A Rising Tide
A robust economy and positive outlook among consumers and businesses continue to pilot the ship toward pre-pandemic normalcy
Author:
Jonathan Hough
A prime measure of consumer confidence soared in April as the number of fully vaccinated Americans rose above the 100 million milestone.
The Conference Board reported that its Consumer Confidence Index rose to 121.7 from a revised 109.0 in March and was at a 14-month high.
“Consumers’ assessment of current conditions improved significantly in April, suggesting the economic recovery strengthened further in early Q2,” Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at The Conference Board, stated in a press release. “Consumers’ optimism about the short-term outlook held steady [as] consumers were more upbeat about their income prospects, perhaps due to the improving job market and the recent round of stimulus checks. Short-term inflation expectations held steady in April but remain elevated. Vaca
Marketing Leadership in a Digital World
Using these five strategies will keep your business on a course for success
Author:
Jun 1, 2021
For marine industry marketers, the pandemic was a game-changer. The lack of in-person events, trade shows and personal communication eliminated many traditional channels from the marketing mix, and the focus quickly shifted to digital solutions.
Businesses rapidly accelerated their digital transformation efforts, and digital strategies for sales and marketing initiatives were thrust to the forefront. Regardless of digital maturity level prior to the pandemic, marketers looked to a variety of digital tools (such as paid search, paid social media, email marketing, virtual trade shows and more) to reach customers. This shift underscored the importance and effectiveness of digital channels in reaching consumers.
Leading an Evolving Organization
Author:
Jun 1, 2021
It all started when surfers had trouble parking to gain access to the waves. That same summer, high bacteria counts spiked, closing beaches on Aquidneck Island, home of Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth, R.I. The result was a new grassroots organization speaking out for access to clean ocean water. Almost as an afterthought, the group ran a beach cleanup, which sparked community engagement and became a defining feature of Clean Ocean Access, a nonprofit that now raises and spends $1 million annually.
Dave McLaughlin was a surfer who co-founded the group and is now its executive director. He says Aquidneck Island’s challenges offer a small-scale opportunity to test initiatives in outreach, education and solving real-world issues with programs like marina trash skimmers and shrink-wrap recycling.
âSwirlingâ: An Organizational Nightmare
Author:
Adobe Stock
Does your organization have problems that never seem to get resolved? Is your team better at identifying challenges than overcoming them? Does your team talk about a problem again and again without fixing it?
If so, bells and sirens should be going off because your organization is at great risk. You are experiencing what our company calls “swirling.”
Swirling happens because it is way easier to identify problems than to solve them. It is easier to suggest solutions when you are not responsible for the results or unintended consequences. It is also way tougher to develop and implement a solution under the full weight of responsibility for the decision’s impact.
Visionary Leaders Embrace Technology
Jun 1, 2021
Regardless of the role we play in an organization, leadership is a quality defined by how we conduct ourselves. Many of us are great leaders on the hilltop, but what about the character of a person as he carries out his duties in the valleys?
For example, we read in the Bible that Abraham exhibited his greatest faith in the face of a father’s most desperate trial. We learn that David is considered a great king more for the response to his most humbling moments than for his battlefield achievements. Similarly, our country’s forefathers crafted our republic on the sacrifice of public duty and the discipline of virtue in the face of almost sure defeat. Abraham Lincoln led us through one of our darkest periods by wielding humility and steadfastness.