To stay in business in today’s economy, you must undergo changes to survive. Certain industries change more often and faster than others, while some stay more fixed. However, all businesses must change at times to stay competitive.
Lead by Example
Business executives and managers must be willing to change themselves, if they expect employees to change. Be prepared to make changes yourself and be able explain to your employees why those changes are necessary.
Keep Your Employees in the Loop
Nothing causes dissension faster than employees thinking they are being deceived. As soon as possible, inform employees of change initiatives and their part in …read more

New technology is providing a wide range of ways for people to make money. Social media is offering a special challenge, though, since it can be difficult to measure revenues and return on investment. This is precisely why three of the major social media companies, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, are offering new tools and features that focus on revenue implications.
The idea is that you can measure — sort of — the financial benefit of some social media networks. And these three social media sites are chomping at the bit to prove themselves worth an investment, since they are expected to …read more

Every year, Fortune releases a list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. These are companies that offer great benefits, a good working environment and a corporate culture that focuses on employee appreciation. In this economic climate, the competition for good jobs is fierce, but if you can land a job at one of these companies, you could be in great shape. Here are the top 10 companies to work for, according to Fortune:

SAS
Edward Jones
Wegmans Food Markets (never had a layoff in its history)
Google (bonus: Google is ready to start hiring again)
Nugget Market
DreamWorks Animation SKG
NetApp
Boston Consulting Group
Qualcomm
Camden Property Trust

If …read more

Just when it looks like your retirement portfolio might recover after all, a day like today comes along. The financial markets are in turmoil today, responding to all sorts of news — mainly political news. In addition to disappointing housing market data, and the fact that Morgan Stanley’s profit failed to completely wow investors, a couple of unexpected events are shaping the market. And causing the bears to take firm control. With the way things are going, there is a reasonably good chance that the Dow will close down 200 points today.
China tightens monetary policy
Instead of preparing to lead the …read more

One of the most effective ways for you to increase the chances that you will actually keep your New Year’s resolutions is to write them down. And, of course, having a way to track your progress helps as well. This is where the business challenge from Staples comes in. the stickK to it! Business Challenge encourages your business to set specific goals, and then work throughout the year to achieve them.
The plan actually helps managers find someone to lead the effort, and monitor progress. Then that progress can be entered into the site. Businesses earn EasyPoints as they report their …read more

I remember when gas cost less than $1 a gallon. This was around 10 years ago, when I was in college, and it seemed ridiculous to think that gas would reach $2 a gallon, much less the heights it reached in the summer of 2008, hitting $4 a gallon in some places as oil prices spiraled out of control just before the financial crisis. We were all immensely relieved when gas prices eased back below $3 a gallon.
But $3 gas may be ready for a comeback. Oil prices are back above $80 a barrel as most of the United States …read more

Apparently, many employers were not prepared to lay off workers during the holidays. Whether the spirit of giving prevailed, or whether many companies just needed the extra seasonal help, the fact remains that the latest ADP payrolls data, just released, shows that job loss is slowing. While the unemployment rate remains high, the pace of job losses has been slowing, and there are hopes that things could turn around solidly, with the economy adding jobs overall, by the end of 2010.
The U.S. services sector is also enhancing, and this is providing a great deal of hope, especially when added to …read more

The economic outlook for 2010 appears to be improving. Stocks, at least, are rallying this morning in early trading. Many analysts expected measured improvement for 2010. However, it is clear that even with growth, the economy is not going to turnaround quickly. In fact, it is likely that the economy continues its improvements at a relatively slow pace in 2010. This could cause some disappointment for some, who continue to insist that the economic recovery should be moving more quickly. However, it is important to note that a recession nearly a decade in the making (with foundations set through two …read more

I love the annual year in review video put together by JibJab. It’s funny, and it offers some great perspective on what has happened in the past year. And there was plenty of financial shenanigans as well. The good news was that consumers, at least, began to exercise some prudence. While the government continued to spend its way out of recession (something that has been going on for decades, no matter which party is in the White House), consumers realized the folly of digging the debt hole deeper. Of course, only time will tell whether or not they conversion to …read more

How many times have you made a list of items concerning a decision you need to make and then written down the pros and cons of each option in that decision. What happens when have a variety of things that you need to choose from?

You can complete one of these on paper, but I’ve found this same prioritizing grid tool available online that makes it even easier to see what’s happening and to organize your thoughts. The classic grid was developed by Richard Bolles decades ago.
This prioritizing grid allows you to arrange up to 10 different items in …read more