Chris Dyer

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Keep your business priorities straight by focusing on the most impactful areas. Running a business is a game of competing priorities, both day-to-day and long-term. With so many areas to tend to, business owners can easily favor certain tasks over others—including those that aren't necessarily the most impactful. To help, the members of Fast Company Executive Board discuss the things business owners tend to put too much weight on and why overprioritizing these areas can limit growth. They also share their insights on what business owners should focus on instead to achieve lasting success.

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If your loyal customer base isn't enough to keep your doors open in a challenging market, here are a few strategies to change your luck. Running a business is no easy feat, especially when faced with factors outside of an owner's control—such as high rents, supply chain challenges, and stiff competition. Despite your loyal customer base and quality service, you may still struggle to keep your business afloat. For business owners facing these tough realities, Fast Company Executive Board members share practical advice and creative strategies that can offer new paths forward. Read on to find helpful tips to weather obstacles and find new ways to sustain your vision in the community.

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Here's how to show your customers appreciation without breaking the bank. Showing genuine appreciation can go a long way in building lasting relationships with customers and clients. Small but thoughtful gestures can make a big impact for companies on a limited budget and keep customers feeling valued year-round. Here, Fast Company Executive Board members share what you can offer to show how much you value their loyalty while being mindful of your budget. From personalized messages to exclusive access and special perks, there are many ways businesses can express gratitude and strengthen connections without a large expense.

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A commitment to well-being positions companies as desirable workplaces, attracting top talent and fostering loyalty among existing staff.

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When used correctly, consider AI technology as a minor contributor to your daily workflow, not a major threat to your current role. Marketing is all about the creative process of the human mind, but after so many years of coming up with brand campaigns, it's not surprising that new ideas can sometimes grow stale. That's where the evolution of AI tools comes in.  Whether companies are using artificial intelligence to gauge a potential customer base or to spark an attention-grabbing subject line in the latest email newsletter, most teams realize the benefits of utilizing AI responsibly to personalize their brand communications and increase their daily productivity with the help of automation. To demonstrate how AI tools have improved their quality of work life and technological mindset, 14 members from Fast Company Executive Board each offer one specific way marketers can treat AI as a "tool in the shed" to support their creative outlet process, not take it away.

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To avoid the predicted talent shortage, we must transition from resume screening to skills-first hiring practices.

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Implement these best practices to help employees thrive in every type of work environment. To enhance remote and hybrid communication in the workplace, it's important for leaders to avoid a one-size-fits-all method and engage with employees on an individual basis. This type of approach helps them understand their individual staff members' workstyle personalities and comfort levels. Planning special events or fun activities to bring co-workers closer is one of the best ways to increase team morale and encourage long-term connections. However, most stakeholders will agree that overscheduling meetings that could really be wrapped up in an email or direct message, is often overrated and results in unnecessary fatigue on everyone's part. Here, 14 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each offer their best perspective on how to strengthen the lines of communication and collaboration across departments at their organizations, whether people are returning to the office or still choosing to work from home.

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Here's how to stop the lies from spreading and keep loyal consumers updated on what's correct. When it comes to maintaining a positive image and authentic brand reputation, company leaders need to control their narrative before someone on the outside tries to spin their own tales about the brand in a non-appealing way. Here, 15 brand leaders from Fast Company Executive Board each share their most effective strategies to combat misinformation and ensure the integrity of information in an era of digital manipulation.

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With the right structure, sharing business knowledge in the classroom can benefit seasoned working professionals and their students. Here's how to stay organized and energized while mentoring the next generation. If you are a business leader who is extremely passionate about your 9 to 5 duties, you may want to consider using your positive influence to encourage future professionals through an adjunct professorship role.  One of the biggest challenges—whether teaching in person or online—is how to avoid burnout from working all day and teaching after hours. But when it comes to managing work responsibilities and personal lifestyle, the experts from Fast Company Executive Board have got you covered and know how to strike the right balance. Here are 16 tips to make the experience less stressful and more rewarding.  

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Retaining top talent has never been more challenging. Employees are no longer resigning en masse, but companies would be wise not to get complacent.

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Whether a company is struggling in a slow economy or its leaders want to focus more on investing in the smartest, low-cost resources, many business leaders agree that the growing technological advances in AI software have been a true game changer for organizations to reach their full local and global potential on a limited budget. However, with innovation often comes sacrifice. Below, 10 Fast Company Executive Board members discuss how business professionals can encourage their current and potential clients to continue investing in human capital with a combination of AI analytics to meet their project needs and business goals.

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Companies looking to boost their employee engagement will need to start actively listening to their employees. Here's how.

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Consider these next steps to achieve a smooth job transformation in a new industry of choice. When it comes to making a drastic career transition in life, it's something that can be obtained in time, no matter how difficult it may seem at first. Learning to communicate your professional goals clearly and authentically is one of the first steps to gaining the trust and credibility that will turn your career aspirations into reality. To help steer business professionals in the right direction and contemplate their next moves, below, 12 Fast Company Executive Board members each discuss their strategy for translating existing job skills to new industry standards and leverage digital platforms for job hunting, ensuring that candidates stand out in a competitive employment landscape.

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Is your business team getting the most ROI from this growing technology? If not, lean in to explore these additional benefits. As the uptick in generative AI continues to be at the forefront of company workflow in many cases, it's not only relied upon for the efficiency of data and daily tasks, it's also useful to boost brand creativity that will lead to increased growth and a brighter future for the establishment. To help business teams think outside the box on ways to get the most ROI from AI tools they've enlisted, 16 Fast Company Executive Board members offer their best practices to incorporate generative AI into new products and services.

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Encouraging your team to be problem solvers is a better way to build trust and keep them engaged in the process. Unleashing your full potential as a leader begins with having the willingness to embrace your own humility and enable others to shine. Empowering others to find the right solutions when they are faced with business challenges is an essential part of delegating responsibilities and building stronger teams. When it comes to helping direct reports develop decision-making strategies at work,16 experts from Fast Company Executive Board agree that it is much better to "coach" people rather than "manage." This is how potential successful leaders continue to grow.