If your team is still using a clipboard with physical checklists, it's time to upgrade to a digital format because a clipboard mentality can hamper creativity. "Clipboard-based management forces people to think in terms of fixed routines and processes," writes Chris Turlica, CEO of MaintainX. "Mobile workers need the freedom to color outside the lines in response to new challenges."
Listening, offering flexibility and acknowledging success are just a few simple ways leaders can show appreciation for employees, writes Cindy McGovern. "Allowing staff members to react according to their own consciences and then rewarding them when they do can encourage more helpful behavior -- and get the company some positive publicity in the process," she writes.
As the holiday season ramps up, so will online shopping by remote workers, which can be problematic for managers and productivity. Managers can control this by allowing a reasonable amount of time for workers to shop or banning shopping during work hours.
As Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo explains, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for the vast majority of US venture capital to be sequestered in just a handful of locations like Silicon Valley, New York City and Boston. This video, which also features AOL founder Steve Case, explores efforts to expand the number of cities and regions that are home to the talent and capital needed to nurture entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The Conference Board's consumer confidence index has fallen to 96.1 for the month, from 101.4 in October, lower than the 98 predicted by economists. However, the closing date for compiling the data was Nov. 13, before the release of more encouraging news on coronavirus vaccines.
July 23, 1990, is a not-so-tasty day in the history of fast food. That's the day McDonald's changed its revered french fry recipe. This account of one person's quest to locate the secretive recipe and recreate it is worth a read -- especially if you find yourself with extra potatoes in your kitchen this weekend.
