How groups can make good decisions

Grey had tried to change before. The business wasn’t in denial, but it just seemed like the “uncrackable” problem. This time, we did it differently. Our strategy for change was to change our culture. We called this Open. It is both an expression of a culture and how we believe today’s people-based businesses should work in order to survive, evolve and thrive. It is a philosophy of collective creativity and collective responsibility. It encourages increased collaboration between departments, the agency and its clients. Any business can be Open; what follows is a brief description of how we did it, the lessons learned and the results we’re achieving. … [Read more...] about 10 Ways To Create An Open Culture

Don’t see red or blue. Realize that a whole lot of this country (and likely, your consumer) voted for the “other guy,” so work to find common ground in the issues that most authentically reflect your own company’s values. Consider the effort by home improvement retailer Lowe’s to encourage people to make lawn signs thanking frontline workers during the early days of the pandemic. It was true to the retailer’s DIY ethos and celebrated an unimpeachable group of unsung heroes. Choose wisely. Look inward, and don’t always jump at the next big issue. In today’s day and age, there are too many—and it is too easy to screw it up. Instead, examine what matters to you, your employees, and your consumer. What role does your company uniquely play to help better the world? Be accountable, because you’re going to be held accountable anyway. Make statements, and back them up with facts and action. Choose partnerships that matter and tell … [Read more...] about The U.S. is more divided than ever. Your business could be the bridge

But it’s not just that women’s hands shoot up when it’s party-planning time.Managers also ask women to do these kinds of unrewarded office chores 44% more often than they ask men. Sadly, female managers ask women just as often as male managers. And women feel more pressure to say yes. Whereas men only say yes to 51% of these requests, women say yes 76% of the time. These chores still need to be done; they just don’t need to be done by women. One simple way to balance the workload is to create a list of these chores and rotate who orders lunch and reserves rooms. Last, we saw in chapter 1 that feedback works best when employees can ask for what they need most, whether that’s coaching, evaluation, or appreciation. Appreciation, however, is the hardest feedback to ask for. I’ve met many people, especially women, who’ve been vaguely told, “Keep doing what you’re doing.” … [Read more...] about ‘He’s like Tony Stark and she’s like my mom’: How workplace praise diverges between men and women

Some ISPs such as Comcast limit how much data you can move without paying extra money. Poor people can barely afford a basic connection. Doctors using Zoom to power their telehealth connections can destroy a patient’s smartphone’ data caps. Much attention has been paid to rural America’s broadband issues, but some state and federal government agencies (as well as the media) are not paying attention to the severity of the need in urban areas. … [Read more...] about It’s time to fully embrace telehealth—for the COVID-19 crisis and beyond

Imagine that for just a moment—doing something that no one like you has done before. These women had to figure out how to do something big without an example of how to do it. They had to break the mold of people’s expectations, which had never included someone like them. And they had to show the voters why breaking that mold and adding a new voice was important. I’ve seen it many times at EMILY’s List: The women who break through—the firsts, seconds, and thirds—they do the work; they get to know people in their community and help them understand that we are far more alike than we are different. That’s when they find success. … [Read more...] about For women in leadership, breaking unwritten rules is part of the process