizations, do they have an impact?" It is important to remind associations of their influence. Frequently they are focused only on getting their daily work completed.

How to maximize your social marketing might with ephemeral content

Lisa Mulcahy Marketing

When it comes to garnering consumer attention online, ephemeral content is an easy, cost-saving and creative boon to any brand — if you use it the right way. Simply defined, ephemeral content is messaging that instantly captures the attention of your audience, then vanishes in 24 hours. How do you harness the power of ephemeral content using a clear, cohesive overall strategy that will pack the biggest potential punch? Use these tips to hone your approach.

Mastering the customer apology in time for the holiday shopping season

Catherine Iste Retail

The idea that an ill-timed or poorly delivered apology can have a negative effect is not limited to Seinfeld episodes. A working paper by Basil Halperin, referenced in the recent issue of Harvard Business Review magazine, indicates that apologizing multiple times may be worse than not apologizing at all. Therefore, the retail service apology is a delicate thing. From how it should be delivered to when it should be done, saying sorry is not as simple as it seems. In anticipation of the upcoming holiday shopping season, here are a few things to consider about why and how to apologize to customers.

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