Parkinson’s Law has many impacts on the world of business. Learn more from expert Jody Gruden on how this area affects employee experience and engagement.
Can you believe we’re already done with a quarter of 2023? The days are flying by, and there’s so much to do and to learn. We’re truly grateful for the members of the Bureau and how much we work to help one another improve our professional and personal lives. Our Slack conversations are full of useful information and resources. I try to send out the best of these each week in our newsletter. You can get that right in your email by signing up here. But if you are carefully avoiding your inbox as much as possible, here are some of the best links from this month’s newsletters.
The four-day workweek has been gaining traction in recent years, with more and more companies considering it to improve work-life balance and increase productivity. The idea has instant appeal. After all, who wouldn’t want an extra day off every week? So eventually we're all doing this, right? Read on and we'll talk about the pros and cons of that extra day off.
We all know the satisfaction of discovering the perfect tool that saves us hours of tedious work. The one that allows us to knock out the boring stuff quickly and focus on doing the important work. What's even better is when someone tells us which tools they can't live without. So, let's dive in and explore what the Bureau community is using to make a real difference in helping us work more efficiently. Let's go!
Do you have just one source of income, or are you one of the many people with at least one side gig? For some, it’s a necessity, and for others, it’s their passion. I want to dive into the art of the side hustle and how it’s shaping the world of work. And in case you didn't know, the Bureau started out as a side hustle, and look at us now!
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve eagerly embraced leadership positions throughout your life. It’s a great way to grow and learn to overcome new challenges. Once you’re there, though, it can be hard to let go of the day-to-day stuff. How do you learn to step back and let others work their magic?
Don’t you hate talking to customer service on the phone, only for them to transfer you to someone else, and you need to explain the whole thing again? Nobody likes that, especially your customers. How can you make sure there’s a smooth transition from the sales team to project management? This week we’re tackling this handoff process. And guess what, the secret weapon is probably already on your team.
February is already over?? Where does the time go? I’m not done complaining about January yet!
I love being part of the Bureau community because it’s full of friends and colleagues who let me complain, and they also offer excellent advice from their unique perspectives. I collect the best of these and send them out in our weekly newsletter, which you should definitely sign up for. But you can also get them right here, collected once a month. Let’s see what we learned last month!
For many Bureau shops, the past two years may have felt like an ongoing celebration of Fat Tuesday regarding our businesses and bringing on new clients. Work was abundant, pipelines were full, and, most importantly, closing business was much, much faster. And while an ongoing Fat Tuesday revenue scenario was definitely not the case for all Bureau shops, the economy's inertia swept us all up. Plus, the move to all things digital definitely helped during and after the pandemic.
Why did the AI-generated song win an award? Because it had the perfect pitch - and the perfect algorithm for creating catchy lyrics!
That was what ChatGPT came up with when I asked it to write a joke about using AI for creative tasks. That’s right; we’re going to talk more about AI. And this week, it’s time to put your best lawyer face on.
Well, here we are again. Another advancement in technology is threatening to turn our creative worlds upside down. But this is how life goes; for me, it’s what makes it exciting. Back in 1816 the first camera was created and artists were out of a job. In 1989 the world wide web was launched and paper was made obsolete. In 2003 Squarespace was launched and digital agencies shuttered their doors as technology replaced them. In 2007 the iPhone arrived and photographers around the world were suddenly out of work. And while none of those dreaded outcomes came true, each technology changed how we create. And that’s what AI will do too. So let’s look at the top ways AI can change what we do.
Well, we finally made it through the longest January ever. I don’t know about you, but everywhere I look I’m terrified of finding classified documents. But you know what? There’s another exclusive club you can join that won’t result in a felony conviction if you misplace info -- the Bureau community! We have uplifting, enlightening conversations in our Slack, and I like to send out the best of that info every week in our email newsletter, which you should definitely sign up for.
Learn the top tips to keep your digital shop finally sound and ready for purchase, even if you don’t have plans to sell.
This week I'm writing from my mom's apartment. It's a couple of days late and nobody would blame me if they knew all the stuff I've had thrown at me this week. But this is important and it makes me feel like I'm letting people down when it's late. Obviously, it feels heavier to me than it is. But when you're in a crisis it's hard not to beat yourself up. So let's talk about what to do when life punches you in the face!
WTAF is going on here? That's what a lot of digital agencies were asking themselves as things started slowing down in the 4th quarter of 2022. And not just leads and their pipeline, but long term clients on retainers were canceling too. To find out, 28 shop owners got together last Friday to compare notes on what they're seeing. Keep reading to learn more about what they discovered.
I know everyone is sending their "Happy New Year!" messages this week with a lot of talk about making changes. I quit doing personal resolutions a few years back and shifted to the idea of goals instead. And it's really worked for me. One year it was an arbitrary number of miles to run. I thought I could never achieve it, but I did. Then I set out to read a certain number of books last year. No real reason, I just wanted to read more. And I did that too. I think the real difference for me is a goal is something to work towards whereas a resolution is normally about either starting or stopping something immediately. One is about making progress and the other is about making a quick and permanent change. This year we decided to set goals for the Bureau, so read on to see where we're focusing in 2023.
It’s a new year, full of fresh possibilities, new adventures, and of course all those resolutions we are sure will stick this time (no, I’m not hiding Ding Dongs in the toilet tank). As for me, I’m resolving to continue making the Bureau the best community possible (which is kind of a cheat since it’s our awesome members who really make it what it is).
The holidays are officially here. And what would be a nicer gift than surprising someone with your wonderful insights into a problem they have? Well, you're in luck because that's what this issue of the newsletter is about! Each week there are dozens of questions asked in the Bureau Slack and not all of them get the love they need. So step up, be the hero and spread some knowledge and cheer!
I am the king of implementing changes that don't work. I'm not beating myself up, it's just the truth. I like to think of it as failed experiments, but when I dig deeper I think I didn't really give some of the new changes a chance to take root. So while I was researching how to make changes that stick, I thought maybe what I found out could help you too!
Since gratitude is the theme of November, let me start by saying I'm thankful for our wonderful Bureau community, and the strengths each member brings to the group. Every day I interact with amazing people who have remarkable talents, and I love being able to work with this community.