All Activity

The real estate industry has paid over $1 billion in combined settlements in the longstanding cases from home sellers challenging commissions payments. View the full article

The rate impact has been real, but the capital implications do little to change all the "moving parts" in plans for the government-sponsored enterprises. View the full article

With an upcoming FIFA World Cup being staged across the nation, 2026 was supposed to be a bumper year for tourism to the United States, driven in part by hordes of arriving soccer fans. And yet, the U.S. tourism industry is worried. While the rest of the world saw a travel bump in 2025, with global international arrivals up 4%, the U.S. saw a downturn. The number of foreign tourists who came to the United States fell by 5.4% during the year—a sharper decline than the one experienced in 2017-18, the last time, outside the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, that the industry was gripped by fears of a travel slump. Policy stances from the The President administration on everything from immigration to tariffs, along with currency swings and stricter border controls, have seemingly proved a turnoff to travelers from other countries, especially Canadians—the single largest source of foreign tourists for the United States. Canadian travel to the U.S. fell by close to 30% in 2025. But it is not just visitors from Canada who are choosing to avoid the United States. Travel from Australia, India, and Western Europe, among others, has also shrunk. We are experts in tourism. And while we don’t possess a crystal ball, we believe that the tourism decline of 2025 could well continue through 2026. The evidence appears clear: Washington’s ongoing policies are putting off would-be travelers. In other words, the tourism industry is in the midst of a “The President slump.” Fewer Canadians heading south The impact of Donald The President’s policies are perhaps most pronounced when looking north of the U.S. border. According to the U.S. Travel Association, Canadian visitors generated approximately 20.4 million visits and roughly $20.5 billion in visitor spending in 2024, supporting about 140,000 American jobs. The economic impact of fewer Canadian visitors in 2025 affects mostly border states that depend heavily on people driving across the border for retail, restaurants, casinos, and short-stay hotels. The sharp drop in return trips by car to Canada is a direct indication that border economies might be facing stress. This has led elected officials and tourism professionals to woo Canadians in recent months, sometimes with “Canadian-only deals.” And it isn’t just border states. In Las Vegas, some hotels are now offering currency rate parity between Canadian and U.S. dollars for rooms and gambling vouchers in a bid to attract customers. Winter-sun states, such as Florida, Arizona, and California, are facing both fewer short-stay arrivals and an emerging drop-off in Canadian “snowbirds.” Reports indicate a noticeable increase in Canadians listing U.S. properties in Florida and Arizona for sale and canceling seasonal plans, threatening lodging, health care spending, and property tax revenue. Economic and safety concerns Economic policies pursued by the The President administration appear to be among the main reasons visitors are staying away from the United States. Multiple tariff announcements—pushing tariffs to the highest levels since 1935—along with tougher border-related rhetoric and an aggressive foreign policy have contributed to a negative perception of the U.S. among would-be tourists. Many foreigners report feeling unwelcome or uncertain about travel to the U.S., and some public leaders from Canada and Europe have urged citizens to spend domestically, instead. This significantly reduced intent to travel to the U.S. in 2025. Meanwhile, exchange rates and inflation have further affected some aspiring travelers, especially Canadians. The Canadian dollar was weakened in 2025, making U.S. trips more expensive. This disproportionately affected day-trip and shopping-driven border crossings. Travelers are also staying away from the U.S. because of safety concerns. Several countries have posted travel advisories about the risks of traveling to the U.S., with Germany being the latest. Although most worries are related to increased border controls, recent aggressive tactics by immigration agents have added to potential visitors’ decisions to avoid the U.S. A “wake-up call” for the U.S. The current tourism outlook is reason for concern. Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the industry association World Travel and Tourism Council, has described the situation as a “wake-up call” for the U.S. government. “The world’s biggest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction,” she said in May 2025. “While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign.” According to estimates, the U.S. stood to lose about $30 billion in international tourism in 2025 as travelers chose to travel elsewhere. The disappointing figures for U.S. tourism follow a longer trend. The share of global international travel heading to the U.S. fell from 8.4% in 1996 to 4.9% in 2024 and was expected to drop to 4.8% in 2025. Meanwhile, arrivals to other top tourism destinations, including France, Greece, Mexico and Italy, are set to increase. The decline is also being felt by the business tourism sector, with every major global region sending fewer people to the U.S. for work. A World Cup bump? So what does that mean for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, with 75% of the soccer matches being hosted across the United States? Traditionally, host nations benefit from sports events, although impacts are often overestimated. After a disappointing year, the U.S. tourism sector expects the World Cup to boost visits and revenue. But The President’s foreign policy may undermine those expectations. A new visa integrity fee of $250 and plans for social media screening of some visitors make travel to the U.S. less attractive. And there are growing calls for a boycott of the U.S. following some of The President’s policies, including his aggressive stance about Greenland. Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has suggested that fans avoid going to the U.S. for the World Cup. It remains to be seen whether fans will follow his call. Bookings for flights and hotels were up after the dates and venues of games were announced in December. But current political rhetoric is affecting travel decisions, especially given that fans from some specific countries may not be able to get visas. The U.S. government has imposed travel bans on Senegal, Ivory Coast, Iran, and Haiti, all of which have qualified for the World Cup. European soccer leaders have even discussed the possibility of a boycott, although such an action is unlikely to happen, given the revenue at stake for national teams and football associations. Will the “The President slump” continue? White House policies look unlikely to drastically change in the next few months. And this causes concern for tourism professionals, although most have remained silent about the recent immigration crackdown. To make matters worse, federal funding for Brand USA, the national destination marketing organization, was cut deeply in mid-2025, leading to staff shortages that have reduced the country’s capacity to counter negative sentiment through positive promotion. Soccer fans tend to be passionate about following their national side. And this could offset some of the impact of the The President travel slump. Yet, with sky-high match ticket prices and the international reputation of the U.S. as a tourism destination damaged, we believe it is unlikely that the tourism industry will recover in 2026. It will take a long time and good strategies to repair the serious damage done to the nation’s image among travelers in the rest of the world. Frédéric Dimanche is a professor and former director (2015-2025) of the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. Kelley A. McClinchey is on the teaching faculty of geography and environmental studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

As the The President administration’s crackdown on immigration continues, keeping up with Immigrations and Custom Enforcement can feel like navigating a maze. From stories of agents raiding worksites and taking children in broad daylight to reported plans for new detention centers, the daily onslaught of alarming news makes it difficult to see the full picture of ICE’s actions at any given moment. Data journalist Michael Sparks is working on a solution. Sparks is a cartographer and coding editor at the Outlaw Ocean Project, a nonprofit journalism organization producing investigative stories about human rights, labor, and environmental concerns at sea. He’s applied skills from that role to create a new investigative database, “The Machinery of Mass Detention: A Record of What Has Been Lost,” designed as a centralized place to get updates on ICE’s movements. The database, which is housed at icetracking.org, includes continuously updating sections that track statistics like the total number of people currently detained by the U.S., the percentage of people held in ICE facilities with no criminal record, and the number of people who have died in ICE custody in the past month and year. The information is presented in succinct sections with citations from major news outlets that are easily fact-checked. Icetracking.org is a devastating but necessary resource to keep the public informed on the state of the administration’s immigration crackdown from a macro perspective, rather than simply in constant bursts of new information. icetracking.org How one data journalist is keeping track of ICE In his day job at the Outlaw Ocean Project, Sparks uses tens of thousands of government documents, news articles, and social media posts to build databases of environmental and human rights abuses at sea. Before that, he served as a product developer at The New York Times for four years, where he honed his data storytelling skills. Sparks says he felt compelled to use his skillset to hold power to account after Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed by ICE officers in January. “I knew there was another vast amount of cruelty happening all over the country, and wanted people to realize that,” he says. Sparks took a little less than three weeks from starting the site to debuting it this week. It’s essentially a database composed of aggregated reports and stories from national outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CBS News, as well as local sources like Tulsa World, Houston Chronicle, and The Minnesota Star Tribune. The tracker’s code is programmed to send Sparks a list of relevant articles from these trusted sites every 48 hours, which he then manually approves or rejects, writes up a summary, and uses to update the site. In a memo at the bottom of the site, Sparks emphasizes the human toll behind the database: “What the numbers cannot capture is the texture of individual lives disrupted—the five-year-old taken from his walk home from school, the nurse shot dead while filming a protest, the grandmother detained at a routine government appointment. These cases, documented in the sections that follow, are not abstractions. They are the human particulars of a policy that has reshaped the landscape of American civil liberties.” icetracking.org “I want people to feel emotion and be motivated to act” Icetracking.org’s true impact rests in the way it displays information. Sparks says he pulled inspiration from The New Yorker’s UX for his design, opting for a simple color palette of white and black with pops of red for the most important information, and organizing the whole page into clear sections. When people first open icetracking.org, they see a succinct layout of seven key statistics, including the total number of people currently detained by ICE (around 73,000); the percentage of those being held with no criminal convictions (73.6%); and the number of people who died in ICE custody in 2025 (32, with 2026 expected to be even worse). Sparks says he updates these statistics any time one of his trusted sources publishes a new estimate. Users can then navigate to a header bar, organized by sections, for more information on each of the categories. Each subcategory similarly opens with a layout of the most significant statistics, followed by links to top articles. For one section, titled “Corporate Network: Who Profits From ICE,” Sparks created a color-coded chart to track the kinds of companies that have provided funding or support to ICE, as well as the scale of their contributions. These include the detention facility contractor GEO Group, the AI technologies company Palantir, and the tactical communications service CACI International. “The corporate network felt super important,” Sparks says. “These are detention ‘networks.’ Donald The President and Stephen Miller are not doing this themselves. This section deserves a lot more reporting that, in an ideal world, I could do.” So far, Sparks says, the reaction to the tool has been a mix of gratitude and horror at seeing this information presented in one place. “To be honest, that’s the kind of response I’m looking for,” he says. “I want people to feel emotion and be motivated to act.” View the full article

When we minimize our suffering with statements like “I shouldn’t complain—others have it much harder than me,” it can seem evolved, empathetic, even wise. In professional culture, this phrase often earns admiration. It signals gratitude, resilience, and perspective. However, beneath that polished humility lies a psychological defense mechanism that can quietly block emotional growth. That mindset reflects a subtle form of emotional bypassing, which is the tendency to sidestep uncomfortable emotions by rationalizing them away. This ends up muting, rather than healing. It may seem like a sign of maturity. However, empathy bypassing often prevents us from engaging honestly with our own reality, particularly in high-performance environments where vulnerability already feels risky. The psychology of bypassing The term bypassing comes from psychologist John Welwood, who described spiritual bypassing in the 1980s as the use of spiritual or moral reasoning to avoid painful emotions. In modern workplaces, bypassing shows up less as spirituality and more as rationalization. It’s the act of layering gratitude or perspective over stress until feelings become invisible. Bypassing certainly played a part in my journey toward a catastrophic burnout as a corporate finance lawyer. When colleagues around me experienced layoffs, I buried my misery. Complaining about my situation as a high-flying young solicitor at a Magic Circle firm felt indulgent, and potentially dangerous to my career. This kind of thinking might seem admirable, but research shows that emotional suppression increases stress responses rather than soothing them. Avoidance may feel like composure in the short term, but over time, failing to acknowledge what we’re feeling can amplify pressure and fatigue. Why ‘others have it harder’ feels so right to say It’s easy to see why this phraseology feels comforting. After all, it comes with values we admire—gratitude, compassion, and humility. Recognizing that others face greater obstacles fosters perspective and keeps self-pity in check, which are two vital traits for emotional intelligence. However, when this sentiment becomes habitual, it can cross an invisible line from awareness to avoidance. Psychologist Kristin Neff notes that true self-compassion depends on acknowledging suffering—not ranking it. When we tell ourselves our pain is less valid because others have it worse, we’re confusing empathy with denial. We treat compassion as a zero-sum game, where we see attending to our own emotions as somehow stealing from others. In truth, self-compassion is critical to our capacity to express compassion to those around us. By acknowledging our own pain, we improve our ability to have a genuine understanding of another’s. When empathy becomes avoidance Empathy bypassing is one of the most elegant—and dangerous—forms of denial. When we minimize our emotions, we distort the feedback loop that helps us understand our limits and boundaries. Over time, what begins as realism morphs into guilt. A 2019 study found that people who habitually minimize their own distress report greater anxiety and reduced well-being. The protective act of “keeping perspective” can end up silently draining your mental health. In professional settings, this often manifests as people downplaying the level of stress they’re experiencing or leaders who feel undeserving of support. They tell themselves they’re “grateful”—but that gratitude quietly erases their need for care. It causes us to isolate, creating even further harm. I’ve noticed this tendency in myself recently in light of global events. Gratitude is an invaluable psychological experience, and building it consciously improves perspective. But when it acts as a lightning rod for all our suffering, it can drastically undermine our emotional well-being. The paradox is that when we’re empathy bypassing, we seem composed. In fact, the opposite is happening; we’re actually detached. It might look like strength, but it’s often suppression. And while culture might reward suppression, it actually ends up reducing both resilience and innovation, which are two qualities that workforces rely on most. The cultural cost of constant perspective Many organizations unintentionally reinforce this pattern through what might be called performative positivity. Gratitude campaigns, “resilience bootcamps,” and culture slogans about toughness can (if you don’t implement them effectively) make emotional honesty feel out of bounds at work. When “others have it harder” becomes an unspoken moral code, employees begin to silence legitimate concerns. Burnout turns into a badge of endurance. People start seeing expressions of vulnerability as complaints. The result is a well-intentioned culture that values gratitude—but punishes truth. This is where psychological safety comes in. Workplaces where people feel free to express emotions and admit struggle are more collaborative and productive. When employees believe that only unshakeable optimism is acceptable, performance may rise temporarily, but authenticity declines. This leads to a slow erosion of trust disguised as high engagement. The key to balancing gratitude and honesty To move past self-bypassing, we need to treat empathy for others and honesty with ourselves as complementary, not contradictory. The key is integration and allowing multiple realities to exist at once. We can be grateful for having work and still find that work exhausting. We can recognize that someone else is struggling more severely and still acknowledge our frustration or disappointment. Emotional integrity lies in holding both truths without collapsing one into the other. Practicing a more honest form of kindness So how can professionals engage with their struggles without slipping into self-erasure? Start by noticing how often gratitude includes a “but.” Instead of thinking, “I’m stressed, but others have it worse,” try, “I’m stressed, and others have it worse.” That small change—replacing but with and—creates space for paradox and complexity. It permits you to feel what’s true without diminishing empathy for others. Leaders can model this integration publicly. Admitting limits isn’t weakness: it’s acknowledging psychological reality. By acknowledging your own pressures without minimizing them, you create environments where emotional honesty coexists with performance. Plenty of research shows that self-compassion actually strengthens motivation and resilience, not erodes them. The same principle applies across teams: Acknowledging difficulty deepens accountability, because people who feel seen and valued tend to feel engaged, too. The importance of feeling fully There’s nothing inherently wrong with acknowledging that “others have it harder”—but kindness without self-inclusion becomes self-neglect. In a culture obsessed with optimism, the quiet act of acknowledging one’s limits can be a radical form of strength. You don’t build real resilience through comparison, you forge it through integration—the ability to stand firmly in one’s humanity, even when others’ suffering looms larger. When we stop ranking pain and start recognizing it, we trade moral comfort for genuine integrity. And in doing so, we not only become kinder humans—we become more honest ones too. View the full article

The legend of Sisyphus goes like this: As punishment for cheating death and embarrassing the gods, he is banished to the underworld and sentenced to push a boulder up a hill. As Sisyphus nears the peak, the boulder rolls back down, and he must start over. And the episode repeats for eternity. I risk sounding melodramatic by comparing this story to the plight of the employed in 2026. Fair enough. But consider, if you will, the cycles in which a modern worker finds herself. She masters a new skill, and it’s deemed outdated. She learns a new software, and is told to use a different one. She gets a new boss, and the company is reorganized. She applies for a job, and gets no response. She lands a new job, and the job is dissolved. The dark core of the story of Sisyphus is not that his toil is repetitive or even that it’s eternal. It’s that the work is erased as soon as it’s done. The punishment—apparently the worst that the Greek gods could think of—is to accomplish nothing. If our skills and our jobs and the fruits of our labor are simply meaningless, are we not also climbing that hill with our own boulders? The problem of change fatigue Change fatigue is just that: fatigue. This has been studied, quite extensively, by psychologists. A 2024 long-term study of more than 50,000 workers in Germany found that organizational changes—like reorgs, layoffs, outsourcing, and mergers—are linked to things like sleep disturbance, nervousness, tiredness, and depression, and that the more changes an individual undergoes, the more likely they are to have these symptoms. “Organizational change is often implemented at the cost of employees’ working conditions and health,” the researchers conclude. Dutch academics studied the effects of repeated changes in a big European bank (they wouldn’t say which one) and found that the more change that workers experienced, the more likely they were to feel change fatigue. And the more fatigued they felt, the more likely they were to resist the next change. The more resistant employees became, the less likely it was that the company’s changes would succeed. But even those who supported the goals of the change were just as resistant as their unsupportive coworkers. The problem wasn’t the change itself; it was the knowledge that another change would come along right after it, wiping out the last. The company couldn’t be trusted. Says the employee to the employer: It’s not me; it’s you. A 2026 report from McLean & Company called change fatigue “an operational nightmare.” The scholars who studied the relationship between repetitive changes and employee resistance likened executives’ tendency to reorganize to a gambling habit. When there is no achievement—only work Work is becoming less repetitive. Automation and reorgs and reskilling mean that what we did yesterday, or the way we did it, is not what we’ll do tomorrow. Software engineers don’t have to write every line of code, recruiters don’t have to review every application, and customer service reps no longer have to review and tag every ticket—an AI agent can do all of that. So the ennui felt in the modern workplace is not the result of tedium, but of constant change that wipes out the progress of the individual. Why climb yet another hill only to find yourself at the bottom again? There is no achievement—only work. In 1942’s The Myth of Sisyphus, philosopher Albert Camus describes two natural responses to the meaninglessness of toil: that the suffering will either redeem or defeat. But he prescribes something else: defiance. Camus believed that the most important part of the story is when Sisyphus descends the hill, fully aware of the useless task ahead. What is he thinking? “One must imagine Sisyphus happy,” he writes, not glibly. Happy, because he recognizes how absurd his situation is. Happy, because he is free from illusion. That’s Camus’ definition of defiance. Defiance for the 21st century worker may be rejecting the illusion that work must be meaningful to make the worker meaningful. The gods in the myth of Sisyphus demanded the climb. Today’s gods demand the climb, but also the method, the enthusiasm, and the willingness to pretend it will last. They should not be surprised when workers stop pretending. View the full article

On February 10, the Environmental Protection Agency said it would ditch its “endangerment finding”—the mechanism that allows the government to regulate climate pollution. It’s “the single biggest attack in U.S. history on federal authority to tackle the climate crisis,” Manish Bapna, president and CEO of the environmental nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a recent press briefing. Here’s a brief primer on what the rule is and what the repeal might mean. What is the endangerment finding? In 2009, the EPA issued a ruling saying that six greenhouse gases—including carbon dioxide and methane—were a danger to public health and welfare, citing a mountain of scientific evidence. The EPA issues similar “endangerment findings” for every pollutant it regulates, from mercury to ozone. (In the case of greenhouse gases, it’s known as the endangerment finding because it was a landmark decision.) Once an endangerment finding is in place, the EPA is required to regulate the pollutant and propose emission standards. What led up to it? When the Clean Air Act passed in 1970, it tasked the EPA with regulating pollutants that threaten health or welfare—including the climate. The agency didn’t initially regulate greenhouse gases, but in the late 1990s it acknowledged it had the authority to act. In 2003, the Bush EPA reversed course, declaring that CO2 and other greenhouse gases weren’t air pollutants. The Supreme Court overruled that four years later, calling greenhouse gases “unambiguously” pollutants and ordering the EPA to act on science and set vehicle standards. What regulations did it help create? In 2023, the EPA finalized a rule to reduce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, at oil and gas plants. In 2024, the agency created rules to tackle greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, which are responsible for around a quarter of the country’s climate pollution. The EPA also finalized “clean cars” standards to reduce pollution from passenger cars, light trucks, and vans, and new standards for heavy-duty trucks; transportation accounts for around 28% of U.S. emissions. Now what? The repeal is specifically tied to vehicle emission standards, so that’s what the administration will try to ditch next. Although the methane and power plant regulations also rely on the endangerment finding, those will take extra steps to undo. (It’s worth noting, however, that the EPA has already proposed getting rid of the power plant regulations and delayed implementing the methane rule.) It’s likely that the changes could eventually fail in court; since 2009, the impacts from climate change have become even more obvious, from more extreme heat waves to more destructive wildfires, storms, and rising seas. The The President administration is recycling the Bush administration’s arguments that CO2 and other greenhouse gases aren’t air pollutants, which the Supreme Court already rejected. What do the changes mean for business? Some automakers, including Ford, have argued for stability in greenhouse gas regulations and supported the EPA’s vehicle emission standards. Regulatory uncertainty makes it harder for companies to plan. “Undermining the endangerment finding would create more chaos, risk, and uncertainty for businesses already grappling with rising costs, extreme weather, and market volatility,” says Sean Hackett, a senior manager for energy transition at the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund. “We’re thinking about it within the bigger context that this rollback is just the latest in the series of actions that threaten business stability, investment, and innovation.” The American Petroleum Institute has said that although it supports the repeal of emission standards for vehicles, it believes that the EPA has the authority to regulate climate pollution from power plants and other stationary sources. (Legal experts from the Natural Resources Defense Council argue that there isn’t a distinction, and that both types of pollution can be regulated.) API supports methane regulations and says that the industry is working to reduce emissions. For automakers that are already dealing with the loss of EV incentives, it’s one more factor that could push American companies further behind global competitors that are moving to electric cars. “Repealing the finding doesn’t remove climate risk or investor expectations or global market demands—what it does do is it removes that stable federal reference point that companies use to plan,” Hackett says. “The regulatory whiplash from removing the endangerment finding would make it harder to sequence their investments in things like engines, batteries, supply chains, and workforce training. Then that uncertainty itself becomes a material financial risk.” View the full article

Medicare has launched a six-year pilot program that could eventually transform access to healthcare for some of the millions of people across the U.S. who rely on it for their health insurance coverage. Traditional Medicare is a government-administered insurance plan for people over 65 or with disabilities. About half of the 67 million Americans insured through Medicare have this coverage. The rest have Medicare Advantage plans administered by private companies. The pilot program, dubbed the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model, is an experimental program that began to affect people enrolled in traditional Medicare from six states in January 2026. During this pilot, medical providers must apply for permission, or prior authorization, before giving 14 kinds of health procedures and devices. The program uses artificial intelligence software to identify treatment requests it deems unnecessary or harmful and denies them. This is similar to the way many Medicare Advantage plans work. As health economists who have studied Medicare and the use of AI in prior authorization, we believe this pilot could save Medicare money, but it should be closely monitored to ensure that it does not harm the health of patients enrolled in the traditional Medicare program. Prior authorization The pilot marks a dramatic change. Unlike other types of health insurance, including Medicare Advantage, traditional Medicare generally does not require healthcare providers to submit requests for Medicare to authorize the treatments they recommend to patients. Requiring prior authorization for these procedures and devices could reduce wasteful spending and help patients by steering them away from unnecessary treatments. However, there is a risk that it could also delay or interfere with some necessary care and add to the paperwork providers must contend with. Prior authorization is widely used by Medicare Advantage plans. Many insurance companies hire technology firms to make prior authorization decisions for their Medicare Advantage plans. Pilots are a key way that Medicare improves its services. Medicare tests changes on a small number of people or providers to see whether they should be implemented more broadly. The six states participating are Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington. The 14 services that require prior authorization during this pilot include steroid injections for pain management and incontinence-control devices. The pilot ends December 2031. If the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which administers Medicare, deems the pilot successful, the Department of Health and Human Services could expand the program to include more procedures and more states. Introducing a hurdle This pilot isn’t changing the rules for what traditional Medicare covers. Instead, it adds an extra hurdle for medical providers before they can administer, for example, arthroscopic treatment for an osteoarthritic knee. If Medicare issues a denial rather than authorizing the service, the patient goes without that treatment unless their provider files an appeal and prevails. Medicare has hired tech companies to do the work of denying or approving prior authorization requests, with the aid of artificial intelligence. Many of these are the same companies that do prior authorizations for Medicare Advantage plans. The government pays the companies a percentage of what Medicare would have spent on the denied treatments. This means companies are paid more when they deny more prior authorization requests. Medicare monitors the pilot program for inappropriate denials. What to watch for Past research has shown that when insurers require prior authorization, the people they cover get fewer services. This pilot is likely to reduce treatments and Medicare spending, though how much remains unknown. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services chose the services targeted by the pilot because there is evidence they are given excessively in many cases. If the program denies cases where a health service is inappropriate, or of “low value” for a patient’s health, people enrolled in traditional Medicare could benefit. But for each treatment targeted by the pilot, there are some cases where that kind of healthcare is necessary. If the program’s AI-based decision method has trouble identifying these necessary cases and denies them, people could lose access to care they need. The pilot also adds to the paperwork that medical providers must do. Paperwork is already a major burden for providers and contributes to burnout. AI’s role No matter how the government evaluates prior authorizations, we think this pilot is likely to reduce the use of the targeted treatments. The impact of using AI to evaluate these prior authorizations is unclear. AI could allow tech companies to automatically approve more cases, which could speed up decisions. However, companies could use the time saved by AI to put more effort into having people review cases flagged by AI, which could increase denials. Many private insurers already use AI for Medicare Advantage prior authorization decisions, although there has been limited research on these models, and little is known about how accurate AI is for this purpose. What evidence there is suggests that AI-aided prior authorization leads to higher denial rates and larger reductions in healthcare use than when insurers make prior authorization decisions without using AI. The bottom line Any money the government saves during the pilot will depend on whether and how frequently these treatments are used inappropriately and how aggressively tech companies deny care. In our view, this pilot will likely create winners and losers. Tech companies may benefit financially, though how much will depend on how big the treatment reductions are. But medical providers will have more paperwork to deal with and will get paid less if some of their Medicare requests are denied. The impact on patients will depend on how well tech companies identify care that probably would be unnecessary and avoid denying care that is essential. Taxpayers, who pay into Medicare during their working years, stand to benefit if the pilot can cut long-term Medicare costs—an important goal, given Medicare’s growing budget crisis. Like in Medicare Advantage, savings from prior authorization requirements in this pilot are split with private companies. Unlike in Medicare Advantage, however, this split is based on a fixed, observable percentage so that payments to private companies cannot exceed total savings, and the benefits of the program are easier for Medicare to quantify. In our view, given the potential trade-offs, Medicare will need to evaluate the results of this pilot carefully before expanding it to more states—especially if it also expands the program to include services where unnecessary care is less common. Grace Mackleby is a research scientist of health policy and economics at the University of Southern California. Jeff Marr is an assistant professor of health services, policy, and practice at Brown University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

New data shows that most web pages fall well below Googlebot's two-megabyte crawl limit. The post New Data Shows Googlebot’s 2 MB Crawl Limit Is Enough appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Tried and tested strategies for growing your following on Threads, with insider tips from the Threads team. There's no doubt about it: Threads is here to stay. After a record-breaking start, Threads is fast proving that it was no fly-by-night fad but a force to be reckoned with among the other social media giants. Threads by Instagram now has 400 million monthly active users and counting. To put that into perspective, that's a little over a third of X's (formerly Twitter) monthly active users of 550 million — and X has a good 16 years on Threads. If you’re a creator, marketer, or business owner, growing an audience on the platform is well worth it. Especially if you’re interested in having conversations with new audiences — rather than just broadcasting at them. If that sounds like you, here’s help: both from the pro-Threaders on the Buffer team, and straight from the folks at Threads themselves. A few months back, I had a fascinating chat with Etienne Blanc, Product Marketing Manager at Threads. It's a must-watch for creators and brands looking to learn more about how to get more followers on Threads. Buffer users are big fans of the platform, too. Plenty of Bufferoos have become regular users, with my teammates finding success (and building Threads communities) in some niches. Head of Communications and Content Hailley Griffis has loved connecting with other moms. Staff Product Manager and alt-rock musician Brandon Green gained over 2,000 followers in just a few months Threads. Senior product marketer Michael Eckstein had a Threads post go completely viral, gaining more than 7 million impressions. This article brings all of that knowledge into one place. Are you ready to build an audience on Threads? Let’s go. Key takeawaysCross-promote: Share your Threads posts to Instagram Stories and other social platforms — it's the fastest way to bring your existing audience over.Conversation is everything: Threads rewards posts that spark dialogue. Replying to comments on your own posts can boost engagement by up to 42%, and jumping into other people's threads can be just as effective as posting original content.Post often: Successful Threads creators post anywhere from 1 to 3+ times per day, and replies on other people's posts count toward that total.Lean into your niche: Use Threads tags to connect with like-minded people and establish authority in a specific topic area.Keep it real: Authenticity and vulnerability outperform polished, promotional content. Pin your promotional threads to your profile instead of broadcasting them.Watch what's trending: Tap into Threads' trending topics feature (available in Buffer, too) to jump into conversations while they're hot — but only when you have something genuine to add. Jump to a section: 1. Tell your existing followers you’re on Threads 2. Find your niche 3. Spark conversations 4. Tap into Trending Topics 5. Use other popular tags and formats, too 6. Be authentic and helpful 7. Post consistently 8. Don’t be overly promotional 9. Experiment with different formats 10. Post at the right time More Threads resources 1. Tell your existing followers you’re on ThreadsLet’s start with the quick win: Tell the audiences you’ve already built exactly where to find you on Threads — and make it effortless for them to hit Follow. Add the Threads badge to your Instagram bio.Share a post or an Instagram Story with a direct link to your new profile.Drop the link on your other active channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, X) so no one misses your posts.Threads and Instagram integrate really well, which makes crossposting between the two platforms super easy. Tap the paper plane icon below any threads you post to share them to your Instagram Stories or straight to your feed. Your content will appear over a Threads background like the one below (but note that any media you add won't be automatically shared as a regular feed post). When someone taps on the thread in your Instagram Story, they'll land right on your Threads feed — so if you're looking to drive traffic there, stories are a great place to start. It's worth letting your followers on other social platforms know they can find you on Threads, too — especially if you're leaving those platforms to focus on Threads. Social Media Consultant Matt Navarra, a formerly avid tweeter, ditched X in favor of Threads several months back and ensured his X followers knew how to find him by amending his bio and handle. Your announcement doesn't have to be quite as all-or-nothing. An occasional tweet or LinkedIn post letting people know you're on Threads — and what you'll be sharing there — can help grow your following. 2. Find your nichePick one topic (or a tight cluster of topics) you want to be known for, and weave those keywords into nearly every post. Brandon has found particular success from “leaning hard into a niche,” he says. The beauty of Threads is that even the nichest of niches are finding a home and target audience. For Brandon, that's being a “music theory nerd with specific tastes, but also working in tech.” “Being vulnerable about those things seems to resonate strongly,” he adds. “This shows up not just in likes and follows but also in the types of replies, which are often much more conversational.” Not sure where to focus? We've got a guide to help you identify your content pillars — it's a great starting point for building out your Threads strategy Once you've found your niche (or a few) to focus on, it's time to tap into tags. Threads tags are hashtags — with a twist. Unlike on other platforms, Threads tags function more like topics than just a filtered search. The goal, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri shared in an update, was to “help us build a space that really fosters healthy conversation.” And it's working really well. Tags are a great way to find other people in your niches (and grow your following in the process). “Using tags has helped me connect with like-minded individuals in specific spaces,” Staff Product Manager Amanda Marochko says. “I'm being more intentional about who I'm following on Threads versus how I've approached it on other networks, really looking to follow other individuals in the Product Management space or those who work in social media.” Hailley agrees. She sees tags as a way to “position a thought to an intended audience.” “This seems to yield wider reach and engagement,” she says. “I know if I post something with a tag, I'll get folks who also interact with that tag to engage.” 3. Spark conversationsOn Threads, comments matter — a lot. Threads is "a real-time conversation app," Emily Dalton Smith, a VP of product management at Meta and the head of Threads, told Business Insider. Threads posts that "drive conversations are more likely to get recommended," the company says. In my chat with Etienne Blanc, Product Marketing Manager at Threads, this is something that came up a lot. "Really try sparking conversations by sharing your everyday thoughts," he said. "Ask other people to weigh in, react, and give their opinion." It’s also crucial to respond to replies you get on your Threads posts. A 2025 study by Buffer’s data scientist, Julian Winternheimer found that replying on your own posts can boost engagement by a whopping 42%. Per post! Etienne stressed this, too. "Threads is a public conversation app — it's not only about top-level posts but also replies. This might be even more important in terms of building community." Creating brand-new content isn't always the answer — I've seen this firsthand. I’ve found that jumping into the comments and (thoughtfully!) weighing in on other threads in my niche can be just as effective at growing my following as sharing original content. For example, while the comment below didn't get much engagement, I woke up to find a flurry of notifications after sharing my thoughts on a thread started by one of my favorite creators. And it took way less time and energy than creating something from scratch. 4. Tap into Trending TopicsThreads moves fast — much like the breaking-news culture on X. People hop on the app to swap takes on whatever’s happening right now. But how do you figure out what topics are bubbling up in feeds? Well, a recent update from Threads made this even easier: Trending Topics. You’ll find them at threads.com/search, before you enter any search terms. The feature is currently only available in certain regions, but users from all over the world can also find them right in Buffer. Just last week, Michael used Trending Topics in Buffer to weigh in on a trending topic, netting him 54K views in a matter of hours. “I saw ‘Quantum physics’ trending and thought, ‘Well, this could be interesting.’ I'm no physicist, but I've watched enough sci-fi to have opinions. I brainstormed a post that was equal parts curious and tongue-in-cheek, hit send, and went to bed,” he says. “I woke up to 54,000 views and 90+ reposts.” Phew! A word to the wise, though: don’t force it. Etienne advised that creators "chime in on cultural moments where discussions are happening to give your own take," so that you're meaningfully contributing to those discussions. Mike regularly shares tongue-in-cheek posts like this, so it worked for him. Our best advice is to keep an eye on these trending topics and jump in fast when you have something valuable to add. It’s a great way to boost your content's visibility. 5. Use other popular tags and formats, tooTopics don’t have to be on the trending list to be worth trying. There are loads of tags and text formats that have yielded a flurry of activity on the channel and could help you reach a new audience — but only when done right. “#Womensupportingwomen has been excellent for me,” Hailley says. “I specifically called out connecting with other moms as I don’t have that on other social networks, and that helped curate the list of folks I followed a little better.” Hailley also shared an “Algorithm, connect me with people who like...” and it yielded plenty of engagement and new followers. “It’s almost my top-performing post and still gets engagement two weeks later (I have it pinned, though). I’ve seen threads like that do very well.” Another trend Hailley taps into is #GoodMorning and #GoodNight, which she uses to share thoughts about the goings-on and rituals she has during her day. This offers another opportunity to be authentic and offer up a point of genuine connection for new followers. 6. Be authentic and helpfulYou've probably noticed this too: Threads feels different from other social platforms. Your experience will vary based on what the algorithm shows you, but I've found Threads to be a lot more… wholesome? than other platforms. Designer and Threads user Dannielle Cresp agreed — she shared some valuable insights with me about it in a great chat (you guessed it) on Threads. “For me, it's about interacting with a sense of community and choosing to be both kind and helpful. It can be a friendly and welcoming space if you curate with that in mind.” Brandon's seen similar results with vulnerability and authenticity. Here's how he puts it: “Posting things that are thought-provoking and showing (the weirder sides of) my personality. Threads definitely feels like a people-first platform, at least for now.” 7. Post consistentlyConsistency is the algorithm’s love language — the more regularly you show up, the more often your posts land in fresh feeds. While posting daily or even a couple of times a week seems to work well when it comes to increasing followers on LinkedIn or growing on Instagram, Threads seems to require a higher volume of posts for growth than other social media platforms. Threads requires a higher volume of activity than other platforms. Here is what our team recommends based on their growth: Faster growth: 3+ posts per daySteady growth: 2–3 posts per day.Minimum activity: At least 1 post per day to maintain visibility.Good news: Your replies on other people’s posts count towards that total, too! 🌱Need help staying consistent? Buffer has got you. Maintain your posting 'streak' and set custom posting goals for up to 3 platforms — free. Get started here →8. Don’t be overly promotionalBrands on Threads quickly discovered that marketing-heavy content doesn't perform well on the platform. Brands finding success on the platform are tapping into fun trends (more on this below) more often than posting about their latest offerings. “Promoting things for the sake of it does not seem to yield engagement or much growth — I've seen this in several fields and topics, not just music,” Brandon says. Want to drive people to your business? Brandon's found an approach that works well. To pin a thread to your profile, just click or tap on the three dots on the top right, then choose Pin to profile. 9. Experiment with different formatsVideo does tend to dominate other platforms, but there’s room for more variety on Threads. We suggest experimenting to see what works best for your audience. Text-only posts: Solid and easiest to produce at high volume.Photo posts: Strong engagement for personal or visual storytelling.Video/reels: Higher lift and performance can vary, but worth trying if you’re already creating video for other social platforms.I’ve seen some good engagement on posts that included a photo, as has Hailley. Brandon is prioritizing text-only posts (they’re certainly easier to create when you’re posting often!), while Hailley and I are adding photos to posts where we can. 10. Post at the right timeEven the most optimal posting time won’t ‘save’ a low-quality post. But good timing might help give solid posts a nice little bump. In our 2026 data analysis of more than 2.5 million Threads posts, we found that posts shared on weekday mornings between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. tend to get more engagement than other time slots. You’ll find the full analysis here, but here’s a quick breakdown of the best times to post on each day of the week: Weekdays: Monday: 12 p.m.Tuesday: 10 a.m.Wednesday: 12 p.m.Thursday: 9 a.m. — 🥇the best time slot for the week!Friday: 10 a.m.Weekends: Saturday: 10 a.m.Sunday: 11 a.m.What’s your experience been on Threads? I’d love to hear more about what you’ve learned. Tag @buffer in a post on Threads, or leave a comment below. More Threads resources📚 We Analyzed 1.7M Posts from X, Threads, and Bluesky: Here's What We Learned📚 I Posted to Threads Consistently for A Month — Here's What Happened📚 7 Creators on Threads to Watch (+Lessons to Learn From Their Content)📚 How These 7 Brands on Threads Are Growing on the PlatformView the full article

Nikolai Tesla was a revolutionary thinker with bold, transformative ideas. Yet it was George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison who shaped how electricity was brought to the world. The personal computer was invented at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), but it was Apple that brought the Macintosh to market. William Coley pioneered cancer immunotherapy, but James Allison made it a reality. We grow up believing that if an idea is good, it will naturally rise to the top. Yet that’s rarely, if ever, true. To make an impact, you need to understand power and influence. It isn’t about titles, authority, or formal position. It’s about understanding how decisions actually get made, how people get mobilized, and how systems really change. To do that, you need to master three forms of power: hard power, soft power, and network power. Hard power compels. Soft power persuades. Network power amplifies. Real influence comes from knowing how to combine all three. That’s the difference between having a good idea and building the traction you need to bring about the impact you want to see. How a Group of Kids Harnessed Institutional Hard Power to Bring Down a Dictator In 1998, five young activists met in a café in Belgrade. Still in their twenties, they were, to all outward appearances, nothing special. They weren’t rich, or powerful. They didn’t hold important positions or have access to significant resources. Nevertheless, that day they conceived a plan to overthrow their country’s brutal Milošević regime. The next day six friends joined them, and together they became the 11 founders of the activist group Otpor. They had some experience with activism, taking part in the protests against the war in Bosnia in 1992 and then in the Zajedno movement in 1996. But those efforts had fallen short, and Milošević continued to rule with an iron hand. Yet they had learned from the experience, and an activist introduced them to the Albert Einstein Institution as well as the ideas of Gene Sharp. They found that there are sources of power that support the status quo and these have an institutional basis. As long as these remain in place, nothing will ever change. But if you can shift them, anything becomes possible. Even a seemingly all-powerful dictator needs to control or influence institutions to carry out their will. So Otpor set out to influence key institutions, such as the media, local businesses, and international organizations, and had a particularly innovative strategy for influencing the police. When Milošević tried to steal the election, people took to the streets, in what is now known as the Bulldozer Revolution. Those institutional shifts proved decisive in bringing down his government. The Serbian strongman would die in his prison cell in The Hague in 2006. Everyone with an idea is, in some way, like those five kids in the café in Belgrade. If you’re ever going to get anywhere, you need access to hard power. And that means unless you already control institutions that can make decisions, you’re going to have to learn how to influence them. That’s the essence of hard power strategy: shaping decisions by shaping institutions. The Pervasive Soft Power of Ramanujan As the story of Otpor shows, influencing the hard power of institutional authority is critical for driving through transformational change. Others—such as the Occupy movement, Black Lives Matter, and the Gezi Park protests in Turkey—were able to mobilize massive numbers of people, but without institutional influence they were unable to achieve significant progress. Still, you can’t just use institutional heft to overpower. You also need to attract people to your cause, and that’s where soft power comes in. Consider the story of Ramanujan, a destitute Indian with little formal education. In 1913, he sent his work to G.H. Hardy, a prominent mathematician working at one of the world’s most prestigious institutions, Cambridge University. It feels almost strange to ask why Ramanujan reached out to Hardy and not the other way around. As a leading professor at a major center of learning, Hardy carried a lot of institutional clout, while Ramanujan had none. But in the end, it was Hardy who did Ramanujan’s bidding and, in fact, considered it to be one of the greatest privileges of his life to do so. How did that happen? Ramanujan was able to harness the three foundational elements of soft power: ethos, pathos, and logos—credibility, emotion, and logic. Ramanujan was, by any measure, one of the greatest mathematical minds the world has ever produced. His story as a poverty-stricken man doing complex mathematical proofs in his spare time was emotionally compelling, and the logic of bringing him to Cambridge was clear and undeniable. In other words, for a variety of reasons Hardy found Ramanujan attractive, and that’s at the core of the concept of soft power—it is the power to influence without coercion. Hard power might get people to do what you want, but that can create resentment and backfire. Soft power is how you get people to want what you want, and that can sometimes be more valuable. The Power of Tony Soprano’s Networks As a Mafia boss, Tony Soprano clearly understood hard power and strictly enforced his will. He was also no stranger to soft power, joking and cajoling with his associates. But at the root of Tony’s power were his networks. He was, in gangland parlance, connected, not only to other criminals, but to government officials, religious leaders, and legitimate businesspeople. Yet it isn’t only mob bosses who need to be connected. One of the best examples is the Medici Family in Renaissance Florence. The Medici weren’t kings. They didn’t hold official power, but they became one of the most powerful families in Europe. How? Because they sat at the center of multiple overlapping networks. Through their bank, they were connected to merchants, princes, and even popes. They built alliances through strategic marriages. They funded artists, scientists, and thinkers. And they acted as bridges—connecting powerful people who wouldn’t otherwise talk to one another. That made them extraordinarily influential. That’s network power. The same pattern shows up again and again. Bill Gates used network power to weaken IBM and dominate the tech industry for over a decade. Microsoft didn’t own the hardware. It didn’t control distribution. But everyone needed its software. That’s what made the company dominant. That’s network power. In the 1980s, when home video recorders were just coming to market, Betamax built a better product, but VHS built a better network and came to dominate the market. Next time you make a purchase, think about what you use to pay. Visa, Mastercard, American Express—that’s also network power at work. While soft power can persuade and hard power can compel, it is network power that can help you gain scale, expanding access to information and providing the connectivity needed to communicate ideas and actions widely. Setting Your Ideas Up for Success Most of us grow up believing in merit. We’re raised to think that the truth will win out and the best idea will always win in the end. Unfortunately, that’s not really true. As much as we might like to believe that our ideas can stand on their own, the truth is that we need power and influence to put them into action. Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeffer, who teaches the incredibly popular course Building Power to Lead, defines power as the ability to get things done your way in contested situations, and that gets to the meat of it. People don’t encounter our ideas in a vacuum, but in a sea of other ideas, ambitions, prerogatives, and priorities. For people to adopt an idea, it needs to cross their thresholds of resistance, points at which joining in no longer feels risky or costly. To get them over that hump, we need to access power and influence, which comes in three forms: hard power, soft power, and network power. Hard power lowers thresholds by changing incentives. Soft power lowers them by making adoption desirable. Network power builds momentum and propagates the idea forward. These don’t work in isolation, but in combination. Hard power can force a decision, but risks resentment. Soft power can win buy-in, but without connection to authority, it can’t deliver results. Network power can get you access, but not action. When you use all three in tandem, however, you don’t just push ideas forward, you pull people in, motivate them to make your cause their own, and encourage others to do so as well. So don’t just ask whether your idea is good enough. Think about how you’re going to access the power and influence you need to set it up for success. That, more than anything, will determine whether you succeed or fail. View the full article

In regard to enhancing collaboration within a team, creative team-building activities play a vital role. Engaging in exercises like “Back-to-Back Drawing” or mini hackathons not just promotes communication but additionally encourages innovative thinking and problem-solving. These activities can strengthen team dynamics and improve overall productivity. Comprehending the various types of activities available is fundamental, as each serves a unique purpose in promoting teamwork. Let’s explore which options might work best for your team. Key Takeaways Engage in collaborative storytelling to enhance communication and creativity, strengthening team bonds and morale. Host mini hackathons to encourage innovative solutions under time constraints, boosting teamwork and productivity. Organize virtual escape rooms to enhance problem-solving skills and teamwork under pressure, fostering collaboration. Conduct role-playing scenarios to cultivate empathy and active listening, promoting better communication among team members. Implement fun icebreaker games, like Two Truths and a Lie, to create a relaxed atmosphere and boost team comfort in sharing ideas. The Importance of Team Building Activities Team-building activities play a crucial role in improving workplace dynamics, as they promote better communication and collaboration among team members. Engaging in these activities can lead to a significant increase in productivity, with studies indicating a 12.5% boost when individual strengths are identified. When you participate in a virtual team meeting to discuss ongoing projects, you’re likely to communicate more effectively, mirroring the habits of successful teams that connect face-to-face or via videoconferencing 12 times more than less successful ones. Implementing team huddle ideas regularly cultivates a culture of collaboration, making companies five times more likely to be high-performing. Furthermore, prioritizing team-building initiatives can improve job satisfaction and retention, ultimately reducing turnover rates. As you explore various team building activity ideas, consider how they can enhance workplace relationships and profitability, as engaged teams demonstrate 21% greater profitability. Different Types of Team-Building Activities Engaging in various types of team-building activities can greatly improve workplace dynamics, as each type serves a specific purpose that contributes to team cohesion and effectiveness. Here’s a breakdown of the different types you can consider: Activity Type Purpose Example Communication Improve interpersonal skills Active listening exercises Problem-Solving Encourage critical thinking and creativity Escape room challenges Trust-Building Build reliance among team members Trust falls Icebreakers Create a relaxed atmosphere Two Truths and a Lie Communication activities focus on improving personal connections, whereas problem-solving activities engage teams in critical thinking. Trust-building games improve reliance on each other, and icebreakers are perfect for new teams. Each type plays an essential role in strengthening team dynamics. Creative Communication Activities Effective communication is vital for any successful team, and incorporating creative communication activities can greatly improve this aspect. Activities like “Back-to-Back Drawing” encourage you to articulate your thoughts clearly, boosting both verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Icebreaker games focused on personal interests can further elevate team morale; studies show that 70% of participants feel more comfortable expressing their ideas afterward. Role-playing scenarios are another effective exercise, as they simulate different perspectives and cultivate empathy and insight, promoting active listening among team members. Moreover, engaging in collaborative storytelling stimulates creativity as it strengthens team bonds, as you learn to build on each other’s ideas effectively. These activities not merely lead to a more open dialogue but can result in a 25% increase in team productivity, making them vital for any organization aiming to improve collaboration and communication within their teams. Innovative Problem-Solving Activities When teams face complex challenges, innovative problem-solving activities can serve as valuable tools to improve collaboration and critical thinking. Activities like virtual escape rooms and resource allocation simulations require you to work together under pressure, boosting both teamwork and critical analysis. Engaging in innovation tournaments allows you to brainstorm and present creative solutions to common issues, cultivating a competitive spirit that increases problem-solving effectiveness. Collaborative storytelling exercises enable you to build on each other’s ideas, improving your creativity and communication skills as you generate unique solutions to workplace challenges. Moreover, the Consensus Challenge pushes teams to agree on priorities or survival items, honing vital negotiation and listening skills. These activities not only sharpen problem-solving capabilities but also greatly improve team cohesion, which ultimately leads to enhanced productivity and collaboration in work projects. Adopting these innovative approaches can transform your team’s approach to challenges. Trust-Building Exercises for Teams Building on the foundation of innovative problem-solving activities, trust-building exercises are equally important for creating a collaborative team environment. These exercises promote a safe space where team members can rely on one another, which is essential for effective collaboration and productivity. Activities like trust falls or blindfolded obstacle courses require you to depend on your teammates, enhancing interpersonal trust and communication skills. Research indicates that teams with high levels of trust experience 50% higher productivity, greatly improving overall performance and job satisfaction. Engaging in these activities can likewise reduce conflict and misunderstandings by promoting open communication and empathy. Additionally, regularly incorporating trust-building exercises into your team’s routine can lead to stronger relationships and a 12.5% boost in team productivity, as noted in Gallup surveys. By prioritizing trust, you create a foundation for a more effective and cohesive team. Fun Icebreaker Activities How can icebreaker activities transform your team’s dynamics? Icebreakers are crucial for promoting communication and creating a relaxed atmosphere. They allow team members to learn about each other, building rapport that improves collaboration. Engaging activities like “Two Truths and a Lie” and “Human Bingo” encourage personal sharing and interaction, setting a positive tone for teamwork. Research indicates that teams participating in icebreaker games communicate more effectively, engaging in face-to-face or video interactions considerably more than less successful teams. These activities can be customized for both in-person and virtual settings, ensuring inclusivity as remote work rises. Regularly implementing icebreakers can boost morale and job satisfaction, leading to higher employee retention rates. Activity Format Objective Two Truths and a Lie In-person/Virtual Encourage personal sharing Human Bingo In-person/Virtual Promote interaction Icebreaker Questions In-person/Virtual Build rapport Engaging Collaborative Challenges Engaging collaborative challenges are crucial for nurturing innovative problem-solving techniques within your team. By participating in activities like mini hackathons or resource allocation simulations, you’ll improve teamwork through creative projects that encourage diverse thinking and effective communication. These challenges not only promote collaboration but likewise provide practical solutions to real company issues, eventually driving your team’s success. Innovative Problem-Solving Techniques To improve problem-solving capabilities within teams, innovative collaborative challenges offer a structured approach that promotes creativity and effective communication. Engaging in innovation tournaments allows your team to brainstorm solutions for common challenges and present ideas swiftly, nurturing quick thinking. The Consensus Challenge boosts negotiation and listening skills as small groups rank survival items or allocate budgets under time constraints, promoting critical decision-making. Virtual escape rooms require teamwork to solve puzzles efficiently, building camaraderie and critical thinking. Resource allocation simulations mimic real workplace scenarios, encouraging discussions about trade-offs. Moreover, collaborative storytelling activities enable team members to co-create narratives, boosting listening and creative thinking, which are essential for successful teamwork in real-world projects. Teamwork Through Creative Projects Creative projects serve as a potent means of improving teamwork, building on the innovative problem-solving techniques previously discussed. By engaging in these collaborative challenges, you can nurture a more connected team environment. Consider the following activities: Group brainstorming sessions to generate new ideas Mini hackathons that tackle real company problems Collaborative storytelling exercises for improved communication Creative challenges like designing a product prototype These initiatives promote critical thinking, encourage diverse perspectives, and improve interpersonal relationships. Research shows that teams participating in creative activities experience increased trust and stronger bonds, leading to higher overall productivity. Embrace these creative projects to cultivate teamwork and innovation within your organization, ultimately driving better outcomes. Fun Collaborative Challenges When teams tackle fun collaborative challenges, they not just boost creativity but also strengthen their working relationships. Activities like mini hackathons encourage brainstorming innovative solutions to real company problems under time constraints, enhancing team creativity. The Grab Bag of Creativity allows teams to use random items for idea generation, promoting critical thinking and teamwork in a relaxed setting. Collaborative storytelling exercises improve communication skills as team members contribute to a shared narrative, building rapport through creativity. Virtual escape rooms present an engaging challenge, requiring teams to solve puzzles together, which strengthens problem-solving abilities and teamwork. Research indicates that structured collaborative challenges can increase overall productivity by 20%, reinforcing bonds and improving communication patterns within teams. Unique Team Building Activity Ideas When you’re looking for unique team building activity ideas, consider engaging in innovative problem-solving challenges and creative arts collaborations. Mini hackathons can spark collaboration on real issues, whereas virtual art galleries let team members showcase their creativity. These activities not just improve teamwork but additionally encourage critical thinking and diverse perspectives, making them valuable for team development. Innovative Problem-Solving Challenges Innovative problem-solving challenges serve as effective team-building activities that not just encourage collaboration but furthermore improve critical thinking skills among team members. Here are some engaging options to take into account: Mini Hackathons: Brainstorm solutions for real company issues in a time-constrained environment to stimulate creativity. Consensus Challenge: Negotiate resource allocation decisions, enhancing communication and consensus-building skills. Virtual Escape Rooms: Solve puzzles under pressure to strengthen teamwork whilst enjoying a fun bonding experience. Resource Allocation Simulation: Prioritize tasks and constraints, mirroring real workplace scenarios to develop strategic thinking. These activities not only promote collaboration but likewise provide practical skills that are valuable in everyday work situations, making them excellent choices for team development. Creative Arts Collaborations Creative arts collaborations offer a unique avenue for team building, as they not merely encourage individual expression but also promote a collective sense of achievement. Engaging in activities like virtual art galleries or group painting projects can release creativity as well as nurturing a shared goal. Collaborative storytelling enriches communication and teamwork, allowing your team to build narratives together, sparking innovative ideas. Design thinking workshops help define problems and ideate solutions, cultivating a culture of creativity. Organizing music-making sessions, where everyone contributes to a song or jingle, strengthens bonds through shared artistic expression. Finally, art-based challenges such as creating a team mural or sculpture highlight diverse perspectives and skills, further enhancing collaboration among team members. Board Game Gatherings for Team Bonding Board game gatherings offer an effective way to strengthen team bonds by promoting interaction and collaboration in a laid-back environment. These sessions not merely cultivate personal connections but likewise improve teamwork and problem-solving skills. Here are a few key benefits of hosting board game gatherings: They encourage intimate discussions among small teams, ideally ten people or fewer. Cooperative games reduce conflicts, leading to improved collaboration. These gatherings often result in friendships that boost workplace performance. Regular participation boosts morale and motivation, which can increase overall productivity. Moonshot Brainstorms to Foster Creativity Moonshot brainstorms offer a unique opportunity for your team to generate radical solutions by thinking far outside conventional limits. This collaborative activity encourages freedom of thought, allowing participants to suggest seemingly unattainable ideas without fear of criticism. Radical Solution Generation When teams engage in radical solution generation, they unfasten the potential for innovative thinking that can transform challenges into opportunities. Moonshot brainstorms allow participants to explore ideas without the constraints of practicality, nurturing creativity. Here are some key benefits of these sessions: Collaborate with diverse input from up to a dozen participants. Encourage free thinking by eliminating immediate criticism. Inspire breakthrough ideas that lead to new project directions. Improve creativity through complementary activities like art projects or group meditation. Freedom of Thought Nurturing freedom of thought is essential for generating innovative ideas within teams, as it encourages participants to break away from traditional constraints. Moonshot brainstorms create an environment where team members can propose radical ideas without fear of immediate criticism. Typically suited for small groups of up to a dozen, these sessions promote focused discussions. By prioritizing freedom of thought, you can uncover breakthrough solutions that tackle significant organizational challenges. The informal nature of these brainstorms cultivates team cohesion, making members more comfortable sharing unique perspectives. Furthermore, incorporating alternative creative activities, like art projects or group meditation, can improve open-mindedness and collaborative exploration, further enriching the brainstorming experience and leading to innovative outcomes. Encouraging Collaborative Innovation To nurture collaborative innovation, teams can implement moonshot brainstorms, which encourage participants to think beyond conventional boundaries and explore radical ideas. These sessions can considerably improve creativity and engagement when structured effectively. Consider these key elements: Form small groups for focused discussions and a free flow of ideas. Set a specific time frame to create urgency and stimulate dynamic exchanges. Incorporate alternative activities, like art projects or group meditation, to stimulate diverse modes of thinking. Cultivate an environment free from immediate criticism, allowing for open-minded exploration of ideas. Lunch and Learns for Knowledge Sharing Lunch and Learns provide an excellent opportunity for team members to come together, share insights, and improve their skills as they enjoy a meal. These informal sessions typically accommodate 10 to 20 participants, making them perfect for small to medium-sized teams. During these gatherings, employees can discuss various topics, ranging from professional development skills to personal interests, thereby nurturing a culture of continuous learning and collaboration. Volunteering Together as a Team Engaging in volunteer work as a team can strengthen relationships and build camaraderie among coworkers. When you participate in community service together, you nurture deeper bonds and develop a shared sense of purpose. This can lead to improved morale and a more positive workplace culture. Here are some key benefits of team volunteering: Improves collaboration and communication skills as members work toward common goals. Minimizes conflicts by promoting shared experiences in noble causes. Aligns activities with your team’s unique talents and interests, increasing enthusiasm. Boosts job satisfaction and retention rates by cultivating a strong sense of belonging. Mini Hackathons for Innovation and Collaboration Building on the sense of unity cultivated through volunteering, mini hackathons offer another dynamic way for teams to collaborate and innovate. These structured events bring team members together for a concentrated period, usually lasting a few hours to a couple of days, to tackle specific problems. Participants engage in brainstorming and prototyping, which nurtures creativity and encourages out-of-the-box thinking. This low-pressure environment often leads to multiple viable solutions for the same challenge. Involving diverse team members with varying expertise improves the problem-solving process, as different perspectives contribute to more thorough outcomes. Many participants report increased engagement and satisfaction, as they work on real-world issues and showcase their skills in a collaborative setting. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 C’s of Collaboration? The 5 C’s of collaboration are Communication, Coordination, Cooperation, Commitment, and Conflict Resolution. You need clear communication to share ideas openly and create a comfortable environment. Coordination helps align tasks among team members, ensuring efficiency. Cooperation involves actively working together and leveraging strengths. Commitment reflects each member’s dedication to team goals, nurturing a sense of investment. Finally, Conflict Resolution is essential in addressing disagreements constructively, maintaining a harmonious team dynamic. How to Enhance Collaboration in a Team? To improve collaboration in your team, start by establishing clear communication channels and utilizing collaborative tools like Google Jamboard. Regular brainstorming sessions can spark innovative ideas, whereas trust-building exercises nurture stronger relationships. Incorporate feedback sessions to reflect on teamwork, identifying areas for improvement. Furthermore, engaging in diverse activities allows team members to leverage their unique skills, creating a more cohesive environment that boosts productivity and project success rates considerably. What Are Some Fun Team Bonding Activities? To bond as a team, consider activities like board game nights, where everyone can collaborate and understand each other’s perspectives. Volunteering together can boost morale and strengthen relationships through shared experiences. Mini hackathons let you tackle simple problems creatively, whereas lunch and learns provide relaxed discussions on relevant topics. Finally, icebreaker games like “Two Truths and a Lie” help break down barriers, nurturing a collaborative atmosphere and encouraging personal connections among team members. What Activity Is an Example of Collaboration? An example of collaboration is participating in a virtual escape room. In this activity, you and your team must solve puzzles together within a set time limit. Each member contributes their unique skills and perspectives, enhancing problem-solving abilities. This shared experience encourages communication and teamwork, as you rely on one another to navigate challenges. Conclusion Incorporating creative team-building activities into your workplace can greatly improve collaboration and productivity. By engaging in diverse exercises, such as communication challenges, innovative problem-solving tasks, and trust-building exercises, teams can develop stronger dynamics. Activities like mini hackathons and volunteer opportunities not just encourage teamwork but additionally stimulate creativity and knowledge sharing. In the end, these initiatives create a more positive workplace culture, encouraging open communication and collaboration, which are essential for achieving overall organizational success. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Creative Team Building Activity Ideas to Boost Collaboration" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Get inspiration from our blog ideas related to thought leadership, personal experiences, and more. View the full article

Ah, brainstorming. The corporate rite of passage where creativity goes to die. It usually involves a room full of well-intentioned people offering ideas that feel familiar but not fresh. Why does this happen? Because most people stick to the “safe zone,” avoiding anything that might make waves, or worse, ruffle feathers. But here’s the problem: safe ideas don’t change the game. If you want ideas that truly shake things up, you’ve got to do something radical. You have to give your team permission not just to think differently but to think outrageously. And to do that, you need to encourage them to come up with ideas so bold, they might just get them fired. How to Generate ‘Firing-Worthy’ Ideas Here’s how it works: start your brainstorming session as usual, letting your team throw out the predictable, respectable suggestions. Once those are on the table, and everyone’s energy is thoroughly underwhelming, it’s time to shake things up completely. Tell your team: “Now I want you to pitch ideas so outrageous, so audacious, they could theoretically get you fired.” That’s when the magic happens. Pretty quickly, the energy in the room goes up dramatically, people start laughing, and ideas start to fly. Without the usual guardrails, the brain feels unrestrained. Instead of staying within the confines of “reasonable,” your team starts coming up with wild, bold, and totally unfiltered ideas: “What if we launched this product in zero gravity?” “What if we eliminated this process entirely?” “What if we let customers design their own versions and just sold that?” When you mandate that people let the irrational, crazy, or uncomfortable act as their guide, fear dissipates, and creative thinking better takes hold. Permission to Dream Big By removing the fear of judgment, you unlock your team’s ability to think without limits. People stop worrying about how their ideas will be perceived or whether they’ll sound ridiculous. Instead, they focus on possibility. “When we realized our brainstorm sessions were resulting in lackluster innovations and leaned towards incremental improvements versus transformational ideation, we knew we had to remove the shackles that were surrounding people’s brains,” says Victoria Platt, Vice President, Airline Strategy & Transformation, SITA. “So, in our next session, we told participants to imagine that privacy laws don’t exist, there are no state or federal regulations, industry standards don’t matter, the budget is boundless, resources are boundless, and it doesn’t matter if the technology for an idea doesn’t yet exist. The idea was to just think BIG and pull back to reality later.” “In that next session,” Platt says, “40 strong ideas were generated . . . four of which are currently being developed for radical cost savings and provocative revenue generation. We took a bold chance and got bold results.” And no, you’re not actually going to act on ideas that would get anyone fired (obviously, no one’s suggesting a new policy involving legal loopholes or ethically questionable practices). However, what you will get are new hunting grounds you never thought to explore. Often, these “firing-worthy” concepts aren’t as impractical as they seem; they’re just bold enough to challenge the norm. Apple’s modern designs didn’t come from playing it safe. The company dared to envision products that were invisible to the eye—sleek, minimalist, and without the clutter of traditional gadgets or overwritten marketing copy. At the time, those ideas sounded ridiculous. Today, they’re the gold standard of design. From Crazy to Commercially Viable Here’s the best part of the exercise: outrageous ideas are what unlock brilliance. Once you weed out irrelevant concepts and focus on ones with actual potential, your team can start refining them into actionable concepts: Killing a process? It could lead to improved customer-service support that no one thought possible. Letting customers design their own versions of your products? Perhaps it evolves into a customizable product line you can charge much higher prices for next year. The point is to remove the handcuffs on ideas that hold us back. Risk often leads to reward when you’re willing to take that first leap. Pushing Boundaries as a Practice Entrepreneur Jim Rohn said: “If you’re not willing to risk the unusual, you’ll have to settle for the ordinary.” Too many teams stick to the sensible and safe, producing ideas that are fine but forgettable. But extraordinary results come from taking chances and from daring to color outside the lines. Encouraging your team to pitch ideas that would “get them fired” isn’t just about shaking up a meeting: it’s about shifting the entire culture. It signals that boldness is valued, creativity is celebrated, and innovation is required. Stop having mediocre brainstorms. Give your team the freedom (and the challenge) to pitch the kind of concepts that just might get them fired. You’ll get lots of laughs and some truly wild suggestions. But you’ll also get something even better: the kind of thinking that redefines the game. View the full article

Below, Shadé Zahrai shares five key insights from her new book, Big Trust: Rewire Self-Doubt, Find Your Confidence, and Fuel Success. Shadé is a peak performance educator to Fortune 500 companies, leadership strategist, and former lawyer. Over the past decade, she has trained leaders at Microsoft, Deloitte, JPMorgan, and LVMH, educated millions through LinkedIn Learning, and spent five years researching self-doubt and self-image as part of her PhD. What’s the big idea? When you change how you see yourself, you change what’s possible for you. Big Trust doesn’t require becoming someone new; it requires you to finally trust who you already are. By strengthening the four drivers of Big Trust, you give power to back yourself when it counts. Listen to the audio version of this Book Bite—read by Shadé herself—below, or in the Next Big Idea App. 1. You will never rise above your opinion of yourself In the 1970s, Dartmouth professor Robert Kleck ran a fascinating study. He sent participants into conversations with strangers, but before he did that, he took a group and applied a scar to their face. They saw the result in a hand mirror, confirming that they had a disfigurement. Then both scarred and non-scarred groups were sent into conversations. Afterward, the scarred participants reported that people treated them differently—they felt that others were less friendly, more tense, and more uncomfortable. They were convinced the scar changed how the world saw them. Except . . . the scar never existed. Right before the interaction, the researchers pretended to “touch up” the makeup but secretly wiped the scar off completely. So, they walked in with no scar at all, but they believed they had one. And because they believed it, they expected they would be treated differently. Expectation shaped their interpretation. That’s confirmation bias and selective attention in action. They didn’t respond to reality. They responded to the reality that their self-image prepared them to see. This is the power of self-image. You don’t respond to the world as it is—you respond to the world your brain expects to see based on how you see yourself. “They responded to the reality that their self-image prepared them to see.” So, ask yourself: What invisible scars am I carrying into every room, every opportunity? How are they shaping the way I show up? In my work with high performers, I’ve seen this pattern again and again. When someone’s self-image is distorted, every room feels threatening. Every text left on “read” feels like rejection. Every silence feels personal. Every piece of feedback feels like a verdict. One of the fastest ways to uncover these invisible scars is by identifying the labels you’ve attached to yourself. Labels like “I’m boring,” “I always mess up,” “I’m not confident,” “I’m not leadership material,” “I’m too much,” or “I’m not enough.” Most of these weren’t created by you. They were given to you—by family, early teachers, old bosses, past partners—at a time you were too young and too unsure to question them. But labels are just stories. And stories can be rewritten: Swap “I’m indecisive” with “I’m thoughtful and deliberate.” Swap “I’m intense” with “I’m passionate and deeply invested.” Swap “I’m boring” with “I’m steady and grounded.” Simple, but neurologically powerful. Every reframe weakens an old neural pathway and strengthens a new one. Bit by bit, your brain updates its blueprint. When the blueprint changes, your self-doubt loses its grip. The essence of Big Trust is updating your blueprint to trust your worth, capability, and capacity to show up fully when it counts. 2. Transforming your self-image with Big Trust Big Trust is that deep, internal sense of self-trust, and it’s shaped by your self-image. Self-image isn’t abstract. It’s made up of four measurable dimensions that psychologists call your core self-evaluations. Decades of studies (including meta-analyses of over 100 papers) show that these four dimensions predict job performance, career satisfaction, happiness, and earning potential. The idea that personality is fixed is outdated. Yes, we tend to stay consistent over time, unless we intentionally target a specific aspect with new habits and experiences. When we do, we can reshape our traits in meaningful ways. And core self-evaluations are based on four psychological personality traits: Acceptance –your sense of “Am I enough as I am?” It reflects what psychologists would call self-esteem. Agency – your belief in your ability to make things happen. This is the lived experience of self-efficacy. Autonomy – the degree to which you feel in control of your life and choices, instead of feeling like it just happens to you. This reflects your locus of control. Adaptability – your ability to stay steady when life doesn’t go to plan and regulate your emotions when things feel uncertain. This maps onto emotional stability, sometimes called the opposite of neuroticism. Together, these form your Doubt Profile, the psychological fingerprint for how and where self-doubt shows up. Here’s what this looks like in real life: If you’re low in Acceptance, you constantly feel like you need to prove your worth. You take feedback personally and chase approval as though your value depends on it. If you’re low in Agency, you doubt your abilities. You compare yourself to others, feel like an imposter, and wait to feel “ready” . . . which means you rarely take action. If you’re low in Autonomy, you feel powerless. You get stuck in blame, resentment, or old stories that keep you small. If you’re low in Adaptability, emotions like anxiety or overwhelm take over when the stakes are high. You know what to do, but you can’t bring yourself to do it. None of this is fixed. These four elements of your self-image are trainable. When you strengthen the Big Trust attributes, you reshape the underlying personality patterns that have been keeping you stuck: You build Acceptance so your worth stops feeling conditional. You strengthen Agency so you move even when doubt is loud. You grow Autonomy so you reclaim your power. You cultivate Adaptability so your emotions don’t shrink your potential. When you work on these four attributes, you’re not just “thinking more positively.” You’re fundamentally reshaping the self-image that your doubt has been feeding on for years. When you understand the four attributes beneath your self-image, you finally know where to direct your energy. And once you strengthen them, self-doubt stops running your life. 3. Overthinking isn’t a thinking problem—it’s a self-trust problem Overthinking is often what your brain does when it doesn’t feel safe handing over the steering wheel to you. When your self-image tells your brain, “You’re not safe in uncertainty,” your mind compensates by producing more thinking, more scenarios, more mental rehearsals. And because of our built-in negativity bias, the mind typically fixates on the negative: “What if I fail? What if I can’t do it? What if I embarrass myself?” You start catastrophizing, because your brain is trying to create a sense of certainty where none exists. It magnifies what could go wrong to keep you safe. If you’re aware of all the possible risks, maybe you won’t try. And if you don’t try, you can’t fail, or be rejected, or judged. On some level, your brain thinks it’s protecting you. And to be fair . . . it is. But it’s also keeping you stuck. The antidote to overthinking isn’t clearer thoughts or more clarity—it’s deeper self-trust. When you strengthen the four Big Trust attributes, decision-making becomes lighter. You no longer need more information or perfect information. You don’t spiral into worst-case scenarios. You don’t get trapped in “What if I choose wrong?” because you know you can handle whatever happens next. You have Big Trust. I often tell my clients, “You’re not overthinking because you’re unsure of the world. You’re overthinking because you’re unsure of yourself in the world.” When you shift that, when you trust your own competence, resilience, and adaptability, the overthinking naturally settles. You’re not forcing your mind to quiet down, but it no longer has a job to do. “You start catastrophizing, because your brain is trying to create a sense of certainty where none exists.” One of the simplest yet most powerful tools comes directly from research on anxiety and worry. It’s called Stimulus Control for Worry, and it’s incredibly effective at reducing overthinking. Instead of letting worries hijack your mind all day, you train your brain to contain them. Every time a worry or distracting thought pops into your head, write it down. Then say, “I’ll worry about you later.” Then, each day, schedule ‘worry time.’ Up to 30 minutes to pull out your list of worries and let your mind run wild with worry. Once the time is up, that’s it. Close the notebook or the app. After that, decide your next step. Ask yourself, “Is this worry real, or am I catastrophizing? Is there anything I can do about this?” If yes, commit to doing something. If not, redirect your focus to something that deserves your energy. And finally, periodically review your worry list. Look for patterns. Notice how many worries never became problems. This strengthens self-trust because you begin to see, in your own handwriting, how often your mind predicted danger that never arrived. You start to internalize that you’re safer, more capable, and more resourceful than your brain gives you credit for. 4. Confidence is an outcome of self-trust When I run workshops or speak to audiences, and I ask people what they think the opposite of self-doubt is, about 90 percent will say “confidence.” And what that tells me is that most people are waiting. They’re waiting to feel confident before they take action. They’re waiting for readiness, certainty, and the perfect moment. But that’s the wrong goal. Years of psychological research point to the same truth: confidence doesn’t come before you take action. It comes after. Here’s the loop that builds confidence: You take a small action. You watch yourself do it, and survive it. That creates a proof point. Your skills grow. Your competence grows. Your brain updates its internal script: “I can handle this.” That’s self-efficacy rising, and as self-efficacy rises, confidence follows. Confidence is the result, not the prerequisite. It’s the outcome of action, not the gateway to it. So, if confidence comes after, what comes before we take action? That’s Big Trust—the trust in yourself that you can handle whatever happens next because, even if the outcome isn’t perfect, you’ll learn, adjust, and improve. Even the word ‘confidence’ gives it away: it comes from the Latin con + fidere, meaning with trust. Don’t wait to feel confident to act; act to become someone you trust. 5. Identity changes last—habits are how you rebuild self-trust Self-trust isn’t built in big, dramatic moments. It’s built through small, repeated habits that teach your brain a new story about who you are. We often think change happens when we finally “feel ready,” or when motivation strikes, or when we find the perfect strategy. But identity doesn’t shift from insight alone; it shifts from evidence. If your habits say, “I avoid hard things,” or “I break promises to myself,” or “I wait until I feel confident,” your brain stores that as identity. It becomes your self-image. But when your habits say, “I follow through,” “I take small risks,” “I choose what matters over what’s comfortable,” your brain updates your identity to match. Big Trust is built through repetition of aligned action. Enjoy our full library of Book Bites—read by the authors!—in the Next Big Idea app. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission. View the full article

Move comes as oil major seeks to strengthen its balance sheet View the full article

Working at the office all day was a struggle for Nicola Sura. She’d seen the toll that working a corporate job had taken on her mom’s physical and mental health, and she never wanted the same thing to happen to her. Around six months into Sura’s first full-time role in 2019, she started questioning her life choices, as well as those of everyone around her. “I was, like, how are people doing this? Everyone seems completely fine. Everyone’s just going about their day,” Sura, who works in corporate retail, tells Fast Company. “It was killing me to just be there for eight hours at my desk.” The move to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic was when Sura learned a trick that would change everything: time theft. She started taking long lunches and watching TV while on the clock because nobody was monitoring her, and she finally found time to do her chores. “I started feeling, like, okay, this is how I’m going to get through corporate America,” Sura says. “For me, it was always a means to survival.” Time thievery is defined as stealing back moments in the workday to run errands, put on the laundry, take a nap, and do anything else that isn’t in your job description, without taking official breaks. Sura now runs a TikTok account where she helps her 57,000 followers become better time thieves. Her number one rule: You have to be good at your job to get away with it. “If you are very clearly a slacker or very clearly struggling, then it won’t work,” she says. “That is the foundation you have to start from, or else you will get fired.” A productivity hack, or a risky coping mechanism? Time theft has become more common since the working-from-home era. One recent survey of over 5,000 people across Europe by the market research firm YouGov Switzerland found that 80% of work-from-homers admitted to doing nonwork tasks during paid hours. A 2025 study, published in the journal Behavioral Sciences, found that working conditions that have become more commonplace since COVID—such as a lack of supervision for those working from home—correlated with employees taking extended personal breaks and sending personal messages during paid work time. Productivity experts and organizational psychologists have mixed views on time thievery. Some see it as risky, or as an unhealthy coping mechanism that masks deeper dissatisfaction. Others see it as a natural progression toward a more flexible way of working. Circa 2020 or earlier, some remote workers might have felt guilty tending to the laundry during a lull in the day—but given the nature of remote work, why feel guilty about juggling chores at all, so long as the work gets done? Selda Seyfi, a management consultant who writes about productivity on her Substack called “Maximize Your Minutes,” views time theft as “energy management and an intentional integration of what you want to do versus what you have to do.” “The whole concept assumes we still work in a 1940s factory model where your employer owns your brain for eight hours,” she says. “Any deviation from that is seen as stealing, which feels outdated.” Seyfi also argues that it’s unrealistic for workplaces not to expect employees to do necessary life admin, especially when banks and post offices are only open during work hours. “Everyone talks about protecting weekends, but no one questions you when you’re checking emails at 9 p.m.,” she says. “The boundary always seems to go one way.” How reclaiming time changes workplace dynamics From an organizational perspective, when used occasionally, time theft can reduce absenteeism and presenteeism, says Amanda Tobe, an organizational psychologist who specializes in career progression. She says it can reduce anxiety and mental fatigue when used within reason, supporting “emotional regulation and cognitive functioning, which may indirectly improve focus and work quality.” Anita Williams Woolley, associate professor of organizational behavior at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, notes that many jobs are “lumpy”: Some days are overloaded, others slower. “People use lighter periods for errands, because work isn’t perfectly matched to a 9-to-5 grid,” she says. “Employers who don’t acknowledge that force workers to do this without being transparent.” Williams Woolley adds that errands can offer stress relief and a sense of autonomy, especially when work feels inflexible or surveilled. But she warns that there may be costs: “Secrecy can push people into a more transactional relationship with work, eroding trust and belonging,” she says. “Even if performance is strong, unreliability can stick.” There’s also the risk of discipline for time thieves who push their luck. Employers who suspect workers of being absent for long swaths of the day may enforce policies such as monitoring laptop activity, or even dishing out punishments like fines. In 2023, for example, a remote accountant was dismissed and fined around $1,000 for “time theft” after tracking software was uploaded to her work laptop. Career happiness coach Jenny Holliday warns that even if you get away with it, time thievery may work in the short term but become costly over time. She says it can mask deeper feelings of resentment or disengagement, and even be a means of revenge. “If you’ve been passed over for a promotion or a pay raise, why not spend half your day on other things?” she says. Productivity doesn’t look the same for everyone Sura isn’t convinced by the criticisms, especially as more companies push employees back into the office full time. She doesn’t see time theft as quiet quitting or coasting. While she may occasionally reframe the truth—like saying her internet is down so she can catch up on sleep or watch a movie—she says she’s anything but unproductive. Sura has since moved on from the job where she learned that it pays to be a time thief, and has held a couple of corporate roles since. She now juggles contract work with being a full-time content creator. In her previous roles, she was consistently promoted and received positive feedback from managers and colleagues, so she knows firsthand that productivity doesn’t look the same for everyone. “Your work speaks for itself,” she says. “You can do good work without operating at a 100% capacity all the time. Slowing down and working at a sustainable pace matters.” Another criticism Sura often hears is that time thieves leave others to pick up the slack. She rejects that, too. “Nobody is telling you to work harder,” she says. “Go ahead and also be a time thief. We should all be existing this way.” View the full article

French president calls on bloc to take the necessary steps to become a true global economic power View the full article

A deep background check is an extensive investigation into an individual’s history, covering aspects like education, employment, criminal records, and financial status. This process is essential for evaluating potential risks in hiring or personal relationships, as it uncovers red flags that might indicate fraud or misconduct. Grasping the components and benefits of a deep background check can greatly improve safety and trust, especially in sensitive roles. But what steps should you take to conduct one effectively? Key Takeaways A deep background check provides an in-depth investigation of an individual’s history, including education, employment, and criminal records. It identifies potential red flags, which can protect against harm and legal issues in personal and professional settings. Conducting these checks is crucial for high-responsibility roles to ensure the integrity and reliability of candidates. They help safeguard business partnerships by revealing any fraudulent behavior or unethical practices of potential partners. Utilizing deep background checks contributes to peace of mind, ensuring informed decisions are made in relationships and hiring processes. Understanding Deep Background Checks When you’re considering the significance of deep background checks, it’s vital to understand what they entail. A deep background check goes beyond the standard investigation, examining an individual’s education, employment history, and criminal records in detail. It additionally includes financial information, marriage and divorce records, and property ownership to provide an all-encompassing view of a person’s life. Private investigators often perform these checks, utilizing public records, social media analysis, and sometimes surveillance to gather pertinent information. Websites like Been Verified can assist in accessing these records, making it easier for individuals or organizations to conduct thorough investigations. These checks are important for employers hiring for high-responsibility positions, as they help identify potential risks and guarantee safety. Key Components of a Deep Background Check A deep background check involves several key components that together form a thorough assessment of an individual’s history and reliability. First, it examines criminal history, scrutinizing local, state, and federal records for any convictions or pending charges. Next, it verifies employment history by confirming dates, roles, and responsibilities directly with past employers, ensuring all information is accurate. Educational verification follows, validating degrees and certifications from accredited institutions to prevent any misrepresentation. Additionally, credit reports are evaluated to assess financial responsibility, including bankruptcies and overall creditworthiness, offering insight into an individual’s fiscal behavior. Finally, reference checks provide valuable perspectives on a candidate’s work ethic, reliability, and interpersonal skills, contributing to a more holistic assessment of their suitability for a position. Benefits of Conducting Deep Background Checks Conducting deep background checks offers numerous benefits that can greatly impact decision-making processes in both personal and professional contexts. You gain a thorough comprehension of an individual’s past, including education, employment history, criminal records, and financial information, crucial for making informed choices. By identifying potential red flags, such as criminal behavior or fraudulent activities, you protect yourself and your organization from potential harm and legal issues. Deep background checks improve hiring decisions for roles with significant responsibilities, ensuring candidates possess the necessary qualifications and integrity. They likewise safeguard business partnerships by detecting fraudulent behavior, ensuring trustworthiness among all parties involved. In addition, conducting deep background checks contributes to peace of mind when engaging in significant personal or professional relationships, ultimately ensuring safety and reliability. By thoroughly vetting individuals, you establish a solid foundation for successful interactions and partnerships. Situations Where Deep Background Checks Are Essential Deep background checks are vital in various situations where comprehension of an individual’s history can markedly impact decision-making. For instance, employers hiring for high-responsibility positions, such as executives or finance roles, need to guarantee candidates don’t have a history of fraud or misconduct. Similarly, individuals considering significant personal relationships, like marriage, may uncover troubling pasts that could affect their safety. Business owners evaluate potential partnerships with deep checks to avoid unethical behavior, whereas organizations in sensitive sectors, like healthcare, require them to protect vulnerable populations. Furthermore, in legal matters, such as child custody disputes, a deep background check can reveal past behaviors critical for court decisions. Situation Importance High-responsibility hiring Prevents fraud or misconduct Personal relationships Guarantees safety from hidden issues Business partnerships Mitigates risks of unethical behavior Legal matters Influences court decisions on custody disputes How to Perform a Deep Background Check Effectively Performing a deep background check effectively requires a systematic approach to gather and verify relevant information about an individual. Start by collecting public records, such as criminal, marriage, divorce, and property records from various jurisdictions. This guarantees extensive coverage of the individual’s history. Next, utilize social media analysis to gain insights into their current activities, interests, and public behavior, which can provide valuable context. For employment and education history, directly verify the information by contacting previous employers and educational institutions. If necessary, consider implementing surveillance methods to monitor the individual’s movements and habits, gaining a thorough comprehension of their lifestyle and behaviors. Always guarantee compliance with local laws and regulations, particularly the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which mandates obtaining written consent from the individual before conducting any background check. Following these steps will help you conduct a thorough and effective deep background check. Frequently Asked Questions What Is a Deep Background Check? A deep background check involves a thorough investigation into an individual’s history, focusing on areas like education, employment, criminal records, and financial behavior. Unlike standard checks, it digs deeper to uncover detailed information about a person’s life. Private investigators often conduct these checks by accessing public records, analyzing social media, and, at times, employing surveillance. This extensive process helps employers and individuals make informed decisions regarding hiring or entering into personal or business relationships. What Is the Hardest Background Check to Pass? The hardest background check to pass typically involves federal government employment. These checks require extensive scrutiny, examining criminal records, credit history, and personal interviews. Positions needing security clearances undergo thorough investigations, including in-depth reviews of your associations and financial history. Furthermore, employers may screen your social media presence, so any concerning online behavior can negatively impact your chances. What Is a Red Flag in a Background Check? A red flag in a background check signals concerning information that may require further examination. Common red flags include a criminal record, inconsistencies in employment history, or poor credit history, particularly for roles involving financial responsibilities. If you’ve changed jobs frequently without valid reasons, that might raise questions about your reliability. Employers should carefully assess these red flags, allowing you the chance to explain any discrepancies before making final hiring decisions. What Does an In-Depth Background Check Cover? An in-depth background check covers several critical areas. It investigates criminal records at local, state, and federal levels, checks your educational qualifications by verifying degrees, and confirms your employment history, including job titles and dates worked. Furthermore, it may assess your financial responsibility through credit reports and include reference checks to evaluate your work ethic and reliability. This thorough approach helps guarantee that candidates meet the necessary qualifications and standards for employment. Conclusion In conclusion, deep background checks are essential tools for evaluating an individual’s history and potential risks. By thoroughly reviewing education, employment, criminal records, and financial status, you can make informed decisions in various contexts, such as hiring or forming partnerships. Recognizing when to conduct these checks improves safety and trust, particularly in high-stakes situations. By comprehending how to perform them effectively, you can safeguard yourself and your organization from potential issues that may arise from insufficient scrutiny. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Is a Deep Background Check and Its Importance?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A deep background check is an extensive investigation into an individual’s history, covering aspects like education, employment, criminal records, and financial status. This process is essential for evaluating potential risks in hiring or personal relationships, as it uncovers red flags that might indicate fraud or misconduct. Grasping the components and benefits of a deep background check can greatly improve safety and trust, especially in sensitive roles. But what steps should you take to conduct one effectively? Key Takeaways A deep background check provides an in-depth investigation of an individual’s history, including education, employment, and criminal records. It identifies potential red flags, which can protect against harm and legal issues in personal and professional settings. Conducting these checks is crucial for high-responsibility roles to ensure the integrity and reliability of candidates. They help safeguard business partnerships by revealing any fraudulent behavior or unethical practices of potential partners. Utilizing deep background checks contributes to peace of mind, ensuring informed decisions are made in relationships and hiring processes. Understanding Deep Background Checks When you’re considering the significance of deep background checks, it’s vital to understand what they entail. A deep background check goes beyond the standard investigation, examining an individual’s education, employment history, and criminal records in detail. It additionally includes financial information, marriage and divorce records, and property ownership to provide an all-encompassing view of a person’s life. Private investigators often perform these checks, utilizing public records, social media analysis, and sometimes surveillance to gather pertinent information. Websites like Been Verified can assist in accessing these records, making it easier for individuals or organizations to conduct thorough investigations. These checks are important for employers hiring for high-responsibility positions, as they help identify potential risks and guarantee safety. Key Components of a Deep Background Check A deep background check involves several key components that together form a thorough assessment of an individual’s history and reliability. First, it examines criminal history, scrutinizing local, state, and federal records for any convictions or pending charges. Next, it verifies employment history by confirming dates, roles, and responsibilities directly with past employers, ensuring all information is accurate. Educational verification follows, validating degrees and certifications from accredited institutions to prevent any misrepresentation. Additionally, credit reports are evaluated to assess financial responsibility, including bankruptcies and overall creditworthiness, offering insight into an individual’s fiscal behavior. Finally, reference checks provide valuable perspectives on a candidate’s work ethic, reliability, and interpersonal skills, contributing to a more holistic assessment of their suitability for a position. Benefits of Conducting Deep Background Checks Conducting deep background checks offers numerous benefits that can greatly impact decision-making processes in both personal and professional contexts. You gain a thorough comprehension of an individual’s past, including education, employment history, criminal records, and financial information, crucial for making informed choices. By identifying potential red flags, such as criminal behavior or fraudulent activities, you protect yourself and your organization from potential harm and legal issues. Deep background checks improve hiring decisions for roles with significant responsibilities, ensuring candidates possess the necessary qualifications and integrity. They likewise safeguard business partnerships by detecting fraudulent behavior, ensuring trustworthiness among all parties involved. In addition, conducting deep background checks contributes to peace of mind when engaging in significant personal or professional relationships, ultimately ensuring safety and reliability. By thoroughly vetting individuals, you establish a solid foundation for successful interactions and partnerships. Situations Where Deep Background Checks Are Essential Deep background checks are vital in various situations where comprehension of an individual’s history can markedly impact decision-making. For instance, employers hiring for high-responsibility positions, such as executives or finance roles, need to guarantee candidates don’t have a history of fraud or misconduct. Similarly, individuals considering significant personal relationships, like marriage, may uncover troubling pasts that could affect their safety. Business owners evaluate potential partnerships with deep checks to avoid unethical behavior, whereas organizations in sensitive sectors, like healthcare, require them to protect vulnerable populations. Furthermore, in legal matters, such as child custody disputes, a deep background check can reveal past behaviors critical for court decisions. Situation Importance High-responsibility hiring Prevents fraud or misconduct Personal relationships Guarantees safety from hidden issues Business partnerships Mitigates risks of unethical behavior Legal matters Influences court decisions on custody disputes How to Perform a Deep Background Check Effectively Performing a deep background check effectively requires a systematic approach to gather and verify relevant information about an individual. Start by collecting public records, such as criminal, marriage, divorce, and property records from various jurisdictions. This guarantees extensive coverage of the individual’s history. Next, utilize social media analysis to gain insights into their current activities, interests, and public behavior, which can provide valuable context. For employment and education history, directly verify the information by contacting previous employers and educational institutions. If necessary, consider implementing surveillance methods to monitor the individual’s movements and habits, gaining a thorough comprehension of their lifestyle and behaviors. Always guarantee compliance with local laws and regulations, particularly the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which mandates obtaining written consent from the individual before conducting any background check. Following these steps will help you conduct a thorough and effective deep background check. Frequently Asked Questions What Is a Deep Background Check? A deep background check involves a thorough investigation into an individual’s history, focusing on areas like education, employment, criminal records, and financial behavior. Unlike standard checks, it digs deeper to uncover detailed information about a person’s life. Private investigators often conduct these checks by accessing public records, analyzing social media, and, at times, employing surveillance. This extensive process helps employers and individuals make informed decisions regarding hiring or entering into personal or business relationships. What Is the Hardest Background Check to Pass? The hardest background check to pass typically involves federal government employment. These checks require extensive scrutiny, examining criminal records, credit history, and personal interviews. Positions needing security clearances undergo thorough investigations, including in-depth reviews of your associations and financial history. Furthermore, employers may screen your social media presence, so any concerning online behavior can negatively impact your chances. What Is a Red Flag in a Background Check? A red flag in a background check signals concerning information that may require further examination. Common red flags include a criminal record, inconsistencies in employment history, or poor credit history, particularly for roles involving financial responsibilities. If you’ve changed jobs frequently without valid reasons, that might raise questions about your reliability. Employers should carefully assess these red flags, allowing you the chance to explain any discrepancies before making final hiring decisions. What Does an In-Depth Background Check Cover? An in-depth background check covers several critical areas. It investigates criminal records at local, state, and federal levels, checks your educational qualifications by verifying degrees, and confirms your employment history, including job titles and dates worked. Furthermore, it may assess your financial responsibility through credit reports and include reference checks to evaluate your work ethic and reliability. This thorough approach helps guarantee that candidates meet the necessary qualifications and standards for employment. Conclusion In conclusion, deep background checks are essential tools for evaluating an individual’s history and potential risks. By thoroughly reviewing education, employment, criminal records, and financial status, you can make informed decisions in various contexts, such as hiring or forming partnerships. Recognizing when to conduct these checks improves safety and trust, particularly in high-stakes situations. By comprehending how to perform them effectively, you can safeguard yourself and your organization from potential issues that may arise from insufficient scrutiny. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Is a Deep Background Check and Its Importance?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Diego De Giorgi was seen as in contention to succeed chief executive Bill WintersView the full article

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Is stubble unprofessional? Is having a few days of facial stubble unprofessional? What about showering every other day? How do I know when I’m well-enough groomed? I’m a cis man who is reasonably adept at social interactions generally but struggles to pick up on unwritten norms/rules (like how often to shave). I got rid of a goatee in college and have generally shaved all my facial hair for every in-person workday since then. I also currently shower every day I go into the office, though I sometimes skip it for WFH days. I’m considering a change for three reasons: (1) I was reminded of how much of a literally bloody hassle it is when I got to stop shaving for a couple months during parental leave. (2) I’m no longer at a job that has on-site showers for production reasons and safety reasons to shave. (3) I just learned that a lot of men shave every other day rather than daily, and it wasn’t that long ago I heard the argument that daily showers are bad for skin and hair, so I’m beginning to question my previous understanding of grooming rules. I’d be happy to shave like once or twice a week, as waiting longer between shaves seems to reduce my rate of nicks and irritation. Is it a bad idea to go into the office having showered 2 nights before and shaved 2-4 nights before? My wife knows little about male grooming expectations, so I don’t know who to ask. Showering: it varies by person. Some people need to shower daily to meet our culture’s expectations around looking and smelling clean enough for work. Some people don’t. Is there a noticeable difference to a bystander between how you look and smell when you showered in the last 24 hours versus when you didn’t? If not, you are someone who can go longer in between showers. If there is, you are not. Stubble: as long as it looks like an intentional style choice (and not patchy or unkempt), stubble is fine in many, and probably now most, offices. There are still some conservative fields where it’s frowned up, but they’ve quickly become the exception to the rule. (That said, avoid stubble for an interview, where you’re generally expected to turn up looking more polished.) 2. Should I try to keep an employee who’s leaving because of my predecessor? I have just joined a small startup as head of engineering. Upon joining, I found out that one of the more experienced engineers has handed in his notice after accepting an offer elsewhere. As this is a team of four, his leaving would be quite impactful. The reason he gave for leaving is that he wants to be promoted to senior engineer but his old boss wouldn’t do that. In private, he has told me that the previous head was not respecting him and would say things like, “I don’t need to listen to your opinions, you’re not a backend engineer.” Less than two weeks after I’ve arrived, said employee has come to me and said that he feels my management style is so vastly different from the previous manager’s that he wants to stay; I have given him autonomy and trust which I believe he was previously lacking. So far, I have said to him that if he proved to me over the next month or two (during his notice period) that he could show the maturity and drive expected of a senior engineer, and show a significant improvement in his soft skills, we could have a conversation about him staying. My concern is that I am encouraging him to leave it quite late to possibly renegue on his accepted offer, and that he may end up leaving the company anyway if I don’t immediately promote him. Should I keep him on this path, giving him the option that we revisit his notice? Or am I lining myself up for trouble down the line? Is there anything else I can or should do? This is tough because you just joined the team and are still getting the lay of the land. Normally I’d say that if someone was leaving for a reason that is now moot, and they’re someone who you were sad to see go, you should absolutely be open to letting them stay (assuming you haven’t already hired their replacement). There’s no reason to just oppose that on principle. But this is messier, since you don’t necessarily have enough info to know how much you should want to keep him — and it sounds like there are some soft skill issues, at a minimum. I would not be leaping to keep someone with soft skill issues. I’m also not sure it made sense to tell him that if he was able to do XYZ during his notice period, then you could talk about him staying. That’s leaving it very up in the air when you both need to be able to make solid plans (you so you know whether you need to hire a replacement and transition his projects, and him so he knows whether he’s actually taking that other job or not). Plus, is he really going to be able to demonstrate those things in a month or two? Particularly when you’re still new and learning the team? In your shoes, I’d be seeking insight from others who work with him to try to make a decision now, rather than a month or two from now. 3. Was I wrong to settle with my company rather than continuing on to court? In my previous role, I was subject to harassment, discrimination, and retaliation for over half a year prior to being terminated. I knew that I had a strong case, had been collecting evidence throughout, and connected with an attorney right away. In the end, I took a settlement. I decided that it would be better for my mental health to stop reliving those experiences. I also worried that a jury trial might be risky in my libertarian state, not to mention the expensive court fees. I am proud that I stood up for myself while I worked there and after. But since I opted for the settlement, I have also entered into a confidentiality agreement. So while my former coworkers can probably make educated guesses about what happened, the wider world doesn’t know. New hires and new external partners won’t know what kind of company this is. And the bad actors can continue to skirt the laws. I wonder what can be done, if anything, to help future victims of this company and their discriminatory practices. Was my choice of a settlement too selfish and short-sighted? No, settling wasn’t selfish or short-sighted. It’s not your responsibility to make this company change, no matter what the personal cost to you might be; it’s the responsibility of the people running the company. Moreover, even if you hadn’t signed a confidentiality agreement, your ability to hold them accountable would be limited. Yes, you could tell people in your network about how they operate and leave online reviews. But the impact of those things generally won’t outweigh the impact of making them pay financially — which has at least some potential to motivate them to clean up their act so they don’t get hit with future legal bills too. (That doesn’t mean they will! It just has a shot at it.) 4. How to make a conference travel request at a brand new job I’m in the final stages interviewing for a role that uses a niche tool, and which I’ve been an active member of this tool’s user community for a few years. In recognition of my contributions to this community (knowledge sharing, answering questions on forums, etc.), the company that owns the tool recently sent me a voucher for free admission to their annual conference. The conference is scheduled for three months after the estimated start date of the role I’m interviewing for, and flight/hotel costs are not covered by the voucher. I would love to attend the conference if possible, but am unsure how and when to approach the subject with my new employer if I end up with the job. The hiring manager had mentioned that some team members have attended in the previous years and I think it could be a great way to get to know the team if others attend as well this year, but I don’t want to press the issue so new in the role. What do you think? Once you start the job, say this to your new manager fairly early on: “ToolCompany actually sent me a voucher for free admission to the conference since I’ve been an active member of its user community, but it doesn’t include travel. If NewCompany wants to send me, I’d be happy to go if so and could do ___ there.” (Fill in with things beneficial to NewCompany.) 5. Resigning right before or after a stock vest I have a stock vest scheduled for February 15. I’ve accepted a new job that starts March 2, and I was originally planning to give notice on February 2, with my last day being February 17. That would allow me to give two weeks’ notice and still have a short break before the new role. However, I’ve seen multiple colleagues in the past give notice and then be walked out or have their resignation accepted immediately, which would have caused them to forfeit unvested equity. I’ve also seen other teams allow their staff to work through the notice period. My specific team hasn’t had any good data either way, though I think I’m on good teams with my manager and team. Because of that, I’m now considering resigning only after the vest occurs, possibly even the same day or shortly after. My concern is that this could make my employer upset or feel blindsided, but I also don’t want to put myself at financial risk by giving notice too early. I’m not trying to be deceptive, just careful. From a professionalism and workplace norms standpoint, is it reasonable to wait until after the vest to resign, even if that means giving little or no notice? Yes, it is reasonable to wait until after the stock vest; people do that all the time, for this exact reason, and it’s additionally a good idea because you’ve seen that you might not be allowed to work out your notice period. However, ideally you’d find out if the new employer has any flexibility on your start date so that you can still offer two weeks notice; if you explain that leaving earlier will affect you financially, they might be very willing to give you an extra week or two. (People request this all the time, too. They may or may not be able to agree, but it’s not unreasonable to ask.) The post is stubble unprofessional, should I try to keep an employee who’s leaving, and more appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Group has redoubled efforts to exit deals and return cash to investors to prove it still has strong dealmaking operations View the full article

Rising number of men killed or missing in action makes a military breakthrough for Moscow less likely, officials say View the full article

Senior directors leave after losses on UK utility and souring of another European investmentView the full article