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5 ways CIOs can deliver business-critical results during the pandemic and…

Sean Ryan Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In January 2020, you were likely paddling through the rapids of "old normal" business-critical issues, including providing systems that help business leaders deliver outstanding results, creating competitive advantage by improving the customer journey and overall experience, and nimbly adapting to constantly changing technology. Then, bam! COVID appeared around the next bend in the river and the world rapidly became far more difficult and treacherous. You’re now paddling in cataclysmic rapids amidst a world of perpetual whitewater. As CIO, to paddle your way to survival, or even to thrive, you will need to focus on these five key areas.

Are knowledge workers doomed? Why it’s time to embrace AI and prepare…

Roland T. Rust and Ming-Hui Huang Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The first wave of artificial intelligence (AI) already has replaced humans for physical repetitive tasks like inspecting equipment, manufacturing goods, repairing things and crunching numbers. That shift started way back with the Industrial Revolution. This gave rise to our current thinking economy, where employment and wages are more tied to workers’ abilities to process, analyze and interpret information to make decisions and solve problems … just like the industrial revolution automated physical tasks by decreasing the value of human strength and increasing the value of human cognition, AI is now reshaping the landscape and ushering in a feeling economy.

Who are the worst password offenders?

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

It appears that we won’t have fond memories of 2020. From COVID-19 to a very long and contentious election cycle, it was a terrible year. But, while most people were just trying to hang on, it was business as usual for cybercriminals who are nothing if not opportunists. And last year provided plenty of opportunities for hackers to take advantage of poor cybersecurity practices. Dashlane recently announced its annual list of the worst password offenders of 2020. The top 10 list — the worst of the worst — reads as follows.

Infographic: How to pick the best WordPress host

Brian Wallace Business Management, Services & Risk Management

During the times of the pandemic, it has become clearer than ever that businesses need to be serious about their website presence. What once might have been considered a luxury or a nice to have is now essential to find a way forward. Let’s say you’ve made up your mind to use WordPress — what should you do next? There are so many different choices in the marketplace for what website hosting is best. Some are dedicated servers; others are shared hosting. Need help deciding on what the best WordPress hosting options are out there? Check out this infographic, courtesy of WPBeginner for more information.

5 ways to use coach John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success

Jason Lavin Business Management, Services & Risk Management

If you follow basketball, there’s a 99.9% chance you’ve heard the name John R. Wooden, a sports legend who’s considered to be the greatest NCAA basketball coach of all time. And if you’ve heard of coach Wooden, you know about his Pyramid of Success, a wildly popular model of 25 proven behaviors and characteristics that lead to greatness. So, once you’ve downloaded and printed coach's pyramid and looked at it for a while, you might wonder, "What are some good ways to use it?" Here are five real-world ideas to start.

4 of the top emerging technologies to watch in 2021

Terri Williams Science & Technology

The innovation landscape changes rapidly, and each year, there are certain emerging tech innovations that will play a critical role in shaping the future. Digital transformation continues to be a megatrend. "The COVID-19 pandemic showed enterprises that embraced digital transformation were able to quickly adapt to the changing landscape," says Manjeet Rege, director of the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. "Most others were caught off guard and were unable to pivot their business models." These are some of the top emerging technologies to watch in 2021.

GameStop: How it happened, where it’s going

Bruce L. Gordon Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The current stock market fight started with GameStop — a retail mainstay for the video game market that has been facing hard times even before the pandemic. Many investors have been shorting the stock , which is nothing new in terms of the stock market. What’s interesting this time is that many individual investors — many on the popular RobinHood app and r/WallStreetBets Reddit community, have called the bluff by squeezing the short position — driving what was an $18 stock in early January 2021 to as much as a high of $483. Where will the Reddit GameStop short game end up? Check out this visual deep dive for more information.

The year of the comeback: What COVID-19 means for associations in 2021

Jeanne M. Dee Association Management

For industry associations, recent shifts from the physical space into the digital have brought a serious blow to their highest revenue stream: in-person events like trade shows and conferences. At the same time, the function of associations as a source of networking, support, and connection for their industries makes them more valuable than ever to their members in a landscape where disconnection is ever-present. Nothing beats being able to pick up the phone and get advice from someone who "gets it" — especially now. This seems to portend the triumphant return of the association.

3 easy actions to add curiosity to your company culture for immediate impact

Robin Barone Business Management, Services & Risk Management

As 2021 continues, I invite you to incorporate greater curiosity into your professional life to achieve better outcomes. The ability to have a solid employee experience is based on a company culture that embraces curiosity in communications. Increasing the amount of curiosity with your engagement with colleagues and customers or clients leads to better solutions and outcomes as a result. Professionals in cultures that embrace curiosity can have uncomfortable conversations that are assertive and not aggressive, anxious, or argumentative. Curious people are more confident, fearless, open, collaborative, and resilient.

5 secrets of effective communication that all telecommuters should know

John Allen Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The late, great American businessman Leon Gorman said it best: “Customer service is a day-in, day-out, ongoing, never-ending, unremitting, persevering, compassionate type of activity.” Companies everywhere have realized that employee service is much the same. And like good customer service, great communication is at its center. It’s true that Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Skype have enabled us all to stay in touch amidst a global shift to work from home. But it’s equally true that this fundamental change has left more questions than team chat anywhere, anytime can answer.

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