People
Investment Real Estate: Definition, Advantages, and Dangers

Investment Real Estate: What Is It?

Real estate that produces income or is otherwise meant for investment reasons as opposed to being a main residence is known as investment real estate. Investors frequently own many properties, one of which is utilized as their permanent house while the others are used to earn rental income and profits from rise in value. Compared to residential real estate, investment real estate frequently has different tax effects.

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Comprehending Investment Real Estate

Investment real estate can provide investors the chance to make money. An investment portfolio may be diversified, income can rise, and wealth can be built by owning investment properties. The majority of properties in the real estate market may be divided into two categories, despite the fact that there are many different kinds of properties.

Household

Residential properties and land can be considered investment real estate. Homes, townhouses, and condominiums are the most common types of residential investments. Both single-family and multi-family homes can be considered residential properties.

Business

Owning retail establishments, office buildings, or warehouses and storage facilities can all be considered commercial real estate investments. Compared to residential investments, commercial real estate investing is usually more expensive and complicated. Leases for commercial real estate may be longer than those for residential properties. Typically, profits and expenses are calculated on a per-square-foot basis.

Advantages of Investing in Real Estate

Depending on the investor’s objective, real estate investing offers a wide range of advantages. The investor’s risk tolerance may influence the amount of money they choose to put in a real estate investment. When making such a big investment or purchase, it’s also critical to take the investor’s term horizon into account.

To diversify their holdings and keep their money out of the stock market, some investors put their money into real estate. Some investors choose to have their money invested in tangible assets rather than securities like bonds or stocks. Purchasing residential and commercial real estate has several advantages, two of which are as follows:

Appreciation of Capital

As property values rise over time, investors may make financial gains from their investment properties. A profit derived from the difference between the property’s initial purchase price and sale price is known as a capital gain. Naturally, investors must sell it before they can enjoy the capital gain.

But as the demand for housing has grown over the past few decades, prices have skyrocketed. Real estate capital gains are influenced by both supply and demand. All other things being equal, real estate prices often rise when there are fewer houses available in a given area.

Income from Rentals

The consistent revenue stream that real estate offers is the main reason why many investors purchase it. Renters or tenants pay the owner each month until the lease or rental agreement expires, regardless of whether the property is residential or commercial. For retirees and anyone seeking an alternate income source to income from investment products like stocks or bonds, this revenue stream can provide a steady income. Real estate income can also serve as a hedge or safeguard against declines in the stock market and increases in the cost of consumer goods.

Methods for Managing Investment Real Estate

There are several ways to use investment real estate. In order to purchase properties, an investor may join a real estate investment organization that pools its capital. To handle the daily maintenance and rent collection of a single piece of real estate or a whole portfolio, the owner or owners of investment property may employ property managers.

With the hope of earning a return on their investment, a real estate investor may also seek to assist with project finance or loans. For instance, real estate hard money loans may be provided by investors. In this case, the borrower will probably have to pay higher interest rates in order to obtain the cash and would have to make quick loan repayments. If the property has a higher prospective resale value, the lender may accept the loan with the intention of acquiring possession of the property in the event of the borrower’s default.

An undeveloped or dilapidated piece of property that is renovated with the goal of renting the area out for a long-term profit might be considered investment real estate. In order to pay for improvements and increase the property’s appeal to potential renters, the owner may look for financing.

An investor in real estate can purchase a property with the hope that outside forces would lead to a rise in the demand for space. Neighboring homes may become extremely attractive due to new amenities like a sports facility or infrastructural improvements like a highway expansion. An investor in real estate, for instance, would purchase a business building adjacent to the location of a new theater that is now being built. It is assumed that the bought property will see an increase in foot traffic, making it a desirable location for businesses. The owner could be able to lower rent rates as a result of the increased demand.

People
Ten Arguments for the Value of Leadership in the Workplace

What makes leadership in the workplace crucial?

Leaders are essential to every organization, be it governmental, commercial, or educational. By encouraging team members to communicate and work together, leaders inspire and encourage others, give direction and vision, and contribute to the development of a successful workplace. To put it briefly, every company that wishes to accomplish its goals needs effective management and leadership.

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We include leadership development in programs like our Bachelor of Business Administration because we understand how important having great leadership abilities is in the workplace.

Ten factors that make leadership crucial in the workplace:

1. Enhances Interaction

Facilitating communication in the workplace is one of a leader’s most crucial responsibilities. For any team to work well, communication must be clear and succinct. Good leaders will always strive to maintain open channels of communication and foster a welcoming atmosphere where anybody may freely express their thoughts. A leader may promote an environment where new ideas are welcomed and miscommunications are prevented by giving staff members a platform to express their worries and thoughts.

2. Improves the Working Environment

Leaders significantly influence their workplace as a whole. Good leaders cultivate an environment of mutual respect and trust, which encourages innovation and teamwork. Strong management also results in improved employee morale, which strengthens connections at work. Employees are more likely to be inspired to go above and beyond in the workplace when they feel that their efforts are valued and that they are part of the team.

3. Boosts Efficiency

The productivity of a team is greatly influenced by a good leader. Employees are more likely to be productive when they are enthusiastic about their work. A bad boss, on the other hand, might make workers alienated and uninterested in their jobs. A well-led team will be more successful, efficient, and productive all around.

4. Boosts Productivity

By making the most of their team, a productive leader may contribute to increased efficiency. By making sure that everyone is pursuing the same objective and doing what they do best, leaders may contribute to increased efficiency. They can assign assignments to maximize each person’s skills while offering direction and assistance.

5. Reduces Errors

Any business that wishes to reduce errors and function efficiently needs a good leader. This is particularly crucial in high-stress situations where errors might have catastrophic repercussions. A leader must be able to spot any issues early on and take swift action to address them.

6. Encourages Workers

Effective leaders are able to inspire their staff members. They are aware that everyone is unique and that what suits one individual might not suit another. They thus take the time to learn about their team members and what suits them best. As a result, the workforce may become more driven and enthusiastic about their own contributions and strengths.

7. Provides a Positive Model for Others

An competent leader is aware that one of the finest methods to motivate people is to lead by example. People are more likely to follow someone they look up to, after all. Effective leaders may demonstrate to others what it means to be a dedicated and productive team member by modeling their behavior in a way that reflects the principles and objectives of their group or company.

8. Encourages Hard Work

A strong leader can give their team a feeling of direction. People are more inclined to put in the effort necessary to accomplish a goal when they believe they are working for something greater than themselves. A successful leader is able to draw on this sense of purpose and direct it toward constructive endeavors.

9. Establishes a Clear Future Vision and Direction

A great leader is aware of the value of having a clear vision and knows how to develop one that will steer their company in the correct direction. It might be difficult to keep up momentum or move closer to long-term objectives without a clear vision. An organization as a whole may be focused and energized by a leader who has a clear vision for the future.

10. Assists Workers in Staying on Course

After the company’s vision has been clearly stated and comprehended, effective leadership is necessary to maintain staff focus on achieving it. This entails outlining the company’s goals and vision in detail as it moves forward and undergoes changes, followed by the provision of the resources and assistance required for success.

People
10 Qualities of an Effective Executive

If you want to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to running your business and being a great CEO, there are a few abilities that you should work to hone.

While highly successful executives possess a variety of traits, these 10 stick out as some of the most crucial elements of the position.

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These ten traits of successful CEOs can help you identify any areas where you might need to improve in order to stand out from the crowd.

1. Individual drive

The most prosperous individuals derive their drive from inside. Motivation isn’t always evident and might differ from what other people consider to be success or pleasure. Because individuals who are most self-motivated frequently succeed, you must identify your motivations and take action based on those feelings.

When you can establish your own objectives, work without having someone else watch you to make sure you’re doing a good job, and persevere through setbacks, you are self-motivated.

When faced with challenges, truly successful people never give up; instead, they figure out a way around or through them and carry on. People that are self-motivated never give up on themselves because they understand the strength that comes from perseverance and dedication. They have confidence in their capacity to do anything.

2. Positivity

To maintain their own motivation and that of the team, executives need to adopt an optimistic outlook. The team can learn how to maximize productivity by focusing on what needs to be done, creating objectives, and working toward those goals with a good attitude. This will assist the rest of the team realize how they should act as well.

Success comes from having a good mindset. Your career will take off if you can maintain motivation and establish objectives while having fun along the way.

Self-motivation and self-discipline are critical abilities for any executive, since they enable one to take charge of one’s own destiny rather than allowing others to define it.

You might also wish to research other prosperous businessmen, like John D. Rockefeller, who started from nothing and overcame several setbacks before finally succeeding.

3. Skillful Interlocutors

An essential component of every effective executive’s role is communication. But not every executive is born communicator; in fact, many develop these abilities during the course of their executive careers.

However, communication is more than just speaking with others. Strong listening skills and the ability to modify one’s communication style to suit the audience are essential for effective communication.

Effective communication is really important. Successful CEOs are able to communicate ideas, information, and knowledge to the whole organization. They have excellent communication skills and frequently utilize comedy to make their arguments.

4. Effective Time Management

For many CEOs, it might be difficult to manage their time properly. Though there are many other approaches and ideologies, time management is ultimately up to you.

Your success in both your personal and professional life may be attributed to the way you organize your days and weeks. Here are a few strategies employed by accomplished CEOs to maximize their daily productivity:

Maintain a trustworthy calendar (paper, mobile, or desktop). Executives that are really successful don’t overbook themselves. Rather, they arrange for all of their daily tasks to be completed at specific times. They will allow themselves enough time to do chores since they are aware of how long they take to finish.

Make use of all the tools at your disposal, such as phone applications and internet calendars, to complete tasks promptly.

5. The Will to Succeed

It takes an unwavering feeling of determination to be a successful leader. It would be beneficial if you kept going and never gave up on your objectives and desires, no matter what obstacles life threw at you.

People around you will always view you as a winner if you do that.

6. Remains Upbeat Under Tense Circumstances

Maintaining a good attitude under pressure requires you to concentrate on the things you can control.

You’ll be able to come up with original ideas and feel better about the issue the sooner you change your attention. Remaining optimistic will also facilitate clearer and more logical thinking.

7. Devoted to labor

Being a successful executive requires a lot of work and dedication. Executives that are successful never give up in the face of difficulty. They will find an alternative route if they are stopped in their tracks.

They put forth enough effort on their own and in their teams to finish the job. It is imperative that they never give up on improving themselves.

Prosperous executives consider more than simply their immediate financial advantage. Rather, they are preoccupied with the future and the various routes that could lead there.

8. Performs Well Under Duress

Effective CEOs are the ideal example of those who perform well under duress. Even in the midst of turmoil, they are able to maintain composure, focus, and non-freak out reactions.

Without allowing their emotions to get in the way, executives are able to identify the issue and come up with a solution. They take the necessary action without panicking.

They understand that their success as an executive will depend on their ability to maintain composure while many around them are losing it.

9. Task Delegation

Successful CEOs are aware that various people have varied skill sets. They are aware that assigning duties to others is an essential component of team leadership and a terrific approach to maintain balance in their life.

You may not be able to perceive the larger picture when you are working on something personally. An executive who has been assigned jobs might also focus on their areas of strength and take on more difficult assignments.

10. Helpful

Supporting the development and success of others around them is a key priority for many successful leaders.

A few traits of extremely successful CEOs include being focused on teamwork, giving of themselves freely, willing to impart information, and persistent in reaching objectives.

People
The top ten characteristics of prosperous businesspeople

Instead of working for someone else, entrepreneurs take chances and make their own judgments. One of the most important abilities a person may possess to advance in today’s workforce is entrepreneurship. It enables you to work on projects you are enthusiastic about and be your own boss.

Continue reading if you’re interested in starting a company! You will learn about the top ten attributes of successful entrepreneurs from this post.

Read More: Sam Mizrahi

What Are Successful Entrepreneurs’ Top 10 Best Attributes?

Successful entrepreneurs are distinguished from their colleagues by a number of distinctive attributes. These are the most crucial traits you may cultivate to improve your business dealings.

1. Originality

You can solve difficulties that others cannot because creativity enables you to come up with ideas that no one else has considered. The most prosperous businesspeople are creative thinkers who create novel approaches.

Your product or service will stand out from the competition and get more attention than advertisements from other businesses if you can come up with a creative strategy to market it. Additionally, creativity may assist you in improving the user experience for your clients.

2. Expertise

Another quality that successful business owners have in common is professionalism. These people are skilled at showcasing their knowledge and experience through their appearance. They uphold high standards for superior creativity and customer service techniques while communicating with others—clients, staff, suppliers, investors, and other stakeholders—in an effective manner.

3. Taking Chances

Risk-taking is the essence of entrepreneurship, and the most successful entrepreneurs are able to do it without becoming overly anxious about their prospects. It’s crucial to take on a variety of risks while managing your own company, whether they be monetary, professional, or otherwise. If you want to succeed, you have to be prepared to fail. Even when they are uncertain about the exact outcome of their ideas and goods, entrepreneurs never stop trying.

4. Empathy

Successful entrepreneurs are motivated by their passion. It helps them figure out how to make their business succeed when they need it most and keeps them going when things become hard. You are unlikely to thrive as an entrepreneur in any capacity if you are not enthusiastic about what you do and why you do it.

5. Organizing

Another crucial trait of prosperous businesspeople that might mean the difference between success and failure is planning. A solid strategy takes into account every scenario, including potential problems with your company concept and how you would handle them if they arise.

6. Understanding

Entrepreneurs that are successful never stop learning and don’t hesitate to ask questions. They aspire to be the most powerful individual in any circumstance because they understand that information equals power. They strive to learn as much as they can about everything, not just their field.

7. Social Competencies

Successful businesspeople are very good at establishing connections with others. They are skilled at listening intently, communicating effectively, and presenting their ideas in a way that inspires people to be enthusiastic about their goods or services. You need strong social skills to connect with individuals who will support your business if you want to flourish as an entrepreneur.

8. Having an open mind

Being open-minded enables people to thoroughly investigate every option in their area of interest without being mired in a single concept too soon. An entrepreneur will be unable to adapt to the ever-changing environment if they are closed off to fresh ideas. Entrepreneurs must be prepared to grow from their errors and modify their ideas as necessary.

9. Compassion

Empathy is one of the most important traits of prosperous businesspeople. There will be occasions when managing a business requires you to make tough choices that will offend or cause pain to others. This is a must for any employment. It will be far more difficult for them to trust you and collaborate with you in the future, though, if you don’t understand those individuals and their emotions.

One of the main reasons that so many prosperous firms have CEOs who are not just skilled at managing their organizations but also really care about their employees is empathy.

10. Client-Centered

A company needs consumers to be successful, and plenty of them! Your business won’t last long enough to create a reputation if customers aren’t purchasing your goods and services and recommending them to their friends. As a result, every business should consider how its decisions may impact the experience of its clients using that product or service.

What Errors Should Entrepreneurs Steer Clear Of?

1. Ignoring financial considerations

Having enough cash on hand to support yourself until you start turning a profit is one of the most crucial parts of launching a business. The funds may be owned or borrowed. To prevent unanticipated costs, entrepreneurs should constantly have this in mind and make plans appropriately.

2. No contingency plans

As your company expands, you may run into cash flow issues or an unforeseen litigation that might put your company in danger. If you haven’t planned for these issues, you might not be able to maintain the business’s operations, which could result in bankruptcy or even its total closure.

3. Insufficient understanding of customers

Knowing who your clients are, what they desire, and why they choose to do business with you over your rivals is beneficial. In this manner, you can adjust your marketing strategies appropriately and make sure the proper people are responding to them.

4. Bad Recruiting Choices

One of the biggest errors made by businesses is hiring the incorrect individual. It will be more difficult to keep someone motivated and productive if their abilities are ideal for your business but they don’t mesh well with your personality or culture.

Think about what makes your business special if you’re unsure how to choose the best candidate.

In conclusion

The most prosperous businesspeople have a thorough understanding of their industry. Additionally, they possess the abilities to effectively traverse it and the capacity to view their company as more than simply a means of making money.

People
The Best 10 Ways to Develop into a Leader in Real Estate

If you haven’t already, managing your own team or even organization is probably something you’ve always wanted to do as a real estate agent. Once you have accomplished your objectives as an agent, it’s a big next step and a fresh approach to develop and challenge yourself.

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So, what abilities and attitudes are necessary to succeed in this position? To assist you prepare to become a leader in the real estate sector, we’ve outlined a few essential stages.

Develop a Growth mentality: Having the correct mentality is the first step towards being a leader. Adopt a growth mentality, which means being open to learning, changing, and developing. Consider failures as stepping stones to achievement and acknowledge that obstacles are chances for personal development. In addition to assisting you in navigating the intricacies of the real estate market, this mindset will boost your team’s and your clients’ confidence.

Invest in Ongoing Education to Keep Up with Market Shifts, Industry Trends, and Developing Technologies. In addition to attending conferences, workshops, and seminars, think about being certified or enrolling in advanced real estate courses. Being a knowledgeable expert in your subject is essential for leaders because knowledge truly is power.

Create a Powerful Professional Network: Establish deep relationships with local leaders, industry experts, and other real estate professionals. Participate actively in online forums and social media groups, attend networking events, and join professional associations. In addition to offering useful information and insights, a strong network may lead to future partnerships and the possibility of adding like-minded agents to your team.

Develop Your Communication Skills: The foundation of leadership is effective communication. Improve your capacity to listen intently, communicate concepts clearly, and offer helpful criticism. This covers both written and spoken communication, as well as the capacity to modify your approach depending on the audience. Find out what your present leaders think about your communication style by asking them, then taking note of their answers.

Lead by Example: Exhibit the traits you would like to see in your team, such as honesty, a strong work ethic, or timeliness. Setting the bar for professionalism and quality and leading by example is something that can be done at any age. When you do take the step into leadership, you will be respected and supported by your fellow agents because your actions will speak louder than words.

Encourage a Collaborative and Supportive Environment: Since a leader is only as good as their team, it’s never too early to begin promoting open communication, teamwork, and a great work environment among your fellow agents. Be open to your coworkers’ thoughts and concerns and provide them guidance and support. A successful team is evidence of good leadership.

Adopt Innovation and Technology: Being tech-savvy is crucial to being competitive in the real estate market in the current digital era. Learn about the newest platforms, software, and solutions that may improve customer experiences, expedite procedures, and maximize efficiency. Accept innovation as a way to increase your company’s efficacy and efficiency.

Create a Strategic Vision: Even if they do not yet have a team, a real estate leader should have a clear vision for their company and team. Establish your objectives, lay out your plans, and draft a successful road map. Be flexible and prepared to change direction as needed, but never lose sight of your overall goal and allow it to develop alongside you as you pursue a leadership position.

Show Resilience: The real estate sector may be unexpected and demanding. Leaders need to be able to bounce back from obstacles, failures, and changes in the market. Maintain an optimistic attitude and stay focused on your long-term goals, especially during difficult circumstances.

Ask for Feedback and Reflect on Yourself: Constantly ask mentors, coworkers, and clients for their opinions. Take advantage of it as a chance to develop and better yourself. Additionally, evaluate your strengths, shortcomings, and places for improvement by regularly reflecting on yourself. Effective leadership is characterized by a dedication to personal development.

It takes commitment, ongoing education, and a sincere love for the real estate sector to become a leader. You may establish yourself as a pioneer in the field and propel not just your personal success but also that of your team and clients by making the effort to develop the proper attitude and abilities. Keep in mind that leadership is about your influence and the good you do for those around you, not about a label.

People
Creating an Impact and Leaving a Legacy

Making the most of your ability to change things

The word “legacy” is big and powerful. Legacy, to put it simply, is the good that one leaves behind. Without the amazing legacies that many of our society’s heroes have left us, where would the world be?

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Think about Mother Teresa: One woman’s decision to love without conditions touched literally thousands of the poor.

Think about Nelson Mandela: One man bravely stood up to injustice, breaking the curse of discrimination that had gripped an entire nation.

Think about Mark Zuckerberg: His unwavering pursuit of a vision to connect people had a profound impact on the entire social media landscape.

Fortunately, there are many well-known “legacy leavers” on the list. But these global giants are not the only ones with the capacity to leave a legacy. Within our sphere of influence, regular people like you and I can make significant contributions.

The desire to leave a legacy is ingrained in every person’s heart. Everyone wants to change the world, be remembered, and feel like they have made a difference.

This can be a motivating factor for some people, inspiring them to take on ambitious projects and make remarkable contributions to humanity. However, the majority of us with lesser skills have a significant impact on the world.

Four strategies to leave a legacy are as follows:

1. Develop an honest heart in order to change things.

Without a genuine desire to make a difference, we cannot accomplish anything of great worth. A person’s energy and concentration will be consumed by the fire of true desire once it has been ignited, leading to brave action and tenacity.

In 2006, while volunteering in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Blake Mycoskie, the founder of Toms Shoes, observed that many of the children were running barefoot through the streets.

He founded Tom Shoes, a company with a distinctive business strategy, as a result of his altruistic nature.

A new pair of shoes will be given to a child in need in a third-world country for each pair of shoes that is sold. Our actions will be motivated by our passions and excitement, which will have a beneficial effect.

2. Focus on your strengths

Our abilities will probably be at the center of the legacies we may leave behind. We typically excel at the things we are naturally skilled at. Positive effects are frequently the result of this excellence-driven mindset.

Take the singer Susan Boyle, who gained international recognition in 2009 after participating in the reality TV program Britain’s Got Talent. The 47-year-old woman bravely made her way to the audition and sang her own rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables, even though she didn’t appear to have the “physical package” of a typical young, beautiful, and attractive star.

3. Operate in your sphere of influence.

Because they believe they lack the necessary platform to make an impact, many people fail to realize their legacy potential. Work with what you have within your circle of influence rather than waiting for the ideal opportunity or the “perfect break.”

The Beatles were forced to perform in local clubs after being turned down by multiple recording companies. In a little more than a year and a half, they put in a lot of effort and took advantage of every chance that presented itself to perform roughly 270 nights. They were estimated to have given 12,000 live performances by the time of their first big hit in 1964.

Their efforts were rewarded. They are regarded by history as one of the most influential bands in music history. Even now, their legacy is still very much alive.

Start small, think big, and build deep. The opportunities that arise when we start with faith, remain steadfast, and put in a lot of effort will astound you.

4. Don’t do it for financial gain.

Great legacies frequently originate from a desire to make a difference. People want to change the world, which is why they accomplish great things.

Making money was not Muhammad Yunus’s intention when he established Grameen Bank. He had a good reason.

His goal was to break the cycle of poverty in society by giving the impoverished access to microfinance so they could operate their own businesses and earn a respectable living.

People who are only interested in making money rarely have an influence on other people’s lives. Even if success is achieved, there won’t be any legacy or significance.

Businesses function in a completely different environment when they have a strong purpose for existing that extends beyond generating profits.

Because they feel their company is changing society, employees are more driven to do their best work. When they get their motivations right, the money usually follows.

People
One of the most crucial abilities in any corporate setting is effective communication.

It is essential for forming bonds with others, earning their trust, and succeeding. By ensuring that everyone is in agreement and working toward the same objectives, clear and succinct communication helps to prevent misunderstandings and conflicts that could impede progress.

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Businesses need to be able to communicate well in order to thrive in the fast-paced, cutthroat market of today. Emails, phone conversations, meetings, presentations, and reports are just a few of the various ways that people communicate. Although the skills and methods needed for each of these communication channels vary, they all have the same goal: to accurately and efficiently convey information.

In a business setting, one of the biggest advantages of good communication is that it fosters cooperation and teamwork. Effective communication enables team members to exchange ideas, offer constructive criticism, and cooperate to accomplish shared objectives. Because everyone is working toward the same goal, this collaboration frequently results in better decision-making and increased productivity.

Building credibility and trust with clients and coworkers is another benefit of effective communication. Honest and open communication shows a person’s dedication to openness and genuineness, which can support the development of enduring bonds based on respect and trust. Any business’s ability to draw in new customers and hold on to its current clientele depends on its credibility and trustworthiness.

Effective communication also has the important benefit of reducing miscommunication and conflict. People can prevent misunderstandings, presumptions, and biases that can cause conflicts and tensions by communicating clearly and empathetically. People can make sure that their messages are understood correctly and that everyone is in agreement by actively listening and thoughtfully responding. This can guarantee that everyone is pursuing the same objectives and help to prevent expensive errors.

Along with these advantages, good communication can also make it easier for companies to respond to obstacles and adjust to change. People are more inclined to voice concerns and offer solutions when there is open and honest communication, which can assist organizations in spotting problems early and reacting swiftly to shifting conditions. This can be especially crucial in the quickly evolving business world of today, where businesses need to be able to adjust fast to stay competitive.

In any corporate setting, leaders must also have strong communication abilities. Effective communicators can motivate their team members, foster trust, and give clear instructions. They can also foster an environment where team members are at ease expressing their thoughts and opinions. This can support the development of creativity and innovation, which are critical to any company’s success.

It’s clear that effective communication is essential to your success at work. The following advice will help you improve your communication skills today:

Clearly define your expectations: What’s the deadline? What is the due date for every project component? To make the information understandable to the person receiving the email, make sure to summarize it in bullet points or a numbered list.

Each item should have a single decisionmaker: When more than one person bears responsibility, it typically indicates that no one takes ownership of the situation or believes that the other party or parties can decide.

Make a plan: Make a detailed list of the things you need to cover in the brief time you have with the other party before the meeting begins. What choices must be made? Provide an agenda in advance to make expectations clear.

Include CTAs in the subject lines and body of your emails: An essential component of any email correspondence is the call to action (CTA), which asks the recipient to perform a particular action. Use precise language that makes it obvious what you want the recipient to do in order to increase the effectiveness of your call to action. Put the deadline date in the subject line, for instance, if the task is urgent, so the recipient is aware that they need to finish it by that time.

Don’t use emails as an excuse. Delivering bad news should ideally be done with as much context as possible, so the person receiving it should be able to see your body language and hear your tone in addition to your words. Making a phone call is the best option if a face-to-face meeting is not feasible. When it comes to delicate or unfavorable news, emails can frequently be misinterpreted, so don’t be scared to call or travel to see your client or coworker!

In any business setting, effective communication is crucial. It encourages cooperation, increases credibility and trust, avoids miscommunications and disputes, and aids in an organization’s ability to adjust and react to change. Businesses can make sure that they are prepared to thrive in the competitive and fast-paced market of today by investing in effective communication skills and strategies. Good communication is a necessary skill for success, not just a nice-to-have.

People
Definition, Function, and Key Role of an Activist Investor

Activist Investor: What Is It?

To alter the management of a publicly traded company, an activist investor, usually a specialized hedge fund, purchases a sizable minority stake in the business.

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The objectives of an activist investor can range from something as simple as offering management advice to something as ambitious as pressuring the company to sell, restructure, or divest, or changing the board of directors.

Activist investors rarely purchase full or majority stakes in businesses, in contrast to private equity firms that purchase and restructure businesses in order to profit from their subsequent sale. Instead, they appeal to other shareholders and business insiders through both public and private communications. In the event that these attempts are unsuccessful, an activist investor may attempt to compel the company to comply with their demands by running a proxy election to choose new directors.

A Comprehensive Overview of Activist Investors

Investors who advocate for better working conditions for their contractors’ foreign workers or who support a dissident board slate elected to combat climate change are sometimes referred to as shareholder activists.

However, maximizing shareholder value is the sole goal of many activist investor campaigns, and the majority of these are carried out by hedge funds that specialize in the particular combination of public pressure, covert lobbying, and business acumen needed.

In order to offset the significant expense of such campaigns, activist hedge funds, as opposed to public pension funds and mutual funds, which occasionally also participate in activism, may hold highly concentrated stakes and augment them with additional leverage from derivatives like stock options. Activist hedge funds usually purchase a stake in an underperforming company just prior to demanding change, with the intention of profiting from the ensuing turnaround and price appreciation. This is in contrast to institutional investors, who occasionally resort to activism after owning a disappointing investment for years.

Activist hedge funds are also more inclined to employ combative strategies than institutional investors, ranging from proxy battles to remove incumbent directors to poison-pen letters to management and disparaging public reports.

How Proactive Investors Present Their Argument

A Schedule 13D form, which must be submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within ten calendar days of obtaining five percent or more of a company’s voting class shares, is frequently used by investor activists to announce their campaigns.

Instead, qualified institutional investors and passive investors—those who are not attempting to buy out or exert control over the business—may submit a streamlined Schedule 13G with fewer disclosure thresholds and requirements. Among other things, Schedule 13D filers are required to reveal why they purchased the stake and any plans they may have for the business, including capitalization, dividends, asset sales, mergers and acquisitions, and other policies.

The activist investor has a fantastic opportunity to make their case for change at the targeted company public through the initial 13D filing. The filing also limits the activist’s ability to change their plans for the company and their stake in it while keeping it hidden from the public. According to current SEC regulations, any modifications to the information provided on a Schedule 13D must be reported “promptly” in an amended filing.

Activist investors have the option to comment on a company’s response to their proposals through amended Schedule 13D filings. For instance, after funds connected to Carl Icahn disclosed a nearly 10% stake in the video streaming company, Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) adopted a poison pill. The funds filed an amended disclosure, referring to the poison pill as “an example of poor corporate governance.” Activist investors can also privately persuade institutional investors to support them, send out press releases arguing their case to other shareholders, or write scathing letters to incumbent managers.

Shareholder Activism’s Future

In May 2022, Carl Icahn bemoaned the notion that “activism is dying,” in contrast to the renowned investor’s historically unrestrained style. The proposed 2022 amendments to the Schedule 13D disclosure requirements have raised concerns among some, with Elliott Investment Management publicly claiming that the new regulations “will virtually shut down activism.”

The SEC had suggested in February 2022 that the original Schedule 13 filing deadline be shortened from 10 calendar days to 5 days, with amendments being due the day after a material change instead of “promptly” as is currently the case. If approved, the proposal would essentially require 13D filers to list derivatives holdings (like options) that provide a financial stake in the business without the rights of shareholders that come with owning all of the company’s stock. The proposed rules would eliminate the need for investors to agree to act in concert and have the SEC designate them as a single group for Schedule 13D reporting purposes, which is possibly more contentious. Additionally, regulations have been put forth to make it more difficult for activist shareholders to stifle a business’s pro-ESG or environmental initiatives.

Gary Gensler, the chair of the SEC, contended that the proposed stricter regulations would resolve “an information asymmetry” between other shareholders and activist investors. The proposed rules, according to critics, would make activism unprofitable by making it more expensive and difficult for activist investors to acquire sizable stakes and by preventing shareholders from communicating with one another.

People
The Crucial Real Estate Information for Every Leader

Look about you. If you are on land, you are in real estate. It is ubiquitous and indispensable. For most businesses, real estate is the largest or second-largest asset on their books, yet since it is so common, it is easy to take it for granted. Since it affects everyone—neighbors, employees, investors, regulators, and customers—real estate management is difficult. I intend to distill real estate principles in this article to help CEOs, board members, and others get over this challenge.

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In addition to being an operational need, commercial real estate is a strategic asset. It seldom piques the curiosity of upper management, though. In many businesses, real estate is still frequently seen as a reactive, second-order staff position that prioritizes particular deals and projects above the more significant strategic issues the company faces. Business units make layout and placement decisions, mostly based on short-term needs and customary knowledge. Customer and employee preferences might not always take precedence over closeness to the business headquarters. The following five maxims, which are intended for the executives who mentor top managers rather than real estate specialists, highlight the essential knowledge that top managers should possess.

1. Take care of the portfolio

A company’s real estate holdings should be worth more to the company than the sum of its separate locations. To ensure this, executives need a high-level view of their real estate situation, which they are unable to get via site-by-site research, which is frequently the responsibility of internal workers and systems. Executives need a “snapshot” of the company’s physical footprint, which includes its locations, building types and land kinds, the usage and condition of important facilities, lease terms and operating costs, and risks to the company’s finances and environment. Executives also need a dynamic and changing perspective on how business strategy is impacting their real estate assets and how that impact may change depending on the course taken. When comparing the snapshot—tables, maps, and photographs—with the “movie,” which consists of intricate scenarios of a company’s known and future demands, the study is likely to reveal certain misalignments. The company may have too much space in some areas and not enough in others, or it may have the wrong kind of space in some areas. The research will also show whose leases are ending when, their future costs, and how their locations and expiration dates may make future operations more challenging or perhaps impossible.

Armed with these insights, a leader may take advantage of portfolio opportunities that a site-by-site analysis might overlook. For example, offices that don’t have to be in the city center can be relocated to nearby, less expensive submarkets. Redundant facilities may be sold, leased, or demolished.

When a business is going through a major transformation, such a merger, acquisition, or sale, the portfolio strategy is very important. The process of rationalizing an organization’s real estate, or aligning space and facilities (supply) to strategic and operational goals (demand), may be just as important as cutting staff. In order to balance supply and demand operationally, financially, and physically, relocations, closures, and disposal are commonly required procedures. After acquiring the company, the multinational communications and advertising giant WPP Group promptly sold J. Walter Thompson’s Tokyo headquarters, keeping a staggering $100 million in profits. Additionally, when divestitures are about to occur, real estate might occasionally be the most valuable and visible asset. For instance, Bear Stearns’ primary asset before its demise was a skyscraper on Wall Street.

Using portfolio analysis, leaders may also discover a property’s long-term costs and utilization. Over the course of a facility’s useful life, which is typically 50 years or more, all operating and maintenance expenses can easily surpass the initial costs invested during construction or refurbishment. Taking a portfolio approach makes it easier to schedule building sales and rentals as well as maintenance costs more effectively. A comprehensive grasp of this life cycle can help leaders anticipate—and perhaps prevent—project-level actions that threaten portfolio-wide benefits. For instance, a business unit may lease additional space to accommodate expansion or a restructuring without recognizing that another unit has available space in a nearby building, or a CEO may make expensive renovations to the company’s headquarters while more junior managers are searching for methods to save expenses.

A warning: Stay away from the shadow portfolio.

As they strive to reduce expenses through outsourcing, businesses should be conscious of their indirect responsibility for the structures housing their outsourced activities. The arrangement and positioning of the facilities have a significant impact on the productivity of the employees, even if they are not part of the company. Additionally, companies risk legal action and activist stakeholder action if worker health and safety laws are not followed. For example, companies who have outsourced a significant portion of their operations, such as Nike and Citigroup, have found that they have massive de facto portfolios that require the same level of management expertise as their physical estate.

2. Incorporate Adaptability

Even if it sometimes necessitates paying more up front, the agile organization ensures that it has the most flexibility with all of its real estate assets. Building modular buildings, leasing instead of purchasing, and distributing labor are examples of financial, physical, and organizational flexibility.

financial.

Companies that prioritize flexibility tend to own less and lease more. For example, in order to keep control and because it believed that ownership would ultimately be less expensive than leasing, Pfizer has always owned the bulk of its buildings. However, when the industry changed, Pfizer found it was very difficult to sell specialized R&D sites since it had to sell buildings instead of investing in costly retrofits. The company plans to consider leasing and flexible-use options when it ultimately needs more space for research and development.

The lease itself offers a way to maximize adaptability. Shorter terms with characteristics like growth and departure clauses, renewal options, and more frequent and early termination dates may make it simpler for a company to adapt to changing circumstances. By scheduling the expiration dates of leases, sublease agreements, and exit clauses at adjacent locations, organizations can also relocate or stop operations. As with equipment purchases, savvy managers negotiate leases by establishing a basic price and presenting a variety of choices, some of which, depending on the degree of flexibility needed, the company is ready to pay more for. For example, they may provide departure rights after one year (instead of the usual five) for a unit that is for sale, or modular choices on expanded space for a start-up that is growing quickly. Corporate real estate managers may make well-informed decisions about how much to invest if they understand how company demands fluctuate. The hidden recurring costs of having too much or too little space, or the wrong sort of space in the wrong place, may be more than the upfront costs in uncertain times.

concrete.

The capacity to divide or sublease space with ease is an example of simple physical flexibility. By subleasing a portion of their space to third parties, businesses may adapt to changing demands and take advantage of less expensive long-term leases in these kinds of facilities.

Whole constructions can be designed to be adaptable. Modular constructions, for instance, may be quickly put together and used for a variety of purposes. Built from the inside out, “shrink-wrapped” facilities may have smaller footprints since they don’t have the extra rooms that come with a one-size-fits-all design. Because of its reduced size, a parcel of land may be used for a variety of reasons. The short lifespan of China’s “disposable factories” allows for flexibility in how money and land are used. Using a disposable structure isn’t always acceptable; factors like worker comfort and environmental consequences are crucial. But these structures only cost a quarter of what a permanent plant would, can be quickly and cheaply dismantled, and take a sixth of the time to erect. They are very simple to maintain and operate.

Businesses can more easily transition from an expensive, complex, or outdated use to a new, more lucrative one by taking future uses into account while developing more permanent facilities. When anticipated usage or operating expenses change, these fungible designs’ simple, universal common areas, standardized space modules, movable walls, and readily accessible HVAC and electrical infrastructure allow for rapid reconfiguration of the area. Adding flexibility early on is significantly less expensive than tearing down obstacles to create place for new arrangements.

institutional.

By being receptive to the notion of providing employees with several workplace layouts, businesses may maintain their real estate flexibility. Working from home is the most evident example of an alternative workplace. Even while “telecommuting” has been around for a while, until recently, it was only used to describe a limited percentage of senior employees and workers who carried out self-directed duties. (See the article “The Alternative Workplace” from HBR’s May–June 1998 issue.) But since many workers now have the option to work from home, several companies are looking for methods to lower their real estate costs while simultaneously increasing employee satisfaction.

People
Do you possess the eight characteristics of successful entrepreneurs?

It takes a lot of labor to start a business. If someone claims otherwise, they are either lying or have never started one themselves. Long hours, significant sacrifices, and an endless barrage of new issues and difficulties await you every day. Your company may fail more quickly than it began if you lack the resilience to handle these challenges.

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It’s obvious that not everyone is cut out for entrepreneurship. However, how can you tell if it’s for you? Since you will be performing most of the work up front alone, you should begin by asking yourself what it takes to be a leader. It’s possible that you won’t be able to guide your company and potential workers through expansion and success if you can’t guide yourself through startup.

Stop reading here and return to your comfortable desk job if you only enjoy a few hours of real work per day, spend the rest of your time looking busy or hanging out at the water cooler to catch up on TV talk, and are content with a modest but steady paycheck and benefits.

You have what it takes to be a great entrepreneur, so if you’re looking for a task that is risky but has enormous potential for financial and moral reward, keep reading, buddy.

Successful businesspeople, like Steve Jobs and Henry Ford, have some traits in common. Do you possess at least half of these attributes to discover how you stack up against these notable businesspeople?

1. Excellent leadership abilities

Leaders are not created; they are born. Do you often find yourself the one others turn to? Is it common for others to seek you for advice or to assist them make decisions? Have you spent your entire career in managerial positions? A leader is someone who prioritizes the objective over any inconveniences that may arise from the labor required to achieve it. A leader, however, is more than just persistent. Strong communication abilities and the capacity to rally a group of individuals around a shared objective in a way that inspires everyone to work together to achieve it are hallmarks of a leader. By exhibiting good work traits and confidence, and then creating an atmosphere that spreads these values throughout the organization, a leader gains the respect and trust of his team. A leader isn’t really leading anything if no one will follow them.

2. Extremely self-driven

If you have even a passing familiarity with some of the most well-known business owners in history, you are surely aware that CEOs tend to be rather intense individuals. Sitting back and waiting for it to find them is not how anyone advances. People that are successful go out into the world and use their efforts to bring about change. Generally speaking, leaders thrive on obstacles and will put forth endless effort to find solutions. They are usually adept at encouraging their teams to change with them by pushing them toward new possibilities and goals, and they adjust effectively to shifting circumstances without becoming overwhelmed. You will frequently discover that great entrepreneurs are able to think more broadly in that sense and are motivated by a more comprehensive vision or objective than just the work at hand. They are renowned for being hard to sway off their course and are frequently quite enthusiastic about the ideals that propel them toward their end goals.

3. A strong sense of honesty and fundamental ethics

Because there is a widely accepted code of ethics that serves as the foundation for all business dealings, business may be sustained. In the long run, cheats and thieves always lose, even though they might gain in the near term. Since you are ultimately out of business if you are unable to establish your credibility and no one wants to do business with you, you will discover that successful, long-lasting entrepreneurs uphold the greatest standards of integrity. Effective leaders own their mistakes and provide ways to fix them rather than lying, blaming others, or focusing on the issue at hand. This is crucial when working with clients or managing a team.

4. A readiness to fail

Risk-takers who have overcome one crucial obstacle—not being frightened of failure—are all successful entrepreneurs. They do not, however, enter with wild abandon. In actuality, entrepreneurs frequently succeed because they are astute and capable of making the greatest choices under the most trying circumstances. But they also acknowledge that even if they make the greatest choice imaginable, things could not always work out as planned and could still go wrong. As the phrase goes, “nothing ventured, nothing gained,” and this is just what it means: don’t be scared to try something new and give it your best attempt. Once more, there isn’t a single prosperous businessman who is sitting on his sofa and pondering “what if?”

5. Constant innovators

The desire to continuously create new concepts and enhance current procedures is essentially what defines entrepreneurs. Actually, that’s how the majority of them initially entered the corporate world. Since many business concepts rely on improving goods, services, and procedures to attract business, successful individuals embrace change and frequently rely on it to increase their effectiveness as leaders and, ultimately, the success of their companies.

6. Recognize your ignorance

The finest entrepreneurs have discovered that there is always something to learn, even if they are often strong personalities. When the answers will provide them knowledge they can use to make changes, people are rarely scared to ask questions. Successful business owners are self-assured, but not so self-centered that their stubbornness keeps getting in the way of their ability to see the wider picture and, ultimately, make the greatest choices for the company.

7. A spirit of competition

Entrepreneurs prefer a challenge and a good victory. Since launching a firm is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks one can undertake in one’s lifetime, they would have to. Competition to get clients and increase market share is a never-ending battle in the business world. Utilizing all of this to concentrate inward and turn a company from nothing into a force that either generates a lot of revenue or is so successful that it is sold or purchased for a profit is also a personal struggle.

8. Recognize the importance of having a robust peer network

Entrepreneurs nearly seldom achieve success on their own. The most successful people know that success requires a network of peers, business partners, financial partners, and contacts. Successful people cultivate these connections and surround themselves with like-minded individuals. Any effective leader is only as good as his followers.