Tag: business

By and large, women spend a lot of time studying style trends and determining which looks do and don’t work for them. They read fashion magazines, observe other women, and ask friends for image advice and feedback. Men? Not so much. In general, guys don’t put nearly as much time and energy into figuring out what works for them. And unless a style-savvy woman in their lives takes on the role of image advisor, their "look" often comes together by happenstance.

It seems our society has turned dodging responsibility into an art form. From celebrities who insist that a brush with the law was all a big misunderstanding to political figures who use spin and double-speak to blame everything on the other side, no one wants to admit it when they mess up. If you’re a business leader, the temptation to use this strategy is huge. After all, your customers are paying you to get it right, so the last thing you want is for them to know that you’ve made a mistake, right?

You care deeply about your clients, employees and co-workers. Of course you do. But if you’re like most people in the workplace (be they leaders, front line workers, or someone in the vast middle ground), you may occasionally do (or not do) things that send the wrong signal. And that signal is, "I don’t care."

This accidental carelessness is not surprising.

We’re all so busy these days. In fact, we’re overwhelmed—and when we’re trying to survive, sometimes even the most well-meaning among us don’t realize how we’re coming across.

If you are a person who believes marriage looks like some perfect fairy tale ending from a childhood story, spontaneous romantic rendezvous in faraway places, and a union filled with a life partner who supports your every dream, goal and aspiration, I suggest you not read any further—you will not be happy with what I have to say. If, on the other hand, you are interested in sustaining a long-term union with a person with shared priorities and values, I suggest you learn to view marriage as a successful business partnership. I do not share this advice lightly.

A new couple moved into the neighborhood, and all of a sudden, you and your husband are their new "besties." Within weeks, you’re not only back and forth at each other’s homes for barbecues, dinners and game-day, but you’re heavy into discussions about vacationing together, and even considering setting up a business together.

This couple is fun! They're dynamic, exciting, and they seem to have reinvigorated your own marriage, which compared to their lighthearted style, felt stale. You and your husband feel more enthusiastic about life and each other than you have in years.

The rise of remote workers, location independent lifestyles, and online work has made it easier than ever to untether from the desk and get on the road. And remote, flexible work isn’t just on an adventurous employee’s wish list. Hiring managers are looking to fill the skill gap and meet the demands of workers who want more flexibility in where they work. According to the 1,000 hiring managers surveyed in Upwork's Future Workforce Report, 59 percent said they're using freelance and contract workers and predict that number will increase 168 percent over the next decade. Whether you want the freedom to hike on a random afternoon in your own area, or hit the road and fulfill your bucket list, you can earn as you go and support your wanderlust.

Sleep. All business leaders need it, most crave it, but throngs don’t get the kind of restorative and rehabilitative sleep required to optimize mental clarity, focus, ideation, awareness, productivity and overall job performance. The result is egregious opportunity loss relative to realizing one’s full leadership potential. In addition to the CDC declaring "insufficient sleep an "important public health concern," a RAND Corporation study sheds more ominous light on the issue, finding that business losses in the U.S. resulting from deficient sleep reaches a staggering $411 billion (2.28 percent of its GDP)—the highest economic loss incidence of the countries studied.