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This is the latest news and information for workers and managers from across the Web universe, brought to you by Monday Morning Manager writer Harvey Schachter. Follow us on Twitter @Globe_Careers or join our Linked In group.
Don't force staff to do yoga
Yoga is the new team-building activity, says human resources blogger Laurie Ruettimann, who sees leaders at retreats forcing their direct reports to get up early for it. She enjoys yoga and approves doing it voluntarily but warns against forcing others into an activity they might find humbling, scary or that could injure them. LaurieRuettimann.com
Think like an activist to unlock value
Does every board need an activist member – somebody who focuses on the company's weak spots, even at the risk of irritating management and fellow board members? Paula Loop, leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers' Center for Board Governance, says activists can help a company deal with underperformance and improve shareholder returns. At a minimum, boards should think like activists. ChiefExecutive.net
Thank a bank for killing your idea
A study of mortgage lending rules that allowed entrepreneurs to bypass the project-screening function of banks and instead use the value of their housing as collateral to gain credit led new entrants in business to get into fields where they lacked experience. Their businesses had lower performance and were more likely to fail. Ideas.repec.org
The year's not over til it's over
The fourth-quarter sprint to Dec. 31 has begun and consultant Drew McLellan suggests asking: What's the one thing you could accomplish in the next few months to set you up for 2016? In marketing, think about what audience you are undercommunicating with and how you can amplify something you're already doing. Drew's Marketing Minute
Use the insert key to paste text
Your insert key does not, ironically, insert text in Microsoft Word, instead turning overtype mode on and off. If you want to use it for inserting text, go to the advanced settings in the Word Options dialogue box and in the cut, copy, paste section, select "use insert key for paste." Allen Wyatt's WordTips
Harvey Schachter is a Battersea, Ont.-based writer specializing in management issues. He writes Monday Morning Manager and management book reviews for the print edition of Report on Business and an online work-life column Balance. E-mail Harvey Schachter
Harvey Schachter