After the summer of 2020 in the United States, many organizations made a big push to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in their ranks and operations. But now, many fear that that momentum is slipping, especially in the face of economic headwinds. Laura Morgan Roberts, organizational psychologist and professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, says it is time to recommit to these efforts by creating the conditions for all workers to flourish. She explains four freedoms that organizations can foster to allow employees to become their best selves — and even be able to fade into the background when they choose. Roberts wrote the HBR Big Idea article “Where Does DEI Go From Here?”

It’s a reality that more employees are discussing their mental health in the workplace. And proactive leaders can serve their teams better by listening and responding. At the same time, managers can’t play the role of a therapist or the HR department. Counseling psychologist Kiran Bhatti and University of Cambridge leadership professor Thomas Roulet argue that following the basic practice of cognitive behavioral therapy can serve managers well. The researchers explain the mental-health first-aid tool, how managers can help employees address emotional distress and negative behavioral patterns, and how that can strengthen the work culture and ultimately the business. Bhatti and Roulet wrote the HBR article, “Helping an Employee in Distress.”

The future of AI goes far beyond individuals using ChatGPT. Companies are now integrating artificial intelligence into all aspects of their businesses. One key player in this transition is Nvidia, the AI-driven computing company, which makes both hardware and software for a range of industries. In this episode, HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius speaks with Nvidia’s CEO and cofounder Jensen Huang at HBR’s Future of Business conference about how he keeps his company agile in the face of accelerating change and where he sees AI going next.

Traditionally, private equity companies have created value at the companies they own by taking on debt, restructuring, and exploiting underserved opportunities. But surging interest rates and increased competition have made it much harder to deliver strong returns. Ted Bililies, a partner and managing director of AlixPartners, says private equity leaders can no longer count on financial engineering to drive performance. Instead, they need to invest in the human capital at their portfolio companies. Bililies wrote the HBR article “Private Equity Needs a New Talent Strategy.”

Introducing HBR’s podcast for young professionals, New Here, hosted by Elainy Mata. Whether it’s your first job or a fresh start, New Here will help you build a meaningful career on your own terms. In this episode, author and personal finance expert Anne-Lyse Ngatta and author, career advisor, and past HBR IdeaCast guest Gorick Ng explain how to lay the groundwork before you ask for a raise, when and how to start the conversation with your manager, and how to navigate the negotiation that may follow.

Unfortunately, you can’t set up your organization’s artificial intelligence projects like just any other IT project. By their nature, AI endeavors are quite different and suffer high failure rates. But there are proven approaches you can take to increase your odds of success. Iavor Bojinov, assistant professor at Harvard Business School and former LinkedIn data scientist, breaks down five critical steps for an AI project to turn into an effective product: selection, development, evaluation, adoption, and management. He’s the author of the HBR article “Keep Your AI Projects on Track.”

Economic activity has long been concentrated in big metropolitan areas. But has the rise of remote work technology -- and its accelerated adoption during the pandemic -- changed that? How are talent flows between geographies changing? And what does it mean for employers? Richard Florida, professor at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto known for coining the term "creative class," shares his latest research, which shows the deepening links between urban centers in various parts of the world, and he explains how these "meta cities" remain important places for people to connect. He is coauthor of the HBR article “The Rise of the Meta City.”

For a long time, conventional wisdom ruled that companies should avoid reselling their own products in used condition. There’s the threat of cannibalization, marketing confusion, and tricky logistics that can erase margins. But more name-brand retailers are jumping into resale, says Wharton marketing professor Tom Robertson. Thanks in part to Gen Z with its zeal for sustainability, he says consumer demand is rising fast for reused goods. He sees a revolution where brands cash in on resale, knowing that if they don’t own those customer relationships and sales, others will. Robertson wrote the HBR article “The Resale Revolution.”

For the qualities that top-performing CEOs have in common, research shows some surprising results. It turns out that charisma, confidence, and pedigree all have little bearing on CEO success. Elena Botelho, partner at leadership advisory firm ghSMART and coleader of its CEO Genome Project, studied high performers in the corner office. The analysis found that they demonstrated four business behaviors: quick decision making, engaging for impact, adapting proactively, and delivering reliably. Botelho cowrote the HBR article “What Sets Successful CEOs Apart.”

A growing number of companies are mandating office time for employees and structuring hybrid work under broad, rigid rules. But pushing people into the office is a mistake, argues Kimberly Shells, a senior director in the Gartner HR practice. She shares research showing how much flexibility and autonomy and belonging workers want. And Shells says organizations can still foster those qualities in an in-person office culture that also improves productivity and collaboration. She explains that companies should follow through on a clear purpose and craft policies that allow for options, flexibility, offsite team-building events, and support services such as on-site childcare. Shells cowrote the HBR article “Return-to-Office Plans Don’t Have to Undermine Employee Autonomy.”

Organizations too often subject their employees and customers to unnecessary friction that creates inefficiency and causes frustration. But, in some situations, friction can be a positive force, spurring more innovation and better decision-making. So how do you reduce the bad kind and embrace the good?  Stanford professors Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao have studied this problem for seven years and offer strategies for leaders at every level to help them recognize when friction is needed or not and then add or subtract accordingly. They share ample examples of people and companies getting it right. Sutton and Rao are the authors of The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder, as well as the HBR article, "Rid Your Organization of Obstacles that Infuriate Everyone."

In a globally connected and highly politicized world, organizations are increasingly expected to comment on social, political, and environmental issues. But taking a stance doesn't always make business sense and can backfire when employees or consumers see a disconnect between leaders’ words and actions. Alison Taylor, associate professor at New York University, says there's a better way to make decisions on corporate speech, which includes involving workers in the process. Taylor is the author of the HBR book Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World and the HBR article “Corporate Advocacy in a Time of Social Outrage.”

Organizations regularly reward devoted workers who put in long hours. At the same time, “always-on” communication spurred by the pandemic and new digital tools encourage workaholism. But research shows that it’s not just individuals who are harmed by overworking. Their employers are, too. Malissa Clark, associate professor and head of the Healthy Work Lab at the University of Georgia, explains how companies unwittingly create a workaholic culture — one that ultimately backfires with higher turnover and disengaged employees. She shares what companies can easily do to change that. Clark wrote the new book Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business--and How to Fix It.

Few leaders have been trained to ask great questions. That might explain why they tend to be good at certain kinds of questions, and less effective at other kinds. Unfortunately, that hurts their ability to pursue strategic priorities. Arnaud Chevallier, strategy professor at IMD Business School, explains how leaders can break out of that rut and systematically ask five kinds of questions: investigative, speculative, productive, interpretive, and subjective. He shares real-life examples of how asking the right sort of question at a key time can unlock value and propel your organization. With his IMD colleagues Frédéric Dalsace and Jean-Louis Barsoux, Chevallier wrote the HBR article "The Art of Asking Smarter Questions."

Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make technology work for you and your team. Listen every other Thursday starting May 2 in the HBR IdeaCast feed, after the regular Tuesday episode.

Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make technology work for you and your team. This week: how your team can get the most out of working with generative AI.

Around 18 million adults in the U.S. alone suffer from long Covid, a chronic illness with a wide range of symptoms and severity. With approved therapies a long way off, workers with long Covid often struggle in silence. And most companies have neither a good understanding of the situation nor effective policies in place, say MIT research scientist Beth Pollack and Vanguard University professor Ludmila Praslova. They share the conditions associated with long Covid, what life is like for those workers, and the accommodations and flexibility they recommend HR leaders and organizations implement. Pollack and Praslova are coauthors with researcher Katie Bach of the HBR Big Idea article “Long Covid at Work: A Manager's Guide.”

Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make technology work for you and your team. This week: how digital marketers are preparing for the end of third-party cookies—and what this change means for the open Internet.

Venture capital firms notoriously embrace risk and take big swings, hoping that one startup will become a monster hit that pays for many other failed investments. This VC approach scares established companies, but it shouldn’t. Stanford Graduate School of Business professor Ilya Strebulaev says that VC firms have proven best practices that all leaders should apply in their own companies. He explains exactly how VC’s operationalize risk, embrace disagreement over consensus, and stay agile in their decision-making—all valuable lessons that apply outside of Silicon Valley. With author Alex Dang, Strebulaev cowrote the new book The Venture Mindset: How to Make Smarter Bets and Achieve Extraordinary Growth and the HBR article "Make Decisions with a VC Mindset."

While many teams and organizations engage in scenario planning, most don't go far enough. Arjan Singh, consultant and adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University, says a more disciplined approach, borrowed from the military, can help leaders truly test how their strategies, operations, and tactics hold up against competitors, shifting market dynamics, and unexpected events. He's helped hundreds of companies identify risks and find new ways to innovate by leading them through corporate war games, and he explains his process and results. Singh is the author of the book Competitive Success: Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games.

While most good bosses try to be fair and balanced with their direct reports, it's only human to prefer the company and work styles of some team members over others, and employees are keenly aware of those preferences. They see favorites and non-favorites, ingroups and outgroups -- and when those divisions fester, they can destroy team culture and performance. Ginka Toegel, professor at IMD Business School, explains why even well-intentioned managers succumb to favoritism, how workers on both sides are affected, and what we can do to both avoid and rectify the problem. Toegel is the coauthor of the HBR article "Stop Playing Favorites."

Darius Rucker has reached the top of the music charts in not just one but two genres: first as the lead singer of the 1990s band Hootie and the Blowfish, then in a second act as a solo country star. He shares lessons on following your passion, staying humble, working your way up, and defying stereotypes and expectations. He's the author of a new memoir Life's Too Short.

Many marketers today focus on getting consumers to consciously change their behavior. But that’s a sure path to failure, according to Leslie Zane, founder of Triggers Brand Consulting. She says neuroscience research shows that mastering instinct is far more effective than persuasion. And she shares her key lessons for aligning with the instinctive mind to improve company brands, new products, social campaigns, or your own personal brand. Zane is the author of the book The Power of Instinct: The New Rules of Persuasion in Business and Life.

It's hard to imagine a more challenging work environment than the International Space Station. During her 24 years as a NASA astronaut, including a six-month stint on the ISS, Cady Coleman learned pivotal lessons about everything from managing stress and assessing risk to cross-cultural communication and navigating bias. She shares how the skills she picked up can be applied in all kinds of careers. Coleman is the author of the book Sharing Space: An Astronaut's Guide to Mission Wonder and Making Change.

When a company, division, or product line has been struggling for some time, it can feel nearly impossible to get things back on track. But big turnarounds are possible, provided you have a team willing to work hard, be creative, and embrace change. When he was president and CEO of Marvel, Peter Cuneo oversaw the resurgence and sale of the media company, but even before that he had a long track track for turning around many types of consumer-facing businesses. He shares the strategies that work best for shaking up organizations and teams and boosting their performance. Cuneo is also the managing principal of Cuneo and Company.

Unwelcome employee turnover can create big problems for managers, teams, and organizations, so it's important to understand the real drivers of attrition. New research from Ethan Bernstein, associate professor at Harvard Business School, and Michael Horn, cofounder of the Clayton Christensen Institute, points to a host of push and pull forces that cause workers to jump ship and also outlines better retention strategies. They are the coauthors, along with Bob Moesta, of the HBR article "Why Employees Quit" and the book Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career.

We live in an age of data. But having powerful tools to gather employee feedback doesn't mean you’ll get powerful results. It’s challenging for executives to turn that feedback into substantive action. New research from Ethan Burris, professor of management at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, sheds light on how to weed through all the data, make sure workers feel heard, and turn employee insights into real results. Burris is a coauthor of the HBR article "What Companies Get Wrong About the Employee Experience."

Reid Hoffman is one of the most prominent and recognizable voices in Silicon Valley, and after predicting some of the biggest trends that have shaped our world in the last 25 years, he is sharing his thoughts on the future of artificial intelligence. In this interview with HBR Editor in Chief Adi Ignatius, Hoffman shares his approach to managing technological change and innovation, explains why he thinks generative AI won't destroy jobs, and imagines how these new tools will transform our world. Spoiler: It's all about managing technological change and innovation the right way. Previously, Hoffman founded or co-founded PayPal, Inflection AI, and LinkedIn, where he served as CEO and is now its executive chairman. He’s also an active early-stage investor at Greylock Partners, host of the Masters of Scale and Possible podcasts, and author of the forthcoming book Superagency.

With more than $7 billion in annual revenue and 24,000 employees, SAIC provides engineering, digital, AI, and mission support to defense, space, intelligence, and civilian customers. CEO Toni Townes-Whitley took the helm a year ago, after stints as a senior executive at Microsoft, CGI Federal, and Unisys. She discusses her approach to strategic transformation at SAIC through fine tuning and employee upskilling, rather than wholesale change. She also shares how the company is incorporating cutting edge technologies, like generative AI, with appropriate safeguards for government clients.

Imagine you’re leading a small organization, but you’re struggling to recruit and afford the senior talent you need to grow. You could hire a part-time executive. So-called “fractional leadership” is common in startups and is spreading to other businesses and nonprofits. But while a fast-growing number of senior leaders seek this work arrangement, many companies are unsure of how to go about it. Tomoko Yokoi and Amy Bonsall are experts on the practice. Yokoi is a researcher at the TONOMUS Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation at IMD Business School. Bonsall is a former executive at IDEO and Old Navy who works as a part-time chief product officer with several organizations. They explain when and how fractional leadership works best—for the individual as well as the organization—and how to do it right. Yokoi and Bonsall wrote the HBR article “How Part-Time Senior Leaders Can Help Your Business.”

Ryan Rodenbeck Owner Spyglass Realty, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Austin, Texas https://www.spyglassrealty.com   Region served: Greater Austin Years in real estate: 20 Number of offices: 2 Number of agents: 145 How do you ensure open and honest communication with your agents, especially when it comes to their performance and growth?…

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Let’s face it: real estate is a loud industry. The competition is fierce—and it’s everywhere. But contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a bad thing. With the right strategies in place, you can build a brand that stands out from competitors, earns you more market share and attracts new buyers and sellers in your area.…

The post How to Cut Through Your Competitors’ Noise as a Real Estate Brokerage appeared first on RISMedia.

Universal Consulting Opportunities (UCO), a subsidiary of Stellar MLS, has announced an agreement with Arab MLS to enhance its real estate practices across the Arab region and beyond. UCO will advise Arab MLS to further drive efficiency, transparency, user experience and the way people connect with properties, starting with Egypt, Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and…

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Why do so many brokerages pursue a costly and outmoded “best-in-class” tech strategy when it rarely delivers on its promises? Despite good intentions, assembling a patchwork of standalone tech tools creates a fragmented mess that hinders productivity and drives up costs. The allure of having the “best” often blinds broker/owners to the inefficiencies and frustrations…

The post How Much Does Your ‘Frankenstack’ Tech Strategy Cost? appeared first on RISMedia.

Move Concierge, a service that connects utilities and home services for new homebuyers, has announced a key partnership with Side, a real estate brokerage platform that helps agents create and grow their own boutique companies.  Through this partnership, real estate agents who work with Side will have access to Move Concierge services through Side Marketplace,…

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Staged listing photos have been an effective—and expensive—tool meant to pique the interest of inquiring home seekers. But given the ever-growing landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) in real estate, that hurdle could soon be a thing of the past.  At least, that is where things are headed for Palazzo, an AI-driven interior design platform that…

The post Startup Palazzo Seeing Success Expanding Its Virtual Staging Offering to Brokers appeared first on RISMedia.

From left, Shelly Vincent, Laura O’Connor, Dan Troup, Shaleen Khatod and moderator Dave Garland. Photo by AJ Canaria.  It isn’t as shiny and new as it was a couple years ago, when ChatGPT took the world by storm, but AI, or large language models, are still highly influential and fast-evolving pieces of technology that real…

The post Homebuyer Dreams, Macaroni and Cheese: What Is the AI ‘Recipe’ of the Future? appeared first on RISMedia.

The debate around NAR’s Clear Cooperation policy continues among brokers, MLSs, and other real estate industry players. Opinions are sharply divided on this policy, which dictates how and when property listings are created and shared. This polarizing debate threatens the MLS operating model that has successfully served agents and consumers for decades with the most…

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CRS Data—a provider of property tax data in the U.S. and Canada—has announced the launch of its data compliance solution: ListingIntegrity. ListingIntegrity ensures superior data quality in today’s real estate landscape, creating a source of partnership and dependability for MLSs, brokerages and agents.  “Our goal is to create steadfast and trusted ways to serve the…

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Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the National Association of REALTORS®, has announced eight companies selected for its 2025 REACH Canada program. These firms operate within a diverse range of market segments and specializations, offering productivity and efficiency solutions for real estate professionals while addressing some of society’s growing housing challenges.   “The vision…

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EDANA’s Sustainability Forum, themed 'Building a Sustainable Future Together,' convened leaders in Brussels to discuss clean energy, corporate sustainability, circular economy, and EU policies. Highlights included sessions on renewable investments, sustainable practices, and regulatory impacts, emphasising industry-wide collaboration for environmental progress.

Mativ Holdings, Inc, has reported Q3 2024 sales of $498.5 million, up 0.1 per cent YoY, with adjusted income of $11 million and a gross profit of $93.6 million, up 8 per cent YoY. Filtration & Advanced Materials sales fell 3.2 per cent, while Sustainable & Adhesive Solutions sales rose 2.1 per cent. The net loss was $20.8 million, a significant improvement from $464.3 million loss in 2023.

The Buckle, Inc has reported net sales of $293.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, down by 3.2 per cent from $303.5 million in the previous year. Comparable store net sales declined 0.7 per cent in Q3. Year-to-date (YTD) comparable store net sales dropped 5.4 per cent, and total net sales for the 39-week period decreased 4.6 per cent to $838.5 million from $878.7 million last year.

Ahlstrom's Q3 FY24 net sales rose 5.2 per cent to €742.7 million (~$788.8 million), driven by higher average selling prices. Comparable EBITDA reached €130.2 million (~$138.26 million), supported by cost efficiency and improved margins. Restructuring costs and energy hedge losses impacted reported EBITDA of €81.9 million (~$86.928 million).

Page Industries Limited has reported revenue of ₹12,463 million (~$147.7 million) in Q2 FY24, a YoY increase of 11 per cent, with sales volume rising 6.7 per cent to 55.2 million pieces. EBITDA grew 22 per cent YoY to ₹2,815 million (~$33.4 million), with a margin of 22.6 per cent. PAT was ₹1,953 million, up 29.9 per cent. For H1 FY24, revenue was ₹25,238 million, growing 7.3 per cent YoY.

Goldman Sachs has lowered its forecast for 2025 eurozone GDP growth to 0.8 per cent from 1.1 per cent. Europe’s economy will be hit by the return of Donald Trump as president, due to the likelihood of new trade tensions with the US, pressure to raise defense spending and a blow to business confidence due to higher geopolitical risks, its experts believe. European companies may also face tariffs.

In the dynamic realm of real estate, success hinges on the ability to attract, recruit and retain top talent. Reflecting on my early days in the industry, the memories of my first listing, first buyer and inaugural closing flood back. Those experiences instilled in me a profound sense of confidence, akin to the surge that…

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In the competitive realm of real estate, recruiting agents is a pivotal task, and the fortune often lies in the art of follow-up. Changing brokerages is a significant decision, and acknowledging the weight of this transition can make all the difference.  Culture beyond words Show don’t just tell. Use the follow-up process to immerse potential…

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The recent antitrust lawsuit inadvertently highlighted something interesting during the trial. The plaintiffs’ attorney successfully argued that the whole real estate industry engaged in collusion and price-fixing. As real estate professionals, we know that isn’t true, right? Here’s the interesting part: Those attorneys who will be paid on contingency literally make their money in exactly…

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As real estate agents, you face countless challenges and obstacles in your journey to success. It’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t go as planned, but here’s something every agent should consider, regardless of how long you’ve been an agent: Every failure is actually a stepping stone to greater achievements. This is the essence…

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