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Finding the upside of ‘Groundhog Day’
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementDuring our worldwide quarantine, I've heard numerous groans about every day being "Groundhog Day," a reference to an old Bill Murray movie where every day was a rerun of the previous. But regardless of the lockdown, how many of us run busily through our days, repeating mechanically the previous day’s agenda? If you're going through rote motions of living, then you've already been living through "Groundhog Day." Well, this quarantine forces us to be still, to think. When we are moving mechanically and busily through life, we don’t often take the time to think; we just do.
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Why we need differentiated instruction now more than ever
Savanna Flakes EducationCarol Ann Tomlinson defines differentiation as a continual process of assessing and monitoring students’ readiness levels, interests, and learner profiles. We are in an unprecedented time as we aim to support all students virtually. As such, our learners are logging into our virtual classrooms with various emotional and academic needs. Based on such diversity, differentiating instruction is the one approach that will work. Upon pre-assessment/diagnosis in virtual and online environments, teachers can differentiate with the following.
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How the pandemic presents opportunities for association improvement
Bob Harris and Arturo Mariani Association ManagementThere 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.
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The pillar page: Your secret weapon to marketing growth
Lisa Mulcahy MarketingDuring 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.
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Avoiding the two extremes in remote worker management
Eric Taussig Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIf 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.
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What the leadership manual reveals about strategy
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementAssociation 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.
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Tips for small business leaders managing social media during COVID-19
Natalie O'Grady MarketingSmall 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.
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The future of work: Why resistance is futile
Patrick Gleeson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementI'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.
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The new normal may be anything but
Linda Popky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementMaybe 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.
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8 ways businesses can help during COVID-19
Kris Putnam-Walkerly Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIn 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.
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