Quick staff meetings at the beginning of each workday can create focus, purpose and an understanding of everyone's challenges and successes, writes Naphtali Hoff. He offers six rules for leaders to create stand-ups that are productive, consistent and help employees provide "excellent service or care to their customers and clients."

Mischief-makers bring the important element of disruption to higher education and shouldn't be discounted during hiring decisions, Shenandoah University dean Michael Stepniak and Lawrence University Conservatory of Music dean Brian Pertl write. They can help round out a team lacking in sometimes helpful risk-takers, resilience and humor, though Stepniak and Pertl offer a few caveats in this commentary.

Diverse representation in any room where a decision is being made is vital to solving problems, North Shore Community College interim President Nate Bryant said at a recent leadership forum in Massachusetts. He says a single representative is not enough and that leaders at the table need to come from "different divisions, different unions, different departments and different working groups" to effect real change.

Nearly 4 million US workers have been out of a job at least six months since the pandemic started -- which is 37% of the unemployed. These workers face even longer unemployment, especially in the hospitality and restaurant sectors, and many are scrambling to pivot to new careers.

A UK study by Openreach found that women were 200% more interested in making an application for an engineering job when language in the job posting was amended to be less male-oriented. Female applicants were put off by phrases such as "getting your hands dirty" and the research found biased language in job advertisements can alienate half of female job seekers.

HERC is here to support you and your institution during COVID-19. We have consolidated resources on remote work, sustaining community during times of crisis, and inclusive recruitment here.

Whether you're early or advanced in your higher ed career, HERC has resources to support your leadership at work. Explore blog posts and webinars geared toward faculty and staff as well.

In observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the US, HERC Leadership & Careers SmartBrief will not publish Monday, Jan. 18. Publication will resume Wednesday, Jan. 20.