• Stephanie Dillon on why authentic leadership is marked by restraint, collaboration and stewardship.
• International Dairy Foods Association honors Danone US with its Workplace of the Year award for its inclusive and supportive workplace culture.
• All-day cafes are offering versatility and connection.
• Dilan Gomih dishes on the three productivity myths that could lead to burnout. 

Deborah VanTrece's culinary career began after years as a flight attendant, and her international travel sparked her interest in global cuisines. Seeking a new direction during a labor strike, she enrolled in culinary school, discovered her true passion for cooking and graduated as valedictorian. VanTrece is recognized for her "global soul food," a culinary style that fuses the comfort of traditional Southern dishes with techniques and flavors gathered from her extensive travels. At Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, she reimagines classic recipes using ingredients and methods from around the world.

Bonchon's story is deeply intertwined with the global rise of Korean cultural influence. The brand anchors itself in authentic Korean flavors and traditions, reflecting the broader surge in interest in Korean food, music and media worldwide. Under CEO Suzie Tsai's stewardship, the chain has doubled down on its Korean roots--restoring Korean characters to its logo, elevating its menu with iconic dishes and designing restaurants that blend modern aesthetics with cultural authenticity. With almost 500 restaurants worldwide, this positioning has allowed Bonchon to serve as a global ambassador for Korean cuisine.

Albertsons CEO Susan Morris is steering the company into 2026 with a strong emphasis on innovation and customer-centric strategies. Since assuming leadership, Morris has prioritized scaling AI and technology across the enterprise, focusing on digital customer experiences, merchandising intelligence, supply chain automation and labor productivity. She is also deepening Albertsons' engagement with consumer trends, health and wellness and omnichannel retailing, to enhance both in-store and digital interactions while leveraging Albertsons' national scale and local relevance.

While the dominant view of power is that of achievement and dominance, authentic leadership is marked by restraint, collaboration and stewardship, writes Stephanie Dillon, an artist, writer and philosopher. Dillon offers five leadership practices for a "post-power model" that include ensuring your company can survive without you, being present without needing to control and letting your teams take ownership and share responsibility.

Communication is the cornerstone of effective leadership, shaping team clarity, trust and performance. Active listening, clarity, and feedback loops are crucial for making messages resonate and drive action, writes Wilson Luna, a business and leadership strategist and consultant. Leaders must overcome barriers such as ego, jargon and misinterpretation to foster a cohesive team. Regular reflection, seeking feedback and adapting communication styles can make effective communication a part of organizational culture.

Maintaining a "brag book" to document professional achievements may help bolster your career as companies prioritize efficiency and AI. Brag books showcase employees' impact and contributions, and can help employees keep track of accomplishments, praise, and milestones -- creating a ready resource to improve performance reviews, promotion cycles and job searches. Executive coach Sabina Nawaz and professionals such as Megan Struthers and Ally Andrus endorse the concept, highlighting its role in boosting confidence and ensuring that accomplishments are not overlooked.

Storytelling restaurants in Los Angeles are more than places to eat -- they act as living cultural archives, preserving the languages, traditions and histories of the city's diverse communities, writes Anya Kapoor. Family-run establishments like Guelaguetza, Jitlada, Suehiro Café, and El Tepeyac Café embody the culinary and social heritage of neighborhoods, often anchoring immigrant stories through recipes passed down for generations. As these restaurants face threats from rising rents and shifting dining trends, their closure means the loss of vital community gathering spaces and irreplaceable cultural narratives.

All-day cafes, such as The Dutchess in Ojai, Calif., and Cafe Mochiko in Cincinnati, have become increasingly popular in recent years, offering flexible concepts that transition from breakfast bakeries in the morning to restaurants at night. This model allows owners to maximize revenue by serving different customer groups throughout the day, while also adapting to shifting economic and social demands. Inspired by earlier European cafes and American diners, the new wave of all-day cafes emphasizes both quality and versatility, catering to diverse routines and creating spaces that feel welcoming at any hour.

Danone US has received the International Dairy Foods Association Workplace of the Year award at Dairy Forum 2026 for its inclusive and supportive workplace culture. The award, co-sponsored by Dairy Processing, recognizes Danone's efforts in employee resource groups, professional development and overall well-being. The judging panel praised the company's initiatives targeting physical, mental, and financial health, as well as its support for work-life balance through flexible workplace policies and paid parental and family leave.

Constant availability, the belief in a universal success blueprint and the need for complete information before making decisions are three productivity myths that contribute to burnout, writes Dilan Gomih, the founder of Dilagence, who suggests weekly priority resets, tailored productivity habits and getting comfortable with acting from uncertainty. "Effective leaders don't guess; they decide with incomplete information and manage risks proactively while the opportunity remains open," writes Gomih.

Movement can enhance creativity in the workplace because physical activity helps relax the mind and foster new ideas. There are three types of pauses leaders can use to help their teams access creative thinking: Red-light pauses involve vigorous movement to relieve stress, yellow-light pauses focus on slow and rhythmic activities to shift attention and green-light pauses encourage moderate movement to generate new ideas. Incorporating "movement time" into the creative process improves productivity and idea generation.

By the end of January, most people have made little progress toward their New Year's Resolutions. Nearly a quarter give up in the first week. Yet this makes now the ideal time to reassess, armed with new information and a more realistic perspective. Now is the moment to refine your goals and adjust your approach, informed by early lessons about what does and does not work. Read more.