Mastodawn

How are business executives moving through uncertainty, making agile decisions and not allowing existential challenges to hobble them and their organizations? By being resilient. See #ThoughtsAndObservations about #Resilience on Substack at https://substack.com/profile/23237822-mike-temkin/note/c-257443997

Mike Temkin (@miketemkin)

“Being resilient during periods of consistent, constant changes: One word keeps cropping up, in boardrooms and on earnings calls, as chief executives describe how they are handling crisis after crisis: resilience. … Investors and board directors, usually focused on short-term performance and growth, have also come to value the leadership skills needed to flex and adapt in a chaotic geopolitical environment. Leaders must have the wherewithal to anticipate and absorb shocks to their businesses and adjust quickly. … Since January 2020, variations of the word ‘resilience’ (think: ‘resilient’ and ‘resiliency’) have risen 162 percent on the earnings calls of U.S. public companies with a market cap of at least $1 billion, according to the A.I. research firm AlphaSense. … The word is offered as explanation for how executives are moving through uncertainty, making agile decisions and not allowing existential challenges to hobble them and their organization. … Leaders stressed the importance of having a clear strategic vision for their business, which allows them to focus when there’s so much macroeconomic uncertainty. Being able to communicate to employees — and investors — what a company’s goals are builds confidence. ‘You need to have what we call ‘shared consciousness’ … Everybody has to understand the mission,’ said Joanne Crevoiserat, the chief executive of Tapestry, which owns the fashion brands Coach and Kate Spade.” From the article “C.E.O.s Find ‘Resilience’ Is Part of Job” published May 8, 2026, in The New York Times, written by Jordyn Holman – U.S. journalist – New York Times business reporter covering management and by Kim Bhasin – U.S. journalist – covering the retail industry for The New York Times. For more Thoughts And Observations about Resilience go to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/being-resilient-both-work-home-michael-temkin-tkkwc/

Substack

Mike Temkin Apr 15

"AI makes use of data that many traditional applications don’t. … IT data analysts must be reoriented to produce the ‘right’ data for AI, even if the data by traditional standards seems ‘wrong.’ See more #ThoughtsAndObservations about Data Management and AI at https://substack.com/home/post/p-193739760

Data Management and Artificial Intelligence

Managing Data With Efficency and Expediency

Mike’s Substack

Mike Temkin Apr 7

Nonprofits are currently facing a 'squeeze' caused by high inflation, rising operational costs, and increased demand for services, all while experiencing shrinking donations and decreased government funding. For more #ThoughtsAndObservations about #nonprofits #charities #fundraising #generosity and #compassion go to https://substack.com/profile/23237822-mike-temkin/note/c-239749992

Mike Temkin (@miketemkin)

“Nonprofits are currently facing a ‘squeeze’ caused by high inflation, rising operational costs, and increased demand for services, all while experiencing shrinking donations and decreased government funding. Many organizations are cutting programs and reducing staff … Inflation has driven up expenses for rent, utilities, and supplies, with 81% of nonprofits reporting higher operational costs, averaging a 15% increase. … Individual giving is slowing as households face financial pressure, forcing many nonprofits to face reduced revenue. … Over 33% of nonprofits reported disruption or loss of government funding, leaving many, particularly those dependent on public money, in survival mode. … Despite limited resources, nonprofits are facing a high demand for services, particularly in food security, healthcare, and housing. … Nearly 40% of nonprofits have reduced staff or face high turnover, and many are reducing, delaying, or canceling programs. … Donors are prioritizing urgent needs, causing gaps for organizations focused on arts, culture, or long-term environmental projects. … Organizations are enhancing digital fundraising and adopting data-driven tools to demonstrate effectiveness, which is critical for retaining cautious donors. … Some nonprofits are strengthening cross-sector partnerships to maximize impact in a constrained economic environment.” From the article “How Nonprofits Can Adapt Their Operational and Financial Strategies in Today’s Economic Environment” posted May, 2025, on The CPA Journal by David Rottkamp – U.S. certified public accountant. For more Thoughts And Observations about Non-Profits, Charities, Philanthropies, Generosity and Compassion go to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/philanthropy-begins-charity-goes-beyond-mike-temkin/

Substack

Mike Temkin Mar 24

See how Ame Igharo, senior director of sustainability strategy at Ulta Beauty is guiding her company through environmental, social and governance issues, attracting customers who want to buy sustainable products. #ThoughtsAndObservations on #Sustainability on Substack at https://substack.com/profile/23237822-mike-temkin/note/c-232565713

Mike Temkin (@miketemkin)

Update on Sustainability: At a recent GreenBiz conference, Sustainability executives discussed “how persistent, data-driven communication and aligning sustainability with business drivers helped them secure regular engagement with top executives.” … “For cosmetics retailer Ulta Beauty, environment, social and governance issues are also critical drivers of consumer engagement. Even though sustainability technically reports into the legal function, the merchandising team is an important ally in advancing strategy. ‘Our customers want to know that the products they’re buying are sustainable, and we essentially work with our brand partners to highlight the work that they’re doing, which helps bring customers in our door and drive sales,’ said Ame Igharo, senior director of sustainability strategy at Ulta Beauty. … When Igharo joined Ulta four years ago, she spent her first few months meeting with executives from across the retailer, getting up to speed on their accountabilities and asking leaders how they envisioned being involved in the work of developing its science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, eventually validated in 2023. ‘From the very beginning, it was about co-creation versus me coming in and defining what it was going to be,’ Igharo said. ‘We weren’t going to actually be able to drive something forward unless we were on the same page of what this could be and what we wanted it to be for the organization.’ When it came to communicating about Ulta’s science-based targets, the messaging came from the chief merchandising officer rather than the sustainability team, because they were the partners in that work. The entire merchandising organization received training on how to discuss the goals, because they would have to convince the companies behind the brands Ulta sells that this is something to prioritize. ‘Having these internal advocates bringing it into their day-to-day relationships and meetings with brand partners really helped us make significant progress,’ Igharo said. … (Furthermore internally in the company a line of respected communication is crucial.) ‘Someone’s direct report generally has more trust with them than I will ever be able to build with an occasional face to face,’ Igharo said. ‘They can really be both your champions and your advocates for pushing things forward.’” From the article “3 ways to win sustainability allies in the C-suite” posted on March 16, 2026, on Trellis (formerly Green Biz) by Heather Clancy – U.S. journalist specializing in transformative technology and innovation and from the article “How to gain C-suite support for sustainability” posted March 16, 2026, on SmartBrief on Sustainability by Lindsey Feth – U.S. journalist. For more Thoughts And Observations about Sustainability go to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/prioritizing-sustainability-environmental-social-mike-temkin/?trackingId=%2FleXDYBBQ%2BSkKTn1NxMnRw%3D%3D

Substack

Mike Temkin Feb 17

Power, Fear, Intimidation and Silence = A Unproductive Formula For Failure. See #ThoughtsAndObservations about #Intimidation at substack.com/profile/2323...https://substack.com/profile/23237822-mike-temkin/note/c-215839192

Mike Temkin (@miketemkin)

Power, Fear, Intimidation and Silence: A Unproductive Formula For Failure “Authority - when abused through micromanagement, intimidation, or verbal or nonverbal threats - makes people shut down & productivity ceases.” John Stoker – U.S. business consultant, specializing in organizational development, President of DialogueWORKS. “Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation.” William Arthur Ward – U.S. motivational writer. “It's our tendency to approach every problem as if it were a fight between two sides. We see it in headlines that are always using metaphors for war. It's a general atmosphere of animosity and contention that has taken over our public discourse.” Deborah Tannen – U.S. author, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University. “A culture of intimidation has no justification in any administration.” John Barrasso – U.S. physician, politician, member of the Republican Party, currently senior U.S. senator from Wyoming, previously in the Wyoming State Senate from 2003 to 2007. “Whoever has experienced the power and the unrestrained ability to humiliate another human being automatically loses his own sensations. Tyranny is a habit, it has its own organic life, it develops finally into a disease. The habit can kill and coarsen the very best man or woman to the level of a beast. Blood and power intoxicate ... the return of the human dignity, repentance and regeneration becomes almost impossible.” From “The House of the Dead” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky – Russian novelist. “But the greatest menace to our civilization today is the conflict between giant organized systems of self-righteousness - each system only too delighted to find that the other is wicked - each only too glad that the sins give it the pretext for still deeper hatred and animosity.” Herbert Butterfield – U.K. historian, philosopher of history, was Regius Professor of Modern History and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. For more Thoughts And Observations about Intimidation go to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/thoughts-observations-intimidation-mike-temkin/

Substack

Mike Temkin Jan 27

Data from Gallup indicates that engaged employees are 18% more productive and 23% more profitable. See more #ThoughtsAndObservations about #EmployeeEngagement at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/recruiting-retaining-minds-hearts-employees-mike-temkin

Recruiting and Retaining the Minds and Hearts of Employees

Thoughts and Observations about Employee Engagement: “Employee engagement is the art and science of engaging people in authentic and recognized connections to strategy, roles, performance, organization, community, relationship, customers, development, energy, and happiness to leverage, sustain, and

Mike Temkin Oct 14, 2025

Three Change Management strategies from MIT:

1) build coalitions based on problem expertise, not solution support;
2) identify problem’s origin story rather than just selling a vision;
3) assume that the organizational culture must transform.

See more #ThoughtsAndObservations about Change Management at
https://substack.com/profile/23237822-mike-temkin/note/c-166283850

Mike Temkin (@miketemkin)

Advice on Change Management from the MIT Sloan School Of Management: “Many leaders of growing organizations bemoan employee resistance to change. … The amount of change coming at leaders right now may feel unprecedented, given today’s political and technical landscape. But amid significant disruptions, such as artificial intelligence tools, deep-tech innovations, novel fintech platforms, and geopolitical shifts, an organization’s capacity to grow depends on its capacity to change constantly. Success also depends on your capability to lead that constant change. New processes need to be designed. New departments need to be formed. New products need to be developed. New markets need to be entered. Then, as you scale the organization, these new processes, departments, products, and markets need to be revised, restructured, and revisited: Wash, rinse, repeat. Within our exponentially volatile world, organizational growth is a constant challenge and, in turn, leading change is a critical leadership competency to answer this challenge. However, too many change efforts still fail. … Many leaders blame employee pushback when change efforts fail — but they may need to look in the mirror. When leaders try to play the hero, they often stop listening and take criticism of proposed solutions personally. Three change management strategies can help leaders avoid the hero trap: 1) building coalitions based on problem expertise, not solution support; 2) telling the problem’s origin story rather than just selling a vision; 3) and not assuming that the organizational culture must transform.” From an October 1, 2025 posting on the MIT Sloan Management Review by David M. Sluss – French academic, a professor of management and the Leading@Scale Chaired Professor at ESSEC Business School in Paris. For more Thoughts And Observations about Change Management go to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/well-managed-change-can-transformational-michael-temkin-xquzc/

Substack

Mike Temkin Aug 21, 2025

"The integration of behavioral health services ... is becoming standard practice in workers’ compensation programs. Despite the complexities associated with mental health claims, such as the need to establish a direct link between the condition and work-related factors, the trend indicates a growing recognition of psychological injuries as legitimate workplace hazards." From Insurnace Business. For more #ThoughtsAndObservations on #MentalHealth go to https://miketemkin.substack.com/p/on-mental-health-and-the-workplace

On Mental Health and the Workplace

“Mental health is rapidly becoming a focal point in workers’ compensation, driven by evolving legal frameworks, shifting workplace dynamics, and heightened awareness of psychological well-being.

Mike’s Substack

Mike Temkin Aug 19, 2025

Never Lose Your Get Up And Go!!! See #ThoughtsAndObservations about #fortitude at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/never-lose-your-get-up-go-michael-temkin-qw7ac/

#determination #tenacity #courage #persistence #resilency

Never Lose Your Get Up And Go

Thoughts And Observations about Fortitude: “Fortitude. .

Mike Temkin Aug 14, 2025

“Gallup data for 2025 indicates a significant decline in employee engagement, with only 21% of workers and 27% of managers feeling fully engaged. Major sources of employee worries include artificial intelligence and job stability." See more #ThoughtsAndObservations at https://substack.com/profile/23237822-mike-temkin/note/c-145393461

Mike Temkin (@miketemkin)

On Employee Engagement: “Gallup data for 2025 indicate a significant decline in employee engagement, with only 21% of workers and 27% of managers feeling fully engaged. Major sources of employee worries include artificial intelligence and job stability, with 86% of workers regularly expressing fear at work.” Posted August 13, 2025, on Smart Brief On Workforce by Kanoe Namahoe – U.S. journalist, director of content for SmartBrief Education and Business Services. For more Thoughts And Observations about Employee Engagement go to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/recruiting-retaining-minds-hearts-employees-mike-temkin/

Substack