Design thinking is embraced by leaders as a way to deal with the complex and competitive 21st-century workplace. But there are critics who say the process can be misunderstood or misused by those who don’t complete the required deep dives to arrive at new and profound solutions.

Organizational culture is the values, beliefs and behaviors practiced in an organization formed over time because they are rewarded or punished by formal and informal rules, rituals and behaviors. Or, to oversimplify it, culture is “the way we do things around here.”

“Can full-time, permanent employees do freelance work for our California-based company if that work falls outside their job description?”

In 2003, Mike Shaldone was so broken down, he had to ask for help — admittedly, a practice not within his skill set, he says. He knew he needed to enter rehab to address his issues with alcoholism.

We should implement ways of managing the stress associated with remote working, while at the same time enjoying its benefits.

If your manager tosses you a $200 gift card for reaching a milestone, it’s nothing personal — and according to Anna Straus, that’s a problem when it comes to employee retention and workplace productivity.

Henry Ford dreamed of mass-producing cars. So he started the Detroit Automobile Company … and it flopped. Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first job at a TV station. Before she dominated the world of fashion, Vera Wang failed to realize her original dream — making it as an Olympic figure skater.

I bet you a cup of coffee that you are reading this just before a meeting, or maybe just after. Another bet: You feel that there are too many meetings. A third: This gauntlet of meetings can make it tough — or impossible — to finish your work.  

The idea of open-space offices has been with us since the start of the tech revolution. It seems we are under the mistaken belief that the early technology companies — such as Google, Wikipedia, eBay — were onto something when they tore down office walls, removed cubicles and allowed workers to float in a sea of open access. Teamwork became the goal.

A good leader is someone whose people are productive, innovative and excited to be part of the team. How does an employee — particularly one new to a leadership role — develop the skills to create and manage such a team?