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White House also rolls back levies on some metals in an attempt to simplify dutiesView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The MacBook Neo is one of Apple's most intriguing products in years. The company took an iPhone 16 Pro chip, put it inside a colorful chassis, installed macOS, and presto: You have a brand-new MacBook for only $599 ($499 with an education discount). It's a no-brainer for anyone looking for a basic Mac at a great price, but to get it to that price, Apple had to cut some serious corners. As such, you can't buy a MacBook Neo and expect the exact same experience you'd get with a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro—though that doesn't mean you can't make some improvements on your own. The Neo might be a stripped-down Mac, but it's still a computer, and all computers can be pushed beyond their defaults. To that end, I've compiled a list of 10 hacks all MacBook Neo owners should know about—adjustments and strategies you can take to make your Neo run longer, perform better, and get a bit closer to the flagship MacBook experience. MacBook Neo (256 GB) $599.00 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $599.00 at Amazon Give your Mac more "RAM" by optimizing your storageThis is an important consideration no matter what Mac you have, but it's especially important when your hard drive is as small as the base MacBook Neo. While you might think you have the flexibility to fill that 256GB of storage to the brim, you have far less of it than you think. Part of that is because macOS takes up a certain amount of storage on its own (the OS takes up roughly 35GB on my MacBook, for example), but even the free space you can use, you really shouldn't. See, your Mac has 8GB of RAM. That's not a lot. When macOS runs out of RAM to work with, however, it won't just stop working; instead, it'll start using your SSD for additional memory, a process known as "swap." That said, if you don't have enough available storage, you'll start to run into issues: macOS will slow down, apps will be less responsive, and the system may even warn you you're dangerously close to running out of space. So, one of the best things you can do to make the most of your Neo's limited RAM is by limiting how much storage you're using. Audit your current SSD situation by going to System Settings > General > Storage. You'll be able to see a full breakdown of your Macintosh HD, plus some tips from macOS to optimize your storage: e.g. "Store in iCloud," if you have enough cloud space, or "Empty Trash automatically" if you tend to keep large files in the trash. You can go deeper if you click on the (i) next to any of the file types listed below. For example, I have 226.43 GB of "Documents" on my MacBook. I can see which files are the largest, and delete any I no longer need. Pick up an external SSD to expand your storage If you're struggling to make due with your limited storage, pick up an external SSD. You can buy these devices in any number of configurations, adding 1TB, 2TB, even 4TB of storage space to your setup. While it's less convenient than keeping files on your MacBook locally, it'll help you keep the available space on your Neo for everything to run properly. Plus, they're small, and many connect via a single USB-C cable, so there's no need for additional power cables or dongles. Pair your Apple Watch for easy unlocking and authenticationFor years, Apple has included Touch ID buttons on its MacBooks. It's a fast way to unlock your laptop and it beats having to type your password in every time. While the Neo does have an option that comes with Touch ID, the base model sadly doesn't. If you have an Apple, however, it doesn't actually matter. You can pair your Apple Watch with your MacBook, so that when you're wearing the watch, it automatically unlocks your Mac—just like Touch ID would. To set it up, head to System Settings, then search for "Apple Watch." Choose "Allow Apple Watch to unlock your Mac," then tap the toggle next to your watch. Note that both the watch and your MacBook need to be connected to the same Apple Account. Use Activity Monitor to kill demanding apps and processesAs someone who obsesses over their Mac's performance, Activity Monitor is my best friend. It's about to be yours, too. This utility lets you see all the apps and processes currently running on your Mac, and how demanding they are on its CPU, memory, energy, disk, and the network. While it may seem particularly technical, don't worry: The easiest way to use Activity Monitor is to see if any app is unexpectedly using too much energy, memory, or CPU performance. If Messages, for example, is at the top of the list, and is using far more energy than any other app around it, you can guess something's up. From here, you can Force Quit the app, or click the app name from the list and hit the (X) stop button in Activity Monitor to get things working again. Use your iPhone as an improved webcamThe MacBook Neo's built-in webcam is actually pretty solid—especially for a laptop at this price point. But it's not quite as good as the ones you'll find on Apple's M-series MacBooks. If you have an iPhone, however, you're set, since macOS lets you tap into its camera for all your video call needs. For setup instructions, follow the steps in our guide here. You may just want to invest in a stand, or perhaps a camera mount for your Mac. Use lightweight apps to make the most of your Mac's limited RAM8GB of RAM is not much in 2026. (It wasn't much in 2022, either.) While I have no reservations recommending the Neo for anyone who has basic computing needs (web browsing, email, messaging, etc.), the more things you do at once on your MacBook, the more pressure you'll put on the memory. But not all processes are equal: You can run more lightweight apps at once than you can heavy, memory-hungry programs. As such, knowing which apps to use (and when) can go a long way with the Neo. Perhaps the easiest place to start is with your browser. Chrome is the most popular web browser in the world. It's also a major memory hog. Google isn't all that concerned with making its browser a light and efficient option, especially since so many users rely on it for its performance and extensions library. But if you're rocking a MacBook Neo, you might want to consider switching out your browser. Safari is honestly a great choice in 2026, and, since it's Apple-made, it's optimized to work well with macOS. But it's limited compared to Chrome—while it has extensions, there aren't as many, so you may find the experience lacking. In that case, I'd recommend Firefox: It offers a similar extensions experience to Chrome, but runs lighter, and more private to boot. If you're not sure how your apps of choice are impacting your system, run them and pull up Activity Monitor's "Memory" tab. You'll be able to see exactly how much RAM each app is consuming, and decide for yourself whether it's worth having on board. Pick up a USB hub to expand your Mac's port selectionEven if you think you could get away with relying on the MacBook Neo's two USB-C ports, you really only have one worth using. The port closest to the hinge is USB 3.0, which you can use for connecting to a display, charging, and for transferring data up to 10Gb/s. The other port, however, is USB 2, which can only charge and transfer data at speeds of 480Mb/s. That's super slow by today's standards. In fact, if you plug a demanding piece of hardware into this port, macOS will send you a pop-up advising you to use the other port. As such, you might find a USB hub can open up what you can do on your Mac. This option from Anker, for example, comes with two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and an HDMI port. Right there, you add four USB options and a video-out port to a MacBook that only started with two ports total. There are other options out there, too, like this hub that comes with SD card slots. Use Low Power Mode on battery power to keep your MacBook running longerThe MacBook Neo seems to have a pretty solid battery life, but that doesn't mean it's perfect. If your main goal is extending your time in between charges and you're OK taking a small hit to performance, you should use Low Power Mode any time your MacBook is on battery power—not just when it's low on energy. If you keep your battery setting in the menu bar, just click the battery, then choose "Low Power Mode." Otherwise, head to System Settings > Battery, then set "Low Power Mode" to "Only on battery." Now, anytime you disconnect from the charger, your MacBook will run on Low Power Mode. You may notice some slowdowns and stuttering, but it's all the name of elongated battery power. Use a solid surface for maximum thermal performanceYou should know your MacBook Neo, like the MacBook Air, doesn't come with fans. As such, when you push the A18 Pro chip and things start to heat up, macOS has to throttle (or limit) the performance of the chip to avoid overheating. That's good for the health of your Neo, but bad for pushing it to its fullest potential. In order to help keep that A18 Pro chip from overheating, you'll want to mind where you keep your Neo when using it—especially if it's working hard. Despite being a laptop, your lap is not the optimal surface for heat dissipation. Instead, try to use the Neo on a flat, cool surface that can help move that heat away from the laptop as much as possible. If you want something that is actively moving that heat away, consider a cooling pad, like this option from Targus. This pan has fans built into it, which can offer some additional help cooling your machine. You can install a thermal pad to improve performance (but you probably shouldn't)Here's the thing: You can hack your MacBook to run cooler for longer by installing a thermal pad inside. That way, the heat from the chip has an easier time dissipating and you can run more intensive tasks for longer before macOS feels the need to slow things down. When YouTuber Zip Tie Tech tried this, they improved thermal performance by as much as 19%—all by applying a small thermal pad to the back of the SoC component. Just know, this involves opening up your MacBook, and installing something Apple doesn't approve of. The risk here is pretty low, aside from accidentally damaging your machine while it's opened, but this violates your MacBook's warranty, so really only proceed with this hack if you're comfortable with the risks. View the full article

We love a good old social media roast, and Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan found himself on the business end of a doozie Wednesday. Tan, who in a past life worked as an engineering manager at Palantir and has more recently been a vocal proponent for AI acceleration, bragged that he and his AI coding agents have been deploying 37,000 lines of code per day across five separate projects. “Absolutely insane week for agentic engineering,” Tan wrote in an X post on Monday, adding in a follow-up post that he was on a 72-day shipping streak. Absolutely insane week for agentic engineering 37K LOC per day across 5 projects Still speeding up pic.twitter.com/VR3utsduYx — Garry Tan (@garrytan) March 30, 2026 Two days later, a Polish game developer and senior software engineer who goes by the username Gregorein decided to have a closer look at the actual results of all that shipping by taking a peek at Tan’s AI-focused blog. “Here’s what 78,400 lines of AI slop code actually looks like in production,” Gregorein wrote on X. Gregorein found these nuggets during his late March review of Tan’s site code and network requests: Tan/AI built the website so that when a user visits, their browser makes 169 server requests for various assets totalling 6.42 megabytes in size. For comparison, the minimalist Hacker News homepage (also run by Y Combinator) makes 7 requests for data totaling just 12 kilobytes. The website ships 28 actual test files (code developers use to reality-check their work) straight to every visitor’s browser. That’s 300 KB of pure developer scaffolding that users never asked for. It loads 78 different JavaScript controllers for features like AI image generation, voice extraction, video tools, etc., none of which appear on the homepage. The browser still has to download all of them “just in case.” The site’s logo is an illustration of a bear. The site downloads the logo in eight different formats, including a completely empty 0-byte file that somehow made it to production, Gregorein found. The website uses huge, uncompressed old-school PNGs (some nearly 2 MB each) even though the browser literally asks for modern tiny formats. Two images alone waste about 4 MB; with newer formats they could have been just 300KB. Gregorein also found duplicate page content, an empty CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) file, a huge rich-text editor loaded on a read-only page, missing image descriptions, and analytics code that deliberately routes through a proxy to dodge people’s ad blockers (with a comment in the code admitting it), Gregorein reports. Gregorein notes that his review included only the front end code viewable in the browser, not the backend and database code. Even without touching the backend, the public-facing output (the website user experience) makes it clear that the Tan’s website is full of obvious bloat, waste, and rookie mistakes. The larger point is that while AI coding tools make it easy to pump out lots of code, it’s really (still) the quality of the code that matters. Quantity, in other words, doesn’t necessarily equal quality. Sure, non-coders can use plain language to direct an AI tool to quickly build websites or apps or new features, but if that code goes into production without proper scrutiny and testing, it can cause obvious functional failures, create security vulnerabilities, or introduce issues that surface later and force engineers to track down and fix the underlying code. Gregorein isn’t criticizing AI coding tools, or developers’ reliance on them; as he’s pointed out on social media, he uses the tools himself. But he’s saying that the tools are still an enhancement, not a replacement, for skilled software engineering. Neither Tan nor Gregorein immediately responded to Fast Company’s request for comment. Tan did, however, take to X on Thursday to write: “Good morning haters! Your hate makes me stronger. I love you all.” His post was accompanied by a meme of a laughing Snow White. View the full article

A senior The President administration tasked with managing America’s disaster response won’t stop talking about teleporting. Gregg Phillips, who leads FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, first made claims about teleportation on a podcast, describing the feeling of his car being “lifted up” and relocated into a ditch near a church. In another instance, Phillips described finding himself teleported to a Waffle House miles away from his previous location. The The President administration named Phillips, best known for profiting from election conspiracy theories, to one of the top roles at the disaster relief agency in December. “Teleporting is no fun… It was scary in a way,” Phillips said on an episode of the podcast “Onward,” which aired prior to his appointment to the federal government. At the time, Phillips said he didn’t know if the experience was “good” or “evil.” After CNN reported on Phillips’ strange claims last month, the FEMA official has taken to social media to defend his experiences and contextualize them in religious terms. In a Truth Social post, Phillips said that God moved him instantaneously “during a spiritual battle.” Phillips likened his experience to miracles described in the bible, including the resurrection of Jesus, celebrated on Easter. “People can debate me. Question me. Even ridicule what they don’t understand,” Phillips wrote. In one Truth Social reply, Phillips accused the media of taking his quotes out of context, describing the experiences as a spiritual journey linked to his battle with cancer and attributing the teleportation to “the power of God.” CNN previously reported the FEMA official’s account of being teleported: “I was with my boys one time and I was telling them I was gonna go to Waffle House and get Waffle House,” Phillips said in early 2025. “…This was in Georgia and I end up at a Waffle House like 50 miles away from where I was.” “And they said, ‘where are you?’ and I said, ‘A Waffle House.’ And ‘a Waffle House where?’ And I said, ‘Waffle House in Rome, Georgia.’ And they said, ‘That’s not possible, you just left here a moment ago.’ But it was possible. It was real.” From conspiracy theories to FEMA His claims about teleportation have raised eyebrows, including among Democrats in Congress. In March, Rep. Tim Kennedy called Phillips “wildly unfit for his role as head of FEMA response and recovery,” with other representatives echoing the sentiment. Teleportation aside, the The President appointee is no stranger to controversy. Last year, Philips said that former President Joe Biden “deserves to die” and that he would “like to punch that bitch in the mouth right now.” In now-deleted posts surfaced by CNN, Phillips often attacked Democratic lawmakers, including once instance of calling Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler a “fatass” and a pig. His social media barbs aren’t the only thing that’s been scrubbed online. The podcast episode including some of Phillips’ unusual statements has been deleted since CNN first reported on the teleportation claims last month. The episode was hosted by his business partner and fellow election denier and Catherine Engelbrecht, co-founder of True the Vote, an organization sued by an election software company for defamation in the aftermath of the 2020 election. After filing complaints with Georgia’s Secretary of State over allegations of voter fraud and ballot stuffing in the state, the group eventually admitted that it had no evidence to back up its claims. In 2023, a complaint filed to the IRS accused the organization of running afoul of state and federal laws by using donations to personally enrich Engelbrecht as well as Phillips, who served as the organization’s longtime director. In a Truth Social post Wednesday, Phillips made an uncharacteristically polished statement on his prior claims about teleportation. “In 2023, I was given less than 12 months to live… I was in the opening days of intensive treatment, heavily medicated, not thinking about future headlines,” Phillips wrote, before pivoting to religious terms. “The word ‘teleportation’ was not mine. It was used by someone else in the conversation reaching for language to describe something with no easy name. The more accurate biblical terms are ‘translated’ or ‘transported’,” Phillips wrote. Since March, his Truth Social bio has been updated to include a bible verse and the phrase “OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND NOT THAT OF FEMA NOR DHS.” — View the full article

Minecraft is, perhaps, the ultimate sandbox game. Infinite space, multiple game modes, and seemingly endless updates: The game’s limitless possibilities have helped it sell more than 350 million copies since it launched in 2011 (only Tetris has sold more games, and it had a 27-year lead). In 2014, Microsoft acquired Minecraft developer Mojang for $2.5 billion. That same year, Mojang Studios began trying to figure out how to turn an open-ended game into a narrative film for Warner Bros. By 2022, the adaptation coalesced around Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess, featuring Jason Momoa as Garrett Garrison, a human trapped in-game, and Hess’s Nacho Libre star Jack Black as the game’s default avatar, Steve. Released on April 4, 2025, A Minecraft Movie became the second-highest-grossing film of the year. Kayleen Walters, head of Mojang Studios and VP of franchise development for gaming at Microsoft: We wanted to push the story beyond what players experience in-game and do something special for the film, making sure Minecraft not only stayed true to its roots but also created an experience that welcomed new fans into the franchise. Fries Vansevenant Jared Hess, director, A Minecraft Movie: [With an adaptation] you want to really be aware of what’s special about the game, because it’s something that a lot of people share. Once we realize that we are one of millions of stories that kids and adults bring to the game when they play it, it’s like, “Let’s just go have fun and let’s celebrate what we love about it.” While telling an original story, A Minecraft Movie also weaves in self-aware mentions of gameplay elements. One of those is the “chicken jockey”—a rare in-game enemy consisting of a small, fast-moving zombie riding a chicken. The trailer teased a scene that has Momoa squaring off to fight one, with Black shouting “Chicken jockey!” When theater audiences—mostly composed of early-twentysomethings raised on the game—saw the scene, they lost it. Popcorn flew, people cheered, and at least one person brought a live chicken to a showing. Walters: People made memes from the trailer, so by the time people were in the theater, they were primed to participate in ways that usually only happen with cult movies that have been around for years. Fries Vansevenant Ciara Farris, radio, television, and film student at Northwestern University and casual Minecraft fan: I went to see the movie with 15 people. It was so much fun to see all the internet hype around it. I think a beautiful thing about social media and the current online scene is that you can get a detailed idea of the experience people are having in theaters that you might only get through word of mouth if we didn’t have social media. The chaotic silliness from the chicken jockey reactions made a serious mess of theaters. To contain the excitement without killing it, Regal Cinemas held special screenings of A Minecraft Movie on April 20 last year, at which fans were encouraged to dress up and shout. James Lamar, VP of film, alternative content, Regal Cinemas: Our operations teams work really hard to keep the theaters clean and nice, and there’s things being damaged, screens being torn, and we absolutely don’t want that. But that’s where we jump into action and say, “How can we better direct this enthusiasm?” It was less than a week and a half that we turned everything around. Fries Vansevenant Hess: I was talking with theater workers, and I was like, “Guys, I’m so sorry about the mess that’s happening.” They were like, “We are so grateful. We weren’t able to make our hours because people weren’t coming to the theater, and now we’re getting overtime.” The film’s influence wasn’t just a viral moment—A Minecraft Movie has grossed $961 million worldwide, and Black’s 34-second ditty, “Steve’s Lava Chicken,” became the shortest song ever to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also inspired an in-game Easter egg. Hess: Now when you kill a chicken jockey in the game, a record pops up. You can take that record and put it in a record player in the game and play it, and it’s the melody of “Steve’s Lava Chicken.” It’s super fun that you can have that collaborative interplay between a movie and a game. View the full article

In an era where data security is more critical than ever, HP has unveiled groundbreaking advancements poised to bolster the security posture of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). During the HP Imagine 2026 event, the tech giant presented innovative solutions that not only tackle existing vulnerabilities but also prepare businesses for future threats, such as those posed by emerging quantum computing technologies. One highlight from the event was the introduction of HP TPM Guard, touted as the world’s first hardware solution designed to prevent physical Trusted Platform Module (TPM) bus attacks. This innovative hardware fills a significant security gap previously associated with BitLocker drive encryption. Dr. Ian Pratt, VP of Security & Commercial Systems CTO at HP Inc., emphasized the importance of this development, stating, “While BitLocker has previously been relied upon to protect data, today an attacker with a couple of hours of training and a $20 hardware kit can bypass that protection.” SMBs often house vast amounts of sensitive data—from customer details to financial information—making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. The TPM Guard effectively addresses the alarming ease with which attackers can exploit physical access to devices. By establishing an encrypted link between the TPM and the CPU, this solution dramatically minimizes risk without complicating IT management. For small business owners, this means enhanced protection of their critical data without the need for extensive resources. Beyond the TPM Guard, HP is advancing its HP Wolf Security capabilities, instrumental in reducing operational overhead and cybersecurity risks for businesses. The new features within the HP Wolf Security portfolio include improvements in organizational efficiency through integrations like the Wolf Controller/WXP, tailored for small businesses seeking seamless security solutions. Additionally, enhancements such as a next-generation cellular card promise greater accuracy at lower power consumption, contributing to both operational savings and reduced environmental footprint. For businesses heavily reliant on printing, HP is also tackling an increasingly pressing issue: quantum-resistant security. With experts estimating that quantum computers may compromise current cryptographic methods by 2034, HP has expanded its quantum-resistant capabilities across a new LaserJet portfolio. The latest HP LaserJet Pro 4000/4100 Series represents the first set of small business printers equipped with this advanced protection. The introduction of tamper-resistant toner chips and features that support streamlined compliance management should resonate well with SMB owners who prioritize both security and efficiency. While these developments present exciting opportunities, small business owners should also weigh potential challenges. Implementing new technology often requires initial investment and staff training—a consideration crucial for budget-conscious SMBs. Moreover, as many of these solutions aim to raise industry standards, businesses may face the challenge of keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology and security protocols. As Dr. Pratt notes, “This solves an industry-wide problem and will be relevant for all businesses—particularly those in regulated industries, government, and other organizations that manage highly sensitive information on their PCs.” For SMBs in regulated sectors, these innovations could be especially beneficial, potentially easing compliance burdens while enhancing data protection. In a fast-evolving digital landscape where threats grow more sophisticated by the day, HP’s latest initiatives reflect a proactive approach to cybersecurity that small businesses cannot afford to overlook. Integrating these robust security features may not only shield vital information from imminent threats but also foster greater trust with customers, all while supporting the operational sustainability that every small business aims for. To explore more about these innovations and their implications for small businesses, the complete details can be found in HP’s press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "HP Unveils Breakthrough Security Solutions to Combat TPM Bus Attacks" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The following content is brought to you by Lifehacker partners. If you buy a product featured here, we may earn an affiliate commission or other compensation. Trying in vain to get your grocery costs down? Skimping at the fuel pump only to run out of gas a week later? You’re not alone. With everyday costs on the rise, it’s easy to feel like you just can’t get ahead of your finances. Successful savers take a more practical approach to their finances. Rather than obsessing over daily expenses, they focus on trimming the bigger monthly bills. The best place to start could be your car loan. Autopay takes the stress and time out of refinancing your auto loan, giving you a quick win that will motivate you to tackle your other big bills. Here are three reasons refinancing with Autopay is the go-to for savvy savers. Autopay Take the hassle out of refinancing your car loan. It's fast, simple, and could save you money. Learn More Learn More You could save over $1,500 annuallyWhen you refinance through Autopay, you’ll get access to their wide network of trusted lenders and financial institutions. This means you’ll be offered some of the most competitive interest rates in the industry and can review the terms of your loan to better suit your needs. The average monthly payment savings for people who refinance their auto loan with Autopay is $129.49. That’s $1,553 annually, without making any sacrifices. Life as per usual, just cheaper. Get it done online during the in-between momentsWith Autopay’s simple three-step process, you can apply, review offers, and accept your new loan online during in-between moments like your morning commute, making those savings go even further. After all, time is money. Here’s how it works: Share some basic vehicle, loan, and financial details in Autopay’s secure portal Log in to review offers from multiple lenders, and select the offer that best aligns with your priorities E-sign your loan documents with a few taps from your mobile device It really is that easy, but if you have any questions about the process along the way, you’ll have access to a dedicated account manager who can guide you through every step. Options for every type of credit scoreAutopay addresses the irony that those facing the greatest financial challenges often have the fewest resources. By catering to a broad spectrum of credit profiles, they offer solutions for individuals with poor credit or no established credit history. Whatever state your credit is in, you’ll get the same Autopay perks, including fast, easy application and access to a dedicated account manager. You can also explore options like a cash-back refinance to help pay off a high-interest credit card or cover an unexpected cost that’s come your way. With Autopay, you can get back in the driver’s seat on your auto loan payments quickly. Apply today to start saving. View the full article

HECM endorsements rose 16% in March to 2,117 loans, but monthly volumes remain near their slowest pace since last summer as proprietary reverse products quietly steal market share. View the full article

Tech showman seeks to tap the Fomo factor with a market sales pitch for the agesView the full article

In regard to effective team building, several key elements play an important role in ensuring success. Open communication is fundamental, as it nurtures trust among team members. A clear organizational purpose aligns everyone’s efforts, whereas defined goals create accountability. Furthermore, leveraging individual strengths through task delegation can improve productivity. Comprehending these components is crucial, but there are likewise strategies to boost team cohesion that you may find intriguing. Key Takeaways Open communication fosters transparency and trust, allowing team members to express ideas and concerns freely. Clear organizational goals provide direction, ensuring accountability and alignment among team members. Valuing diverse contributions enhances problem-solving and innovation by incorporating varied perspectives. Regular check-ins maintain engagement, address challenges, and reinforce commitment to team objectives. Establishing ground rules cultivates a productive environment, promoting collaboration and respect during discussions. Importance of Teamwork Though some may underestimate the strength of teamwork, it’s clear that collaboration is fundamental for the success of any organization. Building effective teams improves engagement, creativity, and overall job satisfaction among members. A study by Stanford in 2014 highlighted that teamwork increases motivation, reduces stress, and promotes knowledge sharing, all of which are critical for a productive work environment. Effective team building strategies, such as open communication and mutual support, cultivate trust and inclusivity, making teams more resilient. Teamwork examples at work, like brainstorming sessions or collaborative projects, show how diverse perspectives can improve problem-solving capabilities and lead to better innovation. In the end, successful teams experience increased productivity and efficiency, which are significant for maneuvering today’s disruptive economy. By prioritizing teamwork, organizations can create a more dynamic and effective workforce, ensuring long-term success. Key Characteristics of Effective Teamwork Effective teamwork hinges on several key characteristics that promote a productive and harmonious environment. First and foremost, open communication nurtures mutual support among team members. This involves active listening and respect, which build trust and create a safe space for sharing ideas and admitting mistakes. Inclusivity is equally essential; when all members feel valued, you encourage diverse perspectives that improve problem-solving and innovation. Furthermore, active participation in team activities leads to greater retention rates and nurtures a sense of ownership and accountability. Team building strategies that emphasize collective problem-solving skills are significant, as they enable teams to develop more effective solutions and boost overall productivity. Practical Elements for Achieving Teamwork To achieve effective teamwork, it’s imperative to implement practical elements that encourage collaboration and drive progress. Comprehending how to build a successful team involves several key components that you can utilize. These elements cultivate an engaged and productive environment, which is fundamental for creating successful teams. Open communication: Keep all team members informed to promote trust and improve collaboration. Clear organizational purpose: Provide direction and motivate employees toward a common goal. Concrete team goals: Guarantee accountability and help members grasp their roles in achieving success. Task delegation: Assign responsibilities based on individual strengths to maximize productivity. Regular check-ins as well play a significant role in maintaining engagement and addressing challenges. Please give details of your team building experience to identify what worked best for you and your team. By focusing on these practical elements, you can create a robust foundation for effective teamwork. Strategies to Enhance Team Cohesion When teams work together cohesively, they can achieve higher performance and better outcomes. To improve team cohesion, focus on building strong bonds among members. Encourage open communication and idea sharing, as diverse perspectives lead to innovative solutions. You might want to reward your team for taking healthy risks, promoting ownership and accountability, which motivates collaboration. Avoid micromanagement; instead, empower your team members to take initiative. This sense of autonomy strengthens team dynamics and cultivates trust, a crucial element for effective teamwork. When trust is prioritized, communication and cooperation flourish, enabling the team to reach collective goals more effectively. For practical insights, please give details of your team building experience sample pdf or please give details of your team building experience sample to illustrate these strategies in action. Role of Leadership in Teamwork Effective leadership is essential in nurturing trust and transparency within a team, as it creates an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas. By clearly defining roles and encouraging autonomy, you empower team members to take ownership of their contributions, which improves accountability. This approach not only increases motivation but also drives collaboration, ultimately resulting in better teamwork and innovative solutions. Building Trust and Transparency Building trust and transparency in a team is essential for creating a collaborative atmosphere where everyone feels valued. Effective leadership plays a key role in nurturing this environment. To achieve this, leaders should: Practice open communication by sharing information and updates regularly. Model vulnerability, encouraging team members to provide feedback and admit mistakes. Establish clear expectations and roles, promoting accountability among members. Demonstrate trustworthiness through consistent actions and decisions. Encouraging Autonomy and Accountability Autonomy and accountability are crucial components of effective teamwork, as they empower team members to take ownership of their roles as they align with the team’s objectives. By encouraging autonomy, you promote a sense of ownership, enhancing motivation and job satisfaction. Clear role definitions and expectations set by you, as a leader, help team members understand their responsibilities, encouraging initiative. When you provide guidance during allowing autonomy, team members can experiment and innovate, which improves problem-solving and creativity. Regular check-ins and feedback loops maintain accountability, ensuring alignment with goals and offering support. Furthermore, when you model transparency in your decision-making, you reinforce a culture where taking responsibility is valued, ultimately benefiting the entire team. Establishing Leadership and Trust Establishing leadership and trust within a team is crucial for nurturing an environment where collaboration thrives. To achieve this, focus on several key actions that promote trust and effective leadership: Build relationships: Cultivate connections based on trust and loyalty to enable open communication and collaboration. Value contributions: Encourage sharing of ideas in an inclusive environment, allowing team members to express themselves without fear of judgment. Listen actively: Pay attention to unspoken feelings and concerns, creating a space where team members feel psychologically safe to engage in honest dialogue. Communicate clearly: Guarantee all directives are communicated effectively to prevent misunderstandings, clarifying roles and responsibilities for every member. Fostering Team Dynamics To cultivate effective team dynamics, you need to prioritize trust and cooperation among team members. Open communication channels play an essential role, allowing everyone to express their thoughts and ideas freely, which promotes transparency and comprehension. Furthermore, recognizing and valuing diverse contributions not just boosts morale but also improves motivation, leading to a more cohesive and engaged team. Trust and Cooperation Trust and cooperation are fundamental components of effective team dynamics, as they lay the groundwork for successful collaboration. To cultivate these elements, consider the following strategies: Create a psychologically safe environment where team members can express opinions and admit mistakes without fear. Encourage active participation through collaborative problem-solving, making everyone feel valued and respected. Organize regular team-building exercises to improve interpersonal relationships and strengthen team cohesion. Promote open dialogue that allows team members to rely on each other, which further boosts problem-solving capabilities. Open Communication Channels Open communication channels play an essential role in nurturing effective team dynamics, as they allow team members to share their thoughts and feelings freely, without the fear of judgment. By cultivating trust and collaboration, you create a psychologically safe environment. Regular team meetings improve transparency, keeping everyone aligned in the direction of common goals. Active listening guarantees that each member feels valued, greatly boosting morale and engagement. Encouraging the vocal expression of ideas helps prevent misunderstandings, reducing conflicts and promoting cooperation. Implementing a culture of open dialogue strengthens team dynamics and improves problem-solving capabilities, leading to more innovative outcomes. Benefits of Open Communication Impact on Team Dynamics Builds Trust Cultivates Collaboration Improves Transparency Reduces Conflicts Boosts Morale Improves Engagement Encourages Innovation Strengthens Problem-Solving Valuing Diverse Contributions How can valuing diverse contributions truly immerse team dynamics? By recognizing and embracing individual differences, you can improve team effectiveness and creativity. Here are some key benefits of valuing diverse contributions: Reduces groupthink by incorporating varied perspectives, leading to innovative solutions. Cultivates an inclusive environment that boosts employee morale and satisfaction. Increases team performance, as diverse insights drive productivity and effectiveness. Encourages team members to feel valued and engaged, promoting motivation and a sense of belonging. To promote this inclusivity, actively solicit input from all members. Setting Goals and Values What makes a team effective in achieving its objectives? Establishing clear team values and goals is fundamental. This clarity creates a unified direction, allowing everyone to focus on a common objective and evaluate success together. Regularly discussing progress toward these goals highlights both achievements and challenges, nurturing accountability and encouraging problem-solving among members. Engaging the entire team in setting objectives through consensus-building amplifies commitment, ensuring everyone feels valued and heard. Defining standards for success and clarifying individual responsibilities gives team members a clear comprehension of their roles, which is vital for effective collaboration. Furthermore, reviewing the team’s purpose and goals at least quarterly or annually allows for necessary adjustments, keeping the team aligned with evolving objectives and priorities. By setting well-defined goals and values, the team can navigate challenges more effectively and maintain focus on their shared vision. Creating Ground Rules and Consensus Establishing ground rules and reaching consensus are crucial steps in nurturing a productive team environment. Collaboratively setting these rules guarantees all team members are invested in the process, improving their commitment to success. To facilitate effective consensus-building, consider the following: Encourage open debates where every voice is heard, cultivating a diverse exchange of ideas. Set clear parameters for consensus sessions, including time limits to improve efficiency and prevent unproductive discussions. Promote active listening and brainstorming to stimulate creativity, allowing team members to explore various perspectives. Probe for true feelings on agreements to avoid false consensus, securing genuine support for final decisions. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Key Elements of an Effective Team? Key components of an effective team include a clear purpose that aligns everyone’s efforts, setting specific goals to define success, and nurturing open communication to build trust. Collaboration is crucial, ensuring all members feel valued, whereas regular recognition of contributions boosts morale. Establishing accountability through measurable metrics helps track progress and encourages individual responsibility. Together, these components create a cohesive environment that improves productivity and drives the team toward achieving its objectives. What Are the 7 C’s of Effective Team Building? The 7 C’s of effective team building are Clear Purpose, Consistency, Collaboration, Communication, Commitment, Constructive Conflict, and Celebration. Clear Purpose guarantees everyone understands the team’s goals. Consistency builds trust and reliability. Collaboration encourages diverse skill use. Communication nurtures open dialogue, creating a safe environment. Commitment drives dedication to success. Constructive Conflict allows for healthy debates, leading to better solutions. Finally, Celebration recognizes achievements, reinforcing positive team dynamics and motivation. Which Are the 5 Elements Required to Build a Team? To build an effective team, you need five crucial elements. First, establish a clear purpose that aligns everyone toward a common goal. Second, define roles and goals to clarify each member’s responsibilities and expectations. Third, promote open communication to nurture trust and encourage idea sharing. Fourth, encourage collaboration to improve cohesion and morale. Finally, recognize achievements and support continuous improvement, which motivates members and cultivates a culture of excellence. What Are the 5 C’s of Team Building? The 5 C’s of team building are cooperation, communication, collaboration, cohesion, and commitment. You need to cultivate cooperation among team members to achieve common goals. Open communication builds trust and allows for effective problem resolution. Collaboration leverages diverse skills, enhancing creativity. Cohesion strengthens relationships, increasing motivation and job satisfaction. Finally, commitment drives accountability, ensuring everyone works in the direction of shared objectives. Focusing on these elements can greatly improve your team’s performance and dynamics. Conclusion In summary, effective team building hinges on open communication, a clear organizational purpose, and well-defined goals. By nurturing trust and collaboration, teams can align their efforts and improve productivity. Strategies such as regular check-ins and task delegation based on individual strengths contribute to a cohesive environment. Leadership plays a significant role in establishing trust and guiding the team, whereas clear values and ground rules help maintain focus. Prioritizing these elements leads to a more efficient and motivated team. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Please Give Details on Key Elements of Effective Team Building" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

President Donald The President said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees, and moved aggressively to investigate the Republican president’s perceived enemies. The announcement follows months of scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation that made Bondi the target of angry conservatives, even with her close relationship with The President. She also struggled to satisfy The President’s demands to prosecute his political rivals, with multiple investigations rejected by judges or grand juries or yet to produce charges. The President named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as the acting attorney general, though three people familiar with the matter have said he has privately discussed Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, as a permanent pick. Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, came into office last year pledging that she would not play politics with the Justice Department, but she quickly started investigations of The President foes, sparking an outcry that the law enforcement agency was being wielded as a tool of revenge to advance the president’s political and personal agenda. She ushered in a period of intense turmoil at the department that included the firings of career prosecutors deemed insufficiently loyal to The President and the resignations of hundreds of other employees. Her departure continues a trend of Justice Department upheaval that has defined The President’s presidency as multiple attorneys general across his two terms have either been pushed out or resigned after proving unwilling or unable to meet his demands for the position. Bondi rejected accusations that she politicized the Justice Department and said her mission was to restore the institution’s credibility after overreach by President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration with two federal criminal cases against The President. Bondi’s defenders have said she worked to refocus the department to better tackle illegal immigration and violent crime and brought much-needed change to an agency they believe unfairly targeted conservatives. Embracing, supporting and protecting the president Bondi’s public embrace of the president, however, marked a sharp departure from her predecessors, who generally took pains to maintain an arm’s-length distance from the White House to protect the impartiality of investigations and prosecutions. Bondi postured herself as The President’s chief supporter and protector, praising and defending him in congressional hearings and placing a banner with his face on the exterior of Justice Department headquarters. She called for an end to the “weaponization” of law enforcement she said occurred under the Biden administration, even though Biden’s attorney general, Merrick Garland, and Jack Smith, the special counsel who produced two cases against The President, have said they followed the facts, the evidence and the law in their decision-making. Bondi’s critics, meanwhile, said she was the one who had politicized the agency to do the president’s bidding. “You’ve turned the People’s Department of Justice into The President’s instrument of revenge,” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary committee, said at a February hearing. Bondi delivered a combative performance but few substantive answers at that hearing as she angrily insulted her Democratic questioners with name-calling, praised The President over the performance of the stock market — “The Dow is up over 50,000 right now” —- and openly aligned herself as in sync with a president whom she painted as a victim of past impeachments and investigations. Even Republicans began to challenge her, with the Republican-led House Oversight Committee last month issuing a subpoena to her to appear for a closed-door interview about the Epstein files. Under Bondi’s leadership, the department opened investigations into a string of The President foes, including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, New York Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan. The high-profile prosecutions of Comey and James were short-lived as they were quickly thrown out by a judge who ruled that the prosecutor who brought the cases was illegally appointed. The President repeatedly publicly praised and defended Bondi but also showed flashes of impatience with his attorney general’s efforts to meet his demands to prosecute his rivals. In one extraordinary social media post last year, The President called on Bondi to move quickly to prosecute his foes, including James and Comey, telling her: “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility.” Bondi oversaw the exodus of thousands of career employees — both through firings and voluntary departures — including lawyers who prosecuted violent attacks on police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021; environmental, civil rights, and ethics enforcers; counterterrorism prosecutors; and others. Fumbling the Epstein files She struggled to overcome early stumbles over the Epstein files that angered conservatives eager for government bombshells about the case, which has long fascinated conspiracy theorists. She herself had fed the conspiracy theory machine with a suggestion in a 2025 Fox News Channel interview that Epstein’s “client list” was sitting on her desk for review. The department later acknowledged that no such document exists. Bondi was ridiculed over a move to hand out binders of Epstein files to conservative influencers at the White House only for it to be later revealed that the documents included no new revelations. And despite promises that more files were going to become public, the Justice Department in July said no more would be released, prompting Congress to pass a bill to force the agency to do so. The Epstein files fumbles led to a stunning public criticism from White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, a close friend of Bondi’s, who told Vanity Fair that the attorney general “completely whiffed.” The Justice Department’s release of millions of pages of Epstein files did little to tamp down criticism, prompting a House committee with the support of five Republicans to subpoena Bondi to answer questions under oath. Bondi, who defended The President during his first impeachment trial, was his second choice to lead the Justice Department, picked for the role after former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida withdrew his name from consideration amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations. —Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker, Michael Balsamo, and Michelle L. Price, Associated Press View the full article

Accord will result in higher medicines spending in Britain in exchange for exemption from threatened The President tariffsView the full article

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert on Wednesday for frozen, dinosaur-shaped, ready-to-eat chicken nuggets that may contain unsafe levels of lead. The “Dino shaped chicken nuggets” were sold at Walmart locations nationwide. The FSIS did not request a recall, because the nuggets are no longer available for purchase. However, the agency is concerned some bags may still be in consumers’ freezers. The problem was discovered during routine surveillance sampling conducted by a state partner. In the meantime, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service continues to investigate this issue. What are the health risks of lead in food? Lead is toxic to humans and especially dangerous for pregnant women, infants, and young children because it can harm developing brains and nervous systems, sometimes causing lasting problems. There is no safe amount of lead exposure. According to the FSIS alert, the amount of lead found in these chicken nuggets could be as much as five times higher than guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration provided for children. At low levels of lead exposure, children may not have obvious symptoms, but they can still experience trouble learning, low IQ, and behavior changes. At higher levels, people may experience fatigue, headache, stomach pain, vomiting, or neurologic changes. What is the product information for the alert? Here are the details of the products mentioned in the alert: Product Name: GREAT VALUE FULLY COOKED DINO SHAPED CHICKEN BREAST NUGGETS Establishment number and lot codes: Lot code “0416DPO1215,” and establishment number “P44164” printed on the back of the bag. Package size and type: 29-oz. plastic bags containing approximately 36 nuggests Best if used by date: FEB 10 2027 What if I have this product in my refrigerator or freezer? Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. Instead, these products should be thrown away. Consumers with questions about the health alert can contact John Patrick Lopez, Vice President, Strategy, Communications & Government Affairs, Dorada Foods, at john.patrick@lopezdorada.com. Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. View the full article

Which parties are responsible for the surge persisted as a source of debate as community lenders released updated survey data reflecting their average expense. View the full article

If you listen to the brightest minds in tech right now, you might think human disease is just a software bug waiting for a patch. ​At the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei—drawing on his background in biophysics—predicted that AI could condense a century of biological progress into a single decade, potentially doubling human lifespans. Demis Hassabis, the Nobel laureate behind Google DeepMind, recently floated a similarly audacious timeline, suggesting that AI could help eliminate all diseases within 10 years. Hassabis aims to shrink the decade-long drug design process down to mere months. ​I’ve spent my career straddling the mathematical elegance of artificial intelligence and the grueling, messy reality of drug discovery. So, when I hear these predictions, I get it. Silicon Valley loves a moonshot. But some of the rhetoric implies that one day we might treat the human body like software—diagnosing problems, simulating fixes, and “debugging” disease before it appears. That is not how biology works. The human body is an extraordinarily complex, adaptive system shaped by millions of years of evolution, and it does not behave like code running on a computer. ​WHY AI CAN’T DEBUG BIOLOGY An algorithm can beautifully solve the 3D puzzle of designing a molecule to fit a protein. But no AI can magically compute away the chaos of a living human immune system or guarantee a molecule won’t trigger unpredictable liver toxicity once ingested. ​We’ve seen this friction between tech-sector optimism and clinical reality play out brutally over the last year. Veteran “techbio” pioneers faced a harsh reckoning when it became obvious that AI-discovered compounds still hit the same clinical roadblocks as traditional drugs. Following mid-stage clinical failures, companies like BenevolentAI went through massive restructuring. Recursion Pharmaceuticals quietly pruned several clinical-stage programs in a defensive pivot. ​The hard truth? Algorithms have not yet repealed the pharmaceutical industry’s punishing 90% clinical failure rate. THE SKEPTICS ARE WRONG TOO If you stop reading there, you might think the use of AI in drug discovery is just another hype cycle. You would be wrong. The revolution is happening—it just isn’t the overnight miracle the tech billionaires are selling. ​The claim that AI makes drug discovery cheaper and faster is entirely true, provided you know where to look. In the preclinical phase, AI is fundamentally rewriting the rulebook. For decades, the pharmaceutical industry has suffered from Eroom’s Law (literally Moore’s Law spelled backward), where discovering a viable drug candidate becomes slower and more expensive every year. ​Generative AI is finally shattering that trend. We are now compressing the traditional three-to-four-year marathon of finding a viable preclinical candidate into a 13-to-18-month sprint. ​More importantly, these early-stage candidates are proving to be of vastly higher quality. Today, AI-discovered drugs are passing Phase I clinical safety trials at a rate of 80% to 90%—nearly double the historical pharmaceutical benchmark. FROM A SINGLE BREAKTHROUGH TO PHARMACEUTICAL SUPERINTELLIGENCE ​At my company, Insilico Medicine, we recently hit a milestone that moves this out of the realm of theory and into reality. As published in Nature Medicine, our AI-designed drug rentosertib delivered positive Phase IIa results for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis—a devastating, age-related lung disease. ​Why does this matter? Because it is a global first. This marks the first time a drug with both a novel biological target and a novel molecular structure—both discovered entirely by generative AI—has shown a measurable clinical efficacy signal, actively improving lung function in living patients. We took that drug from a blank screen to preclinical nomination in just 18 months, proving in the real world that AI can smash the earliest, most expensive bottlenecks of drug design. ​Now that we’ve broken the initial bottleneck, the next frontier isn’t just building better isolated predictive algorithms. It’s what we call “pharmaceutical superintelligence.” ​Working with researchers at Eli Lilly, we recently laid out the blueprint for this in ACS Central Science. Imagine a near future where a lead scientist simply types a prompt: Design a drug for this specific mutation of pancreatic cancer. A central AI controller then takes over, deploying specialized sub-agents to autonomously find the target, design the chemistry, and validate the biology in one seamless, continuous workflow. FINAL THOUGHTS ​Will AI overwrite the laws of nature and eliminate all human disease in 10 years? No. It won’t magically bypass the years of rigorous human safety testing required to put a pill in a patient’s hand. ​But what AI is doing is transforming biological discovery from a slow, bespoke artisan craft into a highly scalable, compute-driven engine. The precision medicines of tomorrow will arrive years earlier, cost a fraction of what they do today, and save millions of lives in the process. We don’t need to achieve immortality by 2035 to recognize that as a total gamechanger. Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, is founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. When it comes to gaming monitors, having an ultra-wide screen takes the experience to the next level, with a more immersive experience than a regular monitor. Unfortunately, that improved experience tends to come at a much higher price. But right now, Amazon is selling the 34-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 for $279.99 (originally $399.99), which is the second-lowest price this monitor has ever been, according to price-tracking tools. Samsung 34' Odyssey G5 1000R Curved Screen, 165Hz, 1ms, FreeSync Premium, Large Display, Eye Comfort, Multiple Ports, WQHD $299.99 at Amazon $399.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $299.99 at Amazon $399.99 Save $100.00 The Samsung Odyssey G5 is a great ultra-wide monitor for those who haven't used one before, with all the important specs you'd want while keeping the price relatively low. Other high-end ultra-wide monitors go for $700 and higher, like the Odyssey OLED G9. Those are much bigger and offer OLED quality visuals, though. The Odyssey G5 comes with a 1000R curve, which Samsung claims is optimal to avoid eye strain. Your media will be displayed on a 21:9 aspect ratio and 3440x1440 resolution, which means if you watch videos that are not compatible with that ratio, it'll have some black space on the sides to prevent it from looking stretched. You also get a 165Hz refresh rate and native FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support, helping fast games look smoother. The input lag is 1ms, which is very fast for a budget gaming monitor. It's also compatible with HDR10, so movies or shows will look good, but mostly in dark rooms since the HDR peak brightness isn't very high. The viewing angle is poor, but curved monitors are not really designed for sharing the screen anyway. You can tilt the screen, but that's as much as you'll be able to adjust. If you want to see what the hype of ultrawide curved screens is about without committing to the high-end options, this is a great option to get your feet wet in the technology. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 128GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet (Gray) — $202.00 (List Price $249.99) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $329.00 (List Price $399.00) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $298.00 (List Price $399.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

A new GLP-1 pill is about to hit the market. On Wednesday, Eli Lilly announced its new GLP-1 pill, Foundayo, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in adults with obesity or weight-related health problems. The company says that drug trials saw patients taking Foundayo losing an average of 27.3 pounds (12.4%) compared to 2.2 pounds (0.9%) with a placebo. It said the drug will be available via LillyDirect, noting that it will begin accepting prescriptions immediately. It expects shipping to begin on April 6, and said the drug will be made broadly available “through U.S. retail pharmacies and telehealth providers” soon after. The medication will offer a new needle-free GLP-1 alternative for those who are more comfortable taking a pill. “People living with obesity need treatment options that meet them where they are – and for many, a once-daily pill that can be taken with no food or water restrictions can offer them greater flexibility in how they approach their treatment,” said Deborah Horn, DO, director of the Center for Obesity Medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, in the release. “With Foundayo, we now have an oral option that delivered an average of 12.4% weight loss at the highest dose in clinical trials – addressing both the clinical realities of obesity and the practical challenges patients face every day.” Eli Lilly is aiming to ensure the new pill is affordable for patients. It noted that those with commercial insurance may pay just $25 per month with the Foundayo savings card, and said those who use self-pay can expect to pay $149 monthly for the lowest dose of the drug. Medicare participants may be able to access prescriptions for just $50 monthly, starting July 1, it said. The news marks the approval of the first alternative GLP-1 in pill form to Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, which has been the only FDA-approved GLP-1 pill available since Dec 2025. And it is likely to help Eli Lilly maintain its recent lead over Novo Nordisk in the GLP-1 wars. Still, Novo Nordisk has been staying competitive. Earlier this week, the Danish GLP-1 maker announced a new monthly subscription program aimed at reducing “cost uncertainty” for GLP-1 prescriptions. It promised savings of up to $600 per year for the pill form of the drug and up to $1,200 per year for the injections with a 12-month subscription. In Lilly’s announcement, Joe Nadglowski, president and CEO of the Obesity Action Coalition, explained how important it is for people to have choices when it comes to their choosing their medication providers. “There is no single path that works for everyone living with overweight or obesity,” Nadglowski said. The CEO continued, “New treatment options expand choice and help more people find care that fits their lives, their goals and where they are in their journey – whether they’re just starting to explore treatment or looking for a different long-term approach.” View the full article

Chinese spirituality just adopted a new icon: American “momager” Kris Jenner. Jenner, best known for launching the mega-successful careers of her daughters Kourtney, Kim, and Khloé Kardashian, is suddenly the go-to profile pic for Gen Zers on Chinese social media, including apps like RedNote, Weibo, and Douyin. The reverence for Jenner doesn’t stop there. Her photo is also being used for wallpapers on computers, tablets, smart watches, and more, all as part of Chinese Gen Z’s manifestation for good luck. How did Jenner of all people become a Chinese symbol for good fortune? Chinese influencer Marcelo Wang broke down the trend in his own viral TikTok. He explained that Jenner has long been a popular celebrity in the country, even getting the nickname Tian Hou, or “the Empress Dowager.” Now, Wang says, many Chinese Gen Zers see Jenner as a symbol of “good luck, career, success, wealth, and confidence all coming your way.” “Kris Jenner is one of the hardest working businesswomen in the U.S., and Chinese people really respect hard work,” he said. “So cosplaying Kris Jenner is like a Gen Z, funny way to manifest success.” Though one headshot of Jenner is dominating Chinese social media, some users also put their own spin on the image, editing it to reflect their own careers. It’s not unlike a Barbie doll’s ever-changing professions: Scrolling on RedNote, you’ll see Doctor Kris, Chef Kris, Lawyer Kris, and more. Wang also translated one social media user’s story of Kris-based manifestation in action. “I was literally about to have a mental breakdown last night,” the user wrote. “Then I switched my profile picture to Kris Jenner, and suddenly I feel like I’m slaying. My confidence is through the roof. I feel like I can judge everyone right now.” Another user expanded on the lore, saying that after switching your profile picture to Jenner, you’re guaranteed to receive two job offers. The trend has gotten so big, it made its way back overseas to America, where Jenner’s daughters have gotten in on the meme. Khloe Kardashian commented a string of applause emojis on one of Wang’s videos about the trend, and Kim Kardashian joked about booking appearances for her mother in an Instagram story: “Should I be your manager?” she wrote alongside a post about the meme. Even Jenner herself has taken notice, and she seems to be embracing her newfound role as Lady Luck. She responded to Wang’s breakdown of the trend with a riff on her most famous catchphrase, writing, “You’re ALL doing amazing, sweetie!!!!” View the full article

A reader writes: I’m a relatively new manager, and I’m still finding my footing when it comes to shifting from being an individual contributor to overseeing a team. One thing I struggle with is knowing when it’s appropriate to delegate tasks to my team versus doing them myself. I manage a communications team of four at a university. When my manager assigns me work — things like drafting communications on a specific topic or reviewing copy from another department — I’m never sure whether she expects me to do it personally or for me to assign it to someone on my team. I feel like she is expecting me to delegate them: these tasks fall squarely within my team’s remit, and I do handle the more strategic or planning-focused work that she asks for. But because my manager phrases things as “can you…,” I end up second‑guessing myself. Even when I do decide to delegate, I feel awkward about it. My team balances daily work with long-term projects, so it’s not always easy for me to gauge their weekly workload. I often find myself over‑apologizing or softening the request, and sometimes I just do the work myself because it feels easier than navigating the conversation. Complicating things further: one team member is on long-term sick leave, one works part‑time on mainly long-term projects, one is very junior, and so the fourth ends up taking on most of the ad‑hoc work that comes in. As a general rule, work should flow downward to the lowest-level person who can do it well enough, so that more senior (and more expensive) people’s time is freed up for work that only they can do. But then you need to balance that against the rest of the person’s workload and how it should all be prioritized. Beyond that, you can also balance it against things like “I know Jane really loves this topic” or “Jane really hates writing on X but Barnaby has said he doesn’t mind it” or “Barnaby has been asking to develop his skills in this area and I have enough time this week that I could coach him through it.” There may be some things that have to stay with you, like when something has complicated or sensitive messaging, or when you’re the only one with the skills to do it, or when everyone else’s plates are fuller than yours (and if you’re not sure what someone’s workload looks like that week, ask straightforwardly — it’s fine to say, “If you took this on this week, what would have to move back, if anything?”). But ideally over time, as you develop the skills of the people on your team, the goal is that you’re guiding the work more and doing it less yourself. (Of course, if a chunk of your time is supposed to be allocated to independent-contributor-type work, that changes that calculation.) Also, it is a favor to people on your team to just be matter-of-fact and not apologetic when assigning work. Think about how you feel when your boss delegates work to you: it’s not weird because it’s normal for both your roles, right? And it would feel awkward and probably a bit tiring if she always seemed apologetic about it and like you had to reassure her that it was okay to assign you work, so be sure you don’t do that to your team. Also, these could help: how to delegate when your team is already overloaded should managers ask or tell when assigning work? the “delegating” tag The post as a manager, when should I delegate work versus doing it myself? appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

A strong PR plan should balance day-to-day visibility with long-term brand building. At most plans’ core will be some sort of press office, one that fields reactive inquiries, chases proactive opportunities, and strives to create a consistent drumbeat of attention. That ongoing media presence is further punctuated by product launches, releases, or announcements that help create heightened awareness around a singular piece of news or event. That describes the basic tenets of a traditional PR plan for earned media (acknowledging that the PR function is much broader). But the playbook that agencies and in-house teams are using to deliver that is evolving; it looks vastly different in 2026 than it did a decade ago. FRAGMENTATION IN MEDIA With changes in consumer media habits and the digital diversification of news, media has become deeply fragmented. People no longer get their news from a handful of publications or local newspapers; they get it through social feeds, newsletters, podcasts, YouTube, and more. How PR professionals think about creating that drumbeat attention must change as well. PR’s role is to increase awareness, attention, sentiment, trust, and reputation. Brands will always need constant care to retain their vitality and relevance, but how that is achieved can look quite different year over year. At Intrepid Travel, we’ve thought a lot about our new PR playbook. We have an in-house team of more than 20 communications professionals, plus agency partners globally based in our primary source markets of Australia, UK, Canada, the U.S., and increasingly countries like Morocco, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. Last year we had over 10,000 stories published about Intrepid Travel, and as we build on this momentum, we need our PR playbook to better reflect the modern media realities. Our vision for PR and communications at Intrepid is to grow, strengthen, and protect a sentiment and reputation as the best travel company for the world. Our plan prioritizes three pillars: a robust multimedia press office driving a consistent and credible media presence, signature campaigns delivering high-impact storytelling moments, and our messaging build that underpins everything we do and reinforces our purpose, thought leadership, and impact. Together, these elements should create a continuous drumbeat of attention, punctuated by moments of cultural relevance, while achieving an underlying goal of building awareness and trust. HOW WE CHANGED OUR PR STRATEGY Looking under the hood, these three things have changed the most as part of our PR strategy: 1. THINK BEYOND TRADITIONAL EARNED MEDIA We’re thinking well beyond traditional earned media. We expanded the scope of earned third-party credibility into areas like newsletters, creator journalists, influencers, publishing, and new media in response to an evolved and fragmented media landscape. Our pitch lists are increasingly diverse and sit well outside traditional media. For example, we use Beehiiv in press campaigns as paid advertorial, helping us identify relevant newsletters. We gained hundreds of earned and paid placements in new media arenas like Substack, newsletters, and closed communities, which are highly impactful placements to reach our audience—often much more so than traditional travel media. 2. INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN WORK We’re focused on “fewer, bigger, better” in integrated campaign work. Our campaign toolbox expanded; when we launch significant news, we try to maintain at least five media touchpoints and launch moments. That means any five of the following: releases, pitches, social video, media trips, newsletters, creator journalism, op-eds, owned publishing, activations, events, reports, data, celebrity endorsement, influencers, and more. For example, as a travel company we tend to do a lot of media familiarization trips. While effective, the resulting media often comes out sporadically throughout the year, in different countries at different times. We rarely run big press trips in isolation anymore; they will always be part of a wider system, where other touchpoints are available to create sustained relevance, lifting the entire campaign’s efficacy. 3. QUALITY METRICS We’re creating more impactful quality metrics. We target three things and track three things. Our key targets are mentions, features, and high domain authority (DA) links. Mentions speak to volume, features speak to quality, and high DA supports our wider SEO/AEO efforts. While KPIs like mentions and reach (unique visitors per month) and ad value (advertising value equivalency) have long dominated PR, we are embracing metrics that more wholly encompass our PR program’s effectiveness. Things like aided and unaided brand awareness, share-of-voice, and priority media. The most important call out here is priority media, where we have used Qualtrics data from our six core customer segments to build a list of which media is most trusted and relevant in our addressable market’s lives, speaking directly to the fragmented media landscape mentioned above. These priority media outlets are not just traditional newspapers or travel magazines. These are newsletters, creators, podcasts, social news channels, and more. While much more difficult to track on a year-over-year basis, our priority media will be a key pulse check that we are prioritizing the right placements and allocating resources effectively. A VARIED PR APPROACH There is no one-size-fits-all approach to a modern PR playbook. The key takeaway is that in a noisy and fragmented world, you must be the architect of your own attention and design a highly intentional plan that is tailored to your target audience. Your press office must reflect how people consume information. Media is not disappearing, but it has decentralized. Trust and authority have shifted from a handful of outlets to a network of communities, creators, and platforms. Traditional PR plans have a tall task answering to non-traditional media, where the PR function is less about generating coverage but more about engineering credibility at scale. For us it is about defining awareness, trust, and relevance as our North Stars, and thinking deeply and critically about how to achieve that in today’s media landscape. The new PR playbook isn’t just about reacting to changes in media, but designing for it. Mikey Sadowski is vice president, global communications at Intrepid Travel. View the full article

AI led all cited reasons for U.S. job cuts in March at 25% of the total, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The post AI Leads All Reasons For U.S. Job Cuts In March, Report Says appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

President’s move comes after pressure over her handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein View the full article

Gaining insight into employee conflict resolution is vital for maintaining a productive workplace. Conflicts can arise from various sources, including task-related challenges and interpersonal differences. By comprehending the types of conflicts and employing effective resolution strategies, you can create a more harmonious environment. This guide offers a systematic approach, focusing on fundamental skills, step-by-step processes, and best practices. As you explore these strategies, you’ll discover how leadership plays a pivotal role in managing conflicts effectively. Key Takeaways Identify the type of conflict (task, relationship, or value) to tailor your resolution approach effectively. Practice active listening and empathy to validate feelings and foster open dialogue among conflicting parties. Establish ground rules for respectful communication to create a safe environment for discussions. Use “I” statements to express feelings without placing blame, reducing defensiveness and promoting understanding. Schedule follow-up meetings to assess progress and address any new issues after the initial resolution. Understanding Workplace Conflict Types Workplace conflicts are a common challenge that can arise in any organization, and grasping their types is vital for effective resolution. Conflicts typically fall into three categories: task conflicts focus on disagreements about work content and goals; relationship conflicts stem from interpersonal incompatibilities; and value conflicts arise from differing beliefs and principles. Recognizing these distinctions is key for human resources conflict resolution, as it allows you to tailor your approach effectively. Factors like staff shortages, generational differences, and strong personalities can exacerbate these conflicts, making it important to identify the root causes. Employees often spend around 4.3 hours a week managing conflicts, which highlights the need for a structured employee conflict resolution process. Companies that adopt systematic conflict management strategies resolve disputes successfully 80% of the time, demonstrating the significance of recognizing the specific type of conflict to achieve effective outcomes in the workplace. Essential Conflict Resolution Skills Recognizing the types of workplace conflict lays the groundwork for developing the skills necessary to resolve them effectively. One important skill is active listening, which can help resolve disputes 40% faster by ensuring everyone feels heard and understood. Emotional intelligence is also fundamental; it allows you to recognize your emotions and those of others, aiding in managing disagreements. Practicing empathy is significant, as it helps you acknowledge and validate the feelings of those involved, thereby reducing tension and promoting collaboration. Furthermore, using “I” statements during discussions minimizes defensiveness, encouraging open dialogue by expressing personal feelings without blaming others. Finally, regular training in de-escalation strategies equips you with proactive tools to manage conflicts, contributing to a healthier workplace environment. Step-by-Step Conflict Resolution Process A structured conflict resolution process can greatly improve the likelihood of a successful outcome, achieving an 80% success rate when consistently applied. Begin by gathering complete context; ask questions about feelings and the origins of the conflict to comprehend all perspectives. Next, guarantee clear communication channels and choose neutral meeting locations to encourage open dialogue while minimizing defensiveness. Setting ground rules focused on respect and genuine comprehension is essential, allowing participants to express themselves using “I” statements. Finally, follow up with scheduled meetings two weeks post-resolution to assess progress and address any new issues. Gather context by asking open-ended questions. Establish clear communication and neutral meeting spaces. Set ground rules for respectful dialogue and follow-up. Best Practices for Resolving Employee Conflict Effective conflict resolution practices can greatly influence workplace dynamics and productivity. Start by organizing structured meetings with clear objectives to create a focused environment for discussion. Establish ground rules for respectful communication, guaranteeing all parties feel safe and reducing the chance of escalation. When addressing issues, concentrate on specific behaviors and events instead of generalizations, which helps clarify the root causes of the conflict. Encourage collaborative exploration of solutions, allowing both parties to work together, promoting teamwork, and shared responsibility in resolving conflicts. Finally, don’t forget the importance of regular follow-up after resolution. This guarantees lasting harmony and accountability, as it allows you to monitor progress and address any new issues that may arise. The Role of Leadership in Conflict Management Leadership is pivotal in managing workplace conflict, as leaders not merely address personal disputes but furthermore guide employees in resolving their own issues. By cultivating a safe and productive work environment, effective leaders guarantee conflicts are handled with respect and fairness. This approach is crucial for maintaining trust within the organization. Promoting ethical treatment encourages open communication among team members. Timely conflict resolution prevents absenteeism and turnover, saving valuable resources. Training managers in conflict resolution equips them to handle disputes effectively. Leaders must also monitor and address signs of conflict proactively. Ignoring issues can escalate tensions, leading to burnout and decreased morale among employees. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 C’s of Conflict Resolution? The 5 C’s of conflict resolution are Communication, Collaboration, Compromise, Creativity, and Commitment. Effective Communication involves open dialogue to clarify misunderstandings. Collaboration encourages joint problem-solving, nurturing a win-win outcome. Compromise requires each party to make concessions for a balanced solution. Creativity promotes innovative ideas that may not be immediately visible. Finally, Commitment guarantees all parties are dedicated to following through on the agreed resolution, enhancing the likelihood of successful conflict management. What Are the 5 Steps to Conflict Resolution in the Workplace? To resolve conflict in the workplace, start by clearly identifying the root cause through open communication. Next, establish ground rules to guarantee respectful discussions. Then, actively listen to all parties, summarizing their points and asking clarifying questions. Collaborate on a solution that addresses everyone’s interests, cultivating a win-win outcome. Finally, follow up after the resolution to monitor progress and assure accountability for the agreed-upon actions, reinforcing commitment to the solution. What Are the 7 Steps in Conflict Resolution? To effectively resolve conflicts, start by identifying the source of the issue. Next, understand each party’s perspective, as this nurtures empathy. Explore potential solutions and discuss their implications carefully. After evaluating options, agree on a resolution that satisfies everyone involved. Implement the chosen solution, ensuring all participants are on board. Finally, follow up within two weeks to monitor progress, address any lingering issues, and reinforce communication. This process promotes lasting resolution and teamwork. What Are the 4 C’s of Conflict Resolution? The 4 C’s of conflict resolution are Communication, Collaboration, Compromise, and Commitment. Effective Communication involves active listening and using “I” statements to express feelings. Collaboration focuses on working together to find solutions that satisfy both parties. Compromise requires each party to give up some needs for an agreement. Finally, Commitment guarantees that everyone follows through on the agreed solutions, which cultivates accountability and helps maintain a harmonious work environment. Conclusion In conclusion, mastering employee conflict resolution is vital for maintaining a productive workplace. By comprehending conflict types, refining key skills, and following a structured process, you can effectively address issues as they arise. Implementing best practices and encouraging leadership involvement further improves your approach. Regular follow-ups and open communication will guarantee ongoing support, creating a collaborative environment where employees can thrive. By prioritizing conflict resolution, you contribute to a more harmonious and efficient workplace for everyone. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Mastering Employee Conflict Resolution: A Step-by-Step Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Amazon once seemed poised to wipe out the American bookstore. As online shopping exploded in the late 1990s and early 2000s, independent shops struggled to compete with endless inventory and lower prices. By 2009, many believed indie bookstores were on the brink of extinction. But instead of disappearing, they adapted. The future of books, it turns out, isn’t just online. It’s local. View the full article

The 30-year fixed rate climbed to 6.46% this week, its highest mark since September, as mortgage applications fell 10.4% and sellers outnumber buyers by a record 46%. View the full article