Have you ever played that game where you cross your arms across your chest and fall backward trusting that your friends/colleagues have their arms outstretched and will actually catch you? I’ve seen this “game” of trust used at everything from summer camps for kids to team-building corporate events. 

Back in 2016, I wrote a blog called “4 Things I Learned About Gamification in the Men’s Bathroom” … catchy title, right? Well, you guys loved it. Still today, it’s one of my most popular and re-read pieces. As such, it’s only right that I update it for today’s 2020 business landscape. 

I saw a study by Deloitte recently that said: “exceptional organizations think about their business as a two-sided ledger: strategy and culture.” It went on to say that 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a distinct workplace culture is important to business success.

You guys. That’s a lot of money and time — particularly if you’re onboarding process is shit and you’re leaving new hires less-than-excited about their new gig. In fact, employees who have a negative experience are twice as likely to look for new opportunities in the near future. 

Can we just go ahead and make a deal to stop talking endlessly about tech companies? How to get their business. How to market to them. How to get them as tenants. How to do this … How to do that … 

I think that there are two ways to look at this conversation. There’s the technology that you need for your business to run and thrive, and then there’s the physical building technology that’s paramount to keep your infrastructure on the cutting edge. 

Whether you’re just out of college or feel stuck in the rut of decade-old career, how can you feel confident enough to explore the realms of your potential without feeling trapped … or scared … or hesitant? 

The way we market properties is going to change forever. In fact, if you blink, you may be transported into a world of virtual staging, augmented reality, single-property websites, live streaming …. oh, wait! We’re already there. 

I think many of us get caught in a to-do list of things that are urgent — fires that need to be put out, deals that can’t wait, meetings, and meetings, and meetings. It’s easy to find yourself in an endless circle of completing tasks that are date/time-sensitive and to go home at the end of the day feeling like you didn’t really accomplish anything that was truly important. 

Is our ability to communicate effectively being diminished by technology? I read this really interesting article on Forbes recently about how intergenerational communication failures are creating havoc in the hiring process. The author, Jack Kelly, talks about how there is an inherent difference between how job seekers and representatives at companies (hiring managers, recruiters, etc.) desire to interact with each other. 

Imagine you’re back in the workforce looking for a job (or maybe you’re one of my younger readers just starting their career), what are your expectations for working remotely? Is being able to work from home a deal-breaker? 

Some people might think it’s crazy that Google created a 20% program that allows its developers to spend 20% of their workday on a creative project of their own —but, not me. I’m a huge believer in encouraging and rewarding team member creativity!