The events of the last two years have transformed long-utilized work models—accelerating the rise of hybrid and remote work and reframing how many employers think of the traditional office. Now, while still far from the norm, the concept of a four-day work week is also gaining traction. READ MORE
What Elon Musk Can Learn From Mastodon—and What He Can’t
Freedom never comes for free. In Twitter’s case, the price was $44 billion, which Elon Musk will pay to liberate the platform from its responsibilities as a public company and transform it into a free speech Xanadu. Musk wants to open source the platform’s algorithms, exile spam bots, and allow people to tweet whatever they please “within the bounds of the law.” To him, the stakes are nothing short of existential. “My strong intuitive sense,” he said in an interview at TED last week, “is that having a public platform that is maximally trusted and broadly inclusive is extremely important to the future of civilization.” READ MORE
Present your China contingency plan at the next board meeting
But for a far broader set of companies, there’s a much more dangerous threat looming on the horizon: Russia’s totalitarian twin and closest military and economic ally–China.
It does not take a Ph.D. in international affairs to understand the common threads that underpin the China-Russia partnership. Both governments are known for lawless behavior, duplicity, bullying, domestic oppression, coercive economic practices, and grave human rights abuses. READ MORE
MIT Engineers Created a Portable Device that Zaps Seawater to Make Drinking Water
A team of scientists at MIT have created a device that transforms brackish seawater into clean drinking water at the push of a button—and can be especially helpful for people living in seaside places like California who are dealing with climate change-fueled droughts. READ MORE
Why Elon Musk Bought Twitter
On Monday, Elon Musk bought Twitter for forty-four billion dollars. Musk, the C.E.O. of Tesla and the richest man on earth, plans to take the social-media company private, and has said that he wants Twitter to adhere more closely to the principles of free speech, which, in a statement, Musk called “the bedrock of a functioning democracy.” (In the same statement, he described Twitter as the “digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.”) Musk himself is a frequent tweeter, and it is assumed that he will continue to use the platform, and potentially reinstate the account of former President Donald Trump. He is also thought to be less likely to ban people for violations of the platform’s policies, which themselves may change. READ MORE
A neuroscientist explains how to get more done in less time
There are all sorts of productivity myths out there – but are there any that actually work?
Open social media and you'll find countless posts from people claiming to have the secret to improving your productivity, whether that's by waking up at 4am, taking certain supplements or packing your day full of activities. READ MORE
We have the potential to get happier (and more successful) as we get older. Here’s how
Arthur C. Brooks is an American social scientist, the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. He has authored eleven books, including the bestsellers Love Your Enemies and The Conservative Heart, and writes the popular “How to Build a Life” column at The Atlantic. READ MORE
Sales Quotas: Friend or Foe?
Sales quotas power sales compensation formulas. Getting them right is crucial for a well-functioning incentive plan. But it’s a painful process for first-line managers. They face the same challenges each year: an unreasonable number and a small window of time to allocate the quota.
Is there a better approach? READ MORE
The cost of Zoom
All those Zoom meetings could be stunting innovation at work.
Why it matters: A new study offers data for employers grappling with how to balance the benefits of in-person work with its costs. READ MORE
US economy shrinking at start of 2022 is 'shocking': Harvard economist
Harvard University professor Kenneth Rogoff, a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, told "Mornings with Maria" on Thursday that a contraction in the U.S. economy in the first quarter is "shocking." READ MORE
Elon Musk won’t have a board to watch him when he takes Twitter private—does that matter?
It appears Twitter’s board of directors finally warmed to Elon Musk’s hostile bid and agreed to a sale—but not before it took a severe beating from the Tesla and SpaceX billionaire, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, and other prominent users on their own social network. READ MORE
Half of US Employees Would Leave Their Job for This One Reason, But Will Stay for These Benefits
As the Great Resignation continues across the U.S., employees are gaining clarity as to what they want out of a job, what would entice them to stay, and what “dealbreakers” would force them to leave. READ MORE
The best small cities to start a business in 2022
If you’re thinking about starting a business, but aren’t interested in going to a big city, you might want to consider moving to Utah.
That’s according to a new report from WalletHub, which found the best small cities to start a business in 2022. Out of the top 10 small cities, five were in Utah. READ MORE
CalPERS to vote to replace Buffett as Berkshire chairman
CalPERS, the largest U.S. public pension fund, on Tuesday said it will vote for a shareholder proposal that Berkshire Hathaway Inc replace Warren Buffett as chairman, though he would remain chief executive officer.
The fund, whose full name is the California Public Employees' Retirement System, disclosed its vote in a regulatory filing ahead of Berkshire's scheduled April 30 annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. READ MORE
These states have posted the most dramatic post-pandemic job gains
More than a dozen US states reached or exceeded their pre-pandemic employment levels in March, and more than one-third have reported record-low unemployment rates, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As the nation claws its way back from the stark job losses incurred during the early stages of the pandemic, the latest numbers show a clearer picture of a regionally driven recovery, with some of the most dramatic and sustained employment gains occurring in the Rocky Mountain states. READ MORE
DeSantis looks to hold Twitter board 'accountable' for response to Musk's buyout bid
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that Florida will seek ways to hold Twitter's board of directors "accountable" over their response to billionaire Elon Musk's bid to take the company private.
"The state of Florida, in our pension system, we have shares of Twitter," DeSantis said during a press conference. "I didn't buy it. We have people that run the fund, but nevertheless, it hasn't been great in return on investment. It's been pretty stagnant for many, many years." READ MORE
The Best Leaders Have a Contagious Positive Energy
Researchers and leaders have looked for the secret to successful leadership for centuries. Dozens of new books each year promise to deliver the answer. We decided to examine this question empirically, and when we did, we found that the greatest predictor of success for leaders is not their charisma, influence, or power. It is not personality, attractiveness, or innovative genius. The one thing that supersedes all these factors is positive relational energy: the energy exchanged between people that helps uplift, enthuse, and renew them. READ MORE
Mark Cuban says Elon Musk is 'fucking with the SEC
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban chimed in on Elon Musk's attempt to purchase Twitter for $43 billion, saying that he thinks the Tesla CEO is "fucking with the SEC" and that Twitter will do everything in their power not to sell. READ MOREww.foxbusiness.com/economy/mark-cuban-says-musk-is-f-with-the-sec-thinks-twitter-will-do-everything-possible-not-to-sell READ MORE
Elon Musk Has Triggered a Battle for the Future of Twitter
Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter for $43 billion, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday. The surprise move has been labeled by some experts as a whim to gain attention, while others think it's a game changer that will end with him taking over the entire company. READ MORE
Companies are pulling out all the stops to lure employees back to the office. But they’re missing the biggest draw
The struggle to get employees back to the office continues, and tech companies have resorted to sweetening the sour taste of commuting to work with A-list concerts, office swag, and other perks. READ MORE