Adi Segal

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Motivating employees to see the benefit of looking at things from a different perspective can lead to business success. With the current workforce now consisting of Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and, increasingly, Generation Z, these distinct generations all bring with them different ideas about how the day-to-day operations of a business should work. This can create a toxic environment of miscommunication and misunderstanding that negatively impacts a business’s ability to retain its employees and properly serve its customers. When these challenges arise, it’s vital that leaders develop a plan of action to connect and build strong relationships with employees, regardless of their age, generation or experience level. To help, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer tips to help business leaders pull the different generations in their workforce together to the benefit of the entire organization.

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Making the most of your time after a holiday break requires setting realistic expectations for yourself and your team. End-of-year holidays can be a welcome break from the grind until January arrives and it's time to get back in gear. Between celebrations and holidays, many professionals jump into January with the aim of tackling lingering work and starting new initiatives, but doing so without a solid plan of action can result in family and personal time being put on the back burner. To help professionals find balance after the holidays, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one method they use to set boundaries and catch up on their work backlog without falling behind on family time and personal chores.

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Creating a more imaginative internal culture requires making changes to how your business manages employee ideas and feedback. In business, the most effective initiatives often rise from the bottom up. While leaders are essential in shaping the larger direction of an organization, it takes the combined efforts of team members in every position to carry out set objectives successfully. Creating an internal culture of active encouragement and support for employees to express themselves and devise new ways of thinking results in a truly effective business. Below, 16 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer strategic approaches business leaders can leverage to build a culture of curiosity and innovative thinking among team members at all levels.

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No matter how much success a company achieves, there will come a time when leaders have to make plans for delivering bad news. No one likes to be the bearer of bad news, but business leaders often have to take on that role in difficult times. How a leader chooses to communicate with stakeholders at all levels in these situations has a direct impact on how the organization will move forward.  Therefore, it’s important that leaders carefully consider their every move as they navigate tough conversations and determine next steps for the business. Below, 11 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one important step a leader should take when preparing to share bad news at a meeting with stakeholders.

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While a busy business is the ultimate goal for many entrepreneurs, too many initiatives can eventually begin to negatively impact the team without intervention. The ability of a business to take on more and more initiatives is a definitive indication that the organization is doing something right. However, between marketing, customer support and product development, to name a few essential business functions, starting too many initiatives without proper protocols, adequate resources and a large enough team can prevent the team from making effective progress on any of them. For business leaders to successfully manage the initiatives they start, it’s essential that they keep a close eye on internal happenings and hone their skills in recognizing when too many projects have been undertaken. Below, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one sign that a leader has too many projects going on and how they can take steps to dial back and reduce project quantities for the sake of the overall business.

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For a successful international launch, conduct careful research into the laws, regulations, customs and culture of each new market. Businesses are increasingly considering international expansion as a key avenue for growth. However, navigating unfamiliar territories can be a daunting task for those venturing into new markets for the first time. Below, 18 Newsweek Expert Forum members share tips for how businesses can successfully navigate international growth. By prioritizing research and building strong local connections, business leaders can engage with new audiences with confidence.